The NonconFERMist

Filling a barrel...

2011-11-14T11:22:00.001-05:00

A while back I received a few oak barrels as a gift, but, never managed to do anything with them, except fill them with water and well that was about it. I've abandoned those barrels from a brewing perspective. They will be used in the Brew Garage though.

Recently the BUZZ homebrew club decided to start a barrel project using some barrels from Victory Brewing's Dark Intrigue version of Storm King Stout. All the chatter on the mailing list got me thinking, "Should I give this another shot?" Well, I ordered a barrel from Victory and I'll be picking it up next week. Here goes nuthin'.

I guess I'll have to brew 5 ten gallon batches plus some extra for the angel's share. Here are the steps as I understand them right now.

decide on recipe
purchase bulk ingredients
brew 10+ gallons 5 times
ferment in carboys
prepare the barrel (hmmmm...hoping I won't need to do much here)
fill the barrel
wait
top off
wait
top off
wait
etc (as long as it takes to get a beer that tastes good)

I guess this is going to force me to get the brew garage in gear. It's a mess right now. Any homebrewers out there ever fill a 53 gallon barrel before? (Yikes 53 gallons!)

New Homebrew Supply Shop Directory

2011-10-26T09:42:00.001-04:00

Check out the new Homebrew Supply Shop directory.

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org./pages/directories/find-a-supply-shop

Seems to work pretty well.

What people buy @ Amazon via the nonconFERMist

2011-08-31T21:55:00.000-04:00

This time of year I get more traffic than most. Topics like growing hops trend pretty high. This leads to people clicking on the referral links. I don't really make a bunch of money, but, it helps pay for domain name registrations.

So more often than I like to admit, I go to the Amazon referral reports and read through the items folks have purchased via this site. I don't see who bought it, just that somebody did. Items purchased this month so far include:

All of those were books. Somebody else bought some hardware! Cool. I'm thinking wort chiller :-)

PETRA 63632048598 Copper Refrigeration Tubing, 1/4-Inch

Also, nice to see some readers checking out the electronic version of The Homebrewer's Garden (Kindle Edition). Haven't seen anybody buy a Kindle yet though ;-(.

Here's a little story about how I brew beer, or don't brew beer. You tell me.

2011-08-30T21:26:00.001-04:00

So I couldn't remember the last beer I brewed. I mean, it couldn't have been November of 2010, could it? I guess so. A black ale. and it was tasty. Why no brewing? Well, I had lotsa stuff goin' on in my life. The job wasn't really panning out and well I eventually was laid off after 11 years. (hmph) Spent some time getting my wits about me. I actually blogged on for a while and that was cool. Well I'm happy to say I am employed again. So much so that I've been so busy that I haven't had time to brew. At least that's my current excuse. No more procrastination.

Labor Day is almost here and I didn't want to show up to the family reunion empty handed. So, I thought about it for about four weeks and last week I finally decided to brew. The first night I was a little side tracked and decided to work on cleaning up the brew garage. You know the one with the nice epoxy floor (before, after) Well some shelves are up now and the stainless steel prep table is together. Still looks like the brew monster threw up on some tires a scooter and lumber.

That was Wednesday night last week. As they say, the best laid plans. So, Thursday night became brew night instead. I had some liquid pilsen malt extract in a partially full 33lb jerry can. Found some roasted barley and aromatic malt in my box of brewing stuff. Picked up some Wyeast 1968 (Fullers strain, WLP002) from Home Sweet Homebrew in Philadelphia at lunch earlier that day (the only planning I did evidently). Picked an English Ale Yeast mostly because it falls out of suspension quickly. Quick is good when Labor Day is fast approaching. Had about 4 ounces of dried homegrown Cascade hops harvested a few weeks ago and two ounces of homegrown Cascade hops from 2009. Thought that would be nice for the flavor and aroma. Now for some bittering hops, First Gold and Galena will do.

Time to haul out the keggle, scale, bowls, hydrometer, burner etc. Fill the keggle to 10 gal, fire up the burner and well you get the picture. I'll cut to the chase. The steeping grains were steeped and the bittering hops were added. What? Oh right, forgot the malt extract. Added 20% of the malt extract since I'm doing late malt additions. Wait, I don't have enough malt extract! That's right I didn't weigh it. There's not enough. I needed 16 lbs or something and I only had about 8.75 lbs. Not good. So either I make a 2.5% beer or find some more fermentables.

Scour the brew garage and the basement, I did. Guess what I found, 12 lbs of basswood honey! It's goin' in. Yep, 3 lbs of honey in one 5 gal fermenter and um 7 lbs in the other (couldn't resist). All the while I'm using Beersmith to calculate the final gravity, bitterness etc. Just dumped it in the fermenter, no boiling or anything. I guess that's OK. Some people say DISASTER others don't seem to say either way. I guess we'll see.

So, I guess this will be my first braggot. Accidental introduction to styles are always the best, don't you think? The higher ABV batch probably won't be ready for this weekend, but, the other one is already starting to drop clear. Either way one of them is going to the party in a keg (not bottles).

By the way as my brewing buddy Brian points out, this isn't necessarily me being rusty. Evidently I brew like this all the time. (shrug) Watch this be the best beer... er braggot I've ever made. Or the worst ;-)

Hey...

2011-07-21T02:51:00.000-04:00

...yeah I'm still around. Check out http://www.notthewholepicture.com. I've probably posted more stuff there recently.

Thanks for keeping me in your reading list. I'll fire this thing up again.

How many variations of homebrewing are there?

2011-03-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

Well I guess its all the same general process, right? If you want to see variations, somebody created a site to cull tons of videos together from Youtube and other places. Kinda like America's Funniest Homebrew Videos. I had no idea this many people were making their own homebrewing videos.

Groupon: Midwest Brewing kit equipment + recipe + opener + $25 gift cert

2011-03-27T16:16:00.007-04:00

Midwest Supplies: So for the price of an equipment kit (at some other stores) you get the following.

basic equipment kit
extract ingredients for one of three style beers
DVD
$25 gift certificate for future ingredients

$64 + $12 shipping = $76. Not a bad way to start or get a friend started.

You can find it at Groupon.com under Philadelphia.

.

Something new on the webpage...

2011-03-24T10:37:00.000-04:00

Doing some Spring clean up. Expect the following when you visit this webpage.

decreased the size of the photos in the header
added #homebrew twitter feed search to sidebar
cleaned up the side bar

Oldie but a goodie. Our hops growing in a time-lapse video.

