tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79466741333995724912011-12-15T04:12:40.719-08:00My buddy Brad and I would like to start a brewery of our own some day. This blog is an attempt to record our efforts in that direction including brews we complete, tastings of beer, and other events we encounter along the way.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.comBlogger1011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-63261794837107702302010-09-22T12:20:00.000-07:002010-09-22T12:27:38.870-07:00

I thought this was really well done.3 things she could have done to help her beer taste better: Don't let the water boil when soaking the malted grains!!! The water should be no hotter than 170f.Hydrate the yeast before adding it to the fermenter.Leave the lid off the boil kettle, there are compounds given off during the boil that should not be trapped by a lid (partially open isn't horrible,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-14647324960608785162010-08-12T16:51:00.000-07:002010-08-12T16:53:41.219-07:00

I did a Pilsner and a Dunkel last month, and they are slowly finishing fermentation in the chest fridge. I re-used the yeast from the Pilsner on the Dunkel, and now I am waiting for the last 15% of gravity to ferment away, it is taking a long time, I had hoped for 2 weeks in primary and 4 weeks in secondary, but it looks like it will be more like 8 weeks in secondary.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-61364311639007219352010-05-11T10:11:00.000-07:002010-05-11T10:17:50.518-07:00

I have reused yeast before, by pouring it out of the carboy and into a jug, preparing another starter prior to brewing and using that yeast. It worked as well as purchasing yeast at the homebrew shop and saved me $6.00.This time, I brewed my West Coast IPA , and then 2 weeks later when fermentation had stopped, I racked it to secondary and brewed my Pale Ale and poured it on the yeast cake in

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-32900754042240867702010-04-09T13:43:00.001-07:002010-08-12T16:51:46.674-07:00

West Coast IPA - I only have a couple bottles left, but this one is a winner. My brother-in-law loved it too. It is modeled after the Green Flash IPA, and inspired by the Mammoth IPA. On a related note, I got up to Mammoth last week and tried their double brown, another winner. If you are anywhere that Mammoth beer is sold, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-70018760967712486192009-10-24T11:26:00.000-07:002010-08-12T16:51:29.328-07:00

West Coast IPA - Still Fermenting 4 weeks later. Gravity is down to 1.016 so it should be ready next week. Tastes promising, it is still quite cloudy but it is hard to tell if that is the yeast or other issues. I plan to crash cool this beer once it is fully fermented.American Lager - Tasted pretty good, I made another lager after that with all barley that tasted good as well, but it was a bit

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-22167930129436367192009-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:002009-08-15T10:42:13.372-07:00

The wife, kids and I headed up to Oregon via Yosmite and I got a chance to have some great beer. The bar at Curry Village in Yosemite serves up Mammoth Pilsner (good) and their Epic IPA (great). I also got to taste the Deschutes Red Chair IPA at the Suttle Lake resort's restaurant. It was also amazing, and only $4.00/pint on tap there! After paying $9.00 for a 21 oz glass at Yosemite it

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-32287624166440191202009-05-11T19:13:00.000-07:002009-06-27T10:39:57.154-07:00

The original Disaster Porter is of my favorites so far, and a favorite of my friend Greg's. He wanted to get in on another batch and came over with Ed to watch and help out.I realized something with this brew. Watching someone else brew is like watching someone else cook. If you really want to do it yourself someday it is cool to learn, otherwise it isn't that much fun. They were good sports

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-31498728028710321912009-05-11T19:02:00.000-07:002009-05-11T19:13:43.463-07:00

My father-in-law only likes lagers like Kirin, Bud, and Sapporo. Last time he was here a year ago my brewing skills were not what they are now, and he didn't enjoy my homebrew very much, although he was polite and drank it.For a while it looked like he would be coming back this year to visit so I decided to try to brew a Kirin clone.My only other attempt at a Lager resulted in a bitterness that

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-71814520399452124232009-03-16T09:14:00.000-07:002009-03-16T09:27:26.818-07:00

I really like Stone's Levitation ale.  At only 4.4% alcohol you can drink a couple without getting too buzzed, but it is very full of flavor.I wanted to do something similar, and I found a reference to the ingredients, ABV and IBUs so I made up my own recipe to get me somewhere close and brewed it a week ago.  On Saturday I racked it to secondary, and had a sample.  It is a bit too sweet still,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-71208929565533213062009-02-10T18:51:00.000-08:002009-02-11T17:36:03.030-08:00

Another of the beers I picked up in Oregon (although it is brewed in Washington).  I don't yet have a clear picture of what Redhook is shooting for, so I will try to pick up anything I can until I figure it out.Tasting: Chilled to ~35 degrees (f) from a pint glass, after drinking this beer, I upped the temp on my beer fridge, it should really be tasted at 45 or higher.  The malt aroma doesn't

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-25002642067172477452009-02-09T17:38:00.000-08:002009-02-11T17:34:33.755-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~35 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Deep red in color, the beer is very clear with tiny bubbles.Head: 3/3 Light, foamy, cream-colored head that lasts.Aroma: 3/3 Light hops and mild malt.Flavor: 3/3 Wonderful biscuity flavor, with very strong hops profile.Mouth feel: 3/3 Light bodied, medium-high carbonation, very pleasant somewhat piney bitterness remains.Overall

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-60530558607952185482009-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:002009-01-30T20:16:56.102-08:00

