Stouts

Getting ready to keg my first ever batch of breakfast stout--hopefully it tastes as good as it smells. I used chocolate malt, coffee, and something else as per the dude's recipe at Paradise Brewing Supply store down on Beachmont Ave. I was really excited to try my beer until I heard about Founders Canadian Imperial Breakfast Stout... apparently they age this stuff in barrels once used for maple syrup and then again used for bourbon... that is insane. Not making this up... 750 ml bottles are going for $60 on eBay. So it goes without saying that I'll never try this beer.

Outliers...

Do you consider yourself to be a beer connoiseur? In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell claims that to be a true expert in anything you need 10,000 hours of experience... so lets say that on average (and for convenience sake) it takes an hour to drink a beer. If we assume that the average American drinks 200 beers a year that means it would take 50 years to become an expert. Gotta say that it wont do me much good to become an expert when I'm 71. So because my goal is to become an expert by 30, I'm going to drink a whole helluva lot of Stone craft beers because, well, that aint a bad place to start.

Deals Deals Deals!

Jungle Jim's is where it's at... but you'd better hurry. At last check there were ~60 twelve packs of Saranac's Summer Ale sampler going to $7. These are just really good, classic, beers (get over the idea that they are summer beers) there are two of each: heiffeweissen, kolsch, pale ale, IPA, Belgian white, and a terrific summer ale. You'd better go on your lunch break because I don't think they will last much longer. If you miss that deal they also have marked down twelve packs of Warsteiner's "Dunkel" and "Premium" for $11, that aint half bad folks.

Red Ales...

Red ales this week Mobsters. Great Lakes does a really nice imperial red ale called Nosferatu. It's bold, rich, relatively high ABV, and a bit hoppy. It may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy red ales or if looking for a good seasonal it’s worth a shot... and I can't resist is the obligatory pun, it's got some bite! If you remember, I was out north of San Francisco a few weeks ago and hit up several brewpubs. One that I simply had to visit was Bear Republic. I'm big on everything they do and especially their highly praised "Red Rocket Ale." Drink one for Cincy's own Red Rocket on Sunday hopefully you won't need many more to make it through the game...

Two Brews

Picked up a Nosferatu by Great Lakes Brewing Co. This Imperial Red Ale is bold, rich, relatively high ABV, and a bit hoppy. It may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy red ales or if you're looking to broaden your horizons it’s worth a shot and I can't resist is the obligatory pun: it's got some bite!

If you are "price sensitive" beer consumer, then I have beer for you! For $1.27 pick up a 24 oz can of 12% ABV EARTHQUAKE at the local carry out. EQ works well in a brown paper bag and is gauranteed to taste like nothing you've ever tried before! Furthermore, this brew helped propel our coed softball team to a 2-8 record and a Consolation Round 2nd place trophy. Check out the stellar reviews on BA: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/782/51067

Great Brown Ales!

Now (like most other times of the year…) is a great time to imbibe. Here are two brown ales that exemplify that point: Dogfish Head, Punkin (technically a brown ale) and Avery’s, Ellie’s Brown Ale.
I try to get my hands on everything DFH brews. “Punkin,” is spiced with nutmeg, allspice, and brown sugar and it’s not crazy over-the-top pumpkin-y. At 7% ABV it’s worth the $10 for a 4 pack. It’s hard to find but try my favorite spot in Kenwood, the Root Cellar.
If you’re looking for a more traditional brown ale that’s a bit easier on the wallet check out Avery’s (it’s the one with the black labrador on the label). It has a nice roasty quality with hints of chocolate, nuts, and caramel. It doesn’t get any better than relaxing with one of these on a nice cool evening.

Oktober Madness in September

So much going on this week, Brewsters.

First, BIG NEWS: Yeungling to the Nati by November! Hopefully such accessability won't kill the allure of their brand.

Are you going to Oktoberfest this weekend? If you don't have a problem with large (drunk) crowds then you know it's a good time. I wonder if Joe Morgan will be flapping both arms and not just his left one during the chicken dance...

On another note, I may boycott the whole damn thing because they excluded the best brewery in town; the folks at Mt Carmel were told there was not a slot available for them this year. Anyone else want to start a petition?

Finally, a suggestion for those of you scowering the shelves for a new Oktoberfest brew. Try Brooklyn's O-fest it's the best I've had this year.

TML Edition Bay Side Brews

We’ll kick off in foggy San Fran where BoB has been sampling —maybe too many—fine beers by the bay. Two suggestions for the Mobsters: Anchor Steam and Lagunitas’ IPA. The former is a safe bet for all (refreshing, flavorful, just a solid brew) and the Lagunitas stacks up nicely to just about any other IPA out there. As a side note, if you’re ever in Jonny Gomes’ hometown of Petaluma, aka Wine Country, check out Lagunitas’ brew pub and tour their facility. Both breweries offer a plethora of other styles so check ‘em out. See you next week.

