Checking In

Have you ever started something a long time ago, but then you move on and don't look back? I've done this with this blog, unfortunately. I started out with a gusto to document everything here as I tried new things and explored the world of Craft Beer. And for a long time, I did that. I would carefully and slowly drink each new beer and take notes before photographing the bottles and finally writing up a post about what I drank. It was fun.

Last month marked the 10th Anniversary of this blog. The date came, and the date went without me even thinking twice about it. In fact, it's been 6 years since I even made my last post. I'm still on this journey, and I still love trying new beers, but it's hard to keep up a blog when simply checking what I drink into Untapped is so much faster and simpler.

Despite all that, I still like looking back at this blog and remembering where everything started. I've updated my Beer List with some of my more recent brews. If this link works, you can view everything I've checked in on Untapped here: https://untp.beer/EEOXP

Apple Pie Cyser Mead

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, but I also haven't had a lot to post about. I've tried a few new beers here and there, but not to the extent I used to. In fact, I don't even recall the last time I did a pick-6 at all, let alone with something new...

But that's not what this post is about. Early last year, I started to collect the ingredients to make an Apple Pie Cyser from the recipe I found on Russ Whalley's website. Finally, on October 28, 2015, I brewed up a 3 gallon batch.

And they're off (October 28, 2015)

Making this mead taught me a few things:

1. Yeast expires - The yeast I have "expired" in 2014 and I didn't realize that until after it was pitched into the mead. After a few days with little to no activity, I looked at the remaining packets closer and saw the date. Needless to say, each gallon jug received at least another yeast packet each to use up all the remaining yeast. After that, it took off.
2. Spices = foam - This was the first real Metheglin (a mead with spices) I've made, so I didn't know just how much the extra spices would cause it to foam. You can see in the photo above that my airlocks are filled with the foam. I had to clean them out several times in the first few weeks as they kept foaming over. My counter and cabinets were also covered in a nice sticky film (my wife loved that part...).

I let it sit in primary for about a month. By then, I had acquired a 5 gallon bottle (garage sale for 25 cents = WIN!) and I siphoned the cyser into it (along with adding the juice concentrate and extra honey) and it's been sitting there ever since.

I took a quick taste around Christmas last year after it had been sitting in secondary for about a month and was worried about it. Something just didn't taste right, but I know from experience that meads get better with time so I waited. Fast forward another month and I decided to take a pull to a friends house for the first "real" tasting. It turned out amazing.

It's not too sweet and not too tart. The spices are fairly mellow, but you can get the good flavor from it. It's a bit dryer than I expected it to be, but it's still very nice. And the clarity is beautiful. For future batches I really need to get a hydrometer so I can measure the ABV. I don't know where it landed, but a full wine glass worth leaves you feeling good. :) And I definitely prefer it chilled.

Even after the rough start and some lessons learned, I believe I will be trying this mead again in the future. I'm not one to pat myself on the back, but I'll make an exception for this. :)

Our First Homebrews

This poor neglected blog is so sad now. It's been so long since I've done a pick-six to talk about and keep track of. Most of what I've been drinking are beers I've already put down my thoughts about. I have what's left of a Toe Head sixer in my fridge right now. Before that, I had an Abita Sample Pack. Great beers, but nothing new to "write home about".

But going into a sad, pitty-party isn't what I'm writing about today. I actually have something exciting to share: homebrew beers!

Late last year, my wife and I joined a small Bible Study group with 3 other families. Our host has been brewing meads for a long time and has been wanting to brew beer. With that simple thought, and some discussion, the four guys pooled our money and bought the supplies for 3 batches of homebrew:

1. Bourbon Barrel Stout
2. Oatmeal Cream Stout
3. Chocolate Cream Stout

The Bourbon Barrel Stout was our first experience brewing. It was a lot of fun, even though most of the time was spent sitting around a boiling pot of water / mash. The camaraderie made it a good day. The kit we bought came with a couple of ounces of Jack Daniels Bourbon Barrel cubes that were supposed to go in the fermenter after racking it once or twice. While we were waiting for the primary fermentation to complete (which took about a month) we soaked the chips in Knob Creek Bourbon (minus a few shots to "make room"). We also added two whole vanilla beans to the bourbon for something a little extra.

This batch was made at the end of January and it's still aging. I've been told it needs a little more time still, but that it's turning out amazing so far. I didn't keep track of all the gravity readings and such (our fearless leader / mastermind did all that), but it will wind up being between 8 and 9% ABV. I should mention that when we added the barrel chips, the whole bottle of bourbon went in too. :-)

A few weeks after making the first batch, we brewed up the Oatmeal Cream Stout. We definitely had an easier time with the second batch and it didn't seem to take as long, but we had a heck of a time keeping the temperature of the mash regulated and the thermometer wound up sitting in a cooler part of the pot. By the time we realized it, the rest was far too hot and we were honestly worried we had burned it and ruined the grains. Fortunately it turned out amazing. If memory serves me right, this one had about 6 - 7% ABV.

