Drinking Ales

Home Beer Brewing Kits

During Prohibition in the 1920′s homebrewing became greatly popular and illegal. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, home beer brewing to a odd turn. The constitutional amendment repealing Prohibition allowed the production of wine at home but failed to add beer in its wording keeping homebrewing illegal. This ended up making homebrewers no different than back woods moonshine runners. It also made getting supplies much more difficult. President Carter changed this in 1979 when he signed the Cranston Act which removed federal prohibitions on homebrewing. This opened up the hobby to Americans and started a new generation of home brewers.

Many people, in their search for good beer, have turned to homebrewing. It’s easy to make a beer that is better than commercial brews in many parts of the world. Others homebrew simply because it is cheap. Today there are more than 600,000 home brewers across the country and the quality of ingredients and advice for homebrewers has improved. Today it is easier than ever to create your favorite brew right in your own home, home brewing kits have come a long way over the years and with little time and allot of patience you can enjoy your own fine hop creations.

Most kits come with everything you need from a Brew Keg Fermenter, hopped malt extracts (beer mix) and reusable plastic bottles, and the process takes about 2 weeks “that’s where the patience comes in”. You can make just about any style beer that you find at the local distributor and many recipes are available online.

Beer Brewing Tips:

Try different things in your beer. Add some spices. I’ve read of people using syrups. There are no hard and fast rules. Some of the greatest beers I have tried broke the rules. Just because it sounds sick doesn’t mean it will be.

Always keep brew logs! Even if you are using a kit. I once made an excellent hefeweizen, but didn’t take any notes. A went back to the brew shop but didn’t know what yeast I used. With notes, if you make a mistake, you will know what to change.

Buy bulk hops as much as possible. You might not need a full pound of cascade or hallatauer hops, but quantity is always best. Buying hops online is usually cheaper, even with shipping. The night before you are going to bottle your beer, set all needed bottles on your kitchen counter top and fill each bottle with water and Star San solution. Let these bottles soak overnight.

Dry hopping can add floral character to the beer. The dry hop can be added in the secondary or in the keg. To add the dry hop, add about a quarter to one ounce of the hop in a grain bag and leave them in the beer for a week. This only adds a nice flower aroma to the beer and does not change the taste in any manner.

Distilled water should not be used as it lacks minerals and nutrients that are required for proper yeast fermentation. On the other hand city (chlorinated) water can ruin the taste of the beer completely. The best kind of water is well water or spring water.

For more information visit on home brewing or home brewing kits visit http://www.smartwebshopper.com/home_beer_brewing.htm

Author: Paul Koslow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Porter and Stout – Which Came First?

From home brewers, to connoisseurs, to the guy that just knows what dark beer is, eventually everyone wonders about the difference in Porters and Stouts and which came first.

To answer which came first, Porters. Porters began as a concoction of two to three different ages of beer. It was a practice of adding a newer ale to an older darker ale. This helped mask any imperfections. Some times a newer fresh pale ale was added to the mix.

This blending of beer came to be known as Porter. Named after London’s working class Porters, where the beer’s popularity began.

Eventually Porter grew popular among other citizens of London. Brewers took the hint and began to brew a new variety of beer with the same flavor and character of the popular concoction. This new beer inherited the title of Porter.

Over time, as with all beers, brewers began brewing different Porters with varying amounts of dark malts and levels of alcohol. These darker stronger Porters were simply known as Stout Porters. Though for convenience they were merely called “Stout”.

The separation of Stout and Porter began as the popular dark beer made its to Ireland, where it’s popularity exploded.

Irish brewers began brewing stouts and somehow decided to start adding roasted barley to the recipe. This is where stout began to evolve into a new style of beer. With the birth of Guinness, the stout by which all others are judged, Ireland officially became the authority on Stout. Over time Stouts came to be brewed more for their strong flavor and dark color rather than alcohol content.

Stouts today, despite the name, typically have a lower alcohol content among other beers.

Even though Stouts came to overshadow other dark beers, Porters persisted. Unlike stout which has spread around the world. A true Porter, because of it’s history will always be uniquely English and made with English ingredients.

