The Archaeology of Beer

Where was this on career day?

Read more about how they recreate ancient beer recipes at The Atlantic.

Is the German beer purity law worth putting on the UNESCO list?

While many hail the Reinheitsgebot as the be all and end all of brewing some view it as limiting the creativity of brewers in a market that is declining. There is certainly a valid argument for both camps: tradition vs creativity. There are ways to stay creative while sticking to the law but it certainly is limiting.

Now a group of German brewers are trying to get the Reinheitsgebot placed on the same list as the Great Wall of China and the Great Barrier Reef. Hear the NPR report here and let us know what you think.

When Craft Beer Goes Global: A Kansas City Brewery's Tale

The deal to buy Boulevard Brewing says a lot about the transformation of the American craft beer industry — and just how much the world now values a product with a firm sense of place.

O'Hara is a little leery about Duvel taking over her brand. "These people came from the outside, and took something that's native to us, and it's kind of a bummer," she says. "It makes the future uncertain."

But John McDonald, Boulevard Brewing's founder, sees things differently. "I think a lot of people were kind of shocked at the news, and I kind of knew that would happen."

Read more or listen here.

The Craft Beer Market Has Exploded, And Now Brewers Are Worried About A Collapse

Business Insider looks at the current state of the craft beer market. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/alchemist-craft-beer-market-boom-bubble-outlook-2013-12#ixzz2nZZ6hVEE

How will you celebrate?

December 5 marks the 80th anniversary of the repeal of "the great experiment" the prohibition of alcohol in the United States. If you haven't seen the Ken Burns documentary or read the book it's based on, you really should. It's very eye opening as to how the 18th amendment was passed, it's effects and how it was eventually repealed.

Home wine making and home brewing can trace their roots back to prohibition where bricks of grape concentrate were sold with the specific instructions: "After dissolving the brick in a gallon of water, do not place the liquid in a jug away in the cupboard for twenty days, because then it would turn into wine." 

So how will you celebrate? I recommend a craft cocktail.

Women, The 'First Brewers,' Lean Into Craft Beer-Making

Thousands of beer aficionados are in Denver this weekend for the Great American Beer Festival. Some 600 breweries from around the country are represented at the marquee event for the craft-brewing industry.

And while this annual competition has long been male-dominated, that's starting to change.

Take, for example, Meg Gill, a 28-year-old Yale grad and the president and co-founder of Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles. LA sets many trends, but it was a bit late to the game in the country's booming craft beer scene. But Gill is helping LA to make its mark.

Read more here

Sixth-Grader Creates Microbrewery for Space Station

(NEWSER) – A Colorado 11-year-old is boldly going where no sixth-grader has ever gone before. He’s building a microbrewery for the International Space Station—you know, for science. Michal Bodzianowski's project, which explores the medicinal properties of the drink, is set to blast off in December.

  Sixth-Grader Creates Microbrewery for Space Station

Draft Dodging: Why Big Beer Is Going Flat

The industry's biggest players, Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors, whose mega-brands have dominated America's tap handles and supermarket shelves for decades, are being battered by a new wave of competition from inside and outside the beer market and starting to lose their grip.

Read More Here: http://adage.com/article/news/a-b-inbev-millercoors-losing-share-fix/244178/

The photo I didn't take

September 11, 2001, what a gorgeous day it was.

I was in Cleveland, a young second class petty officer, just beginning my day. I had just finished my news clip search and it was going to be a light day. There were officer-in-charge boards going on in our conference room down the hall. We had the television bank on as we always did.

I remember hearing it and it barely registering, "A plane has struck the World Trade Center." I looked up and saw the images that will always be ingrained in the mind of anyone who saw them that day.

I remember trying to get news on CNN.com and the website not working. When I did get on I printed out whatever news was the latest and posted it on our bulletin board in the hallway.

I remember being glued to the TV and wondering between the command center and our office gathering information about what was happening and passing it on to others.

I remember calling my mom and checking on her in Chicago and worrying about friends in New York.

I remember the photo I wish I had taken but couldn't bring myself to. In the grand scheme of things it wouldn't have mattered much, just a moment in time. We had people from other offices coming in to watch the news, not many, only three or four besides us. Our lieutenant was standing in his doorway and the chief in his. The bright, beautiful day was silhouetting them there as we all watched. This small group of Coast Guardsmen, paused in a moment of time watching our world change before our eyes.

On that day the service I joined changed forever, my country changed. I don't know what was going through everyone's mind that day, I can barely remember what went through mine.

I will never forget the silence as we evacuated our building, one plane was still flying, coming very close to our building before turning back towards Washington, and no one knew what was going to happen with it.

I will never forget that gathering of Coast Guardsmen, pausing to observe a moment in history, around a public affairs office and a 13-inch television. A photo I have seared in my mind if not on film.

