Upcoming Tastings and a Recipe

Well, I'm looking forward to this evening!  A couple of friends of mine - and a couple guys I don't know yet (friends of friends) - are coming over this evening to taste 6 amber beers...

My picture is actually missing one of the beers we will try this evening... here are the beers, in tasting order:

1. Abita Amber

2. St. Arnold Amber

3. Squatters Big Cottonwood Amber

4. Boont Amber

5. Ballast Point Amber

6. Clown Shoes Imperial Amber (Eagle Claw Fist)

So, needless to say, I'm looking forward to this!!  Also, I get to use my little tasting cups that I hoarded at the Dallas Observer Brewfest a few weeks ago.   

While my tasting mind has been on ambers, my brewing mind has been on Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale.  If I didn't have about 8 cases of beer aging right now, I'd totally brew this today.  Found this recipe for it.... (This recipe from Freezeblade.)

75% eff. AG. 5.5 gallons. Mash@156 for 60 mins, 60 min boil. Mr. Brown 7# Marris Otter .5# Brown Malt .5# British Crystal 55L .25# British Crystal 135L .25# UK Chocolate malt .25# Flaked oats (toasted) .5oz EKGs@FWH .5oz Fuggles@FWH 1oz EKGs@60 WLP026 Premium Bitter Yeast, although WLP005 or any other english strain would be awesome in it as well.

I don't know about you, but I wasn't familiar with adding hops "FWH" - so, follow the link for some explanation. Definitely trying this on my next brewing experience!! (BTW - explore that site a bit - it's a good one!)

So, keep on the lookout for our tasting notes with the ambers - and, I'm contemplating a podcast that would feature a few beers and a scotch... so, there's that...

--BnFN

Brew 1 - Pale Ale (from kit)

I suppose I'm not a master brewer yet. Actually, to this point, I've never brewed a beer in my life.  A kit seemed the way to go.

I set up my "Ale Pail" with my Pale Ale and except for the fact that initial fermentation was WAY crazy and aggressive, all seemed to have gone well in that phase of the brewing.  I learned later that I should have replaced the lost volume of liquid before I bottled (because I lost a bunch with the crazy foam blow off).  But, here are my empty bottles ready for filling...

Now - about a month after I started, I've got a nice 1.8 cases of beer which I've named "Chewy Cheeks Pale Ale" after my 4 year old son, who we kid about his "chewy cheeks".

I've also decided to name my home brewery "Bierkirche" or "Beer Church".  It is a little heavy and it is possible that either my fermentation or possibly not filling up the carboy to 5 full gallons before bottling added to that heaviness... or, it's just a heavier beer.  I don't know... but it's been an easy beer for me to get to like and enjoy....