Many beer fans today use Porter and Stout interchangeably. But with a little knowledge anyone can brew some history in every bottle. Brewers and Home Brewers alike.

http://homebrewingsuppliesguide.com

Author: Colin Branaugh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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British Pubs – Ten Tips To Make The Most Of Your Visit

There can’t be any hard and fast rules about how to get the best out of a visit to a British pub. Their character can change hour-by-hour, day-by-day. A quiet nook at lunchtime can become a heaving drink magnet at night; a Friday evening haunt for office workers to celebrate the weekend can be a cosy, intimate bar 24 hours later.

But I do have 10 tips – admittedly personal and prejudiced though they are – which might help make your pub visit even more of a success. Here they are in no particular order:-

1. Pubs aren’t cheap entertainment. So a flying visit is poor value. Take it easy, you’re on holiday; spend some time people watching. Pub gardens are much improved – a lot are investing in heaters. True they are where smokers are banished by law but now you can always choose to sit inside without your eyes stinging from a tobacco smog.

2. Choose a pub which has a good age mix of people – that way you get the vibrancy of the young and the good service older folk expect.

3. It’s all beer. If you want the ice-cold stuff you get in most parts of the world we call it lager. Give our ale a chance; it won’t give your throat frostbite but it’s not warm either.

4. I’m not going to recommend an ale. To my untutored palate they’re all good. In any case pubs switch their ales around. So you might find a new favourite is “off” and you quickly have to choose another.

5. Often the only information on the label attached to the pump handle is the beer’s name and its alcoholic strength. Be nice to the bar staff. If they have the time they’ll give you a taster – as a rule both the darker or more potent the brew, the more distinct its flavour.

6. If it’s atmosphere you’re after give pubs a miss that have sports screens or canned music. Live music, however, is a plus but only as long as it doesn’t drown out convivial conversation. Quiz evenings can be fun but often pubs run them on slow nights.

7. Thai food is making big inroads into pub kitchens and can provide healthy and good value meals as an alternative to more stodgy traditional fare.

8. When you order food take a token – perhaps a numbered stick – and your meal will be delivered to your table. The drinks you have to collect from the bar.

9. Pubs have different rules about opening tabs – they’ll want a credit card if they do. Closing time can vary too.

10. Finally, I don’t like drinking out of jugs/mugs – dimpled glasses with handles. I’ll always choose a thin glass – it’s easier to see if it’s clean. Tankards might look the part but they give beer a metallic taste – that’s just my opinion like everything else in this article.

I’m a retired former British national newspaper journalist who hasn’t lost the writing bug. Visit me at my blog http://www.grapefruitcrazy.com. Here I post regularly on my take on the world around me. As for the website’s title all is revealed in the blog’s profile.

Author: Stephen Kahn
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Weekly Beer Review – Schlafly Dry Hopped APA

I would like to make this the first of many weekly beer reviews, in which I review some of my favorite beers, and maybe some user suggested beers down the road. This week, I am going to tackle Schlafly’s Dry Hopped APA, which I will be reviewing from a glass. For those of you who don’t know, APA stands for American Pale Ale, as opposed to an IPA, or India Pale Ale. American Pale’s are typically dry hopped, or more hoppy than an IPA, and to me have a stronger flavor but may not be necessarily as easy to drink as an IPA.

I enjoy my beer from a glass, whether it be a Budweiser or a Paulaner Salvator, I just feel that it is easier to drink and appreciate a beer from a clean glass. When pouring my Schlafly Dry Hopped APA into my glass, the first thing I notice is head accumulation. This beer has a nice head, but it dies down fairly quickly to a film resting atop the rest of the beer. This film lingers until the end and sticks to the glass as the beer is consumed. The color is very nice, and looks like a murky caramel that is not too dark. I can only describe the color as a median between Killians Irish Red and Budweiser. It has a very flowery aroma that is not too overpowering, and is strongest on the initial pour.