Pumpkin Beer...yes or no?

Without realizing there was a major debate going on about it I threw out this question on Twitter and Facebook, "Pumpkin beer...yes, no, where, when and why?"

In general, most people said yes, it's fall and football is on...duh.

Some, like me, said no, don't care for the taste.

I threw it out there because I noticed that there were pumpkin beers hitting the shelves already in early-mid August. I was more wondering aloud if, much like Christmas decorations in stores, we were going to skip completely over the Oktoberfest and festival beers and just jump straight to Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Then I saw this and realized...it's not just me.

When my day job and hobby collide

I always find it interesting when my day job and my hobby collide on my news feed. Thus it peeked my interest when I saw that Bell's Brewery is suing Enbridge Energy in relation to their 2010 oil spill in the Kalamazoo River.

You heard about that one, right? In case you missed it or were too focused on another major oil spill happening at the same time in a different area of the country, here is a reminder.

In this case Bell's is suing over the possible release of contamination during an upcoming EPA directed dredging operation related to the spill.

Read more here

Beer News

This is what I'd like to do when I retire:

Breweries Not Too Big for Their Barrels

Every other Friday at 2 a.m., Rich Castagna walks out to the one-car garage behind his home in Maspeth, Queens, and fills a 55-gallon stainless-steel barrel with water. While his wife and three daughters are asleep inside the house, he fires up a burner and slowly brings the water to a boil, turning the 150-square-foot room into a sauna.

 Read more here

A celebration of recent legislation:

Hops and change

Finally, government loves you and wants you to be happy
MOST Americans may not realise it, but their country is a little freer, and perhaps slightly tipsier than it was last month. On July 1st it became legal to make beer at home in Mississippi. Alabama lifted the threat of prosecution for homebrewers in May. It is now legal to craft your own suds in all 50 states.

Read more here 

Oh the ills of summer:

Bad buzz: Mosquitoes love to bite beer drinkers, study

Roughly 20 percent of people are more frequent meal tickets for mosquitoes than the rest of the population, and Smithsonian Magazine set out to investigate: Why?
Beer drinkers beware. Mosquitoes love the brew.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/16/bad-buzz-mosquitoes-love-beer-drinkers-study/#ixzz2ZXWjR6Cd
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

Want to help out a new brewery?

How to Become a Stouperstar – Join the Stoup Brewing Founders Club

“Memberships are available for a limited time only…and at $250, these honeys got velocity. Don’t forget that they make great gifts too.”
I highly encourage you to go learn more about this opportunity. Note the way I used the word opportunity and not offer.
http://www.stoupbrewing.com/founders-club/

Along witha fancy name (Stouperstar), members get a whole list of perks. Not just a growler and a T-shirt, but much more, including beer. Once you’re a member, you are a Stouperstar for life.

Read more here

Craft Beer Expanding Faster Than Any Time Since Prohibition Ended

We love craft beer, and we're not afraid to talk your ear off about it. It turns out, we're not alone. According to the Brewers Association, there are now 2,126 craft breweries in the U.S., more than there have been since 1890. This number includes 350 new breweries that have opened since June 2011 alone. Guys, we get it -- you want more beer. Read more

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July everyone. Whether you're hanging out at the house or you're out with friends or family I hope you have a great day.

As we take a moment to celebrate independence I ask you to take a moment a celebrate another new independence. On July 1, 2013 it became legal in all 50 states to brew your own beer for the first time since before Prohibition.

Celebrate the independent breweries and true craft wine and spirit makers.

Lift your glass to the military, the public servants, the firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and law enforcement officers who serve and protect this great nation.

Here's to all of you and to all of us.

E pluribus unum

Happy Father's Day

I'm sitting in Gettysburg, having a beer next to the battlefield almost 150 years after the battle and all I can think of is, "I wish Dad was here". I get that thought a lot in my travels. For all the cool places I get to go and all of the cool things I get to do I wish I could drag my dad along for the ride.

You see he's the man that taught me all about beer, how to brew it and how to appreciate it. He taught me the right way to treat women and how to use tools the right way. He influenced me to become the man I am today.

I've seen him lose his father, his brother and his mother and for two of those losses I was there with a hug. I've seen him welcome my wife as the daughter he always wanted and my brother's wife as his other daughter.

All of this comes to mind while I'm sitting here and it brings me back to the only day he and I were here.

I had just graduated from boot camp and it was January. A cold January. We were driving home from Cape May with Mom, my cousin Tracey, my then girlfriend Renee and my brother. We had just left Philadelphia and were making our way west. He and my mom had told the girls they could stay in their pajamas for the day's trip. Little did the girls know there was a nefarious plot afoot.

