tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41217617703310585392024-03-13T11:16:37.883-05:00Drunken Borracho BrewingRandom postings from a female homebrewerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-89895013751607515712018-04-04T16:30:00.001-05:002018-04-04T16:30:16.207-05:00Do You Hear Crickets?Hi guys! I know it's been pretty quiet around here lately. That's because I'm finding it much more enjoyable to share my stories and interact with the awesome homebrewing community over on Instagram. Don't worry, I'm not shutting down this page, but until I figure out a way to integrate my IG posts into the website, it's going to stay quiet here. In the meantime, you can find me here: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/drunkenborrachobrewing" target="_blank">@drunkenborrachobrewing </a><br />
If you have an Instagram account, give me a follow to stay in the loop. If you don't have an account, that's ok! You don't need one to see my pics and read posts. However, you won't be able to comment on or like anything. I promise I'll get my shit together soon and figure out something that works for all of us! Your patience is appreciated!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Angelica<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-35020592694827789292017-12-05T09:17:00.000-06:002017-12-05T09:17:52.976-06:00Homebrew Hacks to Get You Out of a Pinch<i>Article originally written for and posted on <a href="https://www.brewdmag.com/homebrew-hacks/" target="_blank">Brewd Magazine</a></i> <br />
<br />
I’m sure every homebrewer has had their share of frustrating moments, no
matter their experience level. As much as we try to plan and prepare for
everything on brew day, Murphy’s Law will eventually kick in.<span id="more-2014"></span><br />
However, homebrewers are nothing if not creative, so I’ve compiled
this list of solutions to some common homebrew problems to help keep
your brew days running as smooth as possible.<br />
<h3>
<b>Dropped Something in the Wort?</b></h3>
Big pots, lots of steam, sweaty hands, slippery StarSan. You’re bound to drop something in the wort at least once during your homebrew journey. When it happens, don’t panic!<br />
If it’s something that won’t dissolve immediately in the liquid
(spoon, thermometer, measuring cup, cell phone), use a pair of tongs, a
slotted spoon, or mesh strainer to fish it out. Where you are in the brewing process will also determine if you need
to sanitize them first or not (though it wouldn’t hurt to do it anyway).
<br />
Worried that your beer is contaminated?<br />
Unless whatever fell in was disgustingly filthy, you can stop
worrying. If you dropped it in before or during the boil, the heat will
kill off any nasties. If you dropped it after the boil, it’s likely that
whatever fell in was already sanitized. If it wasn't, say a little prayer to the homebrew gods and hope for the best!
<br />
<h3>
<b>Still Using an Ice Bath to Cool Your Wort?</b></h3>
Hey, no judgement here, so do I! It’s not the most efficient way to cool wort, but sometimes we have to work with what we got.<br />
I’ve learned a couple tricks to speed up the cooling process.<br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<b>1.</b> Add rock/kosher salt to the ice bath to keep the water colder for a longer period of time.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<b>2.</b> If you have an auto siphon and
some extra tubing, use it to circulate the cold water into warmer spots
by manually pumping the siphon.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<b>3.</b> Drain excess hot water from the vessel containing the ice bath as the ice melts.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<b>4.</b> Finally, use a sanitized spoon
to stir the wort occasionally during the cooling process. This will help
keep the temperature of the wort even.</div>
<h3>
<b>Runaway Carboy Bung</b></h3>
If you have a stubborn bung that won’t stay in your carboy, there are a few things you can try.<br />
First, make sure that the bung and the opening on the carboy are dry
enough to get a good grip on each other. Wipe them with a clean, dry,
paper towel after sanitizing or simply allow ample time to air dry.<br />
If you’re having this issue during fermentation, make sure your
airlock or blow-off tube isn’t clogged. It could just be that the CO2
has nowhere to escape.<br />
If it still won’t stay, tape that mother down!<br />
Two long strips (one on either side of the airlock/blow-off tube
should do the trick). Make sure the strips are long enough to get a good
grip on the sides of the carboy, or the tape will just pop off, too.
The type of tape doesn’t matter, but to preserve your sanity during
cleanup, use something that won’t leave behind any sticky residue.<br />
<h3>
<b>Lost Carboy Bung</b></h3>
Aluminum foil is a great temporary solution.<br />
Rip a big piece off the roll and sanitize it. Wrap one side tightly
around the end of a blow-off tube, insert the tube into the carboy, then
secure the remaining foil around the mouth of the carboy. It’s not the
best, but it will buy you some time to track down your bung or go buy a
new one.<br />
<h3>
<b>Easy Temperature Control</b></h3>
An old t-shirt or towel is a cheap and easy way to keep fermentation temps down (and block out light).<br />
Wet it down with ice cold water or pop it in the freezer for a little
while, then put it on the carboy. If you’re using a towel, you’ll need
clips or tape to keep it securely wrapped. As the shirt/towel warms and
dries, spray it with ice water to keep it cold.<br />
You can also tuck ice packs or heating pads in between the wrap and the carboy if the fit is snug enough.<br />
<h3>
<b>Short on Priming Sugar?</b></h3>
<b> </b>If you’re lacking a few ounces of priming sugar on
bottling day, any other type of fermentable sugar you have in the
kitchen should do the trick; regular white sugar, honey, brown sugar.<br />
In small amounts, the flavor should not be affected.<br />
If you’re concerned about it, though, stick to plain white sugar, or
choose a substitute that will blend well with the flavor of the beer.