Not every seasonal beer is a 8%abv+ roasty, hoppy intense experience.   Deschutes Buzzsaw Brown is a classic brown ale.  A session beer for winter.Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Mahogany color, the beer is very clear with tiny bubbles.Head: 3/3 Light foamy head that lasts.Aroma: 3/3 Very light malt aroma with hints of nut.Flavor: 3/3 Wonderful malty flavor,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-32848328233784477022009-01-30T17:37:00.000-08:002009-01-30T20:21:07.758-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Clear amber color, the beer is very clear for a winter seasonalHead: 3/3 Nice creamy head of fine bubbles that thins slowly and remains around the rim.Aroma: 3/3 A wonderful malt, some vanilla and subdued hops.Flavor: 2/3 Somewhat sweet, with vanilla, hops and malt.Mouth feel: 2.5/3 Medium-light body, medium-low carbonation,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-18253693235320344122009-01-17T20:34:00.000-08:002009-01-18T07:58:50.490-08:00

I just finished a tasting of Hair of the Dog's Adam. The beer is priced a bit steep at $5.00 a bottle, but it is 10% abv.Today I went to BevMo and saw that Stone increased their prices this month, so that it now costs $13.99 for a six-pack of Oaked Bastard, and almost $10.00!!! for a 6-pack of their 4.4% abv Levitation.Why should a 10% beer cost twice as much (or more) than a 7% beer? Well, for

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-75812259589063030012009-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:002009-01-18T08:05:19.788-08:00

Unlike his brother Fred, Adam was well carbonated. Let the tasting begin!Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Dark Mahogany color, the beer is very clear where the light does make it through, which is great for a dark beer.Head: 3/3 Nice mocha head that thins to about 1/8 inch but stays.Aroma: 3/3 A bit of roasted malt, some smoke and subdued hops.Flavor: 2.5/3

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-40721614468472745042009-01-17T19:23:00.000-08:002009-01-18T08:00:42.584-08:00

I can't do a proper tasting of this beer because it is flat.As in, no head, no carbonation, none.The beer is bottle conditioned, and this is something I have experience with so I will go over it for those of you that have never studied brewing or home brewing.During the fermentation process, the beer yeast converts the sugars to alcohol and create CO2 as a byproduct. In nature, wild yeast that

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-45768085030291071322009-01-14T20:42:00.000-08:002009-01-18T08:01:07.415-08:00

One of the downsides to recording my impressions of new beers is that I have to have the energy to write something down before I crack it open, especially if the beer is from out of the area and I can't get another one.Bridgeport Snow Cap Winter Warmer has a great label, I doesn't give the impression of trying too hard, just a nice festive winter theme.Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-20104448582605302752009-01-05T20:38:00.000-08:002009-01-14T20:43:10.065-08:00

I love to travel. I lived in the Portland are for almost a third of my life, but I never full appreciated it. Of course, Portland has a lot more to appreciate every year, but I feel like I really screwed up during my time there. I could have done and seen so much more!But at least once a year we return to Oregon, and this year I decided to pick up as many Oregon beers as I could. Due to the

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-30721172290462821142009-01-03T12:15:00.000-08:002009-01-10T09:29:21.212-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~30 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 2.5/3 Translucent orange somewhat cloudy perhaps caused by dry hopping.Head: 2.5/3 Reluctant head with fine bubbles, nice lacing down the glass.Aroma: 3/3 Nice hop aroma, no discernable malts, at 30 degrees anyways.Flavor: 3/3 Great ale flavor. It leads with the hop flavor, then a bit of bitterness followed by subtle malt.Mouth

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-52700006223759795382009-01-01T09:17:00.000-08:002009-01-10T09:14:13.625-08:00

Forgive a bit of self-reflection in this post but; What a year!BLOGMy blog of tasting notes and brewery equipment has had over 2000 visitors, from 6 continents, 53 countries and every state in the US except South Dakota.I have tasted hundreds of beers for the first time, and have started to develop a sense of the beer industry both here in San Diego County, on the west coast and in the US in

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-48380760970371327612008-12-19T23:22:00.000-08:002008-12-20T11:55:20.932-08:00

Sitting down to Tarantino and Rodriguez's three hour double feature Grindhouse called for something special. Red Hook's "DB" Double Black Stout with Coffee should fit the bill. I don't typically like beers with food in them (for lack of a better way to put it), but I have a soft spot for chocolate and coffee stouts.Anyway, on to the tasting. Be gentle with me. It's my first time:Appearance: 3/3

brad77noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-76313577709174704702008-12-13T08:25:00.000-08:002008-12-13T08:46:41.657-08:00

Stone releases an extra-strength version of their flagship Arrogant Bastard called, Double Bastard each holiday season. At 10.4% ABV it is a potent brew, but not too heavy. I actually enjoy it more than the original, although I think that the Oaked Bastard is probably my favorite variant.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-60562718477422153322008-11-20T19:06:00.000-08:002008-11-23T10:02:53.353-08:00

The shelves and aisles of my local stores are full of seasonal beer.   According to one chart I saw, this is peak season for limited offerings.  I doubt I will get through them all any time soon, and trying to purchase a decent selection is a costly undertaking with the price per serving much higher than the year-round beers. Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a goblet.Appearance: 3/3

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-88003473436038412272008-11-16T19:32:00.000-08:002008-11-17T06:22:52.434-08:00

Lots of seasonal beers and not enough time to take detailed tasting notes means I will summarize:Stiegl Goldbrau Lager - Very malty and smooth Austrian beer, but a bit too sweet.Sierra Nevada Celebration - Tasty beer, hoppy, red in color and reminiscent of Dogfish Head's 90 min IPA. Stone Levitation Ale - Very good, the lightest beer offered by Stone at 4.4% alcohol.Alaska Smoked Porter - Amazing

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-25324780384683906192008-11-12T13:19:00.000-08:002010-08-12T16:48:45.860-07:00

I wanted to brew a good winter beer, and decided on a stout. I juiced it up with a bit of Agave syrup with a target gravity of 1.090. It came out with a bit too much volume, but considering that, the gravity was pretty good at 1.082. I discovered that my mash keg has a hard time maintaining higher temperatures. I will insulate it some more and try one more brew and if the problem continues I

