Well, the Beer Brotha has been trying to come up with his own recipes. After discovering that a few other people had already brewed beers with the flavor profile he wanted, I, being the diligent wife that I am, wanted to help him come up with a new beer. In order to get the flavors you want, you need to know what flavors the malt, yeast, and hops impart. This information also comes in handy when you're tasting beer and trying to figure out what hops, etc. are in the beer.
Here's what I found on the web:
Hop Guides:
These sites describe the aroma and flavor for varieties of hops. The hopunion site gets into alpha acids and shit… really detailed.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/hops.php http://www.franklinbrew.org/brewinfo/hopschar.html
http://www.hopunion.com/hvcb/
Malt Characteristics:
http://www.learntobrew.com/page/1fbcj/Shopping/Malt_Styles_Chart.html http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/malts
Yeast characteristics:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/yeast
http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain.cfm
Additives:
Here's some of the extra shit that you can put in your beer and why you would do it.
http://www.homebrewery.com/beer/beer-additives-herbs-spices.shtml
http://www.annapolishomebrew.com/shopadditivebeer.asp http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByCat.aspx?Cat=40
For general beer stuff:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/
http://www.tastings.com/beer/index.html
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Austin: Part 1, Say Uncle!!
Oh yeah baby. If you are tired of partying in Houston, you can party it up in Austin Texas. This is the town that did not take on the cultural conservatism of the rest of Texas, although Houston's midtown/Montrose area is trying to catch up. So the wife and I make a 36 hour trip to Austin for our third anniversary, and we have mapped out a beertinerary to include a few brewpubs, and beer bars to cover the microbrews.
As we made our way up 290, couldn't help but notice quite a few guys riding Harleys, with long beards, confederate flag helmets, or no helmets at all. There were more of them the closer we got to Austin, and we later found out there was a Republic of Texas Biker Rally going on that same weekend. Fan-effing-tastic. That pretty much ruled out all of downtown, and we thanked our lucky stars that stayed a few miles out. Not that I think the bikers would have tried to kick my ass, but I knew that all the major hangouts on Sixth Street would be jam packed. So we had to skip Lovejoys, and just kinda did the perimeter of the city. Oh it's real.
The first brewpub we hit got rave reviews in the Southwest Brewing News, Uncle Billy's Brew and Que. We sat on the patio in the early evening. They had a great set up for valet parking, and a great food. The waitress did not know what a milk stout was, but who outside of a the beer nerds would know that anyway. We copped the flight of the beers they brewed on tap, and went for it. All beers were in those "gentlemen" glasses, about 5 ounces. We decided to go with flights as we don't get to Austin so much with the baby.
June 13, 2008
State: hungry, pretty warm outside, feeling good and looking over my shoulder as the bikers are showing up.
Back 40 Blonde Ale
Straw colored with a light hops smell. The only thing that gets me about flights is that you don't get as much head as with a regular beer, and your pallet can get jacked up, especially if it's all bitters like Wharf Rat in B-more. Back 40 did have a nice white head. On first draught, I got the medium body, light hops and carbonation. Very little aftertaste. I leaves a velvety feel in my mouth. It tasted a bit maltier with my bbq pulled pork. That swine be callin me.
Agave Wit
their seasonal brew. Lace white head, kinda belgian smell, you know fruity and sour. Straw colored and opaque. It had a full body, and I could taste the clove right away, with high fine carbonation. It's kind of tequilaish, and I'm not feeling it. There is some sweetness in here, but overall it's a bit overwhelming for me. The wife then told me that agave is what they use in tequila, so there you have it.
Organic Amber
Dark brown, white head, smells like chocolate. It has a strong choco flavor and velvety smooth mouthfeel. I'm going to call this roasted malt with medium carbonation and low hops. This one got a WOW from me, but the choco goes away the more you drink it. I think the agave was still messing with me, though I kept eating and drinking water inbetween beers.
Bitchin' Camero
Another special beer that's not always on tap. It's on the "Special Hop Tap" Dark red with low head. A good scrong hops smell. Strong to medium hop bite and high on the carbonation. Low malt. The beer has a quick finish which is always nice. I'm still not quite there with this one either. I imagine this is an English style judging by the bitterness, though I could be wrong.
