Deciding on a new beer is like picking a movie to watch for the night in. Comedy or drama? Horror or romance? Ale or lager? IPA or Stout?

Before you even think about walking into your local store or tavern to make the nights’ selections, consider a factor equally crucial to your thirst-quenching needs: your party of fellow drinkers. Are you looking for something to share with a significant other or are you playing video games with your bros? Different groups and situations can vary on what brew you might choose for the evening, but overall, I need people who can handle their beer without complaint. Once, while lounging about with fellow students, one  first time Guinness drinker told me that he could not handle the bitterness. Let me just say — a person who can’t handle a good pint of stout will not be enjoying my company.  Therefore, I aim to be around a more adventurous group of drinkers.

Here’s what I’ve learned in my beer adventures.  Walk in to a local beer emporium packed with craft beers, microbrews, and macrobrews of all sorts. All the colors, shapes, sizes and styles make this wonderful variety of beer play with the eyes like a Beatles jam session/acid trip. But there is a formula you can follow that will help. Figure out how much beer you want to consume, divide that by ABV, then multiply it by IBU over 100, and then square it by Pi.  Then once you’re done, immediately forget that number, close your eyes and stick out your hand. Life gets more interesting when you just take a chance.

If that doesn’t work, I like to rely on the most important factor of all: price. We all know quality beer costs more, but I’m in college and I can’t afford anything that goes over $13.  Sure, there’s room for those $10 bottles of cork-topped 22 oz. beers, but that stuff is for your date with that hot (and smart) girl who sat next to you in English class. To impress her, a nice bottle of Dogfish Head’s Noble Rot or Ommegang’s Three Philosophers may be in order. If you are with your bros, though, get something good, affordable, and delicious.  For the sake of a good night, rely on your own drinking experience first. Pick something you know they will enjoy.

When in doubt, I grab Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager. It is a go-to beer for me for a few reasons. One, splitting a six-pack of it will not get me drunk with the ABV just above 5.5%. If that gets your friend buzzing, forget any future thoughts of trying an imperial strength beer. I’ve learned that having a good time does not mean a sloppy drunk time. Two, the color of this beer looks down right beautiful in a clear pint glass. It’s a dark shade of red that looks like polished copper in sunlight. And third, the Amber is delicious.  It has smooth mouthfeel with a gorgeous aroma and a nice malty backbone.  Every time I get that beer, I am testing a friendship. In the battle of beer or bro, beer would win, but thankfully I am yet to meet a bro who does not like that beer.

A themed party can be either encouraging or disheartening. Having to don on a silly hat or clothe yourself under a “Dress Like Where You Are From” theme can be annoying and potentially ruin a good time. Of course, at college, there are exceptions to the rule.  There’s as Halloween night.  Or even better yet, on St. Patrick’s Day when every guy wears green to avoid being pinched and prays the hot girl in his biochemistry class is colorblind. Unfortunately, the local fraternities like to have endless toga parties or any reason to congregate in A.B.C. (Anything But Clothes). Is there a reason for these parties outside limiting the amount of clothing worn by the guests? Of course not! Stop dreaming, prude.

Once in a while, a good party will happen, the type of part where we can be creative and quick. For the most part, themed parties are lame, but it is a great conversation starter whether you are a veteran toga wearer or a rookie partier. It is also a great way to be experimental with not just what beer you decide to drink that night but also how you intend to enjoy it. Recently, I attended a cast party with drama majors. It celebrated a production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.  The production is just after World War I. And with this historical period, what type of theme party should a group of drama eccentric drinkers have?  You recreate the world of prohibition for a single night in 2012 at a college house party. A speakeasy. What could go wrong?

Many may think it means dress with class while getting trashed, and I saw the range of people who chose to commit to the theme. Men wore suits with fedoras, enjoyed the classic appeal of argyle sweaters and cardigans, or even sported a bow tie. The lovely ladies of a dramatic favor rocked the dresses with flashy flapper flair. In order to complete the overall feel of the party, it was B.Y.O.B. The party decided to go beyond just having an average party keg.  The hard liquor lovers of theater provided their own small bottles of liquor, flasks, and Four Loko. Four loko is not historically accurate, but it is the college definition of getting drunk on a budget. If there is anything the moonshiners and flappers of our history can understand, it is the desire to get as drunk as possible with the smallest possible investment.