The next thing any of us know is that we are parked outside the Hershey visitors center. The girls were NOT happy but I wasn't surprised. This is par for the course with my family and it's great. If we're nearby we will go out of our way a few hours to visit a battlefield, historic house, Turkeyville or Hershey.

After checking out the visitors center and loading up on chocolate we began our trek west again. As we approached Gettysburg he and I wanted to stop. We of course were vetoed. As we drove through he promised that I'd get back there...and I have.

Dad thanks for everything...one of these days you and I are going to come back here...and go to a few other places. Until then, this one's for you.

Advertising

A quick PSA....

While you're here reading about my adventures in homebrewing please take a moment to click on one of the ads on the page. I get a small return for each click and I roll the money into my homebrewing.

Thank You

Paul

Take time to Chug

If you never had a chance to see "Three Sheets" you really missed out.

The premise behind the show was Zane Lamprey, an everyman type person, travels the world to explore the local drinking culture and hangover remedies. Along the way we meet crazy people, learn how to toast in several languages and make up new phrases like, "Jim-the-Cop'd", "Pleepleus" and "ski patrol".

This is a show best watched with friends as there is also an unofficial drinking game associated with each episode.

Here are the rules from the Three Sheets Wiki:

The Drinking Game
Three Sheets doubles as a drinking game. The game was introduced in the second episode of Season 1, Costa Rica, and included the first three rules. Since then other rules have been invented and added to the game.

1. When Zane drinks, you drink.
2. The first person to see Pleepleus the monkey gets to make someone else drink.
3. When Zane talks about his friend Steve McKenna (or when his photo pops up), it's a social (everybody drinks).
4. When Zane burps, the last person to give the "good burp" sign drinks.
5. If someone "Jim-the-Cops"(spills their beverage) while drinking, everyone drinks. If you Jim-the-Cop, you have to buy someone a drink or when at home, it's your turn to run to the fridge. This rule was introduced during theNY Pub Crawl.
6. If you spot Zane holding a drink improperly (see below), you can make someone else drink.

Proper Ways to Hold a Drink:
Foo Foo Drink: This would be a drink that masks the taste of alcohol with the taste of sugar. They are sweet, blended, brightly colored, or have an umbrella in them. In this case, Zane's pinky should be up in the air.
Man-Grip Drink: This is a general drink, like a Beer, Jack & Coke, Vodka Cranberry, where the sweetness doesn't hide the taste of alcohol. In this case, all of Zane's fingers should be in contact with the glass.
Gentleman's Drink: Think Frank Sinatra. This is a straight-up spirit, like Bourbon, Scotch, Tequila, or anything else that is not cut (except by water, vermouth, or club soda). All fingers should be on the glass except for the index finger-- It should be pointing out with confidence.

The best thing is the show is still available on Amazon and Hulu...go watch it...I'll wait.

Now the dementedly funny minds that brought you "Three Sheets" and its follow-up "Drinking Made Easy" are working on a new show and they need your help.

Head over to kickstarter and help these guys bring you more of the world culture they don't teach you in school. They have a day left and are in the home stretch.

But what is Chug? Hear it from the man himself.



Take the cost of a beer and tip and donate to bring this show back.

Anchor Chucker - Win a bottle of homebrew

Anchor Chucker: n. A person who gives up being a Chief Petty Officer for better pay. (see Warrant Officer)

There are two schools of  thought when it comes to the enlisted career path in the Coast Guard, you move through the ranks of being a Chief Petty Officer or you go for Warrant Officer. Neither is the right or wrong path but there are a lot of people out there to tell you otherwise. Whether you believe in "Once a Chief, always a Chief" or not, this beer is named for all of those who passed on their anchors to a new breed as they moved up to bigger things.

The name is in jest but I picture it as a "Real Men of Genius" type beer. I would like to reach out to my readers for an inspirational description. The prize for the best one will be a bottle of homebrew shipped direct to you. So put on your thinking caps and help me write a funny homage to those who have chucked the anchor...this beer's for them. Leave a comment below or email me your entry.

This is an experimental single malt and single hop ale brewed with a touch of honey and Cooper's Ale yeast.

I looked at this as a three continent brew. I used Bohemian Pilsner malt from Europe, El Dorado hops from North America and Cooper's Ale yeast from Australia.

Here is the recipe.

When I brewed I was worried that it wasn't going to turn out. I somehow miscalculated the liquid amounts and over topped the carboy before I added my yeast. Don't know how I did it but...what can you do?

It actually turned out really tasty. I did add a little too much honey at bottling so it pours with a very lively head. Once it settles down though it turns into a great summer session beer.

Why We Love Our Disney Gal Moms

A little cross posting never hurt anyone...

Hey everyone it's Paul, Disney Gal Judy's son. I've hijacked the Gals Page today as a surprise for them from those that love them.

Here are our favorite memories, tidbits and the reasons we love our Disney Gal moms.

