Archive for January, 2007

Beer brewing snobs can kiss my glass

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

Hello again - another update from your friendly neighborhood brewmaster.  The Cranberry Holidaze final batches (5-6) were bottled last night.  Thanks again to Andrea for helping me with finishing up these batches.  Looks like they’ll be ready to drink just in time for the Superbowl.  Unfortunately we won’t be cheering the New Orleans Saints on in this one.  Oh well, there’s always next year.

The alcohol content of the two batches was average for the Cranberry Holidaze:

Batch 1  3.89%
Batch 2  4.17%

You might be wondering what I meant with the headline of this post.  I search for homebrew beer tips and items on the web on occaision.  In one of my Google searches for beer, I saw some sites where individuals were downplaying the Mr. Beer system as making inferior beer.  I’ve heard the same arguments when buying beer brewing supplies from my local homebrew beer store.  Things like, “you are making tv dinner beer” come to mind.  Others mention how the risk of bacterial contamination is present.

I say this to you - I’ve brewed beer since 1998 using Mr. Beer.  I use One Step sanitizer when I make my beer, and this has always worked very well for me.  I don’t intend to enter any beer competitions with my brews, I just want to make beer I like, period.  The people I’ve served my beer to (of whom there are many) all seem to like my stuff.  In fact, most people who’ve tried my beer request me to make beer for parties and such.  Besides, do you really think the sanitization process used regularly by homebrewers will remove ALL bacteria?  Please.  If you want a completely sterile environment, go brew in a hospital operating room, Dr. Goodbeer. 

Anyway - sorry if I’m starting to rant.  I just wanted to share my thoughts on homebrewing with you.  Just think of me as a renegade homebrewer.  Like the Heineken ad says…”It’s All About The Beer.”

Who is with me?  Any comments?

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“If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.” — David Daye

Monday, January 15th, 2007

“He was a wise man who invented beer.” — Plato

Monday, January 15th, 2007

“Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health.” — Thomas Jefferson

Monday, January 15th, 2007

Beer Making, the Cheapest Way to Brew the Best Beer in Town by Shannon Brown

Monday, January 15th, 2007

Beer has a reputation of being the world’s best drink, and beer lovers consider the intoxicating experience as a divine experience. This notion dates back in the ancient times.

The process of beer making was discovered in the ancient times by the Sumerians. The basic ingredients of beer making even then are Hymn of Ninkasi otherwise known as the goddess of brewing, which consists of barley and baked bread. The accidental discovery of beer making happened when baked bread crumbled into water and formed a mash, which was then fermented and an inebriating pulp resulted. This was how the ancient Sumerians discovered beer making.

When the Babylonians became rulers of Mesopotamia after the Sumerian empire collapsed, the Sumerian culture of brewing beer was passed on; and the Babylonians were able to produce twenty different types of beer. This gave the Babylon people the luxury of enjoying the divine drink even more.

Additionally, the King of Babylon at that time recognized his people’s want for this exhilarating and blissful drink, thus he decreed a daily beer ration to his people. During his reign, beers were not being sold but were used to barter trade.

Beer making did not stop in Mesopotamia; other countries also produced fermented beverages just like Chang, the beer in Tibet and Chicha, the corn beer and Kumis, the beer that comes from fermented camel milk. Other countries also produced beer, the beer they prouced does not have much difference from the Mesopotamia brew.

Historically, after the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans succeeded beer making and brewing. There was even a time where Romans considered beer as barbarian drink. Even with this notion though, beer drinking was still very much popular.

The beer they brew during that era can never be stored becuase it was too cloudy and with almost no foam.

Popularity of beer making and brewing is a result of the early civilizations belief that beer making is a neat sacrifice for their Gods. Additionally, because of the wonderful feeling they get from drinking beer, they treat beer making as a gift to themselves as well.

Thus, beer making became so popular and workers do not resent doing it for both these purposes.

Moving forward, in this modern time, beer is not that hard to acquire. You can find beer in every corner of the world, from small stores to big entertainment houses.

Additionally, some American beer aficionados even perform beer making in the confines of their own homes. This beer making process done by some Americans are no longer for sacrifice to the Gods but for their personal enjoyment, and for sharing with their friends as well.