To fit into the transcendental post World War I/2012 speakeasy in the middle of Long Island, I invested in a growler, a.k.a. a 64 oz. glass beer jug. Budweiser and Miller may have been the prevalent companies of the time, but filling up a growler in 2012 with those big company names was not the option. To be a little more modern, I had the growler filled with a brew that would fit more along the line of a modern Long Island prohibition club: Long Ireland’s Celtic Ale. This Irish red had a wonderful flowery aroma with subtle citrus tints, and was balanced by a deep, foamy mouth feel that tickled the roof of my mouth. I drank the brass elixir from an old-fashioned glass to match an argyle sweater accented by a flashy orange-checkered tie. I am not a selfish man, but even after I gave out a few sips  and poured a glass for one fortunate flapper, I still managed to finish 55-60 ounces on my own. I barely had a buzz from the mild, but flavorful 5% ABV of the ale. My tolerance for beer may not weaken anytime soon, but I may taste buds will not yield to go for this traditional treat again.

Written by

Max Lehman

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Most beers are brewed with standard barley malt, but today more adventurous brewers are turning to unique malts like buckwheat, oatmeal and the currently popular rye malt. I have made several rye beers in the past using a small amount because you can overdo it quite easily and make a beer too “rye-forward” and spicy. While my results have been quite drinkable, they were lacking the distinct rye character that I was aiming for. So for my latest brew I decided to go big or go home and used 3lb, nearly 5 times the amount as I had used in the past. The results spoke for themselves, rye bread in a glass.

• Pre/post-boil volume – 6/5 gal
• O.G. – 1.061
• F.G. – 1.017
• ABV – 6.1%
• IBU –  60.4
• SRM – 21

Fermentables

• 7 lb – Pilsner malt
• 3 lb – Rye malt
• 12 oz – Crystal 60L
• 8 oz – Crystal 90L
• 8 oz – British Brown 65L
• 4 oz – Chocolate Rye 245L

 Hops/Spices

• 0.75 oz Warrior (15.8%AA) @ 60 min

Yeast

• Wyeast 3522 – Belgian Ardennes

Ferment for 1 – 2 weeks until beer reaches desired finishing gravity. Rack and bottle the beer with 3/4 cup of priming/corn sugar.

Grain – Rye malt (3L):  Rye malt is a relatively new ingredient in many brewers’ repertoires, but being the adventurous sort of people we are, it was bound to find itself in a brew pot eventually.  While it could be used as a base malt by itself (and is the major ingredient in many German Roggenbiers), rye is typically combined with another base malt.  It can be difficult to mash with and can cause stuck sparges, which happens when you are collecting your wort after the boil is complete.  Most brewers limit the amount used to between 10-15% of their overall grist. Rye malt will impart add a dry, crisp, bready character to the beer and a deep red color.  It can help build flavor and develop complexity in many beer styles, all the way from medium flavored lagers to dark ales.

Hops – Warrior:  Just like last month, I am featuring another high Alpha, bittering hop, but this one was created right here in the United States.  Warrior has a low cohumulone content which contributes to a smooth, pleasing bitterness.  With typical AA% ranging from 14-18%, a little goes a long way, so be careful to not overdo it.  I only used ¾ oz in this recipe and trust me, it was plenty bitter. Similar to Columbus and Nugget, it offers a strong but clean bittering with it a light citrus/spice aroma. Therefore, Warrior can work in any beer known for a strong bitter backbone such as American Pale Ales, IPAs or even big bold Stouts.

Yeast – Wyeast 3522 – Belgian Ardennes:  My brewing history using Belgian yeast strains has been very hit or miss. Certain strains if not fermented at exact/precise temperatures can become extremely phenolic and/or estery (the spicy, banana and clove flavors associated with typical Belgian ales).  When I first used this yeast strain, however, I was hooked.  It delivers a beautiful balance of delicate fruit esters and subtle spicy notes.  Many may be familiar with the brewery that this yeast was harvested from; the Brasserie d’Achouffe.  They are best known for their 3 Belgian ales widely available around the US with the little gnome on the label. Because of its more subtle “Belgian” flavor profile, this versatile strain can be used in any Belgian style ale from Pale to Dubbel to Strong Dark.

