Brew Drinker

Brewing Pumpkin Beer

If you haven’t started your pumpkin beer brew by now, you won’t make it by Halloween.  But, it doesn’t matter.  Pumpkin beer is good all year around.  You can definitely have a batch of pumpkin beer ready by Thanksgiving.  So, let’s get started!

This set of steps is from my first batch of pumpkin ever.  It’s a fairly new concept for me, so I had to really do some research to find the right stuff. It was a little difficult at first to decide on what types of extracts, malts and hops would go best with pumpkin flavor.  Also, I have heard that some pumpkin ales have come out with a slight pumpkin taste while others come out syrupy oozing with pumpkin flavor.  I prefer more toward the former.

So, the recipe I finally decided to use would combine cinnamon and nutmeg with an actual pumpkin. I had some other ideas, but I kept going back and forth…Continue Reading at the Learning Center  

Calculating Alcohol by Volume – ABV

Home brewing can be a tricky science. Of course, there are home brewers who just throw it together and look forward to whatever brews. But making changes along the way, documenting every possible contingency and then tweaking it when it doesn’t come out just right is the art of the master brewer.

The one question most brewers ask will always be how potent is their beer going to get. It’s not really all that scientific. You need to know a little math and you need to be aware of a few measurements as you brew. Other than that, it’s a piece of cake…

Learn more at the Beertaps Learning Center!

Home Brewing Reports

Running beertaps.com has been an interesting ride that was more involved than I thought it would be.  But, it has been fun.  Each new challenge has presented an interesting and useful solution.

For instance, when I was asked about the kegerator a customer just purchased, I realized that there probably are more people out there who have the same questions.  So, I wrote a report and published it on the site.  Then, I wrote an article to let everyone know that I wrote the report.

That’s about the time the second question came in about keeping beer lines clean.  Then, about home brew recipes.  So, I kept writing reports to help people and I kept writing articles to make people more aware.

It started out as a big gaggle of reports that I finally organized into a Learning Center that is now populated with great stuff.  From Home Brew Tips and Tricks to DIY Home Bar Projects, I keep adding to the learning center.  But, I’m always willing to hear what you want to know.  I have a form for questions at http://www.beertaps.com/contact.html

But, the recent interactive is the forum I created.  It’s easier than a report to write a simple answer.  Some answers aren’t as involved as putting an entire article together with pictures and everything.  So, I populated the forum with a few items.  But, it’s new.

I’d love to see some people on there soon.  Start some topics and get some feedback.  How else do you expect a forum to get started?

http://brewdrinker.com/thepub/

Hope to see you there!

DIY – Enjoy Drinking From These Wall Taps

Wall Tap Ideas

Take Your Favorite Beer Survey

I love going on the forums and reading through discussions of people’s favorite beers.  I hardly every hear Budweiser, Coors, Miller or anything normal, which is what you see people “normally” drink.

I always see some exotic beer that they’ve had maybe once.  I’ve also caught some people up in their discussions when I realized they hadn’t even had a taste of the beer they were discussing.  What in the world is that about?

Let’s be honest.  We go to the bar and we get our favorite beer.  We get the one we always drink.  We love the exotic beers that are hard to find and not commonly sold.  We love new tastes and textures.  Of course, we’re up when it comes to trying something we’ve never even heard of before.

But, we have a favorite.  It’s the one at the local store.  It’s the one at the liquor store on the way home.  Do we try new things every once in awhile?  Yes.  But, don’t we normally go for what we know?  Most of the time.

If you disagree, please feel free to comment.

So, I’d like to know what you guys drink.  What is your favorite beer?  Throw us anything, worldwide.  But, I would hope that you’ve drank your “Favorite” beer more than once and that it’s not just an exotic beer you thought would be fun to include in this survey.

Beer Drinking Can Be So Much Better With Beer Making

There are beer enthusiasts who are deeply enriched in the beer making world, who own their own home breweries and who take advantage of all the benefits. Then, there are beer enthusiasts who have never even thought of making their own. I can’t imagine why a beer enthusiast wouldn’t at least be interested in giving it a try, but I’m going to try to change that now.