For example, brown sugar in a fruit beer.<br />
<b>Tip:</b> Avoid using confectioners (powdered) sugar, as it may contain cornstarch.<br />
<br />
Have any other tips or tricks you’d like to add? Share them below!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-88337267813003540832017-09-27T12:15:00.000-05:002017-10-10T13:27:10.650-05:004 Places to Buy Homebrew Equipment (Besides a LHBS)<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Note: You'll notice that this is a little different than what I usually write. That's because I originally wrote it for <a href="http://www.brewdmag.com/" target="_blank">Brewd Magazine</a>, a new website and homebrew resource that launched a few weeks ago. If you're a current homebrewer, or interested in starting up, check it out! There's a wealth of informational articles and recipes there, with much more to come. This is a new thing for me, so any feedback is also appreciated. Would you like to see more informational articles like this here, or are you happy with just reading my brew day adventures and ramblings? Let me know in the comments, and enjoy the article!</i> </div>
<hr />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
I’ve been brewing for a few years now, and a question I get asked pretty often by non-brewers is, “Where do you get all your supplies?” That answer used to be, “At my local homebrew supply store (LHBS).”<span id="more-1075"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">As of earlier this year though, the only LHBS within reasonable driving distance closed down, forcing me to get creative. Sure, I could just order stuff online, and I do just that for ingredients. For most of my equipment though, I prefer to shop in a physical store. This way I can inspect it, tinker with it, and feel the quality before I buy it. Especially if I’m going to be dropping a decent amount of cash on it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I’m sure there are many others in my current situation, which inspired me to put together a list of places, other than a LHBS, where homebrew equipment can be found.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
1. Yard Sales & Second Hand Stores</h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
These places are a major jackpot for equipment if you’re willing to put in the time to look for it. Many people start homebrewing only to give it up, or are gifted kits that never get used. Good equipment is being sold on the cheap for no other reason than to get it out of the garage. Their loss is your gain! Sure, it may be dusty or cruddy and in need of a really good clean. However, cleaning is essential for all new equipment, regardless of where it’s bought.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If cruising around town looking for yard sales or browsing the local Salvation Army store isn’t your idea of a fun weekend, go online. Craigslist turns up a whole lot of results for homebrew supplies. Not to mention one of the many Facebook Yard Sale groups bound to have what you’re looking for.</div>
<h4>
2. Sporting Goods Stores</h4>
When I decided to start using the Brew-In-A-Bag method, I went to the outdoor cooking section of my local sporting goods store and I did not regret it one bit!<br />
Advertised as a setup for a crawfish/seafood boiler, this now became my wort kettle and propane burner. I needed a mash paddle, so I grabbed the giant metal paddle hanging on the shelf next to the pot. Round replacement grill grates or rectangular fish baskets are perfect for resting the grain bag over the pot while it’s draining. When I was ready to step it up and buy a mash tun, you guessed it! I went to the sporting goods store, bought a cooler and converted it into a mash tun.<br />
<h4>
3. Hardware Stores</h4>
If you’re a DIY type of person, the hardware store is probably already your favorite place to go. While you’re there, why not buy parts to build some of your equipment? A quick internet search will turn up plans to construct hop spiders, carboy/bottle washers, brew stands, wort chillers, and much more. You may also be able to find your tubing here. Just make sure whatever you use for your build is food safe and easy to clean and sanitize.<br />
<h4>
4. Grocery & General Retail Stores</h4>
These stores are good places to find the little odds and ends that might make your brew day easier. The kitchen gadget aisle is the perfect place to start. Digital scales for measuring hop additions, turkey basters for drawing samples, cheesecloth for hop additions and mason jars for storing harvested yeast. Not to mention the many odds and ends such as measuring cups, mesh strainers, thermometers and funnels. Pots and lids will also come in handy for brewing small batches or preparing your priming sugar and yeast starters.<br />
Next up, the cleaning supply aisle. Bottle and small hose brushes, magic eraser sponges for removing those pesky labels from recycled bottles and Oxi-Clean for soaking your equipment.<br />
Finally, go down to the storage aisle and grab some containers to keep everything you just bought organized.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is not a comprehensive list, but I hope it’s enough to give you a jumping off point. Go shopping with brewing on your mind, and you’ll be surprised at what you can find. Granted, some of this stuff isn’t as nice as those beautiful Blichmann or SS Brewtech setups. It’s usually much cheaper, though, and the beer comes out just as good. Isn’t that what really matters?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-51417587087762399082017-07-28T11:36:00.000-05:002017-10-10T13:30:37.544-05:00#FABQSo I stumbled across this cool little project while binging on <a href="https://youtu.be/OU7bBhc6dKk" target="_blank">Tasting Nitch's YouTube</a> videos (If you don't know who she is, check her out! You won't regret it.). #FABQ stands for "Frequently Asked Beer Questions." It's a set of questions that *most* beer enthusiasts get asked at one point or another. The challenge is to make a video answering the questions, then tag 5 friends to do the same. It sounded like a fun way for all of you to get to know me a little better, so I decided to participate, but I'm bending the rules a little because videos just don't mix with my introverted self. So now that you know the game, here we go!<br />
<br />
<b>1. How did you get into beer geeking?/ Why beer?</b><br />
When the hubby and I first moved to Galveston in 2009, we discovered a store called Spec's that carried more types of beer than I even knew existed. Hubby made it his mission to try a new beer every time we went shopping there. I was resistant to it at first, but finally came to realize that not all beer tastes like piss (thank you, Shiner!). A few years later, we moved to California, and the rest is history!<br />
<br />
<b>2. What's your favorite beer?</b><br />
This is not an easy one to answer. It's like asking someone what their favorite book or movie is. It's like asking a mother which child is their favorite (OK, that might be a little extreme). When I get asked this question, I usually just say that I can't pick one, but I lean towards stouts and sours.<br />
<br />
<b>3. If you have one beer forever, what would it be?</b><br />
Again, a hard one to answer, but if I absolutely had to pick one, I guess it would be Shiner Bock. Because it was the brew that opened my eyes to the beauty of craft beer, it holds a special place in my heart. <br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>4. How can you drink so much? How do you stay healthy?</b><br />