2011-03-16T14:31:00.004-04:00

Here's a time-lapse video from a few years ago. You can see 8 hours of hops growing/moving in 30 seconds. Even added some blues music ;-)

A Duel. That's right Mr. Beer.

2011-03-15T13:05:00.003-04:00

Warning this post is much too long and I enjoyed writing it way too much.

Just like Buddy's kindly owner, I too received a brown box in the mail...er UPS (pronounced ups not U..P..S). I had been calmly expecting it actually. A week ago I guess, a nice lady contacted me asking if I would be interested in reviewing one of these here Mr. Beer Premium Edition Home Microbrewery Systems. While reading the email from her, I was very pleased that something had finally come of my blogging efforts, success at last. I mean some bloggers make gobs of money, but, I got something that can make beer. The story doesn't end here though. I haven't explained the Duel.

As I do everyday, I visited The Interweb/The Facebook and noticed Mr Curtin's rss feed from his Liquid Diet blog manifested yet another news item via that Facebook Networked Blogs syndication app thingy. It truly is a complicated world we live in. Be that as it may, my daily routine rely's on it. So I clicked on it and jumped to his site. Long story short, I felt a little bummed. I mean, he got one too. Then he proceeded to write a witty post with color pictures. Threatened as I was, I could only do one thing. That's right.

So I did it. I challenged him to a duel. Not a duel with pistols, a duel with Mr. Beer Premium Edition Home Microbrewery Systems (MBPEHMS), a duel nonetheless. At first my compatriots were not impressed. This sort of thing happens around here all the time.

After mentioning Mr. Curtin, things changed at once. I can only assume Buddy's been talking. Anyway Jake and Ladybug were clearly enraged. Ladybug went right to work and, well, Jake joined in a bit later.

After removing, sorting, relocating, arranging the contents of the package and picking up those crazy plastic bottles every time they fell heheh...they verified that yes we do indeed have a MBPEHMS.

(Real barrels not included.)

Took a picture for youns/yinz/youse. (its hard to write for a wide audience) I'll be needing some moral support during the weeks leading up to what might ultimately be the demise of The NonconFERMist. Sounds exciting don't it?! Stay tuned er don't unsubscribe, don't unfriend, don't stop following my tweets. Who am I kidding. You were probably only here to find out what happens when beer freezes.

More to come :-)

Checking on Big Hop Field

2011-03-13T19:07:00.002-04:00

Sorry no close up picture, but, they are all sprouting :-)

Photo of First Hops of the year Sprouting

2011-03-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

Well it's Spring in my book!

BROUPON #3: Matthew - new all grain brewer and a question about his results

2011-03-08T09:27:00.002-05:00

So, can anybody help Matthew and I?

Question:

Adam,

As you have so generously offered to answer homebrew questions, here is one that I've been looking to have answered. I've recently (within the last couple of batches) converted to all full-mash process. The results have thus far been quite acceptable with the following caveat- it seems that my final wort is always a little light in mouthfeel. Likewise, the finished product is always generally lighter in mouthfeel than the recipe / style would suggest- but the flavor and perceived alcohol content is on target. Other than temperature control (which I'm now able to keep between 152 and 157 for a full 90 minutes), what else can I do to increase efficiency? Additionally, will keeping the mash at the low-end of the temperature scale (152-153) for the first half of the mash greatly reduce it's body?
thanks,
-Matthew

Answer:

Hi Matthew,

(Again)I'm stepping out of my Extract Brewing world into your All Grain brewing world so bear with me. I don't have a specific answer to your question so I'll defer to some resources related to body and mouthfeel. So by light you mean what exactly?

I think there's more than enough info in the following articles to put you on the right course.

John Palmer on "body"...
http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter20-1.html

A BYO article...
http://www.byo.com/stories/article/indices/12-body/1140-maximizing-mouthfeel-tips-from-the-pros

Follow up...

Adam,
... I hope that some better brewers than me can point me in the right direction. By light, I mean that the result of the mashing process is a little too 'watery'. I use a generic formula of 1 qt. of water / pound of grain to mash and 2 qts of water / to sparge. The real question, I suppose, is how can I increase the efficiency of my mashes. Some heavy reading is probably in order (and probably a great way to spend a few evenings) but brewing is and should be a community affair.
-Matthew

Hi Matthew,

I started typing a paragraph of how I understand efficiency and how it relates to the body of a beer, but, to be honest that BYO article would do a better job.

So, if you want a beer that has more body you really have lots of ways to affect that; grain bill (specialty grains, etc), mash temp, yeast, etc. We might need to know more about your brew to zero in on things a bit. For example, what was your starting gravity (when you pitch yeast) and what was your final gravity (after fermentation).

Maybe, the difference in all grain vs. extract is what lies at the heart of this question. You're just noticing the effects of having all that all grain mashing and extraction control ;-)

Also, you might be interested in posting your question to a forum. I've been very impressed with the helpful nature of folks there. Much like readers here actually.

HomeBrewTalk
RealBeer Communities

-Adam

BROUPON #2: Raymond - Brewing 10 gal on a 5 gal system...

2011-03-07T11:46:00.001-05:00

Calling all readers. If you have related experience, please consider helping Raymond out.

Question:

Hey,

Gearing up for the spring party season. I don’t get the chance to brew often, so I am looking for a decent workable method to net 10 gallons on my 5 gallon system, utilizing only one boil.

I have a 10 gallon Gatorade style MLT, using a steel braid and no false bottom. My boil kettle is 7 gallons which I usually max out at 6.25 to 6.5 gallons pre boil. Still brewing on the ol’ electric stove in our kitchen. I have plenty of room for a 10 gallon sized mash, but I don’t have the boil volume, nor the time (patience?) for two boils/cools. My best idea so far was to boil a higher gravity wort and then top up to 10 gal with 2nd/3rd runnings instead of all water.

I’m looking at a low to middle OG (1.050 max), something like an American Special Bitter, mostly two row and c-60 or c-80, a charge of high alphas early in the boil, bunch of late hop additions, US-05. I have beersmith as my software package, so I should be able to ballpark my boil additions based on the gravities of my preboil and extra runnings; provided my following assumption is correct:

Gravity of wort is linear. 5 gallons of 1070 wort blended with 5 gallons of 1030 runnings will equal out to 10 gallons of 1050 wort? Is this correct?

