Craft Beers, Microbreweries and Homebrewing

[Insanity]

Their kegs are 5 gal. (4.7 actually) and usually there is a $100 deposit with a fill for $50. I'm not sure how they would handle the CO2 tanks however and how much their kegs would cost outright. I'll check this out the next time I'm there.

They could have a CO2 hookup, or be hand air pump like a typical 15.5gal keg or even gravity fed (pop a seal at the top, spigot at the bottom).

$50 for 5gallons?, you got to get into brewing.

 

[nismaratwork]

Mead can be quite good, and just like any other drink, it can be bad too.
First mead I made I used 18lbs of local honey, made 5gals that ended close to 13%ABV.
One thing with mead, the traditional can take a long time to finish fermentation has the honey has little other nutrients for the yeast other then sugar. I had used some yeast nutrient added to the boil and still took about 6mos. Very good mead though.

There are several variations of mead.
The three main categories and each one has three subcategories, nine subcategories in total then;

1. Traditional
   1. Dry Mead
   2. Semi-sweet Mead
   3. Sweet Mead
2. Melomel (Fruit Mead)
   1. Cyser (made with apples)
   2. Pyment (made with grapes)
   3. Other Fruit Melomel (made with other fruits, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, etc...)
3. Other Meads
   1. Metheglin (spiced; ginger, cinnamon, lavender, etc...)
   2. Braggot (made with malt, same as beer, balanced blend)
   3. Open Category (honey-based, but can include virtually anything else, even blending other mead categories, i.e. cinnamon spiced cyser)

Wow! Sounds intersting... I have much to learn.

 

[Insanity]

There are many meaderies in the USA, most likely be found among the wines at the stores selling them. Not sure if I've seen one at Meijer-ish places, but if you know of a shop that really deals with alcohol drinks of all sorts, sake, imports, etc...that be the first place I'd go.

While not a beer, mead is not really a wine either. No hops are used, the alcohol content is closer to wine levels, so often found among the wines.

Beer/ale is made from grains, wine is made from fruits, mead is made from honey.

Klingon blood wine ('Iw HIq) is made from blood. Another story...

 

[nismaratwork]

There are many meaderies in the USA, most likely be found among the wines at the stores selling them. Not sure if I've seen one at Meijer-ish places, but if you know of a shop that really deals with alcohol drinks of all sorts, sake, imports, etc...that be the first place I'd go.

While not a beer, mead is not really a wine either. No hops are used, the alcohol content is closer to wine levels, so often found among the wines.

Beer/ale is made from grains, wine is made from fruits, mead is made from honey.

Klingon blood wine ('Iw HIq) is made from blood. Another story...

Hmmm... I think I'd rather go for a honeyed ale than a mead based on your description, but that's just my taste. I love that grain-taste of beer... even the lambics with their soft wheaty goodness.

Klingon blood wine... um... I'll have to pass on that, but Q'pla to you!

By the way, I have two really good star trek stories, and one was hanging out with O'Rielly, the guy who played Gauron, when he was shooting a small feature. He had some very VERY funny stories to tell, and one odd one about Marlin Brando. He was a really mellow guy with a great sense of humor, and as I was quite young, he took my mild hero-worship well.

 

[Insanity]

Hmmm... I think I'd rather go for a honeyed ale than a mead based on your description, but that's just my taste. I love that grain-taste of beer... even the lambics with their soft wheaty goodness.

A braggot perhaps then, honey mead with some malt, vs. a malted beer with some honey.
Made a fine ale once with 6lbs honey added, so long ago, must remake.

Klingon blood wine... um... I'll have to pass on that, but Q'pla to you!

Qapla'

 

[nismaratwork]

A braggot perhaps then, honey mead with some malt, vs. a malted beer with some honey.
Made a fine ale once with 6lbs honey added, so long ago, must remake.



Qapla'

I love honey, and ale is... well... it's freakin' ale, yum! I think I'll go on a hunt for a braggot while I'm hunting some daiginjo sake.

 

[Insanity]

Thinking of brewing a spiced ale this week, chamomile, rosehips, grains of paradise?
Probably make a Koelsch for the base, as I got the right amount of grains on hand.

