Questions of Note: Chris Nelson

Probably one of the greatest things about the growth of the craft beer movement is how it allows couples to work together.  Many times more traditional careers seem to pull a couple in different directions (imagine trying to operate while your wife or husband is standing next to you giving you directions).  This is defanitely the case when you think of Chris and Merideth Nelson. 

It all began in the early 90s when Merideth was working at a mutli tap beer bar.  Wanting to learn more about the varied styles they began traveling.  At this point they have visited over 700 breweries throughout the world.  Merideth has written a book (Teachings from the Tap) and Chris maintains the site The Beer Geek.co, in both they chronicle their adventures within the beer world. 

This brings us to the questions:

1.      What was the beer moment, when you knew you wanted to become involved with the craft beer renaissance?

It was never a conscience decision for Merideth and I to become involved with craft beer. In the early 1990s, Merideth worked at a beer bar with 28 taps in Oakland, CA. We started visiting breweries so she would be more knowledgeable about the brews she was serving. Next thing you know, we are beer travelers.

2.      If you could have any beer in your hand right now, what would it be?

Drake's Aroma Coma... hoppy, hoppy beer.

3.       Can you describe your beer life in a song lyric/title?  If so what would you choose?

                I think I'll have myself a beer

4.      Do you have a steady beer, or do you like to “play the field?”

I have a steady beer (usually Sierra Nevada Torpedo) while playing the field

5.      Crowded smoky bar or back porch watching the clouds float across the sky?

Beer garden in Bavaria watching  the clouds float across the sky

 

And the lame one…

If tin whistles are made of tin, what do they make fog horns out of?

beer

Time for a pint...

Hangout with Michigan Craft

I am becoming a fan of the Hangout feature on Google+.  When you are lucky enough to catch the event live, you are given a chance to interact with people you might not have a chance otherwise.  But then if you miss the event you can still check it out (our ability to keep archived records seems to have grown tremendously in the past few years). 

Earlier today, Pure Michigan, hosted a Hangout to share a bit about the growing craft beer scene in Michigan.  With the growth that is happening now, its amazing that the speakers present were able to be pulled away from their breweries and hop yards.  This is definately worth a look see.

Time for a pint...

Bottles of Long Ago

Recently my mother mentioned to me that she had a beer bottle she found while cleaning out one of the rooms in her basement.  At first it didn't strike me as anything out of the ordinary (my dad uses my beer to pay the neighbor for mowing his lawn, so I get bottles back every now and then).  It was when she gave me the bottle that questions began to come to the surface. 

 Bell's when it first started out was originally Kalamazoo Brewing Co.  But when you really look at this bottle, it becomes obvious that it is much older than Larry Bell's baby.  This meant I had to do a bit of searching. 

My first stop was to Bell's general store to see if anyone there had seen something like this.  While there we talked for a few minutes about the original Kalamazoo Brewing Co. that existed before Prohibition.  Not a lot of information but enough to know that the bottle came from that original brewery.

Next stop was to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.  Not as fruitful as I would have liked but there was still a bit to be learned there.  First and foremost, my bottle is in better condition than the ones they have there (score).  Another tidbit was the date of the bottle.  Because of the amount of bottles in circulation it is difficult to pin point an exact date on the bottle.  Closest date available is more a circa date to say when they might have been in use.

 This lead me to my (currently) last stop; the local history room in the Kalamazoo Public Library.  This lead me to an article from 1982 from the Antique Trader Weekly.  The article's main focus was on some of the breweriana from the brewery, but there were a few historical tidbits that I found interesting for my research.  The main bit was the detail of the years that the brewery existed: 1860 to 1915.  In the grand scheme of beer history it was around this time that Anheuser Busch was in its infancy. 

The Volstead Act (prohibition 18th Amendment) was ratified in 1919, but Kalamazoo was a leader in shutting down booze.  Prohibition shut down the brewery and bars in 1915.  As with many other breweries in the US, Kalamazoo Brewing Company did not come back when Prohibition was ended in 1933. 