Thanks,

Raymond

Answer:

Hey there Raymond,

Hmmm... I'm stepping out of my extract brewing world into your all grain brewing world here so bear with me.

I'm thinking you'll need to boil the second and third runnings. Steriliztion, DMS, etc. Here's an article to help backup that conclusion.

http://www.byo.com/stories/techniques/article/indices/13-boiling/1682-wort-boiling-homebrew-science

Topping off with good water seems like a better option in your circumstance.

I hope that helps. Thanks for sending in your question :-)

-Adam

Followups...

Raymond said...
Good point on sterilization and compounds in unboiled wort. Something I didn’t think about. Was just trying to avoid using flavorless water.
Ok, so to get the end volume that I was looking for I should target 1.080 wort, cut with 1.000 water would net 1.040? I really should just wake up earlier and do two boils, I could make two beers.
Feel free to share on your site. And if you have any better ideas for how to increase volume on a small system, go ahead a let er rip.
My Response
Yeah, I'd say that would do it. If you need to increase the gravity, you could always add some extract at the end of the boil. BeerSmithcan help with late malt additions and hop utilization.
Thanks I'll put this up on the site. Who knows, somebody more knowledgeable might chime in.
Good luck preparing for the party season :-) You're reminding me that I need to brew too.

Daily BROUPON: Ask a homebrew or growing hops question and get it answered here on The NonconFERMist.

2011-03-07T09:33:00.001-05:00

Daily, ask a question, I'll get you an answer. Leave a comment or send an email to adam@nonconfermist.com and get an answer to a homebrew or growing hops question.

There are no stupid questions and hopefully no stupid answers ;-)

Nine more BROUPONs left...

2011-03-05T07:37:00.001-05:00

Ask a homebrew or growing hops question and get an answer for free. I'm extending this offer to the first ten comments, emails or tweets. Nine more to go!

BROUPON # 1: Mike's question and an answer. Small boils, late malt addtions, etc.

2011-03-04T13:50:00.001-05:00

Here's our first BROUPON question and an answer. Congrats Mike!

QUESTION:

Mike said...

What is a reasonable amount of water for steeping grains and boiling hops?

I'm going to be doing my first non-Mr Beer brew, but still using the 2.14 gallon fermenter. My plan was to use 1 gallon of water to steep some specialty grains and do a 60 minute hop boil. Then at the end of the boil I plan to add 3.3lb of LME.

I want to use the gallon so I don't lose a ton of water during the boil.

Should I be aware of any grain:water ratios or any other concerns?

Bonus question: is it OK to add more water during the boil if you notice you're losing a lot to steam?

Friday, March 04, 2011

ANSWER:

nonconFERMist response...

Thanks for stopping by. You're the first taker! You also presented a couple of very good (read tricky) questions. Two things to note. I haven't used a Mr. Beer and I haven't done a hop boil with 1 gallon of water.

First, since you are adding the extract (most of your fermentables) at the end of the boil, this low gravity wort will affect your hop utilization. The same amount of hops in low gravity wort produces more bitterness. That means you might want to back off the bittering hops. How much? I've heard 25% less for an hour boil is a good guess. If you want to get more specific, here are some resources.
John Palmer's How to Brew link to online version Chpt 5 Sec. 5 Online (Amazon Link: How to Brew)

Second, Beersmith has options for calculating IBUs based up boil time and late malt additions. I use it for this when making 5 and 10 gallon batches.

The answer to your bonus question may also require some calculations.

With such a small wort you are right to worry about boil off. Especially over an hour. There might be nothing left! There are many different ways to approach this. Here's one approach I would try.
Start with more water 1.5 gallons or add small amount of hot water during the boil.
Download BeerSmith
(there's a free 30 day trial) or Email me your recipe and I'll calculate it for you.
Enter your recipe
Select late malt addition
Shorten your boil to 30 minutes to lessen boil off.
See what your IBUs are.
Reduce hops in recipe to reduce IBUs to what your shooting for
Not a complete answer, but, hopefully I've pointed you in the right direction. Post or email your recipe and I can tell you what BeerSmith calculates. I created a test recipe for a 2.15 gal. batch of American IPA with 1 oz of bittering hops and .25 lbs of crystal malt for steeping. When adding 3 lbs of malt extract at the beginning of boil the IBUs were ~45. When specifying late malt additions after the boil IBUs increased to ~70.

-Adam

BROUPON Extended! Get your hombrew questions answered...

2011-03-04T08:16:00.001-05:00

Ask a homebrew or growing hops question and get an answer for free. I'll extend this to the first ten comments, emails or tweets.

Today's BROUPON: Ask a homebrew question, I'll get you an answer...

2011-03-03T07:33:00.012-05:00

This one is limited to today only. Buy none get all free! ;-) What is a BROUPON, well I don't know for sure. Mostly a way to use The NonconFERMist site to help brewers do their thing.

Today's deal. Ask a homebrew question, I'll get you an answer. The first ten people to leave a comment or send an email to adam@nonconfermist.com will get a BROUPON for an answer to a homebrew question.

This BROUPON is good at anytime, except when I'm busy. There are no stupid questions and hopefully no stupid answers ;-)

Love this British Beer vid...

2011-03-02T09:50:00.002-05:00

More About White House Homebrew...

2011-03-01T19:08:00.002-05:00

More about brewing at the White House.. I'm in the middle of reading it now.

Oh, don't forget. Grow hops! It's the right thing to do.

2011-02-28T22:14:00.000-05:00

Consider this your daily helpful reminder. Spring is almost here! You might not be able to get hops when its time to plant so order them now.

You are feeling sleepy. Very sleeeepy.... follow this link to find out more about growing hops in my collection of web resources. This has been a public service announcement.

(BTW I haven't tried hops pillows.)

Tweetin' my FB'ing blog peeps...

2011-02-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

Yeah that's how we roll out here in the land of short attention.

the nonconFERMist has been connecting with brewing and beer profiles 'n pages and followin' folks on twitter 'n 'nat.

This is preparation for 2012 when the hive mind is complete and we are reborn.

The road to becoming a brewer...

2011-02-27T20:07:00.000-05:00

That's what you'll hear about over here at Brewvana. Thanks Wilson for hosting Adam (not me...) guest poster :-)

Are you a homebrewer? Do you want to grow hops this year?

