It's been a couple of years.  Anyone else a homebrewer like myself?

 

 

I've done it once in the past. In 2009, when IPA trend was really picking up around town, my friend and I tried our hand at making our own. It was okay (nothing great), but we never attempted it again. I've been meaning to get into it again, though. What are you brewing; ales, lagers? How long have you been doing it?

Ales, I live in South Texas now, way to hot to even try lagers.  I just made an American style IPA.  Its good, but I thought it was going to be better.  I really like making wheats and stouts as they are my favorite to drink.

 

I actually started with a 2.13 gallon Mr. Beer kit in 2010.  One of my professors in college was a big homebrewer and him talking about it got me into it.

Neat! I live in Texas, too, but on the other end. I'm trying to think of what to make next, but I'm a little burnt out on IPAs, so I might try making a stout this next time. I've really taken a liking to them lately, especially since a World of Beer location opened up where I live and now I can taste to my hearts' content. On a non-beer note, I've been thinking of trying my hand at honey mead; the craft stuff I had in Russia was much better than any of the stuff I can buy here locally.

There is a vineyard in Fredericksburg that makes AMAZING mead.

 

That is also something I've wanted to try.

Well, time someone came in here and injected this place with a hopshot of activity.

 

I've been brewing for about 6 years.  I'm a Natiionally Certified BJCP beer judge.  I'm a member of two homebrew clubs, one I helped found last year that is currently about 35-40 members strong per monthly meeting.

 

I'm also helping to coordinate the 17th Annual Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews.  So feel free to send in your samples to be judged, gentlemen!

Beers I'm bringing to tonight's meeting:

 

Trick Or Treat Pumpkin Wheat - I got a free extract Wheat Beer kit at this year's National Homebrewers Conference in Philly.  I wasn't sure what to do with it since I've been all grain brewing for 4 or 5 years now.  Decided to spice it up by adding some roast pumpkin to the boil.  Had to add some gelatin after cold crashing at the end of secondary to clear it up [and took out the chill haze] since I typically add pumpkin to the mash.  I also added some pu-erh tea in secondary that I spiced with clove and cinammon stick.  It's a super subtle flavor that added a ton of complexity.  The kit came with WLP300, which has gotten mixed reviews but I had a lot of success with.  It pours a crystal clear amber orange with a persistant tightly laced foamy pure white head that you could scoop with a spoon.  The nose is sweet and clean with moderate clove phenols and a VERY light fruity bananna ester that compliments the wheat in a way reminiscent of bananna bread.  That bananna bread makes an appearance in the flavor profile as well in what ended up being an extremely well rounded and flavorful palate.  I'm a fan.

 

JoMamma's So Stout - Last year, 6 of us got together to buy a used bourbon barrel from a distillery.  We then proceeded to brew 70 gallons of Russian Imperial Stout [recipe inspired by AleSmith Speedway Stout].  The idea was to brew a little extra in order to keep the headspace in check as the angels took their share.  I filled a carboy with some of the leftovers that didn't make it in to the barrel and sat it on whole hazelnut coffee beans for 4 days.  I'm pretty stoked about how this came out.  Reminds me a lot of Founders Breakfast Stout - only with a bit more kick.

 

Frankenstein Stutter Stout - This is the one.  This is the RIS that sat in the bourbon barrel for 10 months.  The wort was comprised of 70 gallons from 2 batches on 6 different systems.  It was brewed towards the end of October so the "Frankenstein" name is super fitting.  I'm bottling most of my share.  This is going to be off the charts good after 18 months of bottle conditioning.  It's already on par with some of the better RIS's I've had.

 

Amber Alert - This is an American Amber I made from the second runnings of my Lagunitas IPA clone.  It reminds me a LOT of Cigar City Tocobaga Red in a distinct citrus flavor that finishes slightly sour but in a grapefruit way - as opposed to an enamel stripping way.  I think I like this better than the base beer I was going for!

I will one day make it to Cigar City

On my list, too.  But it's equally delicious in trade. 

 

I remember being stoked about going to Dogfish Head.  Then I got the world's worst waitress who could not give a SPIT about where she was working or what beers she was pouring.  It really took the wind out of my sails.  Conversely, Ommegang was awesome!  Oh, and Hillfarmstead can suck it.  I waited in line at Alchemy after HFS cancelled an event with no warning.  I was one of the last people to get Heady Topper Memorial Day weekend.  It was a ZOO!  About a dozen people ahead of me they ran out and started casing up directly off the line.  That's about as fresh as you can get without pulling off the pigtail at the brite tank!

And the judging is in. They had 487 entries.

 

Amber Alert took home a Bronze.

Trick or Treat Pumpkin Wheat took home a Silver.

Frankenstein Stutter Stout took home a GOLD and advanced to Best in Show.

JoMamma's So Stout took home a Gold in it's category and came in 2nd in BEST IN SHOW!! WOOT!

Awesome!!!

Yates has some serious beer muscles.  

 

And refuses to take a pupil under his wing :|

You would have lost all respect for me if you saw me ride the bull last night. It was - in a word - fail.

 

I was thrown in less than 10 seconds.

 

On the plus side, I face humped the crap out of that mechanical beast once I was thrown off to rucous applause.

 

Bull 1 - Yates 1

My gf and I are giving it a try - we've got three gallons of apple-strawberry-sugar mix fermenting away right now based on some recipes we found online.  Will see how it turns out

What are you using for a yeast?  Champagne yeast?

Beer is yucky 

Beer is yucky until you grow up and realize it's not supposed to taste like CocaCola.

Beer is yucky until you grow up and realize it's not supposed to taste like CocaCola.

 

Bet you if I gave her a Shake Chocolate Porter or a Southern Tier Creme Brulee right about now, it would change her mind.  It's kind of like wine.  Start sweet and slowly bring them in to the full world of beer.

 

Beer is yucky until you grow up and realize it's not supposed to taste like CocaCola.

 

Bet you if I gave her a Shake Chocolate Porter or a Southern Tier Creme Brulee right about now, it would change her mind.  It's kind of like wine.  Start sweet and slowly bring them in to the full world of beer.

 

 

 

You had me at Creme Brulee   

You had me at Creme Brulee   

Girls are sooo easy.

 

You had me at Creme Brulee   

Girls are sooo easy.

 

 

Hey now what are you trying to say!

 

I just like things that are tasty the alcohol taste makes me 

I just know a lot about beer. And when a girl says "I don't like beer" it jus means they haven't tried the right one yet. The "right one" is usually something sweet and/or chocolatey. The other go-to is a Framboise, which tastes like a sweet and tart raspberry seltzer drink.

Alcohol in general seems to be an acquired taste.

 

You acquire it, and once you've had enough, you forget about the taste.

 

I say this both in jest, and as someone who could probably pour the alcoholic beverages they've had in their entire lifetime into a modestly-sized glass.

I would never force alcohol on someone. That said; if someone is looking for a "beer" to drink because they want to drink but don't have a "taste" for it yet? I'm happy to help. I'm passionate about food and spirits in general but I'm a certified beer judge so I really REALLY know a lot about beer.