Extra – Stuck sparge/Rice hulls:  Because rye malt has a high glucan level and lack a husk, a slow run-off during sparging is quite typical.  Some suggest doing multi-step mash (where you raise your mash temperature slowly and pause at various intervals), but I don’t have the patience to dabble in this process. The solution… rice hulls.  Rice hulls are the coverings of rice that protect the grain while it is growing.  When the rice is harvested, the hull is removed and usually discarded, but we can put them to good use in our mash. They will act as a sort of internal strainer/separator to the keep sticky, paste-like grains from becoming an impenetrable clump.  The best part is that they add no color, flavor or fermentable sugars to your beer. Rice hulls can also help in other adjunct ingredient heavy beers (i.e. beers with a large % of wheat or oats for example).

As a student of Hofstra University, it only takes a $15 LIRR train to get to the urban jungle of New York City. No matter how hard people look, or how experiences one has with the big city, there are still nooks and crannies that are yet to be discovered. More importantly, there is always another bar.

Every functioning jungle has a good watering hole, and there are roughly 2,800 bars, pubs, and taverns in Manhattan alone.  What I love about New York is that beer will be on every menu wherever you go, and selections run the gamut from corporate lager to a Doppelbock from Estonia.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to work on the filming of promo with a sketch comedy group that was pitching a TV project to a major network, and I jumped at the chance to have an excuse to board that LIRR train into Manhattan.  To be honest, I’m a bit technically inept so instead of holding the boom mic, my assigned duty was to act as Script Supervisor and note taker for the director. Without going into the exact parameters of the plot, imagine spending a day where you write down notes such as “Devil at a bake sale” or “More heroic, less goofy”. Suffice it to say, I had a good time.  However, budgets don’t always match the big dreams of the people working behind the scenes.  Therefore, like many a college kid, I was doing all work for free. Thankfully, I was offered compensation for travel expenses, and besides, the true reward was having a New York City beer expedition before the night was out.

After the job was done, I headed to downtown area near the NYU campus.  I long ago learned that where there was a college, there would be pubs, and where this was a college in the city, the selection and quality of those drinking establishments only got better. Walking a few blocks south led me to the East Village.  My favorite hole-in-the-wall joint, Souvlaki GR, is a block off E. Houston Street. The bar/restaurant features local choices including Saranac Pale Ale and Brooklyn Lager. They also carry Mythos, a Greek wheat beer, which pairs quite nicely with the joint’s chicken souvlaki.

After having my fill of Mythos, I still had some money to prolong my search for good beer in the city.  Walking couple of blocks further, I discovered the new Upright Citizens Brigade East Theater, which offered the duel draw of drinks and a show. Not a place to offer second-rate beers in a bucket of ice, UCB provided me my great beer lesson of the night: canned beer can be awesome. The Moo Cow Thunder Stout from Butternuts Beer & Ale is deliciously sweet stout that gives Guinness a run for both its flavor as well as its price.  From my experience, at most bars in New York, a Guinness can fetch a price tag between six and eight dollars per pint while a canned Moo Cow rang in at four bucks. Smaller in size, but great in taste and price.  After a long workday, drinking Moo Cow gave my work and beer expedition a nice flavorful (and affordable) finish.

Written by

Max Lehman

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So, here it is – I’m a proud New Yorker.  I was born and bred in Maryland, but having lived in the Big Apple since 1998, I think it’s safe to call myself a citizen of this great city.  And what a great city to live in for beer.  I acknowledge that New Yorkers get tremendous access to some of the best beers around, both American and from aboard.  But here’s what’s been bugging me a bit lately as a beer fan — the plight of the NYC beer bar.  Now, some of you may be thinking, what kinda plight can a great New York beer bar have?  Well, let me break it down for you because I believe I’ve some solutions for these problems.