2011-02-27T14:57:00.003-05:00

This is a reminder to all homebrewers. It is that time of year. Pass this on via Facebook or Twitter by using the buttons above.

Most people can't just stop by the local store and get hop rhizomes. You'll typically need to order them ahead of time.

How many do you want to grow?
What kind do you want to grow?
Where will you grow them?
Where can you get them? (Fresh Hops, Northern Brewer, Local Homebrew Store, friend etc.)
Heck, you should probably just order them. Don't wait too long. They are cheap and will store in your fridge crisper. Even if you throw them away, or plant them in a poor spot, you'll at least have them when you need them :-)
I've collected a ton of info on this growing hops resource page to help you in your quest!

Limited Release: Never Been Brewed Beer (another ruse)

2011-02-24T14:15:00.000-05:00

Yeah, and your family and friends are waiting for you to brew it. Why drink over hyped beer when you can brew something truly unique yourself for about the price of a couple cases of that over hyped stuff. Get started by looking over this mind map.

For books related to brewing...

Amazon: Home Brewing

BROUPON Brewing Resources Deal

2011-02-24T12:03:00.002-05:00

For an unlimited time only. Buy none get all free! ;-) I've spent countless hours (maybe weeks) researching these topics. No referrals here. Just some good old information sharing. From me to you. Enjoy.

Opening Your Own Brewery
Small Breweries
Homebrew 101 FAQ
Fermenting in Soda Kegs
Yeast Resources
Hops Infusing Devices
Kegging & Cask Resources
Home Brewing Starter Kit Resources
Dry & Late Hopping Resources
Kegerators Resources
Hops Growing Resources

Join the American Homebrewers Association...

2011-02-23T20:06:00.006-05:00

Found myself at the AHA website and thought. Why don't I have a link to their signup page here somewhere. Well I'll have to remedy that. I'll add a link to the right sidebar too.

As a member you receive the following. I'd have to say Zymurgy and the Pub Discount are enough to cover your membership.

Zymurgy magazine
Members-Only resources! Commercial Calibration and Ask the Experts are available online exclusively to AHA members.
Pub Discount Program*
AHA Rallies
AHA National Homebrewers Conference
AHA National Homebrew Competition
Great American Beer Festival℠ Members-Only Tasting Session & Entrance
Great American Beer Festival℠ Pro-Am Competition
AHA Club-Only Competitions
Book Discounts
Lallemand Scholarship

Get more details by clicking on the "join" button above.

BTW...I think I let mine lapse! Kinda par for the course if you know me ;-) I think I'll click on that link myself.

Is Ben on to something here? Countertop brewing....

2011-02-22T13:17:00.001-05:00

3 gallon batch. No big pots. No outside brewing in the snow. Hmmm....

Don't know Ben from Ben's Homebrew or The Homebrew Junkie, but, I like this idea. Part two can be seen on Youtube.

Still playing with site designs....

2011-02-16T23:56:00.000-05:00

Come and see it :-)

Tootsie Roll Ale doesn't suck!

2011-02-16T15:10:00.002-05:00

I didn't think anything good could come from tasting this. Smells like tootsie rolls. Tastes like tootsie rolls. Finishes clean. Nice job Mike from Artisan!

Mobile NonconFERMist looks like this.

2011-02-16T11:51:00.001-05:00

View from an iPhone

Start Homebrewing, Five ways to start with one click.

2011-02-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

It amazes me how much information we have at our finger tips. A quick trip to Google and you're swimming in information. I would suggest that it isn't really the lack of information that keeps you from learning how to brew. It is something else.

What could it be? You've been reading blogs and drinking craft beer thinking, "I wonder if I could make this?" Why haven't you tried? Did you know there's more than one way to learn and they can all start right here?

So if you are ready to try, one click will get you started. Which one will you choose? Where will your beer drinking and homebrewing path lead you?

1 - Web How To Articles

A good coherent page or two describing somebody's process can really get your juices flowing. It isn't as long as a book and it may be written in a voice that just speaks to you.

How to Brew Your Own Beer in Seven Simple Steps (Mahalo: the knowledge sharing service; helping people quickly find the best information on topics, how to's and coupons.)
How to Brew Small-Batch Beer in Your Kitchen (Chow: recipes, restaurant reviews, food videos, and cooking how-to on the web. Plus FUN.)

2 - Video

If the last thing you do is read directions or owners manual for your new purchase, maybe a video would lay it all out there for you to see. It's like having your own private lesson and you get to hit "Pause".

How to Brew Beer at Home (Gary Glass, American Homebrewers Association)
Basic Brewing: Stepping into All Grain (Amazon) (One DVD from our favorite podcast, videocast, homebrewers Basic Brewing Website )

3 - Support Networks

What if you have a question? What if you just need somebody more like you to help you understand how to get started? Why not seek out a community of like minded people who just happen to be more experienced than you at homebrewing? You don't even need to meet them in person. Although, I have to say most homebrewers really are very pleasant and eager to help.

Real Beer Forum Oldie, but a goodie.
Blogs (just a few CNYBrew, TedBrews.com, CHIBEBRÄU, check blogrolls for more)
Homwbrew Clubs (The American Hombrewers Association's listing of registered clubs.)
Planning ahead? What about Learn to Homebrew Day? (via AHA)

4 - Magazines

What? Blogs are too informal? Twitter is just a waste of time? What about a professionally produced periodical to peruse? There's nothing like opening the mailbox and finding a brewing magazine. It just might, for a second, make you forget about the bills delivered alongside it.

Zymurgy: (Via Amazon) Been around for years and still goin' strong.
Brew Your Own: (Via Amazon) Another solid publication.

5 - Wikis

The soul of the Internet is embodied in Wiki's. People like you and me watch over them and care for them. A resource for the the people, by the people. If you elect me... Ahem, well, let's just say I recommend using Wikis. (Until Ted Nelson's, Project Xanadu vision is fulfilled, it'll do.)

Brew Wiki: (from brewing you first beer to, technical references to BEER XML)
Homebrew Talk Wiki

And because you made it this far, a bonus :-)

Bonus - Books

So you want something affordable, easy on the eyes, portable, well organized and stands the test of time? Nothing beats a book when it comes to ease of use. The Kindle, Nook, iPad and other eReaders are getting better, but, rest assured they have a long way to go.

