Left Brained Brewing

    I Started brewing beer at home with a "Mister Beer Kit" in 1999. I actually received two kits for my birthday that year. One from my wife and the other from a co-worker who had recently purchased a kit for himself as well (brewing beer was on his bucket list). The beers from the kit turned out well enough but there wasn't much creativity involved in the process. Pour pre-hopped malt syrup into a pot with water and boil for ten minutes. Cool in the sink for 30 minutes, dump into plastic container, sprinkle yeast and set near a heater vent. Actually, putting the fermenter next to a high heat source was a very bad idea but it seemed like the right thing to do.  I soon learned that beer making ingredients could be found locally at homebrew supply stores. All I needed was a good recipe and I would be crafting high quality beer at home.
     I started out by trying to clone craft beers that I enjoyed and that were available at that time. Ohio was not yet selling beers above 6% alcohol so the choices at the store were limited. Two beers that I was able to get my hands on were Pete's Wicked Ale and Red Hook ESB.  I was determined to duplicate these beers for two reasons. One was to save money and secondly it would be really cool to make good tasting beer at home. Most of my batches were "drinkable" but not quite what I was hoping for. So, I continued a quest for better recipes to try to improve the final product.
    After several years I came to realize that great beer does not come from great recipes. It takes some knowledge of basic science and creativity to obtain good results. I have found that the more knowledge I have of the beer making process, the more that I am able to get a desired result. I have also learned to accept the balance between strictly following a recipe and taking risks. I recently made a beer from wild hops and wild yeast. Lets just say it seemed like a good idea, but I won't be attempting it again soon!

Summer's IPA

    India Pale ales (IPA's) have become a juggernaut on the craft beer scene. Many craft  breweries make more than one type of IPA and most of these offer at least one double/imperial IPA.  The once popular Pale Ale has had to take a backseat to it's hoppier, higher alcohol cousins.  So, where do we go from here? Triple and Quad IPA's? Personally, as summer approaches, I have been craving some of the lower alcohol and less hoppy beers.  There is nothing like a Belgian Blonde or even a clean, crisp American Pale Ale to quench the thirst from the scorching heat of summer.
    A couple of weeks ago, the manager of our local pub mentioned that a very special beer was about to be distributed in Ohio and that he would be serving it on tap very soon.  I had not heard of Sculpin or the brewery Ballast Point but he assured  me that it was not to be missed.
    I am on the email list for The Old Bag of Nails and usually every Tuesday and Friday I receive an update on the current line up of craft beers at the pub. However, last Wednesday I received an unexpected "News Flash" that stated Sculpin IPA would be tapped at 5pm! The wife and I couldn't resist the bait so we headed to OBON before the keg ran dry.
    A beer that has good balance finds the union between bitter and sweet. Although an IPA tends to be higher on the bitterness scale, it can still be balanced with both the sweet residual sugars from the barley and the subtle sweetness from a higher alcohol content.   Even with beers of terrific balance, the bitter and sweet can be perceived on the palate separately.
   The aroma from Ballast Point's Sculpin is a pungent blast of mango and apricot.  As I take my first sip, all my taste buds seem to fire at the same time.  The balance is so amazing that I cannot easily differentiate the bitter and sweet and the tropical hop flavors are perfect for summer quenching.  There are no rough edges here and it becomes very clear that this is the perfect IPA for summer. It is so good that trying to duplicate it in my basement brewery seems senseless.  I did however research homebrew recipes intended to duplicate Sculpin online, but there seemed to be much confusion about which hops to use and when to add them to the kettle.  I'm not going try to figure how Sculpin is made, but I will be trying it again soon.

Beer Consumption Units

     Many people head to their local pub after a hard day at the office to either unwind or to gather with friends.  They perhaps will also order up their favorite beer dujour to accompany them while they make particularly witty comments to their fellow imbibers. No doubt, most will take careful consideration of all menu options and daily food specials before ordering food.  The amount of food each person orders is a matter of preference and can be fairly easily judged for caloric content, but the quantity of beer ingested is of equal importance. It is becoming more common for the pub's daily beer list to include not only the style of beer but the %ABV (percent alcohol by volume).  This information can be helpful but how does one know when one has had enough to drink? The answer is with what I call "Beer Consumption Units".
   