 

[dlgoff]

$50 for 5gallons?, you got to get into brewing.

I know, I know. I've been putting off drinking any of the beer I bought this morning since I know what will happen if I try to drink just one or two.

Oh what the heck. I think I waited long enough.

 

[nismaratwork]

Thinking of brewing a spiced ale this week, chamomile, rosehips, grains of paradise?
Probably make a Koelsch for the base, as I got the right amount of grains on hand.

Oh hell yes to the grains! I tried a Sam Adams summer ale a while back brewed with that... like a rich black pepper with deeper fruit notes. A pal brewed a rapberry lambic with them too, and the tart-sweet-spicey was... oh it was GOOD.

 

[Insanity]

Oh hell yes to the grains! I tried a Sam Adams summer ale a while back brewed with that... like a rich black pepper with deeper fruit notes. A pal brewed a rapberry lambic with them too, and the tart-sweet-spicey was... oh it was GOOD.

Hops on hand; centennial, cascade, hallertau, saaz and an unknown variety.

 

[nismaratwork]

Hops on hand; centennial, cascade, hallertau, saaz and an unknown variety.

Wow, you don't mess around with your hops!

 

[Insanity]

Wow, you don't mess around with your hops!

barely touched the local shop selection, last time I counted 28 varieties there.

 

[dlgoff]

Hops on hand; centennial, cascade, hallertau, saaz and an unknown variety.

Dear Beer Guru,

How long can you store hops? And how do you store it?

btw: I knew I couldn't just drink one.

 

[nismaratwork]

barely touched the local shop selection, last time I counted 28 varieties there.

Hmmm... yet another similarity between hops and marijuana... tons of varieties raised to what seems a mystical level.

 

[dlgoff]

If I wanted to start some hops this spring (I've got a perfect spot). Would this be an okay one?

http://seedrack.com/indiv/humulus_lupulus.html?gclid=CI-A_pu3z6cCFYvsKgodpj64EA"

Expensive little seeds aren't they?

 

[turbo]

If I wanted to start some hops this spring (I've got a perfect spot). Would this be an okay one?

http://seedrack.com/indiv/humulus_lupulus.html?gclid=CI-A_pu3z6cCFYvsKgodpj64EA"

Expensive little seeds aren't they?

They look nice, Don. And not too pricey compared to what I pay for chili seeds. Give them a shot. I have no idea what hops my old neighbor had growing up the side of his horse-barn years ago when I was making beer, but they looked quite similar. I'd gather the hops, boil the the crap out of them to make a strong astringent tea, and add it to the crock with all the other cooled ingredients. Hop-tea seemed to go best with a corn-malt or corn/barley-malt base. Lots of people preferred the richer and less hoppy all-barley-malt brew in the winter, though it was brewed in cold temperatures and took a long time to mature. I only did that a couple of years and didn't have time to learn the proper lessons.

 

[nismaratwork]

If I wanted to start some hops this spring (I've got a perfect spot). Would this be an okay one?

http://seedrack.com/indiv/humulus_lupulus.html?gclid=CI-A_pu3z6cCFYvsKgodpj64EA"

Expensive little seeds aren't they?

Given how much they'll yield, I'd sy go for it.

 

[Insanity]

If I wanted to start some hops this spring (I've got a perfect spot). Would this be an okay one?

http://seedrack.com/indiv/humulus_lupulus.html?gclid=CI-A_pu3z6cCFYvsKgodpj64EA"

Expensive little seeds aren't they?

Doesn't really say what type they are, all hops are Humulus lupulus. They could be Cascade, Apollo, Amarillo, Fuggles, Kent Goldings, doesn't say there as far I saw. I'd ask them if possible.

$3.62 / 50 seeds really isn't bad for the potential number of plants. Local shop usually sells hops rhizomes $7.50 each, so if you could get half to grow, you did quite well.

I'd get them soon, not sure what the seasons are like near you, but might be good to get seedlings going before actual planting time. A little headstart.

**Edit: sent them an email, depending on the answer, I may get some.

 

[nismaratwork]

How long to do the seeds keep? Could I buy some and plant next season?