How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time (Amazon)
The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition (Harperresource Book) (Amazon)
Ok, Ok eBook versions of your favorite homebrew books are available too ;-) (Amazon)

If you have other ways of learning you would like to share, please leave a comment. Also, please send me an email at adam@nonconfermist.com if you have questions. I would love to hear from you.

Powerful view of brewing info in Wikipedia via a Mind Map...

2011-02-15T17:28:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wished you could get to the information you want? Sometimes searching the Net just isn't the best way. What about getting a quick mindmap of all related terms from Wikipedia?

Maybe WikiMindMap fits the bill?

A new look for the site....

2011-02-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

A drawing from my daughter is the basis for this theme.

Wikis and Mind Maps...and brewing of course...

2011-02-14T12:04:00.000-05:00

Thought it would be convenient to have a wiki for The NonconFERMist site. It is open for you to view and edit if you like. While I was up there I added a small mind map about extract brewing. You might find it interesting check it out.

Homebrew at the White House?! Well, that settles it. I need to brew again.

2011-02-07T22:34:00.001-05:00

If you haven't heard. Somebody at the White House made some homebrew and served it to guests. Never expected such a thing. A honey ale was brewed.

Want to learn how to brew?

Amazon: Home Brewing

Brewers United for Zany Zymurgy (BUZZ)

2011-02-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

While I'm mentioning local groups I shouldn't forget this one. All the BUZZ folks I've met have really impressed me. People you just want to hang out with. Check out their site.

Main Line Brewers Association

2011-02-04T07:00:00.017-05:00

For all you locals, I think I've known about these folks for a while, but, never mentioned them here. Check them out.

Now showing! The MOBILE NonconFERMist.

2011-02-03T10:09:00.003-05:00

Yep, that's right. Visit The NonconFERMist on your mobile device and you can get all this amazing titillating FREE content (well unless you count the time spent here that you'll never get back). The posts can be viewed right there on your Newton or various other PDAs (time travel not included). It might even work on one of them S M A R T phones (Amazon Referral).

Lest you think this is a joke, try it --> http://NonconFERMist.com. I dare ya.

Anybody thinking of ordering hop rhizomes already?

2011-02-03T09:33:00.002-05:00

Via an email in my inbox yesterday. John at Brew Your Own Beer in Havertown PA is taking orders.

HOP RHIZOMES ORDER

We are now taking orders for hop rhizomes. Anticipated shipping date is March 21, 2011. The following varieties should be available. This is a perishable item so I will only order your pre-orders. Phone or email your order to us by Saturday, February 26, 2011. Cost will be $5.00 per rhizome.

CASCADE GLACIER NORTHERN BREWER CENTENNIAL GOLDING NUGGET CHINOOK HALLERTAU TETTNANG COLUMBUS HORIZON WILLAMETTE FUGGLE MAGNUM

Email John Reynolds at BYOB202 {at} aol.com
http://brewyourownbeerhavertown.com

Is it true? Can we really start thinking about Spring? Maybe Phil had something to do with this. Too much of a coincidence to be anything else. (Hmmm...do ground hogs eat hops?)

So, I'll be digging up and transplanting some and maybe thinking about a way to irrigate the hop field....wait a second!!! There's still a crap load of snow out there. Think Spring everyone. SPRING!

Send East End beer to the White House!

2011-01-28T14:01:00.001-05:00

Send East End beer to the White House

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Home made hard cider...

2011-01-24T14:51:00.000-05:00

So, I still have some cider around from 2009. Pulled a pint off the keg since I'm out of home made beer. Wow, time really cleans this stuff up. Very tasty. Dry and crisp with just enough body to hold the apple taste. Mmmmm...

eBooks and brewing...

2011-01-20T14:12:00.003-05:00

Anybody out there into this kinda thing? I guess you wouldn't want the e-reader near the kettle (shrug). I've found this free book that I'm flipping through right now. Not sure how much use it would be, but interesting...

The American Practical Brewer and Tanner by Joseph Coppinger

I also noticed Amazon has many eBooks about brewing. (referral link)

I don't own an e-reader, but, I have an ASUS netbook and an iphone that I've used to read eBooks. More or a curiosity than an everyday habit. Most of my info comes from dead tree versions or browsing the Internet.

Anybody out there use eBooks and e-readers?

Brrr...its cold in the garage.

2011-01-13T19:20:00.000-05:00

Yep and I can't get my butt out there to brew.

Not to mention there's a ton of stuff all over the place cluttering it up. And nobody put the electric brew kettle together yet.

Did I mention I have motivation problems? Yeah, the last pints of homebrew are flowing out of the magic keg.

(pouring pint)
hmmm...still some left

(fill wine glass with homebrew)
I'm getting close. I'll bet it kicks next time.

(brandy snifter half full)
I might want to change my religion about now. The beer gods are smiling upon me.

(wow this thing is light)
I love this hobby.

Brewing System for Sale

2011-01-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

Thought some of you might be interested. Heard about this via my local homebrew club...

Click here: SABCO Brew Magic Homebrew Brewery with kegs for Beer - eBay (item 190485528952 end time Jan-07-11 15:39:09 PST)

Trying a new site design. Tada!!

2011-01-04T13:19:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! A few reflections...

2011-01-04T10:36:00.001-05:00

Looking back on 2010 leaves me with the impression that I have much to be thankful for in my personal life and professional life. Some things didn't go as planned, but, then again that can be a good thing. Some reflections about homebrewing...

The epoxy is on the Brew Garage floor. Yay!
More carboys and kegs were purchased at a good price.
Whole leaf hops at a good price.
Elderberries from Dad.
Failed remote crop of Hops due to dry weather and lack of attention :-(
Parts for the electric brew kettle purchased.
Less brews than I expected this year, but, I think I needed a break.
Made some vinegar from apple cider, accidentally ;-)
Small supply of homegrown hops from the backyard.

Looking forward...

Can we improve on the remote hops field this year?
Put together that electric brew kettle.
Organize the Brew Garage
Brew in the Brew Garage, duh!

So, here's to a great 2011! May you all get what you need and be pleasantly surprised a few times ;-)

Bake barley bread with spent grain, malt extract...

2010-12-29T13:50:00.000-05:00

That's what I want to do. I'm thinking this book will help me do it. Bought it about a year ago and love it. Once you get their method down you can mix up the dough and have fresh bread everyday. I've been sharing mine during our holiday travels.