While we were brewing the Chocolate Stout last month, we bottled this one up and quickly realized that a 5 gallon batch may seem like a lot, but when split 4 ways, each of us only went home with a 6 pack apiece plus the pint we had while brewing.

The final batch we brewed and that is currently fermenting next to the aging Bourbon Barrel is the Chocolate Cream Stout. This dude has a ton of chocolate in it. It took 1 pound of cocoa powder and 1 pound of dark brown chocolate. Plus, once it's racked a time or two, we will be adding more cocoa nibs to it. (The cocoa nibs are currently soaking in more brandy.)

This one too had us worried. Before we poured it into the fermenter, we took a small taste and it was so bitter and gritty. We knew the grit would settle, but the bitter was concerning. Fortunately, after a few weeks, it's much better and should be awesome after sitting for a few months. ABV estimates for this one are (I believe) between 9 and 10% and that was before we got the idea to soak the nibs in brandy!

Looking into the future, we're already beginning discussions and plans for brewing larger batches of beer in the 15 gallon range. It's a lot of work put in for a six-pack coming out. I did the math and it worked out to about $1.40 per bottle. That's comparable to most craft prices, but we can do it cheaper. With the larger batches, we will be buying our grain and malt in bulk which will save us money and reduce the cost.

As for what to brew, I don't know yet. I'm trying to talk them into an IPA, but I'm the only IPA guy in the group. Fortunately, I enjoy a good stout too. Still, I may need to introduce them to Firestone's Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA.

Well, that's all for now. The way things go, I'll catch up with you in 6 months or so... :-/

Failed Experiment with Simha

As I stated in my last post, I found and tried a recipe for a drink called Simha. I'm not 100% sure I did it right, but the results I got weren't good. In fact, it was downright bad. I let it sit for a few days like the directions said and it barely did anything. It fermented a little and the raisin "submarines" floated up and down, but the drink never tasted good. Even several days afterwords, all I had was a lemon-sugar water. Maybe I did something wrong, or maybe I didn't use the right kind of sugar / yeast, but I won't be returning to this drink.

I've already moved on and set my sights on the next Mead creation: an Apple Pie Cyser Mead.

Several of us are also going to be joining forces to brew a few Stouts here in the near future as soon as I can muster up a little extra cash to help chip in with expenses.

Trying an Experiment with Simha

Found an interesting resource for mead making here, and as I was browsing the site, I came across a recipe for something called Simha. Never heard of it before, but the recipie was the definition of simple, so I figured even though it's not a mead, what the heck.

So tonight, I washed one of my gallon jugs and boiled the ingredients together. I've got it cooling down now so I can add the yeast when it's ready and let it ferment in the jug. No idea what I'm getting myself into, but I should know within a few days. I guess this is one that needs to be drank young. I like the notes on the recipe page: when it smells like vomit, set it aside for 6 months and you'll have something very dry and tasty. So it's either drink it quick or in it for the long haul.

The recipe is located here.

Wish me luck!

Catching Up

It's been a while since I've posted on here, but I have been posting my drinking adventures via the Uptappd app. I'm liking the social aspect of the app, but I don't want to neglect this blog either, so this post is a catch-up to get everything back up to speed. I'll try to do this more often so they aren't as long in the future...

Orange Shandy

Had the most interesting beer last night. It was an Orange Shandy from Leinenkugel. I've had several fruit beers over the years, but this one was the most interesting for sure. It was a good orange flavor that tasted very much like a glass of orange juice, just not as sweet. I kept expecting to get a bit of pulp!

Underneath the orange was a good beer. Its officially described as a wheat, but I had it pinned for more of a wit at first. Yummy nonetheless.

Is this one I would seek again, probably not. But it did put me in the mood for hash browns and sausage...

Hercules Double IPA

Hercules Double IPA from Great Divide was the brew-of-the-night last night. This was a great IPA with good, strong hops and very little bitter bite. Smelled and tasted nice and piney.

Once the beer warmed, however, the hops began to overpower everything else and overloaded the senses a bit. It didn't push it too far and it was still enjoyable though.

Cheers!

90 Shilling

Its crazy to think I haven't posted anything since last October! Sheesh! Time to get back on the bandwagon and back to drinking. Wait... that didn't sound right.

Anyways, the other night I had a 90 Shilling beer from Odell Brewing. I'll be honest, the only reason I grabbed this one when I built my last 6 pack was because it was the cheapest beer on the shelf. I had no idea what to expect and didn't really have high expectations. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised.

