What Ho, Chaps! The United States declared its independence from Britain over 240 years ago. But we still have ties to Merrie Olde England, and not just the common language which separates us. (Because, honestly, who calls cookies “biscuits” and biscuits “scones”?) Biscuit Biscuit?! Biscuit? For one thing, the love of ale is richer and deeper in English history than it is in the States. Shakespeare makes many references to ale in his plays, and we’ve honored that with naming a beer after his beloved character Sir John Falstaff. Sadly, … [Read more...]
IPAs – A Comparative Review
Little Brother vs. Big Brother I grew up in a big family. I have three brothers and one sister (so, naturally, she outnumbered us), and I’m the fourth of five children. Thus, I have some experience being both a little brother and a big brother. One thing younger brothers do is compete with their older brothers. It’s not always a rivalry; it’s just a way to be your own person. For instance, my oldest brother plays the guitar. And so does my younger brother. But Alan’s style was influenced by The Beach Boys and James Taylor. Ed’s style mirrors Van Halen and Led Zeppelin. Still, when … [Read more...]
Style vs. Craft – An Introduction
When one of my coworkers found out I brewed my own beer, he asked me, “What do you brew? Craft beer?” I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, much less what he meant by “craft” beer. I mean, they’re my own recipes, so I guess I’ve crafted them. But I’m light-years away from being a commercial brewer in a commercial brewery, and according to the definition provided by the Brewer's Association, the 150 gallons or so that I brew annually in my antiquated 1920s kitchen don’t even qualify me as a craft brewer. So what did this guy mean? I think he had it in his head that I brewed IPAs. … [Read more...]
Seasonal Brewing – Oktoberfest Recipe
We live our lives by the seasons. For instance, the end of the football season means baseball’s Spring Training is right around the corner. Well, for some people, like Raiders fans, it starts sooner -- maybe around Halloween. But there’s always the next sports season to look forward to. Tour the Baseball Hall of Fame and Brewery Ommegang! It’s the same with brewing. Since it takes time for your beer to ferment and bottle condition, it’s good to do some advance planning. You might want to beef up the bullpen, as it were, or start looking at some interesting young prospects in the form of … [Read more...]
In Praise of the LHBS
I’ll say it right up front: Online shopping is pretty nifty. I love that I don’t have to deal with the crowds, search for parking, or put on pants. Especially not putting on pants. Everything is delivered right to my door, easy-peasy. It got me thinking that everything you could ever want can be bought online. There's a reason this is only a head shot. Well, Not Everything Yeah, not everything. There are limits to online buying. You can’t get a haircut online, after all. You’d be a fool to try to get an expensive tailored suit fitted online, am I right? And don’t even talk to me about … [Read more...]
Hop-head vs. Malt-head
Let’s talk Style. No, not beer styles - fashion. We’ll get to the beer later. Have you ever seen someone who still wore those clown-width neckties from the 70s? Or that guy who still rocked the MC Hammer harem pants? Or skinny jeans? Have you ever been that guy? Don’t answer that last question. The point is, fashions come and go. This is as true for beer as it is for clothing. IPAs have been a trend in the American Craft Beer scene for a few years now. It seems every microbrewery and brewpub has a beer they playfully label as “Toxic” or “Mega-Bitter.” And, of course, we’ve all experienced … [Read more...]
Small Batches = Big Results
Here’s a riddle: When does smaller mean bigger? Answer: When it’s your homebrew pipeline. A lot of novice homebrewers start with small batches and that makes a lot of sense. You don’t want to invest money, time, and space on a hobby that might not work out (and let’s face it, for someone new to brewing, it seems like a cross between rocket science and black magic). And there are companies that specialize in beginner kits and equipment for new small-batch brewers. That’s how I got my start, along with thousands of others. But if the fever really gets hold of you, the tendency is to go big - … [Read more...]
New Recipes From Old
Pop quiz! What do the following dishes have in common? Chicken Marsala Chicken with Cashews Chicken and Dumplings Chicken Kiev If you said “chicken,” congratulations, you can read. And no, you didn’t get re-routed to a foodie blog. The point is, these four delicious meals all have the same common base ingredient (chicken, for you slowpokes). But they’re all delightfully different because of the other ingredients used to enhance the dish. And this is related to beer….how? We’re naturally creatures of habit; we set our alarms for the same time, go through our morning routines, get to … [Read more...]
