Learn to Brew - Part 1

Learn to Brew!

This is the first in a series of posts detailing how simple it really is to start brewing beer.  Tune in next week to get the schedule and procedure for your first brew day!

Part I:  The Tools

When I tell people that I brew my own beer, often I’m met with a look of disbelief.  Maybe some folks are impressed, but I usually get the impression that their first thought is “Really?  But you’re just a normal guy...” Truer words were never spoken (or thought).  I am just a normal guy, and there really is nothing special about me, or any other homebrewer, that gives us the unique talent to create our own delicious brews.  All it takes is a love of beer, a willingness to learn, and a few extra hours here and there.

My hope here is to convince anyone that if I can brew great beer, so can you!  This post will talk about the equipment you need to start out.  And really, it's not that much.  When I first started brewing I spent about $100 to get my equipment and my first set of ingredients.  Kits like these run about the same cost and come with everything you need except a pot, bottles, and caps.  Here, we’ll start by laying out the bare bones basics and throw in a few “extras” along the way.  (Note:  This post will talk about the requirements for extract brewing.  We’ll hit the upgrade to all-grain in a later post.)

Beer Tasting: Southern Tier 2XIPA

Southern Tier 2XIPA

8.2% ABV

Enjoyed 07.25.14

An after work invitation to the local Ogden tap house provided the inspiration for this delightful ale. While many other options were available I had not had this particular beer on draft before.

Homebrew Recipe: Sandy Toes Pale Ale

This delicious, summery, easy-to-drink Sandy Toes Pale Ale recipe was made in late spring with the goal of creating an easy drinking beer that could be enjoyed while sunning on the Wilmington beaches.  As evidences by the name, it did not disappoint!

Beer Tasting: Dogzilla Black IPA

Laughing Dog - Dogzilla Black IPA

6.8% ABV, 18.7 SRM, 69.3 IBU

Enjoyed 7.20.2014

My lovely wife came home with this one as a surprise after a particularly annoying week at work.  She’s a keeper, that one.

Recently I've noticed an uptick in the amount of black IPAs out there.  This style basically takes the dark, roasty malt character of a stout or porter and fuses it with the hop-centric flavors and aromas of an IPA. Dogzilla pours nice and dark, but not too thick, with a lovely cream-colored head, which recedes fairly quickly.  Immediately, you can detect the floral tones of the hops in the nose. There are not much of the coffee/chocolate aromas, but perhaps they are just muscled out by the hops. From the first sip, it’s clear that the crew at Laughing Dog nailed the balance on this beer.  It’s not too much of anything.  Nor do the dark malts and the hops clash in their battle for attention.  Rather, it starts out sweet and chocolately, gracefully fades to some floral hop flavors, and finally exits with just enough lingering bitterness to leave you craving another sip.  As it warmed, I noticed some dark berry type flavors shining through as well.

If you like stouts and IPAs, but are a little wary of the whole black IPA wave, I would highly recommend this one as a good starting point.  Unlike some others I’ve had, it doesn’t assault you with malt astringency and then hop bitterness.  Instead, the flavors get along like they were meant to be together.

--Jacob

Wort City Brewers - August Meeting

A grim and rainy weekend led into a rainy Monday which was finally brightened by some delicious homebrew sampling at the monthly meet up of the Wort City Brewers. This is my local homebrew club in Wilmington, NC and although I only joined a few months ago I cannot for the life of me figure out why I did not join sooner. Every meeting is like a mini-beer festival of which you not only get to try others beer, but you get to have lots of reviews of your own beer if you so choose to bring any. It is a downright paradise for homebrewers and beer nerds alike!

This was the first time the club had a meeting at local restaurant – Hops Supply Company – and although there were fewer attendees than usual, the homebrew samples and beer discussion were top notch as always. Before diving into some of the inspiring… and not so inspiring samples let me share a couple of interesting things from the meeting.

Beer Venture 2012 in The Triangle

After planning for several months, starting with a mere piece of printer paper, a marker, and the power of the inter-webs, BeerVenture 2012 finally happened as summer began.  This was our first attempt at cramming as much driving and beer-related tourism possible into one day.

Beer Tasting: Hoppyum IPA

Foothills Hoppyum IPA

6.3% ABV, 8 SRM, 70 IBU

Enjoyed 7.20.2014

Observations: This IPA from Foothills Brewery pours a wonderful deep copper color with a very thin white head. The aroma of this particular bottle was almost non-existent, although perhaps it was because it had been in my fridge for a month. The lack of aroma didn’t seem to impact the flavor as a solid clean bitterness came through. There is a hint of malt sweetness that really balances well with the bright citrus and slight pine notes. The medium mouth feel and slightly dry finish really round this beer out and leave you wanting another.

Conclusion: In a hop crazed world this IPA stands out with outstanding citrus flavor and a clean bitterness that balances well. A balanced IPA may sound like an odd term but it seems an apt description. Although a blast of hop aroma would have been nice it very well could be the longer-than-normal storage time.

--Ben