A Place to Gather and Talk
After months and months of preparation, two huge events converged on the same Saturday. My comprehensive final and The Music City Brew-Off. Two glorious events that could change both our lives in a profound way.
WATERBURY, Vt. –One of Vermont’s favorite brews is closing its doors to the public– and sooner than expected.
The news was too much for Heady Topper fans to swallow last week. The Alchemist Brewery announced it was closing its Waterbury doors to customers Nov. 15– that’s Friday. But Wednesday was the last hurrah for Heady Topper lovers to buy the beer directly from the brewery because they ran out!
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Quite often we’ll have someone ask us how to stop a fermentation before it is ready to stop on its own. Usually the reason for asking is because they have tasted their wine and they like the amount of sweetness it currently has–sounds reasonable.
Stopping the wine from fermenting any further would preserve the current level of sweetness. And likewise, allowing the wine to continue fermenting further would only make the wine less sweet with each passing day.
Eventually the wine would become completely dry at which time the fermentation would stop on its own. This is because during the fermentation process wine yeast turns the sugar into alcohol.
Wanting to stop a fermentation is all good in of itself. But unfortunately, there is really no practical way to successfully stop a fermentation dead in its tracks.
Using Sodium Bisulfite or Campden Tablets…
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There has been quite a bit of back and forth in the BJCP Forums lately about how to create a Master level score sheet. I’ve discussed that exam a couple of times in the blog, once in July 2012 and again in November 2012. I still get people who want to blaze their own path and IMO that is a recipe for disaster. So let’s briefly go through what you should and should not do.
White Space
It’s simple, leave no blank lines. When you are writing try to write phrases of useful content, not simply a single word or lines of BS. Instead of saying fruity, ester, or fruity ester, say fruity pear ester. Now the grader can instantly realize the ester and which fruit you meant and you filled up white space.
Stylistic Grid…
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SOUTH BEND – There was no last call for Four Horsemen Brewing Co. fans.
The brewery’s owners abruptly announced Monday morning via social media that it’s closed.
“This is a decision made by the owners after careful examination of the craft beer segment, future growth and other factors,†Ben Roule, one of Four Horsemen’s co-owners, wrote in a statement to The Tribune.
“We want to thank all of our distributors, local establishments, consumers and supporters for enjoying our beer over the last couple years,†he continued. “Please continue to support your local breweries and businesses. Cheers!â€
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So how do you know if your young beer will need a diacetyl rest? There is a simple test which any homebrewer can do that will answer that question. It requires two glasses , some foil or plastic wrap, some hot water at 140-160°F (60-71°C), and some cold water. The principle is simple. At warmer temperatures, the precursor to diacetyl, alpha-acetolactate (AAL), will oxidize quickly into diacetyl in your young beer. In essence, you will be testing for the presence of excessive levels of AAL in your beer. So, here is how the test goes…
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In honor of this great and extremely important holiday, we’ve decided to round up all the reasons why you should love this awesome drink. It turns out that beer has many uses you may have never known of before. Did you know that in many places in Europe people use it to improve their skin? Read on for more cool facts.
1. First things first, beer + food = perfect harmony.
Burgers and beer: There couldn’t be a more natural pair.
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Talk hops with the modern American brewer and the conversation will likely drift to the Pacific Northwest. The region boasts the perfect growing conditions for hops, so whether you’re in Cleveland or Albuquerque, you’re probably enjoying a beer brewed with hops from that area. According to the Hop Growers of America, in 2011, 100 percent of commercial hop production in the United States came out of Washington (78%), Oregon (14.5%) and Idaho (7.5%).
Flash back a century and that was not the case. Believe it or not, there was a time when Central New York ruled the hop industry. The state attained national leadership in hop production in 1849, and was selling over three million pounds annually by 1855.
Sadly, the Empire State lost its footing in the hops market when Prohibition slayed all things beer related in the country. A killer fungus in the early 20th century also played its own role in putting the nail in the coffin of New York’s hop industry.
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