Like in the ancient times, beer making ingredients are malted grain, barley, wheat and sometimes rye.

Brewing is also almost the same such as malt would come from germinated grain. This malt will be dried in kiln or roasted, the germination creates enzymes, which will convert starch in the grain into sugar.

The malt will take on dark color and strongly influence the flavor of the beer; this process is dependent on the amount of roasting done on the malt.

Grist will come from crushing the malt, and mixed in heated water and mashed together in a mash tun.

The process of brewing will then take effect, the result will be the beer that will provide enjoyment to you, which you can also share them with your friends.

There may be some equipment necessary in the process of brewing beer, but if you will only do beer making for personal use, what you have on your kitchen may be enough.

Commercial beer making may need the other sophisticated equipments. You will only need these special equipments if you are making beer for commercial purposes.

Various beer making websites will be able to help you brew your own beer. If your friends know that you made the beer specifically for their enjoyment, surely, your friends will consider your beer as the best beer in town.

Continue the saga of beer making and live on the tradition of drinking this exhilarating, wonderful and blissful drink that people consider divine.

Seek help from beer making websites and brew the beer you longed for.

Shannon W. Brown has brought together some of the best “Beer Making” resources online. You can visit his site at: http://www.wemakebeer.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Brown

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“Let no man thirst for good beer.” — Sam Adams

Saturday, January 13th, 2007

How about that Holidaze?

Friday, January 12th, 2007

Wow - everyone loved the “higher octane” version of Holidaze!  Looks like I’ll be revising the recipe for next year.  And I thought 7.35% alcohol by volume would be a bit much for some people.  Looks like higher alcohol beer brewing is something I’ll be doing more often :)

The “standard” Holidaze batches 5-6 are bubbling away happily in their respective brew barrels.  I expect these to be ready in time for the Superbowl, when (hopefully) the New Orleans Saints will get that long awaited moment of glory they’ve been working towards.

Tell me, what kind of beer are you working on these days?  Any ideas for what you will be brewing coming up?  Feel free to post a comment to this blog.

Happy Brewing!
Paul

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Final Holidaze (for now)…tip for checking fruit freshness

Saturday, January 6th, 2007

The final two batches of Holidaze have begun.  This batch will probably be ready in time for the Mardi Gras season, which officially begins on January 6, 2007 this year.  I made this as a double barrel batch again.  The specific gravity measurements were almost exactly the same:

Batch 1: 1.034
Batch 2: 1.036

The batch that I originally intended to have for New Year’s will instead be unveiled this weekend at a party my wife and I are attending.  These are friends of ours who were interested when I mentioned I made homebrew beer (imagine that :))  I’ll be giving them the 7.35% alcohol by volume beer, should make for an interesting impression.

Here’s a tip for those of you making beer with fresh fruit like cranberries - you can easily check the freshness of the cranberry by dropping it from a few inches onto a plate or other smooth clean surface.  If the cranberry bounces, it is fresh.  If it does not bounce at all - discard it.

My thanks to those who have responded to my survey about homebrew beer - if you haven’t already, please take a look at this site and submit your question.  I’ll send everyone who completes the survey a copy of a beer e-book when I complete it.

I’m having a hankering for some stout and I’ve also been requested to make some beer for a housewarming party (probably something on the lighter side for that one) - that will be my next blog post, coming soon.

Until then, happy brewing!

Paul

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Batch 4 of Holidaze done - I need YOUR help

Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007

Hello - I hope your New Year’s was fun.  The latest batch of my Holidaze did not make it in time for the New Year’s party at my friend’s house.  I will get to try it out at a party this weekend, however.  This is the strongest batch of Holidaze I’ve made yet:  7.35% alcohol by volume!

I’m working on an e-book about beer and I’d love to get your input.  Are you considering taking up homebrewing beer as a hobby but have some questions?  Do you have a favorite beer recipe you’d like to share?  Please check out this site and share your question or beer recipe for homebrew beer.  When the e-book is finished, I’ll send you a copy (make sure you enter an email address so I can send you a copy).

Thanks, and happy brewing!

Paul

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