The seam down the sides of the bottle and bubbles in the glass tell a story of an older practice of glass manufacturing.  The brewery had two different size bottles in the clear glass and they also had brown bottles as well. 

Time for a pint...

Beer Quest: Bell's Home Brew Challenge

The beer is now kegged and carbed.  I have to say even the first sampling is showing good signs for what I wanted to happen with this beer.  I am calling it an amped American Pale Ale but honestly I am not sure it falls quite into the category.  The color is a lightish orange for starters.  Then you move into the flavors.  Sure there is a underlying bitterness that builds as you drink it but that only enhances the citrus notes that predominate throughout.  There is also a distinct touch of grain in the mix.  The beer ended up around 8%, with this in mind I was surprised that I really didn't taste the alcohol.  So the flavors tend to be smooth without much of (if at all) an alcohol burn. 

As it is right now it is almost exactly the beer I wanted it to be, as always I will know a bit more once it has settled into itself from the quick carb it just went through.

When you get the majority of the wort premade, it can be an interesting voyage to see what you end up with.


Break down:

The original wort was 5 gallons that when boiled would end up at roughly 6% alcohol but only around 4 gallons or so.  I personally wanted to be at 5 gallons final volume so this meant adding some more liquor and DME so I did not lose any ABV.  At the same time I wanted to make it a bit more than what it originally was so I went with candi sugar, or for me, some caramel. 

I cooked about 1.5 pounds of sugar to 325 degrees.  This ends up with a reddish brown color and a flavor similar to burnt marshmellows.  In the fermentation this ends up giving a flavor similar to candied cherries, depending on the yeast used. 

Now we move into hops.  I started with Sorachi Ace, three additions the first at 1/2 ounce and then the next two at 1/4 ounce each.  And finally I finished with Mt. Ranier.  The full ounce of this was added at the last 5 minutes of the boil. 

Now finally we are looking at yeast selection.  WLP0029 Kolsch yeast (mainly because it was what I had on hand) which is known to accentuate the hops, worked well with the set up.  The beer spent a week in primary at about 64 degrees and then a week and a half at 40 degrees.  The yeast helped to give the beer a clean flavor profile but with enough fruitiness for the citrus notes to stand out. 

The excitement of the evening was when I was placing the keg in the kegerator.  My intention was to replace one of my older kegs that was about to blow with this one, easy peasy any day.  Until you are setting up the older keg on the picnic tap only to realize too late that not only is the tap open but it isn't fully assembled.  I had beer shooting out from the connection and the cobra at the same time.  My first reaction is to try and screw the connection fully together with my fingers (usually this needs a screwdriver).  It isn't until I have beer spread out nicely that I think of disconnecting from the keg.  The good news is I only had about 1 beer left in the keg anyway. 

Time for a pint...

Video: Chicken Enchilada

Enchiladas are one of the great simple foods that seem like they could be a lot of work but the reality is they really don't take that much effort at all.  Another great aspect, they don't really require too much to make them great.  Needless to say, they are a favorite at my house.

 

 



Recipe:

1lb chicken (cooked and shredded)
1 medium onion (julienned and carmalized)
8 to 10 tortilla shells

1lb tomatillo
1 jalapeno
1 clove garlic
1/2 lime, juiced
small bunch of cilantro
salt to taste

1 avocado
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 lime, juiced
couple dashes hot sauce

Method:

Peel the outer husk from the tomatilloes then quarter them, rough chop the jalapeno (for less heat remove the ribs and seeds, or leave them in.). Place garlic, jalapeno, tomatilloes, and lime juice in a pot with a little water (for steaming).  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15- 20 minutes (the tomatilloes should be broken down).  When done, blend with a hand blender or a standing blender till smooth.

Mix chicken, onion, and enough sauce to wet the mix.  Portion the mix into the tortillas rolling each and placing them into a baking pan.  Cover the rolled tortillas with sauce, then place in 400 degree oven for roughly 20 minutes.

