Drinking Ales

Brewing Pumpkin Beer

If you haven’t started your pumpkin beer brew by now, you won’t make it by Halloween.  But, it doesn’t matter.  Pumpkin beer is good all year around.  You can definitely have a batch of pumpkin beer ready by Thanksgiving.  So, let’s get started!

This set of steps is from my first batch of pumpkin ever.  It’s a fairly new concept for me, so I had to really do some research to find the right stuff. It was a little difficult at first to decide on what types of extracts, malts and hops would go best with pumpkin flavor.  Also, I have heard that some pumpkin ales have come out with a slight pumpkin taste while others come out syrupy oozing with pumpkin flavor.  I prefer more toward the former.

So, the recipe I finally decided to use would combine cinnamon and nutmeg with an actual pumpkin. I had some other ideas, but I kept going back and forth…Continue Reading at the Learning Center  

Calculating Alcohol by Volume – ABV

Home brewing can be a tricky science. Of course, there are home brewers who just throw it together and look forward to whatever brews. But making changes along the way, documenting every possible contingency and then tweaking it when it doesn’t come out just right is the art of the master brewer.

The one question most brewers ask will always be how potent is their beer going to get. It’s not really all that scientific. You need to know a little math and you need to be aware of a few measurements as you brew. Other than that, it’s a piece of cake…

Learn more at the Beertaps Learning Center!

Break In The New Bar With Some Home Bar Events

Let’s say that you have just finished putting the final pieces together and your home bar is ready to entertain. But, you don’t want to just have people over. You want to do it in style. These ideas will work whether you are having a bar warming, or if it has been awhile since you have had friends over and you want to do something special for the occasion.

Beer Tasting

I have thrown some generic beer tastings together where my friends each brought what they thought was the best and everyone there gave each beer an honest try. It’s fun. There’s not too much work involved. But, there is a way better way of throwing a beer tasting.

You can either make your own beer or invite someone who does make beer. Let them put their beer on display and make a big thing of it. Have other beers there. But, the one that gets highlighted is the one that was homemade. That’s something that will really put some excitement into the beer tasting and get your friends over in drogues.

Beer Games

Of course, just being able to drink a nice cold beer with the game on in a bar setting is an awesome time of itself. But, add some beer games and you’ve got some real beer enthusiasm. There are plenty of games you can play. Of course, remember to drink responsibly.

The greatest beer game going today is beer pong. Obviously, you can have a professional beer pong table and really make an official game out of it. But, beer pong is just as fun when your friends are creating impossible shots that only experts on their best day can nail. Make sure you have some great surfaces ready. Tops of bar stools work. But, you’ll want blocks, boards, bowls, pipes, sticks and everything else that can contribute to very imaginative shots.

Kangaroo Court

This is a unique idea that I didn’t come up with, but I did incorporate the idea from my military life to my civilian life when I built my first home bar. Kangaroo Court is a fun court setting with judges, plaintiffs and defendants. A plaintiff will put a defendant on the stand and the rest of the people in the room will act as the judge like how a jury decides a case. What cases will they be solving?

Nothing serious. The plaintiff is allowed to bring up anything. The plaintiff can tell everyone in the room about a very embarrassing moment in the defendant’s life. Of course, the defendant gets a chance to speak. But, it’s almost like a day time talk show at this point. It’s hard to get the crowd on your side once they’ve already been turned. And it’s obvious what happens when the defendant loses or even better, if the defendant actually has the ability to turn the jury around and the plaintiff loses. The loser has to drink.

Your friends will always love your bar. You’ll always have good times there. But once in awhile, you just want to do something different and get everyone out of the habits they start to build. Make it an event.

Getting Your Home Bar Up And Running In No Time

It’s extremely understandable that a beer enthusiast with home bar dreams might get a little out of hand. Of course, it’s a phenomenon that home bars are always quite unique and that should be your ultimate goal. But, you have to start somewhere first and then you have to know when to quit.

Your home bar needs more of you than anything else. But, you need a place to start and then you can start pouring your own personality into it. Let’s begin with the basics, discuss different ideas and then move on to how you can bring a bit of you to your own home bar.

The Bar

Of course, any conversation about a home bar would have to begin with the bar itself. Different types of bars normally begin with a wood décor. But, you can go with stone, marble, or leather as just a few ideas to start.

