One day, when my multiple sketches for GeekPlex become an actual place, there will be a building with three huge stainless steel brew tanks, just for this sort of utter madness.
Pretzels are roughly 80% carbohydrate by mass. Malted barley is anywhere from 73% to 82% carbohydrate by mass, depending on degree of dryness.
The hypothetical yield should be exactly the same. I could use pretzels as an adjunct in my normal brewing. With sufficient enzyme, they should provide exactly the same sugar yield as a wheat/barley grain bill.
Pretzels are roughly 80% carbohydrate by mass. Malted barley is anywhere from 73% to 82% carbohydrate by mass, depending on degree of dryness.
The hypothetical yield should be exactly the same. I could use pretzels as an adjunct in my normal brewing. With sufficient enzyme, they should provide exactly the same sugar yield as a wheat/barley grain bill.
So I went to the Guiness Storehouse and Brewery today. It was pretty cool; all the buildings were constructed in the Chicago-style: girders and rivets to bear the load, plain brick, huge walls and cobble streets, giant lightwells and ornamental windowsills in the buildings. It reminded me of the old Stockyards back home.
I think the best part about the storehouse wasn't the storehouse itself (sort of a museum of Guiness, if you will, and you don't actually enter the brewery), but rather the nature of the complex. Everywhere you got, there's massively high, damp, and mossy walls with buildings, fermentation towers, and silos poking out from over them. There's tram tracks all over the place, and the facility has it's own fire brigade and ambulance crew. Giant wooden doors gate access to the grounds of the brewery.
And then there's the smell. As you walk towards the visitor's gate, the air is absolutely saturated with the smell of malt. It's completely indescribable; it's as if it rains wort around the complex. For a beer geek, it's like wandering into a fucking dream.
Finally, there's the tasting. The factory delivers fresh kegs by conveyor belt directly into the storehouse, and you get half a pint of just-off-the-line Guiness in addition to a free pint--which you can pour yourself if you're so inclined.
I had an idea to make a beer from the mash used to make bourbon but I want semi-professional opinions: Is this idea fucking retarded?
It won't work well, since the majority of the starch is already converted to sugar. You're better off brewing a beer and aging it with bourbon-soaked oak chips.
I had an idea to make a beer from the mash used to make bourbon but I want semi-professional opinions: Is this idea fucking retarded?
It won't work well, since the majority of the starch is already converted to sugar. You're better off brewing a beer and aging it with bourbon-soaked oak chips.
Had some Sam Adams Alpine Spring, their new seasonal, and it was quite good. It was actually kind of what I have been looking for as I have been getting tired of beer lately so I was pleased to have found something new to enjoy.
Got some ACE Hard Cider, it is probably the best cider I have tried. I will probably not pick it up regularly, due to the place I purchased it having it at $14 a 6 pack along with not being a huge cider fan, but it was still good.
I also pick up a Fruli fruit beer. It was not that great due in a big part due to it tasting fake.
I've started drinking beer somewhat often now, mostly because that's what my suitemates happen to buy, and I'm starting to be able to palate it. I think there may be beers I would like, but just need to try actual GOOD ones. So far the only one I can actually drink easily is keystone light, not because it is good, but because it has almost no taste at all. Budweiser is pretty god-awful and PBR is watered down skunky pisswater. Any suggestions for beers that aren't very bitter? That's what always gets me.
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout (Venerate the God-Emperor of Beerkind) Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine (Pay Tribute to Holy Terra) Southern Tier Mokah Southern Tier Cuvee Series Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout Mikkeler Black Hole Barrel Aged Series Delirium Tremens Delirium Nocturnum BrewDog 5 AM Saint Trappiste Rochefort 10 Rogue Chipotle Ale Rogue Dead Guy (NOT Double Dead Guy; if you don't like bitter, DDG is a kick in the balls)
That should do ya. Note that I drink good beers, but mostly beers that would floor (well, at the very least, fuck up) lesser men after more than a pint. Take it easy, and take notes.
EDIT: Holy shit, just realized that the two remaining bottles of Olde School Barleywine I have back in the states and left to age a while back will be 2.5 years old when I get home. AW YISS.
How likely am I to actually be able to find these? And Jesus, what strength is that? Because I barely even feel a pint of most beers I've tried.
If you've got access to Binny's or BevMo, you can get them quite easily. Just pay for shipping and have a 21+ sign for them. You can also pay for them and have them shipped to a 21+ friend who lives elsewhere. Otherwise, hit up a good beer bar with a legal friend. That's what I tend to do. Granted, I also have friends who will indulge my hobby my allowing me to make lists for them before they go on a liquor run. That's a good resource, too.
