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30th March 2008

Women and Beer – Wine or Liberation

March is National Women’s History Month here in the United States. It is an annual celebration of women and their roles in history, sponsored by the National Women’s History Project. As with so much else, the realm of beer seems dominated by men. It is primarily men who are marketed to, primarily men who are the brewers and homebrewers, and primarily men who write about beer. But not entirely. The blogosphere is no different. So, to celebrate Women’s History Month, Hop Talk is taking time out to get to know some of these women.

This is a guest article by Carolyn Smagalski, The Beer Fox.

Deep within the recesses of a woman’s mind lives a place of secrecy, one where fantasy mixes with a perception of her place in the world. She sees her various roles in life, and assigns levels of importance to each. As the weather starts to warm and the thawing earth begins to squish beneath her step, her nose detects aromas of wet, dry leaves and hyacinths – each pleasant in its own way, signaling a new beginning, a new year. Her anticipation of Spring’s natural beauty requires her to launch into a mission of meticulous landscaping, drinking in the aromas of earth, dirt, ivy, daffodil, tulip and lily. She savors the sweetness, but delights in farmland, animal-scents and bitter wafts that fill the air, as well.

This ritual is repeated in every corner of her life – the romantic and sexual relationship she enjoys with her partner; the way she nurtures her children; the order and attention she gives to her career; the ease with which she settles into social situations; the care she extends to matters of culinary excellence. The list is endless.

One thing remains clear. A woman has a broad capacity for enjoying and savoring the gifts of the earth. It is this very broad capacity that led her predecessors, as high priestesses in ancient Sumer, to the brewing of beer, and as royal empresses of ancient Rome, to the painting of their lips with the ambrosia of pungent wine. Woman revels in flavor, aroma, and the kinesthetic sensations surrounding food and drink. This makes her particularly adept at assessing and enjoying the delights of bière and wine.

I use the word bière, rather than beer, because a woman may display an unexplained sensitivity, even in her use of written language. She prefers the word truffle to mushroom, cuisine to food, and brochette to skewer, particularly when she is in the midst of a fine dining experience among her friends. She wants them to see her as savvy. Beer is a fine word for casual use, but she needs the complement of elegant grammar when lobster is laid elegantly upon a delicate sauce. She enjoys the hedonism associated with banal indulgence, and wants to feel wicked in a playful, yet innocent way. She abhors being thought of as “cheap,” and may reject the very act of drinking beer because of the image portrayed by so many beer marketers throughout our anthropological culture.

A woman is drawn to the image of wine as a “godly” drink. In Roman mythology, Bacchus was the god of wine and agriculture, while Dionysus ruled over that domain in Greece. In southern Italy, the Greek culture introduced the Bacchanalia circa 200 B.C., a celebration that was initially open to women only, and was held in the greatest secrecy. With the advent of the Christian rites, particularly the Catholic Church, wine was introduced into the most sacred part of the Mass, and continued in comfort as an “approved” beverage. Of course, the warmer climates of Italy and Greece produced grapes, so wine was abundant. The influence of the Roman Empire had spread throughout Europe, as did their customs - this was good for the Roman tradesman, and the custom continued.

Although monasteries grew their own grain and hops, and brewed beer that sustained monks throughout Lenten Fasts, women were excluded from this form of ceremony regarding beer. Rather, beer was the common beverage consumed by the masses (unpurified water was deadly). It therefore, did not form a parallel with the divine - the imaginative manifestations of Juno or Hera, for instance. Northern cultures in Scandinavia used beer in their sacred rituals, but the southern cultures regarded those unconquered tribes on the Northern Peninsulas as “barbarians.” Yet, when you survey Human Development Standards of the World for 2007-2008, those strong, Scandinavian countries have captured all the top spots – Iceland (#1), Norway (#2), Sweden (#6), Netherlands (#9), and Finland (#11). The USA ranks twelfth, Italy is 20th and Greece is 24th.

With more than 100 different styles of beer, mead and cider available throughout the world today, a woman would be hard-pressed to find nothing to her liking. Although many middle-aged women have seized the concept of directing their own lives and making their own decisions, the power of peer pressure still persists for a large segment of this demographic group. They cling to myths formed long ago:

Myth #1: One style is like all styles

Ladies, wake up! Some are light and champagne-like while others are sweet, dark, and malty. Still others are briskly hopped and have flavors of grapefruit, pine cones, or flowers. Sour Ale, Lambic, and Gueuze are intensely satisfying to a wine lover, while alcohol levels are often (but not always) lower than those found in beer.