Disney Gal Beth

My wife and the mother to our three wonderful boys, Beth is Elastigirl and Cinderella rolled into one. Like Elastigirl, she does everything within her super-powers to make life happy and enjoyable for her family.  Like Cinderella, she cleans a lot without complaint. OK, hopefully everyone sees that last part as a silly joke! Like Cinderella she is beautiful, graceful, and has made my life happily ever after (throw in a few magical kisses). And not to be forgotten, she is our resident expert travel agent for all things Disney!!!

Happy Mother's Day, we love you!

Ryan, Tommy, Jack, and Connor












Disney Gal Laura



















I love you mommy - Connor

Disney Gal Kelly

As a daughter of a Disney Cruise Line fanatic, it was no surprise to me when my mom said she wanted to try everything the ship has to offer. I didn’t, however, expect her to fly up to 1000ft in the air! Without a doubt, parasailing with my mom is my (and my siblings’) favorite memory with her.  She went up with my brother, and my sister and I could still hear her talking at 600ft in the air. When she returned to the ground, it was time for me and my sister to soar. Every person who parasails has the opportunity to have their feet dipped or body dunked in the ocean. While my sister and I were putting on our gear, my mom pulled the man in charge and secretly had him arrange us to be completely dunked in the ocean! We didn’t see it coming, and when we were dunked into the ocean, my mom pulled out her camera and took a few (embarrassing) photos. She took some more photos when we came out from the water-- soaking wet. I’ve never seen her laugh so hard before in my life. Seeing her that happy and enjoying herself that much made me realize that moments like this don’t happen very often, and when they do, should be cherished and appreciated as often as possible.

Disney Gal Gayle


Many of you know our mom as Disney Gal Gayle but we know her as Mommy.  In honor of Mother’s Day we would like to share a few of our Disney Memories with you.

Since I am the oldest and the only girl of course it makes sense for me to go first.

My fondest Disney Memory with my mom it is so hard to pick just one.  I guess though it would have to be when we took Zachary there for the first time.  To me it was the first time that I realized just how special Disneyland truly is when you are able to see it through a child’s eyes.  Disneyland has always had a special place in my heart and it is a place that I know that no matter what kind of day I may be having that the minute I step through those gates that all my worries and fears go away and I can be a kid myself.  My mom not only taught me that but showed me that and I cannot wait until our next trip to Disneyland so that we can have more memories.  By the way mom I am planning on us going this summer so time for you and me to start planning that 

As we all know Kevin is a man of few words so here are his few:

After my daughter was born my mom couldn't wait to take her to Disneyland and before we knew it, we had a little Disney diva on our hands. When Moya got too old to be snuck in as under 3, my mom helped pay to get her an annual pass. A couple of years later when my son got too big, we all got annual passes. Now we have a large collection of Disney DVD’s, the kids often dress as Disney characters for Halloween, and if we have nothing else going on during the weekends, we go to Disneyland (and sometimes during the week.)
Here is something from the favorite child although I am not sure why he gets to be the favorite I still think I should be the favorite since I am the only girl……

My fondest Disney memory involving me and my mom though is only sort of a Disney trip.  Back when I was in elementary school I was part of the young astronaut program that my mom ran after school.  We did multiple sciences and space related projects and had many field trips including to NASA @ Moffet field.  Finally she decided it would be a good idea to take a group of us back to Florida to go to some science related places, including EPCOT.   During spring break of my seventh grade year it was time for the trip.  We were off to Orlando and EPCOT, and downtown Disney.  Although we only got to spend one day at EPCOT it was the most memorable part of the trip.  Getting to go on all of the different rides and see the different attractions.  Of course no Disney trip with my mom would be complete without waiting for hours to see Fantasmic. Now our mom has Fantasmic down to a system she knows where to sit and how to get a seat without having to wait for hours.  So if anyone needs tips on that when they come to California just ask our mom.  I also cannot think of Disneyworld, or see a pair of Mickey gloves and not think about that trip and the fun we had.

And finally the boy who is graduating in 3 weeks…….

My favorite Disney memory is from my birthday trip to Walt Disneyworld. But there isn't just one memory it was the whole trip. From stopping at every photo pass, to listening in on people conversations at the bus stops, to the race and after party( which you may not remember) or meeting your Disney gals. The whole trip was magical.

Mom we wish you a very magical and Happy Mother’s Day.  We love you very much and cannot wait to have more Disney memories with you.


Disney Gal Heather

A few words about Heather: Happy mother's day to a current and future mother, who always is a beacon of love and support for her family. We love you very much and hope you enjoy your special day!









Disney Gal Tricia

Here's a note from Makena for Tricia Kalita: Her favorite memory at Disney with her mom is having lunch at Cinderella's castle.  And her funniest memory is when mommy went to Disney with the Disney Gals and carried a picture of Makena on a stick in all the photos. Makena loves mommy so much!!! Happy Mother's Day from Makena, Daddy, Kingston, and Bailey.




