September 2010 Archives

Autumn in a glass. That's pretty much what Screamin' Pumpkin is from Michigan Brewing Company. Some pumpkin ales are just spice, some are more pumpkin, some are just barely hinting at pumpkin. Screamin' Pumpkin I love because it has everything, pumpkin, spice and the whole works. It's a bold punch of pumpkin ale, no messin' around. If you love pumpkin pie then you will probably like the ale, if you don't well pass it up then. It has a nice golden orange hue, and a nice minimal head when poured cold.

With some help I was able to get the freezer, condenser and compressor in today.









 
     

I keep forgetting to post this. I guess it's old news now, but still interesting if you haven't seen it yet. CNN: World's 'oldest beer' found in shipwreck. "It seems that we have not only salvaged the oldest champagne in the world, but also the oldest still drinkable beer. The culture in the beer is still living."

Here she is insulated with the inner shell installed and then later with the trim pieces installed.

I purchased a couple of stainless steel flanges for my kegerator project. As I expected they are a dull satin with rough edges. This simply would not due so I put a buffing wheel on the grinder and polished them with three different compounds going courser to finer. I finished them up with a loose unstitched clean wheel and some polish. Pictures don't do it justice, but you can see the one on a right is pretty shiney, the one of the left is what they looked like before polishing.

I stopped by my favorite beer store today, Sicilianos and pestered them with a million questions about draft beer shanks, and other various and sundry kegerator items. (Actually I have stopped by twice this week already). Not only do they carry the best selection of beer in West Michigan, they know just about everything about beer and, are pretty cool about pestering question askers like myself. So while I was at the greatest beer store on earth I had to purchase some beer of course. I picked up a few fall beers, mostly pumpkin sorts and one Octoberfest from Brooklyn Brewery.

It pours with a nice lacey head, somewhat due to the temperature poured - it was a little on the warm side - and had a nice crystal clear amber hue. Sweet German maltiness dominates the flavor and aroma. The hallertauer hops are just barley detectable. It's a very drinkable beer, great for a fall BBQ.

Great Divides Rumble, an oak aged India Pale Ale, reminded me of an old friend. I took be a minute to make sure of who. But I figured it out, Brooklyn's East India Pale Ale. Many of my favorite IPA's, like Dark Horse's Crooked Tree, are a Cascade or Simcoe hopped American IPA with a real citrus lively character. But Great Divide's uses Northwestern hop varieties just like Brooklyn. Brooklyn uses Kent Golding, Willamette, Centennial, Amarillo, and Northdown. I highly recommend this IPA, it has a great deep amber color with a rich flavor and minimal head. 

I just finished my 'Merry Mead' and infused a bottle with blueberries making a melomel. A deep burgundy hue riding a silk ribbon soothes the eye, as the nose picks up a spring bouquet. The flavor is still a bit harsh as it has not really had time to mellow. None the less it has a real smooth finish with very little bitter aftertaste. I can't wait to see what it tastes like in a few months.

Last Friday the Kegerator finally got it's final coat of paint. Hopefully I will be able to assemble it in the coming days. I would like to have taps in it by Jan, 2011. My official target date is June 2011 to have it completed. Check back in the coming days for more photos.

Finding myself in Savannah Georgia I did what I always do when I am somewhere new, look for the local micro brewery. Georgia is home to a few breweries and brewpubs. The most popular local beer on tap in Savannah is the Sweetwater 420, a full bodied pale ale. Downtown Savannah is home to Moon River Brewing Company a local brewpub that has cask ales on Wednesdays and thirteen or so brews on tap. Located in the building that formerly housed the historic City Hotel built in 1821, it sports an oak and brick interior with an extensive beer can collection.

I first had their Swamp Fox Indian Pale Ale, it has a great hop character reminiscent of a Simcoe, I never got a chance to ask the barmaid what hops they used. I also had their porter and ribs with sweet potato fries. The food was excellent, the service decent, I would recommend stopping in if you get the opportunity.