Of course, your stone or marble bar doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be framed with 2x4s and plywood. Then, cover with stone or marble veneer. Leather can be pasted on and then stylishly fastened with brass snaps. But, the wood look is the best.

Of course, you would still frame with 2x4s and plywood. But then, you want to add the nice looking finish of cedar or pine. Why use the ancient not-so-flattering wood paneling when you can have a great looking bar with the quality natural wood look of grooved paneling? No, I am not a salesperson.

You can panel the top as well. But then, add some style with trim. It’s easy and affordable just adding some trim to touch up the edges of your bar. Once the bar is ready, simply add a kegerator with a beer tap and some beer tap handles. Of course, you know what to do. Go with your favorite beer.

Décor

Starting with shelves to hold a collection of beer glasses is the first place I would go once the bar is in place. You can start collecting sets of beer mugs and glasses that represent different beer choices and different pub locations. People get real excited when they see their beer of choice on your walls or if you have a mug of an exotic bar half way around the world. Those are the types of things that start adding your personality to the bar.

Putting beer signs and mirrors on your walls is the next place for you to go. I once met a friend bartender of mine at his bar because we had plans. I arrived right on time because the beer distributor had just shown up to stock more beer in the bar. That’s the perfect time to get great stuff. I was offered a rare beer mirror that the distributor was told to send around with their drivers on deliveries and offer them as a promotion to different bars they serviced. The driver didn’t care who he was giving mirrors to and I ended up with one.

You may not have that kind of luck. But, everyone can look online for unique beer signs and mirrors that they can purchase to decorate their bar. You can start with a few just to get yourself going and then keep your ears and eyes open for opportunities.

Bar Accessories

Your bar is almost finished. But, it’s not quite ready for company yet. You have to add those types of things no one else has. It’s not as tricky as you might think. But, it does take some “good eye” action and be ready for the moment.

A Jagermeister machine is in just about every bar. But, I have rarely seen one in a home bar. Having a Jagermeister machine steps you up into the professional realm where your friends and family will really be impressed.

But, the hottest trend sweeping the nation right now is beer pong. Having a beer pong table with some great beer pong accessories will make for hours of fun when you have company over to your house. There will always be some people who won’t want to hang out in the bar. They’ll want to sit at the dining room table and talk. Well, let them. Have fun playing beer pong for hours while they talk politics on their stuffy bums.

Home bars aren’t necessarily hard to put together. A little planning and you can have an affordable home bar with very little effort. Then, start adding some of your personality to it so that it’s undeniably yours. Friends who didn’t think of it first will be very envious.

Home Beer Brewing Success and Why You Should Brew Beer at Home

Home Beer Brewing is becoming an increasingly popular hobby for men and women of all ages. The ever increasing price of drinks at bars and clubs coupled with a greater interest in entertaining at home have made it increasingly popular.

So yes you can start home beer brewing! However it dos not have to be a solitary occupation locked away in the cellar or shed for hour after hour. As well as being a hobby for the individual it can also be a family project through which you introduce members of the family to alcohol and the need to be responsible with it. Some people do not understand why people make their own beer. They wander why they want the all the mess and clutter associated with creating their own brew. They believe that it is far easier to simply go to the store and get what they want when they want beer. However, it is not simply about the convenience or the cost of the beer stores.

The actual reason why a lot of people have started home beer brewing is because they think it is both enjoyable and exciting. This is a way for them to participate in hobby that they like and that keeps them busy. Some people create their own brew just because they have never tried it before and now the proliferation of Home Beer Brewing Kits and other resources provide them with the opportunity relatively cheaply.

It is also a way for individuals to reconnect with their ancestors and family history. There are so many different recipes for beer, not only held by the breweries, but that have also been handed down through different families. They are using the recipes that their ancestors used and seeing if they can do what they did, In the process they are discovering that they can create great tasting beer. Many of the recipes are easy to follow and have an ingredient list that is easy to find. There are different things that people can buy to make their beer making experience more fun.

With the right kit and the best beer-making recipe, it has come within the reach of many more people and anyone can try making great tasting beer. Even if it is a one shot thing, it will be worth seeing if you can create a beer that is just as good as the beer that is purchased in the store. You can create anything with the home beer brewing supplies that you can now find in the store.