Problem: Overcrowding
This is possibly a bigger Manhattan problem than anything else.  But any bar with a decent beer selection — Pony Bar, Rattle N’ Hum, The Ginger Man, or the Blind Tiger – it’s a nightmare to go there on prime drinking nights from Thursday to Saturday.  Even places in Brooklyn (specifically Williamsburg) get this packed. Places get jammed pack with people, and it’s impossible to find a seat.  Now, many people would reason that this is a good problem to have.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m beyond thrilled that people are discovering the great fruits of craft beer in the city.  But I’m 31 years old.  I don’t like to stand anymore.  I like to have a great brew and sit my ass down.  Also, with such a packed crowd, it’s hard to talk with the knowledgeable bartenders about the different beers you can try.  Craft beer is about comfort, taste and enjoyment, and none of this can happen for me when beer is spilled unto my shirt because people are jostling into me.

Solution: Drink at non peak drinking hours
I’m not necessarily one to go to a bar on Monday night, but I’ve found that if you try to head to one of these bars at a non peak time, you’re more likely to get a seat.  A great example is hitting Blind Tiger just as it opens for lunch on Saturday.  There’s plenty of space, you’ll get to enjoy the great light coming into the bar, and you’ll be able to chat with the bartenders about the best brews.

Problem: Overpricing
Highly priced beers have been slowly creeping into several bars throughout the city. I’m a big advocate of paying for what a beer is worth so I support the higher price an Allagash would have over a Bud Light. But because many of the bars have been noticing just how crowded their joints can get, just as Brew York, New York noticed, prices have started rising to a point that even the breweries are becoming insulted. It’s a double edge sword — yes, craft beer is worth the higher cost, but if you price a beer too high, some newbies might not even try it.

Solution: Happy Hour
Look far and wide for these.  They will solve many of your troubles.  As I’ve written about before, Double Windsor inBrooklyn has a great happy hour special during the day on weekends.  During the week, other bars like Fourth Ave Pub slice off a couple of dollars on their draft prices.  Happy hours might be only times you’ll be able to taste some prime beer without having to pay the prime price.

Problem: Draft Selection
As a beer hound that’s gone far and wide to find the best beers in New York, I’ve become slightly uninspired by some of the selections that even the best beer bars get on tap.  Of course, beers get sold, beers get replaced, some beers are only limited run, and some beers don’t get distributed everywhere.  But every now and then, a beer fan likes to get excited by a brand new brewery or a harder to get type of beer.

Solution: Beermenus.com
This amazing website allows you to properly plan your next beer outing.  Looking for a specific brew?  Type it into their search engine and you’ll find out what bars are serving it.   Want to make sure that a bar has a stellar selection?  Search for the bar via this website, and you’ll be able to see their updated draft list.  Mind you, some bars update their list more than others, but I have found that the best watering holes make sure to load up their latest menu on a regular basis.

Overall, yes, New York City is an amazing beer city to drink in.  But every now and then, sometimes New Yorkers just have to get a little creative to find the hidden beer gems in this city.

Written by

Celena Cipriaso

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College is a time in our lives when we live in dorms, eat late night Ramen, procrastinate before we can get work done, and talk about life dreams.  When the weekend arrives, the joy of keg stands, boat racing, and beer pong fill up our nights.  Sleep becomes meaningless, and the sun rising just means it is time to sober up with some black coffee and fresh eggs. It’s a constant hunt for women, parties, and a good brew.

The major upside to turning 21 is that my dorm fridge is now constantly stocked, and there is nothing my R.A. can do about it.  When I became legal, my beer consumption increased a lot. If there was time to go back to my dorm between classes, I’d read with a cold brew at my desk. If I went out to eat at some joint, I ordered the cheapest dish just so I could afford to accompany it with a good beer.  I once had gotten by on the prototypical college campus beers: Heineken, Stella Artois, and Samuel Adams. On desperate nights, there was the less than desired Natty Ice when on Greek Row after midnight.

