It’s summer in The Cities and we’re in need of a low-alcohol, yet high-flavor beer. Enter Wyeast Brand Manager (and Saint Paul local) Michael Dawson with the cure: Boat Bitter. Dawson has some great advice for crafting a superb session-strength British Bitter utilizing a limited edition yeast strain, an off-the-beaten-path hop, and plenty of nerd power. Homebrewers, also check out the bonus video footage from the brew session for even more brewgeek awesomeness. Brew small!
Author: chip
Chop & Brew #9: Crawfish Boil with Cajun 2 Geaux
Crawfish. Crayfish. Mudbugs. Whatever you call them there is nothing like a crawfish boil! And while it’s true you don’t usually equate the Upper Midwest with Cajun cuisine, a couple of months ago Twin Cities beer-lovers experienced the joy of a full-blown crawfish boil thanks to Chef Tim Glover from local food truck favorite Cajun 2 Geaux. In this episode of Chop & Brew Chef Tim and his krewe show us how they prepare a crawfish boil for both a small backyard gathering and a large throwdown at Summit Brewing Company. This is a family tradition that Louisiana native Chef Tim is proud to bring to Minnesota. Look for more Cajun 2 Geaux Crawfish Boils at local events and breweries next summer. Episode music by local jazz cats McNasty Brass Band.
Chop & Brew #8: How to Cook with Beer
A couple of months ago, Better Beer Society University hosted the one-and-only Homebrew Chef Sean Z. Paxton and a presentation Paxton called “How to Cook with Beer.” If you aren’t aware, Paxton is a frequent contributor to Beer Advocate, Zymurgy and The Brewing Network. He is not only one of the world’s most well-known beer cuisine experts, but also an avid homebrewer. Chop & Brew is proud to bring you this presentation Paxton delivered at BBSU. Some Twin Cities Beer Geek All-Stars also make audience member cameos. Grab a notepad, a beer, and something to nosh on because some epic science is about to be dropped. This episode also unveils the new Chop & Brew logo hand-crafted by Saint Paul artist DWITT, who will likely be making an interesting chop- and/or brew-related appearance in the show in the near future.
Chop & Brew #7: Roll Out the Barrels
A group of local homebrewers is having a barrel of fun. Actually, FOUR barrels of fun! The Nordeast Brewers Alliance is on an epic mission: to fill four 59-gallon French oak wine barrels with some big batches of homebrew. Twin Cities’ own Chop & Brew webshow rides shotgun on barrel fill day and checks in for a three-month taste panel to see how the beer are progressing. See this episode page link for the club’s barrel beer recipes and more.
Chop & Brew #6: Growing Hops at Home (Part 1)
Another spring, another hop crop gets underway in Minnesota. This episode of Chop & Brew looks at the basic steps to planting hop rhizomes in containers and in the ground. The C&B crew helps new hop-growers with tips and techniques for the start of the growing season. Chop & Brew will do several episodes over the coming months on maintenance, harvesting, drying and of course a fresh-hop brew day episode. For related links and resources see the official episode page at Chop & Brew’s website.
Also, check out this Chop & Brew Lagniappe video “Cooking Hop Shoots (Hop Asparagus)”