On taking my first draw what initially comes to mind is just how bright the flavor is, a product I’m sure of the overall hoppiness of this beer. I enjoy this flavor as its strength is not something I typically see in many beers nowadays, and is definitely not typical of an IPA. This is probably my favorite aspect of Schlafly Dry Hopped APA, and while you might compare it to something like Mothership Whit, it does not contain that perfumy or over flowery flavor you would get there.

Though I like strong flavored beers, they can turn me off if the hoppiness lingers on the palete for too long. Fortunately this is not the case with Schlafly Dry Hopped APA. I find that it has a medium finish, but not an absolute punctuation, so the flavor will linger in a subtle manner until the palete is cleared. The texture in the mouth is light, making this a very drinkable beer. Again it’s not quite as easy to drink as an IPA, but the flavor is worth it.

I attempted to pair this beer with some pizza, which is typically a good beer compliment, but not in this case. Honestly the strong favor has almost a candy like quality, and simply overpowers savory protein carbohydrate combo’s. I imagine this beer would go much better with a dessert, as it seems it would compliment sweetness rather well. All in all this is one of my favorite beers, and I always try to push my friends to try it at least once when they go out to the bar or to the liquor store. I suggest you give it a try and tell me what you think in the comments.

Article by Levi Boley

Find more at http://www.drunkonjudgement.com

Author: Levi Boley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Brewing Your Own Beer – Some Tips and Advice

The techniques for beer brewing have become more refined as the technologies used have advanced over the centuries. Most of the processes used in order to produce beer are relatively simple and so you can if you want actually brew your own beer at home. Of all the processes that are undertaken when brewing beer the most important one of all is the fermentation one.

However, if you want to, today you can actually have a go at doing some home beer brewing for yourself. A quick search of the internet and you will find plenty of websites from which you can buy home a beer brewing kit. But there are certain other materials you will need to purchase first and we take a look at what these are below.

Item 1 – The first thing you need to get for your kit is a large stainless steel or ceramic coated pot. Ideally this one should be able to hold more than 3 gallons of fluid and still have room inside.

Item 2 – Next you need to get yourself a five gallon carboy (a large glass bottle) and will look similar to bottles in which large amounts of water are sold. However, you cannot use the plastic ones it must be made from glass as the hot liquid from the pot will be placed in it to allow the mixture to ferment.

Item 3 – A large funnel (plastic is preferable) and this is what you use to transfer the wort (brewing mixture) from the pot into the carboy. Also at the same time you need to get yourself some plastic tubing which can be used to transfer the beer from the carboy into the bucket mentioned below.

Item 4 – The bucket you need for putting your beer into should be able to hold at least 6 gallons of fluid and made from a food grade plastic only. This is where the beer is stored until it is time for you to bottle and the easiest way of transferring the beer from carboy to bucket and then to bottles is through the use of a siphon made from plastic tubing.

Other items that one will need for brewing beer at home are a raking cane, this connects to the siphon tube and will be used to prevent sediment being transferred from one container to the next. Also you need a specialist valve that prevents the beer from being contaminated by outside elements but which also allows carbon dioxide to escape as it is fermenting. This should be one that fits comfortably into the top of the Carboy. Generally what you find when you buy your Carboy this valve will be supplied with it.

Other essential items which one needs to get as part of a home beer brewing kit are a wooden spoon, a thermometer and some brewer’s iodine solution. You need a thermometer that allows you to read temperatures ranging between 40 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit and the most suitable type is the stainless steel dial one although a floating dairy one can be used if you want. The iodine solution is crucial as this is what you sterilize all the equipment with both before and after you have brewed beer.

If you are not the most patient of people and wish to try some speciality beers and ales now rather than waiting for your own to brew, why not try BEERmerchants who are specialists in the import of Belgian beer into the United Kingdom.

Author: Patrick Anthony
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Hangover Cures – Do They Exist?

Is There a Ever Going To Be A Hangover Free Future?

Possibly one of the worst feelings in the world. Waking up after a drinking session the night before with a splitting headache and a feeling of nausea staring at that empty can or bottle on the floor drunk the night before. The question is though will there ever be a concrete solution or even a cure to ever put a stop to that feeling?