Disney Gal Lynette

Lynette and her daughter


Disney Gal Lori

Lori Hope Fries isn't just the best Disney Mom, she's undeniably the best mom in the world to us three boys.

We were trained at an early age to be park commandos: the ideal Disney Sons. Old pictures show us young boys drained from exhaustion, but that never stopped us from chanting our motto, "One more ride!"  We were always up for rope drop in the morning, and 'first play' before lines got too crowded. But now that we've gotten older and a bit lazier (us boys, never our mom of course), she even lets us sleep in. We're always willing to stay until the park closes, though… unless Mom booked an ADR at Yachstman, Jiko, or O'hana, that is.

She's taught us the ins and outs, the secrets and the shortcuts, and even all the acronyms. If you thought she was tough to beat at Disney trivia, just wait until you take on the Fries Brothers. We've been to Disney Resorts in Florida, California, Hong Kong, and Tokyo - slashing items from our bucket lists. Whether it's a special trip with just one of us and her, or the rare occasion where all three sons and their mom are back together, Lori Hope Fries continually proves that she's the master of fun and surprises.

So this one goes out to you, Mom! You deserve a Disney Princess coronation.

Through pouring rain, with or without ponchos, forever by your side,
Love, your Disney Sons - Jared, Dennis and Sammy

Disney Gal Judy

When I was asked what my favorite Disney memory is, there was many things that ran through my mind at once. Losing Uncle Jose at Disney and in the same trip having to find the EMS for Grandma. The trip with my best friend Edwin, my cousin Vernon, and Grammie. If I had to choose I would have to say it was seeing the look on my wife's face when she saw Winnie the Pooh in person for the first time. How she ran to hug him even though his handler was trying to get him in back. How it made everyone my Mom, Dad, Me and most of all Maggie smile so big. Thanks to my Mom and Dad that moment was possible. - Brian and Maggie

What can I say about my mom Judy...

Judy is always there when someone needs anything. She has welcomed two wonderful women into our family and loved them like they were her own children, not just her daughter-in-laws. I've seen her welcome our friends, some of whom have placed dibs on parts of the Disney collection at the house, into our home time after time with no questions asked as to why they needed a place to stay. While I'll never fully understand why she loves Disney so much, I do know it's rubbed off on all of us.

I have two favorite Disney memories of her. The first is how happy she was when she stayed at the Waldorf Astoria on property for the first time and the hotel upgraded us to one of the two best rooms in the whole hotel.

The second favorite Disney memory is our pre-trip planning ritual. I love the planning, looking into where we're staying, what tours and restaurants we're going to do. It makes me look forward to the trip even more.

Mom, I know we're not around as much as you'd like but know you're always on our mind. We love you. - Paul and Renee

To all the Disney Gals from your daughters, sons, furry kids, husbands and the rest of those we end up calling family...Happy Mother's Day! We love you all.

Constants and Variables: SMaSH Brewing and Bioshock Infinite

"There's always a lighthouse, there's always a man, there's always a city." -Elizabeth, Bioshock Infinite

"We brewers don't make beer, we just get all the ingredients together and the beer makes itself." --Fritz Maytag, President, Anchor Steam Brewing

WARNING, this post and the links contained herein contains spoilers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

It's probably no lighting bolt from the sky for me to say that beer and video games go together. Nothing says, "have a cold one" like tearing through a few levels of your favorite shooter or role playing game. The choice you have for beer as a consumer is almost as infinite as the the worlds described in quantum physics. In the end there are constants and variables.

The constants:
There is always a game
There is always a beverage

The variables:
What game to play
What beverage to drink

It's all about constants and variables. You never row, you will always just sit there until you move. You will always be confined to enjoy commercial beer until you try brewing your own. The only way to that city is to be cleansed in the sweet baptismal waters of brewing your own beer at home.

In Bioshock Infinite you are asked to, "bring us the girl and wipe away the debt." While it's not clear until the end what debt you need to clear and why you need to bring the girl, that choice that was made for you before the game started is what sends you on the wild ride up the rabbit hole.

Do you throw the ball at the couple or the announcer?

Heads or tails?

These are some of the perceived choices the game gives you but in the end, whether you chose the bird or the cage, the choice has no impact to the overall story.

There is always a lighthouse.

The state of beer right now also gives the consumer the perception of choice. The problem is, unless you do your homework, your choices sometimes have less impact than you think. I willingly choose to drink craft beer. I look for the independent local producers to try but now there are big brewers hiding behind fake labels that look like independent brewers. Beware these false shepherds.

Constants and variables...there are always IPAs, Pale Ales, Stouts and Lagers each brewery puts their own spin on it.