<b> </b>I actually don't drink all that much? I don't drink every day, and usually don't have more than 2 beers at a time. I have gained some weight since I started this hobby, but I don't know if it's because of the beer or if it's because I've just crossed 30 and my metabolism is slowing down and hormones are weird. It's probably both, but mostly the beer. To keep it in check, I walk a lot, kayak occasionally, and have just started training to run my first 5k (pray for me!).<br />
<br />
<b>5. Are you an alcoholic? </b><br />
I actually wrote a small piece about this when I started my blog last year because I was getting some, ahem, "concerning looks" when I would express my passion with beer and brewing (read it <a href="http://www.drunkenborrachobrewing.com/2016/03/alcoholics-go-to-meetings.html?m=1" target="_blank">here</a>). I am definitely not an alcoholic. I'll give the answer I gave to a friend who is a recovering alcoholic and asked if I could stop drinking when I wanted: Yes, but I don't want to. I don't drink to get drunk, I drink to experience the flavors and appreciate the art of brewing. If I had to stop, I would be sad, but I wouldn't need help to do it. Besides, the great thing about being a homebrewer is that I could learn to make non-alcoholic beer! (Always looking for that silver lining)<br />
<br />
<b>6. What's your favorite ingredient? </b><br />
This is a question I don't think I've ever been asked, actually. I think I'd have to steal Nitch's answer and say yeast. Because without yeast, beer would not exist. We'd all just be drinking sweet wort. Yeast is the real hero here!<br />
<br />
<b>7. Do you brew? </b><br />
<b> </b>Um, duh! Why else would I be here writing this?<br />
<br />
<b>8. What was your first beer?</b><br />
<b> </b>Ready to cringe? My 1st beer was Smirnoff Ice. Yeah, I know, it's not technically beer, it's a <i>malt beverage, </i>but did you think I knew that back then? No. A friend asked if I wanted a beer, I said if it tastes the way it smells, no (referencing Budweiser). He said, "You'll probably like this one." and handed me the Smirnoff.<br />
<br />
<b>9. Who in the beer world do you look up to?</b><br />
I'd have to say Ashley Routson, aka The Beer Wench. I discovered her book,<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YDCXVWU/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank"> The Beer Wench's Guide To Beer</a>, when I was working at B&N, and was immediately smitten. At a time when I was questioning whether or not I, as a woman, could actually make a name for myself in the beer industry, Ashley was the proof that I was looking for. She no longer works in beer, but I still admire her so much.<br />
<b><br /></b>
Well, that's it! I really enjoyed answering these, so I hope you enjoyed reading the responses. To see who I tagged, visit my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drunkenborrachobrewing/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> page and check out the related post. And if you feel like participating, let me know so I can read your answers <br />
<b><br /></b>
Have a great weekend! 🍻<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-11496952165680028052017-07-09T18:22:00.000-05:002017-10-10T13:32:49.705-05:00Why Is the Floor Sticky?About a month ago, I experienced my biggest homebrew disaster to date. It started like any other bottling day: I took a final gravity reading, boiled the priming sugar, prepared the bottles, and racked <a href="http://www.drunkenborrachobrewing.com/2017/05/new-texican.html?m=1" target="_blank">New Texican</a> into the bottling bucket. I had to prop up the bucket just a little so my transfer tubing would reach the bottom, so I put it on top of a case of empty bottles, something I've done many times before. Racking went fine, and I moved the tubing from the auto-siphon in the carboy to the spigot on the bucket. I stood back up and was about to ask my husband to lift the bucket onto the counter (he's my muscle). Instead, what came out of my mouth, was "Oh no, no, nononono, shit!" as I watched a tsunami of beer flow across my dining room floor. It happened too fast for me to catch the bucket, and yet, it seemed like it fell in slow motion. I stood there in shock for a split second before both of us ran and grabbed every towel in the house to start sopping up the beer. I cried, I laughed, I bitched, I mopped (and mopped and mopped), and I bitched some more. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24gGuUnhSubRofygJH-fNj-BxN52g-X2zj6JiRHMUbUmCzVd_Uerk749TjjpC-ddkVqWjGajcHuWgvGERtc20gJ9sVfc_GPpmEgSHn8T8R-0zlaELYQlIkvMocMmRh1EdI-VZc1D4AKw/s1600/20170524_184425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24gGuUnhSubRofygJH-fNj-BxN52g-X2zj6JiRHMUbUmCzVd_Uerk749TjjpC-ddkVqWjGajcHuWgvGERtc20gJ9sVfc_GPpmEgSHn8T8R-0zlaELYQlIkvMocMmRh1EdI-VZc1D4AKw/s320/20170524_184425.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEFORE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROsJBxnbYbiaeOWY4RUxNy3aPpS1awVhD6LuPaeH5lzCWRjMTQv03RUlKeuQtGFw2p8_EL0_EdKCtRRCspIVlQ_SWUbSekggBwbG7pvggQmEmozjxCKeIgScXb76Zlv8f2s7rdiA6JQ8/s1600/IMG_20170524_194617_682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROsJBxnbYbiaeOWY4RUxNy3aPpS1awVhD6LuPaeH5lzCWRjMTQv03RUlKeuQtGFw2p8_EL0_EdKCtRRCspIVlQ_SWUbSekggBwbG7pvggQmEmozjxCKeIgScXb76Zlv8f2s7rdiA6JQ8/s320/IMG_20170524_194617_682.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AFTER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Losing the batch hurt, especially since I had such high hopes for it. Like every other brewing fail I've had, though, this tragedy taught me a few things:<br />
1. I should probably buy some longer tubing. If my tubing was longer, I wouldn't have had to prop up the bucket.<br />
2. Make sure the box I use to prop up the bucket is actually full. You see, the box I thought was full of bottles was actually missing a couple, and the empty part of the box crushed under the weight of the full bucket.<br />
2.5. Better yet, don't use a cardboard box full of glass to support a 5-gallon bucket full of precious beer.<br />
3. Putting a lid on the bucket would probably be wise. A lid wouldn't have stopped the bucket from falling, but it probably would have minimized the amount of beer that ended up on the floor. <br />
4. Our kitchen/dining room needs better flooring than wood laminate, preferably something waterproof. I cringe whenever think about what it might look like underneath those floorboards.<br />
5. I know A LOT of cuss words!<br />
<br />
The good thing about being a brewer is that I can always make more. So worry not, my friends, I do have plans to revisit New Texican in the future. In the meantime, I have a couple other brews in the works. The moral of today's story: Mistakes=learning, learning=better beer<br />
<br />
Love, peace, and hoppiness,<br />
🍻Angelica🍻<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-29803818289866474192017-05-10T18:51:00.002-05:002017-10-10T13:31:25.183-05:00New Texican Hey everybody! It's been a little crazy this week, but I finally made some time to sit down and write about the awesome brew day I had on Saturday. Why was it awesome? Well, not only was it Big Brew Day (read as: homebrewers all over the country celebrating the art of homebrewing), but it was also the very first time I got to brew at our new home! I was just going to brew a basic American Brown Ale using a kit from <a href="http://www.morebeer.com/" target="_blank">MoreBeer</a> (seriously love those guys!). However, special occasions call for special beer, and so New Texican Brown Ale was born!<br />