The alcohol industry is big business and one of the most exciting industries in the world with new bars and clubs opening across the world every day and new drinks and cocktails being devised to accompany them. It obviously comes as no surprise that the enjoyment of these places and the social enjoyment of drinking is going to have you forget about last weeks hangover only to put yourself through the exact same process again and again. You could say its as good as human nature. The fact is though whether at the start of a nights celebration or drinking session or at some point through the night, more so if the next day you need to be somewhere (work, college, a function etc..) the next days hangover will cross your mind. The same quotes trickle from your lips “I better not have another I’m up early in the morning” or “I’m ok with this one for now I don’t want another” only for 5 minutes after you say those things your friend pops another drink in your hand unless of course you are very strong willed. But if the swing of the nights good, your ultimately enjoying yourself you will more than likely have another drink and why not.

The consequences of this will hit you in the morning and those regrets of that extra drink will be fresh in your mind with that headache. Now the obvious cure to your hangover would be to refrain from over drinking in the first place which lets be honest is very difficult when in the swing of a good party or celebration and as humans solving any problem we always look for an easy way out. Most try home remedies from taking aspirin or drinking water before you hit your bed or eating stodgy fatty foods the next day. Now while some of these home made remedies may assist with downsizing your hangover in some people every human being is different and every body reacts to things in a complete different way. For example drinking water before bed might ease the feelings of a hangover in some people and do absolutely nothing for somebody else and with that in mind regardless of the person both sets of people would have been attacked by the dangerous toxins from alcohol in the first place headache or not and both sets of people will have lost vital nutrients and vitamins from the body.

Recently there has been a lot of commotion though surrounding an actual hangover cure product released into the industry. Now when it comes to hangover cures there are many different products and ways to do so that hit the market everyday that its obviously very rare for a product to cause such a stir within a massive industry. The product in question is a hangover cure pill called NoHang! Now NoHang is formulated to do one thing and one thing only prevent that hangover from forming meaning in effect protecting the body from the harmful toxins that come with it.

So what are the principles and how does it work?

NoHang follows some very basic principles but follows and implements them well. The main principle in question is to prevent the hangover from even forming something not yet attempted within the market in the way NoHang does it. Its formulated from 100% natural ingredients and actual takes just one dose before drinking to protect you form a hangover for 24 hours. Now that’s a long time! That means you don’t even have to have a second thought about the hangover or retaking any pills on the night or even the following day, you can relax and enjoy yourself. Now how it does this is simple, it gets to work on protecting the immune system from the very beginning forming a protective wall around the vital vitamins and minerals lost during consumption of alcohol in return flushing the dangerous toxins out of the body instead. By doing this the hangover doesn’t have a chance to form resulting in no headache and no feeling of nausea, while protecting your body from the dangerous toxins which attack it. Its what we call in the industry as a double whammy. Its definitely something of a head turner within the industry which can only be labelled as a very good sign and of course if there is an easy way to prevent the hangover by taking a measly pill our prayers could have been answered.

To Find out more about NoHang and of course whether the hangover cure pill is living up to the expectations of the industry Visit http://www.cure-hangovers.com

Author: Jamie Garside
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Green Beer – Not Just For St Patrick’s Day

Anderson Valley Brewing Company; a solar powered, environmentally friendly brewery in Mendocino, California. Many have the perception that a “green” business equals pricey products. But with more and more businesses hopping on the green wagon, that doesn’t seem to be the case, especially in California, where they know how to be environmentally-friendly and affordable at the same time.

Anderson Valley is using their PV solar panels to cover 40% of their annual energy needs. While this may not seem like a lot, remember that brewing beer is not light on energy consumption. Large boilers and heat exchangers work hard to heat the wort (the mixture prior to fermentation), hold it at a boil for 1 to 2 hours, and then cool it quickly. Larger-scale breweries that are constantly making batches of beer have developed a more efficient way of heating and cooling. Pipes running side by side take the cool water as it goes into the tanks on one side and pass it by the heated wort as it exits another tank. This heats the water that is about to be boiled, and cools the wort that needs to get down to 70 degrees prior to beginning its fermenting process. As much as brewing beer has not been a green process in the past, it is refreshing to see breweries making the step. And it’s not just the hippies out in California, Coast Brewing Company out of Charleston, SC is located in a sustainable community, uses local and organic ingredients and runs their brew kettles on biodiesel.