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients

There's a recipe for beer bread and one for barley bread and maybe some others that will be helpful. I've been baking buckwheat bread, stollen and wheat bread. Time to brew and use my spent grains.

Will The NonConFERMist finally put together his electric brewery?

2010-12-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

I'm over my cold thank goodness, I have some extra time, I think I have most of the parts...maybe I'll give it a shot tonight or tomorrow. The SNOW STORM OF THE CENTURY! is upon us. (well that's what the new channels imply anyway.)

Maybe it won't be the snowstorm of the century, but, it might be the perfect storm for getting little side projects like this done.

The once black art of buying HBGs (Home Brew Gifts)

2010-12-15T22:56:00.002-05:00

This might be a ploy for my wife to get something for me ;-) Hint...hint...oh, who am I kidding? She doesn't read this stuff.

Times certainly have changed. Back in the day you would need to scour the earth to find a local homebrew store (like Artisan) if you wanted to buy something for that special homebrewer. Even then SWMBO might find it hard to walk into such a place. She would probably be thinking the worst. Perhaps, "I'm not going there. Surely a secret handshake or some grunting must be involved." or worse, "He'll probably ask me something about those stinky ingredients." Just think about it. All her holiday shopping is complete in four hours at The Mall with just one more stop at the home brew store, in the industrial park, on the edge of town, with no lights in the parking area. Yeah that's the one. She probably just decided to skip it and have you go with her and "just pick something out". Where's the surprise in that?

Of course homebrewing isn't just for men. In fact now that we got the Internet you'll see that there are in fact plenty of women brewing and blogging about it. And that's not all. Now, not only are there homebrew stores on main streets in towns and cities, you might even find them...wait for it...near The Mall (actually Mr. Dunderbaks in Tampa FL was in a mall for almost 40 years and may not sell homebrew stuff anymore, but, that really messes up my point, anyway...). Hey while your on the Internet you can even shop online. No shortage of homebrew stores can be found and even Amazon sells stuff. That's right. You can create a wish list on Amazon and have people buy the stuff right off the list. Some of the stores are just LHBS that accepts online orders. Some stores raise the bar and stock everything from bungs and bubblers to fermenters, faucets and FBAs, aka fresnel brewing apparatus (ok I just made that up, but, I was inspired by this).

So if you are looking to buy a present for that special brewer I recommend the following:

First, support the local guy and find that local homebrew store (like Artisan). If you need advice, pleasant service and a real human to talk to, this is the place to look first :-) (find a shop near you using the HBA site, or use The Beer Mapping Project, OMG there's an app for that too!, OK this is getting ridiculous there's even android apps)
Did I mention finding a local homebrew store? Unless yours sucks.
Then if you're looking for that hard to find item try a place like Northern Brewer
If you don't find what you are looking for or maybe you need it shipped quickly, Amazon? They have everything from books, dvds, faucets, fermenters, draft systems, beginners kits, etc. (see for yourself) [Yes that is a referral link.]

Where would you shop?

NOTE: Honey, if you are reading or maybe if one of my friends is reading, wait oh damn. I guess what I'm saying is that I accept gifts from complete strangers. It's my only hope. Anyway these are cool.

Just in Time Black Ale was a success...

2010-12-14T09:43:00.000-05:00

Well the dry yeast version was. The other half of the batch had some off flavors and the hops didn't really help cover up all that much. Go figure.

Next up, a tripel?

Just in Time Black Ale update: Dry yeast rules the day! Dry hopping will help too.

2010-11-24T00:52:00.000-05:00

So the Just in Time Black Ale (more of a dark brown really) split itself into two different English Ale Yeast batches. Kegged 'em both tonight. The Safale US04 and the Whilelabs WLP002. I have to tell you, out of the gate the US04 kicks this vial of WLP002's ass. Its clearer and has less off flavors. Of course this is just a random circumstance. To really pit the two against each other I'd need to ensure the proper pitching rates and make a starter. On the other hand how many homebrewers use a starter? Think about it. IMHO a good dry packet of yeast is the way to go for all beginners.

So how will I cover up or compliment some of the undesirable flavors that the WLP002 is giving off in this young beer? Hops of course. Yep, I'm dry hopping with some whole leaf Amarillo. Cross your fingers!

Of course I could just sit the kegs in the basement for a month and they would likely taste much better, but, I don't have time for all that. So, lets see what Mom's friends think of this "dark beer". Its just a little different from the recipe and technique used over the past few years, but, it's dark and well some people just don't like them thare dark beers.

Update on the Brettanomyces Project...

2010-11-22T23:58:00.001-05:00

Looks like in my haste I messed up the link. Chad passed this along. Thank you kind sir.

Hey Adam,

I'm working on a newer version of the site which also includes all the research and results from the MSc. dissertation on Brettanomyces. As well I'll be updating the site with practical observation and information from commercial batches which are being brewed soon. Check out:
http://www.BrettanomycesProject.com

Cheers,
Chad Yakobson

The Brettanomyces Project

2010-11-22T10:30:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Jean for passing thus on.

http://brettanomyces.wordpress.com/

Settling down just in time...

2010-11-17T22:16:00.001-05:00

Yes, I'm settling down just in time for bed. The Just in Time Black Ale also shows signs of settling down. The yeast is falling out of suspension for both the dry US04 and the liquid WLP002. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around it will be ready to keg :-)

Tasting will have to wait until next week. Very busy. Hopefully neither have off flavors from pitching too little yeast. The WLP002 took about 24 hours to get going. On the other hand the US04 only took a few hours. Funny how they are almost even right now after a few days. I always feel more comfortable repitching on a yeast cake, but no time for that this time around. Hey, I'm just happy to have yeast that clears so quickly :-)

Here's to all you just in time brewers out there. Cheers!

Fermenting Just In Time Black Ale

2010-11-15T13:08:00.001-05:00

Left is batch with WLP002, right is US-04

Just in Time Ale again...

2010-11-13T13:34:00.002-05:00

Time to brew. At long last. The recipe this time calls for English Ale Yeast of two varieties WLP002 and US-04. I'll brew an 11 gallon batch and split it into 5 and 6 gallons pitching a different yeast in each. Some kind of bittering hops will be used. Whatever is hanging around. U.S. Goldings for finishing. The base will be pilsner malt extract. I hope I have some steeping grains around.

