getting the itch to brew

It's been about a year since I last brewed a beer, but I'm getting that itch again. You know, that certain twitch in your hand where you know you just HAVE to brew a beer! My last two batches were quite successful. I brewed an American IPA, and an American style Amber ale, both for our wedding rehearsal dinner one year ago (special shout-out to my wife for awesome bottle labels!).

My IPA

So far, I've only done amber ales and IPAs. Pictured to the right is my most successful IPA to date. I brewed that one about three years ago and I still dream about it. It screamed hops, and it was similar in style and flavor to the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. However, I want to do something different now. I'm thinking a sweet stout will suffice (since it's going to be 'winter' soon).

Sweet stouts are an interesting breed. When people hear 'stout', they usually just envision dark, heavy, and bitter (Guinness anyone?). However, sweet stouts don't need to be any one of those three. Most sweet stouts are lighter in color, lighter in body, and have a sweet flavor. Not only that, but they're usually lower in alcohol content, so they're good winter session beers.

For mine, I'm envisioning a rich, bold flavor (molasses or brown sugar during the boil?), maybe some coffee and chocolate flavors, and what about some honey? I don't know yet, but I'm already getting excited!

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brewdog heavyweights coming to whip-in

Update: Whip-In will be getting these beers in sometime next week, so stay tuned for more details!

Whether or not you're into the whole 'ABV (Alcohol by Volume) Wars' that's going on right now between BrewDog and Schorschbräu (the epic battle for the title World's Strongest Beer), it's still fascinating nonetheless. According to Whip-In, they will be receiving BrewDog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Sink the Bismarck. I don't know about you, but I'm very curious about how these taste. Not sure how much these will cost, but I'm guessing the Sink the Bismarck will set you back at least 30 bucks for one bottle. Is it worth it? Only one way to find out.

Brewdog is an award winning brewery out of Scotland. They are dedicated to brewing very strong and aggressive beers using quality ingredients. Check out their website and see for yourself. They definitely are not your typical brewers.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/brewdog-tactical-nuclear-penguin/114110/

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/brewdog-sink-the-bismarck/118414/

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jester king oak aged wild ale

Looks like Jester King needs more time, but I'm excited for this beer. I love wild ales and all of the exciting flavors they bring to the table. Hopefully Draught House picks up this Boxer's Revenge Farmhouse Provision Ale (love the name).

If you're not familiar with wild ales, check out this article about them. They are basically traditional, but sometimes very non-traditional, Belgian style ales that are exposed to open air during fermentation, rather than using a typical yeast strain. During this process, the ale 'spontaneously' ferments, which can lead to an endless array of aromas and flavors. It is a very difficult brew to master (probably the most difficult), as the brewer is bound to Mother Nature's grasp. If done right, though, wild ales can be almost magical.

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set your dvr

Fans of Dogfish Head and Sam Calgione, get ready! On November 21, Discovery Channel will be airing the premiere of Brew Masters. This is a show that will follow Sam and company around the world to find exotic ingredients and exotic techniques to keep up with their 'Off-Centered' ales theme. Dogfish Head has never disappointed, and I doubt they're about to begin now.

They also have a new Facebook page now to easily follow. Just go to facebook.com/brewmasters to learn more about this exciting new show!

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thirsty planet brewery tour

Very cool Welcome sign

On Saturday, my wife and I took a beautiful drive out to the Thirsty Planet brewery. When we arrived, we were greeted with smiles and pints (not a bad way to start off a Saturday morning).

When you walk into the brewery, you immediately notice a warm and welcoming feeling. The tasting room/bar is beautiful, and the bar itself was built by the brewmaster/owner's father-in-law. Local artwork filled the walls, and large windows behind the bar revealed the fermentation tanks.

We got to sample all three of their beers on tap. We started off with their Yellow Armadillo Wheat. It was light, crisp, and refreshing. This is a good gateway beer for people just getting into craft beer. Next was their Thirsty Goat Amber. This was a tasty amber ale with enough malt to give a nice sweet mouth feel, and enough hops to give a little 'bite' on the tongue. Last, and definitely not least, was their Bucket Head IPA. I love this beer. It's sweet, it's bitter, and has a great floral aroma from the Cascade hops they use. It actually reminded me of the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (which is also an amazing IPA).

Next, I would like to talk about the owners and staff. What a great group of people! Everyone was engaging, funny, nice, and most importantly, passionate about their beer. They're exactly the kind of people you'd want to sit and have a pint with. The tour itself was put on by Brian Smittle (owner/brewmaster). He was very engaging and informative. I asked about seasonal/experimental brews, and I'm excited to say that they are playing around with recipes already. They're also expecting a bottling line to start within the next couple of months (woohoo!).

So, if you have an open weekend, stop by their brewery. It's only about 10 minutes from downtown Austin, and it's a beautiful drive out there. Bring some friends and enjoy a pint in their beautiful tasting room. I know I can't wait to go back!

If you want to try a Thirsty Planet brew, but don't know where to go to get one, don't worry. I have a list of places around Austin that serve their brews. Check it out.

Servin' up some Thirsty Planet

Here are some more pictures from the visit.

The Tasting Room

Amarillo and Cascade hops

Pull up a stool

The Taps

Thirsty Planet

The Brewery

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jester king commercial suicide - attempt #2

During the Draught House 42nd Anniversary Party, I got to try Jester King's Commercial Suicide ale. It's an English Mild Ale, which means exactly that...it's mild. During the party, however, it did not live up to expectations. The carbonation was way off, and I don't know, maybe a bad batch?

Last night though, I went back to the Draught House and tried it again. It poured a deep copper red color, with a nice tan head that precipitated pretty quickly (nice carbonation this time!). Aromas were toasty, coffee, and almost porter-like. The flavors were very mild, toasty, but smooth. I ended up having 2 pints because I liked it so much. At 3.9% ABV, this is a perfect session beer during the fall season. I highly recommend grabbing a pint!

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