Anchor link http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/pdfs/Flyer_AnchorSteam.pdf
Lagunitas link http://www.lagunitas.com/home.html

BoB 3 - Bay Area Brews

I was in Nor-Cal this past week I got to sample beers from several of their breweries (will discuss this more next week). My first suggestion to anyone looking to take that first step out into the beautiful world of craft brews--perhaps for those looking for a "gateway brew"-- Anchor Steam Beer is a really excellent choice. It's not a huge leap from the mainstream lite beers but it's much more flavorful. Didn't get to tour the brewery but the way they brew this beer sounds really interesting. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a 6er (approx $8). I've enjoyed several of their other styles of beer so if you see their logo odds are it's going to be a good buy.


Another beer that is BIG TIME out in San Fran and surrounding area's is Lagunita's IPA. I visited their brewery in Petaluma (Heard of that place before? It's Jonny Gomes' hometown--actually met a guy whose best friend's son is best friends with Jonny's brother... or something like that). If you have a chance to go out there you should definitely swing by to take a tour and hang out at their brewpub next door with live music and about 13 different Lagunita beers to enjoy. Get your hands on the IPA, good stuff.

One last tip. If you're looking to spend $30 on 2 weak rum and cokes visit the Grand Hyatt hotel restaurant in San Francisco and they will be glad to hook you up, double you tee eff?

*From time to time I may refer to some brews as "gateway beers." These are beer suggestions that may get you to take that first step outside the world of "lite" to the world of, say, double IPA's. Among my first gateway beers included various Leinenkugels, Sam Adams, Mount Carmel Amber (you may remember when they sold these in the growlers...), and an Anchor Steam ale, etc. In other words, they are safe plays that make you reevaluate your future beer selections.

BoB 2 Oktoberfest Reviews

Oktoberfest season is short--gotta make your purchase count. I went to Jungle Jim's and got a mix-n-match 6 pack. The worst part about O-Fest is that it's confined to a 2 month period! Here is how the O-Fest (a Marzan style beer) gained notoriety this time of year. Here are some of my reviews:

Leinenkugel's: (B-) Not a bad O-Fest. This definitely has a roasty element to it that I don't normally see in O-Fests, but I'm a big fan of roasty beers, so yeah I like this one. There is a nice mild bitterness to this one as well, the hops are subtle but deliberate. The biggest drawback is the lack of body.

Great Lakes: (B) Very smooth Amber Lager (not the typical Marzen?). This one is very smooth, creamy and rich. Unfortunately, their hop selection doesn't jive with me (same can be said for their Perry IPA). The overall flavor is really really close, they just missed the mark on this one.

Hofbrau (B+): Very pislner-y, golden, very light and drinkable (which is probably why I get in so much trouble every time I go out to HHaus!). This one is best suited for a warm fall day and ideal for the actual weekend O-Fest event. Like I said, it's a mix of their pislner with a subtle spice and a smooth finish. A bit different from the rest but very good.

Samuel Adams (B+): A traditional O-fest. As is normally the case, SA has produce a solid, quality product here. A nice, smooth, and flavorful brew. The only reason it's not an "A" is because it's not memorable--but it's still a great beer and a good buy.

BoB 1 - Aug 26

Now I can finally say it's my job to drink beer. Thanks a million, TML.

The main objective here is to learn and share as much as possible about all things beer and to have a blast while doing it. The plan is to keep it fresh and focus on a different brewery, beer style, or local bar each week. As we traverse merrily along through Brewdom the main focus will be on smaller breweries who tend to produce great brews in creative ways.

For starters BoB says check out some Oktoberfest that just hit the shelves--we'll exchange notes next week and I'll have some suggestions of my own. Gan bei!

Contact: bradonbeer@gmail.com or Twitter @bradonbeer

Miss Lottie Moon's IPA

This batch has been bubbling for almost two weeks! can't wait to bottle and give this one a try. i used 4 hops to produce what i hope will be a nice smooth, citrus and floral aroma and flavor. can't wait to try it!

I think my next batch will be a pale ale.

UPDATE: 6/22/11
Reaction to IPA #2... Consider that I have yet to name this batch it's safe to say that it is still a work in progress. I give this one a thumbs up, but only because of the potential that this recipe holds.