Although breweries are finding ways to deal with the excessive energy use, water is still an issue in the less-rainy areas of the country. I find it ironic to think about the clever saying “Save Water, Drink Beer.” It actually takes 6 to 8 gallons of water for every gallon of beer produced. If you really want to save water, just drink water. But then, what is the fun in that?

If you think that Anderson Valley is spending it’s energy trying to save energy instead of creating tasty beverages, think again. Their beers are full of flavor and made with the finest ingredients grown in the nearby Pacific Northwest. One of my favorite beers of all time is their Poleeko Gold Pale Ale. Some pale ales can be overly hoppy, or too light. This one is just right, balanced and full bodied with a slight dry citrus flavor and a crisp light finish. If you are an IPA fan, try Hop Ottin’ IPA. This big, hoppy beer is a hop-lover’s dream. 80 IBU’s in this sucker.

So there you have it. You can be environmentally friendly and make a damn good beer at the same time.

Author: Mariah Muirhead
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Scotland – Pub Life in Scotland

Significantly socializing within Scotland happens at the neighborhood tavern. The pub’s a lot more than the usual watering hole. It could be the actual gathering location for an whole local community, the main spot in which the local people visit to discuss information as well as exchange news. At particular pubs, pick-up sessions associated with classical and also folk music are routine.

Even when you are not really a heavy drinker, heading out for a pint of lager, a dram of whiskey, and even only a bite to consume in a Scottish howff can be quite a unforgettable section of your journey, given that you are certain to meet genuine Scots.

Do not tip the bar personnel: You will instantly end up being sussed away being an outsider, also it will not allow you to get a free round of beverages for your troubles, either. About the issue associated with rounds, it is a common scene for people within groups to purchase a round throughout any session of drinking. An individual should not give up their turn – it is regarded as bad manners.

One of the most accessible, mass produced Scottish beers are Tennents lager and also McEwens beer, however coming from different regions, you might find several neighborhood breweries, producing everything through light-colored lagers to dark beers. Included in this, Deuchars IPA and also Orkney’s Dark Island will be standouts.

Typically the most popular stout continues to be Guinness, coming from nearby Ireland,as the strong Stella Artois, within the Region, is the best-selling high quality lager. Typically, the strength of Scottish beer (as unique from lager) will be tagged by shillings (for instance, Belhaven 80/-). The larger the quantity, the more powerful the ale. These days, along with cask-conditioned beers, the bar can inform you the actual alcohol content, ABV: 4 is regular, 6 is powerful.

Keep in mind, almost all ale within Scotland offers increased alcohol content compared to virtually any purchased from United states. Which even is true of common American brand names like Budweiser. Therefore, go easy while you drink in Scotland.

Author: Mandy Wise
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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What’s So Special About Belgian Beers?

Let’s play a game: I say a word and you say what drink you think of. Russia! … Mexico! … Belgium! … You probably thought of vodka, tequila and beer, am I right? Why is it that Belgian beers are so famous?