Competition Brewing – Part II
We all make mistakes now and then, and our brewing experiences are no different. Mistakes can range from fermenting too warm to nearly killing yourself. No lie. Gordon Strong, the president and highest ranking judge in the Beer Judge Certification Program, had this happen. In the introduction to his book Brewing Better Beer, Gordon describes how he and his partner were using a smoldering stick to kill any mold in a bourbon barrel they intended to use for aging a barleywine. The fumes ignited and the barrel exploded. It took them over eight weeks to recover from their injuries. So keep your … [Read more...]
Competition Brewing: Part I
Step up to the plate Okay, so you’re making progress with your homebrews. You’ve made some beers that you and your friends really like. Everyone who tasted your last IPA said you really hit it out of the park. You feel as if you’re ready to take the next big step. Okay, maybe not the major leagues just yet. You’re not ready for brewing on a larger scale or on a professional basis, but wouldn’t it be nice to know what people outside your circle of friends or your homebrew club think about your beer? There are homebrew competitions taking place all over the world all the time. The BJCP … [Read more...]
Smoked Amber Ale Homebrew Recipe
Sometimes I’m asked if brewing beer, like breaking up, is hard to do. I always say, “I wear loafers because I don’t feel like bending over to tie my shoes. If brewing were hard, I wouldn’t bother.” But the real answer is that it’s not difficult; it’s challenging. Whether you’re using HME kits or brewing original all-grain recipes, there’s always something new - be it ingredients, styles, equipment, or improvements on your process. What keeps the hobby interesting for me is the wide-open possibilities for experimentation. Okay, I know that, back in my January article, I warned about going … [Read more...]
What To Do When You’re New To Homebrew
If you were one of the fortunate ones to get a beer-making kit during the holiday season, you’re probably experiencing a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and abject terror. I know those were my feelings when my wife got me my first kit eight years ago. I’d been curious about brewing beer for a while, but didn’t know how to go about it. Everything I’d read about homebrewing (which wasn’t much) made it seem as though you needed an advanced chemistry degree and the unlimited finances and laboratory facilities of a Bond Villain. In my case, ignorance wasn’t bliss, it was a roadblock. I … [Read more...]
Spiced Porter for the Winter Holidays
In my last entry, I mentioned that I named a beer after my cat, Duncan. Well, in a roundabout way, I did. I modified a recipe from a friend who called it “King’s Porter.” And since porters are a dark beer, and my cat is black, and since King Duncan is a character in my favorite Shakespearean play, I thought calling my recipe King Duncan’s Holiday Porter was a good idea. The point is, it’s a special spiced beer that suits the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons very well. It can serve as a dessert beer or as the perfect toast to the festivities. And it’s a welcome change from the mulled … [Read more...]
A New Procedure For Sour Beers – Berglinzer Weisse
Have you ever brewed a sour beer before? You might just want to when you see how I just brewed my new one which I named Berglinzer Weisse (details on my naming convention below). Sours beers are characterized by an intentionally bold acidic, tart, and sour taste. Any beer style can be soured, but the most common styles that lead to the most drinkable sours consist of lambics and gueuzes. How is it traditionally soured? Instead of brewing in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of wild yeast, sour beers get their tart flavor profile by allowing the wild yeast strains or … [Read more...]
An Easy Saison for Lazy Summer Brewing
We’re full into summer now, and full into the excuses to take a break from brewing. It’s hot. There are so many other summertime activities. Also, it’s hot. We’re going away on vacation pretty soon, anyway. I’m a little burned out from brewing all winter. Did I mention it’s hot? To paraphrase Eddie Cochran, there ain’t no cure for the summertime brews. It’s difficult to get enthused about spending five or six hours making a hot environment even hotter, especially when it’s so handy to buy a couple of six-packs of a good craft beer. Oh, yeah? I used to take a vacation from … [Read more...]