 

[turbo]

Given how much they'll yield, I'd sy go for it.

Yield is quite low compared to fruits, vegetables, berries, etc. Those little hop-fruits are very light, so you need a lot of plants in a sunny location to satisfy a home-brewer.

When you see claims of $$$/lb in bulk, remember that those little pine-cone shaped fruits weigh not much more than a cotton ball. You need a lot of them to get money from your crops, so there is a need for (fixed or replaceable) structures to support the vines in acres and acres of fields, and you need to figure out how to till, fertilize, tend, and harvest them efficiently.

I hope to buy back my brewing equipment and give it another shot, but I won't need much more than a couple of sunny walls and trellises to start tinkering with hops again. It will be slow going, but I hope to have the time to tune in some decent beers.

 

[Insanity]

How long to do the seeds keep? Could I buy some and plant next season?

Other then I know the germination percentage drops the longer seeds in general are kept, don't know. A year may not hurt.

Looks like I am Zone 5b/6a, those may do well here.

 

[nismaratwork]

Yield is quite low compared to fruits, vegetables, berries, etc. Those little hop-fruits are very light, so you need a lot of plants in a sunny location to satisfy a home-brewer.

When you see claims of $$$/lb in bulk, remember that those little pine-cone shaped fruits weigh not much more than a cotton ball. You need a lot of them to get money from your crops, so there is a need for (fixed or replaceable) structures to support the vines in acres and acres of fields, and you need to figure out how to till, fertilize, tend, and harvest them efficiently.

I hope to buy back my brewing equipment and give it another shot, but I won't need much more than a couple of sunny walls and trellises to start tinkering with hops again. It will be slow going, but I hope to have the time to tune in some decent beers.

Well, in a wayward youth I bought a similar plant which operates under similar weight/volume principles... potency was the issue there. If you're not making something like an IPA, do you really need a ton of hops?

 

[Insanity]

Yield is quite low compared to fruits, vegetables, berries, etc. Those little hop-fruits are very light, so you need a lot of plants in a sunny location to satisfy a home-brewer.

When you see claims of $$$/lb in bulk, remember that those little pine-cone shaped fruits weigh not much more than a cotton ball. You need a lot of them to get money from your crops, so there is a need for (fixed or replaceable) structures to support the vines in acres and acres of fields, and you need to figure out how to till, fertilize, tend, and harvest them efficiently.

I hope to buy back my brewing equipment and give it another shot, but I won't need much more than a couple of sunny walls and trellises to start tinkering with hops again. It will be slow going, but I hope to have the time to tune in some decent beers.

If he gets half the seeds to germinate into mature plants, he'd probably have enough for him for sure, and maybe other brewing friends. Fairly sure each plant can produce 1-2# a year, even if only 10 mature, still 10-20# a year. 160-320 oz is a lot when you only use a few oz per batch. Not enough really to sell as a business to local breweries, but enough likely for homebrew.

 

[nismaratwork]

Other then I know the germination percentage drops the longer seeds in general are kept, don't know. A year may not hurt.

Looks like I am Zone 5b/6a, those may do well here.

OK, excellent, thanks.

 

[turbo]

If he gets half the seeds to germinate into mature plants, he'd probably have enough for him for sure, and maybe other brewing friends. Fairly sure each plant can produce 1-2# a year, even if only 10 mature, still 10-20# a year. 160-320 oz is a lot when you only use a few oz per batch. Not enough really to sell as a business to local breweries, but enough likely for homebrew.

Certainly. I harvested enough off the side of my old neighbors' horse barn to hop a few batches of beer every year. I was flying blind, though. This was 30+ years back with no guidance, except from the old-timers that had made home-brew back in the bad old days.

 

[Insanity]

OK, excellent, thanks.

Montgomery Burns - "Excellent"

 

[Insanity]

Certainly. I harvested enough off the side of my old neighbors' horse barn to hop a few batches of beer every year. I was flying blind, though. This was 30+ years back with no guidance, except from the old-timers that had made home-brew back in the bad old days.