Buying the kits to brew your beer is going to make it easier for a lot of people to do. You can get everything that you need with this kit and it will make your beer brewing easier. Finding these kits will make the beer brewing adventure even more fun for someone that has not had the opportunity to try making their own beer yet.

Finding out about making your own beer is easy. You can go online and get all the facts and the tips that you need to get started on making your own beer. There are many tips and pieces of advice that you can use when you start your new hobby of making your own beer and I hope you will enjoy your own beer!

About the Author
Paul Duxbury writes extensively on Home Beer Brewing and on Beers and Beer Accessories

Article source:
Home Beer Brewing Success and Why You Should Brew Beer at Home

American Home Brewing 101

Over the years, American home brewing has changed with the times. It used to be illegal to brew beer at home, then America was the top producer of beer worldwide, and now the recession has hit hard forcing many companies to shut shop. Now we all know as times get tough, people turn to the bottle for comfort… but the brutality off the recession has forced many people to reconsider their chosen drinking hole and replace it with a rewarding and extremely tasty hobby that goes by the name of “home beer brewing”.

Now we all know that back way way in the olden days, home beer brewing was a major and accepted pastime practiced by the colonial people. One thing you might not know that even famous people such as the Great George Washington was an avid home beer brewer, as was Thomas Jefferson and friends!

However, there was a time of prohibition that was devastating to the American population. Prohibition meant that it was illegal to brew your own beer, and heavy fines where placed on people who broke this law… and what a shame that was… some people even went to prison for having a home brewery! Can you imagine a life without beer? Unfortunately the American people had to suffice and deal with prohibition. This then led to shop owners renaming all equipment so it couldn’t be associated with running home brewery and started selling it on the sly to hardcore supporters of brewing beer at home. This was quiet easy because the equipment is fairly standard, including buckets, hosing, pots, pans, and other tidbits. The only problem that did arise was a lack off ingredients, so any beer that was brewed tasted the same, no variation, just BEER! This didn’t stop people from brewing their own beer, but it was frowned upon, and there were serious legal reprocutions if you were caught… this kept the sapping and selling of home brewed to a minimum, with people happy to keep brewing for personal consumption only.

Before beer was allowed to be brewed at home, a change in law allowed people to make their own wine at home, but now people had to obtain a permit to brew beer at home… strange but true. Even though there were strict regulations, this breath of fresh air was welcomed by the home beer brewing community. One off this first home beer brewers was Charlie Papazian, and he took it to himself to start teaching others how to brew their own beer at home… it was tough going as for those that didn’t have a permit it was illegal, but Charlie kept the dream alive.

Over time, all the ridiculous rules about brewing beer at home were fully relaxed with Jimmy Carter signing an amendment in 1978 to allow home brewers the opportunity to brew up to 200 gallons of beer a year without any permits or other silly nuances. This then sparked interest far and wide for the American Home Brewer and really led the emergence of a beer nation like no other.

American Home Brewing is happening and well today, so naturally it’s time to sit down, relax, and have a home brew. For those still not up to scratch with home brewing beer, follow the link to discover more!

Homemade Wine Customization

An awesome hobby that is a lot of fun is making homemade wine. Imagine the feeling you would get by opening a bottle of your very own homemade wine and finding that you have made something that tastes better than a lot of more expensive wines. Making wine is definitely fun, but be prepared because there are some things to learn first.

Before you begin making wine there are some essential things that you need a real grasp of. You can learn the basics of wine making by learning from experts, books and websites. There are many places where you can purchase the wine making equipment needed to begin your endeavor and at reasonable prices including stores and websites.

Utilizing a wine kit is most likely the best way to begin making wine at home. These kits make it easier for beginners to succeed.

Ingredients for wine making are something that are a little more delicate in nature than the equipment. It is important to get quality ingredients if you wish to make a higher quality wine, but you can also make wine from juice concentrate!

Different wine varietals will take a different time to process, but usually the time span is anywhere between eight and ten weeks. It is essential that you do not spoil your wine by drinking it too early, wine tastes better the longer it ages.

There are many books and websites that offer great recipes for homemade wine from anywhere to spiced apple wine to pinot noir. You can easily make wine for gifts tailored to that specific persons taste. Personalized wine is a great gift to give to the wine lover.