Myth #2: Beer makes me sick and bloated

This complaint may be due to a sensitivity to congeners in dark, alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, or mixed drinks), and paler styles would be more easily tolerated and digested by their bodily systems. You may also have sensitivity to the glutens found in beer made with barley, wheat or rye. Gluten-free beer, brewed from sorghum, honey, quinoa, or chestnuts will give you a taste of the exotic, and blends well with meat, poultry and vegetables.

Myth #3: Only “cheap women” drink beer

A woman who is educated about beer and the many styles available globally never looks “cheap,” especially when she makes her choice with an air of confidence and NO apologies. Rather, she is a goddess to men who truly appreciate beer for its “taste.”

Myth #4: Beer clogs my nose

Some beers, particularly those with high hop levels, may cause stuffiness in those who suffer from hay fever. Choose beers that have little to no hops added, indicated by low IBU numbers – Berliner Weisse, Unblended Lambic, Gueuze – or expand into the realm of Mead, Cider and Perry.

This Beer Fox means no insult to middle-aged women. I merely singled out a segment of that group because this is where I see the most resistance to experimentation in beverage of choice. Younger women, particularly those in upscale, cosmopolitan areas, seem to be enamored with the buffet of styles at their fingertips. They are not content to ask their boyfriends or husbands what to order, and are forming peer groups – e.g., The In Pursuit of Ale Club in Philadelphia – for the exploration, education and enjoyment of beer in a non-judgmental, healthy environment. They have discovered the pleasure of true liberation. Osmotar would have been proud!

Carolyn is the Beer and Brewing editor at Bella Online (RSS feed)

Read Hop Talk’s interview of The Beer Fox

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24th March 2008

Dark beer

March is National Women’s History Month here in the United States. It is an annual celebration of women and their roles in history, sponsored by the National Women’s History Project. As with so much else, the realm of beer seems dominated by men. It is primarily men who are marketed to, primarily men who are the brewers and homebrewers, and primarily men who write about beer. But not entirely. The blogosphere is no different. So, to celebrate Women’s History Month, Hop Talk is taking time out to get to know some of these women.

This is a guest article by Jasmine.

The other night I was out at a brewpub with a large group of friends. After the waitress had delivered our beer, the guy sitting across from me offered his wife a sip of his beer.

“No way,” she said. “I don’t like dark beer.”

This was a woman who, until now, had shown good taste in beer, joyfully trying a new Belgian beer on tap. I wanted to stand on my chair and shout, “Really? ALL dark beers?”

Isn’t that like declaring you don’t like green food? No broccoli, beans, kiwifruit, or rosemary? You’ve tried every single green food in the world and declared it lacking? Somehow, I don’t believe you.

I understand dark beer can be scary. They appear heavy and hard to drink. There’s a chance that it’s bitter, at stoutleast to a degree, and a better chance that it has enough alcohol in it to knock you off your barstool.

But I have two words for you: coffee and chocolate. If you like either of those, there is a dark beer out there for you. Dark beer comes in as many styles as light beer, and can be even lighter tasting than some of their yellow counterparts.

Point in case: Lagunitas’ Cappuccino Stout. It has the same creamy taste and feel as a cappuccino, with just a hint of espresso bitterness. It pours black like coffee (yes, in this case there is actually coffee in it), but has that malty caramel smell and even nut and chocolate flavors in the taste. With 7.99% alcohol, it borders on knock-down strong.

But even that might be too bitter for some non-coffee drinkers (there are some of you left out there?). In that case, try Firestone-Walker’s Reserve Porter. It’s far sweeter, with a strong chocolate taste. I once made an ice cream float out of this (not kidding) and it was amazing. It really brought out the chocolate flavors, almost like chocolate syrup.

Then, of course, there is the classic: Guinness. If anyone tries to serve it to you warm, or knowingly tells you it SHOULD be warm, roll your eyes and walk away. Guinness only has around 200 calories a glass (an often-quoted figure recently, since that’s less than a Bud Light) for those who feel like dark beer is too heavy. A pint draught of Guinness averages only 4.2% alcohol, too, so you can drink it all night. It doesn’t have a lot of carbonation, giving it that smooth and creamy taste.