But then on a visit with family friend on a crisp warm day in New Jersey before Easter, I discovered the first beer that inspired me to want more than just a mass market cold one.  It was Terrapin Brewing’s Hopsecutioner from Athens, Georgia. The citrus bite and full mouth feel of hops enveloped my head in a way that went beyond any prior beer experience I’d ever had.  That first great beer made me fall in love with craft brews made by companies like Terrapin. For the first time, I discovered the big distinction between the frost pale lager of huge beer conglomerates and the quality microbrews, and I realized that the exploration for great beer offered me an educational experience beyond the classroom.

Beer becomes more than a path to intoxication when you turn 21. It becomes its own Liberal Arts education. I can test my palate, study the chemistry that goes into brewing a solid beer, and observe the marketing and commercialization of the beer industry.  This column will discuss the journeys of the young Nite-Hawk at work, tasting beers, meeting people, and enjoying the big picture that is still forming.

Written by

Max Lehman

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Rule number one of homebrewing: YOU MUST BE CLEAN.

Now, I’m not saying Hubby and I are slobs.  We’re not.  But we’re definitely not Martha Stewart with a dustpan either.  We do routinely clean down our place, but once we started homebrewing, we discovered that our idea of “clean” needs to be notched up to OCD standards.  Why?  Because all it takes is dirt, dust, or whatever else that’s lying around your work area, inside your carboy, bottles, or equipment to make a potentially tasty brew not so tasty at all.

So when Hubby and I start a homebrew, we get manic.  We bust out the Clorox and we start attacking our kitchen and bathtub (the place where we clean the carboy and bottles).  We’re kneeling on the floor on our hands and knees and scrubbing so hard that it feels like exercise.

Let me be honest here.  I’ve never cleaned so much in my life.

Again, I’m not a slob.  Hubby is admittedly the taskmaster when it comes to cleaning. He’ll tell me what to clean and I’m on it.  But in general, well…I’m a hoarder.  No, it’s not so bad that I need to be on the television show.  But I have a really bad habit of never throwing anything away.  As a writer, pages and pages pile up on the desk, which is already full with my printer and computer.  The pages then spill over to the couch, and this all  happens to be in the den/writing room/beer storage room.  I never know what to throw away, which essentially means I should probably chuck it all.

See, my writer’s mentality is messing with my new beer mentality. After hours of scrubbing certain parts of our apartment to death, I face the den/writing room/beer storage room and I think, How can I live like this? How is Hubby still married to a hoarder like me?  This got me thinking.  What was it about homebrewing that inspires me to clean when I need to? Well, creating a tasty beer is really an astounding motivator.

Hubby and I each have our tasks when we clean.  Hubby takes the kitchen and most of the equipment.  I clean the bucket and all 50 some bottles.  It’s a daunting task, wiping 50 some bottles clean.  But despite the fact most of my body smells like cleaning solution and my hands are in the water so long, they become wrinkled and worn down, I don’t mind how long cleaning takes me.  Why?  Because I always think, It’s not worth messing up a potentially tasty beer for laziness.  

I believe my new beer mentality is perhaps telling me — Let go of the hoarder in you.  Because really, what do I need all these random papers for?  When it comes to writing, my mind gets caught up in the words, and I think of little else.  I’m also always writing and working several nights a week to constantly finish one assignment after another.  The work builds up and then at the end of the day I think, I just don’t want to deal with the paper.   But since my writing room/den has melded with our new beer life, maybe my writing mentality needs to meld with my beer mentality as well.  Maybe I should start thinking, It’s not worth messing up a potentially good writing piece by being so cluttered. 

Perhaps if I free the den/writing room/beer storage room from the clutter, then my writing in general will feel less cluttered, and I’ll be able to focus more on each writing assignment as it comes.  Who knows?  But it’s an experiment worth trying.  At the very least, I know Hubby will be pleased if I make more of an initiative in the cleanliness factor.  After all, it doesn’t seem fair for him always to be the taskmaster.

It’s funny how much homebrewing has motivated me to take a look at the other parts of my life.  Homebrewing takes so much work, patience and care that it’s never worth rushing the process.  Like I learned in our first brew, it’s always better to wait then to crack open a beer before its ready. Let it mature to where it needs to be.  Maybe I’m the beer.  Just growing up a little bit more.