Ok, I'm ready. Well sorta.

NOTE: Gathered all my brewing stuff together. Looks like this year's Just in Time Ale will be black. Chocolate malt steeping grains. Prob add just a bit of Special B too.

Off topic pic of the day

2010-11-12T17:11:00.001-05:00

Do you tweet?

2010-11-11T00:40:00.002-05:00

I've been through about three iterations of this whole twitter thing and have a brand new shiny twitter account I'm looking for fellow twitterers. Want me to follow you? Leave your @twittername for me.

@mrnonconfermist
http://www.twitter.com/mrnonconfermist

Basics of Brewing Beer (Mindmap)

2010-11-11T00:12:00.002-05:00

Getting started with this mindmap. I'll be revising it. Hoping to capture the very basics of brewing in a concise format. Click for larger image. I haven't read any of these, but, here's Mind Mapping stuff on Amazon

I already see stuff to add...

60 min boil
When is sanitation important?
Do I include specific gravity measuring?
Make sure fermentation is finished?
etc.

The NonconFERMist has no friends.

2010-11-10T21:19:00.001-05:00

Not surprising really.

the nonconFERMist

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Links that need fixin'...

2010-11-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

As the web changes and my links break, I'll try to fix them and let you know when I do.

Fresh Hops: New look and feel on the website. Click on "Growing" on the left...
http://www.freshops.com/

Law: Is homebrewing legal? AHA's major overhaul moved things around...
http://www.nonconfermist.com/2007/12/law-is-homebrewing-beer-legal.html

Off topic pic of the day

2010-11-08T17:42:00.001-05:00

I'll bet some of you 9 to 5er's out there saw this too. Darkness.

How the hell are you?! Who needs real content on a blog anyway?

2010-11-05T13:29:00.001-04:00

Rather than make up something to write about. I thought I'd just see how y'inz (Western Pennsylvania thing) are doing? As usual I'm behind schedule for my Just In Time Ale for the Holidays. So things are "normal" here.

How the hell are you? (and your brew stuff too)

Fermentation isn't just a beer thing...

2010-11-02T22:20:00.007-04:00

What about bread, yogurt, cheese, miso, sauerkraut and kimchi. I was reading a post by Laurie over at the blog Common Sense Homesteading. Just started reading it recently and I really enjoy it. She mentions these books. Anybody have them?

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods (Amazon Link)

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats(Amazon Link)

Maybe I could get some sauerkraut fermented for New Years? Maybe even improve my health.

Passing things on. Came across some brewing equipment...

2010-11-01T00:29:00.000-04:00

So, I belong to the BUZZ Homebrew Club mailing list and came across an interesting opportunity to buy some homebrew equipment from a fellow homebrewer moving on to other interests. Gotta say I'm pretty damn happy with my end of the deal.

A big thank you to the fellow homebrewer and also to the BUZZ Homebrew Club for the opportunity. You may have a homebrew club in your area so search for one and see. They may not be registered so ask around.

Painting the Brew Garage and thinking of brewing...

2010-11-01T00:10:00.000-04:00

While I'm spending time making the Brew Garage a more hospitable place I have brewing in the back of my mind. I wanted my next brew to be in the electric kettle, but, I'm not so sure that's happening. One more propane brewing session fits the bill. I'll brew my Just in Tim Ale or whatever you call it ASAP.

Time to get busy.

Off topic pic of the day. High School Memories

2010-10-29T13:27:00.001-04:00

This makes me think of art class, Mr Smith and Burnt Umber oil paint.

Off topic pic of the day

2010-10-27T19:52:00.001-04:00

A few evenings ago...

Larry's write up of the The Great Artisnal Autumnal Homebrew Competition

2010-10-26T10:42:00.000-04:00

Hey, Meister Brew Lounge notes that Larry Horowitz of Iron Hill posted this wrap up of the The Great Artisnal Autumnal Homebrew Competition :-)

Again, thanks to Artisan Homebrew and Iron Hill for their hospitality and the opportunity to judge.

Brewgarage Priority

2010-10-25T18:54:00.001-04:00

The first addition...serving Victory's Scarlet Fire

Brew Garage Floor Epoxy Complete!

2010-10-24T15:29:00.001-04:00

Off topic pic of the day

2010-10-21T18:38:00.001-04:00

Had to stop on the drive home to get a picture.

Brew Garage Floor

2010-10-21T18:35:00.001-04:00

It's drying after being etched. Soon epoxy :-)

off topic pic of the day

2010-10-19T17:11:00.001-04:00

goodbye workday, hello sun

Columbus & Amarillo shipment arrived :-)

2010-10-18T12:50:00.001-04:00

(off topic pic) Before working on the brew garage...

2010-10-16T10:49:00.002-04:00

Coffee in hand watching the wind tear at the trees.

First judging experience...

2010-10-11T21:56:00.004-04:00

So, what was it like? Well, it was kinda like trying to keep up with the Jones' and expressing your dissent at the same time. I needed more time and some space to really work through all these beers, but, alas we didn't have days we only had hours.

On the plus side, I tasted things like sasafras, coffee, cinnamon, hops, butterscotch, honey and well all kinds of stuff that may or not may not be good in a competition. In fact I really enjoyed all the different flavors. Well, 90% of them ;-)

I learned something too. I'm not good at articulating what I don't like. I felt like the other judges really nailed the flavor and I just didn't have the words for it. I also learned that I didn't like one of the beers that everbody just loved. I wonder why. I don't like being the odd one out. Wait, maybe I do. LOL

Anyway, thanks to Artisan Homebrew and Iron Hill for their hospitality.

We had our work cut out for us...

2010-10-11T21:41:00.001-04:00

OMG does that say, "Figs"?

2010-10-11T21:40:00.001-04:00

Stack a bunch of tasting cups and this is what you see?

Artisinal what? All done judging...