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-24832779834469520812008-11-11T18:58:00.000-08:002010-08-12T16:49:07.862-07:00

This is my 4th effort to make a good pale ale, this time I increased the flavor and aroma hops as well as the bittering hops. For some reason the final gravity ended up too high, and the fermentation temperature was too high so I am not there yet, but I am getting closer.Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 2/3 Beautiful copper color, thick off-white head,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-2949551746328609352008-11-11T15:27:00.000-08:002008-11-23T10:04:14.968-08:00

N. Jufer (I am not sure if he wants to be quoted, but I need to attribute this to him since it is a direct quote)  responded to a question about lagering on the American Homebrew Association digest email I got today with an entirely different approach from what I used on the Pilsner I completed recently.  I used the Noonan (based on the German) method.  I think I will try this next time:Rather

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-78838953338727061172008-10-28T19:37:00.001-07:002008-10-29T17:16:43.682-07:00

I have only read one good review of this beer, and several ambivalent reviews. I think it would be properly classified as an Amber Ale. I have 2 favorites in this category: Deschutes Green Lakes Amber Ale, and Firestone Double Barrel Ale, and this beer is nothing like them.Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Beautiful copper color, nice off-white head,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-39547750858196333872008-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:002008-10-26T09:31:53.287-07:00

Brew 8 has completed fermentation and lagering, it doesn't taste that great yet, but hopefully it will come around during bottle conditioning?? I am trying to force carbonate for the first time. I used a carbonation chart which tells what psi to apply to the beer at what temperature to achieve the desired level of carbonation. Pilsners typically have 2.4 volumes of CO2 and I am keeping it at

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-2544348986977764162008-10-24T20:47:00.000-07:002008-10-24T22:49:44.237-07:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a large stemmed glass.Appearance: 3/3 Beautiful copper color, nice off-white head, champagne-like bubbles.Head: 1.5/3 Light head thins quickly.Aroma: 2/3 Light malt, and fruity, grape-like smell no discernible hops on the nose.Flavor: 2/3 Sweet, malty, hint of fruit, no discernable hops or very light bitterness slight musty aftertaste from the english

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-81721548741155914132008-10-21T21:38:00.000-07:002008-10-21T21:40:00.798-07:00

Found these links in my daily AHA Tech Talk email. Very good.http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Efficiency http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Troubleshooting_Brewhouse_Efficiency

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-80946493592439886172008-10-13T16:52:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:23:15.438-07:00

I don't know if I will ever attend the Great American Beer Festival or not, 3 days seems an awful short time to enjoy all the Beer that America has to offer.  A very special congratulations to AlesSmith for being the second San Diego brewery in 2 years to win small brewer of the year:Here are the categories with the most entries submitted:Category: 46 American-Style India Pale Ale - 104

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-12487403034567893682008-10-13T16:32:00.001-07:002010-08-12T16:49:27.135-07:00

Brad and I went in on our equipment for the first few brews, to reduce our exposure in case we didn't want to continue, and to help us get started faster. I bought the burner and pot for our first extract, he bought the Carboy and the rest of the equipment. As we continued to brew, I slowly added to my equipment list until I had everything to brew all-grain, and now he is doing the same. Two

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-5787723858005154052008-09-18T20:03:00.000-07:002008-09-27T10:02:10.286-07:00

My wife and I hosted an Oktoberfest party which was also a late 40th birthday last week. We had over a dozen beers on offer and some great food. We had 4 different Oktoberfest beers, the orginal (Spaten) was the best, but all were enjoyable. One of my friends brought the Hemp Ale and was curious to know how it tasted since we didn't get around to tasting it during the party, so I promised him

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-47751073743194111292008-09-04T13:33:00.000-07:002008-10-21T21:46:11.777-07:00

It has been a couple weeks since brewing a czech-style pilsner, and the beer is fermenting comfortably at 52deg (F) in my chest freezer.This was another brew that I am very thankful I had brewing software for. I have several recipes for Pilsner, and this one was very basic using primarily 2-row instead of imported malt, but I thought the hops looked low.I loaded the recipe into Beer Tools and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-15158515738555345552008-08-21T20:21:00.000-07:002008-08-25T09:43:48.652-07:00

I am preparing to brew my first lager. I have a temp. controller, and a chest freezer to keep the temps right, and I purchased a book on lager brewing, and am reading everything else I can find on the subject.Reading about beer makes you really thirsty for beer, and reading about lagers makes me thirsty for a rich malty German beer. So I picked a few up the other day at Bevmo, and tonight I am

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-10234785003537371342008-08-09T19:58:00.000-07:002008-08-24T19:55:28.770-07:00

Firestone lists the malts for this beer as:Two-Row,Marris Otter,Munich,Crystal,Chocolate Color=16lHops: Bittering - Magnum, Flavor/Aroma - Golding, Dry Hop - Golding IBU=32Tasting: Chilled to ~45 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 beautiful copper color, clear.Head: 2/3 Light head that thins before the glass is half empty.Aroma: 3/3 Understated hops, rich malt and hints of smoke and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-47609951490446884472008-08-05T18:36:00.000-07:002008-08-06T19:09:57.719-07:00

When up in Oregon, my friend Dave and I were enjoying a Rogue Ale, and he said his favorite ale was Full Sail, so of course I bought a 6-pack before leaving Oregon. The Full Sail brewery is located in one of my 2 dream places to live in Oregon; Hood River (the other is Bend). Less than an hour to the sunny side of Mt. Hood, in the Columbia River Gorge, it is an outdoors lover's paradise. It is

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-72769442254897880932008-08-03T22:35:00.000-07:002008-08-03T23:36:03.533-07:00

My goal of owning my own brewery, while it still sounds fun, doesn't feel very realistic. I am not sure that I would be willing to sacrifice enough of my time, money and energy to make it work, and San Diego County already has more than a dozen breweries so I am not sure that another one is in great demand either.But I still love brewing, I honestly enjoy it more than drinking, so when I heard

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-62476716724610442242008-07-30T20:51:00.001-07:002008-08-03T22:32:08.863-07:00

The second beer from Rogue I have tasted, this beer comes with a complete ingredient list on the side:Harrington, Klages Crystal and Chocolate MaltRolled Oats and Roasted barleyCascade HopsTasting: Chilled to ~50 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Opaque, thick as mud, but in a good way.Head: 3/3 Rich cappuccino head that lasts.Aroma: 3/3 Chocolaty, roasted malt with cascade hops .