Written by

Celena Cipriaso

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History is delicious. Or at least the part of history that inspires Yards Brewing Company to bottle their concoctions and sell them to the general public. The second in their line of Ales of the Revolution, Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale is derived from a recipe used by none other than Benjamin Franklin.  According to the Yards website, the brew, which calls for spruce essence and molasses, is a touch different.  Think of this beer as akin to that one weird band you like but that that doesn’t really fit in to the rest of your repertoire of tastes.

Even before it’s poured, the Tavern Spruce’s aroma emanates from the bottle to your brain, dousing your olfactory neurons with heavy malt notes and a touch of smokiness. The beer pours a medium brown hue and settles pleasantly into the glass, making me all the more eager to savor the last one in the case. Upon first taste, Ben’s brew is sweet, smoky and smooth. Most of all, it is quite pleasant; an even, balanced taste experience that would make the revolutionary proud.  The flavors are complex, with a citrusy, slightly lemony flavor that hits its peak when the beer is still chilled. A tickle of hops makes a faint appearance at the end, which must actually be the spruce.

All in all, I’d label this particular Ale as my favorite of the bunch, although Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale (still to come) has a shot at taking the crown. Mr. Franklin certainly knew how to brew a tasty beer, albeit a robust, flavorful and filling one. I don’t know how many of these I could tackle at a time, but I do know a six-pack would be ideal to share with a couple friends, even the ones who haven’t been fully awakened to what a great beer can taste like.

Style: Spruce Ale
Brewer: Yards Brewing Company
Origin: Philadelphia, PA
ABV: 5.0%

For newcomers to the craft beer world, the idea of a milk stout is slightly disconcerting. One might think: Milk + Beer = A disastrous combination; luckily, the term is not exactly literal. A milk stout uses an ingredient called lactose which gives the stout a slightly sweet and smooth/ milky texture. I’ve taken a nice basic milk stout recipe and added a twist — aging the beer on American Oak Cubes to add dryness and balance the sweetness of a typical milk stout.

• Pre/post-boil volume – 6/5 gal
• O.G. – 1.067
• F.G. – 1.017
• ABV – 6.6%
• IBU –  60.4
• SRM – 42

Grains/ Adjuncts

• 8 lb       Domestic 2-row Malt
• 1 lb       German Munich 8L
• 1 lb       British Pale Chocolate 200L
• 8 oz      Blackprinz Malt 500L (or Carafa Special III if unavailable)
• 8 oz      Flaked Barley 1.5L
• 8 oz      Crystal 120L
• 4 oz      Crystal 80L

 Hops/Spices

• 1.25 oz Magnum (13.1%AA) @ 60 min

Yeast

• Wyeast 1728 – Scottish Ale

Ferment for 1 – 2 weeks until beer reaches desired finishing gravity. Once fermentation is complete, rack to a secondary carboy on top of 2 oz of sanitized American Oak Cubes for a period of 14-28 days depending on the level of added oak/wood character desired (sample beer to verify). Rack wood cubes and bottle the beer with 3/4 cup of priming/corn sugar.

Grain – Blackprinz (500L):  Blackprinz is a relatively new malt to the market, patented and introduced by the Briess Malting Co.  Produced from hulless barley, it is a highly kilned malt with a very high Lovibond level, which will impart a very dark brown to black color in your beers. While having a similar color contribution as Black Patent or Roasted Barley, it adds a very delicate, clean toasted malty flavor.  Blackprinz malt doesn’t impart the bitter, astringent, dry flavors or aftertaste associated with other highly kilned malts. Similar to de-husked black malt from Germany called Carafa, Blackprinz is most appropriately used in Black IPAs, Schwartzbiers or any dark ales or lagers where a dark color is desired.

Hops – Magnum:  Originally from Germany, this high alpha hops has become my favorite and most utilized hop in my brewing arsenal. Known for its smooth bittering value and quality, you can use more of it than many recipes specify, making Magnum the perfect hop to use in almost any beer from IPA to Imperial Stout.  Despite having a huge Alpha Acid level of between 12-15 AA%, it has a subtle flavor and aroma profile compared to a stronger Willamette. Therefore, Magnum pairs well with other lightly earthy and spicy hops including Willamette, Fuggles and British East Kent Goldings.