Blend the avocado, sour cream, hot sauce and lime juice till smooth and creamy.  Top the finished enchiladas. 

Time for a pint...

Questions of Note: Hop Head Fred

It is not uncommon to earn pseudonyms for our personalities on the internet.  This gives us a bit of freedom, a little bit of a chance to be incognito as we travel through various networks.  Well that is unless you gain a bit of infamy like Hophead Fred.  Although he is a transplant to Chandler, Arizona, they have taken him as their own.  In this year's pollings he was voted the 4th most beerfluential person in Arizona.  He is also a founder of the Vegan Zombie Beer Club.  (What does a vegan zombie eat?  GGGRRRAAAIIINNNSSS)

Here we go with the questions...

1.         What was the beer moment, when you knew you wanted to become involved with the craft beer renaissance?

 

 It wasn't a beer moment per se, much more like a Beer Nirvana. It happened when I moved to Arizona. The lack of craft beer bars inspired me to raise awareness. I am glad to say we are a thriving craft beer destination.

2.         If you could have any beer in your hand right now, what would it be?

It would be a G'KNIGHT from Oskar Blues. In fact I'm holding a nitro G'KNIGHT in my hand right meow.

3.         Can you describe your beer life in a song lyric/title?  If so what would you choose?

If it's hoppy this boy is getting sloppy and I would have Les Claypool write it

4.         Do you have a steady beer, or do you like to "play the field?"

My steady beer would Hopknot from Four Peaks - I prefer to support local. However I try as many beers and beer styles that I can.

5.         Crowded smoky bar or back porch watching the clouds float across the sky?

I do not like smokey bars. Living in Arizona I'd say backpacking with a nice canned beer.

If tin whistles are made of tin, what do they make fog horns out of?

No Comment


Time for a pint...

Judgement of Paris

Turning points, our lives are filled with them.  More often than not they go unnoticed because it is generally the minor decisions that lead to bigger consequences.  Quite often this makes it hard to pinpoint where the turning point actually was. 

I recently ran across a movied called "Bottle Shock."  The movie dramatizes the wine tasting set up by Steven Spurrier in 1976.  US wines from California versus French wines in a blind tasting by French vinophiles.  More so, the tasting took place in France.  Needless to say the deck was stacked considerably against the American vintners.  Against all odds the US wines came out on top. 

Of course this caused a bit of a quibble (though it was not highly publicized).  The tasting was done 3 more times over the past 30(ish) years.  Even through claims of subjectivity and they even the same judges would not agree on the same wines, the US wines still climbed to the top.  Imagine, the greatest wine culture in the world surpassed by upstarts, many of whom had only been making wine for a couple years. 

This was a major turning point.  Prohibition had seriously damaged the fermented beverage culture of the US.  We saw it with both beer and wine.  Before the "Judgement of Paris" the vinculture of the US consisted mostly of "jug wine."  The wines were not taken seriously.  Of course some smart asses in Napa decided that they wanted to make something a bit more than the status quo.  It can be amazing when you step out just a bit more than what you might have thought you were capable of.

The craft beer culture has a somewhat different "Judgement" to surpass.  Mass lager is akin to the "jug wine" culture but with one exception.  The mass campaign of advertising big beer has been able to inundate the world with, means that this is the face the world knows for beer in the US.  It makes you wonder, what may one day be seen as the turning point that leads to mass apeal of craft.  Or will it continue a path of slowly finding inroads into the mainstream? 

Time for a pint...    

Brewery Tour: Bravo Restaurant

Off the beaten path (well not really) actually just set away from the hustle and bustle of down town Kalamazoo, you can find Bravo Restaurant in what seems like the middle of nowhere.  This sets them in a unique position away from college party bars that proliferate down town.  Essentially, the restaurant is across the street from the Kalamazoo airport, and as far as higher end restaurants go, they have cornered the market.  Add to this, they have been operating a nano brewery in their already bustling kitchen. 