           Beer Consumption Units (BCU's) = Ounces Consumed/12  x  % Alcohol by volume

For example:

     Bill goes to OBON and orders an Avery Maharja with his Po-Boy Sandwich.  He finishes his beer and decides on a Troegs Nugget Nectar.  How many BCU's has Bill consumed?  Using the formula:

                     16 ounces/12 x 10.5%ABV = 14 BCU's Maharaja
                     16 ounces/12 x 7.5%ABV =  10 BCU's Nugget Nectar

                     14 + 10 = 24.0 BCU's total

To put this into perspective:

     If Bill had decided to instead drink five bottles of Budweiser, he would have ingested 25 BCU's...... (12 x 5)/12 x 5% = 25 BCU's.  About the SAME as the TWO beers that Bill actually consumed!

     With the increase in popularity of craft beers, I believe it is crucial to gather as much information as possible to ensure an enjoyable time without going overboard.  Determine what BCU's works best for you because it is important to know when you've had enough.

Who Owns You?

     So I'm at a Black Keys concert at Bank One Arena in downtown Cincinnati. My first move as I enter the arena is to get in position at the beer line. Oh no!, "only Coors or Coors Light in this line, sir".  I waste another few minutes of the opening act performance, which I end up missing completely, to get into line again. Very large cans of Hudepohl is what I am after this time!  Never had it before, but everyone around me seemed to be in great anticipation. The can had magnificent lettering as it filled my plastic cup. The server threw the can away before I could obtain any real information about the contents however, so I met up with the gang at our seats and "prepared" ourselves for the show.
    I asked my friend Margo what she thought of the beer and she paused for a moment. Before she could answer I said "It's terrible, isn't it"?!  She full heartily agreed but it was too late for a replacement, The Black Keys were beginning what would be a great show.
     A few weeks later I was invited to a book signing/ beer tasting at Main Street Books and Martini's in Mansfield Ohio. Rick Armon was in town to talk beer and to promote his new book "Ohio Breweries". Along for the ride was Jared, assistant brewer at Mt. Carmel Brewing of Cincinnati. They each had very interesting information about the current state of craft brewing in Ohio. Rick spoke mainly about the four months on the road, visiting the 49 breweries in the state and Jared shared his experiences as a brewer in a popular start up brewery, which still maintains production at a family farm. I then drifted next door to Martini's with a new copy of Armon's book (Thank You Catherine!) and enjoyed some great samples from Thirsty Dog Brewing and Mt. Carmel Brewing.
   "Ohio Breweries" is definitely not a book about the history of craft beer in Ohio. It focuses more on the current active breweries in the state. Even the large breweries which produce millions of barrels of beer each year are described without bias.  I was reading about one these breweries, Boston Beer Company, when I noticed something strange.  Boston Beer Co., which produces Samuel Adams, has been brewing Hudepohl at it's Cincinnati location since 1997, when it bought out Schoenling/Hudepohl Brewing.  I guess you never really know who makes the product that you are consuming. Hudepohl is an iconic name in Cincy and I guess we should commend Boston Beer for keeping it on the store shelves.

Corned Beef and Car Bombs

I didn't realize the number of Holidays we have to celebrate in February. I thought it was just the Hallmark Valentine's Day, but I recently discovered that President's day is celebrated by many, including banks, schools, government offices and trash collectors. Thank goodness the Old Bag of Nails was still open. We began our President's Day celebration prematurely on Sunday evening. When I say celebration, please know, that I mean dinner out so we (I) don't have to do dishes. They have a $5.00 Corned Beef sandwich and fried bologna sandwich special on Sunday that is well worth their price. Combine that with the excellent service we receive at the bar from Donna and the addition of craft beers on their main line (the craft beer line was overcrowded)  it is a very good thing!