I didn't realize it when I opened it up that it was a scotch ale. After I listed my tweet-sided review via the Untappd app, it came up as that which explained a few things. Fortunately, this is one of the best beers of that style I've had. Normally, in my opinion, a scotch ale tastes too boozy. Thinking back, this one had the flavor, but without the off-putting burn/taste.

90 Shilling smelled a bit fruity when I poured it and it's head frothed up nice and thick. When I got into it, it had a very nice malty flavor with just the right blend of hops. Definitely smooth and very easy / pleasant to drink. This is one I wouldn't mind picking up again.

Blackthorn Pizza & Pub

I went somewhere new last night and fell in love. I went with an amazing group of men from Church to Blackthorn Pizza & Pub in Joplin with the promise of amazing pizza and a big selection of craft beer. Needless to say, both lived up to their promise well! I've found a new watering hole in Joplin that is 1, smoke free, 2, good pizza, and 3, big selection of craft beer on tap.

Mead Batch #2

This post is quite a bit past due, but I have my second batch of mead working away, aiming for it to be ready for Christmas. This batch was actually started on July 31, 2013...

I followed the same steps I did in my first batch, so I'll skip that dialog of the process. With the first batch, I added spices to create flavor. This time, I opted for something better. I used fresh blackberries and cherries!

All the ingredients ready to go.

I used Clover Honey this time (first batch was "wildflower") and the finest fruit Walmart had to offer.

Happy must (and a curious "helper" who wanted to taste the fruit)

Fruit is loaded and ready to go. Those cherries took a while to prepare...

And they're off to a good start.

Even though I poured out about half a gallon of water off the containers, I still had a lot of must left over. Fortunately, I still had the honey container, so I now have the 2 berry batches and one more that's plain. That plain one bubbled madly with all the extra honey for the yeast to feast on!

It's been almost 2 months and all the fermenting has stopped for the most part. I pulled the balloons off the two berry containers and tasted a sample of each before putting their lids back on (I was smart and saved them this time!). These two are turning out much better than the first batch already. They didn't taste like nail polish!

Next step will be to rack them into glass jars. I have two gallon sized jugs ready, they just need to be sanitized. I also need to get a hose to siphon the mead into the jugs. I'm not sure what to do with the plain mead. I might see if there is extra space in the jugs and add the plain into them.

I'm excited to see how these turn out with a few more months of maturing!

Mead - Lessons Learned and Batch #2

I learned my lesson the hard way with my first batch of mead. It was tasting so good too, but I wound up dumping over half of it out because it became so tainted it was sickening. What's the lesson? Never leave your mead in plastic bottles!

My hunch is that the alcohol was eating away at the plastic and it finally reached a point where it leeched so much that it turned the mead. It was nasty. I'll do the initial ferment in plastic bottles as others have proven it works well, but for batch #2, I'll actually rack it into glass bottles (as soon as I can find some cheaply).

Luckily it wasn't all lost and some of the mead is still good. It's my "plain" mead that still good. It was still in a plastic bottle, but a different type of bottle than the others. I'll be transferring it out into something glass soon to ensure it doesn't go bad. It's been 9 months so far and I love it.

Coming up next will be 2 more gallon sized batches and I'm going to be getting a little more creative this time. One bottle will contain a Cherry Mead (Black Cherry if I can find them) and the other will be Blackberry. I've got all the ingredients I need except for the fruit. As soon as I pick it up, I'll mix up the next batch and post again.

Stevens Point Brewing's 2012 Black Ale

Today's brew was from Stevens Point Brewing in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It was their 2012 Black Ale and it can be summed up in one word: malty.

This beer is blacker than the night's sky. I couldn't see any light coming through the glass except for the faintest glow around the edges. It poured well, except the head disappeared long before I could take the first sip.

When I did get the first sip, the maltyness of the beer was quite strong yet very smooth. It's a dry malt too that has just a slight nutty taste. I like the overall taste and flavor.

A great, dark beer, but I tend to prefer them less dry than this one was. Still tasty though.

Left Hand Brewing's Sawtooth Ale

The third beer out of my latest 6 pack is a Sawtooth Ale from Left Hand Brewing Company. This is the second beer I've had from Left Hand. The first was their Milk Stout and was an excellent dark beer so I was hopeful for this one and it's just as good.

Poured dark golden with a nice thick head. When I poured it, it was to the top of the glass. It smelled slightly musty and different, but not in an off-putting way. It just made me more interested for the first sip.

First thing I tasted was the hops. A nice level of hoppy bitterness without biting back too much. You can also taste the rich malts. Great balance between the two.

Behind the hops and malts, I can also taste the mineraliness (is that a word?) of the wort. It's not as bad as some of the previous beers I've tasted, but it's still there. Adds a very slight metallic aftertaste but not bad.

As this beer warmed, everything but the malts faded into the background and I was left with a very nice malty ale.

