Beer is awesome. Discuss.
I was also wondering if anybody had good ideas for using old beer bottle caps? I'm going to make a 2' x 1' state of Virginia out of them (see embedded pic below), followed by the American Flag. I'm trying to figure out what the best way to take this from the outline and actually put it into a frame, so suggestions would be awesome. I also have a million extra caps beyond what I'm using for VA/American Flag, so trying to think of other ideas (I've made refrigerator magnets before).
Here's what I stenciled out. I'm placing my VA caps in the general vicinity of where they're from (exact location is tough due to the overall layout).
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I think a bottle cap table would pretty sweet:
https://www.google.com/search?q=lost+dog+cafe&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=i...
I was just about to share mine!
That's pretty awesome
And for those of you in college, you could cover this with Plexiglass and have a beer pong table for your apartment.
hahaha...yeah...college....
It's actually covered in an clear epoxy used for bar counters. It's a little heavy, but makes a smooth finish and makes the top one solid piece.
That works too, though probably the more difficult option given the weight and the potential for a less than even finish, but certainly the more professional looking idea. It was hard to tell in the picture if it was covered or not. Well done.
actually, my friend went with resin (?) and it nearly broke his bank account junior year.
it was a gorgeous pong table but plexiglass would have worked better IMO; because he ran out of cash early, the table "surface" wasn't even at certain points!
I plan on doing something similar with wine corks. Basically, the ends stained with red wine would form the "VT" and the other corks would fill in the space around it.
Oh god, I sound like a yuppie asshole.
Zima doesn't have multiple colors of caps, does it?
EDIT: they have more variety of cap colors than UVa had fans at their spring game.
UVA spring game jokes are insta-leg from me.
I see them more like puns, the lowest (and easiest) form of humor...but still, I laugh every time.
Same Idea, more beer taken. Newcastle for the orange, Killians Irish Red for the maroon. All other are random, with circles of caps for the beer cup placement. We sealed it in about 100 hot glue gun sticks. Its about 8 feet long.
I'm proud of my VT degree, but this table was a close second
Basically This:
A couple of apartments in my complex committed to making a beer pong table with the caps original color. I remember this taking a long time and some pricey beer to make the design. We covered it with an epoxy to form a solid table and drilled a few drain holes in the frame. it was also heavy but it was fricking awesome. I think I saw a nearly full size sheet of plywood with the HokieBird's head on Facebook that would be the Holy Grail of doing this.
This is also pretty cool.
That's a pretty great idea.
Wait a minute. Beer is off topic?
I saw this topic in the tracker and came here to say the exact same thing. Well done, HokieFish
Hmmm... a thread about beer on a Friday afternoon?
Like I need encouragement...
Two ahead of ya...
I'm also trying to try more VA beers. My ability to go to them is limited, so really I'm looking for stuff I can find at Total Wine, Arrowine or Westover Market in Arlington. Any suggestions?
Sigh...Westover Market... #memories
Proud Swanson Admiral grad here. I'm so old I actually met Mr Ayers...yeah there actually was a guy named Ayers that owned Ayers Hardware.
What a great place to grow up.
Egbert's brew Roanoke Railway is at Total Wine. Also you can try Lost Rhino there too. The one in McLean has a beer tasting setup which is pretty slick, not sure in the Arlington one does or not but its worth the drive to McLean if they don't. They have weekly events that Im pretty sure are on their website.
I've had the Lost Rhino Woody Stout but nothing else yet. I actually go to the Springfield Total Wine (on the way from Arlington to my girlfriend's house) which is pretty solid.
Haven't had Roanoke Railway yet, but Egbert is cool so I'll add that to the top of my list.
Springfield is closer to my house so I'm there from time to time. While not VA, both Flying Dog and Heavy Seas are somewhat local (Frederick and Baltimore respectively) and borh have many many solid brews. Youve probably had some of them already but if not they are well worth a try. Raging Bitch is one of my favorites right now.
I love that you can get Raging Bitch at 7-11. That is the definition of convenience for me.
I'm not a fan of Heavy Seas but do love me some Flying Dog. I hate seeing all of their new brews pop up on social media that I have no chance of getting in Charlotte though.
Roanoke Railhouse.
And thanks for the shout.
Picked up a 6 of Roanoke Railhouse Track 1 and another 6 of Hardywood Singel today. Excited to try them both.
First time I actually had Roanoke Railhouse was at Applebee's in wytheville. Needless to say I try to keep a 6er in the fridge at all times.
...that awkward moment when you misspell a shout out...
Port City Brewing Company, in Alexandria. The porter is outstanding.
He's got PCBC caps in there. But I second your opinion. The porter is great, but they brew lots of other great beers. If you are a NOVA local and an IPA fan, stop by the brewery when they have the Maniacal Double IPA on tap. Mind altering good!
Love the Maniacal Double IPA. Highly recommend to anyone who hasn't had it (and anyone who has had it to have it again).
So he does. I didn't even realize he was the OP. Attention to detail, FTL!
I want to try their other stuff, but I'm a porter / stout kind of person in general, so I keep getting drawn back to those.
Don't think they're distributing yet, but Mad Fox is a brewpub nearby in Falls Church and they have some incredible beer.
I pass them every day on my way home. I'll have to check it out
Mad Fox is definitely worth a stop. Bill Madden is a solid brewer and does a lot for the community.
there are a group of small breweries making some impact around here. Old 690 is a good visit in Purcellville, and you can hit up Adroit Theory and Corcoran Brewing while you are at it.
Seems every day has some new NoVa breweries. We do a richmond trip too. Looking forward to how Stone impacts that scene. I've heard good things about The Answer, which was created by the Beer Advocates top beer bar Mekong (yes it resides in Richmond).
i could talk about this for hours. I was in planning of opening a nano for a while, now on hold, but i have gotten to design a couple and i hey to participate in other ways outside of drinking (which i still do plenty of).
how do I get on your mailing list for these trips?
Mad Fox is top notch. #1 brewpub in the DC metro area imo. (Dogfish Head Alehouse doesn't count since they don't brew on-site, and I haven't been to Right Proper to compare yet)
I am a huge IPA / Double IPA fan. Went to Arrowine for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't that impressed with the selection because I was looking for a six pack. One of their employees came over and asked me what I liked; told him the same. He said, "Trust me, I have a beer you will love, but you have to be open minded. It is an English Barleywine." It was Tenebris from Adroit Theory Brewing Company in Purcellville, VA. My mom lives in Purcellville so I was surprised I hadn't heard of them. It was incredible (hats off to Arrowine).
Looking forward to checking out their taproom soon.
You can checkout beercapmaps.com. They have a bunch of different states and look pretty slick hanging up.
Cropping by Helen Keller.
Upleg
I like to think it's just using a lot of negative space to draw the eye to the piece. Artsy and whatnot.
Here is the progress I've made on mine since October:
Love seeing that Strangeways cap. They are my favorite VA brewery.
Strangeways make some really good beer.
A leg for your good taste.
Legs for everyone's good taste. Hardywood gets all the glory in Richmond but Strangeways has 'em beat in both quality and creativity in my book. Make sure to check out Triple Crossing as well, another great brewery in town that doesn't have quite as large of a footprint yet.
Agreed on all points.
i'm doing the national one ... shit, i could have had it filled out by now had i saved them. time to start over. hard work, but you know, someone has to do it.
I was thinking about asking for the national one for my birthday, but seems like a lot of the states that have the beers I like the most only have a few spaces and a few that I've never had a beer from have a ton. But that would still be a good challenge I suppose!
We made a table in college. I've been collecting since. Wanted to do a wall, use the caps like mosaic tile.
I'm in DC. Im in a beer club, www.gravitytasters.com. We tour a bunch of breweries and are getting together to sample hauls. Some of us have cellars with hundreds of beers. I have some Cali stuff. Also we are trying to do an asheville trip each year.
How does someone join your club?
just a general interest and desire to get together, sample beers, etc. We have done a couple craft beer crawls in the district and gown some good access at breweries (private tour at Right Proper for instance). Hit me up at steve at gravitytasters dot com and I'll add you to the list.
I made coasters by epoxying caps to a proper sized piece of exterior grade plywood. Cheap, easy and toss them when the season is over. They make excellent hot pads for outdoor use too.
A friend makes earrings with them.
I've seen them used as fishing lures - as the body for spoons once swivels and treble hooks are applied.
Drop them into an ice cube tray and freeze them into ice cubes as an interesting addition to party drinks.
I could see that last one ending badly.
Sidenote, Egbert are you guys part of this "Blue Ridge Brew-way" thing I've been hearing about? I'm still not entirely sure what it is, but initially it sounds cool.
Yeah, we are. It's like those wine trail things but with Roanoke area breweries.
Railhouse (along with Big Lick and Soaring Ridge) is on my list for brewery visits this fall. Last year we hit Flying Mouse, Parkway & River Company.
Do not forget Sunken City Brewing in Moneta
Map to Sunken City Brewing
Heck you can basically walk to the first three. I love them all. Flying Mouse is my personal fave in the area, but you really cannot go wrong.
Hit Flying Mouse last summer for the first time as well. I've had Railhouse, Parkway, and Sunken City brews, but haven't actually been to the breweries for a visit yet. Definitely on the list for this year, along with Big Lick and Soaring Ridge.. Enjoying some Dead Bear Imperial Stout and Beech Grove Brown Ale right now from the Devils Backbone brewpub in Roseland. Made a trip over there and got some growler fills of some rare stuff.
I live here in Roanoke and know the beer scene well. Big Lick is by far the best beer here. A true macro that only brews small batches with lots of TLC. Soaring Ridge had some pretty good beers but their APA is pretty bad imo. There is also Sunken City and definitely check out Chaos Mountain. Their squatch ale is kick ass and their quadrupel is one of the best I've had (aside from 3 Philosophers of course). Roanoke Railhouse. Never been that impressed personally, especially "track 1"
I'm pretty well versed on the beer scene on Roanoke too.
I can't complain about any of your assessmentexcept the Soaring Ridge APA, there's nothing wrong with it, it may just be not to your taste. I know a few that really like it. Sean does pretty good with his revolving seasonals.
Chaos Mountain Squatch is one of the best Scotch Ales I've had.
Railhouse had some real consistency problems and a scorched or burned taste. I understand their brewer is a jerk too.
To be honest, they had a problem for a long time. RR is still fighting perception. Some pretty significant changes were made. I think most here will agree their Head Brewer is pretty sketchy.
