Thursday, October 21, 2010

Ol' Naps has the itch...

Yep, I have that itch. Now just take it easy, I'm not talking about some weird rash or a bad case of the crotch crickets, I'm talking about being an entrepreneur. Being a brewery owner. Now I know you are probably thinking, again. Yes, damn it, again.

It really is something I really dream about, but this time the fired got stoked because I read an article on cnn that was all about college students starting their businesses even before they are out of college. So I figured, hell if they can do it I'm sure I could with the proper preparations. Then I start scheming on start up cash, business partners, equipment, label approvals, blah, blah, blah and I quickly come back to my senses and realize I am a ways away from starting up. So then I get a little discouraged and start thinking of all of the things in my way, but then I try to make a game plan to accomplish some of the building blocks to get me closer.

I think one of my biggest stumbling blocks is I really have no idea of how to ram up production from a small 5 gallon batch of beer to say a 1000 gallon batch (and that's on the light side). I mean how do they boil the wort? Does anyone in the microbrew environment stick to all extract brewing or does everyone go all grain? Once the beer is ready are they force carbonating? If so, how do you get your hands on a large CO2 tank/company? Then a million other questions rattle through my head.

So I think to get a better idea of what brewers are doing I want to take a weekend or two and go do a couple of tours. I'm not sure, but I'm hoping that the brewing world is similar to the winemaking world where there is a lot of knowledge swapping between small brewers because we really are a big community all after the same thing. Producing quality beer!

I want to plan a trip to two or three breweries and just see what I can glean from their tours and then ask as many questions as I can I fit in. So my three breweries of choice are Ithaca Beer, Wagner, and Custom Brewcrafters. I have been to both Ithaca and Wagner, but I haven't been to Custom Brewcrafters. Ithaca has a pretty good tour, so that's my first choice because I think that they would probably be the most willing to answer my questions, plus I think the majority of their beers are all extract. Then I don't really care which one is next.

So I guess that's my plan. I'll take a day or two and maybe this weekend or next weekend and go see what I can find out. Who else is in? Anyone want to come on a road trip of beer with me???

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Well, it was interesting, kind of.......

The homebrew/homemade wine contest was last night and it was interesting at some points and lame at others. To tell the truth this was the most interesting thing of the night:

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My Pumpkin Ale popped a chubby while it anxiously waited to be poured. Yep, that was about the highlight of the night. OK, OK maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not much. Let me paint you a picture, L Bird and I showed up a little early because L Bird was going to the judging the wine so she had to fill out her judging form. So we walk in and were told the contest was upstairs in the gallery's loft and that my entries were to be set up on the table closest to the window. So L Bird and I venture upstairs and the loft is completely empty except for the band setting up. OK, we're early I figured so no one is here yet. So I wandered over to my table and saw that there were only 3 homebrew entries, 2 of which were mine. Not a very promising sight, so then I wandered over to the homemade wine side and they only had 3 entries as well. I knew I had time, so I wandered back downstairs and talked to the woman running the event and she said she was hoping for a lot of last minute entries because 50  applications had gone out.

Well, that was wishful thinking because the 7 PM came and it was still just me and another guy pouring samples of our homebrew. On another note, that was an interesting part of the night. I got to sit behind the table and pour samples of my beer for people and talk to them about my beer. So that was actually pretty cool. It was also very funny to watch people taste the hot chili beer and watch them try to hide their screwface and be polite. Now I realize that beer is not for everyone but some people did actually appear to like it.

So in between pouring samples I started to chat with the other homebrewer, who's beer was quite delicious as well. He had a Scottish Wee Heavy that he added 2 pounds of raisins to made it slightly cordial tasting, but an all around good beer. As I was talking to him, I realized I knew his face from somewhere. Then I had it, I had seen him on Facebook for Rheinblick German Restaurant. He is their new chef. So we had a great conversation on beer and schnitzel.

One other highlight of the night was the band, Twice Before Noon. They were a pretty good band and they all were pretty nice guys. Another highlight was Billy asking "Is Twice Before Noon better than afternoon delight?" On a set break they all came over and tried the beers. The bassist was a hot sauce/spicy food nut so he really enjoyed the hot chili beer.

So then came the Judge's choice at 8:30 and my not so pumpkiny pumpkin ale won. I guess you can call it a win, I mean I brewed 2 out of the 3 beers so I had a 66% chance of winning. But whatever, so the judging came and went and people were starting to leave and it was just the band, Chef, L Bird, my friends Billy and Kim, and about five older skanky cougars on the other side of the loft. So we packed up and bounced.

Overall the experience was OK, if the event had a better turnout I think it would have helped tremendously, but even with its poor turnout there were a few bright spots, the band and talking with tasters about beer. I don't count the winning, because I don't really feel like I won. But what the hell, it was a night out, right?

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Well, my pumpkin isn't so pumpkin-y!

This weekend is that homebrew contest I posted about earlier, so I decided it would probably be a good idea to pop a top and actually taste my Pumpkin Ale before I entered it.

It has only been a little over a week since I bottled it, so when I heard that familiar fizz when I opened it I was very pleased. SO I grabbed a glass and poured it over.

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It looked beautiful. It was a nice golden orange color and it poured a nice thick off white head that gave way to some remarkable lacing down the glass as I drank it.

Just one problem there was no pumpkin aroma and no pumpkin flavor. Now I followed a recipe that called for fresh pumpkin, a whopping 8 pounds of it and the description was "liquid pumpkin pie".

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I mean seriously look at all that pumpkin I seriously roasted 3 whole pie pumpkins and when all was said and done I added 8 pounds of pureed pumpkin into the beer. Then on top of that I also added cinnamon and a bunch of other spices, so c'mon man I should have some sort of pumpkin/pumpkin pie flavor. But nope, nothing.

So I am quite disappointed on the Pumpkin Ale front but quite pleased as to how the beer turned out. It is a little bitter, but overall a really great tasting beer.

Now the other problem is I already sent in my homebrew entry form and the second beer is clearly entered as a Pumpkin Ale. So now I am in a bit of a pickle, I can either take my non-pumpkin pumpkin ale in and get laughed at or I can just donate the entry fee and leave that beer at home. Oh hell, I really don't care, I'll probably still take it get laughed at, because even though I may get laughed at I know it will get drank.

So I guess just wish me luck........

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