RGC wrote: I'm quite a fan of Adnams Broadside and Explorer
Old post, but Broadside is awesome. Up there with Sharpe's Doombar and Abbeydale Brewery's Moonshine.
To all the homebrewers - how smelly is the process? There is a homebrewer's shop literally across the road and I get sorely tempted every time I walk past. However my girlfriend has banned the idea on the notion the process stinks, and we don't have any external storage to the flat.
CMoon wrote:*nods* I was just reading about that on homebrewtalk.
What other spices or additives have you tried?
Just licorice so far and it came out way too dominant. Now that I'm done school and I've started looking for full time work I'll have more spare time for tinkering. I'll probably switch to smaller batch sizes so I can experiment more and have less to lose if the result is bad.
oli_lar wrote:
To all the homebrewers - how smelly is the process? There is a homebrewer's shop literally across the road and I get sorely tempted every time I walk past. However my girlfriend has banned the idea on the notion the process stinks, and we don't have any external storage to the flat.
The only time it smells is when you boil the unfermented beer and it's no worse than making a particularly pungent dinner. Once it's fermenting though it doesn't smell. I have a small one bedroom apartment and once the air clears out after the boil, you wouldn't even know I'm brewing.
Hey Acid King, out of curiousity, do you use a brewing program? I'm gonna be the one idiot who has now bought both pro-mash and beer smith. The former started feeling like abandon-ware to me and the more I looked into beer smith, the more I got totally sexed for it!
I think the core calculations and so forth are the same, but beer smith has lots of bells and whistles. I guess I like bells and whistles.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Anyone else had trouble finding the Great Lakes Brewing Company's Winter Ale this year? I usually make it a point to grab a few during the season and was pleasantly surprised to find some at a local pub 'cause I'll be damned if I can't find them anywhere else lately.
CMoon wrote:Hey Acid King, out of curiousity, do you use a brewing program? I'm gonna be the one idiot who has now bought both pro-mash and beer smith. The former started feeling like abandon-ware to me and the more I looked into beer smith, the more I got totally sexed for it!
I think the core calculations and so forth are the same, but beer smith has lots of bells and whistles. I guess I like bells and whistles.
I just do them by hand and if something seems off I check my calculations with one of the free calculators on the internet. I've considered getting pro mash but if they've stopped updating it, I'll have to look into what else is available. How much was beer smith?
I also like how beer smith lets you directly update it yourself. For instance, neither Beer Smith nor Pro Mash have Palisade hops, but Beer Smith lets you directly add the entry yourself. I'm sure there's a way to do something similar with Pro Mash, and I'm sure someone could defend that program if they wanted to, but yeah, Beer Smith just feels a lot more friendly, convienant, and surprisngly helpful.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
You can download the video 'basic brewing: stepping into all-grain' here. Very nice introduction if your getting interested in upping your game (and lowering your prices.)
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
I just finished a bottle of Highland Park, which was pretty enjoyable. I enjoy scotch but I rarely feel like spending the money on bottles, I usually end up drinking it when I go out to eat.
Now that I'm over my cold and can taste stuff I'm looking forward to cracking the bottles of Dogfish Head Namaste and Saison Dupont that I picked up over Christmas.
Just finished building my mash tun and buying 40 lbs of grain at wholesale price. $.50/bottle beer, here I come!
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
I'm personally a fan of Wild Turkey. It's tasty and always makes video games more fun.
Sam Adams is usually my beer of choice. Voodoo Vator is what I'll have for when I want something with a stronger taste.
Olde English is what I have when I don't want to be classy any more.
I tried my father's homemade wine a couple of times but that tends to turn into disaster more than anything.
Why is it called the Vic Viper/Warp Rattler? Because the Options trail behind it in a serpent-like fashion, and the iconic front fins are designed to invoke the image of a snake's fangs.
Anyone else into wine much? Just finished a bottle of Ruffino's Modus (2006). It's a great super tuscan for a very nice price. The '07 is even better, but much harder to get a hold of, especially in the states.
I had my Dogfish Namaste last week and it was pretty good, one of the more flavorful wits I've had despite it being a relatively old bottle. I can't wait to try it fresh.
Drinking my sole bottle of Dogfish Bitches Brew and holy shit is it awesome. Big bitter roasted malt profile balanced by a nice sweetness. I'd kill to have this one in the summer with some bbq.
I now have a fridge that makes ice properly, and I've got an excellent new book on cocktails, so I've been enjoying making some classics that I haven't tried before. Bitters are my new best bar friend.