Try Dark Hollow and Local Species from Blue Mountain as well. I also endorse the Mandolin from those guys.
I need to stop in RR sometime. I try to hit at least one in town every weekend if I can get up there. Just went to Chaos for the first time not too long ago. Worth the drive.
I'm not there this week. I'm in Portland, OR.
We just put an alt on tap Friday.
It's pretty good. Only have 2 kegs. One was killed Monday night. Should still be on tap through the weekend.
Dark Hollow is in my top 10. Love it.
Maybe it is my taste and I do like Soaring Ridge beers (I had a seasonal saison infused with banana peppers a few months ago that was A+). The creeper just had some off favors to me and really bad aftertaste. Roanoke Rail.. You're spot on. Their beers have a burnt taste and their Track 1 is too sweet in my opinion (sweeter than Fat Tire). Too much biscuit malt
I think you'll find the burnt taste has been eliminated from the RR. Please try it again and let me know what your taste percieves now.
There's no biscuit malt in Track1. The grain bill is Munich 1 and Munich 2 with Melanoidin and a touch of Carafa Special 2 (dehusked, mostly to adjust color) from Weyermann and a little standard 2-row from Breiss.
The style of the beer of Track1 is a Munich Dunkle and is quite true to style. It has also no hop perception by design.
That's my error and I don't have the inside scoop on the grain bill like you. Biscuit malt have always given off a sweet flavor for me (I like NB beers but Fat Tire is not my fave) but you're correct...there is no hoppiness to Track 1. Maybe I'm being too critical of the brewer when I just don't prefer that style. I'm definitely a balanced to hoppy beer guy. that seasonal at SR. was on point.. Flying Mouse beers are Ok (the number 8 is good) but they got a bad rap early on that they're trying to overcome. Hope it works out for the dude. But they served some less than par beer early on that had some ace-tones and anyone who had a nose and tastebuds could see that. I like their beers but some less avid beer drinking buddies have said that their beers are too harsh and not smooth at all. I don't mind beers with a bite though. They're just down the road from me
It is not being too critical of the brewer.
Everyone tastes different things in the same glass of water.
That acetone you tasted was a combination of things, too high a fermentation temp combined within too much Chinook hops which sympathetic and tended to amplify a flavor past the point at which it's compound actually exists.
Most of that is fixed.
Spot on with that saison though. His seasonals are nicely balanced and I think are his best beers.
The taste and flavor thresholds for everyone vary for various compounds and some pick up flavors no one else does. I have a buddy that I have taste my beers for certain things. If he can barely perceive certain flavors like medicinal, I know the general public will never come close to even getting any of it.
Taste and flavor thresholds are amazing and alternatively infuriating for a brewer and chef.
And thank you very much for the honest opinions on the beer.
Edited fer speeling weird.
Picked up a sixer of Red Hopocalypse from Apocalypse Ale Works in Forest, VA. It caught my eye because the can looks like the cover art to a Slayer album. Pretty heady stuff. I approve!
Very good, I agree. They are a great brewery. Make sure you try their Winter Snack. Delicious!
Oh yeah, Apocalypse makes some fantastic very flavored stuff. I have not had the snack.
Apocalypse tap takeover at Jack Browns Roanoke this Wednesday night.
I tried the Hoppocolypse last night and I could barely get through it. I was was reaaaaalllly sweet. Tasted like someone melted a caramel and mixed it in my beer.
Not sure if I got a bad batch, but I was not a fan.
I've never enjoyed that beer for that very reason. I can't stand sweet malt taste in hoppy beers, just an awful combination to these taste buds. I think the world would be better off without any caramel malts (at least, that ingredient seems to be the common link between ipa's I don't care for).
Sorry to hear that, do not let it keep you from trying one of the other beers.
I have a growler of their Golden Censer in my cooler right now.
Do any of you use the untappd app? I find it is a GREAT way to find breweries that are highly rated by those that are not doing it for a living. You can also find good beers that are near you!
Just joined it today - sthogan if anyone wants to be my friend!
The problem with that app is that you have to remember to rate the beers.
why? you don't have to rate it. can check it in. use it for research too.
Let me rephrase - you have to remember you have the app. Not 3-4 beers in or on you way out the door.
I don't use it as I visit all the breweries anyway regardless of their rating.
I use it to keep track. I will visit any brewery at least once anyway, but this way i can keep track of the beta i had and what i thought. i was using other methods of tracking and this was easy and less cumbersome. Also allows me not to make the same mistake twice.
I'm Lowbraudc on untappd.
Yeah, its a great way to keep track of what you've enjoyed plus you rack up badges/awards for drinking different beers. It's great!
It caused a bit of alcoholism at first, as I was rushing on the badges, but once I hit over 1500 Uniques, I got to slow down a bit. Took me a little over 3 years. I continue to rack up the badges, but don't go as crazy for them as I used to. I think I'm around 340 or so. Once they started adding levels, they lost me a bit.
Oh well. This conversation is making me thirsty.
We are going offroad this weekend, and I'll be stopping at breweries on the way. It's my hobby. I've probably been to over 100 at least by now, including some of the biggies.
never heard of it. haha
I made this back in undergrad. I drink much better beer now.
now that you're drinking better beer.....what better time to replace the ones in the VT logo with something really good.....maybe Dogfish Head 60 min IPA.......(as in we bring it for all 60 minutes)???
I like what you did there, but I'm not sure about the color. 90 min IPA might be better, plus it would cover us in case of OT.
well played, my friend.....
Red Dog... There's a blast from the past.
Still one of my favorite crap beers. A friend of mine found it in MD still. The logo looks like batman eating some pussy touchdowns. We went through a ton of it one of my denior years.
I made a beer cork trivet. Need to post the pic. It is hexagonal shape with all the corks standing up.
If you don't have the app "Untappd" (yes w/o the e) then you need to get it. Basically just a social beer app. You can check into different places your at (based off of 4square i believe) and check your beers that your drinking in as well. You also get badges for certain things....like a ton of badges.. So it can be a little dangerous cause you'll be all "Ooo...I gotta get that badge. Time to start drinking." You can look me up on it as either "Adam Paxton" or "AdamVTHokie"
I once asked a buddy during an evening of mucho beer..."What's the best beer in the world?".
"The next one." was his answer.
Schlafly's Kolsch just won the Washington Post's Beer Madness reader' poll to be named the best craft beer in America. This is notable to me because a) Schlafly is my second-favorite craft brewery, and b) an IPA didn't win.
I'm a self-avowed hophead, but I am starting to feel a little burned out on them. I began to realize the IPA craze was reaching a saturation point when I visited the River Arts District in Asheville last summer and one of the microbreweries had two windows to order at, one for IPAs and one for everything else.
Also notable that the beer Schlafly beat out to make it to the final round was Devil's Backbone Vienna Style Lager, and the beer it ultimately won against was a saison.
Not saying IPAs are going anywhere, nor should they, but I'm glad to see other styles well represented.
What are some of your favorite non-IPA craft beers?
I didn't realize it was so well regarded. I picked up a six-pack for a lighter option on st patty's day, really enjoyed it
If you like the Kolsch, try their Helles style lager. It's dangerously drinkable.
I enjoy a good ale as well as a well done Pilsner (Lagunitas Pils comes to mind).
I'm all about dark beers. Really enjoyed that streak of pepper beers that came around winter time. Shooting Creek's Capsicum Stout was still in the Blacksburg Kroger (South Main) last time I was there, and that's one of my favorites.
My favorite craft beer in the Roanoke area right now is Flying Mouse #8, which is a porter-style beer. I can't get enough of the stuff. Incidentally, they're just starting to can that and their #4 (smooth hop IPA) for distribution.
Ever had Nitro milk stout from Left Hand Brewing? Or Eugene porter from Revolution?
I can do Nitro anytime, anywhere. Love that stuff. Haven't had Eugene yet, though it's only a matter of time I'm sure.
Schlafly also makes dry Irish stout that is really, really damn good.
My absolute favorites are Belgian Triples. I've been "studying" them for quite some time. In my fridge at all times I'll have:
St. Bernardus - Triple (or Watou)
Unibroue - La Fin Du Monde (Canada)
Brouwerij Bosteels - Tripel Karmeliet
Other non IPA's I tend to always have:
Left Hand Milk Stout (winter)
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier (summer)
Blue Mountain- Kolsch 151 (fall)
Hoegarden Wit - (spring / summer)
Leffe - Golden Ale (anytime)
Constantly cycling through other stuff.
Have an Untappd profile as well - Aldophious Kemps (one of the first Triple brewmasters). Add me if you'd like.
I had some New Belgium Trippels the other night. They'll get after ya.
Not sure if anyone noticed this little April Fool's gag two local breweries were having with another.
First a bit of backstory - Red Bull sent a cease and desist letter to Old Ox Brewing because they consider other bovine themed drinks to be too confusing:
Red Bull wants to rename an Ashburn brewery, because an ox looks like a bull
Which led to this letter from the President of Old Ox:
Well...apparently, Old Ox is in hot water again. This time with another local brewery, Lost Rhino:
Which led to this response:
I finished my beer cap state of Virginia!
Nitro stout is bangin. I'm a hop head too and love my IPAs but love the Belgian trippels and quadruples. I also like a good brown ale and a good Scotch ale.....but when it comes down to it, there's nothing like a good home brew, especially one of your own. There's no better tasting beer than beer made by one's self
Trippels are one style I don't have experience with. Apparently that's next on my list.
I tried to get into home brewing, bought a kit and some literature, but I'm not ashamed to admit I don't have the patience for it, both in terms of production and consumption. I have beer ADHD and I love thay we are in the midst of a beer renaissance to the extent that pretty much whatever style I'm in the mood for (which changes daily), any decent wine and spirits store will have a sixer of it.
As far as IPAs go, Stone IPA is great. Best beer for the price. New Belgium's imperial IPA. 8.5abv, just as good as dogfish 90 minute ipa (which is $10 a 4 pack) and its $14 a 12 pack.
Stone does some outstanding IPAs.
The Stone Enjoy Bys are FANDAMNTASTIC!
Stone Delicious IPA is also great. Although I have had trouble finding it the past two weeks in NOVA Whole Foods and Total Wine.
Over the last month or so I've been sampling more breweries and found Stone to be one of the better ones available at the local distributor, although I still have a few left to get through.
For my money, my favorite beer I've had during this 'tour' has been Stone Ruination.
The best IPA that I've had on tap is the double-IPA at Big Lick brewery. It is heaven
I had 120 minute on tap at Dogfish and loved it that way.