You're probably wondering, "WTF is a New Texican?" Well it's a word I made up to describe where I'm from. I am a native and proud New Mexican (yes, it's a state). I was born and raised in a little town called Española located in the northern part of the state. I LOVE New Mexico, but an interesting thing happened when my husband and I moved to Galveston, Texas back in 2009. I felt connected to Galveston and to Texas, like I belonged here. I even have a doppelganger here, according to several random strangers I've met through awkward conversations ("Oh hey, how are you?! I haven't seen you since high school." *confused look* "Didn't you go to Ball High?" "No . . ." "Oh sorry, haha, you look exactly like a girl I went to school with.") When we got transferred to California, I spent most of those 3 years homesick for Galveston. When we found out we were coming back, I almost cried because we were going home. "I thought New Mexico was your home?" Well, they both are. Thus the term, New Texican (seriously, if people can have dual citizenship, why can't we have dual state residency?)<br />
<br />
I wanted this beer to reflect both of my homes, so I tweaked the recipe kit a little. To represent my New Mexican side, I chose to add some red chile powder. Now, unless you're a New Mexican or have spent some time in the state, that would seem like a weird choice. Ask any New Mexican, though, and they'll tell you we put that shit on everything! Now don't start gagging. When I say chile, I'm not talking about the mix of spices, meat, and beans. I'm talking about chile peppers grown in New Mexico, dried and ground into powder. It's pure deliciousness and there's nothing more New Mexican than our chile! (Fun fact: New Mexico's official state question is "Red or Green?", referring to whether a person wants red or green chile with their meal.) To represent my Texas side, I chose to add honey from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">Gulf Coast Honey Bee Farms.</a> I needed something sweet to balance out the spice of the chile. Their hives are located in Galveston county, and what better way to capture the essence of a place than through the bees that fly all around it? A secondary reason for this choice is my husband's obsession with honey. Every time I say I'm ready to brew another batch, I get, "Can we put honey in it?" So this time it was a win-win!<br />
<br />
Brew day went great! We chose a shady spot near the garage, so much better than getting baked in the sun next to a busy swimming pool. I bought a drinking water hose to fill my brew pot from the spigot outside, so much better than lugging a bunch of gallon size water jugs down the stairs. We only had one neighbor ask, "Whatcha cookin?", and cleanup was a breeze! I had enough space to hose down all the bigger pieces of equipment and give them a light scrub, so much better than kneeling down by the tub and scrubbing away at a giant pot. The initial sample tasted great, just a hint of spice. I'm so excited for the final result, and to debut my new logo on the labels for this brew. The logo is also a play on the New Texican theme, but that's the only hint I'm giving!<br />
<br />
Head over to my Instagram page, @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/drunkenborrachobrewing/" target="_blank">drunkenborrachobrewing</a>, if you wanna check out pics and videos from our Big Brew Day. To my fellow homebrewers, drop me a line and let me know what kind of brewing activities you did to celebrate the weekend!<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
-AngelicaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-74601950158374429652017-03-24T08:57:00.001-05:002017-10-10T13:30:37.549-05:00Happy Birthday to DBB!A couple days ago (March 22nd) marked the 1st birthday of this blog, so naturally I've been reflecting on the events of the past year, and what a crazy one it's been!<br /><br /><br />Brewing and blog-wise, I wasn't as active this year as I wanted to be. My goals were to post something at least once per month and to brew just as often. I wanted to upgrade to a 3-tier all-grain system, add a few more carboys to accommodate my increase in brew days, explore barrel-aging, move from bottling to kegging, and find a job in the beer industry. Adulting got in the way of all the fun, and almost none of these things happened. I did buy one extra carboy and switched to all-grain in the form of Brew-In-A-Bag, which is better than nothing! It just so happened that the year I decided to get serious about my brewing, life threw us a few curveballs. If you know me personally, or have read my other posts, you know what those curveballs are, so I won't discuss them here.<br /><br />We did manage to close out the last 12 months on a high note, though, and finally bought a house a little over a week ago! It's in a great neighborhood, has a big yard for our doggies, and plenty of space. Best of all, it has a HUGE garage with a nice shelved area that I've already claimed for my brewery space (we aren't completely moved in yet, so pics will come later).<br />Needless to say, I am so excited about what's to come in Drunken Borracho's 2nd year! All the goals I didn't reach this year seem much more possible now, and I'm itching to crank out our first batch at the new place. If all goes according to plan, it will be my first entry to a homebrewing competition taking place in May (freaking out just a little!). <br />Of course, this blog would just be a journal if it wasn't for those of you who take the time to read it, so THANK YOU for joining me on this journey. I hope you all decide to stick around for a while. <br /><br />Cheers! <br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-69559407734076371212017-02-16T10:16:00.000-06:002017-10-10T13:32:49.711-05:00Whatcha Cookin?I said that when we moved to Texas, I was going to make the switch to all-grain brewing and upgrade my equipment, and I did- sort of. I had a full 3-tier system in mind when I said that, but limited storage in our apartment meant that I had to do something different. After a little bit of research, I opted for the Brew-In-A-Bag Method instead. All I needed was a big ass pot, a propane burner, mesh bag, and a paddle, so off to the store I went. This is when things got interesting. Anyone from the South knows that these items, minus the mesh bag, are also needed for crawfish and/or seafood boils. Crawfish season was already over when I was buying the stuff, so the guy in line behind me at the register got curious. The conversation went something like this:<br />
Guy: "Whatcha cookin?<br />
Me: "Beer"<br />
Guy: *laughs*<br />
Me: "Seriously, I homebrew"<br />
Guy: "Oh, you can do that?"<br />
Me, trying to pay and get out of the store: "Yup, it's fun. Have a nice day."<br />
<br />
Next step was to go to the homebrew supply for the mesh bag and ingredients. It was August, so I was buying stuff for the 2nd edition of our anniversary brew, 9 Year Itch. This was my 1st visit to the (only) shop in my area. They had everything I needed, and it was a good experience so far, so I decided to ask for advice. My last regular shop was a great place to ask questions and get tips and they never made me feel stupid for asking, so why should this place be any different, right? HA! <br />
