Home Brew Discussion

[Heidenlarm]

Yep. I hear ya. On the flipside though, its like bands being considered sell-outs once people actually recognize how good they are and they start making some money. There are some great beers that people decide they dont like anymore because everyone else found out it was good and it became trendy. Such a fine line! My wife and I make it a point to buy a 6er or a bomber of something we have never had every time we go to the liquor store.

I have never heard (or even seen! I think...) the McAuslan stout. I will keep an eye out for it. I enjoy stouts.

Oh yeah, I'm sure there's tons of people like that, that dismiss a beer once it's popular. Again, if it's good it's good. I also hate the types that go about parading that they drink a certain craft beer and think they're cool because of it when 90% of the time they're drinking something like Shiner. It's that air of superiority. I get like that myself sometimes, but it's usually in response to someone acting that way.

That's the great thing about beer, all the different ones you can try. My girlfriend and I do the same when we can, get something new. I always like finding something I haven't tried and being blown away by it. It doesn't happen so often, but that's what makes the moment so special when it does. Plus even if it doesn't blow me away, it's usually still a really good beer.

It's brewed in Quebec. It's a bit hard to find around here. It's also a bit expensive. Only comes in four packs here and it's like 11 bucks or so. I've had it a handful of times. The first time I luckily had it at a bar that treats their beer right and it was on draft. If I had had it for the first time the last time I had it I would have just dismissed it as an average stout, maybe even below average.

Here's a review: [video=youtube;j6aQ-J5zj9c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6aQ-J5zj9c&list=UU0eY4qOzHPh950o08_Xo3OQ&index=345&feature=plcp[/video]

 

[Heidenlarm]

yeah, I'll keep my eye out too for the McAuslan. and I'm in search of Nitro Milk Stout as we speak. Gotta try that. As far as Dogfish goes though. I've tried the

Postive Contact
60 Min. IPA
90 Min IPA
Midas TOuch
Sah' Tea
Punk'n Ale

and I'm sure a few others. They were all worth it to say I'd tried it. The 60 min. IPA is a great 8.99 a sixer go-to though. The rest, I agree. They are all simply odd beers to try because of the gimmick story that comes with them and nothing else. I won't be buying them on a reglular basis with the exception of the 60 min IPA

My favorites from Dogfish are the 90 minute and the Sahtea. I've had the 60, 75, 90, and 120 minute IPAs, ancient ale, aprihop, chicory stout, immort ale, midas touch, palo santo marron, poppaskull, punkin, raison detre, and of course the sahtea. I might be missing one or two.

 

[MDB111™]

Oh yeah, I'm sure there's tons of people like that, that dismiss a beer once it's popular. Again, if it's good it's good. I also hate the types that go about parading that they drink a certain craft beer and think they're cool because of it when 90% of the time they're drinking something like Shiner. It's that air of superiority. I get like that myself sometimes, but it's usually in response to someone acting that way.

That's the great thing about beer, all the different ones you can try. My girlfriend and I do the same when we can, get something new. I always like finding something I haven't tried and being blown away by it. It doesn't happen so often, but that's what makes the moment so special when it does. Plus even if it doesn't blow me away, it's usually still a really good beer.

It's brewed in Quebec. It's a bit hard to find around here. It's also a bit expensive. Only comes in four packs here and it's like 11 bucks or so. I've had it a handful of times. The first time I luckily had it at a bar that treats their beer right and it was on draft. If I had had it for the first time the last time I had it I would have just dismissed it as an average stout, maybe even below average.

Here's a review: [video=youtube;j6aQ-J5zj9c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6aQ-J5zj9c&list=UU0eY4qOzHPh950o08_Xo3OQ&index=345&feature=plcp[/video]

great review dude. haha. mail me some man. I don't think I'll find it if it's up there in Canada

 

[Heidenlarm]

great review dude. haha. mail me some man. I don't think I'll find it if it's up there in Canada

Haha that's not me. I live in Chicago. I have a friend who can't get it in the Chicago suburbs and I've only seen it in one store here in Chicago. I've had it at three different bars in the city though.

 

[nvanprooyen]

You guys are awesome. Homebrewing is something I've always wanted to do, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Always f'n busy. Hoping to get into it after the New Year when things settle a bit personally and professionally.

 

[AuCN]

Thanks for the info 'larm. We have a couple really big liquor stores here that carry "exotic" beers. I will check for it.

Update on brewing progress: I just kegged a spiced rye dunkelweizen. Similar to an earlier post, I would knock back the clove and cinnamon a tad and kick up the vanilla bean. It is strongly chocolate with the chocolate malt and cocoa nibs. But the madagascar vanilla bean wasnt nearly strong enough to balance. Overall pretty tasty, but it didnt fully ferment for some reason and I was too impatient to pitch more yeast. Resulted in sweeter beer, but ok for this style I suppose. Its also only ~3.9% alcohol.

Bottled my first mead: Joe's Ancient Orange Mead. It is pretty sweet so you cant drink a whole lot at once, but it is super tasty. The bitterness from the orange pith is still a little strong, but I hear that mellows as the flavors meld. 3 more months and I am sure it will be even more amazing.

 

[AuCN]

You guys are awesome. Homebrewing is something I've always wanted to do, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Always f'n busy. Hoping to get into it after the New Year when things settle a bit personally and professionally.

