Category: beer education

Chop & Brew #38: Homebrewing With Tea

By on August 12, 2015in beer education, education, homebrew, Summit Brewing Co., video

A new episode of the locally produced homebrew/cooking webcast Chop & Brew is now online. This episode focuses on the topic and technique of homebrewing with tea. Tea geek/homebrewer Jessica Hanley (until just recently the manager of Eden Prairie TeaSource) talks about methods for brewing/infusing beer at home using tea. She also hosts a flight of her tea-kissed homebrews. We also throw Summit’s new Unchained 19: Make It So in the mix since it is an ESB infused with Early Grey tea. Relevant and timely!

Other recent C&B episodes you may enjoy:

C&B 37 – Influence of Mashing on Sour Beer Production
Features a presentation by Michael Tonsmeire, author of American Sour Beers and blogger The Mad Fermentationist, on his experience and suggestions regarding mashing for particular styles of sour beer.

C&B 36 – Big Brew Day at Summit
Dozens of homebrewers descend upon Summit Brewing Company for American Homebrewers Association Big Brew Day to brew extract, all-grain and Brew in a Bag batches of homebrew and enjoy a great day in the Minnesota sun.

Speaking of Summit’s Make It So, here is a bit more about the beer, its Star Trek nerd inspiration and effect of the Earl Grey tea:

(Full disclosure: post author works at Summit. Sup.)

BBSU Starts Wednesday!

By on March 2, 2015in bars/restaurants, beer education

BBSUBetter Beer Society University starts Wednesday! There are still some open spots, so grab your no. 2 pencils (or perhaps your keyboard) and sign up today! Classes meet Wednesdays from March 4th through May 20th at either 6pm or 7:30pm at Republic Seven Corners.

Now in it’s third year, Better Beer Society University offers up 12 weeks of beer school with both local and national guests as well as hosts Rob Shellman and Michael Agnew, both certified Cicerones.

Tuition for the program is $100 for the semester and includes everything you need to get your beer education on, including weekly beer flights!

Sign up today for Spring Semester!  www.betterbeersociety.com/bbsu  

 

Chop & Brew # 34: Bad Ass Saison with Nathan Smith

By on March 1, 2015in beer education, homebrew, video

Our homebrewing friends at Chop & Brew are back in the Bad Ass Brewery with a bad ass guest host and co-brewer – Nathan Smith! Nathan is an awarding-winning homebrewer who calls the Bay Area home, but he’s originally from Minnesota — which is why he’s such a great brewer, of course. During a recent trip home, the Chop & Brew krewe invited Nathan to take the helm of the Bad Ass Brewery. The result: a split-batch of saison, lessons on mash efficiency, making brew day changes on the fly, and some schooling on farmhouse ales.

Some other recent Chop & Brew episodes that homebrewers may appreciate:
Episode 33 – Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Part 2)
Brewing with New Hop Varieties (Nathan Smith presentation from NHC 2014)

A Few New Chop & Brew

By on September 13, 2014in beer education, general beer, history, homebrew, video

We’ve fallen a bit behind on posting new Chop & Brew episodes — so here’s a quick update for the homebrewers out there!

Episode 28 “AHA Wort Rally Beer Tasting Notes” features a taste panel on four very different beers made from the same Double Black IPA wort donated to homebrewers by Lucid Brewing Company at this year’s AHA Wort Rally. See how much impact the changes in dry hopping and yeast made to the beers.

Episode 29 “Bad Ass Barrelfied Imperial Porter” finds the krewe of Chop & Brew homebrewing a wicked Imperial Porter and conditioning half of the batch in a recently-emptied Woodinville Whiskey Company rye whiskey barrel. Tasting notes and discussion includes advice on barrel-aging in second-use barrels.

Episode 30 “Rhubarb Saison” features a homebrewed saison that includes four pounds of rhubarb throughout the brewing and fermentation stages for a dry, tart saison.

Chop & Brew #26: 2014 BJCP Style Guidelines

By on June 20, 2014in beer education, general beer, history, homebrew, video

Chop & Brew coming through with some breaking news that affects all homebrewers, beer judges, competition organizers, and other beer-related hobbyists/professions. This C&B video features Gordon Strong, president of the Beer Judge Certification Program, updating the 2014 BJCP Style Guidelines last weekend at the 2014 National Homebrewers Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. Public feedback will be taken on the new proposed guidelines when they are released at the BJCP website and forum. What are your thoughts on these new ideas?