Me: "This is my first try at BIAB, any tips for me?"<br />
Store Employee: "Yeah, don't do it." (Really?!)<br />
Me: "I have limited space, so this is pretty much my only option for all-grain right now."<br />
Store Employee: "That's too bad. Your efficiency is going to be really low. I would suggest getting a mash tun as soon as you can." <br />
<br />
Needless to say, I walked out of there a little disappointed. When I got home, I turned back to the good old Internet and homebrew forums and found a ton of pointers! (Not all HBS stores are created equal, my friends, but that's not the point of the story.) Flash forward to brew day. We decided to set up by the pool, which is close to our apartment, but far enough away to satisfy the 10-foot rule for open flames at the complex. August is HOT in Galveston, so as the day went on, lots of people <br />
passed through the pool area. Almost every time, we ended up in a conversation similar to the one I had at the store:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3uBGKU_ESs1zbntt44AVNpV-i9IayWsfP1VSxD9E6Sr2PK7S3FuK-PtViichgDHR1rIkHVggVtGWWIxHKw6xBuuFX-Iw_D_9PwaUVqHe1mSJJ6uQXBAmtbj4KXpG3N7U_W5lxBLZ1AU/s1600/FB_IMG_1471302689040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3uBGKU_ESs1zbntt44AVNpV-i9IayWsfP1VSxD9E6Sr2PK7S3FuK-PtViichgDHR1rIkHVggVtGWWIxHKw6xBuuFX-Iw_D_9PwaUVqHe1mSJJ6uQXBAmtbj4KXpG3N7U_W5lxBLZ1AU/s200/FB_IMG_1471302689040.jpg" width="112" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ51SNIN8dW1njiha9bAtSvyJgmsjz22f61gEn5V56wjkKLKrrsvufWWSrY3XCo8gRrARMlppSJX6mI2xcKZzxa9af7i14UVuebt-1njjenNULtfKgnG-iVgb3Rd3kYNxNye88gO06K8/s1600/IMG_20160815_170523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ51SNIN8dW1njiha9bAtSvyJgmsjz22f61gEn5V56wjkKLKrrsvufWWSrY3XCo8gRrARMlppSJX6mI2xcKZzxa9af7i14UVuebt-1njjenNULtfKgnG-iVgb3Rd3kYNxNye88gO06K8/s200/IMG_20160815_170523.jpg" width="200" /></a>People:"Whatcha cookin?"<br />
Us:"Beer"<br />
P:*cue laugh* "Really? Is that legal?"<br />
U: "Yeah, take a look."<br />
P:"Oh wow, that's cool!" Or "Well if you need a taste tester, I'm in Apt #___" *Wink, wink, awkward laugh.*<br />
(I joke about it, but I really love people's reactions, and you know I love talking about beer and brewing to anyone that asks.)<br />
<br />
The brew session went well, and we made it to the waiting period. Now, 9 Year Itch is a big beer at an estimated 9% ABV, so I expected it to take some time. I didn't expect to learn a lesson about stuck fermentation. I check my numbers at 2 weeks and 3 weeks in before I bottle, just to make sure fermentation is over and my target has been reached. Well, after 4 weeks, my gravity readings were still the same as week 2, and way too high for the beer to be considered done. Back to the internet, and it was confirmed- fermentation was stalled, but there was a way to start it back up again! All I had to do was add more yeast, Saison yeast to be exact. This strain is a monster and will eat any fermentable sugar in the wort, even if conditions are less than perfect. 2 weeks after adding it to the carboy, my numbers were right where I needed them to be, and it was time to bottle. Well, due to the extra samples I took before I realized fermentation had stalled, as well as the extra trub from the 2nd yeast addition, I lost about a gallon worth of beer. Did I factor this is when I was preparing the priming sugar? Of course not! In fact, I used extra because I wanted it to have the high carbonation levels characteristic of Belgian beers. Luckily, I didn't get any bottle bombs in the batch, but the majority of them were gushers. We have learned, and instructed everyone who got a bottle, to open the bottle over the sink and immediately pour it into the largest cup they could find (so much for proper glassware). I'm also lucky that none of these issues affected the taste in a bad way, there was just less of it to enjoy. The beer was still delicious, and we are down to our last few bottles.<br />
<br />
The moral of the story: brewing comes with its share of challenges, but it's always worth it in the end. And that's why I love it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9OiOBXFnpCy34RJ_bwEkL60VuGX9sHMVHyYYaSaU95USBPOFbkrT-a08tSlbze5MNHvW9PSWxfJbmR5ZwzQ8rKAIViC1ylYO4xRdFUirR9wU1egzdJvuxSu49FtKYsPZseftmynp4Ms/s1600/IMG_20160815_170523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECTuGRE13_x8jxeMQxWvNLIsT2oLaLLUDcxGG8tvR8Qo3mUEuYmMSe_ol7MWBvSYpGv5cuGKKSAt4OX_Hgi5h1_22h5zz6jsMMncD1e10M-3EuylrBfEYuOKjngLRKS5C1C6H7quNhgg/s1600/tmp_23789-IMG_20161030_144343-1433543021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECTuGRE13_x8jxeMQxWvNLIsT2oLaLLUDcxGG8tvR8Qo3mUEuYmMSe_ol7MWBvSYpGv5cuGKKSAt4OX_Hgi5h1_22h5zz6jsMMncD1e10M-3EuylrBfEYuOKjngLRKS5C1C6H7quNhgg/s320/tmp_23789-IMG_20161030_144343-1433543021.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>CHEERS!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-50638445259756374802016-11-29T13:31:00.002-06:002017-10-10T13:30:37.533-05:00Did You Miss Me?I'm finally back! Last time we hung out, <a href="http://www.drunkenborrachobrewing.com/2016/04/moving-sucks.html?m=1" target="_blank">I was getting ready to move</a> from California to Texas with my Coastie husband. Well, let's just say our move turned out to be much more . . .eventful than we had planned. It started off with the discovery that our travel trailer (and home for the next few months) had been stolen from its storage space. Along with that came all the fun of changing plans, filing police reports, dealing with insurance, and deciding what the hell we were gonna do for a place to live when we got to our destination. <br /><br />With everything that was going on, I was worried that 9 Year Itch wouldn't be brewed on time to qualify as our anniversary beer, because who wants to brew beer in a hotel room? After going through plans B,C,D,E, and F, though, we finally got into an apartment and brewday was only postponed by 3 days, mostly due to the heat. I'll give more details on that in my next post. <br /><br />So here we are, 6 months after my last post and 5 months after arriving in Galveston. In that time, we've managed to have some actual fun in between all the crap we had going on. We've brewed 2 batches of beer (3 if you count my little 1 gallon batch of ginger beer), attended a 3-day beer fest, several Oktoberfest celebrations, reestablished our status as regulars at our favorite bar, and visited a few breweries that popped up since we've been gone. Clearly, I have a lot to write about, so the posts should be a little more regular now. Thanks for being patient while I got my shit together!<br />
<br />
Wanna see pics of our adventures while waiting for the next post?<a href="https://www.instagram.com/drunkenborrachobrewing/" target="_blank"> Click here to go to my Instagram profile.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-19290307035093813232016-06-01T09:41:00.002-05:002017-10-10T13:30:37.523-05:00Can't We All Just Get Along?A few days ago, I was driving to Reno to attend a wedding, and saw some Budweiser billboards that left a bad taste in my mouth. One said "Not A Fad," the other, "Not Overdone." It seems that the Super Bowl ads they put out for the last two years didn't satisfy their need to continually bash on the craft beer industry, so they've decided to continue the shit talking through billboards.<br />
<br />