Packaging your homemade wine can be an important aspect of the wine making process. From the bottle to the cork to the wine label, it can all give your wine that special touch. Wine labels are probably the most important aspect for personalizing your wine.

The wine label will give one the overall impression of the wine. Wine labels are used for logos, the name of the wine and putting personal messages on the bottle that is used as a gift. Sounds like so much fun!

Putting The Home Bar Together The Easy Way

When you have your bar and your cabinets built, you’ll want to get to drinking in it…Now.  But, I’ve seen some make shit jobs that aren’t really all that great.  Then, I’ve seen some expensive setups that are way out of the reach of most of us.

So, here’s the home bar the easy way:

The kegerator is the first thing you put in your bar.  It keeps your keg cool and it adds style in an inexpensive way.

This kegerator can actually make the entire bar.  If you choose to use a kegerator like this to hold your kegs, you can make it a part of the bar’s counter top.  Then, you only need counter space on each side.  That’s a setup made easy, as easy as it gets. 

Grab a tap handle of your favorite beer and now you’ve got something to really get you bragging.  There are tap handles of all kinds, from your favorite domestic to your favorite import.  As a promotional tool, every beer you can think of has a beer tap handle for commercial uses as well as the home bar enthusiast.

But, just in case you have a beer of your own or some other “unrecognizable” libation, get the beer tap handle you can write anything on that you want. 

Tell people, “Try Me!”  Give your concoction a name.  Have fun with it and write, “Make Your Own Beer…” or whatever else you might come up with to prank your friends.

You’ve got the bar.  Dress it up in style.  The kegerator and a beer tap handle can turn any room into a bar.  Your bedroom, your dorm room (oops), your garage, your basement, your tree house…

Anywhere!

How To Make Your Home Bar More Bar And Less Home

When you are trying to create a bar in your home, of course you begin with the taps and the handles, mirrors and signs.  You built a bar!  It has to look right.  Right?

But when the bar is in place and you think you have it all, what kind of lame bar serves draft beer in plastic cups?  And I’ll be willing to bet that’s what you have.  Red plastic cups that you bought at the grocery store.  Hmm…all that work and then you tap out at the end.

Well, you can add some specialty glasses so that your friends are drinking in style.  This is where it gets tricky, but you can manage.  You don’t just want to get mugs of any kind.  You need to stock up your cabinets with mugs of all kinds.

Vintage mugs from old fashioned beers add such a touch of class.  Especially when you have friends asking you where you got the mugs.  That’s when you realize saving money on those red plastic cups wasn’t worth it after all.

But, don’t stop there.  You should have Pilsners and Pints, Dimpled Mugs and Retro Pubs.  Get mugs with different logos like Coors, Molson, Blue Moon and Killian.  It’s a blast to make sure that you drink out of the right glass for the right kind of draft.

Logo Beer Glasses

DIY Kegerator – A Beer Keg In Your Refrigerator Or Wherever Else

It’s been a dream for many beer drinkers around the world.  But, putting a keg in an old refrigerator for your apartment, den or garage isn’t that hard to do when you have the right material.

A Kegerator Conversion Kit is all you need and there is something that you may have never thought about, but it’s a surprise and I’ll tell you in a minute.  These conversion kits change any old refrigerator into a kegerator in minutes.  Install the shank and faucet directly in to the door of your refrigerator and hook up the Co2 inside.  You’ll be drinking from your kegerator in no time at all.

But, here’s something that not many people think about.  The Kegerator Conversion Kit can also be used for other home bar designs.  Wall mount it to a closet.  That’s right!  Turn your closet into a kegerator.

All you need to do is install the shank and faucet on the wall the way you would the door of your refrigerator.  Then, grab a large trash can full of ice just like you would for a normal keg party.  Hook up the Co2 inside the closet and you are ready to drink some cold beer with the keg hidden in the closet, fully functional for your party.  Of course, this is really only good for keg parties when you have them.  But, you can try to keep ice in the trash can as you keep swapping out kegs.

As this idea starts to spark the imagination, I want to see Kegerators everywhere!  Garages, Bedrooms, Kitchens, Living Rooms, Bathrooms, through the wall to the Patio outside…etc.

Beertaps has the Kegerator Conversion Kit you need!