ABVs on those beers range from a drive-home-after-the-game 6% (LH Nitro Milk Stout, 5AM Saint) to a whopping 20% on the World Wide Stout (May now be 17.5%, Praise Unto the God-Emperor). I usually don't feel a pint here (most UK beer is a weak-ass 4%), but a single 12oz bottle of Olde School Barleywine (15%) is a delicious gastronomic experience that leaves me perfectly buzzed and able to choose the direction I'd like the night to go in afterwards.
Also, go out of your way to try a Rauchbier, specifically a marzen. I got one once and had no idea what the label said, because it was all in German. Just picked it up because I liked the bottle. Turned out to taste exactly like fucking bacon. Beer is magical.
Also, starting at page 14 and back, I marked up a ton of those listed beers in detail. You should check the flavor profiles and see what sounds enticing to you.
Comments
Bomb Lager is way better then I expected. It's got a bit more hops then I like, but I don't like any hops. Also, it's crazy cheap. 10$ a case.
So for those who haven't been following, I have done a Very Bad Thing. Snickers Quick-Mead. Me am play gods.
WuB made a comment about fermenting chocolate-covered pretzels to make a chocolate mint pretzel barley wine.
And then I had a revelation.
Gather 'round children, for I will show you a path that heretofore has been lost to you. I will show you the light.
Bulk pretzels + amylase enzyme powder = fermentable liquid.
Fermentable liquid + hops = wort.
Wort + yeast + time = beer.
Gentlemen, what I propose is the greatest bar food possible: pretzel beer.
The hypothetical yield should be exactly the same. I could use pretzels as an adjunct in my normal brewing. With sufficient enzyme, they should provide exactly the same sugar yield as a wheat/barley grain bill.
Has nobody else tried this before?
I think the best part about the storehouse wasn't the storehouse itself (sort of a museum of Guiness, if you will, and you don't actually enter the brewery), but rather the nature of the complex. Everywhere you got, there's massively high, damp, and mossy walls with buildings, fermentation towers, and silos poking out from over them. There's tram tracks all over the place, and the facility has it's own fire brigade and ambulance crew. Giant wooden doors gate access to the grounds of the brewery.
And then there's the smell. As you walk towards the visitor's gate, the air is absolutely saturated with the smell of malt. It's completely indescribable; it's as if it rains wort around the complex. For a beer geek, it's like wandering into a fucking dream.
Finally, there's the tasting. The factory delivers fresh kegs by conveyor belt directly into the storehouse, and you get half a pint of just-off-the-line Guiness in addition to a free pint--which you can pour yourself if you're so inclined.
Man. It was awesome.
One of these days, I'll post pics of my setup.
Ok I take that back. It's alright. The beer gets some weird oils from the candy that aren't doing it for me....
Ok I take that back. It tasted like shit and I didn't finish the pint. Points for being inventive but that idea fell short.
I also pick up a Fruli fruit beer. It was not that great due in a big part due to it tasting fake.
Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine (Pay Tribute to Holy Terra)
Southern Tier Mokah
Southern Tier Cuvee Series
Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout
Mikkeler Black Hole Barrel Aged Series
Delirium Tremens
Delirium Nocturnum
BrewDog 5 AM Saint
Trappiste Rochefort 10
Rogue Chipotle Ale
Rogue Dead Guy (NOT Double Dead Guy; if you don't like bitter, DDG is a kick in the balls)
That should do ya. Note that I drink good beers, but mostly beers that would floor (well, at the very least, fuck up) lesser men after more than a pint. Take it easy, and take notes.
EDIT: Holy shit, just realized that the two remaining bottles of Olde School Barleywine I have back in the states and left to age a while back will be 2.5 years old when I get home. AW YISS.
ABVs on those beers range from a drive-home-after-the-game 6% (LH Nitro Milk Stout, 5AM Saint) to a whopping 20% on the World Wide Stout (May now be 17.5%, Praise Unto the God-Emperor). I usually don't feel a pint here (most UK beer is a weak-ass 4%), but a single 12oz bottle of Olde School Barleywine (15%) is a delicious gastronomic experience that leaves me perfectly buzzed and able to choose the direction I'd like the night to go in afterwards.
Also, go out of your way to try a Rauchbier, specifically a marzen. I got one once and had no idea what the label said, because it was all in German. Just picked it up because I liked the bottle. Turned out to taste exactly like fucking bacon. Beer is magical.
Also, starting at page 14 and back, I marked up a ton of those listed beers in detail. You should check the flavor profiles and see what sounds enticing to you.