Axe Handle Pale Ale
Oh yeah. Let's get hoppy. Orange pale color, white head and stronger hop smell than the Bitchin' Camero. But it smells kind of musty. But dammit that joint is bitter with a bready finish, high carbonation. This is for real stuff. Lingering hops aftertaste. I have to take a break now. It's a good thing the waitress told me to try this one after the BC.
Smokehouse Porter
On the Special Dark and Malty Tap. Deep brown and opaque, tan head. Smells of biscuits, coffee, and roasted malt. This is what the heck I'm talking about here. Chocolate flavor with low carbonation, tastes of coffee and toffee. Full body with low hops, and a great regular (probably crystal malt) malt to go along with it. This one is going great with the bbq. FTR, the BBQ was a sweet sauce, not tangy.
So this was a very good experience overall, my rankings for these beers are:
6. Agave Wit
5. Organic Amber, yes I said wow, but further tastes show it was just the Agave talking
4. Bitchin Camero
3. Back 40 Blonde Ale, yes I put the blonde ahead of the pale ale
2. Axe Handle Pale Ale.
and the best beer...
1. Smokehouse Porter. this was just perfect with the bbq, even though it was warm outside. Well done Uncle Billy's
Monday, June 16, 2008
Spezial and Divine
Well it's good to be home, and it looks like we have two new beers for your arse. We bought a Six Pack of Shiner Spezial Leicht and at long last we drove 25 miles one way for St Arnold's Divine Reserve #6.
June 12, 2008
Shiner Spezial Leicht (btl to plastic cup)
We picked up this six pack and met some friends in Galveston, TX. I'm starving out on the beach with a salty taste in my mouth. It was straw colored and smell vegetal, like a lager, with a white head. We drank it ice cold (like the bottle says) and it tastes of low breads and low noticeable hops. It's definitely a light beer with little to no aftertaste. It finishes quickly, yet has high carbonation and moderate drinkability. Not my favorite, but it serves its purpose.
June 13, 2008
Divine Reserve #6 an American Barley Wine (btl to pilsner glass)
Now that we got that out the way, we commenced the journey to find DR. This beer is a small batch of beer who's recipe is brewed by the St. Arnold's Brewing Company, yet comes from the winner of a homebrewing contest. We tried to get DR #5 a few days ago (a Russian Imperial Stout) only to find out that this sh*t sells out within HOURS of its release. So we are nervous as heck and find all the various beer bars that may have it. We settle on the Flying Saucer, though that means we'll need to drive all the way downtown to get it. Small price to pay even with these gas prices. The wife and I did not even eat before getting this beer or even wait for the waitress. We sat outside, got a beer from the bar. Bad move on the food.
The smell is of flowery hops, some grapefruit and spicyness in there. It's got a thick tan head, and pours orange at first with auburn color as it fills the glass. The first thing we notice is the bold full body. Lots of hops and great thick maltiness to balance. Velvety finish with medium carbonation. It was a little warm as well PERFECT. It is beers like these are the reason brothas start beer tasting in the first place. It's smooth and creamy. The more I drink it, the more malt and hops come out. We don't sip it but drink it a little fast, and both of us get kinda tipsy as the 9.4% ABV starts to take affect. Awesome wow beer. My only problem is that I think it's too hopped up to be a Barley wine, more like a Double IPA or Imperial IPA to me. But whatever, I ain't a beer judge. St. Arnold's hit this one out the park. It's no wonder I'll probably never taste it again.
June 12, 2008
Shiner Spezial Leicht (btl to plastic cup)
We picked up this six pack and met some friends in Galveston, TX. I'm starving out on the beach with a salty taste in my mouth. It was straw colored and smell vegetal, like a lager, with a white head. We drank it ice cold (like the bottle says) and it tastes of low breads and low noticeable hops. It's definitely a light beer with little to no aftertaste. It finishes quickly, yet has high carbonation and moderate drinkability. Not my favorite, but it serves its purpose.