Normally, I wouldn't let things like this bother me, but they're talking about something I'm passionate about. Craft beer is anything but a fad, and it sure as hell is not overdone. The craft beer industry is a place for creativity and constantly pushing limits. It's not for sissies, as Budweiser insinuates in their ads. We know what it is to "brew the hard way." There are a lot of failed experiments and stories of things gone wrong, especially in homebrewing. Craft beer is also a very supportive industry, from what I've seen. Brewers collaborate with each other, promote each other, and celebrate each other. A fair share of them are buddies that started as homebrewers with a dream, and worked hard to get where they are today. Most homebrewers wouldn't think twice about sharing tips and tricks with others. <br />
<br />
So to Budweiser, I ask- why the hate? Sure, you're a huge macrobrewery and proud of it, but you had to start somewhere, just like the rest of us. I know you get bashed on by beer snobs, too. That's no reason to target an entire industry. Not all of us judge (or even care about) the beer choices of others. Everyone is free to drink what they want. So why not take a note from your booming competition and show some class and support, rather than alienating yourselves from a great bunch of passionate people? <br />
<br />
By the way, you readers may have noticed that I didn't include any pictures or video links to the ads in this post. That was on purpose, because I don't want to help spread their message any more than I already have. If you're really that curious, though, a quick Google search will show you all you need to see.<br />
<br />
To end on a positive note, I had the opportunity to taste yet another one of those so-called "overdone" craft beers at the wedding I went to. Props to <a href="http://www.greatbasinbrewingco.com/site/" target="_blank">Great Basin Brewing Company</a> for their Wild Horse Ale (altbier)! I only wish the keg would've lasted long enough for me to have more than one serving.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-29021866050600370972016-04-23T15:08:00.002-05:002017-10-10T13:30:37.528-05:00Moving Sucks<div dir="ltr">
My husband and I have moved around a few times during the 8.5 years we've been married (one of his occupational hazards), and it always sucks. The packing, the cleaning, the hours of driving, searching for a new place- it can get old quick. This time, there's an added (but welcome) complication, and it's name is homebrewing. Why does it make things complicated? I'm glad you asked . . .</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<b>Complication #1: It makes me feel like a hoarder.</b></div>
<div dir="ltr">
One of the things I'm usually pretty good about is not accumulating too much stuff, because I know it'll all have to be packed up eventually. I also try to purge the house of unneeded items at least once per year. Those things kinda went out the window when I started brewing, though. It used to be that all my equipment fit nicely in the little cardboard box the kit came in. Then came the upgrade: a huge 6.5 gallon glass carboy, bottling bucket, several cases of empty glass bottles, various tubes, siphons, funnels, bottling tools, you get the point. I ended up commandeering one of my husband's shelving units in the garage, then eventually traded that one out for something bigger when the cases of finished product and our growing stash of cellared beer didn't fit on the small shelves anymore. When it came time to start purging, I knew my brewing space was no exception. Remember those cases of empty bottles? The logical part of my brain said, "Why are you going to lug all those empty bottles across the country? It's stupid, just get rid of them." The brewing side of my brain said, "It took you weeks of saving and hand washing bottles to build up this collection! Don't throw them, you'll just have to start over again. You'll use them eventually, anyway." After the silent panic attack, the logical side won, and into the recycle bin they all went. I'm not gonna lie, it hurt a little to let them go. And while I'm pretty sure <a href="http://www.drunkenborrachobrewing.com/2016/03/alcoholics-go-to-meetings.html" target="_blank">I'm not an alcoholic</a>, I sure as hell looked like one after throwing out about 48 bottles at once. That eliminated some of the load, but I still have about 2 cases of home brew (if you want to take some off my hands, let me know) and a case of beer from assorted breweries that do not distribute where we're going (you can't have any of those, sorry) in addition to all of my equipment. I wasn't willing to purge anything else. It takes baby steps, people.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<b>Complication #2: Moving awakens my OCD tendencies</b></div>
<div dir="ltr">
I've heard enough horror stories about moves gone wrong that it makes me picky about the things that I let the moving crews touch. You never know what condition your stuff will be in when it gets to the other side, or if it will even make it there at all, so anything that I can't bear to lose gets packed neatly into plastic bins and comes with us instead. It should come as no surprise that when we got word of our upcoming move, my first thought was, "There's no way I'm letting the movers touch my brewing equipment!" Not only is all that shit expensive to replace if it gets broken or lost, I was a little skeeved out by the thought of my clean and sanitized stuff being touched by multiple hands and collecting who knows what kind of microbes in that dirty moving truck. Nope, I was going to take control. If I packed all the stuff very carefully in a clean bin and brought it with us, the only person I could blame if something went wrong was myself. I bought the biggest bin I could find at the store, but thanks to the bulky shapes of the carboys and bucket, it didn't all fit. So I ended up with a big bin, a smaller bin, and a few cardboard boxes. Add this to the 2 or 3 bins of other stuff from the house that I don't trust anyone else to touch, and it's pretty safe to say our vehicles are going to be packed tight! So much for not accumulating too much stuff.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-V7le9B-pkQFzICpZDhd2STw5ieG4zeFPYAnqc2AFl9VdefMINTXitoEGbkK8Pec-OouC6B_suxOKmfRDkeLWsFDigKexYgTnlOFMGYIaIg7ZaGwzff7m9TGWxBxdK2vXrxgS6qormc/s1600/20160404_185436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-V7le9B-pkQFzICpZDhd2STw5ieG4zeFPYAnqc2AFl9VdefMINTXitoEGbkK8Pec-OouC6B_suxOKmfRDkeLWsFDigKexYgTnlOFMGYIaIg7ZaGwzff7m9TGWxBxdK2vXrxgS6qormc/s200/20160404_185436.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyLVpIpdnfuGNykAVRMh15luq43tzBHahS63rSiRQrxKAGCaM81k-QYQT_Hc-rR0AGjWWiBl6IorYxte7pYbk8E8pdnYu_WILhEUsbeUUds6vlRbqT9pl3u97YBJUQH0NCkn_ZuRv09M/s1600/20160404_185509_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyLVpIpdnfuGNykAVRMh15luq43tzBHahS63rSiRQrxKAGCaM81k-QYQT_Hc-rR0AGjWWiBl6IorYxte7pYbk8E8pdnYu_WILhEUsbeUUds6vlRbqT9pl3u97YBJUQH0NCkn_ZuRv09M/s200/20160404_185509_001.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<b> Complication #3: I CAN'T BREW!!!</b></div>
<div dir="ltr">