I ordered the Founder's Red's Rye. Simply one of the best craft beers on the market. My beer arrived while my wife was still trying to decide on her selection. As she asked  Donna, again, what craft beers were available, I discovered that the Green Flash Hop Head Red was on tap. I convinced my wife to take my Founder's and ordered myself the Green Flash.  The Hop Head Red poured an opaque red amber that laced nicely in the glass. With the aroma, I noticed some piney hop resin with pungent citrus notes.  As I threw back the first gulp, the fresh hop flavor balanced well with malty sweetness. Not at all astringent or harsh.  I love the Founder's Red Rye, but this one might be better.  It paired well with the Corned Beef sandwich. Although it would have been fantastic with the Irish Car Bomb Brownie recipe that Donna described.......

I wish I had two mouths and three livers!

Are you a Bud Man?

     There was a time when a man's choice of beer identified him. Like a kind of class distinction per se.  Joe is a Bud man, Bill drinks Stroh's etc.  Aside from drinking Natty Light in my college days, I have never been the type to simply drink one type of beer. I can not imagine drinking the same beer on every occasion considering the limitless choices we have.  I imagine that if I were a "Bud Light guy", going to the store to pick up my six pack would be quite an inconvenience (like running out of toilet paper or dish soap).  Damn! I'm out of Bud Light!
     Personally, I enjoy shopping for my next beer; deliberately contemplating my purchase.  Sometimes I take in account the seasonal brews available.  Maybe a cool label with some kind of monster on it will catch my eye.  On a recent trip to The World Market in Polaris, I picked up a wide variety of beers.  I tried to get a good variety, and before I knew it, the cart was full.  So, let's see what I randomly grab out of the fridge....Ommegang Rare Vos.
     Rare Vos pours a cloudy, orange amber as it fills my snifter. I anticipate strong carbonation as large bubbles settle into a three finger head. The aroma has the familiar Belgian spiciness with maybe a hint of lemon. With the first taste I get a yeasty spiciness along with strong carbonation that finishes sweet.  I used this beer to saute spicy italian smoked sausage that i picked up at Macks Food Center in Lodi. What a great place for smoked meats, jerky and smokies by the way! Then, I placed the sausage in a toasted bun and topped it with Southern Hot Chow Chow that I picked up at The Pumpkin Seed bulk food store in Mansfield, Ohio. What a way to make a good beer even better.

I hate phony beer snobs..........

I hate phony beer snobs. They can ruin an enjoyable glass of beer with their pompous attitude and psuedo beer knowledge. With the amount of time I spend in the local Old Bag of Nails Pub in Mansfield, Ohio, I am unfortunately bound to run into a few now and then. On one of my more recent trips to enjoy and sample the elusive Bell's Hopslam, the experience was tainted  leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The atmospere of OBON was warm. The manager Don, was as always, the most generous of hosts, providing food pairings and samples. The Hopslam was flowing. I was content as I sat down at the bar. Before I could even order my first Hopslam, the phony beer snob reared his ugly head and began to speak. Leaning over, he sneered, "Bet your wife won't let you order anything but Coors Light or Bud Light." I responded with a simple "My wife is the one who told me the Hopslam was being tapped today." I could feel her temperature rise sitting next to me. He continued to interject into our conversation about our beer choices, insulted my wifes beer choice of the Left Hand Milk Stout and then went on to correct her about the %ABV of the beer she was drinking. He was wrong, but it didn't really matter because it was clear what we were dealing with. He continued on complaining about the pub and the free food, and insulting the bartenders and Don.

I tried to not let the beer snob ruin my tasting. The 10% Imperial IPA had a smoothness I had not experienced before in any IPA, let alone an Imperial. Normally, an Imperial is harsher and has more of a butterscotch sweetness.  I found myself sampling larger tastings of the beer and found my glass quickly emptied. The balance was amazing. This light amber IPA starts smooth with a spicy citrus aroma and finishes slightly sweet with the alcohol hidden in the background. Do not confuse this with a session beer. This is a beer that one has to be careful with, keeping this in mind I ordered my second and final Hopslam.  Unfortunately, this beer is only available in January, but it makes the experience more worthwhile, doesn't it?

Upon leaving the OBON, my aggitated wife decided to order the snob a beer he wouldn't appreciate, but deserved, the Arrogant Bastard from Stone Brewing.