My 3 regularly available would be 120 minute, Union Jack and if I had a go to, it would be Heavy Seas IPA. Little Sumpin' Sumpin is outstanding here as well, a wheated IPA.
In Portland, OR for a bunch of work related things.
Biggest thing I've learned as far as pass on info.
Ninkasi is normally a pretty good beer.
Fresh it's much better. Their Imperial Red IPA is a very good beer fresh.
Normally?
The point being that this is an unusual circumstance for me to pick it up locally, not aged in can or bottle and it's much better fresh.
It just sounds like you've had bad experiences with them. They are the hometown beer for my GF, so we go to their tasting garden every time we are in Eugene. I will be there in May, so I am excited about that.
Also, their beer naming/labels are on point:
They also just did a collaboration with Devil's Backbone. It's in my fridge, but haven't cracked it open yet.
Oh, I like their beer, don't get me wrong.
It's that any beer transported across the country in trucks is going to arrive less alive and fresh than acquired locally and consumed fresh.
I've been wanting to get my hands on some fresh and it did not disappoint.
Where are you getting bottles of Ninkasi outside of the PNW? From talking to them, they had made a concerted effort to only distribute in the Oregon/Washington area. I don't even think they were even pushing into California much.
This is why there was much rejoicing in my household when we saw the collaboration with DB.
I got Ninkasi in Roanoke last summer.
straining to remember where but I thin it was the Kroger in Bonsack.
Also, they were at a fest out here somewhere, maybe Microfestivus or Brew Do or the one in Salem at the ballpark. Might have been 2 years ago.
Went to the basketball game last night and saw the Hokies beat #7 ranked Miami at the Cassell.
For celebration we went to the Taphouse on north Main Street and they had Ninkasi Noir on tap. It is marketed as a sweet stout, combining coffee favors with milk sugar (lactose).
It makes the second outstanding stout I have had in a week, the other being a Stone product at the Quarter in Roanoke,
Mmmmm
We bought a 6 of the collaboration. It's a dark rye.
It finishes a bit dry for my taste but, that's rye. To be expected with rye beers, otherwise, a nice beer.
Ninkasi Devil went down to Oregon.
Going to Cascade Barrel House tonight.
We have a 1L bottle of their 3 year aged sang Noir we bought 2 years ago and cellered so, it's their 2009 version. We're cracking that this week too.
Change of plans, did not get to cascade barrel house. I did get to Deschutes, 10 barrel and Rogue.
Deschutes did not disappoint, had one of all 18 on tap. Some really good beers there.
i would have lived at cascade, then my stomach would have blown up the next morning.
a life well lived.
figaro is the best i've had from them.
One of all 18? I like your style.
Yes, one of all 18.
Gotta evaluate. Do not pretend, do it.
6oz or 16oz?
3 oz. each followed by a 20 oz pint of my choice of the day, which was oak aged winter strong.
http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/jubel-2015
All of this beer talk is making me thirsty. Has anyone tried a half can of flat, room temperature Beast Light with a Marlboro Light butt in it? Ahhh.... the tastes of college.
I think most of us has had that, though not on purpose.
Yup.
Hit Golden Valley brewery for lunch.
Having a Uinta Hop Nosh IPA right now.
Heading to Breakside Brewery later.
In honor of national beer day I decided to give raging bitch from flying dog another try. The last time I had it I was still at tech and hadnt developed my taste for beer so I thought it was disgusting. After four of these, I can say I definitely appreciate this beer now, but it's still not my favorite
After 4 of those I'm guessing you'll be appreciating a lot of things. Dem bitches bite hard.
Seriously. 8.3% alcohol will get after ya...
Apocalypse Brewery in Forest, Va. is another great Virginia beer as well...also they just started selling cans at local grocery stores and they are a work of art
It is April which means I can finally enjoy my all time favorite beer. Anderson Valley Summer Solstice. An amazing smooth Cream Ale that is just so eminently drinkable.
this is a good beer week for me, had upland cherry lambic last night, prairie pirate bomb, tree house vagabond (that supposedly has that hill farmstead soft mouth feel) on thursday and i'm getting a guy in tampa sending me cigar city florida man dipa. florida man can be the worst beer ever, but i have to have it.
tree house curiosity 13 and vagabond both great with the latter being a tropical fruit bomb of southern hemisphere hops.
pirate bomb smoothed out regular bomb that is a bit harsh on the back end. 2nd best beer i've had from prairie.
some guys chase westy 12 or pliny the younger ... i chase and catch (guess i need to be tested) florida man. not sure what that says about me.
I have never had that one.
Is that a cigar city?
yes, 1 off dipa based on the Florida man twitter account.
I trade 6x a yr or so. have guys in fla, tx/ok and southern california. best friend travels the east coast and that's how I get a lot of north east beers. I usually send a lot of alewerks or hardywood back. though lickinghole is now on the send out list. hope to get brothers in the 757 soon.
Got to Breakside brewery last night, their Breakside IPA is very good. Won GABF this year.
Got to late lunch at Hair of the Dog Brewerry today. These guys make some excellent big beers.
If you are ever in Salisbury MD there is a good brewery Evolution Brewing that has some pretty darn good beers and the food there is really good too!
Looking some beer events?
Virginia Hops and Barley Festival
Saturday 9 May 12-6
288 Huguenot Trail
Midlothian, VA 23113
VA Hops and Barley Festival
This is not beer but, very relevant and there is beer there.
Saturday 30 May
Bacon and Beer.
Cured Fest
Cured Fest
Suggest you guys replace your beer bottle caps in exact Charlottesville location with a Zima bottle cap
bumping this thread because I went to the west coast earlier this month and drank some Ninkasi
I was a big fan of Rich's Brew:
Hey Egbert, can you shoot me an e-mail at vtbeer at vt dot edu?
Need to discuss keg cleaner and sanitizer.
thanks.
On the way.
saw this and thought it was hilarious. Bring on the downvotes :-P
I'm not gonna downvote for opinions on an OT thread bc, well, I'm just not vindictive. However, I will say that this comic strip can go straight to hell!/s
That bald fella on the right just needs more exposure to good beer.
this this a MILLION times this!!! The most ironic thing in the world to me is people who say they dont like beer and when they do they only drink bud lite/miller lite/etc. Of course you dont like beer. You only drink shitty beer
what are you talking about...it tastes delicious!
When I was in college I liked to drink Yuengling Black & Tan. I thought it was a good, full bodied beer. Now I go back and drink it occasionally and I'm wondering what I was thinking. It's not even close to a good beer.
yup - I thought I was the shit for drinking Yuengling while everyone else was drinking some light/lite beer. Now I realize I was just drinking shit.
I think my tastes have evolved in that I just avoid most lagers now.
Try Devils Backbone Schwartz Bier, German Black lager. Unbelievably flavorful, yet still relatively light bodied. Love it.
I may drop $100 bucks at a beer store and walk away with less than a dozen bottles, but I still swear by Yuengling. That's good stuff.
It's my go-to cheap beer out of the other big American beers. Can't go wrong if you're looking for a large quantity of a solid beer at a reasonable price. If I were hosting a kegger and had limited funding, I would definitely go Yuengling over stooping to Bud or Natty Light.
Exactly, cheap, tastes reasonably ok, and you don't have to resort to sending your money to the big guys trying to squeeze out all the craft breweries.
Plus, I can drink them almost indefinitely and not get more than pleasantly buzzed.
This year I learned that a Yuengling keg is the same price as a Bud Light keg
When I was at tech the drug store at prices fork and main had a huge open floor space and would maintain this huge stockpile called the Beast Mountain. Milwaukees Best $5 per case.
I used to like Yuengling, until I visited their brewery. They did about everything possible to steer you away from the river, but I rode by it on the way out of town. it was a sewer, it seemed like you could walk on the used baby diapers.
Eh, I enjoy the heck out of craft beer (got a Bell's Oberon in my hand right now), but I'll put down some cheap domestic too. My wife tends to get Coors Light since she watches her figure, hell, I put down a couple tall boys of Miller Lite down last weekend. Sometimes you just got a few bones in your pocket ya know?
I can never downvote XKCD
I drink Coors Light because I'm a god damn cowboy.
You been out on the range too long to remember what water tastes like?
Stopped by The River in Radford last Saturday night.
The beer tasted like Mike has brought it up a notch.
Got a growler of the Gose to bring home.
And they these appetizers that was steak on a bruschetta type thing with some frenched onions. It was great.
But I was very impressed with the beers getting stepped up. They were very good.
On a recent business trip to Denver I stopped by Great Divide Brewing Co. and sampled some of their wares. Everything is highly recommended, but they had their 21st Anniversary Ale on tap and it was my first exposure to sour ale. It was different than any other beer I've ever had, but strangely delicious. Wondering if anyone else has any suggestions for sour ales?
I could recommend all sorts of sours for you! I looked into this beer, which I have not had the pleasure of tasting. Based on the beer, I have a few recommendations.
A good start is lambics. There are a wide variety of lambics. There are fruit versions as well as Faro and Gueze which have no fruit in it. Gueuze is blended from several different years. A great example is the Oude Gueuze Tilquin L'Ancienne. It is pretty tart and has a good pale malt background.
Maltier sours include Flanders Red (like the Rodenbach Grand Cru or Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge) and Flanders Brown/Oud Bruin.
Allagash brewing makes several delightful sours. Their Confluence Ale is a good blend of sour and typical Belgian yeast. I had their Golden Brett a little while back and it was very tasty. A firm and clean malt with a delightful sourness from lactobacillus bacteria (giving lactic acid) and Brettanomyces (these are used in the Great Divide fermentation).
If you're looking for a really easy sipping summer beer, check out the Gose style. It's a sour German wheat beer with a little salt and coriander. Anderson Valley makes a couple. One is a standard gose. The other has blood oranges added. Boulevard brewing makes a pretty good Hibiscus Gose as well.
If you ever happen to be in the San Francisco/Bay Area absolutely go to Russian River! Not just for the world renowned IPA, but the brewer makes kick ass sours with his own mix of sour yeasts as well.
I could keep going, but I have a feeling this is a good start.
I had a few sours today at Wicked Weed's Funkatorium. Good stuff.
How did I not mention Wicked Weed? They make amazing beer! And they're reasonably close in Asheville, NC! Good call!
We did Wiked Weed's brewpub last summer on our way back through Asheville on vacation. They were doing a World Cup of Beer, one style from every nation in the Cup. Simply amazing.
