Messages

466

All Things Food / Re: Tony’s Anchor Steam Corned Beef

« on: March 23, 2012, 12:13:53 PM »

So, this is just about to go into the pot. I am taking it over to the in-laws tonight for dinner. I will post a review tomorrow before I start brewing!

467

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Buying Beer

« on: March 23, 2012, 11:36:40 AM »

I buy a decent quantity of beer. Some of it is to replenish my bottle supply, but some of it is good inspiration for beers that I want to brew. I definitely don't buy as much beer as I did before I started homebrewing, but I still buy 1-2 Bombers a week just to see what is out there that I haven't had before. However, I may have to slow down on the amount of beer I buy, and focus on drinking the homebrew I have in the closet. I have almost 20 gallons of beer in my closet right now, and I am almost out of bottles.

468

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: On This Day in 1989...

« on: March 22, 2012, 03:57:41 PM »

October 22, 2011. For Christmas 2010, my aunt got me a copy of "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing." Unfortunately I started preparing for deployment in January 2011, and wasn't able to actually brew until I returned home. I read all the books I could get my hands on, and listened to countless hours of Basic Brewing Radio. As soon as I got home, I bought a starter set and came up with a recipe for an American ESB. Was a little heavy on the hops and extract, so it ended up being a really tasty APA. 5 extract + grain brews to make sure I had a handle on the cold side, and then I went all-grain in 2012. 5 AG Batches down so far, and not a dumper in the bunch!

On the other hand, my wife thinks I brew too much.

469

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Watershed IPA...Hodgson's IPA

« on: March 21, 2012, 10:48:26 AM »

Zythos is a tasty Hop (blend).
I had it in a SMaSH from Boundary Bay over Christmas break. It has a nice piney, floral aroma.

Did they call it a smash?  I don't think it's reasonable when they are using a blend.  Why not blend some malt and then make a smash with that and some Falconer's Flight?

I can't remember if they actually called it a smash, but I do know that they called it a Single Hop, and I remember them saying it was all 2-row. At the time, I hadn't heard of it, and didn't know it was a blend until I saw it at the LHBS.

With the blended pellets, it kind of blurs the lines regarding single hops. Given that you can't create that blend on your own, it is kind of similar to using a single hop.

470

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Watershed IPA...Hodgson's IPA

« on: March 21, 2012, 10:30:18 AM »

Zythos is a tasty Hop (blend).
I had it in a SMaSH from Boundary Bay over Christmas break. It has a nice piney, floral aroma.

Fish Tale is awesome. My favorite place in Olympia.

Go Huskies!

471

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 3/23 Edition

« on: March 21, 2012, 10:12:42 AM »

Making a Mild with 2/3 munich malt.

Probably bottling my Honey Brown Porter as well...

Oh, and taste testing my Altbier, now that it has been in bottles for about 3 weeks.

472

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: A simple, Kosher alternative to gelatin

« on: March 20, 2012, 05:57:23 PM »

I have never found fining necessary with a stout.

+1

If you can see through an oatmeal stout, you are doing it wrong. I'm not sure fining should matter with that style. I only use any finings on my light beers, and then its just irish moss and time.

473

Going Pro / Re: Another view about commercial Nano brewing.

« on: March 20, 2012, 02:03:21 PM »

I came across these guys the other day: http://www.crookedstave.com/

Looks like they're trying to do pretty much what I was describing. Who knows if it'll work out for them.

I don't know how successful he is money wise, but he makes a mean saison. I picked up a bottle when I was in Colorado, and it was tasty.

474

The Pub / Re: Colt To Bronco.

« on: March 20, 2012, 12:59:06 PM »

Winning.

475

Ingredients / Re: Please critique this American coffee stout

« on: March 20, 2012, 12:56:28 PM »

I am also in the camp that Hop flavor and Coffee flavor don't seem to go too well together. However, Naked City up in Seattle does a coffee IPA, and I have heard its excellent. In my coffee Stouts/Porters, I usually keep the Hopping to a minimum, opting for an oz or so of a high alpha variety at 60 minutes. I pour a shot of espresso into each bottle to add the coffee flavor, though I am thinking of doing 2-4 cups of cold steeped coffee in my next batch...

Coffee IPA, very interesting...that's either really effin' good or horrible. 
A shot of espresso is each bottle? Damn, that's a lot!

Naked City is known for doing some really crazy things. The next time I go, the coffee IPA is on the list to try. They were out when I was there last. I did have a Cascadian Red that was fermented with a Belgian yeast, and it tasted like I was sucking on a bubblegum jolly rancher. I was less than a huge fan of that beer.

I have found that 1 shot of espresso + 21 oz of beer gives me just enough coffee flavor and bitterness that I know I am drinking a coffee porter, but not enough that the coffee is bashing me over the head. As I said, I might try a couple cups of cold brewed coffee in my next coffee porter or stout.

476

Beer Recipes / Munich Mild

« on: March 20, 2012, 12:12:29 PM »

So I know this is totally out of style, but I want to do a mild this weekend. I need a new session beer, because my ordinary bitter is almost gone, and my wife wants me to do some sweeter, darker beers. In the last couple beers I made, I used munich malt, and I love the color and maltiness that it gives a beer, with out the sweetness that I get from crystal. So putting this all together, I was thinking about doing a mild with a munich base. This is kind of the basis of where I am starting. I haven't done any preparation yet, so I am up for all sorts of changes.


6lb Light Munich
2lb Pale 2 row
8oz Pale chocolate
4 oz Crystal 80
4 oz wheat

shooting for 1.045 OG

Hops:
.5 oz Magnum (13.1 AA) - 60 mins
1 oz EKG (4.5 AA) - 15 mins

Thinking of using WY1968 or 1469

Again, any suggestions would be appreciated!

477

Ingredients / Re: Please critique this American coffee stout

« on: March 20, 2012, 11:58:58 AM »

I am also in the camp that Hop flavor and Coffee flavor don't seem to go too well together. However, Naked City up in Seattle does a coffee IPA, and I have heard its excellent. In my coffee Stouts/Porters, I usually keep the Hopping to a minimum, opting for an oz or so of a high alpha variety at 60 minutes. I pour a shot of espresso into each bottle to add the coffee flavor, though I am thinking of doing 2-4 cups of cold steeped coffee in my next batch...

478

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Possibly the worst homebrewing article ever

« on: March 20, 2012, 10:18:32 AM »

Based on a real quick examination of the page, why do I get the feeling that the blogger who wrote that article is the same person as the one who runs the brewery facebook page?

479

All Grain Brewing / Re: Preheated MLT strike water calcs

« on: March 19, 2012, 01:00:14 PM »

I usually calculate my mash temperature (using Brewzor on my phone) and then heat the strike water about 5 degrees warmer. I dump the water in, stir it, and I am always pretty close to what my strike water is supposed to be. Once it gets down to that temperature, I add my grain and mash as usual.

IMO, its easier to take heat away than add heat, so I prefer to have my strike water a couple degrees hot.

480

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Just tasted my very first brew. Could use some thoughts.

« on: March 19, 2012, 12:27:53 PM »

PBW = Powdered Brewery Wash

Its great for cleaning stuff. I use it on carboys, brewpots, and all my small accessories. Just let it soak for a couple hours, pour out, wipe down, and done. I have heard oxyclean works as well. It is made by the same people who make star-san, which is a great no-rinse sanitizer that I also use.