Heck, if you just want to make beer, do whatever...add 4oz of mystery hops. Most of the styles came from people doing whatever they had to to make beer.

The dark color of the scottish ales comes from the tradition of skimming the floaties grain, that never malted, from the top of the mash, roasting them and adding them to the next mash vs. throwing them out.

Rule #1: Relax, have a hombrew...
Rule #2: Relax, have another homebrew...
Rule #3: Err...what?

 

[nismaratwork]

There should be a 'Brumeister 2011' award, and you should have it Insanity.

 

[turbo]

Heck, if you just want to make beer, do whatever...add 4oz of mystery hops. Most of the styles came from people doing whatever they had to to make beer.

The dark color of the scottish ales comes from the tradition of skimming the floaties grain, that never malted, from the top of the mash, roasting them and adding them to the next mash vs. throwing them out.

Rule #1: Relax, have a hombrew...
Rule #2: Relax, have another homebrew...
Rule #3: Err...what?

I think I recognize that plan.

 

[Insanity]

There should be a 'Brumeister 2011' award, and you should have it Insanity.

Nice...thanks. Brewing is a science.

I think I recognize that plan.

After about 6 pints, you stop worrying about silly things.

 

[turbo]

After about 6 pints, you stop worrying about silly things.

I could never have drunk 6 pints of anything I brewed. Wow!

Good rule about rules, though.

 

[nismaratwork]

6 Pints of beer and I'm officially drunk, but I'm a big guy in every dimension, an half Russian-Polish, and the other Greek... so... yeah.

Still... 6 pints of liquid is a looooooooot of liquid!

 

[Insanity]

I could never have drunk 6 pints of anything I brewed. Wow!

I was determine to drink 6 pints that night. I was successful, intoxicated, but successful.
Was home, so no major challenges getting to bed. Just the hallway, the bedroom door, the bed.

 

[Insanity]

Assuming weather stays how it is, 60-70's, I plan on brewing this weekend.
Additionally might participate in the National Homebrew Competition the following weekend, don't need to be present and the local shop is offering to drive entries to Indianapolis at a fee less then shipping.

 

[dlgoff]

Assuming weather stays how it is, 60-70's, I plan on brewing this weekend.
Additionally might participate in the National Homebrew Competition the following weekend, don't need to be present and the local shop is offering to drive entries to Indianapolis at a fee less then shipping.

Wow. Good luck on the competition.

 

[nismaratwork]

Assuming weather stays how it is, 60-70's, I plan on brewing this weekend.
Additionally might participate in the National Homebrew Competition the following weekend, don't need to be present and the local shop is offering to drive entries to Indianapolis at a fee less then shipping.

Hey, take some pictures of your brews; I know that I for one would love to see them. I'd add, kick butt at the competition with your suds.

 

[Insanity]

Pictures of the beers, or pictures of the brewing?
A glass of beer, while quite tasty and refreshing to drink, is not necessarily as refreshing to look at.

Here is a picture of the brewing gear, the larger pieces belong to my club, I've simply been using them.

[PLAIN]http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7672/imag0288m.jpg

The large kettle in the background on the left is a 32gal kettle, I've only used when making a 15gal batch. In front of it is a Rubbermaid 10gal cooler that has a ball valve and false bottom strainer inside, used as a mash tun. On top of the mash tun is a sparge arm, it spins slowly spraying hot water evenly to sparge (rinse) the grains slowly, to get as much of the converted sugars out of the grains.

In the back on the right is a Budweiser keg that has been made into a kettle, ball valve attached as well.

The smaller kettles are my own, good for partial mashes or extract, but not for all-grain really, cutting too close on the volume. The larger of the three is a aluminum turkey fryer pot (7.5gal I think), the others are a 4.5gal and 3gal?, both stainless steel. On the smaller pot is a copper coil immersion chiller, used to bring the hot wort down in temp so you can pitch the yeast quickly.

When I picked up the club equip this past spring, I've brewed about 40gals with it. Got to considering it my equip with how often I used it. Looking to get my own equip this year as I don't want to do anything but all-grain now.

Another note, got my German Kolsch yeast and spices today, hopefully brewing tomorrow.