There are many benefits to brewing your own beer and I’m going to take it one step at a time. When you are ready to get off this wild ride, take stage coach left and no one will think any less of you for it. But I bet once this journey begins, you will want to ride it until the wheels fall off.

First, brewing your own beer is a way of putting a mark on your own home bar. You can even get online and design yourself a label and then place it on your bottles, glasses and beer taps even. When company comes over, you can have them all try it. It might just become their favorite beer meaning you might just get company more often if that seems like something you would like to have.

Then, you can start marketing your beer to the local bars. Give them a taste and see if they like it. There are different ways to make this happen. You can get in touch with a local bar owner and tell them you would like to have a tasting at their bar. You offer some of your beer for free and then when people say they like the taste, the bar owner will most likely want to stock it. Make a thing of it. It’s supposed to be a fun time. So, have fun!

The next logical level is to enter into some beer events. Start locally, but again have fun. Go across the country if you want. The more exposure you get, the more buyers you get. Don’t be surprised when someone approaches you to see if you want a sponsor. Sponsorship can take you to levels you have never imagined. Nationwide distribution. Export. International attention.

By this time of course, you have expanded your enterprise to include so much more than a bucket and a kegerator. You have built your brewery into a high powered system that produces enough beer to satisfy all your orders. You’ve moved your operation to a local location that houses your brewery and invites the neighbors to wander in and have a beer. You’ve had to apply for your beer license so that you can start selling your beer and you’ve had to build a bar so that your neighbors have a comfortable place to sit. You’ve got a sign on the front of your place with your name on it and you’ve been highlighted in the paper as the local beer expert.

With a few different flavors now in your inventory, you can have a seat. Take a breath. You’re finished the first phase of Operation Your Brew. The rest of the ride goes anywhere you want it to go.

Great Home Bar Ideas

It’s extremely understandable that a beer enthusiast with home bar dreams might get a little out of hand. Of course, it’s a phenomenon that home bars are always quite unique and that should be your ultimate goal. But, you have to start somewhere first and then you have to know when to quit.

Your home bar needs more of you than anything else. But, you need a place to start and then you can start pouring your own personality into it. Let’s begin with the basics, discuss different ideas and then move on to how you can bring a bit of you to your own home bar.

The Bar

Of course, any conversation about a home bar would have to begin with the bar itself. Different types of bars normally begin with a wood décor. But, you can go with stone, marble, or leather as just a few ideas to start.

Of course, your stone or marble bar doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be framed with 2x4s and plywood. Then, cover with stone or marble veneer. Leather can be pasted on and then stylishly fastened with brass snaps. But, the wood look is the best.

Of course, you would still frame with 2x4s and plywood. But then, you want to add the nice looking finish of cedar or pine. Why use the ancient not-so-flattering wood paneling when you can have a great looking bar with the quality natural wood look of grooved paneling? No, I am not a salesperson.

You can panel the top as well. But then, add some style with trim. It’s easy and affordable just adding some trim to touch up the edges of your bar. Once the bar is ready, simply add a kegerator with a beer tap and some beer tap handles. Of course, you know what to do. Go with your favorite beer.

Décor

Starting with shelves to hold a collection of beer glasses is the first place I would go once the bar is in place. You can start collecting sets of beer mugs and glasses that represent different beer choices and different pub locations. People get real excited when they see their beer of choice on your walls or if you have a mug of an exotic bar half way around the world. Those are the types of things that start adding your personality to the bar.

Putting beer signs and mirrors on your walls is the next place for you to go. I once met a friend bartender of mine at his bar because we had plans. I arrived right on time because the beer distributor had just shown up to stock more beer in the bar. That’s the perfect time to get great stuff. I was offered a rare beer mirror that the distributor was told to send around with their drivers on deliveries and offer them as a promotion to different bars they serviced. The driver didn’t care who he was giving mirrors to and I ended up with one.