The light in the dark that leads you to doors of infinite possibilities is learning to brew your own. You never have to worry if that pale ale is made by an independent or a big brewer because it's made by you. You can find great, easy to follow guides to beginning home brewing on YouTube and at the American Homebrewers Association. It's not as hard as you think. I'm not going to regurgitate how to brew here. Go look it up, we'll wait.

Beer is made from malted grains, hops, yeast and water. These are the constants, the variables lie in what grains, yeast, water and hops you use.

This is what SMaSH brewing is about. Constants and variables. Single Malt and Single Hop. Choose and learn the secrets. Brewing this way will teach you how flavors interact with each other. It will teach you what the true flavors of different malt types are when paired to different hop varieties. Use the same yeast for different batches with different hops and malts and you get to see how the yeast interacts to develop the flavors we all love.

Once you learn how the ingredients interact you have the keys to the universe. No matter what choice you make, remember one thing is true; There is always a beer, there is always a person, there is always a choice.

O'Leary's Barn Burner - Brewing

It's one thing to have an idea in your head and another to actually bring it to life. Like I described in my last post I had an idea of my brew day for O'Leary's Barn Burner. I figured I'd carefully measure out all of my ingredients and brew different batches in an attempt to nail down the flavors I was looking for. I planned to brew one day and had to push it to another. The best laid plans of mice and men...

Brew day arrived while my dad was in town for my birthday. We decided to do two batches, one with a stepped mash and one with a single mash at 152 degrees. The stepped mash we did at 99, 144 and 152 degrees. We did the full gallon for the stepped mash, adding water as it heated to bring the temperature up. The single mash was with two quarts of water.

The process of brewing went well. The only issue that popped up was we miss-measured the grains initially, I got a new scale and didn't read it right. We also found that the scale didn't go low enough for the hop measurements and we ended up guesstimating the hop measurements.

We split the two batches between my two carboys and sat back to wait.

After 14 days one batch went directly into bottles and the other went into secondary fermentation for another seven days.

Both batches of bottles sat for at least 14 days before they were put in the fridge.

What did I learn?

I would probably pull back a little on the smoked malt. I liked the flavor but it was just a little strong.

I would like to switch out the Cascade Hops for a UK variety. Don't know which yet but I'm open to suggestions.

If I make two batches at once again I would blend them before I bottle.

In the end I really like the results of this brew. It came in at 5.5% and, while the smokey smell is strong, it really mellows out.

If you've had it let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Brewing next...Anchor Chucker Ale - A SMaSH Experiment.

Boston Beer trademarks 'Boston Strong' 26.2 Brew to benefit marathon charities

Interesting idea from fundraising. What do you think?

O'Leary's Barn Burner - The Recipe

In our last installment I talked about what inspired me behind naming my first beer recipe  This time around I want to talk about the recipe itself.

Why Irish Red?

Two reasons:

1. I love everything Irish. No seriously, ask anyone who has ever heard my ipod playing and they will say that there is always at least one Irish song in the mix. My number one bucket list dream is an Irish pub crawl.

2. I love the style of Irish Red Ale. It's a great everyday, year-round beer for me.

I always wanted to brew an Irish Red Ale. For me I like to look at a beer and try to imagine what it would have tasted like when it was first developed. In my mind I see Irish Red Ales having a smoked peet flavor due  to the malt drying process and I love smoked beers. They remind me of campfires and smores and great nights on the deck with friends. I'm not big on the flavor of peet smoked malt so I went with German smoked malt.

Here is the alpha version of the recipe - I will admit this is a riff off of a recipe by Brooklyn Brew Shop. I needed a place to start. This is NOT going to be the final version.

For 1 Gallon (U.S.)

1.5 lb Maris Otter (UK)
.5 lb Caramel 60 (UK)
.25 lb Aromatic (UK)
.5 lb Smoked Malt (GER)
.25 lb Roasted Barley  (UK)

Mashed in at 89 F
Rested at 152 F
Mashed out at 170 F

.5 oz East Kent Golding Hops (UK)
.3 oz Cascade Hops (US) (I really want an English hop here)

60 minute boil
Half the hops at 5 minutes into the boil
Rest of the hops at 50 minutes

Windsor British Style Beer Yeast (dry)

3 Tbsp Honey (Bottling)

This was the plan. Get enough of the ingredients to make several 1 gallon test batches. This way we could have more smoked malt in one and less in another or make one batch hoppier than another.

The reality was completely different. I went through a local homebrew supply shop. Now, in their defense  it was the first time I got grains from them and I made an assumption on how I would get my order. I expected  to get all of my ingredients in separate bags so I could measure out my supplies...but I didn't.

Instead I got a bag with all of the grain mixed together.