June 13, 2008
Divine Reserve #6 an American Barley Wine (btl to pilsner glass)
Now that we got that out the way, we commenced the journey to find DR. This beer is a small batch of beer who's recipe is brewed by the St. Arnold's Brewing Company, yet comes from the winner of a homebrewing contest. We tried to get DR #5 a few days ago (a Russian Imperial Stout) only to find out that this sh*t sells out within HOURS of its release. So we are nervous as heck and find all the various beer bars that may have it. We settle on the Flying Saucer, though that means we'll need to drive all the way downtown to get it. Small price to pay even with these gas prices. The wife and I did not even eat before getting this beer or even wait for the waitress. We sat outside, got a beer from the bar. Bad move on the food.
The smell is of flowery hops, some grapefruit and spicyness in there. It's got a thick tan head, and pours orange at first with auburn color as it fills the glass. The first thing we notice is the bold full body. Lots of hops and great thick maltiness to balance. Velvety finish with medium carbonation. It was a little warm as well PERFECT. It is beers like these are the reason brothas start beer tasting in the first place. It's smooth and creamy. The more I drink it, the more malt and hops come out. We don't sip it but drink it a little fast, and both of us get kinda tipsy as the 9.4% ABV starts to take affect. Awesome wow beer. My only problem is that I think it's too hopped up to be a Barley wine, more like a Double IPA or Imperial IPA to me. But whatever, I ain't a beer judge. St. Arnold's hit this one out the park. It's no wonder I'll probably never taste it again.
Back Home, and Around the Country
June 11th, 2008
Hells yeah, it's good to be back in Houston. I had a nice 2 weeks offshore trying to get that oil, but it is so hard to blog about beer when I cannot have a drop of it. I'm still cleaning out my beer notebook and hope to catch up today. The wife (man I love this woman) told me we have what amounts to 8 different beers waiting on me at the house, including something new from Shiner. But I will start things off with reviewing a beer I had reviewed before.
Sam Adams Cherry Weeat (btl to pilsner glass)
State: Hot and Thirsty
Smells like Cherry Extract. It's not as cloudy as you'd expect of a wheat beer. It has a white head wit hno lace, yet the head is slightly lasting. The color is dark straw. It's not an overwhelming cherry, with low hops and a moderately velvety mouthfeel. Low malt and low-medium carbo. It's still not doing it for me, but I do like the aftertaste. I'm am loving this mouthfeel. Probably one of the better mouthfeels of a wheatbeer out there. But it's still kinda like a plain wheat beer with cherry extract poured in it.
and later on that night...
Buffalo Gold Golden Ale Boulder Beer Company
The boys from Boulder Beer Company are representing as Colorado's Oldest Microbrewery. Nice. I'm sure the boys at UC Boulder drink this stuff like water. Thick lasting white head, with light lace. Transparent bar gold color. Oh I KNOW UC Boulder boys love this one. It has kind of a sweet smell but a little off. This is another of our Beer of the Month Club, so it was shipped to the house, though I don't think it's all that dated. A very full mouthfeel comes through first, then light noticeable hops and a decent light malt. I get a light sourness that actually works out well. I'm eating burgers and fries now, and I'm getting more of the bready and tangy flavors as it warms. Damn this thing just fill your whole mouth up and it's great that it has light carbonation. It's certainly more lemony with the food. Excellent.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest (btl to beer mug)
It's so hard not write Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. You know they are doing something right with the branding. Those this Summerfest claims to be a lager. It's almost Georgia Tech Old Gold in color and crystal clear. White kinda poofy head. It's tastes of bread and malt first with hops in the aftertaste. It's much better than regular lager with the extra hops, but I'm getting an icky bitter aftertaste. The ickiness goes away the more you drink it, but damn that sucks. It's the aftertaste that could turn brothas away from beer and back to semihomosexual iced mixed drinks or overpriced tequila.
Hells yeah, it's good to be back in Houston. I had a nice 2 weeks offshore trying to get that oil, but it is so hard to blog about beer when I cannot have a drop of it. I'm still cleaning out my beer notebook and hope to catch up today. The wife (man I love this woman) told me we have what amounts to 8 different beers waiting on me at the house, including something new from Shiner. But I will start things off with reviewing a beer I had reviewed before.