The first thing I need to do is pay more attention to where I let my beer ferment. I left this batch downstairs where it reached lagering temps and it took a couple weeks for the yeast to ferment (even then I don't think it fermented completely). Like I said, the beer didnt seem to ferment all of the way and as a result it was too sweet (due to unfermented malt?).

This may sound crazy, but my plan is to ADD more malt and make this a stronger beer... from 4% to... say... 7.5%? Is that big enough for you?!? The reason for this is that I was a bit overpowered by the sweetness and citrusy flavors. If I produce more alcohol I should get a drier tasting beer that still has those nice flavors and aroma. Another tweek I am going to make is to use a different malt from Paradise Brewing Supply Co instead of the one from Listermanns.

Like I said, this brew has BIG potential. I cant wait to perfect this recipe... I think another batch will be forthcoming this Fall.

Stay posted, FPR is going to start rocking this summer!

Brown Ale'd Girl

Batch 3 has been bottled! And let me just be "real" with you for a minute: bottling SUCKS; I can't wait to get that kegerator up and running. Anyway, I'm really excited about this batch; I think I hit the mark this time.

I'm trying to craft a brown ale that is comparable to my fiance's favorite beer, Leinenkuegal's Amber (I know I can do better than MillerCoors!), she likes smooth and sweet brown ales so that's what I'm going for. There may be some tweaking with this recipe down the road to get it just right for my brown eyed girl.

Original Gravity: 1.055 -- 7.3
Final SG: 1.01 -- 1.3
ABV = 6%

I'll be back with updates!

Update (2/17):
This beer turned out really well! One thing I learned is the difference between a brown ale and an amber. This beer is somewhat dry but has a toffee/butterschotch flavor with some roasty aromas and more hop strength than a traditional amber ale (which tend to be a bit smoother/sweater/maltier with more of a caramel flavor).

It's always a good day when you learn something new about beer!

Mt Carmel Notes

First, I have to say that the folks at Mt Carmel are incredibly friendly people. I met with the head brewer, Jared, who gave me a brief tour of their facility and answered all of the questions that I had. Here are some notes from the visit:
-They produce 2000 barrels a year, and they're growing
-They have 6 "regular" beers brewing year round and 4 seasonals (here is a quote from Jared's email that he sent me last night, "Keep an eye out for our springtime ale. It should be hitting stores any day now. It is a light Scottish ale with heather tips in it. It's very session-able and has a killer aroma and taste"). I keep scouring the shelves trying to find this brew!
-The owner started the brewery in his own basement and sold his beer in growlers ( I kind of miss the growlers!). Anyway, he said that it is now illegal in Ohio to brew commercially in your own home which is some serious BS. I need to figure out what beginning brewers have to do to become "legit" now.
-They have seven 15 bbl tanks (he thought cost around $12k ea) and they want to upgrade to 30 bbl tanks
-They only have a handful of employees, 3-5 or something
-They distributed to 10 counties, N KY, and Dayton but they're expanding to Columbus and Cleveland.

Jared suggested that I should apply if I'm serious about getting into the business. I can't think of a better place to learn about the business--I'm working on a cover letter right now.

All in all, they have kind of a quaint operation and I mean that in a good way. Their focus is on the quality of the product over pumping out as much beer as they can. Another cool thing is that I believe the owner, Mike Dewey, has run this business on cash. That's simply unheard of these days, but it's exactly how I want to run FPR. Running a small business on cash relieves some pressure and when things go wrong it's not as difficult to recover. I had a great time on my tour. They were great people, with a nice and clean facility, and an excellent business model. They don't do anything but make great beers.

Beginner's IPA (Batch 1: Listermann's American IPA)

I had all but written my first batch off, but WOW it came back beautifully.

I thought the yeast had completely quit eating the sugars, but apparently I just hadn't let it age long enough. Now there is a beautiful amber color, and sweet aroma, and a really nice flavor (there is a hint of grapes which is interesting). It's not very bitter and I don't know what the alcohol is (but it doesn't seem to be kicking my ass or anything so probably 4-5%. It's smooth, crisp, and clean; the flavor could use a bit more complexity and I would like higher alcohol content as well. I'm also picking up a flavor that I don't like... there's a plastic-y flavor going on. Now I've had Listermann's IPA and I noticed that quality in their beer as well. I don't think it's from anything I did, but I think it must be a hop or some other ingredient that produces that flavor. Anyway, I'd like to avoid it obviously so I may try new ingredients when I do an IPA again.

Oh, the reason I had given up on this batch was because the thermometer messed up (okay, I messed up...). Yeah, the plastic holder was still covering the actual thermometer so we were boiling at temps way higher than we were supposed to. Oh well, lessons learned all around. THIS IS A BLAST!