Messages

1

All Things Food / Re: Ethnic and Regional Cooking

« on: May 16, 2013, 05:03:10 PM »

A good thread should not die!

I was out mowing the grass about a week ago and disturbed a turtle crawling around the garden fence. I normally just rehome the bigger turtles that i find or my son catches on his rod and reel to the bayou by my office... but this one was not as lucky.



Stewed turtle with onions, garlic, and potatoes with a side of small brussel sprouts - all from the garden. Dessert was fresh picked wild blackberries with sweet bread and good ole vanilla Blue Bell ice cream.

All washed down with a homebrewed porter.

I love how resourceful this meal was!  Looks very tasty!  I wish I had the balls to stew a turtle that I just found lurking around my yard.

2

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Goose Island beer

« on: May 16, 2013, 04:56:38 PM »

This is a little off-topic, but a couple of former brewers for Goose Island are starting their own 40-bbl brewery in Geneva, IL, shortly.  http://www.penrosebrewing.com/

I've heard that they are bringing a few other Goose Island employees with them.

I think there's been a bit of a diaspora since the ownership change, though I think to some degree there were always people leaking out to other local breweries.  This is good for the local craft beer scene. I'm not sure if the rate has increased, but I bet it has.

I think you're right about GI employees fanning out to other breweries.  Besides Tom and Eric who are starting Penrose, I met a former GI sales rep who now works for Summit last month who said that GI lost approximately 40% of its workforce (voluntarily migration) after AB In-Bev took over.

I have no opinion on GI beer since the AB In-Bev purchase because I really haven't had too much GI beer, even before the buyout.  But I can tell you that when I met Tom and Eric at this year's Craft Brewer's Conference, they were super cool guys and I am genuinely excited about their brewery.  I have relatives in Geneva and I'll be making a trip there once Penrose opens its doors.

3

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Goose Island beer

« on: May 15, 2013, 09:00:36 AM »

This is a little off-topic, but a couple of former brewers for Goose Island are starting their own 40-bbl brewery in Geneva, IL, shortly.  http://www.penrosebrewing.com/

I've heard that they are bringing a few other Goose Island employees with them. 

4

Beer Recipes / Re: APA w/Galaxy and ?

« on: May 13, 2013, 08:07:50 PM »

i've not tried it personally, but I've read Nelson is a nice match to Galaxy 50:50.

I've brewed a steam beer with Nelson and Galaxy that was really excellent.  Recently, I've been doing a blend of NB and Citra for flavor and Galaxy and Cascade for aroma, which has also been a winning combo.

5

Going Pro / Re: Fermentation Temperature Control

« on: May 13, 2013, 08:00:14 PM »

I highly recommend a coolbot to keep the air conditioner working well
http://www.amazon.com/CoolBot-Walk-In-Cooler-Controller-conditioner/dp/B003VSLTAI

Tom, that is a way cool device, pun intended. Never seen this gadget before.

Very cool, indeed.  I've considered getting a coolbot to make a lagering room in my basement.  Right now, I've got a nice little mini fridge "lagerator," but I'd like to have the freedom to ferment multiple lagers at the same time.

6

Going Pro / Re: Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery (2nd Edition)

« on: May 10, 2013, 08:27:26 AM »

Here's the book the guys on probrewer.com rave about, and it's only $20: http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-hennessy/brewery-operations-manual/paperback/product-20402206.html

Thanks for that link!  Just ordered.

7

Going Pro / Re: Cleaning chemicals

« on: May 09, 2013, 09:29:44 AM »

I have been using Birko Cell-R-Master to clean my stainless kettles, kegs, and glass carboys for the past year and love it way more than PBW.  A few of my brew club members piggybacked on a bulk order with one of our breweries who uses a lot of their products.  I haven't tried any of their other products.

BIRKO products are what we will be using in our brewery.  I met the owner at the CBC a few months ago.  Nice guy -- seems like a good company.

8

Going Pro / Re: Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery (2nd Edition)

« on: May 04, 2013, 09:16:35 AM »

I have the previous edition, which I found to be pretty helpful during my initial exploration into starting a brewery.  My only complaint with the previous version is that it's a bit dated.  I'm hoping the new version will have a lot of updated info.  No reason it shouldn't, as the BA has a ton of useful survey data that they publish annually.