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-59797083753483000442008-07-30T20:47:00.000-07:002008-08-24T19:47:33.170-07:00

If you have had a Chimay you are familiar with this type of beer. Made from a Northern Brewer kit it included relatively few hops and Belgian sugar candy in the ingredients.The problem is that my West Coast USA tongue is calibrated for hoppy ales, IPAs, stouts and porters, and I also like the Malty Bravarian Octoberfest and Czech Pilsners. A Belgain tripple is a whole other beer, low in hops and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-9009124814572679542008-07-30T20:44:00.000-07:002008-11-17T06:48:17.611-08:00

No detailed notes this time, but this was a great beer. Not too far off (although quite different from) Dogfish's 90 minute ale.High in IBUs (ie Hops) and ABV (ie Alchohol), it tastes like a regular Sierra Nevada with twice the malt and hops. This is an IPA but edges into Barleywine territory in it's flavor and texture, if not its ABV.It also came in a 24 oz bottle instead of 22oz. More beer.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-72489333294323655942008-07-25T20:17:00.000-07:002008-07-26T10:04:10.446-07:00

I picked up a case of Rogue Dead Guy Ale during my tour, the photo doesn't have a picture of the bottle since they used some Chocolate Stout bottles for some reason.I am glad I read the Rogue Brews page before I tasted, since I assumed it was a Pale Ale, but it is actually a Maibock. With 4 malts and 2 hops (Saaz and Pearle) it tastes quite different from a Pale Ale while the body and bitterness

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-48012240216047477172008-07-25T18:58:00.000-07:002008-07-26T10:02:13.746-07:00

I had this beer at the Deschutes Brewpub in Bend and my brother-in-law picked up a case and shared a 6-pack with me. I can get some of Deschute's beers in SoCal, but I haven't seen this one yet, so I am glad to have a few to enjoy until my next visit to Oregon.This is the first organic beer I have had. It was priced the same as the other beers at the brewery, so there is no reason not to go

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-38774408792141499072008-07-22T20:24:00.000-07:002008-07-26T10:28:43.033-07:00

I neglected to bring my camera for this tour, but you can visit their website to see the photos of their pub and gift shop.Although I have a lot of respect for Stone and do enjoy their beer, it isn't my favorite. I like hoppy beer, but theirs has a sharper, more piney bitterness than I like due the their hop selection. By the time you get half-way through a pint it mellows though, it is in

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-56196581766129064662008-07-12T20:18:00.000-07:002008-07-26T10:09:54.064-07:00

Our first all-grain brew, and 4th brew overall was a basic Ale as was our 6th. I changed the recipe slightly for the 6th brew to give more hop bitterness in hopes that it would offset the sweetness, and to tone down the hop aroma. They have both aged so now is a good time to compare them.Tasting: Chilled to ~50 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: Both look good now that they have aged,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-77596342988379535012008-07-12T16:59:00.001-07:002008-07-14T10:30:59.100-07:00

After the great time I had touring the Deschutes Brewery, I was eager to visit another one. We planned to head to the Oregon coast just south of Newport to spend a couple nights with some friends and so I looked up the Rogue Brewery and found it was right on the way.Rogue offers 1 tour a day at 3pm, and there were 40 people on the tour. They offer no free samples of beer, although their Brewers

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-6794992117060940042008-07-12T15:51:00.000-07:002008-07-12T19:20:23.406-07:00

I was in Bend on vacation with all of my family (14 members in total), and asked my brother-in-law if he would like to visit the Deschutes Brewery and he was in. He had visited the Full-Sail bewery in Hood River earlier while I had never toured a brewery before.I was excited to visit Deschutes Brewery, I really like their Porter, and their Mirror Pond Ale. I haven't had any of their other brews

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-58351691059935784792008-05-23T10:50:00.000-07:002008-05-23T10:54:46.126-07:00

In spite of my efforts at insulation, the temperature in my garage is just too high to ferment, and will probably remain so for the next 4-5 months. I will probably purchase a freezer with a temperature controller to permit me to continue brewing, but funds are low for the next few weeks so I will have to wait and see how this quarter at my company goes. If I get a bonus in July I will probably

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-35719407530900618102008-05-23T10:46:00.000-07:002008-05-23T10:50:43.814-07:00

A brief update on the 4 brews:Cascade Hops with West Coast Ale Yeast - Tastes just like before, too cloudy, too sweet. I will try again later and lower the mash temperatures. Also, the starter didn't have enough time so I will try to fix that later too.Fuggle Hops with Coopers Yeast - NastyFuggle Hops with Safeale Yeast - Tasty, I will offer up a more detailed tasting later.Fuggle Hops with

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-7605732341981738422008-04-27T19:22:00.000-07:002008-04-27T19:39:28.707-07:00

Temperatures the last two days have exceeded 90 degrees, and the temperatures in my garage, where my beer ferments, have exceeded 85. At night the temperature has been cooling down to the high 60's, but only for a couple hours.Inside the cool box though, the temperature has only gotten to 73 degrees! The cool floor and the inch of insulation have been doing their part to keep the beer at

