A Wee Homebrew Debacle

Brewing Scottish Ale without a recipe or a clue.

According to BeerAdvocate.com, “Scottish Ales traditionally go through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort. This produces a deep copper to brown in colored brew and a higher level of unfermentable sugars which create a rich mouthfeel and malty flavors and aromas. Overall hop character is low, light floral or herbal, allowing its signature malt profile to be the highlight. Smoky characters are also common.”  Some of their top-ranked examples include:  Old Chub, Dark Island, Blackfriar, and Duke of Winship.  (A full description and competition guidelines can also be found here.)

I’m not super familiar with this style of beer and I definitely didn’t set out to make it, but after a trip to my favorite homebrew store, Stomp Them Grapes, I sort of found myself on the path to do just that.

Stupid Me

Some home brew blunders.

I took a couple years off of home brewing.  I’m not sure why.  Maybe because I was doing so at a friend’s place that required a long drive.  Maybe because we were doing all grain batches that took a minimum of 8 hours.  Maybe it was that one nasty-ass batch I made that made me think, “You know what, I can just buy good beer.”  Regardless of the reason, I took a hiatus.

But recently, I’ve returned to the hobby and made several batches (the infinity∞ series has gone from 11 to 17).  I must say, I’ve made some good stuff and received accolades.  Namely, Honey Golden Ale and Coffee Stout.  But sadly, I’ve also made some mistakes, some gaffes.  And that’s what this is about:  the dumbest things I’ve done since returning to the world of homebrew—some home brew blunders.

Say Hello to Sorghum

Gluten-free homebrew with sorghum syrup, brewer’s honey, and a generous use of Amarillo & Cascade hops.

Today marked a homebrew first:  my first foray into the world of gluten-free beers with a gluten-free homebrew—and a weird-ass brew at that.

12∞ Pooh Bear Surprise

I’m pleased to say my worries were just alleviated.  Carbonation!  One of the scariest parts of the brew process.

Pooh Bear Surprise First Pour

I’m talking about a 5-gallon batch of beer I brewed on 3/20/2010 with friends:  Hector, Beulah Q., Randy J., Griffin McKleski, and Judy Blanch were all there; McKleski was a real champ, a pro; we mothered that mo fo like a couple mama bears with a litter of cubs.  I call the beer Pooh Bear Surprise in honor of the soft-spoken, honey-loving teddy bear.  Why?  Because it’s made with honey—1.5 lbs. in the brew, half a cup in the bottling—and is of a golden hue.

So what’s with the fuss?