9

The Pub / Re: Sam Adams Cans

« on: May 03, 2013, 01:11:26 PM »

The link doesn't appear to be working for me, but it could be the firewall at my office that's responsible.  Anyway, are people really railing against canned craft beer?  It's not really new anymore.  Oskar Blues has been doing it for almost two decades, and roughly 20% of craft beer is canned these days.  It's a superior package in many ways, and from a design perspective, there's a lot you can do with a can that you can't do with a bottle.  Personally, I applaud Sam Adams for taking the plunge!

10

Going Pro / Re: Logo Feedback

« on: April 28, 2013, 12:51:12 PM »

I hate to sound jaded, Leos, but I'm right there with you.  There are a lot of startups in the Twin Cities that are making very good beer, but there are definitely some whose product just doesn't cut it.  I've had your Czech Pils, Czech Dark and Vienna, and can safely say that you are making an incredible product.  So, I guess take heart in that!   

11

Going Pro / Re: Brewing Education

« on: April 25, 2013, 07:43:24 AM »

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!  I've got a few weeks to make a final decision.  Maybe I'll get a chance to brew with some of my contacts at local breweries before I have to make a decision.

12

Going Pro / Re: Brewing Education

« on: April 23, 2013, 08:30:09 AM »

Well, I've got a business background (B.B.A.) and I'm an attorney, so I think I've got a decent grasp on the business/financial aspect.  It's really a question of how well I understand brewing from a technical perspective.  I've got the Siebel textbook (Technology Malting and Brewing) and it's really in-depth.  Is reading that a good substitute for an actual brewing course?  I'm not sure...

13

Going Pro / Brewing Education

« on: April 23, 2013, 06:02:01 AM »

Hey guys,

I am currently enrolled in the American Brewers Guild's "Brewery-In-Planning" brewing course, which is an online course that culminates in a week-long, on-site mini-apprenticeship at the ABG's lab and brewery in Vermont.  The course starts in June, and the ABG describes it as an intensive and comprehensive course on brewing science and engineering for the brewery-in-planning (the ABG says it's the same course as the diploma'd course without the 5-week apprenticeship).

Even though I've been homebrewing for the past 8 years (160+ batches), I want the beer that we produce at Bauhaus Brew Labs to be consistently high-quality, world-class beer.  I enrolled in the ABG course in order to supplement my existing knowledge, hoping that it will help us to achieve our quality and consistency objectives.

Here's the rub.  I attended a beer dinner last night for Summit Brewing Co. here in Minnesota.  I got the chance to talk quite a bit with Gabe Smoley, one of Summit's seven brewers.  I asked him if he had received any formal brewing education.  He said he hadn't, but that he had worked as an apprentice brewer at a 5-bbl brewpub, which he eventually took over and ran for a few years.  I've talked with other pro brewers who have not received formal education either.

This is all leading up to the following question: is it worth my time/money to take the ABG course?  For you guys who have started breweries/brewpubs (Keith, Leos, Anthony, Sean, etc.), did you receive any formal education?  If you didn't, do you wish you would have?

I have a few opportunities to brew with some pro brewers here in the Twin Cities over the next few months.  I'm wondering if taking a few days off of work to periodically brew with some pros would be more beneficial (and less expensive!) with regard to preparing me for brewing commercially.  My father-in-law, who used to work as a research scientist at a pharmaceutical company, will be maintaining our lab and assisting with quality control.  Given his experience, is it still a good idea for me to take the course in order to learn more about brewing science?

Any and all insight and suggestions would be very appreciated!

14

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: April 14, 2013, 04:38:31 PM »

Since it still feels like February here in Minnesota (it's been snowing on and off for the past week), I haven't yet had the motivation to fire up the smoker.  But after having just salivated over some of the recent pics on this thread, I may need to just man up and throw a few slabs on!

15

Pimp My System / Re: Finished 1BBL system

« on: April 14, 2013, 03:31:12 PM »

Gorgeous system!  Well done!