Of course, not all dark beers are like dessert. I’d caution the casual drinker against Bison Brewery’s Chocolate Stout. Fiercely bitter, like unsweetened baking chocolate, it’s hard to drink a lot of and hard to pair with food. They actually put cocoa powder right in the mash. If you’re the kind of person who takes your morning caffeine as a tiny cup of espresso instead of watery coffee, however, or if you get annoyed by all that wheaty-hoppy-honey junk, this could be your beer. It doesn’t mess around.

To find these favorite of mine, I had to try a lot of beer that didn’t work for me first. At the last Great American Beer Festival, for example, Moylan’s took home a gold medal for their Dry Irish Stout. When I tried it, I couldn’t even finish a tiny sampler glass. Far too bitter for me, it made me feel like the saliva in my mouth was being stripped away. But because of the medal, I assume it’s not the beer. Someone, actually many someones, out there must love it. This might lead me to declare that I don’t like Dry Irish Stouts, but I would never declare that. Not until I’ve tried every single one.

Jasmine is half of the writing team at Beer at Joe’s (RSS feed)

Read Hop Talk’s interview of Jasmine

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20th March 2008

I’ll have a half of Pride and no funny looks please

March is National Women’s History Month here in the United States. It is an annual celebration of women and their roles in history, sponsored by the National Women’s History Project. As with so much else, the realm of beer seems dominated by men. It is primarily men who are marketed to, primarily men who are the brewers and homebrewers, and primarily men who write about beer. But not entirely. The blogosphere is no different. So, to celebrate Women’s History Month, Hop Talk is taking time out to get to know some of these women.

This is a guest article by Boak.

Attitudes towards women who drink can sometimes seem a little Victorian. One of the areas where this is plainest is if you try to go to the pub on your own.

If you’re lucky, you might just get a strange look (particularly when you order an ale). If you’re unlucky, a wise-guy at the bar might decide that what you really need is a bit of company. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got a paper, if it’s clearly obvious you don’t want to chat. Once one of these jokers starts, there’s nothing you can really do to get rid of them other than tell them to go away. At which point, if you’re really lucky, you get one of the “ooh, time of the month is it / lesbian are you” school of comments.

Annoyingly, it’s often the little “traditional” pubs that sound so great which are the worst. I was in Brighton last summer, and had an hour to kill before meeting some friends. I thought it would be great to try the Evening Star, an outlet for the wonderful Dark Star brewery. Great pub, shame about the clientele. I had to leave after one drink, as one moron, egged on by his mates, would not leave me alone.

Now I hasten to add at this point that I don’t make a habit of drinking on my own, but when I’m waiting for a friend, why shouldn’t I go into the pub to wait? I used to travel a lot for business - is it that weird to want to avoid the gloomy hotel room and go out for a swift one, especially if there’s some nice brews to try?

I bet if you’re a bloke and a beer geek, you wouldn’t think twice. But it has to be a really special brewery for me to do it these days, at least in the UK. For some reason, they seem to be more civilised in Germany. How is it in the US?

Boak is half of the writing team at boakandbailey.com (RSS feed)

Read Hop Talk’s interview of Boak

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12th March 2008

Women Brewers Unite

March is National Women’s History Month here in the United States. It is an annual celebration of women and their roles in history, sponsored by the National Women’s History Project. As with so much else, the realm of beer seems dominated by men. It is primarily men who are marketed to, primarily men who are the brewers and homebrewers, and primarily men who write about beer. But not entirely. The blogosphere is no different. So, to celebrate Women’s History Month, Hop Talk is taking time out to get to know some of these women.

This is a guest article by Teri Fahrendorf.

The Pink Boots Society was founded by me in 2007. I had quit my job after 19 years as a professional brewer in order to depart on a massive 5-month road trip. During this road trip I visited 70 breweries and brewed at 38 of them. I blogged my trip live from the road at www.roadbrewer.com.

During my trip, I met several women brewers. I also met many men brewers who had never encountered a woman brewer before. After enjoying the company of fellow brewer Laura Ulrich at Stone Brewing Company near San Diego, I determined to keep track of the women brewers I met or heard about during my trip. After many requests for my “List of Women” brewers, I christened it the “Pink Boots Society” and posted the list to my website at www.pinkbootssociety.com. The list is updated as often as I get new information, which currently means weekly.

As of March 8th, there are 57 active women brewers listed in the USA section, and that only includes one brewer pink-boots.jpgfrom any of the large international mega-breweries. The other 56 are all women craft brewers! Once the large breweries start sending me the names and locations of their active women brewers, you can expect the Pink Boots Society to at least double.