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-28732894823530256432008-04-22T07:09:00.000-07:002008-04-22T07:47:55.574-07:00

I have been working the last 2 days to clean enough bottles for the large brew that I did a couple weeks ago, almost 8 gallons of beer. I first soak the bottles in a bleach solution for 1-2 hours, then scrape the labels off with a carpet scraper, then soak for a few more minutes and scub the glue off with a green cleaning pad. On some bottles, like the german beers I have had lately the labels

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-41052778655287372572008-04-22T07:04:00.000-07:002008-04-22T09:29:23.813-07:00

Beer needs to stay at a specific temperature to ferment. Each variety of yeast has slightly different characteristics, but generally 70 deg. (F) is the ideal temperature for ales.Last winter, I converted my bench/dog kennel into a warm box by putting a kenwood radiant heater in it and it worked quite well. We had a heat wave a couple weeks ago though, and the temperature inside the box began to

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-6434630459188309502008-04-14T21:08:00.001-07:002008-04-15T08:50:11.206-07:00

If you haven't been following the progress of this beer, read the articles where I brewed it, and then racked it first to see the history of this beer.I bottled the disaster 2 weeks ago, and the taste at that time had improved yet again. I started to have a glimmer of hope and decided to bottle it rather than dump it.Clearly, I have a lot to learn about hoppy beer (and most other types too for

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-63922705797808292762008-04-14T13:19:00.000-07:002008-04-14T14:01:36.387-07:00

California Assemblyman Jim Beall Jr. Democrat from San Jose, CA is serving his first term in the California State assembly. Mr Beall, who has spent his entire life in Politics since graduating with a degree in urban planning from San Jose State, has proposed an increase in the tax on beer from 2 cents per bottle or can to 30 cents.The current price of beer where I shop is from 40 cents to $1.25

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-11507876158063830112008-04-12T20:31:00.000-07:002008-04-14T21:16:06.354-07:00

I generally prefer ales or heavier lagers like winterbier or dopplebocks, but those don't really go very well with Asian food, and we eat a lot of that. Our old standby with Asian food has always been Kirin, but I have been looking for something else. I really liked the Hite Max I tasted a few months ago, but when I spotted the Hinano Tahiti beer I had to try it.Tasting: Chilled to ~35 degrees (

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-45908287514729435282008-03-30T12:48:00.000-07:002008-03-30T13:19:34.493-07:00

I am exhausted. Yesterday I completed my most ambitious brew to date: I finished 4 different ales in one night.After tasting our basic Pale Ale as an all-grain, I am still not that happy with the flavor profile. It is better, and I do like it, but it is too flowery and although not as sweet as our extract brew, still a bit too sweet. I was wondering what the following would do:Change the boil

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-91247730480244991792008-03-18T20:15:00.000-07:002008-03-19T08:11:27.955-07:00

I picked this beer up mainly for the bottle, it will be great to keep yeast in, and it was on sale for 2.99. But the beer was was the real deal, a great dopplebock.Tasting: Chilled to ~55 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 deep mahogany with faintly tan head.Head: 2/3 medium head, light tan in color, thins quickly.Aroma: 3/3 sweet malty smell, hints of currants, toasty.Flavor: 3/3

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-91829196102087205932008-03-17T20:46:00.000-07:002008-03-18T08:26:18.756-07:00

Another beer from the beer-of-the-month club. A tasty dark beer that is easy to drink.Tasting: Chilled to ~55 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 deep mahogany with tan head.Head: 2/3 medium head, light tan in color.Aroma: 3/3 light aroma of malt and hops.Flavor: 3/3 mild flavor of malt and subtle hops.Mouth feel: 3/3 Smooth medium-light body with medium carbonation and light

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-76325301578845256992008-03-17T19:46:00.000-07:002008-03-19T08:12:26.707-07:00

I traveled to Orlando for Convergence last week with my brewing/business partner Brad. We had a pretty good time drinking our way up and down International Drive near the convention center.There is a microbrewery in Orlando but we didn't have a car so we couldn't get to it. We saw 2 Florida beers: Landshark Lager was the most abundant, Brad had one and said it wasn't bad. Yuengling was another

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-74643347281225973522008-03-17T19:39:00.000-07:002008-03-18T08:25:21.803-07:00

This came in my beer of the month club, it was the standout of the bunch. An interesting note is that it came in a 12.7 oz bottle that filled up my glass. Another beer I had recently came in a 11.3 oz bottle. I noticed it because the glass wasn't close to full after pouring.Tasting: Chilled to ~55 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 Thick black, opaque.Head: 3/3 nice head of fine

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-25228884579064352662008-03-03T19:32:00.000-08:002008-03-04T06:59:50.230-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~55 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 nice amber color, very clear with tiny bubbles that continue to rise.Head: 2/3 nice head that lasts and leaves fine lace down the side of the glass.Aroma: 3/3 , Rich, hoppy smell, with subtle hints of dried fruit and spice.Flavor: 3/3 Sharp but pleasant hops with rich malt.Mouth feel: 3/3 Very smooth with medium carbonation and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-28010735934297829502008-03-03T10:04:00.000-08:002008-03-04T07:00:34.936-08:00

I racked the Disaster Porter to secondary on Friday. The gravity is now 1.012 which is a little thin, but still within the range. I tasted it and was pleased to find that much of the bitterness has faded, leading me to think I didn't mess up the temperature on the top end, but that the recipe had WAY too much bitterness so I did some more research.The recipe I found on the web called for 1.5 oz

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-54205187253242012642008-02-26T07:46:00.000-08:002008-02-27T09:37:55.093-08:00

I have been trying to find good Ales to taste, and found two English Ales at BrewPort's Carlsbad beer shop that I haven't had before.Fullers 1845 is based on an old recipe, hence the name. It pours dark and tastes just like the label says it has "a full body and a rich, dried fruit aroma". It is bottle conditioned but I did not notice any yeast runoff. It was not too sweet or too fruity. One of