Sam Adams Cherry Weeat (btl to pilsner glass)
State: Hot and Thirsty
Smells like Cherry Extract. It's not as cloudy as you'd expect of a wheat beer. It has a white head wit hno lace, yet the head is slightly lasting. The color is dark straw. It's not an overwhelming cherry, with low hops and a moderately velvety mouthfeel. Low malt and low-medium carbo. It's still not doing it for me, but I do like the aftertaste. I'm am loving this mouthfeel. Probably one of the better mouthfeels of a wheatbeer out there. But it's still kinda like a plain wheat beer with cherry extract poured in it.
and later on that night...
Buffalo Gold Golden Ale Boulder Beer Company
The boys from Boulder Beer Company are representing as Colorado's Oldest Microbrewery. Nice. I'm sure the boys at UC Boulder drink this stuff like water. Thick lasting white head, with light lace. Transparent bar gold color. Oh I KNOW UC Boulder boys love this one. It has kind of a sweet smell but a little off. This is another of our Beer of the Month Club, so it was shipped to the house, though I don't think it's all that dated. A very full mouthfeel comes through first, then light noticeable hops and a decent light malt. I get a light sourness that actually works out well. I'm eating burgers and fries now, and I'm getting more of the bready and tangy flavors as it warms. Damn this thing just fill your whole mouth up and it's great that it has light carbonation. It's certainly more lemony with the food. Excellent.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest (btl to beer mug)
It's so hard not write Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. You know they are doing something right with the branding. Those this Summerfest claims to be a lager. It's almost Georgia Tech Old Gold in color and crystal clear. White kinda poofy head. It's tastes of bread and malt first with hops in the aftertaste. It's much better than regular lager with the extra hops, but I'm getting an icky bitter aftertaste. The ickiness goes away the more you drink it, but damn that sucks. It's the aftertaste that could turn brothas away from beer and back to semihomosexual iced mixed drinks or overpriced tequila.
Greek Fest
I'm too lazy to go downstairs to look up the exact date, but we did try a Greek Beer at the smaller greek fest in Houston. Not to be confused with the bigger Greek Festival on Montrose. I can appreciate that they have Greek Beer to go with the Sovlaki and whatnot. Greak for authenticity.
State: Eating Soulaki with pita bread, sitting outside in early May.
Mythos Hellenic Lager
From a bottle to a plastic cup. A little cloudy with orangish color, not getting much on the smell. Slightly sour beer that is only moderatly drinkable. Low to medium carbonation with slight breed on the taste. Very low hops and minimal aftertaste. Things got more interesting as it warms up, as I could taste citrus fruit. We are thinking lime, with a bit of kiwi as well. The beer was in a green bottle, which does not bode well in my book. But not a back beer. If the carbo was alittle lower, I think I could buy a few more of these.
Beering in New Orleans, Part 4 and Wrap Up
First the beer
State: Hot as balls in New Orleans
May 25th, 2008
Abita Wheat
In case you are wondering how hot balls are... 98.6 degrees.
Got this one at a bottle in the store. I had to make a choice between this one and Jockamo IPA. I am a hop head, but just couldn't feel an IPA right now while I'm sweating out my clothes walking the streets. That one will have to wait until I get back.
Wheat beer pours oange and smooth from the bottle to the plastic cup. Serious head on this one but a regular beer smell (if there is such a thing). The head is a little lacy. Some sweetness in the smell if I really try. Not bad. Medium-full body with hints of orange. I'm not a fan of the 60 second bitter aftertaste this one has. Though it has medium hops. I now step outside the hotel room. The hops makes it a slightly different experience for a wheat beer, and I can dig it. It definetly refreshes one at 95 degree heat. It still feels smooth, though no new flavors are coming out, save MAYBE a slight spiciness.
And that's it for the NO this time. I did not get to the Jockamo IPA, I got most of what I wanted to try. The other locations were beer bars (d.b.a., and Beerfest). I made it to beerfest but can't remember what we had outside of a jager shot.