Shawn and Terry Hagen opened the restaurant in 1987, basing their success on regional Tuscan flavors and a stellar wine list.  It was roughly 5 years ago that they decided to up their game just a bit by adding a brewing component to their menu.  Chef Adam Stacey who home brewed for 12 years prior to the change has been at the forefront of the changes.  A few of the changes at the restaurant over the past 5 years have included installing a reverse osmosis water treatment system and setting up a temperature controlled fermentation room. 

The current brew system that Adam is using to fill 5 taps at the restaurant is roughly a 1 barrel set up.  He feels growing pains the worst around festivals.  As it is right now, this is when he is pulling double batches on brew day.  Lucky for us though, because if you don't go to the restaurant, festivals are the only places you will find their beer.  The do not distribute at all. 

 

Adam begins his brewday at 530 in the morning.  This allows him to get most of the brew work done before the rest of the kitchen crew show up for lunch.

 

 

 

 When they first started brewing at the restaurant they only had two house beers on tap.  They now have 5 of their 6 taps filled with house made brew. 

Current beers on tap: Blonde Ambition, A-dam good beer, Chef's Ale, Summer Daze (my favorite at the time), and Porterhouse Java Porter.  Needless to say 9 in the morning is a great time for a beer.  Granted the Porterhouse filled the role well for my morning coffee. 

 

 

Time for a pint... 

Store Visit: Siciliano's Market

After the mentions I have made about Siciliano's in the past, I find it odd that I have not yet taken the time to actually do a virtual tour of the place.  Up until recently the only places for me to go for reliable brewing supplies consisted of two places.  The first is the Bell's General Store (which is my regular) the second is Siciliano's.  Although Siciliano's is roughly an hour away for several years they were my only contact point for contest drop offs throughout the state.  Of course, this doesn't even bring out the fact that they also have their own home brew contest every year with some pretty big prizes.  This year the best of show winner won a trip to Sierra Nevada's beer camp. 

The store is more than just a beer store.  In fact Steve Siciliano mentions in their history that it was when they added home brew supplies that the store really took off.  Now they not only offer great selection (they even recently expanded) but they are also one of the few places around South West Michigan to help those willing to explore more than just beer and wine.  As I am moving more toward cheeses that require a bit more I am looking to these guys for the cultures I will be needing.
(Wow, I almost feel like an advertisement right now)

I think probably one of the more interesting visits for me was a few years ago when I built my first kegerator.  It was Steve Siciliano himself who helped me find all the equipment I needed for the build out.  Come to think of it, it was here that I bought my Blichman Beer Gun. 

That is probably one of the best parts about the store.  They are small enough to offer really good customer service will still being big enough to have a great selection . 



 

Time for a pint...

Video: Turkey Roulade

Here we go, this week we are doing something a bit fancier than what we have done till now.  To make a roulade, you are stepping into French cooking techniques.  The hallmark of French technique is to beat the food into submission and make it into what you want it to be.  Quite often that is still something incredibly tasty.  The advantage of learning various techniques and the cooking styles of different cultures is the increase of your palate.  At the same time it also stimulates your creativity. 

The different foods that grow in a region work perfectly with the cooking techniques of that region.  But at the same time, with a little experimentation you can also find other ways that work quite well with various ingredients.  Just as with brewing, your only limitation is your skills and your imagination. 

Recipes:
2 turkey breast (pound them thin but avoid tearing them)
1 lb paneer or goat cheese
1/4 lb dried cranberries
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
salt to taste

method:
pound turkey.  Combine stuffing and place inside turkey then roll it.  secure with kitchen twine.  Cook at 350 till internal temp reads 165.