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-4851215325799938392008-02-25T08:46:00.000-08:002008-02-27T09:37:42.431-08:00

My brew-partner Brad was not able to join me this last weekend on the Disaster Porter, and I forgot to ask him for his Wort Chiller, so I decided to make my own. Later when we start doing 10 gallon batches, it will be useful to have 2 chillers, one we can put in a bucket of ice, the other in the wort.I purchased all the components for around $60 at Lowes/Home depot and soldered it up with

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-55559982599890405122008-02-25T08:14:00.001-08:002008-02-25T18:04:38.942-08:00

I spent Saturday attempting to create a Porter similar to the Black Butte Porter:9 lbs 2-row malt8 oz chocolate malt4 oz black patent malt8 oz honey malt4 oz Victory Malt (subs. for Roasted Barley)4 oz rice hulls for sparging1 oz Galena Hops, pellets (60 min)2 oz Cascade Hops, whole (30 min)1 oz Tettnager hops, pellets (2 min)Wyeast #1338 European Ale Yeast (from starter 30 hours old)Final

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-61806752915091294082008-02-12T07:31:00.000-08:002008-02-12T07:50:30.869-08:00

I have been tasting more beers than I can take time to write as I taste, but I want to take notes on them otherwise I will forget.Young's London Ale: I had the misfortune to eat some cheese before tasting this beer and it messed with my palette so I had my wife taste it, and her evaluation was "very easy to drink". It tasted overly yeasty and sweet to me, but I blame the cheese.Stone Arrogant

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-21046916333752948292008-02-09T18:15:00.000-08:002009-11-14T10:18:13.560-08:00

Since our efficiency was so low on the first all-grain brew, I did some research to see how we could improve our efficiency and also how to reduce the sweetness in the finished beer. After reading the How to Brew website, The Complete Joy of Homebrewing book and a couple articles I read on the web, I have decided that on our next brew we will allow the mash to rest at 3 temperatures; 30 min at

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-5558553753042205312008-02-08T19:12:00.000-08:002008-02-09T18:15:16.234-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~40 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 nice golden color, clear.Head: 2/3 thin head.Aroma: 2/3 Citrusy, hoppy smell, almost lemony.Flavor: 3/3 Hoppy smooth flavor, not too bitter on the tongue.Mouth feel: 3/3 Medium/light carbonation, medium body, hoppy almost resinous aftertaste.Overall: 2/3 This beer is quite drinkable, but not balanced. I think it would go well

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-44995704623264207662008-02-08T18:53:00.000-08:002008-02-09T19:01:40.185-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to ~50 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 beautiful brown/red color, clear with tiny bubbles that keep rising well after the pour.Head: 3/3 fluffy, tan light head that drops off but lasts for the whole glass.Aroma: 3/3 Pleasant toasted malt aroma, with some hops.Flavor: 2/3 Slightly nutty, malt flavors, hops provide some bitterness, but their taste is too subtle for me

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-86044982392005407292008-02-08T17:19:00.000-08:002010-08-12T16:49:53.979-07:00

On Monday night (Feb 4th) we completed our first all-grain brew. It is the same basic recipe as our first extract brew:11lbs 2-row8oz - Caramel 60L1 oz Cascade Hops @60 min1/3 oz Cascade Hops @15 min1/3 oz Cascade Hops @10 min1/3 oz Cascade Hops @5 min1/3 oz Cascade Hops @0 minCalifornia Ale Yeast (White Labs WLP001)4 oz of Rice hulls to aid in spargingThe entire process took 6 hours, as follows

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-3149146367848512662008-02-06T08:48:00.001-08:002008-02-06T09:12:02.634-08:00

On Monday night we planned our first all-grain brew (which I will write about in another post) so I spent Sunday making sure everything was ready to go. I created measuring sticks for the mash/lauter keg, and the brew keg so I could figure out how much water was in them, and I got all the pieces together and tried to figure out how to get the gravity flow working since I don't have a pump (and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-51794728956620417132008-02-05T08:31:00.000-08:002008-02-05T08:38:08.377-08:00

The final piece of the puzzle fell into my lap after I met a guy from my church who works for one of the large distributors in the county and told him about my brewery project. He said he has an extra keg I could have for free, so I hustled over and picked it up.I learned a couple lessons from the first keg:Cut the hole in the top 12" in diameter so you can use a standard pot cover.Don't drill

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-53034373296087337222008-02-05T08:11:00.001-08:002008-08-06T19:07:53.982-07:00

After we had completed a couple extract brews, I started looking around for some Kegs. I called Stone Brewery but their warehouse guy was out. I called Bevmo and they suggested I call one of the Distributors in the area. So I called Mesa Distributors and the guy there was very cool and said I could purchase a used Keg for $50. I read on someone's site that the best way to cut a keg open was

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-20590842321031185212008-02-04T23:06:00.002-08:002008-02-04T23:19:58.309-08:00

We have been working hard (and spending too much money at homebrew shops and websites) since November, and our brewery is finally complete and capable of brewing 5 gallon all-grain batches.We purchased the first components back in November. In addition to an advanced homebrew kit, we purchased an 8 gallon brewpot and burner. The pot cost ~$150 from Northern Brewer and the burner was $37 from

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-37792290457318993632008-02-03T16:36:00.000-08:002008-02-04T12:24:22.671-08:00

I picked this beer up last week since I wanted to try more lager varieties. I had this during the superbowl, so I didn't take time to photograph the beer in a glass.Tasting: Chilled to ~50 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 beautiful deep red/brown color, clear.Head: 3/3 fluffy, light head that lasts for the whole glass.Aroma: 3/3 Pleasant toasted malt aroma.Flavor: 3/3 Rich,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-18949235150067217932008-02-01T18:25:00.000-08:002008-02-04T12:17:41.300-08:00