I've got a grenade of Freak of Nature for tonight. Ended up with a few extra bottles of Serenity that are going to age nicely (hopfully.)
Thanks so much for this!
My only exposure to lambics has been fromboise, which I do not care for. I've only ever liked citrus fruit profiles in beer, anything else turns me off. I wasn't even aware there were non-fruit lambics. Putting those on the list.
If Revolution Rosa is any indication, I am not a fan of hibiscus infused beer either, but I'll give the Boulevard option a shot.
Would it be dumb to ask where you're located? And +1 to anything Boulevard and the Anderson Valley Gose, great breweries/beers and fairly easy to find.
Western Illinois, near Peoria, with frequent trips into Chicago.
I don't think the Lindemans lambics are actually soured with sour yeast or bacteria. They just used the fruit to give the beer tartness. That's probably why you don't like the Framboise as much.
Loaded the keezer today with a sixtel each of blue moon and Sam Adams summer ale. She's pouring a little too good. I'm hitting the couch.
I'll just drop this right here...
umm...what is this????
The industrial brewing equipment for the FST Brewing class is installed! Sweet! I'm so bummed I've graduated and can't take the Advanced Brewing course!
Damn I wish I could enroll for this class...
It might be time to go back to college for another degree...
We were at the Greensboro Farmers Market last Thursday. A guy sees my VT sticker and tells me "we just put a brewing system in at VT!!!!" I figured he was telling the truth, but he didn't give any more details. This is going to be interesting. Maybe a more local than some of the big cities incubator for brewmaster talent.
National Beer Expo is tomorrow in Richmond Noon-6. I will be unavailable starting at Noon.
Would anyone be interested in doing some tasting/beer share events? I'm in NE DC and have a decent cellar. I go to San Diego regularly, so have some limited edition stone, alpine, and others. Have others that are aging. I do a lot of brewery tours, so I have beers from all over.
Anyway, would be cool to get together with like minded individuals and sample different beers.
I am also in NE DC & enjoy drinking beer...
I'm in Alexandria, and I'd be down for a share/tasting type event.
I'm in Silver Spring and would be up for getting together to try some different stuff. I only have access to what we can get locally but more than happy to bring what I can get. No cellar here to speak of...
I recently moved to DC in the Dupont Circle area and would be interested. I don't have any brewing equipment but would be down for tastings/etc.
I am in Rosslyn and am quite intereested. I have this year's Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout. As a recent grad I don't have a great cellar. But, I am a home brewer as well. I have a couple home brews I've had ageing for at least a year.
where are you in Rosslyn? I live in River Place..just curious
Well this just got weird...I'm in River Place West.
nice! I'm in East
I'm not real close (Salisbury area) but if you guys make down this way let me know. I'm near Tall Tales, Evolution, Rubber Soul (just opened, was brewer at Dogfish for 7 years) and RAR (they did a grapefruit nectar IPA that blew the Grapfruit sculpin out of the water.)
Sounds like we could get a decent group together. Just have to pick a good weekend and location. I always believe that DC is central, but am own to other thoughts. Maybe need to start a new thread.
Agreed, or do a listserv type of thing- or even a thread on Reddit.
So on a serious note... anyone who homebrews ever thought of starting up a brewery near Blacksburg? I know there used to be one but would it actually work? With VT having brewing equipment on campus we could take in "interns" over the summer!
Yes to the first question.
There is already Bull and Bones as well as The River Company right up the road.
Let me also add that if there is anyone interested in interning or VT staff that handles this, reading this post you can drop me a line and I have a very good in with all the breweries in the Roanoke region and can help facilitate volunteer work or intern placements.
Do you know how the market has been for the Ronoake region breweries going? Just making sure they survive, everytime I visit the area I always try to hit up a couple!
They are all surviving and several are thriving very well.
Currently in the Greater Roanoke Area:
Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers
Flying Mouse Brewery
Chaos Mountain Brewery
Sunken City brewery
Callaway Brewing Co.
Roanoke Railhouse Brewery
Big Lick Brewing Co.
Parkway Brewing Co.
When did craft breweries explode in Virginia? I was VERY pleasantly surprised during my vacation at Virginia Beach last summer.
A lot of reasons...more interest in them, thus the demand is up. Easier to get the business model approved for bank loans. Ag programs backing local ingredients, even the UNC ag dept has a hops program throughout the state now. Clean water in NRV and surrounds. (New Holland-Ashville, Sierra Nevada and Oskar Blues-just south of Ashville, Stone-Richmond, Ballast Point-Richmond, Green Flash-Va Beach) can make an easy transition with recipes with the water similar to what they have out west.
And let's not forget the most important reason: it's good!
"He was a wise man that invented beer" -Plato
3 Years ago in July the law was passed that you could sell retail from the brewery without having to have a restaurant.
It opened an entirely new business model that did not hold small breweries captive to the wholesale distributors to whom we had to sell our beer.
Now the customer can give us economic feedback directly.
Best move the GA has made in a while, IMO. I was very impressed. The VA craft beer scene is better than Illinois', and that's saying something. Only place I've seen that comes close is Colorado.
you need to visit Oregon
Admittedly.
All good ones. Wish the NRV would get on the ball...
Don't forget Sunken City Brewery in Hardy VA, picked up their Red Clay IPA a while back, pretty tasty
edit: nevermind, somehow I missed it in your list on my first read. Red Clay IPA is still very good though
Yeah Sunken is pretty good, their Dam Lager is a great hot weather beer.
Bull & Bones St Mauve Stout is among the best beers I've ever tasted.
Found this while out and about at a beer bar! I had about 4 of them and wanted more. So smooth
If you can find a Founders KBS or Goose Island Bourbon Barrel Stout, get them. Worth every penny!!
Cheers! Just checked and my local Total Wine/Beer store has it, definitely will give those two a try
Well that's a bit of a tease. In Richmond at least, that means knowing when they come out, calling every beer store in the area for the exact hour they go on shelves, then standing in line at least an hour beforehand.....Someday I'll get a KBS
It's really weird, but sometimes the South Main Kroger in Blacksburg will have a couple cases of KBS about a week after they originally came out. I might have bought 8. Maybe the same happens in Richmond? I don't remember which Krogers have the best beer selection in Richmond. But, I recommend you try this.
What everyone really needs to try and find is the Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS). This beer is out of this world. It's pretty much KBS, but they age the beer with maple syrup in the bourbon barrels.
The Answer Brewpub had Goose Island BB Stout on tap on Black Friday.
Yeah, BCBS isn't as hard to find, it's always on tap a few places, and the bottles last a day at least. But still takes some work.
I once tried to go to The Answer when they were tapping Hunnapus from Cigar City (my personal pick for best beer in the world) and they sold out in 10 minutes...beer is hard.
i went to a Cigar City takeover at Mekong last August and it was the same way. What Hunahpu they did serve was in 4 ounce pours. I love Cigar City.
Anybody going to the Chemistry of Beer event in Roanoke at Soaring Ridge? Looks like its being put on by the Roanoke Alumni chapter: http://www.roanokehokies.com/
I will be there if I can get back from the beach in time.
Just upgraded my fermenter. Should be getting delivered monday or tuesday. Now need to get a recipe working
I've been intrigued by these.
Let us know how it is.
Will do, I've got ingredients for a Belgian Tripel coming in tomorrow, hopefully will be brewing this weekend. So far, without having used it yet, my only two issues are 1) I like to be able to see whats happening in there 2) looks like I'm going to have to add a thermowell to it to monitor temps
is that the 30L / 7.9 gallon?
6.5 gallon plastic buckets are tough to beat for price, but I'm tired of finding the airlock overwhelmed with foam after 12-16 hours after pitch. Something like this with more head space might just do the trick. That or putting some effort into controlling temps instead of just sticking the fermenter in a corner of the basement rec room and crossing my fingers...
For initial krausen, what I do is use a fat vinyl tube that friction fits into the neck of the car boy and put t other end into a clean bucket ( or similar vessel) of water.
The extra diameter of the tube allows the krausen to flow out and into the bucket. Once that phase is done, I take out the dirty tube and insert the airlock.
Yeah its the 30L. From reviews that I've read, the extra space eliminates the need for a blow off tube. Just pitched my yeast for my Tripel at about 9pm last night, nothing happening yet, but we should be seeing activity soon.
First reactions to the Speidel, I was shocked at how light it was, with the 5 gal batch in it (used to the 6.5 gal glass carboy).
Minor complaints: I like to be able to see whats happening in there. Can't with this.
Bung has to be dry when putting the airlock in, otherwise it pushes right out
Without a thermowell, guessing the temp is pretty much a shot in the dark on this. I've got a fermomter on the side of it, but dont know how accurate the reading will be through that plastic.
Overall, still pleased with the purchase. I think it will really show its value come bottle/keg time. No more siphoning!
Put the airlock in the bung before installing the bung.
Is the bung big enough to drill a hole in it to install a thermowell?
Yeah, I meant the airlock/bung together, the bung pushes right out of the hole in the lid.
Probably no room for a thermowell in the bung, but I think I can rig something up in the plastic lid.
For the first time in 9 years of brewing I have a stuck fermentation. Ugh. Went hard for 2 days, then all activity stopped. Will be getting new yeast and making a new starter for it this week.
Just tried a new one tonight. Bought a sixer of Sunken City's Dam Lager. Gotta say it has made its way onto my "see it, gotta have it" list.
I live about 15 minutes from there and I've tried it twice only to find entirely average. There's no accounting for taste......
Hey different strokes. I usually drink stouts and porters. I'm just glad I have found a lighter beer I can drink doing yard work etc. Hard to mow when you got a belly full of Boddingtons sloshing around everywhere.
That's my take on Dam Lager as well... great hot weather / yard work kind of beer.
RIP. My best friend just spilled my Lil sumpin sumpin off a bar table. Thought I'd share. Thoughts and prayers appreciated
This might be insensitive to those who actually lose loved ones. Sorry. I might be drunk. #drunktkp
It's appropriate for this thread.
I'm going to the beach in Sept and plan on taking lots of different craft beers. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)
cans and bottles? types of beer styles you want to bring?
taking or buying there? which also begs the question of where the purchase will be since distro and availability is different from area to area.
can or bottles. Taking them with me bc I am not sure if there is much
of a select in the south OBX. I usually buy all of my beer from Vintage
cellar in the Burg.
chips wine in kill devil hills and trio in kitty hawk have very good selections. trio does have 24 taps and does growlers.
obx brewing station is a nice stop too.b avoid weeping radish.
so much to choose from. if ipas, honestly how fresh they are is almost as important as who makes it. I like drinking good local as best I can. at this point, I'm drinking canned session ipas oskar blues pinner and Firestone walker easy jack a lot at the pool. At home whatever wild ale (sour), barrel aged stout or DIPA I can get.