Garlic Ginger Rice recipe:
3 cups rice
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon ginger (fresh and minced)
2 1/2 water

Method:
saute ginger and garlic till tender.  Add the rice and cook till it looks mother of pearl.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes

Tomato Sauce:
1lb tomatoes
1 clove garlic
salt to taste

method:
bring tomatoes to boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Blend till smooth with either a blender or a hand blender.

Green Beans:
1.5 lbs green beans (blanched)
1 Clove garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce (I use a Korean brand of soy sauce the flavor is much better than the stuff you find in a normal super market.  This is one you need to find an Asian market for).

Time for a pint...

Questions of Note: Bonnie Steinman

This week's Questions of Note is with one of my favorite hop farmers.  Jeff and Bonnie Steinman own Hop Head Farms in Hickory Corners Michigan.  It seems only fitting that Bonnie is featured this week, she tends to be the more vocal of the two.  Aside from the fact that the are building a great hop facility in South West Michigan, they are both just great people to talk to and get to know.  Before I get to wrapped up and all gooey I better move this along. 

So we now turn to the questions:

o    1. What was the beer moment, when you knew you wanted to become involved with the craft beer renaissance?
that is hard. I remember having my first Bell's Best Brown at The Corner Bar many moons ago, but at that time i did not know there would be a craft beer renaissance. I have had many beer moments, but I think the most inspirational and affirming ones have been during Michigan Summer Beer Fests. The community of brewers is amazing in Michigan. Every year we go, we make more friends and connections.
2. If you could have any beer in your hand right now, what would it be? I would just like A BEER in my hand right now! Right now I am thinking about harvest ales, of course. They are different every year, so I can't pick one brand over another. I need to try them all!
3. Can you describe your beer life in a song lyric/title? If so what would you choose? I love beer so much. All I can think of that could describe my beer life is Louie Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World." Beer makes me happy. That song makes me happy too.
4. Do you have a steady beer, or do you like to “play the field?” If in doubt, I will always have either a Bell Two Hearted or a Founders Red's Rye. If those are not available I'll get Sierra Nevada Pale.

5. Crowded smoky bar or back porch watching the clouds float across the sky?
I definitely prefer the air and view of the back porch. I can't stand smoke. It messes up my taste buds and gives me a headache. I do love people watching at the bar though...
And the lame one…

If tin whistles are made of tin, what do they make fog horns out of?
Something really big. They are loud!!!!

Time for a pint...

State of Beer

I have been reading the transcripts from a recent speech, made by Jim Koch.  In the speech he touches on the state of the US craft brewing scene as well as a bit about the state of Sam Adams.  Through the mass of numbers and differing stats there were a few items that stood out to me.

The first was a bit about AB Inbev.  In the grand scheme of things, it really wasn't that long ago that Anheiser Busch was bought out by Inbev.  When you look at the downward trend of AB over the last 25 years, that means that they were bought out during a longer spiral, and now are still losing ground.  It becomes a series of crises management in order to save what they can.  Of course, even with this downward spiral they are still the biggest fish in the pond. 

This makes me wonder how much longer they will remain with the lead they have.  The speech reminded me of a recent release detailing the amount of breweries currently in the US and the breweries in planning for the next year or so.  Granted we were just talking about this during the recent Session.  Imagine, 1300 breweries in the works currently.  That is roughly the number of breweries in all of Germany.  More so, I recently ran across an article stating that England is approaching 1000 breweries.  When you consider that in the US there are currently over 2000, that just gets insane. 

As Mr. Koch suggests, in the US we have a beer culture unlike any where else in the world.  Although there are some who would only see two lines, I prefer to see three seperate cultures.  It may be that the third culture has only recently started to manifest so that may be slanted against it.  So first we look at the two that have existed for ages.  The first portion is the group for alcohol (usually falling into the group that gives imbibers a bad name) the partiers.  The second portion is the neo prohibitionists.  Just as with food, if you can enjoy it it must be bad for you.  Lastly, we have a segment of the culture emerging that seems to baffle those from the other two segments.  The group that drinks beer for the enjoyment of the varied flavors and nuances. 