PortBrewing Carlsbad has a few coolers in their brewery with around 400 different bottled beers available for purchase. One beer I had been looking for that they have was Anchor Pale Ale. It is referenced a few times in Ray Daniels book: Designing Great Beers as a prototype for American or California Ales so I wanted to give it a try.Tasting: Chilled to ~55 degrees (f) from a pint

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-14425332586224787992008-02-01T08:12:00.001-08:002008-08-03T22:50:15.044-07:00

This month, beer bloggers are tasting a Barleywine and blogging about it in The Session #12:Barleywine so this week I went looking for a local Barleywine.Green Flash is a package brewery, not a brewpub. I had first tasted their beer a couple years ago when they had a rep. in the local Costco. I think they could have picked a better name, it sounds like a super-hero, but it is actually named after

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-1749955138124241672008-01-29T19:22:00.000-08:002008-01-29T20:13:04.858-08:00

Of the few people who have read my blog, most have commented that the photos look great so I thought I would write a bit about the photography on the blog.One of the food bloggers I really enjoy reading, Clotilde Dusoulier has excellent photography. I emailed her about a year ago complimenting her on her photos, and asking her how she got such natural lighting, and she was kind enough to reply.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-27013638255502736622008-01-28T19:47:00.000-08:002008-01-30T08:00:28.722-08:00

I want to participate in the blogger's session on barleywine on Feb 1st so I was looking at dark beers to get me in the spirit ahead of time. I was drawn to Old Viscosity by the brewery, and by the fact that the beer is aged in Bourbon barrels.Tasting: Chilled to ~50 degrees (f) from a pint glass. After last nights tasting, I decided to chill my beer a bit more.Appearance: 3/3 very dark with

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-34513485196507830042008-01-27T21:36:00.000-08:002008-01-29T19:09:55.809-08:00

When I first tasted this ale, I was confused. It did not taste much like an ale, more like a lager. After reading the blurb on the label, I see that it was "styled after the crisp golden Kolsch ales of Cologne, Germany"Tasting: Chilled to ~55 degrees (f) from a pint glass (I should have chilled this to ~50), but I doubt it would make much of a difference.Appearance: 3/3 very clear yellow.Head:

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-17661532870695416822008-01-26T20:34:00.000-08:002008-01-27T14:23:08.568-08:00

Yebisu is brewed by Sapporo Breweries in Japan. My friend Jack suggested I give it a try after he saw it advertised at a Japanese Restaurant in Encinitas.Tasting: Chilled to ~35 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 very clear yellow.Head: 2/3 light head that thins quickly.Aroma: 3/3 Mild malt aroma.Flavor: 2/3 Faint malt and very faint hops.Mouth feel: 3/3 Medium-high carbonation, light

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-11893213946885691512008-01-24T19:53:00.000-08:002008-01-27T21:58:51.676-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to 50~60 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 beautiful amber color, very clear.Head: 3/3 Nice head that lasts the whole glass.Aroma: 3/3 Floral, mild malt aroma, very pleasant.Flavor: 3/3 Faint malt and medium hops, sharp but not bitter.Mouth feel: 3/3 Medium carbonation, medium-light body, pleasant flavor of hops linger.Overall: 3/3 This beer is what I would like to

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-66377845681670839892008-01-24T18:27:00.000-08:002008-01-29T13:43:44.320-08:00

Preparing a starter is like brewing a single bottle of beer, with enough yeast to ferment a whole batch. It is especially important to keep everything sanitary since the starter may be saved for an extended period of time.For my starter I used a packet of ale yeast, and a cup of dried light malt extract, a 1000cc flask,a bung and an airlock.Heat up 650cc of water until warm, then mix in 1 cup of

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-3736939107158507522008-01-24T08:21:00.000-08:002008-01-24T22:29:13.816-08:00

My wife and I had a few hours without the kids last night so we went to Pizza Port, rated the best small brewery in the US at the recent American Brew Festival. The pizza was great, I had a pint of the California Honey beer, which was very good. The problem is the place is so crowded (on a rainy Wednesday night) that my wife doesn't ever want to go back.From an owners perspective, having

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-29860479957921272372008-01-22T19:21:00.001-08:002008-01-24T07:58:10.957-08:00

I started doing the tastings because I don't have nearly enough experience tasting different beers to provide a solid background on what I want to brew. My scores are based on how I like what I am tasting. This is different from how a certified judge would rate a beer, since they are required to judge to a standard.I think once I taste more types of beer though I will come to regret my ratings

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-11944794315552844892008-01-22T19:07:00.000-08:002008-01-24T19:58:15.566-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to 50~60 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 beautiful amber color, very clear.Head: 3/3 Rich, frothy head that lasts the whole glass.Aroma: 3/3 Faintly floral, fruity aroma, very pleasent.Flavor: 2.5/3 Faint malt and light hops blend nicely with a mildly sweet, vanilla/fruit flavor.Mouth feel: 3/3 Medium carbonation, medium body, pleasant flavor of hops with light malt

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-28449232070871260802008-01-21T21:34:00.001-08:002008-08-06T18:58:35.425-07:00