2010-10-11T21:15:00.002-04:00

Http://www.artisanhomebrew.com

Judging at The Great Artisnal Autumnal Homebrew Competition

2010-10-11T17:45:00.005-04:00

Not unlike The Great Pumpkin. Well it is a bit different in that it is a contest and it is being judged at Iron Hill Brewery West Chester PA

Http://www.artisanhomebrew.com

"homebrewers to create an inspired interpretation of a seasonally strange fall beer to be judged by an esteemed panel [yes, somebody thinks I'm esteemed or they are just being sarcastic...heheh] of local brewing expertise, wherein the top TWO beers (chosen by virtue of not just their superiority, but their DISSIMILARITY from one another) will be poured at this year’s Gathering of the Gourds event alongside some of the nation’s most exceptionally spooky pumpkin-esque beers"

Brew Garage Tools

2010-10-07T21:52:00.001-04:00

Computer & Whiteboard

Electric Brew Kettle Parts

2010-10-07T21:31:00.004-04:00

Not sure whether or not you folks get involved in forums on the Internet, but, I do and if you're willing to do some wading and searching you'll find some of the most amazing things. In fact I found a complete parts list and lots of discussion around an electric brew kettle. You have to check out this thread (link to homebrewtalk forum thread). You can also find some videos about "The Pol's" eHerms system. He did a great job of documenting his progress.

Here's what I've gathered so far. Still need the GFCI, stainless steel nut and o-ring. This will be hooked up to one of my keggles.

Brew Garage & Electric Brew Kettle...

2010-10-07T10:10:00.000-04:00

I know not everybody sees comments people post here so, in an effort to keep my post rate up :-) I've included my response to Splobucket from http://www.ataleoftwobrewers.com/ I wrote the following comment about two of my projects right now, the Electric Brew Kettle and the Brew Garage.

[regarding the electric brew kettle] Well, I'll try to get some pictures up. So far it's been surfing homebrew forums, learning about electricity & wiring and sourcing the pieces. Home Depot and Lowes so far, but, I still need a nut, high temp o-ring and GFCI.

[regarding the Brew Garage] It seems the [epoxy] garage floor is all about the prep. Here's what I've done so far.

- clean garage & organize
- life gets in the way
- clean garage & organize
- life gets in the way
- clean garage & organize
- buy carport tent as staging area for garage stuff
- find places to put stuff other than back in the garage
- research prepping the 60 year old floor
- clean with heavy duty cleaner
- test phosphoric acid for etching
- use paint stripper to remove paint spots from previous owner
- clean with heavy duty cleaner including power washing

Next up...

- tear out old crappy workbench from previous owner
- clean with heavy duty cleaner one more time (power wash)
- etch with phosphoric acid
- mix up the batch and apply (takes an hour or two)

Brew Garage: One step closer.

2010-10-05T09:43:00.000-04:00

The electric brew kettle isn't any closer to completion, but, the garage floor is cleaner. It's been a while since I've mentioned it, but, I'm turning it into a brew garage. The biggest challenge was getting it cleaned out. We had so much stuff in there.

Now it feels like a cavern! Next step patching the floor.

Brew Kettle: I'm hooking an electric heating element up this weekend!

2010-10-01T22:28:00.003-04:00

Yep, that's right I'm wiring up a 5500 watt Water Heater Element in my brew kettle. I'm also preparing to put an epoxy floor down in the brew garage. Hmmm...will I have enough time?

Advertisement for nature

2010-09-29T08:40:00.001-04:00

Go get some. It's all around you :)

Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation

2010-09-28T21:01:00.006-04:00

Just arrived the other day. Looks very promising after a brief scan.

Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation (Amazon Link)

Can't wait to put it to good use :-)

Electric Brew Kettle Parts List

2010-09-21T22:59:00.000-04:00

Warning I am not an electrician. I do not recommend using this list to build anything.

This is just a rough list from memory. I'll refine it as I go.

Bought
20 ft of flexible 3/10 cable
5500 watt heater element
wet location switch cover
electrical box for switch
30 amp toggle switch
30 amp electrical plug
30 amp electrical receptical
JB Weld
JB Weld Kwik Stick (not sure if I can use this)
voltmeter
1" PVC coupling

Need to buy
GFCI breaker or something on cord
step drill bit for 1' 3/8" hole
stainless steel nut for holding element in place
high temp gasket for between nut and wall of kettle

NOTE: I am not recommending building this. Electricity is dangerous.

Electric Home Brewing Resources

2010-09-21T11:48:00.001-04:00

I've been thinking alot about going electric. Why? I'll be able to brew in my garage out of the cold winter weather with less worry about setting things on fire and ventilation. I'll be putting together a list of resources in this post for your reference. If you have some you would like to share post a comment.

Here's my current plan...

Brew Kettle
5500 watt water heater element
240v electric, 30 amp breaker, 10 guage wire
use an existing keggle

Thoughts
How will I control the boil?
How will I get the power to my garage?
etc.

Some resources you may find helpful... (just links for now, descriptions soon)

A few good posts in this thread...
http://hbd.org/discus/messages/34426/34575.html?1137527526

My favorite thread at Home Brew Talk. Thread started by The Pol.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/bling-bling-electric-herms-conversion-93217/

Brewery.org reminds us that this kinda thing ain't new ;-)
http://brewery.org/library/ElectBrKS0396.html

Can you say detailed? Many people cite C.D. Prichard as their inspiration and guide....
http://home.chattanooga.net/~cdp/boilold/boiler.htm

Kegs are almost empty :-( What's the next brew?

2010-09-18T11:23:00.000-04:00

Is it time to try for a berry laced beer? Well I do have the Elderberries and I think I have almost settled on the base recipe. Hmmm...

Hops photo comparing fresh, dried, pressed and pelletized

2010-09-11T15:32:00.001-04:00

It's not very often I have all these forms of hops around only missing plugs and hop oil. Just finished picking. Celebrating with my fav summer beer Lancaster Kolsch.

Picking Hops 2010

2010-09-11T12:50:00.001-04:00

Bryan's Cascades are comin' down :-)

Victory Pursuit Pale Ale

2010-09-10T20:30:00.002-04:00

Out with the family at Victory in Downingtown PA

Homemade Barleywine 2005

2010-09-09T20:26:00.002-04:00

Opened this last bottle in celebration of my birthday.

Backyard Hops 'n Wild Elderberries

2010-09-06T20:37:00.002-04:00

Spoils from Western Pennsylvania, Cascade Hop Flowers and Elderberries. I'm thinking of using them in the same beer, probably an elderberry stout/porter/black ale. Thanks Dad :-)

Backyard Chinook Hops at Harvest

2010-09-06T20:24:00.003-04:00

Backyard Cascade Hops at Harvest

2010-09-06T20:24:00.001-04:00