1. Belgium offers an awesome choice of beers: more than 400 different beers make it a real beer paradise. It’s almost impossible to get to know them all in one year alone. Who likes good beers can’t get bored here: by the time you tasted your 50th beer, you won’t remember what some of them taste like.
2. Beer culture here is one of the most evolved in the world. Belgians handle their beers with care, just like the French do with their wine. And even when you order a rare beer, chances are big that you’ll get it in it’s own special glass. Perfectly served with a bit of foam to keep the temperature right.
3. It’s not difficult to find an interesting assortment of beers. Every place offers the most known lagers, ales and specialty beers. And to buy them, you only have to be 16 years old. Yet Belgium doesn’t have so much problems with binge drinking and alcohol abuse by children as Great-Britain or the United States! I guess it’s not so cool when it’s allowed.
4. We’ve said it in the beginning of the article: Beer is for Belgium what wine is for France. But which one is the most sophisticated product? Wine has a better image, but not for long anymore. Beer is winning popularity and with reason: it has more ingredients which make it more complex to brew than wine. Belgium-France, 1-0!
5. Alcohol volume: foreigners are often deceived when drinking their first Belgian beer. But they’ll all admit that they really like it. In Belgium we like our beer strong. None of that weak dishwater that they serve in some other countries! With as much as three fermentations (thereunder natural fermentations, extra fermentations in the bottle and in barrels) they are very efficient in activating your taste-buds and deactivating braincells.

Author: Jonas Vets
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Wedding Cake: A Ceremony by Itself

When my son and daughter-in-law held a knife and cut the first slice out of their all traditional, butter-cream frosted, lavish, and very expensive wedding cake, I couldn’t help smiling. If we had been in the early Roman times, the wedding cake would not be one huge, tasty, decorative creation, but many small, possibly cupcake-sized, salty wheat cakes. In addition, the guests wouldn’t be eating the cakes but throwing them at the bride or crumbling it over her head for fertility and single women would try to catch the crumbs for the same reason they catch the bridal bouquet today.

In the olden times when children didn’t make it to adulthood due to childhood illnesses, fertility was important, and that is probably the reason the wedding cake tradition was born. Later on during their empire, Romans turned their salty cakes into sweet cakes. This time, they made a slightly larger bridal cake with many smaller cakes surrounding it. The smaller cakes were brought as gifts by the guests. These cakes everyone ate, but still crumbled some of those over the bride.

After the Roman conquest of the British Isles, Roman customs influenced the natives who baked dry cakes for their weddings and drank their ale with them. In old England and Ireland, there also was, and still is, the custom of a groom’s cake, dark in color and made of dried fruit.

When the English sent their pioneers into the new world, they also sent their customs with them. First European settlers in the Americas made fruitcakes for their weddings because their preservation was easier.

The fancy wedding cake with several tiers was created through the initiative of the French, and although scorned by the English at first, it was later adopted and became the norm through all Europe. The wedding cake, owing to its long history, became an individual affair for a modern wedding party, with different shapes and styles and with a rich variety of flavors, fillings, and icings.

A wedding cake, after the vows, has become a vital part of wedding ceremony in our day. It is assumed that a wedding cake reflects the style, elegance, and delicacy of the couple’s upbringing, in addition to their enthusiasm for their marriage.

Not only the ingredients and the making of the cake, but the ceremony of its cutting has become another reception by itself. Traditionally, the bride and the groom cut the cake together, with groom placing his right hand over the bride’s right hand to cut the first slice. Then, they feed each other that first slice while everyone applauds. Sometimes, the top tier is saved for the first anniversary or the birth of the couple’s first child, whichever comes first.

In some new world weddings nowadays, smearing each other with the icing has been taking hold as a custom, adding hilarity to the reception. My favorite wedding cake anecdote is a real one that may have seemed like a disaster at the time; however in hindsight, it has become an amusing joke. Yet, since the marriage has lasted, the incident might have been a good omen.

Several years ago, we attended a large wedding reception. Over the several steep stairs to the main reception hall, the wedding cake had to be carried rather than wheeled. I don’t know why nobody thought of a ramp but two waiters, one on each side, took the cake up the steps.

Suddenly, a waiter tripped and the cake fell on the floor, but with luck or heavenly intervention, the top two tiers stayed intact. A pandemonium broke out with the bride’s mother fainting and maintenance people scurrying about. Since the reception hall was part of a big hotel, the management came up with their version of a wedding cake. Several small cakes were arranged as the bottom layer with the two top layers of the original cake placed over them.

Judging from that experience, I think it might be a good idea to have a just-in-case second cake. After all, cakes are loved by most anyone and they don’t go to waste.

Author: Joy Cagil
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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