Messages

886

The Pub / Re: fak i need sleep

« on: September 01, 2010, 09:20:20 AM »

Ralph: "Um, Miss Hoover? There's a dog in the vent."
Miss Hoover: "Ralph, remember the time you said Snagglepuss was outside?"
Ralph: "He was going to the bathroom."

887

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Shiner Oktoberfest

« on: August 31, 2010, 11:04:58 AM »

Had a Sam Oktoberfest on draft today... not good at all.  I used to think it was a decent (if American tasting) beer,  but this one didn't even taste fresh.  I'd blame the bar but I doubt it's even been out for more than a week or so.

888

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Culturing up a pitch from bottle dregs

« on: August 26, 2010, 02:04:08 PM »

It's hit or miss.  I've had great results from some beers (Saison Dupont, Delerium Tremens), and got nothing from others (Rochefort .  It's pretty obvious if the starter takes off and smells good.

The Fantome probably has some wild yeast or bacteria in there, so making a starter will change the proportions (and probably favor the sacc yeast).

889

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: North Country Malt to stop selling to homebrewers

« on: August 25, 2010, 11:43:03 AM »

How is public wholesale grain sales not undermining the retail network? Look at the empty storefronts on Main Street in any small town with a Wal-Mart a few miles away. Same difference.

Or, you could take a look at Costco, a bulk retailer that actually pays its employees a decent wage and has great service.  And then look down the road at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, high end specialty stores that are also thriving.  Two sides of the coin, able to coexist.  The economic distress in small town America has a lot more to do with our economy than the fact that Wal Mart came to town.

890

The Pub / Re: In case you wonder what happened to me

« on: August 25, 2010, 06:35:44 AM »

I though you ran off into the woods and started brewing Lambics or something.  

Taking a break can be good... you don't want brewing to become work.  When your job eases up, you'll be excited to get that pH meter out again !

891

The Pub / Re: Babalu

« on: August 25, 2010, 06:29:14 AM »

Thanks for the latest news.  Still shocking, but all we can do is hope for the best.

Despite the latest outbreaks, EEE is still very rare, so there's definitely a chance that this is something else.

892

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: North Country Malt to stop selling to homebrewers

« on: August 24, 2010, 02:00:56 PM »

How is wholesale grain undermining the retail network?  Most consumers don't have the need, the space, or the time to brew enough to buy malt in bulk quantities.  But, for those who do, it's a great alternative.  The point of retail isn't to hold consumers hostage and force them to pay middleman mark-ups; it should provide service, convenience, and smaller quantities for sale.  Consumers who don't need these things have every right to buy in bulk, and as we've seen in other areas of retail, this works very well for both the consumer and the businesses.  If you aren't making money as a specialty shop, maybe you should look at your business model and your attitudes before blaming the customers who (rightly) want to save money.  If your LHBS gives bad advice (as many do, sadly), why not buy online when you can get better prices and advice from the Northern Brewer website?

893

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Raising the temperature in a chest freezer/fermenter

« on: August 23, 2010, 07:08:38 PM »

I wouldn't worry.  As long as you pitched enough healthy yeast, the fermentation temperature will raise on its own.  It you want to monitor the temperature of the beer instead of ambient, tape the probe to the side of the ferment, or buy a thermowell.

894

The Pub / Re: Favorite mixed drinks

« on: August 23, 2010, 04:44:35 PM »

I picked up a 10 year aged rum from Callwoods on Tortolla (BVI) called Arundel rum.  It's a really small distillery that grows all of the sugar cane they use.  Here's a few pictures from the tour:

Sugar cane:



Tasting:



Aging in carboys and barrels:

895

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: North Country Malt to stop selling to homebrewers

« on: August 21, 2010, 02:13:51 PM »

Maryland homebrew still sells north country stuff by the sack.  After their markup, both MFB pils and Best Malz pils are about $52 for a 55 pound sack.  They special ordered some Great Western for me, it was perhaps  40 something. Not too bad if you're within driving distance.

Does that include 2-row and Marris Otter?  When I look at their website, it says their 2-row is Briess and their Marris Otter is Munton's.  Do they not list the North Country stuff on their website?

They don't seem to list any sacks of grain on the website, but they sell them.  I know they don't stock every brand, though.

Contact Chris (http://www.mdhb.com/contact_us.php) and ask.  In the past, my understanding was that they order pallets from North Country all the time, and they would special order any malt that they carry.

896

The Pub / Re: Favorite mixed drinks

« on: August 20, 2010, 09:10:02 PM »

I'm not huge on mixed drinks.  The alternative choice (straight bourbon or dry martinis) usually wrecks my night, though.

I drank a lot of rum while sailing in the Caribbean this past February.  My favorite concoction (other than rum and whatever random juice we had left on the boat) was a bushwacker.  I hadn't heard of it before, but they had it at all the little island bars in the BVI.  It's like a dessert, practically. I figure if i'm mixing, i may as well go all out.  Here's my latest version:


For 4 servings

2 oz rum
2 oz spiced rum
2 oz vodka
2 oz kahlua
2 oz frangelico
2 oz bailey's
2 oz coco lopez (or coco goya)
4 oz milk
Ice, enough to fill 3/4 blender

Blend until smooth.  Pour into 4 glasses. Add a dab of chocolate syrup and liberal amounts of fresh grated nutmeg to top.

897

Ingredients / Re: Chinook hops

« on: August 20, 2010, 02:35:54 PM »

I've not brewed an english ipa, but some looking around reveals they are widely used as a bittering hop.  Understandable with its very clean but sharp bitterness... (the first two recipes are strikingly similar!!)

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/BlitzkriegHops

http://www.realbeer.com/hops/sister.html

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=3364.0

An English IPA is traditionally going to use... English hops. Of course, in America, you can do whatever you want, but Chinook definitely tastes a bit American.

898

Ingredients / Re: Chinook hops

« on: August 20, 2010, 02:31:39 PM »

Pliny also used to have Chinook for bittering, but as they switched to hop extracts, Vinny has tweaked the homebrew recipe to use Columbus hops (supposedly more similar to the extracts).  That aside, I still use part Chinook for bittering.

899

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: North Country Malt to stop selling to homebrewers

« on: August 20, 2010, 02:26:04 PM »

The only homebrew shop they were ever associated is one in Maryland.  Hopefully they will still allow full pallet orders, otherwise I'll have to incoorperate my homebrew name

Maryland homebrew still sells north country stuff by the sack.  After their markup, both MFB pils and Best Malz pils are about $52 for a 55 pound sack.  They special ordered some Great Western for me, it was perhaps  40 something. Not too bad if you're within driving distance.

900

All Things Food / Re: Ethnic Cooking

« on: August 19, 2010, 07:54:29 AM »

crab  boils are awesome, don't know if they are ethnic either. still good though.

That is a beautiful sight.  I love blue crabs.  I used to go crabbing throughout the summer when I was younger.  I really miss it.  Crabbing is alot of fun and very rewarding.  Do you use beer to steam them?

Steam them with flat beer, vinegar, and liberal amounts of Old Bay!