It would seem that we have come back to full circle.  Back before prohibition when we had a similar number of breweries to where we are now, beer was integral to our quality of life.  Back then the temperance movement did not include beer, wine, or cider.  These were staples that we could not live without.  Of course now the love hate relationship with alcohol puts so many stigmata onto how we partake that it becomes ever harder to enjoy without building feelings of guilt.  Kinda makes you wonder how we could build a beer culture to begin with huh?

Imagine that back then along with a large number of breweries (the same number as now but with a smaller population) it was also quite common for people to home brew.  Beer was more than just culture, beer was life.  If you talk like that now, they brand you an alcoholic and shun you (be warned). 

And now my mind is wandering away from my original thoughts, so I will leave you hear...


Time for a pint...

Studies in Mycology

The oyester mushrooms are still working.  I have been taking pics of them everyday to get an idea of the growth cycle.  The speed of growth is interesting; it makes me wonder about the life cycle of yeast.  Considering I don't have the lab equipment to examine yeast growth on a more personal level, at least I can watch my mushrooms growth and get an idea of what is happening inside my fermentation bucket. 

 Each of these pics were taken roughly a day apart.  I started photographing the growth a day or two after I first noticed some growth.  The growth prior to recorded growth wasn't enough for me to record (at least in my view). 

 As you can see in this pic when changes are happening they are actually happening pretty fast. 

 Mind you, the only real work in this whole process is remembering to spray the shroom with water everyday.  I spend roughly 30 seconds twice a day with the beast.

 At this point you can see what looks like the ribs beginning to form.  It is my hope that in the next day or two the stalks should open up and take on the appearance you would expect from an oyester mushroom.








I do believe it is time for a pint...

Bell's Homebrew Competition

As it turns out, I will be entering into one contest this year after all.  This past Saturday marked the start of the 3rd year of the Bell's Homebrew Challenge.  They work this contest a bit differently than most other contests.  First, there is no entrance fee (crazy, right).  Then it gets even better.  They actually provide the base wort.  You heard this right, they give the contestants 5 gallons of wort ready to be boiled, hopped, and played with any way you see fit.  I have wanted to get in on this for the past couple years; free wort is free wort, you can't go wrong.  But as always my work schedule kept me from participation. 

A good portion of the day was spent waiting for the distribution of the wort (stand around time).  Of course there were some homebrew related reps there to talk beer, brewing, and equipment.  Of course an even better special was dollar off beers if you were wearing Bell's apparel.  I ended up with an Oktoberfest (love having beers at the Eccentric, always something you don't find outside).  

It will probably be sometime next week when I talk about what I did with the wort I received. 

 

 

Couple of the guys hard at work.

There was a prize drawing at 12:30.  Sadly, I won nothing (I think I was cheated). 

Larry Bell put in an appearance. 

The path to wort was through the brew house.










Time for a pint...

Video:Jambalaya

When you look at the food of a culture you will find certain items that are synonymous with what you would think of when you picture the culture.  When we think of Cajun/Creole cuisine, jambalaya is one of the first items that comes to mind.  Now when we get into brass tacks, you will find that the people who live that culture have as many variations of the dish as there are people in the culture. 

The Acadians (eventually shortened to Cajuns) were displaced French Settlers that made their way down the Eastern Seaboard to eventually settle in the area that became Louisiana.  Though much of the food we find there now has basis in French cooking technique, it has been influenced by the land and the people to become something that is greater than the sum of its parts. 

When I first learned how to make jambalaya, everything was cooked together in the same pot, similar to the way paella is made.  And then you will find other sources who make their jambalaya keeping the rice seperate from the rest, giving the rice a chance to remain crisp and whole.  This way treats the dish more like a gumbo but without a roux. 