There are also 17 former women brewers on the list, and 26 active women brewers from outside the USA. The list at www.pinkbootssociety.com is by no means conclusive, and I continue to seek the names, locations, and breweries of all the currently active and former women brewers that I can find. If your local brewer is a woman and she’s not on the list, please ask her to email me.

The very first Pink Boots Society meeting will be held during the Craft Brewers Conference, in San Diego April 16-19. For more information go to www.beertown.org. The PBS meeting will be an all-estrogen event, as only active and former women brewers will be attending, as well as women beer writers to document the event. Many women brewers have expressed excitement about this historic (herstoric) meeting, and look forward to meeting other women brewers and tasting their beers.

If you are interested in the doings and happenings of the Pink Boot Society, please subscribe to the e-Newsletter at http://visitor.constantcontact.com/optin.jsp?&m=1101801813325&ea=. Just think: a room filled with 30-40 professional women brewers and their beers. It couldn’t get any better than that, unless the meeting was held during March’s Women’s History (Her-story) Month.

Here’s your challenge for March. Study the list at www.pinkbootssociety.com, find a beer brewed by one of the breweries where a woman brewer is employed, chill and crack open with a toast to Ninkasi, the ancient Sumerian Goddess of Beer. Cheers!

Teri Fahrendorf is the Road Brewer (RSS feed / Atom)

Read Hop Talk’s interview of Teri Fahrendorf

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11th September 2007

The Burdens of Evolution

While Ron and Al take a little break, please enjoy this guest post from Bill at Beer Janglin’.

Things were so much simpler when I was younger.

There was a point in my life at which there was but one solitary bit of criteria I had in order to make the perfect beer selection: price tag. Back then I could walk into any grocery store, or even a cruddy convenience store, and promptly choose a case of beer that would be approved by all my beer-swilling colleagues. I simply had to take a quick inventory of all the beers that the establishment had to offer, find that beer with the lowest unit price, and make my selection. None of my buddies would tsk-tsk me for taking something low-end, nor would anyone else bring a six-pack of their own because they wanted something quote-unquote “good.” It was quite an easy process. In fact, the hardest part was trying to find an adult who would go back into the store and buy it for you in exchange for cigarette money.

That was back when all beer tasted the same. [Note: most beers you will find an a grocery or convenience store DO still taste the same.] Beer was beer. If someone asked me to get Miller Lite and I came back with Coors Light, they wouldn’t send me back out the door to fix my grievous error. Beer was beer. Any of it would get us inebriated — which was, naturally, of paramount importance — and it didn’t make a lick of sense to pay more a cent more than we had to for the privilege of feeling light-headed and obtaining a temporary speech impediment.

But that was then, and I’m not 8 years old anymore.

Now, a so-called quick trip to the beer store takes no less than 45 minutes. In the amount of time it takes me to commit to a microbrew 12 pack, or — God forbid! — a mixed six-pack for those few wonderful stores that stock them, I could have already been at my destination with the hiccups and a lampshade teetering atop my drunken head. In one trip to the beer store, I will see at least a half-dozen people waltz in the door, grab a 30-pack of Busch and leave, on their merry way to a cheap night of drinking safe, bland beer. I, on the other hand, am taking chance after chance with all sorts of beers with funny names and crazy labels. And paying more for it. For a moment, I am slightly jealous of the Busch drinker, so happy and sure, so expedient with the completion of his purchase. Then I realize he’ll be drinking Busch all night and I won’t.

It was an odd, gradual process to go from beer philistine to beer geek. I don’t know when the change took place exactly, but I started to actually understand the differences between a pale ale and an India Pale Ale, or between a lager and a pilsner. (I still can’t tell a stout from a porter for the life of me, but that’s another story.) At the early phase of my newfound passion for beer, I did play the part of the snob. When someone would be drinking Miller Lite, and I was enjoying a craft-brewed six pack from Middle Ages or Stone, I would often make smarmy comments about the contents of the Miller Lite drinker’s glass. The words “swill” and “pisswater” and “fizzy pisswater swill” were often bandied about.

But had I become that which I despised? Had I become some sort if elitist? Was I abandoning my blue-collar Genny Cream Ale roots? I went through an internal struggle. I felt as if I was someone who was looking down on those who succumbed to the mass-marketing of macros, as if there was something genetically inferior about their taste-buds. Or perhaps even their character! Should I perhaps embrace the lowbrow end of the spectrum, like Joel McCrea in “Sullivan’s Travels”? Should I shed the stuffed-shirt and go back to homogeneous 30-packs of the Silver Bullet?

