Professor Good Ales

Topic: Beer Purity and Purists

Written by Ken Carman

“And the Lord came down and said, ‘Thou shalt only use only hops, malt, water and yeast. Any brewer who does otherwise shall be tossed into brew kettles and boiled for one and a half hours, rapid boil. Hop additions every 15 minutes…'”

“Then the Lord immediately excommunicated himself because his own instructions weren’t pure enough.”

I know. The Bible doesn’t say that, maybe you believe that was my point. Ya, think?

The German Purity Law, better known as the Gesundheitcaflabin… OK, I made that up for fun: the Reinheitsgebot … (Not to be confused with the movie about drinking too much beer: Das Bloat)… was made law in 1516. Here are a few fun facts that some may not know…
Continue reading “Brew Biz: Werts and All”

Profiled by Ken Carman

This is a Flemish Red Ale, with lots of foam; both visual and on the tongue. It is red; as advertised, and both slightly sour, slightly sweet: as expected. There seems to be a light caramel malt sense here. Another 7% “and you’d never know it” beer. Not quite as complex as the style guidelines call for aroma-wise, but it is on the light side taste-wise.. Could use more aroma; just a light sweet fruitiness to the nose. It is red, though not quite as “deep” red as required. Not a perfect example, but enjoyable.

Without intent, I have collected well over 1,000 beer bottles since the early 70s. When something finally had to be done about the cheap paneling in this old modular, I had a choice. Tear down the walls while, oh, so carefully, replacing the often rotted 1X3s. Or: cover them with… The Bottle Collection.

Written by Ken Carman

Continue reading “From the Bottle Collection: Herold Bohemian Black Lager”

Even Wiki gets into the act?

It’s a first-year event, but Buckbean Brewing Company owners Douglas Booth and Daniel Kahn of Reno already are able to boast of having what is likely the largest canned beer festival in the world.

The event, Canfest: Reno International Canned Beer Festival, will be Oct. 23 at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, and it will feature beer sampling and judging with one big rule: Every beer must come straight from a can.

When they were producing Canfest, the Buckbean owners decided to implement the cans-only rule primarily to tear down the myth that great beer comes only from bottles.

“If good beer goes into a can, you get good beer out of the can,” said Kahn, the Buckbean brewmaster. “That’s the problem with people’s perception. They’ve seen so much bad beer put into a can that when the bad beer comes out, they blame it on the can instead of the beer.”

LINK

Without intent, I have collected well over 1,000 beer bottles since the early 70s. When something finally had to be done about the cheap paneling in this old modular, I had a choice. Tear down the walls while, oh, so carefully, replacing the often rotted 1X3s. Or: cover them with… The Bottle Collection.

Towpath Chocolate Raspberry Stout
Manufacturer: Relyea Brewing Co. (Syracuse, New York)

Note: yes, I know, the picture isn’t the best.
Continue reading “From the Bottle Collection: Towpath Chocolate Raspberry Stout”

This Edition: A review of the new “kid” on the Middle Tennessee brew block.

On Saturday 14th, 2 p.m., probably up on the balcony, Music City Brewers will be meeting at…

Cool Springs Brewery
600A Frazier Drive
Suite 135
Franklin, TN 37067
615-503-9626
coolspringsbrewery.com
Brewer: Mike Kraft

Written by Ken Carman

Though plans can change, I probably won’t be there because I have an interview with Fred Matt in Utica, NY, and have to work on my retirement home in the Adirondacks, so I stopped by to check it out a few times more than I intended. You see I took pictures during my two visits. Later that day my camera introduced me to a feature I didn’t even know it had: “delete everything.” Aw, shucks, I had to stop again the next Saturday. Ah, a beer lover’s work is never done.

Directions: I zeroed out the trip just as I exited exit 68B off I-65; Cool Springs. Take the west portion of the exit. Now you could take the first left after the reentry to I-65: Mallory LN., then your first right (unnamed) and it will be on your left in a while, but I recommend passing Mallory and taking the next left that looks like it goes to TGIF and Walgreens… small Thomasville Furniture sign too. That’s actually an unnamed access road. Not even 1 mile to that turn. (0.8) Once you get to a stop sign your trip will probably read 0.9 or still 0.8. You should see Cool Springs Brewery in the brick shopping plaza on your right. Take that right then a quick left and park. If you keep going straight you might hear a few complaints in a British brogue from the owners because you will have driven right through the windows; not a good idea. )

I’ve been told that for the first few months, to a year or more, it’s best not to rate the brews at new brewpubs. Give them time to tweak recipes and “get their legs.”

Well, Mike Kraft blew that mostly foam laden assumption out of the wert.

Obviously all that foam made the picture a bit hazy. No, after losing all those pictures I took another one and it looked good in the camera. Then the digital gremlins got to it and licked it hoping it tasted like his beer. Hope it was at least worth the effort boys. Driving to Cool Springs three times sure was worth it for me.
Continue reading “Brew Biz: Werts and All”

“Beer yeast way to lose weight. Beer yeast way to lose weight is to eat it at least once. Specific method is to drink yogurt mixed with it so as to inhibit body’s absorption of calories.”

Link

“Beer yeast way to lose weight. Beer yeast way to lose weight is to eat it at least once. Specific method is to drink yogurt mixed with it so as to inhibit body’s absorption of calories.”

Link

Also can be found at Professor Good Ale’s beer section here at LT Saloon.