Recipe:
1 medium onion (diced)
1 medium carrot (diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
1 medium zuchini (diced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
8 oz diced ham
8 oz diced chicken
2 cups rice (cooked in 31/2 cups water)
1.5 lbs tomatoes (used fresh but can use a can or two)
1 tablespoon basil
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
cayenne to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
sweat the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, and zuchini till tender.  Add the seasoning and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for roughly 20 minutes (this allows the flavors to merry).  Add the chicken and ham and heat through.  Serve over the rice. 

Notes:
Instead of the Cajun trinity (onion, pepper, and celery) I use a French mire poix (onion, celery, and carrot). 
Tasso ham or Andouille sausage work great in this if you can find them.  At times I like to use smoked sausage as well (has the smokiness of andouille but not the heat (my family can be weenies at times))
The cayenne and smoked paprika are solely there to fill the gap lost by not using tasso or andouille. 

Time for a pint...

Questions of Note: Anat Baron

We find ourselves at another edition of Questions of Note.  Although I did not plan the way this week has played out it seems only fitting that after the Session this week I follow with responses from someone who has helped in the fight against big beer.  Anat Baron is the film maker who gave us the film Beer Wars.  It would seem that after the films premier in 2009 we have seen even more of a boom in the growth of Craft Beer and breweries across the US and the world. 

You may find something has changed a little with the questions this week.  I had forgotten that Anat was allergic to alcohol, this meant making a few changes.  Some may quibble about this, but I think it important that we keep in mind that we may never know where support for our endeavors will come from.  Sometimes it is amazing whose lives we touch or touch our own.  Many times it comes from somewhere you least suspected.

And now, the questions:

1.         What was the beer moment, when you knew you wanted to become involved with the craft beer renaissance?

I wanted to make a film about the beer industry and the role of entrepreneurs within it. I started shooting in 2005 before craft beer reached the tipping point. At the GABF that year, it was still a fairly quiet scene compared to recent years. I found the enthusiasm compelling and it helped drive the narrative of the film.

 

2.         Considering your allergy to alcohol, did you find it difficult to gain an insiders perspective while filming “Beer Wars?”

I wasn’t making a film about the taste of beer but rather the business of beer so it wasn’t an issue. Several times the brewers had tears in their eyes when I was on a line and they offered me a taste (freshest beer possible) and I had no choice but to refuse.

In some ways NOT drinking the beer made me objective. I couldn’t comment on the taste, couldn’t pick favorites and couldn’t answer the inevitable: “what’s your favorite beer?” question.

I think that some viewers had an issue with the film being directed by someone who couldn’t drink but that just meant that they didn’t get the point of the film.

 

3.         Can you describe your life in a song lyric/title?  If so what would you choose?

I am Woman by Helen Reddy.

 

4.         Do you have a drink of choice?  The one you can’t function throughout the day without?

Yes, I drink Green tea. I have 3 favorites that I alternate throughout the day. When it’s really hot I drink half & half from Honest Tea.

 

5.         Crowded restaurant or sitting on the back porch watching the clouds go by?

I hate crowds so you’d find me on the back porch watching the waves (I live in Los Angeles…)

And the lame one…

If tin whistles are made of tin, what do they make fog horns out of?

Is this a trick question? Remember, I can’t drink.

I believe a fog horn is comprised of some sort of metal (brass?) that uses liquid nitrogen to create the siren sound.

 

Time for a pint...

 

Session #67: How many breweries in 2017?

The session this month is hosted by Derrick Peterman from Ramblings of a Beer Runner.   The question he poses this month is "How many breweries will we have in the year 2017?" 

Why 5 years from now?  Is this just an arbtrary round figure?  You see 5 years ago we had roughly 1400 breweries in the US.  Now we have a little over 2200 with another 1200 or so slated to open within the next year.  We have reached a nexus where we have surpassed the highest recorded number of breweries in the US since before Prohibition and the outlook seems to point to this number sky rocketing to even greater heights.   Or is it possible that the bubble will burst and send many packing back to the dead end careers they held before they bit the hop bug?

