July 2011 Archives

The Maltedbarley.org BBQ and Homebrew Party was a success. We enjoyed my Vanilla Cream Ale, Summer Lemon Wheat Ale, Founders Centennial IPA, and Great Lakes Brewing - Lake Erie Monster. We built a Fondant Cake that tasted better than it looked, homemade vanilla ice cream with homemade vanilla extract, and ate Beer Brauts, Spicy Brauts, Hotwings, Burgers, BBQ Chicken, and more. The Vanilla Cream was rather popular despite the fact that I will never brew it again. While the Strawberries complemented the cream ale, the vanilla just was. There was cream ale, and vanilla. But the two never seemed to quite meet-up in my book. The one success was this - my method for making the vanilla extract and infusing the brew - it worked great. I just need to do it on something dark and chocolaty like a stout, not a cream ale.The Summer Wheat was excellent. I will use a whole bag of lemons again, that's what it takes if you want the lemon to come through. Lake Erie Monster is a great double IPA, and yes it might cause you to slur your words and necessitate someone driving you home.

I experimented with soaking pecan chips and putting them on the grill in some hole-poked tin foil. This works great and gives your BBQ that something extra special. This years BBQ sauce came out great, while not near as spicy as last year, I still liked it. Next year I think we'll focus a bit more on the homebrew aspects. I finally got my mash tun setup and brewed my first all grain brew, so by next year we'll plan for a full up group all grain brew and invite folks that want to learn to brew, or step up to all grain brewing.

Since I found myself in the blast furnace of Dallas Texas, I decided to pick up a few local Texas brews. A few months ago Aaron, a beer trader from Austin Texas, had sent me a bomber that I had yet to sample. So I picked his brain about what to pickup. He recommended Real Ale Devils Backbone, or Lost Gold, or any Jester King or Ranger Creek. I managed to sample Devils Backbone and Lost Gold, both incredible brews. Mike, the Bartender at the Meddlesome Moth, recommended Hall's Grocery in Grapevine Texas. Fern was super cool, and like most purveyors of ale, just a bit discerning. He said that some people come in demanding certain brews, and he sends them on their way empty handed. I evidently managed to pass the - beer hunter with good karma - test. So he headed in the back and got me a Deschutes Abyss, Allagash Curieux, and a couple of other great brews. I picked up a couple bottles of Jester King Black Metal as well.

Black metal is an Imperial Stout with roasted malt and coffee aromas and flavor. I tend to like the sweeter stouts and I am not a big fan of roasted malt or coffee flavors, however like this stout. The coffee and roasted malt character is very well balanced. It's really an excellent stout, not as complex as some, but none the less an excellent stout. It has a nice fine head, and a beautiful body.

The sweet fruity aroma of this ale overcomes you. This is one of the most unique craft brews I have ever had. Pine and hop presence - journeys the palate through the woods of Michigan with just a sip. The pine comes through in the aftertaste, this is just an incredible ale. Light in color and very clear this is just excellent!

Let me tell you - they don't call it the Real Deal for nothin'. Frank over at the Real Deal Brazil was cool enough to send me the Real Deal Recycled Tarp Hat and Craft Beer Band. Made from old tarps that found their way from the Amazon to São Paulo and back again.

Why is it the real deal? It doesn't come shipped by some mass marketed, overgrown monopoly. When I got mine it came shipped in a brown envelope with a handwritten label. Frank contacted me, and I made him a good old fashioned trade. Now that's the real deal, that's how business should be done. Frank's a real guy and so are the products he promotes. The Craft Beer Band is American Made from recycled beer caps, our hats go off to those hardworking folks drinking that craft beer to make hat bands with.

So before you wander into your 'fashionable' conglomerate mongulation of a store to find something you have to take care of, save the trip and get the real deal - the hat that takes care of you.

"The Summer Beer Festival is the Michigan Brewers Guild's oldest and largest of our four annual festivals. The festival takes place outside in a lovely riverside setting and will feature more than 300 different beers from more than 50 different Michigan breweries. A variety of tasty food items are available for purchase from independent food vendors inside the festival and there will be a diverse selection live music from a variety of local bands" - Michigan Brewers Guild

I attended last year, this by far Michigan's best beer festival of the year. Make it if you can!

My beer glasses are in for this years maltedbarley.org Homebrew and Barbecue Party July 9th. Thanks to John Heimark of Spokane Washington for producing the graphic image for the pint glasses and banner. You can now follow maltedbarley.org on twitter for updates like this one.