June 2011 Archives

So guys on /r/homebrewing  are always talking about what great service different homebrew suppliers have. I have used Northern Brewer and they are great. Beverage Factory has the best deals on CO2 tanks hands down. Even my local homebrew shop Sicilianos has great prices and awesome service. Everyone unfortunately only sells line by the foot. I wanted to just get a whole 50' FT of gas and beverage line. So I ordered from Micromatic. They have really cool color lines that are transparent. That way you can still see moisture buildup in the line, and have it color coded, all at the same time. Anyhow, I ordered yesterday, and I got them today UPS ground. I suppose my location may have something to do with it, but still most places don't even get it to the shipper in one day, let alone have it at your doorstep.

On occasion I will stop in at Grand Rapids Company. Open since 1993, they have a great lunch special, $7.50 for a brew, burger and fries, and it's an excellent burger. Unfortunately the crowds seem a bit light, and have been for some time. Grand Rapids Brewing seems to attached itself more to the restaurant market, than the brewing world. While brewery's stay around, restaurants are quickly outpaced by the latest thing. Why stop in at Grand Rapids brewing, when you can get beers for two bucks at the new Quaker Stake. The fact that for years they served the worst food in Grand Rapids, doesn't help their case much either. Their beer has in my opinion always been ok, nothing incredible, nothing shabby, just decent ale. Decent ale while really something in 1993, is not much to write home about in Grand Rapids 2011, a city boasting nine craft breweries, and a host of great beer bars.

Their theme was cool, they revived a long since gone brewery name, Grand Rapids brewing, and even brewed beer using the original Silver Foam name. But I think it's time has come, I have known for sometime this was going to take place, the writing was on the wall. So when they had their farewell dinner this afternoon, I was not a bit surprised. So if you want to grab yourself a pint glass for posterity; hop in this week, because Monday the doors close for good.

So my attempts at cloning my buddies summer wheat ale pretty much fell flat. While not really intending to try another summer ale, I came across some grains of paradise from the spice guy at work. He sold my some fresh vanilla beans for my vanilla cream ale that I brewed up and some grains of paradise. The only recipe I could find that used them was a lemon wheat summer ale. So here goes attempt number three at a summer ale.

2 Lbs Wheat Dry Extract
4 Lbs Pale Dry Extract
1 Lbs Pilsner Malt
1 Lbs Wheat Malt
8 oz Cara-Pils Malt
1 oz Hallertauer Bittering
1 oz Hallertauer Aroma
1 Whole Bag of Lemon Zest ( Bought a bag of lemons and zested them all and soaked it in juice)
1 Gram Grains of Paradise ( I think I should have used more)
 American Ale Yeast (Wyeast #1056)



There it is brewing up with my current summer wheat brew.

So I wanted a pint, it was a hot afternoon and I wanted to be in a nice air-conditioned pub drinking ale. I thought, and thought, yes Honey Creek Inn was the place I wanted to be. So I biked a loop at Cannonsburg State Game Area and checked out the new improvements; it's very nice. I then headed to Honey Creek Inn for a pint of whatever was on cask. Train Wreck Ale from Mt.Pleasant was the cask ale. A bit heavy for a cask ale, I was really looking for something hoppy, but it was good. I saw an odd sides Hoplicated on tap, thinking this would be a great ale, I ordered one. Holy lactic acid Batman, it was sour milk with hops. I finished it, and honestly I can't be too critical except to state that this may be an acquired taste. It was hoppy, cloudy, and a decent ale, with a flavor and mostly strong aroma of sour milk. It was one of those things that really turns you off, sour milk, what more could tell your palate, DON'T DRINK THIS, while at the same time my brain is saying, if this is was they were trying to accomplish they really nailed it, they must have just poured the lactic acid in by the gallon. I like a bock with a little sour, this was all sour. Not something I would drink again however. Honey Creek Inn is awesome, I could not remember the name of the brew and called them back, they were all too helpful getting me the name. Their food, service, and ale is one of a kind. Who else is Kent County serves cask ale? Not to mention the cool people you meet there.