This might be the worst one of all. It's like an itch I can't scratch. I have a growing list of styles and recipes that I want to brew and can't, because everything is packed away. Sure, I could unpack everything if I really wanted to, but the logical side of my brain is in control right now, and it says no. On top of that, operations will probably still be on hold for a few months after we get to our destination, since we will be living out of an RV until we find a house. I'm trying really hard to stay strong. Hopefully, I'll be back up and running by our wedding anniversary, so I can work on <a href="http://www.drunkenborrachobrewing.com/2016/03/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-or.html" target="_blank">9 Year Itch!</a> For now, I'm living vicariously through others via Instagram. Leave me your username or follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drunkenborrachobrewing/" target="_blank">@drunkenborrachobrewing</a> if you want to support my efforts ;-)</div>
<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-35629632060843547802016-04-12T18:55:00.000-05:002017-10-10T13:33:02.510-05:00That Time I Tried To Make A Sour<div dir="ltr">
Tried is the key word in that title. What I actually made was . . . something weird. Settle in, because this story is gonna take a little while. <br />
Let me start by saying that I LOVE sour beers! I've been a fan since I had my first one at Ale Industries’ place, The Pig & The Pickle (which is now closed, unfortunately). I wish I could remember what it was called, but this was 3 years ago, when I was still a young grasshopper in the world of craft beer. For those of you who are not familiar with the style, a sour beer is created by using wild yeast strains during fermentation or by introducing bacteria to the brew liquid. It sounds bad, but the results can be very tasty if it goes right. The majority of them are very tart, which is why they appeal to me. I grew up in the age of Warhead candies, and ate those suckers til I had cuts in my tongue. That being said, it was definitely a style I wanted to take a stab at, but I felt very intimidated by the whole thing. Brewing in itself can be a gamble, but sours are in high stakes territory. They can take months, or even years, to develop the correct flavors and you really have to be on top of your sanitation game to prevent infections in future non-sour batches. I did what I do best and started my research to decide how to approach the project. Luckily, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine had just released an issue dedicated to sours. One of the articles mentioned a method called kettle souring, which can produce results in weeks rather months. It involved using plain yogurt to sour the beer, since it contains lactobacillus, a common bacteria used in sours (link <a href="https://beerandbrewing.com/Vl3R4x4AANIFxE5l/article/brewers-perspectives-more-than-one-way-to-sour-a-beer">here</a> if you're curious). It sounded simple enough, so I got more details from <a href="http://www.notsoprofessionalbeer.com/2013/09/brewing-with-yogurt.html?m=1">this post</a> on the Not So Profesional Beer Blog. I knew I wanted to do a small batch, just in case I ended up having to dump it. My regular homebrew store had some 1 gallon kits on super clearance, so I picked out a brown ale, got some extra supplies to replace the ones I was about to infect (plastic really likes bacteria), and picked out a yeast blend that contained even more lactobacillus. <br />
One of the first steps in this yogurt method was to grow a culture. As per the instructions, I mixed a little dry malt extract with water and poured in the clear liquid from the top of the yogurt container. I had to find a way to keep this mixture warm and cozy for several hours so the culture could grow. After ruling out a few different methods, I settled on using my wax warmer as a hot plate (they're not just for keeping your house smelling good anymore, folks!). This mixture went into the wort, which had to sit for a few days at around 100 degrees. I have a gas stove, and didn't feel comfortable leaving it on the burner or in the oven, so in the slow cooker it went. After about 3 days, it started smelling a little sour (in a good way, not the "how old is this milk?" way). The taste wasn't quite there, but I figured that would come with time. I finished off the brewing process, set it in the garage and tried to forget about <u>it</u>. After an agonizing 3 months of waiting and peeking and taking gravity readings, I bottled it and let it condition for about another month.<br />
Finally, tasting day had arrived. It was pretty bad, guys! The carbonation level was like pouring a beer over an Alka-Seltzer tablet, and the taste was odd, to say the least. In my husband's words, it tasted like "a sour Miller Lite." To me, it tasted like a cheap beer with a ton of salt in it. I'm not exactly sure where I went wrong, though I can think of a few things that could've contributed.<br />
<ul>
<li>Not being patient enough</li>
<li>Using ingredients from a kit on clearance, probably not the best quality.</li>
<li>Not being patient enough</li>
<li>I had to move the carboy at one point and may have disturbed the pellicle (a layer that forms over the top, protects the wort from oxygen)</li>
<li>Not being patient enough</li>
<li>I dropped a straw in the carboy while trying to get a sample for measurements and couldn't get it back out (don't ask)</li>
<li>Not being patient enough</li>
<li>Could've used more yogurt or let the culture grow a little longer</li>
</ul>
<br />
This was a huge learning experience for me, and when the sting of making my first crappy beer wears off, I will definitely attempt a sour again. For now, I have a few bottles left of this . . .thing in the garage. I crack one open every once in a while to see if it improves or changes over time. So far, it doesn't look very promising.<br />
If there are any other brewers reading this, I'd love to hear your suggestions, tips, dos and don'ts, stories regarding sours. Until next time, friends.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-50812500836480822542016-03-30T23:21:00.000-05:002017-10-10T13:30:37.539-05:00Alcoholics Go To Meetings<div dir="ltr">
It happens to everyone- you find something you're passionate about, and it seeps into all areas of your life. It's like being in new relationship. If you're not doing it (giggety-gigetty), you're thinking about it or talking about it. The behavior is normal and everyone expects it, unless that passion is beer. When you love beer, sometimes people think you need help. To a complete stranger, I can see how it may look that way.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
-My phone, Facebook, and Instagram accounts are filled with pictures of beer glasses, bottles, and breweries (oh my!). <br />
-Beer bottles with cool labels and German steins are part of our home decor.<br />
-We have tons of merchandise collected from the various breweries we've visited. <br />
-I have an entire shelf (and growing) of beer/homebrew related books & magazines, plus an entire shelving unit in the garage dedicated to my brewing equipment, cases of homebrew, and "special" bottles of beer that I'm not ready to open yet. (I would include a picture, but at the moment, it's all packed up. More on that later). <br />
-During a recent staff meeting, employees were asked to bring a book that inspired them. I brought a book about, you guessed it, beer!</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Yes, I drink a lot, but I rarely get drunk. It's part of my research. How can I know what I want to brew or how a style is supposed to taste & look unless I try it myself? Still, I can't tell you how many times I've uttered the phrase "I swear I'm not an alcoholic" because someone is looking at me funny while I'm describing our latest brewery visit.<br />