Did my first all-grain batch of brewing this weekend. Fly sparging and all. Had a few minor hiccups with the equipment, but other than that, pretty awesome first go.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Hey AcidKing, what are some great sessions you recommend...preferably widely available. I've been brewing like crazy (two beers a month) and although I love my heavies, I definitely need some good, light clean beers. Well not light beers. Jesus christ. You know what I mean. Love ambers and browns, even some lighter than that as long as they have some kind of character (maybe some solid biscuity action, or???) Give me some ideas here.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter (4.4%) is quite good. Brooklyn makes a few good ones, notably the pilsner and pennant ale, though at slightly over 5% they kind of push the definition of session beer. You might want to give their Brown Ale a shot, it's been awhile since I've had it but I remember it being decent. Give Rogue's Younger's Special Bitter a shot as well. Stone Levitation is supposed to be pretty good but I haven't had a chance to try it yet, same with Lagunitas and Green Flash's reds.
Some of those I know well (green flash, lagunitas), the others I don't. Typically I'm very bored by session ales, so it's time to start doing some research.
Brewing dogfishhead's Indian Brown Ale in the rain right now.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Might do a little r&d at Total Wine tomorrow; I think they do singles. Time to go look for some fancy session ales.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Anesthetize wrote:Any Scotch drinkers on here? I just cracked open a 16 yr Lagavulin. Mmmm...
I'm also (moreso than Scotch, actually) big into wine as of a couple years ago. Just finished up a Four Vines Biker Zin.
I'm a big fan of the balvenie, the 12 is my daily drinker, it's great and only $33 or something at trader joe's... Not a huge Islay fan, mostly stick with Speyside and Highland. Also, I actually really like some of the nikka single malts (does that actually tie this back into shmups somehow? maybe? )
In a fit of beer making passion I brewed a California Common (IE Anchor Steam) yesterday. That's two beers in one 3-day weekend. Will have to do a better job of giving more beer away.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Finally think I've got the 'bottling from keg' business figured out. Had to watch some youtube videos to 'get it'. Still won't know if it works until I check the bottle later.
Kegging a super smoked version of my 'double homewrecker', which is a completely fucked up version of double bastard. Seriously out of control, but still tasty trainwreck of a beer.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Well, I've taken the plunge and signed up / paid for the BJCP classes + exam (Beer Judge Certification Program). I'm seriously underqualified for this, but I've heard that even taken the classes and failing the exam will make you a MUCH better brewer and help you understand not just all the styles but how to recognize all the off flavors, etc.
In related news I finally picked up Jamil's Brewing Classic Styles. The last couple months I've been in overdrive getting beer ready for a friend's wedding, but once that is done, I feel like seriously committing to make one or two recipes from this book every month. I mean, that's like 4 years of brewing, but probably somewhere long before then I'll start really understanding recipes and not just following them.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Well yesterday I brewed a double IPA (Pliny the Elder clone) and kegged a California common. Surprisingly, ever after only a day of forced carbonation, the Common is pretty much AWESOME! I'm starting to get your (Acid King's) point about session ales. When I buy a single bottle from the store, you don't want a damn session. You want something epic. But when you make 5 gallons, epic constantly can just be overwhelming. I've been having to force myself to stop drinking the Common because I know in a few days it will be better but it tastes so refreshing right now!
I'm not giving up on big beers (hell, I just brewed a dbl IPA), but I'd kind of like to get away from big, messy beers for a while. That said, I'm eyeing a barley wine ale that would be super easy to make and I already have all the ingredients laying around. Shit!
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
Heh, that's good to hear. I think I may have said it before, but one of the reasons I like brewing them so much is that when I do spend (usually too much) money on beer, I have something that I can stretch that $60+ case (or in some cases the $20 bottle) with. I'm planning my next brew for later this week, which will be a ~4% stout I'm going to split bottle with some coffee from a local roaster.
Even more exciting though is that I may soon be receiving some real, no shit, southern moonshine. I've been reading a lot about moonshining and home distilling lately so I'm pretty excited to give it a shot.
Took my first BJCP (beer judging certification program) class. I don't have real high ambitions about passing the test, but am enjoying the class and can work toward eventually passing it. There's some 80 styles of beer, and it isn't just recognizing those styles and recognizing off flavors, its also being able to formulate recipes on the fly (for any given style) and know the history and geographic region for each style of beer. Well, after a little over a year of brewing, I'm pretty good at it. Perhaps after having taken this class, with a little more experience I might actually be ready to pass the test--then I can go judge at beer events!
If nothing else it is becoming more of an excuse in drinking diverse styles of beers.
Randorama wrote:ban CMoon for being a closet Jerry Falwell cockmonster/Ann Coulter fan, Nijska a bronie (ack! The horror!), and Ed Oscuro being unable to post 100-word arguments without writing 3-pages posts.
Eugenics: you know it's right!
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