Topics

1

Commercial Beer Reviews / Pabst Blue Ribbon

« on: June 04, 2012, 12:39:51 PM »

Appearance:  Pours out of the can with a nice white head that quickly dissipates.  Bright straw yellow color, well-carbonated, crystal clear.

Aroma: Grainy/straw, with very slight hoppy citrus/elderberry

Flavor:  Six row malt graininess married with light hops.  Very well balanced.

Mouthfeel:  Thin, dry and crisp.  Carbonation invites a restorative burp.

Overall impression:  The perfect summer beer.  Try one straight out of the can on a river float trip, paired with a jalapeno cheddar dog grilled with yellow mustard. Only suggestion for improvement:  Release a malt liquor stronger version in a 40 oz. bottle for sitting on the step outside the apartment.

2

Beer Recipes / Al K's altbier recipe LIVES!

« on: January 17, 2012, 10:20:19 AM »

I get a weekly email from BeerSmith, and the latest is on altbiers.  After reading a short article, there were links to several altbier recipes. The last one listed was "Zum Uerige Clone".  Curious, I clicked on the link...

http://www.beersmith.com/Recipes2/recipe_286.htm?utm_source=getresponse&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=beersmith_blog&utm_content=%5BBSHB%5D%20German%20Altbier%20Styles

....and was pleasantly surprised to see Al Korzonas' old altbier recipe for this beer.  I haven't brewed it for over 10 years now.

Nice to see those old recipes still floating around on the internet.

3

Beer Recipes / Scottish Ale

« on: August 03, 2011, 10:33:43 AM »

I'm looking to formulate a good Scottish ale recipe.  I've never had much luck with this style, and haven't brewed it for several years.  I have had much better luck in brewing wee heavies.

A guy I work with just came back from the Oregon Brewers Festival, where he said his favorite beer was Fearless Scottish Ale.  Looking at its description, it sounds like something that woould be good to serve at the office open house in early December.

Here's what I'm looking for:

1. OG 1.048 or so (I don't know or particularly care what number of shilling that is 

2. EKGs for bitterness.

3. A nice, rich malty flavor...but not too sweet.

4. A dash of roasted barley for color.

5. Wyeast 1728

Previous attempts have focused on using 100% Golden Promise, with some caramelization of the first runnings.  While that works great for a 1.075 Traquir House type of wee heavy, the lower gravity version seems a bit bland.  Attempts adding the medium range crystal malts have come out too sweet (they seem to work better in bitters with fruity english ale yeasts).

So, it looks like is all about the grain bill.  I'm looking for recommendations.  Maybe some munich malt?  Or the caramalts, like caravienne?  Aromatic?  For base malt I have lots of Malteurop 2-row, which is very similar to Golden Promise, Maris Otter, and German pils in stock.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

4

Ingredients / Briess Vienna

« on: March 21, 2011, 10:07:30 AM »

The LHBS carries Briess Vienna, and I like to support him when I can.  However, I have unfavorable impressions from using Briess Munich in the past, and I see in the spec sheet that this stuff is made out of six-row.

Has anybody here used it much?  Like or dislike?  I'm trying to decide whether to order some German stuff online, or go with this.

http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Assets/PDFs/Briess_PISB_ViennaMalt.pdf

5

General Homebrew Discussion / Caveman Brewing

« on: March 17, 2011, 01:44:39 PM »

No, I'm not going to brew in a fire pit or chew and spit grain....

But the broken hydrometer thread got me thinking....I have been brewing so long, that I think that I will try brewing a batch of beer without measuring anything.  No scales, thermometers, graduated cylinders, hydrometers, clocks.....nothing.

I will eyeball the amount of mash water.  Eyeball the amount of grain.  Heat the water until it gets that gassy look that means its at strike temperature.  Mash in and not look and my watch.  Mash out.  Boil.  Eyeball my hop additions.  Chill till the wort feels cool.  Add some yeast slurry and ferment.

Just to say that I can do.  I bet I can brew some pretty tasty beer, brewing like a caveman.

What do you think?

6

All Things Food / Crock pot?

« on: October 04, 2010, 01:29:25 PM »

Hey, I'm heading to hunting camp this weekend, and am looking for a good crock pot recipe of some kind.  I like to prepare something at home, so when I get to camp (actually, camp is a farm house in the country), I can plug in the crock pot when I leave in the morning.  When we get back to camp after a day of hunting followed by drinking, dinner is ready with minimal activity.

In the years past, I have made both green and red chili, pollo con arroz, and Slovakian goulash.  I thought I would poll the master chefs at the forum here, to see if anyone has developed a killer crock pot recipe.

To start it off, here's the Slovakian goulash recipe:

4 lbs. Pork shoulder (Boston butt), cubed
- 1 tbs ground black pepper
- 2 large onions
- 1/3 cup of oil
- 1 tbs cumin
- 2 tbs sweet Hungarian paprika
- 2 tbs hot Hungarian paprika
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
 - 2 lbs sauerkraut
- 1 cup cream (sweet)
- 1 can beef broth
- 1 can vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon of salt

Put the oil (or pork fat) into a pot and then fry the diced onions. Then add the pork (which should be cut up into cubes) to the frying onions. After 15 minutes or so, once the juices are escaping from the meat, then tansfer to the crock poyt.

Add the salt, cumin, pepper, paprika and pour in the broth. Set the crock on low.

When you get back to camp, add the saurkraut and cook for an hour. Meanwhile, boil up a pot of egg noodles.

Add the cream to the pork n kraut and let it cook for a further five minutes.

Finally add the soy sauce and cook for the remaining five minutes.

Serve over the noodles.

7

Zymurgy / Is it just me?

« on: April 23, 2010, 08:51:16 AM »

Has anyone else thought that the 2010 NHC commemorative plum mead recipe in the latest issue of Zymurgy looks suspiciously like a recipe for slivovitz?