 

[nismaratwork]

Pictures of the beers, or pictures of the brewing?
A glass of beer, while quite tasty and refreshing to drink, is not necessarily as refreshing to look at.

Here is a picture of the brewing gear, the larger pieces belong to my club, I've simply been using them.

[PLAIN]http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7672/imag0288m.jpg

The large kettle in the background on the left is a 32gal kettle, I've only used when making a 15gal batch. In front of it is a Rubbermaid 10gal cooler that has a ball valve and false bottom strainer inside, used as a mash tun. On top of the mash tun is a sparge arm, it spins slowly spraying hot water evenly to sparge (rinse) the grains slowly, to get as much of the converted sugars out of the grains.

In the back on the right is a Budweiser keg that has been made into a kettle, ball valve attached as well.

The smaller kettles are my own, good for partial mashes or extract, but not for all-grain really, cutting too close on the volume. The larger of the three is a aluminum turkey fryer pot (7.5gal I think), the others are a 4.5gal and 3gal?, both stainless steel. On the smaller pot is a copper coil immersion chiller, used to bring the hot wort down in temp so you can pitch the yeast quickly.

When I picked up the club equip this past spring, I've brewed about 40gals with it. Got to considering it my equip with how often I used it. Looking to get my own equip this year as I don't want to do anything but all-grain now.

Another note, got my German Kolsch yeast and spices today, hopefully brewing tomorrow.

Very nice setup, and congrats on your yeast and spice aquisition! Did you end up going for grains of paradise?

By the way, shine some bright white light into a diffusing screen, and you can get some lively shots of actual beer. True, it's not refreshing, but the color and head can be judged at least.

 

[Insanity]

Yes, got paradise seeds as they were called, brewing shop has some spices and herbs, wasn't sure if they'd have it but they did.

Paradise seeds
Rosehips
Chamomile flowers - tea shop carries some herb teas, figure it work fine.

Not going to use a lot of them, maybe 1/2 oz of the chamomile, 1/8 tsp of the paradise seeds, 1/4 oz rosehips.

I always forget to brew green beer, and not just by adding green food coloring. Thinking a mint tea added for subtle flavor, and green tea for coloring.

Rosehips are high in vitamin C, so a health beer.

 

[nismaratwork]

Yes, got paradise seeds as they were called, brewing shop has some spices and herbs, wasn't sure if they'd have it but they did.

Paradise seeds
Rosehips
Chamomile flowers - tea shop carries some herb teas, figure it work fine.

Not going to use a lot of them, maybe 1/2 oz of the chamomile, 1/8 tsp of the paradise seeds, 1/4 oz rosehips.

I always forget to brew green beer, and not just by adding green food coloring. Thinking a mint tea added for subtle flavor, and green tea for coloring.

Rosehips are high in vitamin C, so a health beer.

Health beer... heh... still that sounds like a nice aromatic and spicey mix. I look forward to your inevitable tasting and report.

*bows* Brumeister.

 

[dlgoff]

Thanks for posting a picture of your equipment Insanity.

15 gallon batches....Outstanding.

 

[Insanity]

yep, friend asked me to brew a keg for his son's wedding over the summer, made an american pale ale, a lot of it.

 

[Insanity]

Beer Prayer

Our lager
Which art in barrels
Hallowed by thy drink
Thy will be drunk
Thy kegdom come
I fill thee mug
At home as in the tavern
Give us this day, our foamy head
And forgive us our spillages
As we forgive those who spill upon us
And lead us not into inebriation
But deliver us from hangovers

Barmen

 

[nismaratwork]

Beer Prayer

Our lager
Which art in barrels
Hallowed by thy drink
Thy will be drunk
Thy kegdom come
I fill thee mug
At home as in the tavern
Give us this day, our foamy head
And forgive us our spillages
As we forgive those who spill upon us
And lead us not into inebriation
But deliver us from hangovers

Barmen

*applause*

Now that is good stuff.

 

[Insanity]

Qapla'

The brewing is done.

The paradise seeds defnitely come through, but not overwhelming, primarily in the aftertaste. I think its a good balance.