I enjoyed beering in New Orleans and look forward to doing it again. I will likely stop by a grocery store to pick a Jockamo. I also did not get to Big Easy or Lagniappe. It seems that the local NO beers are really about being refreshing, not tossing your tastebuds around. Of course it was summertime, so it fits well. Not to mention that most tourists will drink their beer on steamy streets of the Quarter, which further boosts the case for not juicing the beer with lot of hops or malts.
Damn near anything will taste good after walking it out in NO for an hour. All the beer sold on the street are Miller and Bud lights, but it does the trick. I look forward to going back to NO in the winter for some winter seasonals to see how these guys get 'er done when it's time to turn it up.
Of course NOLA will not be ready until October 2008. In the meantime, I feel I have enough to give a top 3 beers of New Orleans.
#1. Abita Restoration Ale
I love the cause, but that was pleasant hop bitterness as well. Would be a great beer to have back in Houston. Just goes great with heat of NO, and whatnot. I also see on Abita's website the have a slew of Select beers. I can see I'll just have to make a day trip to Abita's brewpub.
#2. Abita Amber
Just so good and bready. Maybe b/c it was one of my early beers and we were partying it up, but I really enjoyed this one. It seems like if there was a general Amber beer, this would be it.
#3. Crescent City Red Stallion
I love the richness of this one. I'm a fan of Vienna style malts as well. This was CC's best beer, and I think it would work well as a foil for seafood. I have very rich ribs which kinda knocked down the sweetness, but I could see it still there. It's like if you eat pork-n-beans laced with brown sugar, and then try to drink Kool-aid. The kool-aid would taste like water. The act that I could get the caramel out of this one bodes well.
State: Hot as balls in New Orleans
May 25th, 2008
Abita Wheat
In case you are wondering how hot balls are... 98.6 degrees.
Got this one at a bottle in the store. I had to make a choice between this one and Jockamo IPA. I am a hop head, but just couldn't feel an IPA right now while I'm sweating out my clothes walking the streets. That one will have to wait until I get back.
Wheat beer pours oange and smooth from the bottle to the plastic cup. Serious head on this one but a regular beer smell (if there is such a thing). The head is a little lacy. Some sweetness in the smell if I really try. Not bad. Medium-full body with hints of orange. I'm not a fan of the 60 second bitter aftertaste this one has. Though it has medium hops. I now step outside the hotel room. The hops makes it a slightly different experience for a wheat beer, and I can dig it. It definetly refreshes one at 95 degree heat. It still feels smooth, though no new flavors are coming out, save MAYBE a slight spiciness.
And that's it for the NO this time. I did not get to the Jockamo IPA, I got most of what I wanted to try. The other locations were beer bars (d.b.a., and Beerfest). I made it to beerfest but can't remember what we had outside of a jager shot.
I enjoyed beering in New Orleans and look forward to doing it again. I will likely stop by a grocery store to pick a Jockamo. I also did not get to Big Easy or Lagniappe. It seems that the local NO beers are really about being refreshing, not tossing your tastebuds around. Of course it was summertime, so it fits well. Not to mention that most tourists will drink their beer on steamy streets of the Quarter, which further boosts the case for not juicing the beer with lot of hops or malts.
Damn near anything will taste good after walking it out in NO for an hour. All the beer sold on the street are Miller and Bud lights, but it does the trick. I look forward to going back to NO in the winter for some winter seasonals to see how these guys get 'er done when it's time to turn it up.
Of course NOLA will not be ready until October 2008. In the meantime, I feel I have enough to give a top 3 beers of New Orleans.
#1. Abita Restoration Ale
I love the cause, but that was pleasant hop bitterness as well. Would be a great beer to have back in Houston. Just goes great with heat of NO, and whatnot. I also see on Abita's website the have a slew of Select beers. I can see I'll just have to make a day trip to Abita's brewpub.
#2. Abita Amber
Just so good and bready. Maybe b/c it was one of my early beers and we were partying it up, but I really enjoyed this one. It seems like if there was a general Amber beer, this would be it.