Yeast – Wyeast 1728 – Scottish Ale:  An often overlooked European yeast strain, the Scottish ale strain is very versatile and ferments quite neutral and clean. If fermented at a higher temperature, your beer will exhibit an increased ester profile. Originally harvested from the McEwan’s brewery, it is ideally suited for more malt focused ales. Scottish Ale 1728 also has a higher tolerance for alcohol production, as compared to other European ale strains. It has great success in Wee Heavys, English Barleywines and other various Dark Strong Ales including Baltic Porters, Imperial Stouts and Holiday Specialty Ales.

Extra – Oak-aging:   Aging beers on various types of oak is a new trend that commercial brewers are utilizing more and more these days. Some choose to just age the beer on oak cubes, chips or spirals, and others decide rack the beer into full oak barrels. Most homebrewers do not have the space or means to own a complete barrel, so thankfully there is an acceptable substitute for smaller scale systems.  Oak cubes and chips come in various levels of toast (light, medium or dark) and have different origins as well (French, American or Hungarian). These high quality oak products allow you to achieve the same quality of oak flavor that you taste in good wines. Cubes have a longer contact time than traditional chips do, which make them better for long-term aging of beers. Also, longer contact time means longer extraction of flavors (3-6 months), which leads to a more complex combination of flavors. After a week, oak chips should be removed, to avoid contributing a harsh, flat oak flavor. Because of this, I prefer cubes because they allow a more forgivable leeway when aging beers. French oak is also the preferred choice of many brewers because it imparts sweeter and vanilla overtones compared to American oak, which tends to be more intensely flavored clove and nutmeg type spiciness.

The nitty-gritty: Anywhere from 2-4 oz of oak cubes is a good starting point for aging your first beer. I recommend starting with 30-60 days in the secondary carboy and then sample your beer to see how it tastes oak-wise. If you want more character, wait longer.

Written by

Christopher LaSpada

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Before I moved to the West Coast two years ago, I didn’t know much about Seattle — except that people were serious about their coffee. They respected it. They nurtured it. They invented the concept of paying $5 for it. It wasn’t until I lived there that I understood that the city is packed with fans of another tasty beverage: craft beer.

As a lifelong Midwesterner, I had come to expect very little from a brewery tour. Until the tour at Redhook Brewery, the most memorable experience I had with a brewery had been at the Miller Brewery in Milwaukee. The tour was quite similar to their product: cheap, watered down and exciting only to teenagers.  Nothing was sadder than the tour guide. Donning her mandatory khakis, she shuffled us up and down the winding, refrigerated hallways. She muttered out memorized jokes, her eyes cast desperately into the distance hoping to avoid answering questions.

When we headed to Redhook Brewery, I feared the possibilities of a Pacific Northwest version of the eye shifting, unfunny, and sad Miller guide, whose depressing aura would be compounded by the regular intervals of rain outside.  Instead, the tour guides were enthusiastic and very funny, and the tour itself were a fascinating look into the history of the company.

Redhook Ale Brewery is one of the oldest and largest craft brewers in the area. The company is part of Craft Brewers Alliance, making it part of a trifecta of companies with Widmer Brothers Brewing Company and Hawaii’s Kona Brewing Company. The company started in Seattle in 1981 and has since expanded their operation to a larger brewery in suburban Woodinville, Wash., and an East Coast outpost in Portsmouth, NH. The Woodinville spot is complete with a restaurant, bar and holds multiple tours a day.  The guide let us sample five of their brews throughout the tour, including the popular Redhook ESB and seasonal Mudslinger Brown Ale.

If you’re ever in the Seattle area, I highly recommend experiencing a Redhook tour yourself.  Insider’s note: Remember the five-beer sampler from the tour? Well, don’t tell anyone I told you, but you may get an extra glass of beer as a prize during the tour.

Written by

Eve Porcello

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