You may not have that kind of luck. But, everyone can look online for unique beer signs and mirrors that they can purchase to decorate their bar. You can start with a few just to get yourself going and then keep your ears and eyes open for opportunities.

Bar Accessories

Your bar is almost finished. But, it’s not quite ready for company yet. You have to add those types of things no one else has. It’s not as tricky as you might think. But, it does take some “good eye” action and be ready for the moment.

A Jagermeister machine is in just about every bar. But, I have rarely seen one in a home bar. Having a Jagermeister machine steps you up into the professional realm where your friends and family will really be impressed.

But, the hottest trend sweeping the nation right now is beer pong. Having a beer pong table with some great beer pong accessories will make for hours of fun when you have company over to your house. There will always be some people who won’t want to hang out in the bar. They’ll want to sit at the dining room table and talk. Well, let them. Have fun playing beer pong for hours while they talk politics on their stuffy bums.

Home bars aren’t necessarily hard to put together. A little planning and you can have an affordable home bar with very little effort. Then, start adding some of your personality to it so that it’s undeniably yours. Friends who didn’t think of it first will be very envious.

Let’s Take A Closer Look At Homebrew Kits

As a beginner homebrewer, you will find that homebrew kits are perfect to get into the game. All your ingredients, and supplies are included so that you can start brewing your own tasty beer. It’s basically the easiest way to get started with home beer brewing… by choosing a homebrew kit to suit your needs.

The most basic kit you can purchase is an extract kit that includes a standard beer type that you might find in any old bottle shop. When you get a kit like that, you first need to set yourself up to fully clean and sanitize all the equipment that you will be using to brew your beer… this includes all pots, pans, tools, and even the fermentation container. If you don’t properly clean and sanitize all your equipment, you run the risk of brewing a bad batch, and you definitely don’t want that! Most homebrew kits come with instructions, but they are for the most part useless, so be sure to get yourself a good beer brewing guide before you get your kit.

There is a variant if you would want to determine the color of your beer, and the style of your brew – other than the classic canned beer taste. You can opt to have a different set of ingredients. These are still all-extract kits though as they give you preformulated ingredients.

All extract brewing is a fairly simple process because the boiling off certain ingredients to get certain flavors has already been done for you on a mass scale. As you gain experience, it is advisable to start with partial mash brewing for more refined flavors and textures of home brewed beer. As a partial mash brewer, you are involved in boiling ingredients, choosing specialty flavorings, and crafting your beer from start to finish… and this is a lot harder than simply adding the ingredients to a pot and stirring.

When brewing, the extract, hops, yeast, and water will determine the flavor of your beer. Hops is primarily responsible for determining the bitterness of your brew, so adding the hops sooner or later will provide a different flavor making your bee unique and different to that off your neighbors.

Eventually, you’d get the hang of brewing beer from your kits. You want to experiment more, do more than your ingredients or your materials would allow or you would even want to decide to graduate your hobby to beer fanaticism or better, to a commercial brewery. But whatever extent you want to bring yourself to, start it first with the good old trusty homebrew kits.

Homebrew kits will assist you get introduced and become an enthusiast at brewing beer at home. Luke Porter is an enthusiast brewer who is delighted to share the in’s and out’s of brewing kits available on the market today.

Home Brewing : A Recipe For Success

Home brewing is something which has been popular for many years. Still, many are resolute that convenience is best for them and continue to drink only beer that they have paid for at a liquor store or at a bar. However, as with everything else in life, convenience costs. As insignificant as the additional cost can seem at the time, it certainly becomes significant over the course of a years worth of sports games, parties and nights out.

The issue of paying an upfront sum for beer brewing supplies puts a lot of people off getting involved with it. They calculate that they could have a few nights at their local bar for the same cost and think to themselves that it would be a lot less effort to do so too. However, look at the situation beyond just a few weeks ahead and you’ll see that home brewing is a much better option. After the initial amount that you pay for the kit and supplies, which is little more than the cost of a few crates anyway, you’ll have the potential to make enough beer to see you through the next couple of months.