When life gives you grain...make beer. So I did just that. I took the bag of grains and made do...more on that in my next post.

O'Leary's Barn Burner - The Inspiration

Let me tell you some stories.

There are things that inspire me and there are things that lead me to wonder why. This is the story behind my first beer recipe.

I'm from Chicago, the City of Big Shoulders, Hog Butcher for the World, the Windy City. I love the city of my birth and youth. I love its history and culture, its beauty and the dark places of its soul.

As a child and teen I would immerse myself in books on my city's history. I was obsessed, and still am, with the tragedies that built my city into what it is today. I could tell you all about the Iroquois Theater and the Eastland but my number one fascination was the Great Chicago Fire.

The fire that destroyed Chicago in the early autumn of 1871 started in or near the barn of Mrs. Catherine O'Leary and lead to the destruction of more than 18,000 structures in a 3.5 square mile area. While it wasn't the deadliest or largest fire that year, the City of Peshtigo, WI burned on the same day in a forest fire that killed more than 1,200 people and burned more than 1.2 million acres, it was a fire that shaped how the city of my youth grew in its youth.

The site where the Great Chicago Fire started is now the home of the Chicago Fire Academy. The majority of my childhood was spent hanging out at or with paramedics and fire fighters. My father is a member of the Chicago Fire Department. He's the one who taught me to love beer.

He taught me how beer is brewed and what goes into it. He taught me the love that is put into a brew by a homebrewer. So I knew one day that I would start brewing too. When that day came I knew I wanted the first beer recipe that I developed to be a tribute to things that are important to me. It would be a beer that would always have a place in my heart and a beer that is a piece of me.

But the O'Leary referenced in the name is not the same O'Leary of the fire fame. No, my O'Leary is a friend.

I first met Mariana in 2004 when she was a third class petty officer and we were in a Coast Guard "c" school  together. She and I worked together off and on throughout my career. She is an awesome person who is full of life and deserves all of the rewards that life brings.

Unfortunately life also brings tragedy.

In August 2011, Colin O'Leary, Mariana's husband, unexpectedly passed away. While I never had the pleasure of meeting Colin. I know how much joy he brought to Mariana. I promised her that I would name my first beer after Colin.

So in the end this beer is named for things that have a lot of meaning for me. It's meant to stir memories of campfires and friends.

O'Leary's Barn Burner, in memory of a friend, a city's history and my father. This smoked-Irish Red Ale is for all of you.

More on the Washington State beer tax

From Dick Cantwell at Elysian Brewing and Heather McClung at Schooner EXACT:

As many of you doubtless already know, the budget submitted by Governor Jay Inslee calls for a rough quintupling of the excise taxes paid by small brewers selling their beer in the state of Washington. Only one in-state producer--Redhook--produces more than the 60,000 barrels per year ceiling on the exemption that has existed since taxes on larger brewers were raised a couple of years ago, quietly, in the final hours of congressional session. The loss of this exemption would mean a rise to at least $23 per barrel of production. This is over twice the tax paid by Alaskan brewers, the current unhappy leaders in the shouldering of excise tax burden. Larger Washington brewers such as Georgetown, Mac and Jack's and Elysian (my company) would see an increase of several hundred thousand dollars per year. Even a nano brewery producing a hundred barrels a year would be on the hook for an additional two thousand dollars. 

No brewery so affected will be able to absorb these costs and simply call it good. Prices to wholesalers and retailers would rise, resulting in a likely cost increase per keg of at least $20, and a probable jump in pint prices across any given bar of fifty cents to a dollar. Packaged beer, of course, would go up in price as well.

Washington's roughly 200 small brewers employ in the neighborhood of 3500 people. These are local people working for predominantly locally-owned companies, which in turn support local Washington growers of hops and barley. Because of this concentration of beer production-related bounty, Washington is vulnerable to such a tax increase in ways that no other state would be. Brewers in other states would better be able to secure the ingredients needed to produce beers of character, better able to market these beers in our state and elsewhere, and better able to reinvest in their own breweries, and to create jobs in their own local areas. This tax hike doesn't just threaten to raise prices, it threatens the entire Washington craft beer industry. Contact your congresspeople, and the Governor himself, to voice your opposition to this predatory item in the proposed budget.


http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/


http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp



Dick Cantwell

Head Brewer

Elysian Brewing Co.

Seattle


Below are two links to letters you can send to your representatives. The first one is ready to send. The second is for people who wish to personalize their communication. Thank you for taking the time to support your local brewery!



READY TO SEND:

http://www.washingtonbrewersguild.org/WABL%20SEND.pdf



EDIT FIRST LETTER:

http://www.washingtonbrewersguild.org/WABL_Letter.html

Heather McClung

Schooner EXACT Brewing Company
Washington Brewers Guild President
hmcclung@gmail.com

Tasting the new brew

Finally opened my new brown for tasting at the start of the new year. It pours with a nice solid, lasting head and is very smooth. 