Can I play doomsayer?  I predict there will be one megabrewer who controls the world. 

That sounds crazy right?  When you look at the pattern of how business has been done over the last 100 years and more, that has a high probability of happening.  And within 5 years, it could absolutely happen because business is moving at lightening speeds in the information age. 

I know you are probably thinking that I couldn't be further from the truth.  So I ask you to look around, look at the mergers that have already happened.  Aside from the big brewers buying out each other they have made inroads into craft as well.  Wasn't it just yesterday that Goose Island bit the huge pay check cookie?  Even now there is talk of Magic Hat being sold yet again.  But no, that couldn't happen here...

Career paths tend to follow a certain pattern.  For some it is a path to wealth and better toys.  When they see that others are succeeding at something that looks like it could be enjoyable and easy they get a bit of metoo-itus.  This is all well and good until they realize that work is involved.  People tend to begin leaving that career path when they realize that everyone else had the same thoughts they did and now it is too crowded.
    
We also run across those who decide to open a brewery based on the wrong assumptions.  Its a bit of the restaurant syndrome.  Friends rave about how great your (random French sounding food here) is the best they have ever had so you should open a restaurant.  More often than not this leads to people who have no business setting foot even in their home kitchen trying their hand at something that is easily a 10 headed hydra.  And they get burned...

We do actually have two scenarios that could happen before us.  The first is of course the one mega brewery that rules us all.  This can come about because when money is talking we may just be listening.  The other option being that we could in the future reach a point where we have breweries about as common as restaurants.  Either way it will be the passion of those who are opening the breweries that will determine where we end up. 

Time for a pint...

Farm Tour: Hop Head Farms Processing

I got to spend some time at Hop Head Farms again recently.  This time was spent watching Griselda Wolfenstein do what it does best; process hops.  Aside from being a great place for hops, the Steinmans planned to make their farm a processing center for other area hop growers.  This is a great advantage to smaller farms considering the high cost of hop picking machinery.  The hops in question on this day were from Lyle Schmidt at Michigan Organic Hops and were destined for New Holland Brewing. 

Griselda Wolfenstein
 

Hops before



 

At this point here, the hops are ready for use in a fresh hop beer.  The other option would be to place the hops in an oast to dry.  Once dried they can either be pelletised (more often than not) or be used as whole leaf hops. 

 

 

Time for a pint...

 



Sure, why not

Being the fan I am of things fermented and various fungi, it is actually amazing that I have never done this before.  That is until a recent trip to the store, when I found it passing by the flower section.  I am talking about growing some mushrooms.  Granted we all have had various experiments growing in a fridges that no one really wants to think about, but to actually grow some edible fungus.  Now that could be an interesting experiment. 

This is the kit I am currently working with.

Buying a mushroom kit is actually even easier than brewing beer from a kit.  Just cut into the bag and then soak it for a bit.  Then keep it in a cool dark place for a little more than a week.  In just a few more days I should have some oyester mushrooms ready to harvest. 

In the meantime check out this cool mushroom farm tour of Far West Fungi I found while doing some research into mushroom farming. 

Time for a pint...

Video: Brisket

Although we have now come to Labor Day, signifying that summer is over, that doesn't mean that we have to end the joy we have of slow cooked meats.  At my house I like to do the majority of the cooking in the oven and then move to the grill to bring the smoke to finish something off.  This is a way to save on going through a large amount of charcoal and hardwood.  Of course the brisket I made for this video was cooked solely in the oven, nothing says that you have to finish it there. 

This video is only 5 minutes which belies the fact that total cooking time was roughly 5.5 hours, not too mention sitting overnight while the dry rub worked its magic. 

I won't be giving out too much of a recipe for this one (somethings are my secret) but I will say I did a 2 to 1 ratio for the sugar to salt (1 oz brown sugar to .5 oz salt).  This gives a slightly  sweeter finished product.  If you adjust to a more even ratio you will end up being a bit less sweet. 

Time for a pint...