I'm not sure exact obx distro, but they have some you can't get in va.
also, alesmith from San Diego is now sold in va. stone, Firestone, ballast point ... hard to go wrong with their ipas.
Thanks man!
He's right on all accounts, especially Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. Find some of that wherever you can.
Well, except that a lot of IPA's not a good summer beer make.
For me, being on the beach, I would prefer more session style beers or wheats. Now I've had some session IPA's, which were fine. However, I'd say there are a lot of IPAs I would not want a 6 pack of while sitting on the beach.
I'm totally with you on that. I just thought I'd share with AMB and anyone else that Sculpin should not be passed over.
The New Belgian Slow Ride session IPA really went down well after a couple hours on a hot beach and salt water lips from swimming.
But yes, Sculpin is a nice IPA.
The sculpin was ok imho, but the Grapefruit Sculpin is bangin. I can't stand grapefruit on its own, but in the IPA it provided a great balance. We have a local, RAR, that has done a grapefruit version of their Naticoke Nectar that may actually be better than the Ballast Point. In fact, getting a few growlers filled today of it before it runs out.
I just had a meeting with a brewery, and we stopped at the North Market in Riversdale, MD. My MEP engineer (a VT Grad) picked up a couple boxes of Sculpin Grapefruits, said it was one of his favs.
We then all had a discussion about IPA's versus all the other beers. He only likes to drink IPAs. He didn't feel the other types were to his liking. I however love all beer styles. I like IPAs that are nicely balanced and use the hops to their fullest potential. I guess I've just had too many IPAs where the brewer just loaded them with whatever hop they could to attain a high ABV and IBU.
I wanted to stop in a RAR when I was looking at some land in Cambridge, however it was hot and we just wanted to go home, haha, especially my son. I'll have to make another run out that way.
I hit up San Diego a lot, so I tend to bring home plenty of great beer, like Alpine, Stone, Mission, and more. I plan on hitting Ballast next time I'm out there. Wish Societe bottled/canned so I could bring that home.
My cellar right now is looking deep. I need to get this tasting thing up and running so I can enjoy some of it.
I'm a hop head, but don't exclusively drink IPA's. But I am guilty of hoarding and stockpiling IPA's I like. RAR is expanding, and putting something like 12 new 40bbl's. And Tall Tales down in Parsonsburg just got their new barrels today. And Evo got something like 4 120's!!!! Our thing around here is everyone tries to keep up with the Jones'. Who, in this neck, is Dogfish. So the elusive 120 is chased. And chased. And chased. RAR's Nectar is honestly one of the most balanced drinkable IPA's out there now. Tall Tales Excalibur isn't far behind. And the TT Bonnie and Clyde double IPA isn't as sweet as some...he didn't throw a ton of malt in it to carry the alcohol up and away. (It's still around 9% so don't be fooled.) The 90 minute to me is too malty. I know people that LOVE that beer and I can't do more than one. Some of the Lagunitas are like that too.
Anyway, I've rambled enough before even cracking the growler open. (I have two grapefruits from RAR.) If you're ever down in Cambridge or Salisbury (or even OC) drop me a line. Cheers.
I have a couple of 120s hanging in the cellar right now, I believe they are from 2012. I know a lot of people would be shocked keeping a IPA around like that, but they should age well.
I've got a bunch of Belgians too, love aging anything with Bretts (just bought a Regalia today) to see how they play down the road.
The brewery bubble continues to expand, so definitely see more opening and others getting bigger. Per my other comment, I'm working with two right now doing that same thing.
Have you tried a Heady Topper yet?
All this talk makes me thirsty.
I haven't gotten my hands on any heady topper yet. Still hoping.
We cracked a bottle of 2007 120minute before the Duke game a few years ago. There's a tailgate starter. And had a 2008 last year. Turned to more of a barley wine but was still good. Had a Sam Adams 2006 triple bock then too. And it was still good!
Nice collection.
Heady topper is a must. At one point The Alchemist was looking at locations in the DC area, but couldn't find the appropriate space (same reason I haven't started as well, long story).
a "normal" IPA at 6-7% abv shouldn't be left to sit around more than a few months. however, beers over 10% abv tend to age pretty well, regardless of style. And 120 isn't a typical IPA anyway. I say this because I actually like it, and that's not all that common for me and IPAs
There are beers that aren't high in ABV that age well too. A lot more to consider than just that for aging. And when i say aging in song years. Beers are fine for months.
And other than hangovers you can't get sick from beer "spoiling" may just taste off.
For sure I over simplifying, and sour/funky lower ABV styles can age really well, as can Belgian Dark/Abbey Ales (7-9%) especially if bottle conditioned The general guideline for 10%+ ABV I tossed out comes from the fact that beers that big tend to have strong/big malt characters which generally ages well, although there are plenty of 5-9% ABV beers with strong malt characters.
Here's what I consider aging-worthy characteristics:
- big malt presence / high ABV
- bottle conditioned
- barrel aged/conditioned
- sour/tart/brett
120 is more a highly hopped barleywine ... just now ready to drink, imo.
I feel like IPAs have ruined me for a lot of other beers. After getting used to IPAs, many beers just taste bland to me. I am trying to work myself off of this and expand the palate a little more. I do agree that a well balanced IPA is the best, though.
I did peek at your website and saw that you worked on Epic Smokehouse? Is that the one across the street from the Costco in Crystal City? I know someone there.
I think the new craft beer movement is heavy on the IPA side, however there are a lot of great beer styles out there. One of my favorite breweries right now is Right Proper in Shaw. They play around with a bunch of the styles and aren't scared to make a beer under 3% ABV. They have also done some great collaborations with brewers such as Megan Parisi that were definitely unique (like adding juniper branches and what not).
Let me know if you want to go tasting sometime, maybe I can help with the palate?
Yup that is the place. I'm still working on the Sorrell Design site. Been a bit busy. Met with a brewer today who is looking to open a place in this area (he has had some homebrew stuff go to nationals and his stuff is pretty solid) and will be meeting another brewery next week that is expanding.
Very heave on the IPA side.
I actually went to Right Proper on Friday night. I do not usually like sour beers, but I really enjoyed the Kick.Kick.Snare. I also tried the Range Life, which was not as balanced as I wanted it to be. The Duke was also really good and was probably the favorite at my table.
I'm always down for a beer tasting. I think we live pretty close to each other (I basically live across the street from Bardo).
My GF's cousin manages & chooses the wines at Epic Smokehouse.
Definitely should get together. I do a bunch of beer trips too. Trying to make it to asheville again this year.
I'm down south dakota a bit, near ft totten metro.
What do you think of Bardo? I wasnt a fan.
I really enjoy Bardo. I am not expecting any precision beer from them and at the price they are selling it, it beats most mass produced cheap beers at most bars. The owners are brothers that started what is now Galaxy Hut and then ran Dr. Dremo's/Bardo Rodeo in Arlington for a while. Basically, 2 guys making beer in their back yard and it's clear that they are not perfectionists.
For me, it's a non-pretentious place to have a few beers, play some cornhole and enjoy people-watching.
Anyway, I followed you on twitter so we can coordinate something.
We had a living social coupon or something. Outdoors wasn't open at the time. Beers definitely aren't perfected. Lot of off favors and carb issues. However, sounds like I may need to go back.
Have you been to Denizens yet? Pretty solid beers and nice outdoor space. Also have you been to north center market in river Dale yet? They have tastings on Friday. Oh and Franklins is worth a stop in too.
modern times, sours, very good ipas, coffee stouts ... my current san diego fave.
Thanks guys! I don't drink much theses days but I am at the beach!!
What is it about the beach that makes your body so able to handle more alcohol than normal? I've always said that there are two legitimate reasons to be drunk at noon: Hokie football and at the beach. We'll be in Avon, NC in a couple of weeks. Can't wait to drink something I can't get here at home.
I don't know, having kids seems like a very legitimate 3rd reason to me.
I'm not sure. I just use the excuse "I'm on vacation" a lot!
Enjoy Avon, I'll be in Buxton in Sept. If you find anything good
let me know. :)
I don't like most session beers and wheats, depends on style. I think most American style wheats are blah ... but if it's a good Berliner or gose, I'm all in.
vehemently disagree that ipas aren't summer beers.
What he said.
Chip's is great, I live about a mile from it, and frequent the place. Great selection, and a tasting room, where you can try out some drinks while you shop.
Trio is pretty good too, but IMO, Chip's is better as far as selection of bottles/cans. Trio does have a better tap setup though. +1 on avoiding weeping radish. their Black Radish is okay, the rest are not so good. Outer Banks Brewing Station has some really good brews, and I believe will do growlers for you also. If you make it over to Manteo, check out Full Moon Cafe and Brewery.
I liked the beers better at Full Moon AND they'll fill any growler.
OBX brew station had a couple decent beers but, they will only fill their own growlers.
I brought three insulated growlers from home. Guess where I got them filled.
Port City Optimal Wit is now available in 16oz cans.
I'm in OBX right now.
If you bring cans to the beach, no one will give you any crap about it, bottles, might get some hassle. Also, cans stack better than bottles so, more can fit in the cooler. I recommend cans. I also recommend stainless steel pint glasses. No sun stinking and no broken glass. Also, cans are lighter to tote down to the beach and back.
Oskar Blues is in NC, I got some in Food Lion here at the 15 MP. Other selections were slim at that one. Did get Dales Pale Ale and Little Yella Pils in cans there cold.
On a hot beach, I like 21st Amendment watermelon wheat. New Belgium has a variety pack in cans that's not bad.
Save the bottles for at night on the balcony and at dinner.
Are you refering to 21st Amendments "Come Hell or High Watermelon"? I love that stuff in the summer. It's great after a long day of yardwork.
That's the one.
And let me confirm that Mommas Little Yella Pils is also good on the beach.
Another trick I learned and cemented this week.
My cooler is a soft sided with a removable hard plastic insert to keep water from leaking out.
We cover the bottom of the cooler insert in about 1/2 inch of water and put it in the freezer at night.
We load up normally, insert it into the cooler and add a couple plastic iced tea or water bottles to the mix that we froze with water inside.