Taste-wise it is smooth and caramel on the tongue with no aftertaste. It's a great beer to have with a steak and  potato.

The beer is named Taught Watch in a, ahem, nod (cough - inside joke - cough) to something we keep hearing in the Coast Guard. "We are Coast Guardsmen. This is our chosen profession. This is our way. This is what we do. Stand a Taut Watch. Semper Paratus."

This has been one of my favorite beers so far and I was very worried about it as the county just changed our water system over to reverse osmosis. Previously we had very hard water here is Elizabeth City, N.C., and it has lead to pretty good brews. The change had me worried that I may need to add gypsum or some other brewing minerals to my boil to help out.

Turns out I didn't need it. If you've had it leave a comment and tell me what you thought.

Now it's time to try my own recipe. 

Washington State proposes new beer tax

The State of Washington is proposing to extend permanently a currently temporary tax on breweries in the state. This tax is called the "$.50 cent a barrel tax" and was put in place in 2010 as part of a measure to increase revenue in the state during the economic downturn.

The current tax exempts breweries making less than 60,000 barrels a year in beer. The new proposal is to remove the 60,000 barrel exemption opening up the tax to all breweries in the state.

Read up more here and make your voice count.

Craft beer replaces wine as young women's drink of choice

Meagan O'Brien sipped her beer and bit her tongue as the man next to her tried to describe to his date some of the 60 craft beers at a Milwaukee bar.

Turns out, he didn't know his ales from his hefeweizens.

"She kept asking questions, and this guy just kept making up stuff," O'Brien said.

O'Brien, 31, could have set him straight easily. A sales representative for Tallgrass, a craft beer brewed in Kansas, she's also a certified cicerone -- kind of a sudsy version of a sommelier.

Read the rest at the Detroit Free Press.

Coming soon

Yeah I know, no posts in a long while. I'm sorry,  really. There are posts coming. I promise. Posts about beer in Mississippi and Panama and of course more small batch brews. Stay tuned.

Unusual ways extreme craft brewers are pushing beer boundaries

An interesting look at extreme craft brewers: 

We’ve got extreme sports, extreme makeovers, and now: extreme beer. 

A six pack for over 90 bucks? A beer you can only buy on one day a year? A stout with a dizzying 50 percent alcohol? These examples -- and many more -- are just a few of the mug-tipping exploits of extreme-beer brewing, the latest craze to hit the craft beer market.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/01/10/extreme-beer-here-craft-beer-makers-push-bounds-brews/#ixzz2HbBRmL2Q

An English Brown to end the year

It feels good to brew again. I missed it. When you're on the road more than 150 days in a year it's hard to find time to brew when you want to. Invariably when you get home from a trip there are things that need to get done around the house and other life moments that get in the way.

When I'm on the road I try to plan for my next brew. I had planned on brewing at the beginning of December but I was deployed for a train derailment. I finally had the chance to brew right before Christmas.

I HAD planned on brewing a stout for the winter with lots of coffee in it but I accidentally bought sweetened coconut flakes instead of unsweetened. One glance at the recipe pointed out I was wrong on that end. Add to that the list of ingredients on the coconut...I really don't want propylene glycol in my brew...sorry.


So I decided to brew the English brown recipe I had lying in wait.

I'm still working out the best ways to do certain parts of the brew process. I've got my mash in fine but I seem to have issues holding my rest temperature sometimes. I may have my lautering and sparging process. This time I used a steaming basket suspended above my pot and trickled the wort into the grains. IT seems to have worked better but only time will tell. I'm not completely happy the the setup but I haven't seen anything that would fit the bill.

I am still using an ice bath to cool my wort and I'm not thrilled about that either. I'm bound and determined to get an immersion chiller but I think I'm going to have to build one myself.

This time around brewing went well and seemed easier. The mash in and out and the sparging went well it seems. I got a good yield off my sparge and my final wort boil. I didn't boil off some of my wort like I have in the past.  I recently got a new funnel/filter for my carboy filling. It worked but the screen was quickly filled and clogged. I cleared it but anytime I have to put something into my wort after it's chilled I get worried about contamination. We'll see if anything gets screwed up.

The brown is quietly doing its thing in the closet right now and should be ready for bottling Sunday...Last brew of the old year and first bottling of the new year. Great way to start things off.

A look at the manufacturing of a British icon Fuller...

CNN goes behind the doors of a infamous British brewery and takes a peek at how it is bottled and distributed.

Independent breweries becoming big business

Beer is a $95bn yearly business in the United States. In the past year, however, corporate brewers have lost more of their market share to smaller, independent breweries. Some experts say this is a long-running trend. Al Jazeera's John Hendren reports from New York.