Home Brew: Batch #1

So I finally worked up the courage to brew my first batch of beer.

The whole idea of sterilization made me nervous. Screw up that step, and you screw up the beer. It is the first step, and you only learn if you made a mistake 3-6 weeks later.

But it is done. The 5-gallon bucket is in my basement, and the yeast is working away.

Here are some photos from my journey…

Start with 2 5-gallon buckets. Sterilize them.Then in a 4-gallon brew pot (that’s what I had), bring the water to 170 degrees and steep the crushed grains, seen here in mesh bags, for 20 minutes.Then add malt and hops and boil for 55 minutes. Remember to stir occasionally. Then add the finishing hops and boil for another 5 minutes.

Then cool the wort to 70 degrees, and transfer to the fermentor bucket. Then add the yeast. I was given the suggestion to add a bag of hops here to give it a little more flavor. So I tossed a mesh bag of cascading hops into the bucket. Sealed the lid. Labeled it. And put it in the basement.

Saint-Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren, Belgium

Meghan and I are heading to Europe in May. A couple of days in Paris, and a couple of days in Brussels.

Why Brussels, you ask?

Zane Lamprey and his show Three Sheets (now available on Hulu.com) on the Mojo Network.

Long and short of, there is a scene in the Brussels episode (watch here) where he visits the Delirium Cafe and is treated to many of the 2000+ beers on the menu. At one point, he is shown, not allowed to drink, share the name, or show the label of one local Abbey’s beer.

Our goal was to find that beer (And, who wouldn’t want to visit a place where the local hang-over cure is Belgium chocolate?).

Home Brew

Who likes beer? Better question, who doesn’t?

I got a home brew kit for Christmas from my lovely wife. And finally, last week, I got around to buying the ingredients for my first attempt at brewing my own beer.

I have decided to go with an India Pale Ale, along the likes of Sierra Nevada.

Wish me luck.

Updates and photos to come.

The Beer Engine

Meghan and I decided to follow up on an article in the Plain Dealer the other day. We like beer. We like burgers. And we thank all the Winking Lizard restaurants around Northeast Ohio for the many years of burger and beer choices, but after doing the World Beer Tour last year, we needed a change.

So last night, now being west-siders, we worked our way over to the corner of Arthur and Madison (15315 Madison Ave. to be exact: MAP) in Lakewood to visit the BEER ENGINE: brewery – booze – burgers.

It opened about 3 weeks ago in what looks like an old fast food restaurant. The Beer Engine was founded by Brewer Garin Wright, who made a name for himself with his award-winning Buckeye Brewing Co. beers (I love the Buckeye Hippie IPA). After running Beer Keepers, he expanded to a larger facility to handle the demand for his great tasting beers.

Three Sheets

Meghan and I were watching some television this weekend and thanks to the High Def channels for providing some quality entertainment.

On one of the IN-HD channels, there is a sub channel called Mojo (http://www.mojohd.com). And they were having a Three Sheet marathon. Zane, the host, has by far the best job in the world. He travels the globe to get drunk in different cities and countries.

We watched him get drunk in France, Costa Rica, Mexico, Whales, Belgium, Croatia and Jamaica.

He hunts down local rumors, beverages, and myths (Cashew Wine in Costa Rica, Viper Rum in Jamaica, and the myth that pints are served ar room temp overseas).

He them proceeds to get drunk, have fun, and play drinking games.

Then he follows up with a local hang over cure.

Great stuff. We want to go to Belgium and try the beer and the chocolates.