The ice on the bottom is a good sized mass and keeps the cooler cold. The iced bottles stay frozen for hours in the heat.
Microfestivus in Roanoke NEXT Saturday. I'm going! The lineup of breweries looks pretty good so far.
One of the best beer festivals on the east coast.
It is on Saturday on Jefferson St. In front of the library.
I'll be there.
I'll keep an eye out for you. Will you be near your booth primarily? I'm pretty excited, never made it to this one before.
Yeah, most of the time but I will certainly be out to network with other brewers as well.
Good to see you Saturday. Weather was nice and there was a stack of good beer there.
That was a fantastic festival. Definitely one of, if not the best one I've been to.
Ok so I am heading to Cooperstown for a baseball tournament and was wondering if anyone had some good beers from that area that they would recommend.
ommengang is outside of cooperstown
If you can find Heady Topper from the Alchemist, buy as much as you can!!!!!! It's from Vermont, and not easy to find, and not sure if they have it in NY...cause it never makes it way south for sure.
This post is a question for the advanced brewers on here. I'm looking into making a citrus hopped sour Saison for the Ohio St game. I want big tropical/citrus hop flavor and aroma with minimal bitterness. I'm thinking Galaxy, Citra, Pacific Jade, and Rakau hops added late to the boil, whirlpooled, and a dry hop. I'd like the hop profile to mix with a peppery pale Saison and some Brett and lactic acid sour.
My main issue is time. The game is 5 weeks away now, so I'd have to brew this weekend for anything decent to come of it. Plus, I'd like to develop as much sour character as possible by then. What's the best way to obtain the notable sour characteristics? I know Brett can take longer to develop its character. So, my thought was sour mashing, adding acidulated malt, or adding lactic acid to the boil to add a base sour character (and removing the need for Lactobacillus at all). Then, I could use a Farmhouse-Brett blend of yeasts in the primary and let the Brett flavor develop over time.
Any thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated!
Knock the hops variety down to 1 or 2. Too many different hops and you lose the citrusy thing. Try citra and 1 of the others.
Use a pre-blend yeast like you mentioned.
As for acidic taste in a short period of time. Consider mimicking the procedure for doing a berlinerweisse.
Start here.
http://www.bear-flavored.com/2013/08/which-method-of-brewing-berliner-weisse.html
Awesome! I have a tendency to over do the hop varieties, so I appreciate the recommendation. And these souring techniques are great, thank you!
Eg, just saw John Bryce took part in VT's first batch on the pilot system.
That's cool. John knows what he's doing.
I'd like to know more about their program.
Figured you may get to run into him sometime. Did you ever check Lupulin Exchange?
Yeah, not a bad idea.
Have not had the opportunity to use it yet but, I will keep it in. Mind.
What else would you like to know?
Course list, etc?
We are collaborating with a certain German institution, the final paperwork is in transit.
Hops and barley research is big focus.
Pilot scale malting and brewing equipment. And perhaps soon something from A Holstein.
Yeah, it might be better if I came down for a visit.
I think you have my email. Drop me a line. If it's possible, I'd like to visit in early December.
I have also collaborated with a certain German institution.
Edit: I found your email address.
AlsoOp Ed in Roanoke times
Yeah but I haven't bought anything through it.
If any Richmond-area folks enjoy Goses, Hardywood released a fantastic one this past Saturday. A Watermelon Gose.
anyone going to the Virginia Craft Brewers Festival at devil's backbone?
my just reward for single parenting for 2 weeks is a beer weekend.
answer, champion, blue mountain and db on friday. the festival on Sat and either lickinghole or alewerks on the drive home Sunday.
I wish! Schedule didn't work out for me this year. :(
Nov 7, there will be another Brewfest here in the OBX, just an FYI
Just tried the Guinness Nitro IPA. It was pretty damn good.
Why don't more breweries experiment with the nitrogen capsule in the can?
In a word- Expense.
Packaging is the single most expensive part of brewing.
The cost to package can be figured as more expensive than the ingredients, the brewing and wages combined, for each batch of beer.
In addition, the smallest lot for purchasing the cans in order to experiment with these cans would be about 12,000 cans, if they are available in the same quantity minimums as regular cans.
If you decide you do not like them, you cannot reuse them or save them for something else. They are already printed, you either use them for that exact product, or throw them away.
And then there's the cost and hassle of these cans needing special equipment in the assembly line. Let me put that cost into perspective. A part of the line, which puts the labels onto bottles, for a craft beer sized bottling plant the size of your local brewery which has a decent presence in the stores, cost just under $150,000. Just for the labeler.
Cost for the equipment to put that same beer onto a keg? You can build one that will fill 8 kegs at a time for less than $250.
There are a few examples out there of nitrogen cans for craft beer but, you'll only see them in very large breweries. Guinness is one of the largest in the world and a brand in the company that is the largest maker of spirits in the world with a market cap of about $50 billion.
Edit: billion is spelled with a "B".
Which is why my business plan initially didn't work in DC. I was following Hess Brewing in hoping for 98% sales from brewery. Means way more money in pocket. DC has now changed some laws to allow for pint sales. But at the time I didn't want to pay for kegs, canning, or bottling, especially with a small 3 barrel system. Oh well, maybe sometime down the road. For now, I can design them till then.
I think we may have found our location in the Roanoke area.
Working number right now, after modifying our initial plan, to start with mostly retail location.
Good deal, let me know if you need help or anything, be happy to provide input. Finally got some photos from the distillery up.
http://sorrelldesign.com/portfolio-item/joseph-magnus
Very nice looking space.
I think we'll see movement next week, after the holidays.
Can we go ahead and give you the "TKP Beer Expert" title?
There are lots of guys on here that could qualify for that title, they just aren't as loudmouthed as I am.
Anybody else doing a Beer Advent calendar? My siblings and dad and I are all bringing 24 beers each to Thanksgiving and swapping them around and having one every day from Dec 1 thru 24. We're not wrapping the beers or decorating or anything, but it would make a pretty cool gift idea if you did something like this.
Oh, so I can just say that I'm doing the advent calendar...when drinking every day from here to, um, Christmas. Next year. (Getting a head start!)
Picked up a few nice things recently. Store nearby had a stash of 2013 B*tches Brew, so I picked up 4 bottles. And got 2 4-packs of the Higher Math 20th Aniiversary from Dogfish. A couple of Russian Imperial Stouts from Iron Hill, barrel aged Narwhal, and barrel aged Smashed Pumpkin. I've got a few BCBS's reserved for this Friday too. Guess it's time to break out last years, you know, as part of the advent calendar.
That's outstanding.
I am going to implement that tomorrow with some friends and try and figure out how I can work that into a thing for my new brewery.
Being local, to me, means finding a way to incorporate as many holiday things in the normal operating cycle, just like family.
This is right up my alley.
Ended up with a late birthday present last night. A couple of pint glasses with a map of Blacksburg on them. One orange, one maroon. It was a kickstarter campaign, and look pretty sweet.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/231875465/college-town-maps-drinkware
fancy meeting Egbert at wicked weed on black Friday!
Yeah, man. That was pretty funny.
VT Beer fans are all over the place.
I'm in Asheville doing research
Awaiting the proper day to drink the WW Black Cherry Sour I received for Christmas. It was phenomenal fresh on the back porch on a warm summer day the first time i had it. ..
I envy you.
I just tried some KCCO Gold Lager for the 1st time yesterday. I enjoyed the slight honey flavor. I liked it much better than the Black Lager. I still need to try the White Wheat and the Amber Ale.
just working on assembling this for the lab and research...
I don't remember if I've asked on this thread before, but how many of you are on untappd? My username is BrettVT12 if y'all need more friends haha
Mine is lowbraudc or lowbrau, can't remember.
I had to cross reference your drinklowbrau link with the avatar on untappd to figure it out ha
mine is sthogan. there's another historyhokie among us...
Mine is danielvt11. Prepare for obscure PNW beers
Nice. I get out to Portland every 2 years for a week or so of research.
I used to call it research too. The tax man never said anything about all the beer i was expensing.
My username is Lespaulkid01.
Friend requests inbound to everyone!
Brockman_148. NE Ohio beers and I don't like brettanomyces, but I keep trying them
Add me at Miles_Likes_Beer
Every Tuesday night you'll see whatever the homebrew club is having. Just had a Gose night.
VTnERF here. A lot of eastern shore/Delmarva beers, but I don't discriminate.
Alright gentleman. The supplies have been purchased. I am attempting my first ever homebrew today. Here's hoping I don't completely screw it up
Hope you are doing an extract or partial grain kit as first.
Also keep www.midwestsupplies.com and Northern Brewer in your sites for more gear.
Yep my brother gave me a kit with all the ingredients needed to make a pale ale for Christmas. From a company called Shift^3? This is something from the black series? (I'm just reading the box lol)
There is an excellent homebrew club in you area.
The Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society.
A lot of professional have come from that club.
Myself, Kevin Oliver - Owner of O'Connor Brewing to name just a couple as well as some writers on beer.
http://hrbts.org/
These are the guys that I was with when I started.
Also, Please feel free to ask questions or make commentary here. There is alot (tee hee) of guys here lurking that are really knowledgeable about beer and brewing.
Thanks for the info! I'll definitely have to check them out. I would love to tell Kevin how much I like his beers haha
Let's hope its the first of many! If your first few beers don't taste like Dogfish right off the bat don't panic they get better with each try.
While I'm here, anyone want to point me in the direction of a good oatmeal stout recipe?
For 5 gallon:
4lb American 6-row barley
1 lb American 6 Row barley that has been toasted in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes then cooled
1 lb 60 L Crystal
1/2 lb Carapils
1/2 lb chocolate malt
1/4 lb roasted barley
1.5 lb oatmeal
rice hulls
mash at 158F for 1/2 hour test for conversion
60 minute boil 1/2 oz of Willamette hops at 5.5% AA
30 minute 1/2 oz Willamette
15 minute 1/4 oz Willamette
1/4 tsp Irish moss (optional)
O.G. 1.048
Yeast- I used American Ale. Just about any yeast could be used here though.
Primary fermentation will take a week- 5 days. You can rack it off the next weekend.
Total ferment time should be about 14 days, expect a final gravity about 1.014.
First brewed Oct 12, 1996
If you want, you can use 2 row instead of 6-row. It's not necessary. If you have Pale Ale instead, that's cool too. Remember, this isn't rocket science it will not blow up if you mix and match a little.