I thought of creating a Sage Beer when I first heard of the hops shortage. I also would like to create a beer that can be strongly identified with my home in San Diego county.I found a recipe online and decided to try it. I don't expect it to taste good, but I am very curious how it does taste to see if it is something I can work with to create something more, or if it just skunky and nasty and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-26268671085971070212008-01-21T21:10:00.000-08:002008-01-27T22:07:38.800-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to 45~55 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 dark, rich color that poured like tar from the bottle.Head: 3/3 Thick, dark head that lasts the whole glass.Aroma: 3/3 Great, very toasted malt aroma, on the edge of burnt, hints of chocolate and coffee.Flavor: 2/3 Rich, toasted malt flavor, hoppy, the sweetness is masked by the malt and hops.Mouth feel: 2/3 thick body,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-15697605964413071842008-01-20T21:48:00.000-08:002008-01-22T19:40:44.149-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to 50~60 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 dark, rich color, can't see through the glass.Head: 2/3 Nice light head that lasts half the glass.Aroma: 3/3 Amazing toasted malt aroma. I don't go crazy over coffee or chocolate aromas in my beer, this had none of that.Flavor: 3/3 Very mild toasted malt flavor, subtly sweet, incredibly balanced as no single flavor stood

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-42924447758778773402008-01-17T20:50:00.000-08:002008-01-18T06:43:29.765-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to 50~60 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 2/3 light amber color, minor haze.Head: 3/3 Nice light head that lasts the whole glass.Aroma: 2/3 Very pleasant fruity aroma (from the yeast), and hops. The yeast aroma, while pleasant, is stronger than it should be, probably caused by using one fermenter.Flavor: 2/3 Mild fruit and hops pleasant, but a bit sweeter than

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-61768815668716323042008-01-16T21:35:00.000-08:002008-01-17T07:02:52.889-08:00

I picked this up in a Korean grocery store in Orange County. It is brewed by Hite and imported from Korea. The label caught my eye with "all malt and fine cascade hops"Tasting: Chilled to 40~50 degrees (f) from a pint glass (I should have chilled it more).Appearance: 3/3 crystal clear light lager color.Head: 2/3 Small head disappears quickly.Aroma: 2/3 Very light malt, no discernible hops.Flavor

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-80174540385425593172008-01-15T19:05:00.000-08:002008-01-17T07:02:35.314-08:00

Tasting: Chilled to 50~60 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 dark, rich red.Head: 2/3 Two fingers of medium sized bubbles.Aroma: 3/3 Hoppy!Flavor: 2/3 Strong hop flavor, a nice bite.Mouth feel: 3/3 medium bodied, light fizz with hoppy aftertaste.Overall: 2/3 a good beer, more hoppy than I normally drink but balanced and tasty.Buzz: 3/3 pleasant buzz after a pint.

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-17567933981722855492008-01-14T20:10:00.000-08:002008-01-22T19:39:57.510-08:00

Imported from Scotland, a 16 oz bottleTasting: Chilled to 50~60 degrees (f) from a pint glass.Appearance: 3/3 dark reddish, you can barely see the tiny bubbles rising to the top.Head: 3/3 Three fingers of light effervescence.Aroma: 3/3 delightful blend of mild hops and malt.Flavor: 3/3 A very nice blend of mild hops and malts, mellow, smooth, subtly nutty.Mouth feel: 3/3 a great smooth feel,

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-89441877455106058292008-01-14T15:14:00.000-08:002008-01-14T20:58:30.544-08:00

On our second brew we made several changes from our first;We wanted to do a full-wort boil to see if the pot could hold itWe took an original gravity readingWe are going to use a heater for the primary fermentation periodWe plan to rack to a secondary fermenterOn the full-wort boil, I neglected to factor in the volume that the extract would add to the wort, so our 8 gallon brew pot was filled to

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-2254096323283749692008-01-13T17:04:00.000-08:002008-01-17T07:03:34.670-08:00

One of our friends is from Okinawa and they brought a local beer for us on New Years. Orion is "the" local beer of Okinawa, and is imported (as opposed to being brewed in the US like Kirin).Tasting: From a small 5oz glass typical of Asian Restaurants.Appearance: 1/3 VERY light color.Aroma: 1/3 Very light malt, no discernible hops.Flavor: 1/3 I don't know whether this should be classified as a

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-132650898373352532008-01-08T10:13:00.000-08:002008-01-17T07:03:58.654-08:00

Last night my friend Jack and I had sushi and the only beer they had on offer that I hadn't had yet was Kirin Light. Kirin is brewed "under the supervision of" their brew masters by Anheuser Bush in Los Angeles.Tasting: From a small 5oz glass typical of Asian Restaurants.Appearance: 3/3 light coloring appropriate of a light lager.Aroma: 1/3 Nothing special.Flavor: 2/3 This beer reminded me of

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-46475412915822673562008-01-06T20:06:00.001-08:002008-01-06T20:54:27.229-08:00

Today Hydrobrew put on an all-grain brewing demonstration. The recipe was a chocolate stout, I didn't take enough notes to repeat the recipe, but the brewmaster said he expected an abv of 7% or so.The brewery was 3 kegs, with a sightglass on the hot liquor tank, a Mash/Lauter Tun with a bazooka-style false bottom, and a keg with a 1/2" ball valve as the brew kettle. The stand was a 10 ft pole

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-62861892517592612432008-01-05T17:24:00.000-08:002008-01-17T07:04:24.188-08:00

I have noticed that not many American Craft brewers brew lagers, they are more difficult, take longer, and there is lots of big-brand competition could be some of the reasons, I am not sure. I think that it may be an opportunity for our brewery (should we ever get that far), so I was interested to try a good Octoberfest beer.I went down to my local BevMo and took a look around. I found several

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946674133399572491.post-19849189292323297332008-01-05T17:19:00.001-08:002010-08-12T16:50:13.232-07:00

Brad and I got all our stuff together a few weeks ago and did our first brew. We didn't take detailed notes, but here is the recipe:5 Gallon yield, malt extract recipe Ingredients: 7.4 lbs Light Malt (from Hydrobrew)8 oz. Caramel Malt 60L, milled (for steeping) 1 oz. Cascade hop pellets for bittering (AA=6-7%) 1 oz. Cascade hop pellets for flavor and

Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com0