To some people, the idea of making their own beer is too much like hard work. That’s why we have major breweries to do it for us, is it not? Well, of course it is, but then again you could think of it this way – you can eat in a restaurant every night of the year, but you’ll save money and develop a skill if you cook your own meals. At first restaurant food seems better than anything you could possibly cook yourself, but, with a little practice, you soon develop your own recipes that are superior. It’s exactly the same with beer brewing.

Beer brewing supplies are easily sourced. In most towns you will find a store which has the necessary equipment and the right ingredients, and if you are not so lucky you will certainly find them on the Internet, often at a lower price. Do a little online research first to find out what you need. There are various beer brewing forums that are full of like-minded beer lovers who will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Beer brewing supplies come with instructions if you have never brewed beer at home before, it is worth following these closely to make sure you do not miss out an important step. The best way to learn how to do something right is to keep doing it and get the technique down. Once you have the basics learnt, you can then start deviating from the standard processes in order to make your own special recipes. You’ll soon be viewing it less like hard work and more like fun!

Luke Porter is a home brewing beer enthusiast, and an expert author. You are invited to discover the simple secrets of brewing world class beer from the comfort of your home by reading his latest book, “Home Beer Brewing Secrets” – available online today!

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The History Of American Home Brewing

At first, home beer brewing was illegal in America, before the laws changed and made America one of the top producing beer countries on the 90′s… and now we see the decline once again with the tough economic times forcing many companies out of business and into bankruptcy. This has of course led to more and more people drinking to drown their sorrows, so to speak, but many more are actually turning this lust for beer into a productive past time by starting their own home brewery… and what a way to go!

Now we all know that back way way in the olden days, home beer brewing was a major and accepted pastime practiced by the colonial people. One thing you might not know that even famous people such as the Great George Washington was an avid home beer brewer, as was Thomas Jefferson and friends!

However, there was a time of prohibition that was devastating to the American population. Prohibition meant that it was illegal to brew your own beer, and heavy fines where placed on people who broke this law… and what a shame that was… some people even went to prison for having a home brewery! Can you imagine a life without beer? Everybody had to content with a watered down lifeless beer – well not really beer but something which was a very poor substitute for it. Nothing substantially alcoholic was allowed and few took efforts in making their drinks less alcoholic but tasty. Unfortunately the American people had to suffice and deal with prohibition. This then led to shop owners renaming all equipment so it couldn’t be associated with running home brewery and started selling it on the sly to hardcore supporters of brewing beer at home. This was quiet easy because the equipment is fairly standard, including buckets, hosing, pots, pans, and other tidbits. The situation varied from state to state. In some states, only those selling home brews were caught while in some, brewing for personal consumption also meant facing legal charges. Good thing those laws have been since relaxed and prohibition has truly been and gone!

One of the pioneers of legalized home beer brewing was Charlie Papazian. He was the man responsible for teaching thousands of others how to brew their own beer at home, and obtain the permit they needed for doing so (as it was still illegal to brew beer at home without one). Some say that his work led to the laws eventually being completely relaxed, but it is unclear as most history is so. Nonetheless, 1935 was a great year for home brewers and changed the way the world views home brewing today.

But thankfully, in 1978, Jimmy Carter rescued the doomed souls of beer loving Americans and signed Senate Amendment 3534 allowing households to brew their own beer as long as they don’t go beyond 200 gallons a year. After the lifting of the prohibition on alcoholic beverages, it was home brew beer enthusiasts who worked hard to revive the brewing industry. Today, there are over 1,463 breweries in the United States, a much improved American home brewing state.

American Home Brewing is alive and well today, so naturally it’s time to sit down, relax, and have a home brew. For those still not up to speed with home brewing beer, click on the link to discover more!