The rice hulls are necessary because this has a super stack of oatmeal in it and it will stuck sparge if you do not put rice hulls in. Also, drain the liquid off ssssssllllllooooooowwwwwwww.
But all that oatmeal will be really present.
If you want it a little more alcoholic, add more of the first ingredient. As written, it'll get you in about 4.5% depending on efficiency numbers.
Good looking recipe, just a few questions though. How do you add the rice hulls to the mash? Alone at first to lay down at the bottom or a mix? Is there a big difference in toasting that extra pound of 6 row vs. not roasting it since the malting/germinating already happened?
Stir the rice hulls in with the mash grains.
roasting the grains adds in a little fresh roasted the same as fresh toasted bread.
Thank you I'll be sure to give this one a shot, and if I do it right I'll have to send some your way.
Only a few questions though: I'm assuming you mean hop pellets? and is there a recommended fermentation temperature range?
Hop pellets are just compressed hops. You can use whichever form you can get.
Use the recommended temp range for the yeast you get. Aim for the lower end of that recommended range.
Also, that mash temp is quite high. Cheat lower and do not go above that.
You can start slower and sneak up to it.
UPDATE: I had to repitch the yeast in my batch. It sat for about 72 hours (I was trying to be patient) and there were no bubbles and no krausen. Clearly I had a bad batch of yeast. My question is did I repitch the new yeast in time to save it, or is my "beer" most likely going to come out tasting just awful?
Obviously that's not ideal, but so long as nothing has been infected it may be salvageable. I'm no expert on this though and I don't know how it would react with the yeast that is already there.
What temperature did you have it fermenting at? Highly recommend a yeast starter if you can next time.
I'm trying to keep it as close to 68 as I can by storing it in the coolest corner of the house. I don't really have any other way of regulating the temperature :/
For the yeast starter, do you mean something other than just water?
It is most probably 100% ok.
I mean that definitely makes me feel better haha
Question for fellow beer gurus:
I recently acquired a dual tap kegerator. The packaging purports that it has SS faucets and a tower. I ran the first keg through it around New Years with little issue. I just put another keg on last Friday, and I have had some strange off-flavor issues. If left unused for a while, the first few sips taste absolutely horrible. Like a metallic/bitter taste. Once you pour that out and keep filling, the taste is basically gone. I did some research and thought the taste might be from overcarbonation, so I experimented with that. Turned my cylinder off, cut off the CO2 line, and burped the keg from the coupler. Waited 30 or so minutes and tasted the trickle that was left in the line. Still had the terrible flavor.
I'm down to thinking it's either bad flavor from the lines or from some of the metal parts. It claims to have SS faucets and tower at least, but I'm 99.9% sure the shank, coupler, and other metal surfaces touching the beer are chrome-plated brass. I've heard a lot about that corroding over time and leading to off flavors, and potentially lead exposure (was lovely having a big Prop 65 warning right in my face when I opened the box).
Any thoughts on what this could potentially be? I'm seriously leaning toward investing in SS couplers and shanks and seeing if that alleviates the problem.
First clean the lines again.
Between each keg, clean and sanitize the lines.
Whenever there is a problem with a beer and tap, that's the first thing you should think.
It would be highly unusual to have the first beer be enough to expose enough metal to cause a problem.
It is most probably something infected in the beer line.
If the cleaning and sanitizing doesn't work, I would replace the beer line. But first, clean and sanitize it and let us know the impact here, first.
When in doubt, ask Egbert.
Do you have a method/kit you recommend using to clean the lines out? I bought one off amazon for about $25 that seem to work ok, but if you (or anyone else) has one you swear by I'd love to hear about it.
Just got my kegerator for xmas so I'm pretty new to the whole thing. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Edit: I should have kept reading below...
Eggie has you covered here.
Concerning the Prop 65 note, it just means there is trace amounts of lead in the product. If it were in areas that allow you to ingest it, they wouldn't sell it. For instance I bought head phones for my son and it had that note. However, it was for the soldering inside. I'm assuming that it is used somewhere in the kegerator, potential on the electronics or something.
Cleaning the lines is paramount though. A lot of bars don't do this on a regular basis and it screws the breweries. That's why I like to frequent bars like Meridian or Brooklands Pint as they are militant about it. Even have events selling the beer cheaper before the cleaning to save from throwing beer out.
Thanks for the responses. I will definitely sanitize the lines and everything coming into contact with the beer and see if that takes care of it.
Clean first, then sanitize.
I bet there is something small and fuzzy in there. Need to get that out first.
Sanitizing alone won't kill it and get it out.
If you can get that out, you can kill anything remaining.
Might be able to remove the line and clean it in the sink easier than doing it in place. Then use a small bottle brush to really get at the spout.
If you can remove the spout and soak it in hot soapy water before that. Do it. It'll do a though job of dissolving residual sugar from last time.
Here's the thing no one will tell you. Beer and brewing means cleaning and then cleaning and sanitizing.
The good thing about beer is that it is nearly impossible for anything that harms humans from growing in beer. It just makes funny favors.
So, I took the keg off the tap causing the strange off flavor and smell and put it on the other which I had not yet used. The flavor went away, so it was definitely something in that particular line. The keg finally kicked last night, so I started taking everything apart and cleaning dilligently. Lines, couplers, spouts, shanks - everything.
When taking apart the line in question, I discovered what was causing the funky flavor - the little neoprene washer seated between the beer line and shank behind the faucet. It reeked exactly like the off flavor I was getting in the first few sips of beer. Cleaned those things very well, sterilized everything, and let the parts dry over night. Put everything back together this morning.
When taking apart the good line, I noticed that most all of the chrome polish has worn away in the back of the shank and brass is exposed where it will contact beer. I hadn't used that tap until the other day, so it must have already been like that when I got it. I didn't notice any off flavor, but I hear it can cause problems eventually.
Should I eventually look into investing in a replacement stainless shank? It's not too urgent, since I primarily just run one keg at a time and can use the other tap, but SS beer parts are incredibly expensive.
Good, we figured out that problem. That's outstanding.
Call the manufacturer and get a replacement for that part that is improperly manufactured.
If the exposed brass will not be that big a thing but, it doesn't clean as nicely and therefore could be a bacteria home in the future.
Ask for the price of a replacement washer and if it is cheap, get a new one and replace the one that was infected. Easier to be safe than sorry when you really want to tap 2 kegs.
Check with micromatic.com for replacement stainless part for that shank. Really reliable company.
Which kegerator did you get?
Speaking of kegerators, anyone have any recommendations? I just finished the basement and am going to put one down there. I've been looking hard at the Kegco (http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegerators/dualkegerator/Kegco_...) but haven't decided on it just yet. I'd really like to have a dual tap but not really sure if it will end up getting used as much as I think it will.
After getting my dual tap system, I can definitely say it's cool to have the option of having two taps, but it's honestly not going to often be used with two kegs. It's way more cost effective to just buy a 1/2 bbl of good beer at a time instead of two sixtels. You're going to end up spending more money and having significantly less beer. Of course, it's nice to have the option for two, and since I got such a great deal on mine I couldn't pass it up. But I would be fine with just a single tap.
That Kegco model you linked looks nice, pretty similar to my EdgeStar. The dimensions of mine actually won't accomodate the Miller and Coors-style kegs.
I also like that it comes with a dual gauge regulator so you can see how much pressure you have left in the tank and dual shut off valves.(actually it looks like it just has the single gauge regulator, but it's not too big of a deal) I thought having the CO2 cylinder included with mine was a huge plus, but it ended up not really mattering. I go through the local welding shop to get my CO2, and they do an exchange program with cylinders. I could have kept my specific cylinder, but it would take them 2 weeks to get it filled and back to me, and I would have to pay a fee every year to have mine tested. So I just exchanged mine for a full one and only have to pay $9 bucks to exchange every time I need a new one.The Edgestar is really the other one I've been looking at. I keep going back and forth on the 2 taps and you kind of verified what I was thinking. It's about $100 cheaper to go with the single. Decisions, decisions...
Have you had any issues getting your cold enough? I was reading some reviews that people were complaining about the temperature but I'm not sure how legit they were.
No, in fact I have been incredibly impressed with how cold mine gets. I also saw some reviews on kegerators and how people complained they wouldn't get very cold, but I turned it on the highest setting and used it like a refrigerator for a bit when I first got it, putting some waters and bottled beer in there. The drinks started actually getting ice in them after a while. It keeps the keg unbelievably cold on the max setting.
yeah, either of those will work fine.
If the temp were you use it reaches higher than 95 deg or is in the sun, you may need to move it to shade or coller spot.
Perlick faucets are great. Consider that one for an upgrade. Also, the towers that are 100% stainless steel with 100% contact. But, you can make do with anything there, depending on your budget.
For mine, I knew of a commercial beer keg cooler and 3 tap tower that was for sale.
It will hold 3 1/2 bbl kegs. I'm thinkning of adding another 3 tap tower to store up to 6 1/4bbl kegs.
It is not new and needs some serious prettying though it works fine.
Building mine, waiting for it to warm up to finish. Will post when done.
EdgeStar KC2000Twin. Got an unbelievable deal on it. Someone bought it, opened the box, and apparently had buyer's remorse and sent it right back. Brand new condition.
I will definitely take the lines apart and clean them thoroughly. Will take apart the faucets and couplers and clean and sanitize them really well too. Any suggestions on a good cleaning agent and sanitizer? I've heard of people using StarSan and even read online some people using Oxyclean, but wasn't too sure about that.
If you have a local homebrew shop, you can get PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash). It is an excellent cleaner. Also, the shop will have the proper sized brush to clean the lines.
For Sanitizer, the cheapest is hot water. Once things are clean, hot water can be used to sanitize.
Alternately, I use StarSan but you can use UNSCENTED OxiClean. DO NOT USE the SCENTED one. you will never get the scent stuff out of the vinyl tubing and will replace it.
Also, the homebrew shop may have a linecleaner and sanitizer solution for kegs. It's normally a pale blue stuff. Easy to use and convenient.
Gt a plug for the spouts. It would be a little blue plug with a brush on it. It goes into the spout after you pour and
it's good to rinse it in hot water or sanitizer and use it to brush inside the spout each time you tap a few off.
Keeps the bugs out.
