Hefe Round 2

So, the first ten gallon batch of hefe went rather quickly. Apparently it was popular. So, we decided to brew up another batch. And it was hot and humid and gross in my kitchen for about six hours, but it was worth it.

First, we went to a different supply shop. I know, Beer Crazy is still my favorite but we wanted to branch out. This new shop is in Valley Junction and it's a pretty sweet little setup. The guy has been running it for around ten years, and it is called Heartland Homebrew Supplies. The only drawback is that he quit carrying Wyeast because it didn't sell as well as the dry stuff, and it's a bit pricier. Understandable. The upside is he gave me some free bumper stickers, including one that says, "Save the Ales." HA!

Second, we used some coriander in this batch. Only in half to see if we get the "fishy" flavor that my sister-in-law doesn't like. I'm pretty sure it's not the coriander that gives it that flavor, but you never know I guess. We only put it in half of the brew so if it does wonk it up, James and I can drink that bit.

The dry yeast worked out though and the bubbles came on pretty quick.



Freakin' Sweet! It's almost too much for me when I'm at the computer.

The scotch ale has been sampled, and I think it needs a little more time in the bottle. The IPA has gotten even better with a little time, as has the red. So, following this line, I'm going to give the Scotch maybe a month more before I try it again. I think that it will have a smoother finish by that point. We'll see.

This whole post was basically an excuse to post the bubbles video.

Oh, and my brother has planted some hops! Look forward to pictures of those as they come about. I'm really excited to use them in a recipe. Call it Pipewrangler Ale or something.

Peace.

Out on a limb

The girlfriend was out of town again, and what's a boy to do? I finally broke down and purchased Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen. Prior to last night, I had avoided the drink as a craft beer because Anheuser-Busch owns a minority stake in the company. To me, a craft brew should also be an independent brew. The sovereignty of the brewer matters almost as much as the flavor of the beer... almost.

However, I was able to gallantly put my prejudice aside and pick up a six-pack. I felt a bit odd the whole way to the check-out. Old men with sixers of Left Hand staring at me with accusing eyes. They know. I paid in cash to avoid a paper trail and let the girl put the six-pack in the bag (before you freak out, I use those reusable bags compulsively). Luckily, my parking spot was rock star so I was in the car and on my way home quickly.

When I got home, I shut the blinds to hide what I was doing. My neighbors shouldn't have to see this... As always, pasta was for dinner, and what's the best thing to do when waiting for pasta to cook? Drink a beer. Very good! I grabbed one out of the fridge and looked at it. It looked like a craft beer. I poured it into my favorite tasting glass and analyzed it.

It has a nice hazy appearance, good sign for a wheat. It didn't quite have the color I would have liked. There was no sense that it was unfiltered by looking at it, and this is in basic comparison to brewers like Boulevard and Goose Island. Usually a hefe will have a nice aroma, faint bits of coriander and orange peel. This one did, but it was fainter than most. There was no body to the aroma. At this point, I am a bit concerned with my decision. I should have just got a mixed pack and grabbed ONE of these... I braced myself and took a drink. To be honest, it was good. By no means was it one of the best hefes I have ever had, but it does the trick just fine. As it rolled around my flavor receptors, I could pick out most of the characteristics of a good hefe, albeit in smaller amounts and a little unbalanced than normal. It had a nice crisp finish and didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth. It's light enough to be a good session beer.

So, I can honestly say that if this beer were a bit cheaper to reflect its heritage, I might recommend it. If it's all you can get, go for it. Widmer Brothers created a beer that would be best consumed at a bar, when there aren't many options. But, I did it, I overcame my prejudice. Will I be drinking Shock Top or Winter Bourbon Cask any time soon? No. To be honest, those are just icky lies. If I want to drink a craft beer from an Anheuser-Busch brewer, I'll get something from Michelob. At least their beer is inexpensive, easy to find and doesn't carry a lot of pretense. This could be an entirely separate post though.

Stay tuned for that one..