Posted on 03/08/2013 3:30:34 PM PST by Red_Devil 232
Good afternoon/evening FReepers. Yep, it is Beer Thirty Time Once Again!
Happiness is a bubbling airlock! And a Cold Brew
Irish Stout Yum!
Good evening/afternoon brewers and winemakers.
I hope all of you and your Brews and Wines are doing well. Stop by and share what you are brewing or let us know what your favorite brew, wine or spirit is.
A little Beer News:
Samuel Adams beers captured nine medals at the International Brewing Awards 2013 in England.
The bi-annual competition attracted more than 1,000 entries from 45 countries. Forty judges, all professional brewers, assessed the beers over the course of three days. The medals winners in each category were announced at the National Brewery Center in Burton upon Trent, where the judging was held. The 11 overall championship winners will be unveiled April 24 in an awards luncheon at London Guildhall.
Beers are judged in several categories and sub-categories, so may be classified on how they are packaged, their color, their alcohol content, and by other means.
Thus Samuel Adams Cream Stout won silver in one category and gold in another. The other Samuel Adams gold medal beers were Cinder Block, White Lantern, Black & Brew Coffee Stout, and Latitude 48 IPA. Double Agent IPL and Third Voyage both won silvers, while Utopias 2012 took a bronze.
Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery won four medals, Sierra Nevada Brewing took three, BridgePort Brewing two, and Alaskan Brewing one for its highly decorated Alaskan Smoked Porter.
Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Inversion IPA and Obsidian Stout all won gold, and Red Chair NWPA took a bronze.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale won a gold and a bronze, while Narwhal Imperial Stout took a gold. BridgePort IPA and Ebenezer both won silver.
The complete list of the winners can be downloaded as a pdf.
I planted a couple of hop plants last year. They were doing well, though not yielding any hops (as expected). The trick will be to see if the plants come back this Spring.
Me, too. Got any plans to grow barley?
I have a Stout that I used oak chips soaked in Maker’s Mark. It is in bottles conditioning right now. A few more weeks and it should be ready! Hate the wait!
I just linked this thread to it. You can still ping the MS list if you care to.
Then I had bad information, since I was told at a beer fest that we were the only ones. I see our “twin” state was right there with us!
Nah, WKB. Not everyone would appreciate this, I suppose.
I have some friends who homebrew and have tried to get barrels from the distilleries around here (I live less than forty miles from over a dozen major bourbon producers) but they will not sell to private individuals. Hopefully this will change in the near future.
That’s why I just linked it. Personally I have had a drink since 1985. I haven’t quit I just don’t want to break my record. Quit smoking in 84. I tell people I may get drunk again one of these day but I ain’t never smoking another cigarette.
You’re a super trooper.
Sounds like you have been actively brewing! I usually slow down during the winter months except this year I have branched out to make a few Apple Hard Ciders.
Anyone have a Redds Apple Ale? Just wondering about its taste.
I have been growing hops for years. They are really hit and miss on production. One year I got several pounds, some years I only get a half pound. It’s all weather.
I’m adding 2 more this weekend. A buddy has been growing them but gave up since he doesn’t have room to put the 25 foot tall poles needed for them.
I do !
Cheers,
knewshound
I have played at growing wheat, so I could probably grow barley. The reason that I haven’t seriously considered it is that the malting process is quite a mystery to me.
I am growing my own barley and will put in hops this year.
I’m growing barley this year - maybe 1/10th of an acre (~60X60) and I have several hops vines going. Once upon a time I worked with a grain operation tempering grain and malting a only a few steps beyond that. In quantities of 100 pounds or less, it should be a fairly simple operation. The good thing is that malting barley won’t need to be threshed from the husk like wheat. The bad side will be the drying and toasting operation. Small batches working up is probably the way to go.
Let’s keep in touch on our respective operations and findings.
Feel free to ask questions if you have any.
After 30+ years and thousands of gallons, it had better be. I have sure practiced enough ;0)
Thank you, Knews Hound. Logitech is here with me, and I told him you said to ask any questions. He said, “We will!” :-)
We have to find a big-ass pot first. We know aluminum pots are not recommended, but we have a big aluminum pot for turkey-frying. Is it really bad to use aluminum?
Using an aluminum pot is fine. SS is preferred but there are thousands and thousands of home brewers using aluminum without issue.
I say, go for it.
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