Recently, Briess sent me this grow-it-yourself packet of 2-row malt. I’ll be planting it today and in a year I’ll have enough to brew a shot glass of beer!
Recently, I was invited to pour beers for an event in Youngstown called the Big Tap In. The event featured beers from over fifty microbreweries, most of which are located in the midwest.
I was excited to try some of the beers I hadn’t had before, but mostly psyched for the VIP section and the cask conditioned corner.
I tried a couple of the firkins before the event began. I was mostly disappointed in what I got. Several of the beers had a buttery nose and a strange metallic finish. The VIP section was nice, however. We brought a 2 year-old Tunguska Imperial Stout that was delicious.
Overall, I felt that the event was pretty well planned. I worked a similar gig in Cincinnati back in February and there were way too many tickets sold. The lines to each vendor were at least 50 deep at all times, which caused a lot of booths to run out early and drunk people don’t like that.
In Youngstown, however, the crowd never seemed too overwhelming. I’m looking forward to some of the upcoming outdoor summer events. Particularly, Ohio Beer Week in my home away from home, Athens!
The few of you who read this blog may have noticed a serious lack of new material in the recent weeks (and by material I mean the usual beer reviews and outdated Simpsons references).
Sorry ’bout that. The past month has been crazy here as I’ve recently accepted an assistant brewer position with the Brew Kettle Production Works out of Strongsville, Ohio!
I’m very excited about the opportunity this will provide to polish my brewing skills and I look forward to sharing my experiences along the way.
I got into homebrewing as a hobby a couple years ago and started this blog as a means of keeping track of my progress. I love the idea of going to work every day to do something that was once considered a hobby!
I’ll be on-hand at some of the upcoming premier beer events in the NE Ohio area. Please feel free to stop by and say hi.
Today, I brewed a coconut/chocolate milk stout that features 75 pounds of shredded coconut and 11 pounds of dark chocolate.
This is the second batch of the Brew Kettle’s Kitka Milk Stout and what was once supposed to be a one-off has now turned into a fan favorite at the pub.
The brew is small. We’ll be fermenting in our experimental 15 bbl fermenter, but the melted chocolate and lactose reminded me why we don’t brew this stout all that often.
Be sure to look for it on tap at the pub soon. We’re also likely to bring it to some of the beer geek events in the coming weeks!
Today, I’m drinking 21st Amendment’s Brew Free or Die IPA. It’s a decent IPA with a hoppy finish, but the real novelty here is that it comes in a 12 ounce can.
A lot of craft breweries are starting to switch from bottle to can to make their product stand out on a shelf that’s crowded with glass.
I’ve had this beer on tap, but wondered if there would be any difference in flavor when drinking out of an aluminum can.
This is the first IPA I’ve ever drank out of a can and it will probably be my last. Corona tried it in the 90s. It didn’t impress me then and it’s not doing it for me now…
I’m sticking with the bottles. I like to see my beer while I’m drinking it without having to pour it in a glass.
To me, the craft beer in a can craze is almost as annoying as the 3D movie craze.
Congrats to my OU Bobcats! 2012 MAC champs!!!
It’s January, which can only mean one thing in the craft brew world: Bell’s Hopslam!
I was visited by the Beer Fairy last night. She left me a 6-pack of one of my favorite IPAs and a bill for $19.50…
I just cracked open my first Hopslam of the year and I’m enjoying it now on this fine Sunday afternoon. If you’ve never tried Hopslam, it’s everything a hop-lover could ask for.
Bell’s boasts multiple additions of Simcoe hops throughout the brewing/fermentation process. It has an incredible aroma and a taste that follows suit.
The beer itself is incredibly hard to find. Many stores will only let you buy one 6er at a time so if you come across a place with lots in stock, I recommend that you bring some friends (or disguises).