What's my point in all this? You can all stop worrying! A person can love beer and not need to attend a meeting. Besides, AA is for quitters, and I don't intend on giving up on brewing any time soon. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-72045761627542716012016-03-24T17:55:00.000-05:002017-10-10T13:31:25.205-05:00The Gift That Keeps on Giving or The Complications of Brewing Alone<div dir="ltr">
If you can't already tell by the nature of this blog, I'm not the typical wife. I'm a pretty low maintenance person in general, so I don't need big celebrations for birthdays and anniversaries. My idea of a good time is stuffing my face with sushi, watching a movie, and hitting up our favorite brewery. Flowers are optional, and the hubby knows better than to buy me any jewelry. Despite all of this, he still manages to spoil me rotten every occasion. Last year, I finally had a chance to do the spoiling . . .<br />
Hubs had to go on a business trip for several months, one of which contained our anniversary. So what's a girl to do when her other half isn't around to celebrate a special occasion? Make beer, of course! I consulted The Brewmaster's Bible and found a recipe for a Belgian Tripel, one of his favorite beer styles. While checking out at the homebrew supply, the conversation with the guy behind the counter went something like this:</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Guy: "So what are you making?"<br />
Me: "A Belgian Tripel"<br />
Guy: "That's a pretty big beer!"<br />
Me: "Well, it's for a special occasion. I'm brewing it to surprise my husband for our anniversary." <br />
Guy: "Oh, that's so cool!"</div>
<div dir="ltr">
The look on his face when he realized that I was the one doing the brewing, and wasn't just there to pick up supplies for my husband: priceless! He wasn't lying though, this beer was a tall order. The higher alcohol content of the beer meant it was going to need longer to ferment and the style calls for higher carbonation levels, making it prone to bottle bombs during conditioning. Add in the fact that this was the very first beer that I would be brewing completely on my own and wasn't using a pre-assembled kit, and it's safe to say I was freaking out about it just a little. To calm my anxiety, I did what I do best and researched my little heart out. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
Anniversary/brew day came, and everything went pretty well. I had to make a couple adjustments to account for the fact that I didn't have my muscle around to do the lifting (5 gallons of beer is really heavy!), but I'm happy to report that I didn't drop or break anything, including my toes. Four weeks later, and it was time to bottle. This did not go as smoothly. Three quarters of the way into siphoning out the beer from the carboy, my auto-siphon stopped auto-siphoning. They're great time savers and I highly recommend them, but the plastic piece that makes it "auto" is extremely fickle. Apparently, I had knocked it loose at some point during the process. I still had over a gallon of beer left in the carboy, and I wasn't about to waste it (can you say alcohol abuse?). So after a few choice words, I started pumping the siphon by hand. That didn't work very well either. Tired of feeling like I was in an episode of Little House On the Prairie, I said screw it and stopped pumping. I picked up the carboy and *very carefully* poured the rest of the beer into the bucket. Anybody who brews knows this is a HUGE no-no, but it was over a gallon of beer! I had already poured enough priming sugar solution into the bottom of the bucket for 5 gallons, so leaving out that much beer was guaranteed to produce a crapload of bottle bombs. I figured a little bit of extra sediment at the bottom of the bottles was a good trade-off. After <i>finally </i>getting it all bottled, I waited and waited. Since I decided that I wasn't going to open a bottle until our late anniversary celebration, all I could do was hope that I didn't screw everything up. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
Many weeks later, the big day had arrived! We said a little prayer to the homebrew gods, and cracked open a bottle of 8 Year Itch (can you guess which anniversary we were celebrating?). Guys, it was awesome! The color was great, carbonation was perfect, and it went down dangerously smooth for an 8% ABV beer. It was officially the best anniversary present that my husband had ever received, according to him, and made me "the cool wife" to all his buddies. I still get compliments on it from friends that have tried it. The success of this beer means I definitely have to make it again, so a new tradition has been born. This fall, look out for a report on 9 Year Itch.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Ok, I promise I'm done typing now. Cheers, guys, thanks for hanging out!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121761770331058539.post-39451378337505195952016-03-22T23:03:00.002-05:002017-10-10T13:31:25.194-05:00How Barnes & Noble Started My Homebrewing ObsessionYeah, you read the title right. I know, B&N isn't exactly known for their expertise in homebrewing. In fact, I find their section on beer to be extremely lacking. They do, however, sell really good quality homebrewing kits from <a href="http://www.craftabrew.com/" target="_blank">Craft A Brew</a>. Also, since I currently work at B&N, I was able to buy it at a really good price using my employee discount (This is probably a good time to mention that I am NOT being paid by either of these companies to plug the product, I was just that happy with it).<br />
My husband had been toying with the idea of homebrewing for a while, so 2 Christmases ago, I surprised him with the Hefeweizen kit. We brewed the first batch together, mostly because the hubby doesn't like to read directions, and waited. I was pretty skeptical about the outcome because of a few horror stories I heard from friends. To my surprise, the hef was very tasty (similar to a Widmer). Being the science nerd that I am, I wanted to brew another batch from a recipe rather than a kit, just to make sure it was the process that made good beer, and not just the kit. We went to a local homebrew shop, where they gave us a recipe for a Smoked Porter. We brewed it together, and waited. Another success! By the time that batch was gone, we had official caught the brewing bug, and the one gallon kit just wasn't cutting it for us anymore. We made trip #2 to the homebrew shop, and walked out with a complete 5 gallon brewing kit and a recipe kit for a Stout (we like our dark beers). This is when the fun really began . . .<br />
Let's just say that the margin of error grows with the batch size. This beer wasn't as successful this time around. Again, my inner nerd kicked in, and I went into research mode to figure out what went wrong. I bought a few books, scoured the internet, and a monster was born! The more I read, the more I fell in love. The science behind it intrigues me, and the freedom it lends satisfies the creative itch that I couldn't scratch with anything else. I can do anything I want in homebrewing, and no one can say it's wrong. Don't even get me started on how I feel when people taste my beer and like it! That's a post for another day.<br />
Well, I think that's enough for one night. Thanks for reading . . .Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0