And I have come to my answer: A resounding “no.”

Just as I can’t go back to playing in the sandboxes and jungle-gyms of my youth, I can’t go back to macro-lagers. Every once in a while, I will partake, if one is offered to me at a party, or if I am in a restaurant which has a limited selection. But for my own personal use, craft brews are the kinds of beer I want to explore. It’s not about being a snob; it’s about growing up. It’s the same reason we go from watching Stallone and Schwartzenegger action movies to foreign and indie films. It’s why I traded in Aerosmith for Aesop Rock. In college I could have eaten at McDonalds 14-18 times a week, but now I enjoy a large dinner at a nice restaurant. And sure, it costs more than the 99 cent Big Mac, but isn’t it worth it?

I have come to a peaceful place regarding my so-called “snobbery” — which I prefer to call “enthusiasm” for great beer — in that I will not belittle or criticize one’s choice of alcoholic beverage, but rather helpfully suggest an alternative, or offer a sip of what I’m drinking. It may spark an interest, and it may not. That’s not for me to decide. But at the same time, I will make no apologies for my own high standard of beer drinking. After all, I’m the one who has to drink it.

Oh, and even though it’s fancy beer, it can still get me drunk.

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10th September 2007

Drinking Beer & Running in Washington, D.C.

While Ron and Al take a little break, please enjoy this guest post from Bryan at The Brew Lounge.

Marine Corps MarathonOn Sunday October 28, I’ll be running in the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in Washington, D.C. When approached by Al to write a guest column for Hop-Talk, I thought that this topic would be appropriate given Al’s close proximity to the nation’s capital. Though, in Web reality, we’re all in close proximity to everything; but today we’ll stick with the physical and tangible!

There has always been a close relationship between runners and their love for beer. Cyclists too. In fact, it is not unusual for a certain amount of beer to be part of an athlete’s diet. Often you will hear of cyclists enjoying a beer or three after a stage of the Tour de France. Many cyclists also are sporting the team colors of breweries like Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Victory. I (though, I’m certainly not attempting to lump my lumpy self in with these world-class athletes) will occasionally have a beer with a large pasta meal the night before a big run. The other night, it was a German Pilsner from Iron Hill in West Chester, PA with about a 3/4 pound serving of pasta to fuel up for my 18-mile run the following day.

I digress. Let’s get this back on track. This article is about the MCM which starts and ends in Arlington, VA. Almost 11 miles of the course takes place in Northern Virginia, while the remainder of the 26.2 mile course meanders through the power streets of downtown Washington, D.C. Dotting the course along the way are statues, historic sites, and halls of political power that define “inside the beltway” and provide a scenic backdrop for the runners and spectators alike. The METRO train system helps the spectators move around (but, not the runners!) to keep up with the runners.

But, to the savvy beer traveller, the MCM course provides easy access to at least a handful of the D.C metro area’s better beer scene. Let’s take a tour of the MCM course and see where spectators are able to stop off along the way as they wait for their runner to come by.

Miles 0.0-4.5 Arlington
Dr. Dremo’s Taphouse - 2.25 miles; 1/2 mile south of course
>>This used to be Bardo’s in the 90s, right? According to their website, they’re closing down in a few months, so I may want to stop in there one more time.

Whole Foods Market - 2.75 miles; 1/3 mile south of course
>>In states where they can carry beer, Whole Foods typically does an above average job of getting at least a few quality brews to make it more than respectable for a grocery store chain.

Rock Bottom - 3.00 miles; 1 mile south of course
>>Some Rock Bottom’s are better than others. I’ve never been to this particular location.

Miles 4.5-9.5 Georgetown
Birreria Paradiso - 9.00 miles; 1/8 mile north of course
>>Number one on my hit list of places that I haven’t been to in the D.C. metro area. Check out their site to see why. Very good chance you can find me here at some point during marathon weekend in D.C.

Whole Foods Market - 9.00 miles; 1 1/3 miles north of course
>>More from the grocery chain. (If you need more, there’s yet another location at 14th/P streets.)

Garrett’s - 9.25 miles; 1/5 mile north of course
>>I believe that their beer selection has gone downhill over the years, but it’s been around for what seems like forever and it was where I had my first Foggy Bottom (RIP).