Of the two Left Hand beers I've had, I think I liked the Milk Stout better, but this was still an excellent beer.

Kronenbourg 1664

This one was my International Pick of the latest custom 6-pack and it was, in a word, interesting.

It was a Kronenbourg 1664 from France. The photo was taken shortly after poured and you can see the head has completely faded away already. It was well carbonated and full of tiny bubbles. The smell was a little bitter and reminded me a little of a "big box" beer. Fortunately, it tasted much better than those.

First thing I noticed when I took my first sip was an almost sour taste. That soon transitioned into an almost sweet malt flavor. It was almost fruity, but I can't put my tongue on what fruit it may have actually been if any at all.

Overall, this is a decent French beer. Very drinkable if you can get past that initial slight sour taste. Plus, I get to add another country to my map... :)

Crown Valley Brewing's Black Cabin Smoke

Time to try and get back in the swings of things.

Today's brew is a new one from a brewery I've never heard of before: Black Cabin Smoked from Crown Valley Brewing out of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. Another Missouri beer from just south of St. Louis. I plucked it off the shelf for a pick-6 just because it was from my home state.

Popped off the cap and it poured a beautiful dark amber. Didn't have much of a head and it soon faded to a thin layer, but the smell was great. Nice and malty with just a hint of smoke.

First sip was about the same way; rich malts with just the slightest touch of hops and woodiness that was followed by probably the best smoked flavor I've tasted in a beer so far. It was mellow at first, but long lasting which was nice.

Overall, I am quite impressed by the beer and I hope I will be able to run across more from this brewery.

That's it for today. Now, time to finish this delicious beer.

Mead Update, Wine and More - A Long Overdue Update

I just realized I haven't posted anything here since last year and it's almost April! Sheesh! No, I haven't given up my beer journey, but I have slowed down quite a bit with a lack of funding being the main reason.

Deschutes, O'Dell, and Twisted Pine

Wow, two posts in one night. Either something is wrong, or I'm playing catch-up again... My money is on the later. Anyways, the next round of beers were a very hoppy bunch.



Chainbreaker

I'll start off with Deschutes' Chainbreaker IPA. This one was a very interesting beer. It's a white IPA that is almost as white as a Wit. It is a very moist beer that is light on the tongue. I also found it surprisingly semi-sweet. What was shocking was the mixture of sweet and the strong piney hopps. A great brew.



O'Dell  IPA

Unfortunately, I did not take notes on this one and it's been a while since I drank it. It was, of course, hoppy and pretty good but I don't remember any of the finer points. :(

Twisted Pine

The last of the batch is Twisted Pine's Hoppy Boy. This beer poured medium gold with a big head, yet had a very light scent to it. Without much of a bouquet to it, I was worried it would be weak, but the first sip proved me wrong. This beer has an insanely powerful hopps flavor that is quite bitter and lingers for a good long time. It's not a bad bitter, but a good hopps bitter. In fact, the hopps in this one is almost too strong and overpowering.

Mert's Milk

Before I get started, I must say this post is over a beer that you will not find in stores anywhere. It's a 100% pure, Ozark made Homebrew brewed by a rookie brew-master. He calls his beer "Mert's Milk", and it is very good.

Silver Batch

His story began when he stumbled upon an unused homebrew kit relatively inexpensive. It came with a Pale Ale kit of unknown age or origin, but he was going to brew it anyways as it was a good place to start. While cooking everything up, he accidentally overcooked the malt extract which created a much darker Pale Ale than intended and gave it a more caramelized flavor. This first batch, which I'll call his "Silver Batch" because of the silver bottle caps, had a great malt flavor that was heavy yet smooth.

Orange Batch

His second batch was supposed to be a Maple Beer, but the maple flavor was so mild, it was hard to distinguish it. This second batch, the "Orange Batch", was slightly hoppier than the first and more of a lighter gold color. This brew was bottle conditioned with a little extra yeast. By the time I finished my last bottle, you could tell the yeast were still working away as it kept getting a little more stout. As for the maple, it was there. Once the beer began to warm up a little, the hint of maple came out. This second brew also produced a massive head and I had a hard time keeping it from overflowing.

His third and fourth batches are going to be a special holiday blend in time for Christmas followed by a California Pale Ale that he will be triple hopping around New Years. I can't wait.

My hat is off to Mert's Milk. I've loved the first two batches and look forward to future ones (and I'm not just saying that because I know you'll read this...) I only hope some day I'll be able to brew my own beers right along with you.

Before I sign off, I'd like to give a quick Mead update. I took a taste of my plain mead a while ago. It was only about a month or so since I started it, so it was still quite a bit cloudy. After the first swig, well, let's just hope another month of fermenting does the trick...

Winter Grind

Winter Grind is back and still awesome!

That is all.