Egbert - Just want to update you since the keg line cleaning experiment: Just threw the next keg on the line tonight, and after intense cleaning per your recommendation, absolutely fresh beer being poured (wish it were something better - had to settle for the last keg of Yuengling left at Kroger ((last minute ideas end up with last minute beer)). Regardless, I'm noticing no off flavors at all. I really think those neoprene washers were the biggest culprits. But just as you advised, and applicable to other kegerator TKPers, cleaning your lines is imperative. I used fragrance-free OxiClean as my cleaner, and it absolutely worked wonders. Read a lot on homebrewer forums about how it's a solid cleaner.
Thanks for your help, and I need to get up to the Railhouse sooner rather than later.
We had a surprise birthday party for a buddy last Saturday. His wife told me he hadn't had a keg on since Christmas so, I knew it needed cleaned. Yup, sure nuff, a green mold was at the point of liquid to air contact.
Cleaned it throughly and sanitized it.
Railhouse is closed BTW, owner ran it into the ground.
I almost had the property for my own brewery in Grandin Village section of Roanoke. Couldn't get the guy down enough in price. Somebody else bought it that will knock down the building and put in new.
We were driving around yesterday looking at neighborhoods.
Wow, I didn't realize it had closed. Well keep us updated on your next brewing endeavor in the Roanoke area. So many breweries up there that I haven't made it to yet.
If you live in Charleston area check this out.
Tonight Brian at VT with the Food Science and Fermentation Dept ( yeah, I know that's not right but, to me, it's really the VT Dept of Fermentation), had a guest lecturer in for the fermentation class and invited some brewery professionals in to hear it and then socialize.
It was a great thing. Looking forward to more of this.
I met some good people today in the class that are prospective commercial brewers. Welcome to the industry. Properly trained entrants to the local brewing staffs will really enhance the productivity of the breweries much more quickly.
Some bright and energetic people there.
If we met today, drop a note here.
I was the guy in the long hair, red shirt and hat that said, " Beer is Love" on the side.
'Twas a great afternoon, sorry it had to end! I was the guy with.... the grey shirt on running around like a madman. I need another beer!
LIKE a madman?
Cool info on Virginia Tech's brewhouse
via GIPHY
A little off topic with the home brew talk but I just had Fatheads Hop Juju for the first time last night and I gotta say, new favorite IPA
Nice, I have not had one yet.
I'm pretty curious as to some of your favorite IPAs worth trying
Ocelot did a collaboration with Meridian Pint called Talking Backwards. Had something like 100 ponds of a trio of hops. If you like well balanced IPAs that was one of the best I've had in a while. Alcohol crept in too. Very smooth beer.
Some of the others I have are from a client who is hoping to open his brewery soon. He gets very scientific with the hops and likes to play with experimentals.
I'll try to find some! Thanks for the recommendation
liked them a lot too. best brewery i have hit in nova, but i hear aslin makes good ipas.
the answer brewpub is still the king of hops in va, tho.
In addition to good beers, Ocelot also has Big Frank's Bacon & BBQ food truck there on the weekends. Big Frank's 50/50 burger (half ground beef, half ground bacon) is one of the greatest things I've ever eaten.
oh my!
Ocelot is amazing. I'm a big fan of their Space Cadet right now.
loaded question. why style of ipa do you like?
i'll die on the hill defending north east ipas right now and i'm not talking heady topper. hill farmstead, trillium, tree house, bissell, foundation, maine, etc ... that juicy, soft mouth feel ones are amazing.
king sue from toppling goliath, permanent funeral from 3 floyds are my favorite midwest ones. hop juju just a tick behind them, imo.
I have not had the 3 floyds yet.
I have not seen it.
I have heard so much hype about those north east ones like trillium and tree house, I just wish they were easier to get my hands on. Have to agree that 3 floyds are great, almost everything they make is delicious.
My girlfriend is visiting Cleveland and Indianapolis as part of research for her Master's Thesis. In Cleveland she picked up Fat Head's Hop JuJu and Headhunter IPA, Hoppin' Frog's Cafe BORIS and BORIS Bourbon barrel (Imperial Stouts), and Jackie O's Dark Apparition Imp. Stout. She just went and got me 5 different beers by 3 Floyds in Indianapolis! A 6 pack of Zombie Dust, Alpha King (another highly rated pale ale), Big Tiddy Assassin (a Flanders Red), Wig Splitter (oatmeal stout), and Blot out the Sun (an Imperial Stout aged in Cognac barrels).
I have an amazing girlfriend.
EDIT: Apparently she also got me 2 more! 3 Floyds Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker (Imperial IPA) and Space Station: Middle Finger (yet another highly rated pale ale).
Wow! She either knew what she was doing or she had some pretty awesome help to get a list together like that.
I might have provided the list...and which stores to go to. And said thank you about 1000 times. I gave this list but said only grab about 5 at each store. Instead she just bought everything knowing I'd be happy and that I'm paying her back.
I certainly hope your phrase
"Said thank you about 1000 times" is a euphemism."
Dear god....assassin and zombie dust...you need to marry this one
you balled out. MARRY HER.
I'm in Cleveland, love Hop JuJu but I get the sniffles like I just took a whiff of pollen. My boss sent a text of a keg of he managed to finagle (he was very proud of his procurement). He's going to need some help a month into that.
Love playing cornhole and Ping Pong at Rhinestone. I wish more of our breweries got wise to it.
Fellow Ohio Hokie! Touring Rhinegeist is pretty high on the bucketlist, seems like a fun place. Their Ink stout and Truth are both delicious.
Truth and Streaker were my favorite brews there, it was a great atmosphere for a warm summer day. No A/C, but not too much sun, either.
We stopped at Taft's Ale house for dinner. Their beer wasn't anything amazing, but the atmosphere in that big old church is fantastic.
yup, it's damn good
I just recently tried a new beer (or at least one I had never heard of) called Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and it is epic. Love that stuff. Has anyone else tried it?
yup, family in Lexington, KY gave it to me for easter and i was a big fan. didnt think the bourbon flavor was too overpowering like a lot of bourban ales have. fortunately it isn't too hard to find in VA
Yeah most Total Wine's carry it. Going to pick some up after work actually.
That beer is OK...I think their Kentucky Rye Barrel IPA is their best offering.
Ok just to give an update on my first ever brew, it came out super carbonated (probably used too much sugar?) Also, it was supposed to be a pale ale, but tastes more like a saison to me. Im thinking I used way too much water in the process and watered it down? Regardless, I've purchased worse beers before and I am psyched that this stuff is drinkable! New hobby, here we go.
it gets easier, by batch 3 these things will seem so easy, but you'll have new worries!
Oh man, I don't even think I wanna ask...
nothing crazy, just how do i make this better. how do i get this flavor or mouth profile or whatever.
It passed the first test. I didn't go blind.
Legs for the deep cut simpsons gif
Overcarbonation is probably too much sugar at bottling, correct.
Overwatered wouldn't change the flavor that much except to have it taste well, watery or less flavor intense.
Saison like instead of like a pale ale would be old hops or not enough hops and probably something funky with your yeast, which you were already aware of.
You should do better with more fresh ingredients from a local homebrew shop and good yeast.
I have some ingredients that have been hanging out for a few years. Like 10 yeast pouches. Sad times...
I think you nailed it with the old hops given the fact that I had bad yeast. Still, the beer is good enough to drink and that's all I was hoping for!
You, sir, have hit the nail on the head.
This is not rocket science, it is beer. Pure fabulous beer.
Once you do that first batch, the lightbulb gets bright and we have our eureka moment.
It's all downhill from here.
Each time you do it, the process demystifies itself and it gets faster and quicker. You know what the next ste is and stop second guessing yourself. It gets really fun and rewarding.
As Charlie Papazian famously stated, "Relax, have a homebrew."
Let me add, welcome to the circus, jump in, the water is warm.
Man, I love this thread.
It makes me wanna eat raw meat for breakfast.
I think this is worth putting in this thread.
Everyone's favorite fun VT Professor John Boyer is doing a talk on the Evolution of Beer tomorrow.
He's the professor that has the Wines and Vines class as well.
Its hosted by the Charleston Alumni tomorrow at 2pm at Palmetto Brewery.
If any of y'all are nearby, please come on out!
https://www.facebook.com/events/194201137608979/
Get year ROA ears on at 2pm. Should be good!
Deschutes?
Looks like it.
We're now in the local rumor stage of which buildings.
http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2016/03/22/reports-deschut...
Can I get three claps and a Rick Flair for Deschutes officially coming to Roanoke!!!!
Yes, the official announcement has been made, they will be bringing their east coast production to Roanoke,
I've been part of the ceremonies and therefore have a bit more beer than best for postig here.
I will post an analysis forwhat this means for our region tomorrow.
Hokies Getting it done... Forbes Article
Don't know how I didn't find this thread earlier!
My neighbor and I are planning on brewing a batch something in the next month or so.. it'll be his first in a few years and my first at home. I've brewed two other batches before, both a 'brew warehouse' where you use their equipment and leave it onsite to ferment.
My main question for you other homebrew guys would be regarding the fermenting process - I know its not ideal, but how much of an issue will it be if I need to move the bucket a few times during fermenting? Will it seriously mess up anything? I live in a tiny 700 sf apartment so I doubt I'll be able to keep it in one place for three weeks without needing to move it at least once. If it's going to be a huge issue I can try to borrow my parents basement whenever I want to brew.
It'll be nice to actual be able to start this as a real hobby like i've been wanting to!
There are a few things to consider here. First, stage of fermentation. Later on in fermentation you really don't want oxygen getting into the beer, especially if it's a hoppy beer. So if it's during primary and you have CO2 production or the krausen is still there, no big deal at all. Plus, early on yeast need the oxygen to perform fermentation anyway. But, I wouldn't recommend moving it during secondary or after most of the fermentation activity has died down.
Additionally, your yeast cell count. If you're under pitching (e.g. using a White Labs vial), then it's not a problem to move it around and keep some yeast suspended a little longer. With any extra oxygen early on your yeast will perform better and with an under pitch, you'll get fewer esters/phenols or possible off flavors.
Good luck on the brew!
Edit: typos
hm, thanks! sounds like I might just be better off borrowing the parents basement until I get enough room of my own. I could put it on top of my beer fridge which wouldn't require me to move it at all, but i'm afraid it would get too much heat radiated into it and mess with the process.
What type of beer are you making? If it's a saison, then heat is very good for it actually. But most others don't do too well.
Haven't fully decided and bought everything yet, but strongly leaning towards a brown/amber ale.
Put a lid on the bucket and don't slosh too much. There will be a layer of CO2 on top of the wort. That will keep from getting too,much O2 into the wort.
It'll be just fine at your place.
Relax, have a Homebrew.