The Brickskeller - 9.50 miles; 7/8 miles northeast of course
>>A D.C. classic and must-stop on any beer-lover itinerary. Michael Jackson’s (also, RIP) been here, you should be too.

Miles 9.5-14.0 Downtown, statues, White House, Mall, Capitol
Capitol City Brewing - 12.00 miles; 3/8 mile north of course
>>Not a must-stop, but yet a decent place to grab a stylish dinner and some decent beer…at least when I was last there 5 or 6 years ago.

Gordon Biersch - 12.25 miles; 1/2 mile north of course
>>I haven’t been to the D.C. location of this heavyweight (primarily) lager chain. But, the west coast spots turn out some solid pilsners, bocks, marzens, and the like.

District ChopHouse & Brewery - 12.50 miles; 3/8 miles north of course
>>Part of the Rock Bottom family. Haven’t been to it, but central in D.C. to many tourist locations.

Dave’s RFD - 12.50 miles; 2/3 mile north of course
>>Sister establishment to The Brickskeller and, likewise, a must-stop. In this outsider’s opinion, I like this Chinatown venue better than its crosstown affiliate.

Capitol City Brewing - 12.75 miles; 2/3 mile northeast of course
>>Yet another clone of the D.C./Virginia mini-brewpub chain.

Miles 14-20 Tidal Basin; East Potomac Golf Course; 395 bridge to the Pentagon/Crystal City
>>Swinging out through the southside of D.C., there’s nothing much beer-y to report.

Miles 20-26 Crystal City; Pentagon; Arlington Cemetery; Iwo Jima Memorial
>>Wrapping back to the cemetery from Crystal City, there’s not much to report here, either.

Out of range, but would like to check out one night for jazz and beer is Bohemian Caverns (up at U street/Vermont)

I’m not often in the practice of recommending what to avoid, since taste and service (well, definitely taste) can be a matter of highly subjective opinion. But, in this case, I’ve had enough bad experiences with service, selection, and atmosphere at more than one Elephant & Castle location, that I must advise to avoid the one in downtown D.C….or anywhere for that matter.

The opinions expressed here are solely that of The Brew Lounge and Hop-Talk bears no responsibility for the words or drinking actions of any entity affiliated with The Brew Lounge. Thought Al would appreciate this :)

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written by Guest writer | posted in Beer, Guest Writers | tagged , , , | 4 Comments

9th September 2007

Straight-up home brewing the way I see it

While Ron and Al take a little break, please enjoy this guest post from Adam at Beer Bits 2. Today is also Bryan’s Adam’s birthday.

If you are reading this website you should try brewing you own beer. Why? What better way to understand beer? Be a witness to water, malt, hops and yeast being transformed into one of the oldest life sustaining foods in the world.

Are you ready to brew your own beer? Are you scared? Are you intimidated? What’s that you say? You don’t know what a wort chiller is? You’re afraid to make something that sucks? Me too. Everybody has to start somewhere. It is time to start here and now. Brew your own beer. Make mistakes. Make your own mistakes and do it right now.

You might not know what at hydrometer is. You might might not know the difference between extract and all-grain brewing. You might think that there are hordes of home brewers that know more than you. Well I’ve got news for you. It ain’t rocket science. People have been making this stuff for thousands of years. Sometimes we make things more complicated than they need to be. I mean really. Do you really need a refractometer? Do you really need a wort chiller? No. Hell, there are guys out there brewing beer in wooden troughs in the ground. Doesn’t sound all too complicated to me :-)

All you need is patience. No, really. Anybody can go out there and buy a basic brewing kit, but, the most important skill a home brewer can possess is patience. Do you have the patience to…

  • wait for a couple gallons of water to boil
  • wait for the right time to put your hops in
  • wait for the boil to be done
  • wait for the wort to cool down
  • wait for the yeast to start fermenting
  • wait for the primary fermentation to finish
  • wait for the secondary fermentation (optional)
  • wait for the bottle conditioning
  • wait for your beer to chill in the fridge before you drink it

Most of what you do is wait. What is my point? Brewing beer is easy. The yeast does most of the work :-) Why not give it try? I’ll even help you do it. Send me an email and I’ll help you get started. beerbits2@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any home brew supply shop that will make money off of you buying ingredients/equipment. I am just some guy who thinks that 9 out of 10 households should brew their own beer ;-)

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written by Guest writer | posted in Guest Writers, Homebrewing | tagged | 9 Comments

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