#3. Crescent City Red Stallion
I love the richness of this one. I'm a fan of Vienna style malts as well. This was CC's best beer, and I think it would work well as a foil for seafood. I have very rich ribs which kinda knocked down the sweetness, but I could see it still there. It's like if you eat pork-n-beans laced with brown sugar, and then try to drink Kool-aid. The kool-aid would taste like water. The act that I could get the caramel out of this one bodes well.
Beering in New Orleans, Part Trois
Crescent City Brewhouse
This is the only brewpub I could find within walking distance, so I hit this one. I had a hankering for some crawfish and the hotel said that CC would have me covered. I was still sobering up while walking over there, but I really wanted those crawfish. Wouldn't ya know it, they had no crawfish there at ALL. We already had our seats and whatnot, so I figured we'll just get a sampler and go for it.
May 24th, 2008
State: Still sobering up from the beering earlier in the afternoon.
Pilsner
Smells of bread and light hops. The taste is a good hop and bread taste (no surprise) with a pleasant bready aftertaste. I'm going backward again, but it's clear, with a light gold color and white, medium carbonation. I am really starting to appreciate the pilsner. Pale lagers still have a ways to go.
Red Stallion
I love the name. This one was clear with an amber color, white head and biscuit smell. I got a Vienna malt taste. It has a medium body with a low hop/carbonation. I'll say this one is full flavored, yet simple.
Weiss
I was a little worried about this wheat beer, as I just had the Red Stallion, but it was all good. Some banana flavor in there. Not much of a head left, so I couldn't get much of a smell. Full bodied beer hazy beer with orange-yellow color. The head has some lace. It's not bad but low on flavor
Black Forest
A rich beer with medium body. It has a reddish color with low smell on the nose. Low hops, but medium roasted malt. Not a knockout beer, but okay.
That's all I had in my notebook, and it's a shame I couldn't come in here with few more sobriety points to spare. I ate the BBQ ribs, but none of the beers seemed to complement it that well. But I'll give it to them on their Pilsner and their Black Forest. It seems as if CC is not into taking too many chances. I would like to see something with a bit more kick. I can get pleasant local session beers on every corner, but would love to see more umph out of the brewpubs. Maybe DuClaws in Maryland (my first brewpub) I go to the New Orleans area about every 2 weeks (offshore engineering), so I'll try to get back out there one of these times.
This is the only brewpub I could find within walking distance, so I hit this one. I had a hankering for some crawfish and the hotel said that CC would have me covered. I was still sobering up while walking over there, but I really wanted those crawfish. Wouldn't ya know it, they had no crawfish there at ALL. We already had our seats and whatnot, so I figured we'll just get a sampler and go for it.
May 24th, 2008
State: Still sobering up from the beering earlier in the afternoon.
Pilsner
Smells of bread and light hops. The taste is a good hop and bread taste (no surprise) with a pleasant bready aftertaste. I'm going backward again, but it's clear, with a light gold color and white, medium carbonation. I am really starting to appreciate the pilsner. Pale lagers still have a ways to go.
Red Stallion
I love the name. This one was clear with an amber color, white head and biscuit smell. I got a Vienna malt taste. It has a medium body with a low hop/carbonation. I'll say this one is full flavored, yet simple.
Weiss
I was a little worried about this wheat beer, as I just had the Red Stallion, but it was all good. Some banana flavor in there. Not much of a head left, so I couldn't get much of a smell. Full bodied beer hazy beer with orange-yellow color. The head has some lace. It's not bad but low on flavor
Black Forest
A rich beer with medium body. It has a reddish color with low smell on the nose. Low hops, but medium roasted malt. Not a knockout beer, but okay.
That's all I had in my notebook, and it's a shame I couldn't come in here with few more sobriety points to spare. I ate the BBQ ribs, but none of the beers seemed to complement it that well. But I'll give it to them on their Pilsner and their Black Forest. It seems as if CC is not into taking too many chances. I would like to see something with a bit more kick. I can get pleasant local session beers on every corner, but would love to see more umph out of the brewpubs. Maybe DuClaws in Maryland (my first brewpub) I go to the New Orleans area about every 2 weeks (offshore engineering), so I'll try to get back out there one of these times.
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