Used what Saaz and Hallertau hops I had, not as prominent bitterness as the first koslch I made, but the paradise seeds make the rest I think. Can tell more once it ferments through.

My final specific gravity was a bit lower then I wanted, but I think my volume was a bit more too.

Chamomile aroma barely detectable, and the rosehips did add a slight reddish color.

Here is a picture of before and after spices added to boil, but no fermentation.

On the left is the before, on the right is after. Not the best quality though.
[PLAIN]http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4074/imag0068m.jpg

 

[nismaratwork]

Qapla'

The brewing is done.

The paradise seeds defnitely come through, but not overwhelming, primarily in the aftertaste. I think its a good balance.

Used what Saaz and Hallertau hops I had, not as prominent bitterness as the first koslch I made, but the paradise seeds make the rest I think. Can tell more once it ferments through.

My final specific gravity was a bit lower then I wanted, but I think my volume was a bit more too.

Chamomile aroma barely detectable, and the rosehips did add a slight reddish color.

Here is a picture of before and after spices added to boil, but no fermentation.

On the left is the before, on the right is after. Not the best quality though.
[PLAIN]http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4074/imag0068m.jpg[/QUOTE]

Hmmmm... nice, it has a good golden look to it... I like the opaque quality from the spicing.

May it ferment well! I think you'll find the grains of paradise will add a light peppery flavor along with some more complex fruit elements. I can't imagine it not going well with your brew as advertised.

 

[Insanity]

Hmmmm... nice, it has a good golden look to it... I like the opaque quality from the spicing.

May it ferment well! I think you'll find the grains of paradise will add a light peppery flavor along with some more complex fruit elements. I can't imagine it not going well with your brew as advertised.

The opacity is from the wheat used, it gives a cloudiness to the beer. One way to tell if there is wheat in a beer, the more wheat used, the cloudier it is. The paradise seeds definitely give a little peppery flavor, but not excessive.

 

[nismaratwork]

The opacity is from the wheat used, it gives a cloudiness to the beer. One way to tell if there is wheat in a beer, the more wheat used, the cloudier it is. The paradise seeds definitely give a little peppery flavor, but not excessive.

Mmmm... I loooooooooooo...
...oooooooooove...
... Hefeweizen of all kinds. It's like drinking bread, what could be better?! I love it with spice or citrus too, really a great choice for GoP man. Why doesn't the internet have a taste-testing function yet damn it!?

 

[Astronuc]

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/03/29/pm-beer-giant-buys-craft-brewery/
Anheuser-Busch will expand Goose Island, a Chicago craft brewery, but also try to keep its identity.

At a local beer distributor, they have a large selection of craft and imported beers. There is one section listed as: Economy Beer - for the mass produced domestic market. (Miller-Coors, Anheuser-Busch).


Anyway, I bought a selection of Porters and Stouts this past weekend.

I've tried a Guinness Foreign Extra Stout - but is tasted like their Guinness Stout for the US market.

Sierra Nevada's Porter is kind of hoppy.
http://www.halftimebeverage.com/browse.cfm/sierra-nevada-porter/4,196.html

Alhambra Negra (from Southern Spain) reminds me of Negra Modelo, kind of sweet, not too hoppy.
http://www.halftimebeverage.com/browse.cfm/alhambra-negra/4,1364.html

Dragon Stout from Jamaica comes in 9.6 oz bottles.
http://www.halftimebeverage.com/browse.cfm/dragon-stout-4-6/4,2197.html


For a non-alcoholic beverage, I like Goya's Ginger Beer. During the spring and summer, I often drink 50/50 Goya Ginger Beer and V8 Splash Tropical Blend.

 

[dlgoff]

Dragon Stout from Jamaica comes in 9.6 oz bottles.
http://www.halftimebeverage.com/browse.cfm/dragon-stout-4-6/4,2197.html

9.6 oz? Dang. I'd drink a 6 pack just to get my appetite ready for dinner.

During the spring and summer, I often drink 50/50 Goya Ginger Beer and V8 Splash Tropical Blend.

I'm like you in that I think. i.e. not drinking alcohol when it's hot during the summer. I much prefer beer drinking in the winter.