You should do it. Super fun mix of art and science. Not too bad to get into. You could start ahead of time by reading through this free web book: http://www.howtobrew.com/ . I travel a shitload for work, but once you get into it, you can bang one out in a few hours and it doesnt seem like it takes that much time from a busy life. It can be time consuming at first though as you get your methods down.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Thanks for the info 'larm. We have a couple really big liquor stores here that carry "exotic" beers. I will check for it.

Update on brewing progress: I just kegged a spiced rye dunkelweizen. Similar to an earlier post, I would knock back the clove and cinnamon a tad and kick up the vanilla bean. It is strongly chocolate with the chocolate malt and cocoa nibs. But the madagascar vanilla bean wasnt nearly strong enough to balance. Overall pretty tasty, but it didnt fully ferment for some reason and I was too impatient to pitch more yeast. Resulted in sweeter beer, but ok for this style I suppose. Its also only ~3.9% alcohol.

Bottled my first mead: Joe's Ancient Orange Mead. It is pretty sweet so you cant drink a whole lot at once, but it is super tasty. The bitterness from the orange pith is still a little strong, but I hear that mellows as the flavors meld. 3 more months and I am sure it will be even more amazing.

I hope you can get your hands on some. How did you use the vanilla bean? Did you make a tincture using vodka or something?

 

[Heidenlarm]

Oatmeal stout is currently bubbling away.

 

[AuCN]

I hope you can get your hands on some. How did you use the vanilla bean? Did you make a tincture using vodka or something?

Correct. I "sanitized" everything by soaking in vodka for a few hours. When I sanitize chili peppers, I usually steam them.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Correct. I "sanitized" everything by soaking in vodka for a few hours. When I sanitize chili peppers, I usually steam them.

Maybe that's why the vanilla wasn't strong enough to balance? When I made the pumpkin beer there were a few people that made tinctures, but let it soak for a couple of weeks. I didn't use a vanilla bean, just regular old extract, so I don't know. Just throwing what I read out there.

 

[AuCN]

Maybe that's why the vanilla wasn't strong enough to balance? When I made the pumpkin beer there were a few people that made tinctures, but let it soak for a couple of weeks. I didn't use a vanilla bean, just regular old extract, so I don't know. Just throwing what I read out there.

gotcha. I should also mention that I threw everything in after soaking it, not just the vodka. I just nibbled on a bit of the other bean I had left. It wasnt that strong tasting. I should have done that before adding it to the beer. I think I would have added 2 just from the mild taste. I was going to use extract, but I decided to get fancy. Bad idea.

It is actually getting better over time. I enjoy a glass every now and then and it is certainly improving. Not my best, but definitely not my worst!

 

[Heidenlarm]

Threw it in the primary? How long did you have it in there? The pumpkin needed more extract too. The clove and cinnamon were a bit much. I actually used half a teaspoon more of the clove, because it was old and I thought it had lost some potency. Not so I guess.

Same, pumpkin beer is getting better as well.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Well my dad got me a Westy 12 gift pack for Christmas: http://www.timeoutchicago.com/resta...-geeks-westvleteren-12-release-at-binnys-linc

So. Fucking. Stoked.

Already on ebay going for about 400 bucks a pack, just sold less than six hours ago.

 

[AuCN]

Well my dad got me a Westy 12 gift pack for Christmas: http://www.timeoutchicago.com/resta...-geeks-westvleteren-12-release-at-binnys-linc

So. Fucking. Stoked.

Already on ebay going for about 400 bucks a pack, just sold less than six hours ago.

Wow. Congrats! I couldnt make it to the only little place in Denver selling it. I am sure it is gone by now. Enjoy!!

 

[AuCN]

Threw it in the primary? How long did you have it in there? The pumpkin needed more extract too. The clove and cinnamon were a bit much. I actually used half a teaspoon more of the clove, because it was old and I thought it had lost some potency. Not so I guess.

Same, pumpkin beer is getting better as well.

In the secondary. I left it 2 weeks in the primary and then 2 weeks in the secondary.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Wow. Congrats! I couldnt make it to the only little place in Denver selling it. I am sure it is gone by now. Enjoy!!

Cheers, going to be sharing with a lot of people. I guess the place by me actually had quite a few more than most places, but there were people camped out by 4 am. I figured my dad being in Kentucky might have a better shot due to less competition. They had 45 bricks and the line was already that size before the store opened.

I've been wanting to get my hands on this for a long time. I was actually going to buy that Belgian gift pack that was around a hundred or so bucks a few years ago. The one that gave you one bottle of westy and two of each trappist beer. Something like that. Decided against it when I found out shipping was going to be another 100 bucks.

 

[Heidenlarm]

In the secondary. I left it 2 weeks in the primary and then 2 weeks in the secondary.

Ah. I'd figure that would have done the trick.

 

[MDB111™]

i figured my total wine an hour away in virginia wasn't even in the running to recieve any of the westy. and if they were, they're the type of people to hoard it for themselves. but being the worlds greatest beer? i dont blame them. i would love to have a sip of that beer. the monks say this is a sure one off too. they just needed money to keep the joint running

 

[X]

My cousin set up a home brewery in his basement...first "batch" done around Christmas. Calling it "Lazy Duke" in memory of a former pooch. he described it as a smooth amber. I get a bottle. and i'm happy. <--- see? happy.