Beers To Try Before you Die or the Beer Bucket 52 List 21 of 52 Rouge Brewings Brutal IPA

As I wanted to pick up some beer my buddy Rob may like (I lean towards Stouts he like IPAs) and needed to expand my stout tasting. I went with a bottle of Rouge Brutal IPA (as well as bring some Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute over and buying some Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA,  but those are separate posts)

So during our brewing process ( see The "Almost" Daily Beer and Bike Log My First Real Brew ) We had some time to waste waiting fro the pot to boil so we shot the shit and tried some beer. 

So we popped open the Rouge Brutal IPA

And it did not disappoint. Although I was expecting a high hoppy bitterness, (more because of the Brutal name, I failed to read that it is anything but Brutal. in the aftertaste on it's citrusy hop flavor) But a very good beer. This is an any day IPA you can drink winter and especially in the summer. Very refreshing.

With all the excitement of making my first beer I tried to keep the tasting a separate thing. SO I am going to give this beer a solid 3 beer rating.

I think it was an excellent IPA and I would absolutely drink it again.

To view what all the ratings mean go to the 52 Beers to try Before You die Bucket list page

Disclaimer I am a beer drinker and a beginner home brewer the above is only my taste buds telling me what I enjoy, it is not the law or rule of the land, these would be the beers that I am grateful to have tried before the day comes when I pass on and meet my maker. 

The "almost" Daily Beer and Bike Log March 31, 2015 My First Real Brew Day

It was a fun weekend. A weekend that started out by picking up another Pick Six, six pack for some new beers. 

A Nice Friday Afternoon Ale.

 Waking up and brewing my first real batch of Beer (we will get to that one in a minute) Along with having a few more cold ones, and being on the Illinois side for the brew being able to pick up some Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, 

and then it was on to watch my oldest play softball, while my buddy Rob kept me up to date on the fermentation.

I will get to rating the beers I tried over the weekend in separate posts I can say everything I tried made the list from the Left Hand Brewery Sawtooth Ale on Friday Afternoon to the Great Divide Titan IPA after my Run Monday they all at least rated (which will bring my total to 26 Beers, Halfway there)

So Saturday Morning I jumped out of bed helped my wife with our one year old washed up and was out the door. I always feel bad leaving her with the baby to go and “play with my friends” but again I have an awesome wife who told me to go have fun. When I got to my friends Rob’s in Illinois we had to go to the brew shop and figure out what we were going to brew. He had to finish washing and sterilizing some gear, so we started off behind on time. I had to get going by 3 to get my oldest daughter to her softball game.

So we got to downtown Belleville, and the Happy Hop homebrew shop 

He told me to choose what I wanted as far as style, I went for a Stout of course. Initially we were going to do a kit, but 1) I had already seen a kit done and 2) Rob told me once I did an All grain I would not want to go back. We decided to fall in between and got All Grain in A Bag. or Brewers Best Brew in a bag

 It is a kit with all the ingredients, and the recipe on the bag of grain 

(so in the future if I want to stat experimenting I can alter these and try other grains. Imagine a giant Beer tea bag.

 He picked up some other gear and we stopped by the super market to grab 7 gallons of water (to save time boiling our own. (I also picked up some Dogfish Head since I don’t get over to the Illinois side regularly)  We got back and got the burner set up, spread out everything and went to work.

Poured in our water and began to get it up to 170 degrees. 

I poured some Rouge Brutal IPA and we waited….

And Waited….

Had some of the Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA

And waited... (watched water never boils)

Then had some Lagunitas Sucks

And finally the water was there. We set up the bag and poured in the grain for the wort. 

Now a problem we did come into was keeping the water at 158-160 degrees. It was a mildly cold day and we had to let the grain sit at temperature for an hour. So we needed to restart the burner a couple of times to keep that temp consistent.

Once we finished with the wort we drained as much water back into the pot as possible. 

Got the boil back up and added our hops in, going through the brew schedule.

 The only thing we changed a bit was adding in some Irsh moss a fining agent (although this would be a darker beer it is used to clear or making smaller molecules aggregate to  larger particles basically it makes homebrews less cloudy)

Adding the Lactose

 (I love lactose but it does not always love me back) getting it into the fermenter and then letting the Yeast take over.

 I had to leave and got these picks an info that the plug was bubbling so everything went well.          

And we will have my first brew and a sweet stout in about a month.  

As with my mountain biking I am officially hooked and can’t wait to not only try what we made but make a batch of something else. For the time being I will continue to read up on brewing and gather any info I can. I suspect my next few brews will be over with my friend Rob until I gather all the equipment needed to do it at my house (which will probably be with Rob anyway, it’s more fun to brew with people as it is a social event) So I will keep you updated……….

The Perks Of Home Brewing

The "Almost" Daily Beer and Bike Log: March 26, 2015 Beer and Biking are Social events

As the cycle of a few days dry followed by the spring rains to screw up any chance of me riding continues, 

                               

I press on in trying some new beers reading my Bike and Beer mags and Trying to absorb How To Brew By John Palmer (which is making more sense since my Brewing Class) And try to write something to post in my now “Almost” Daily log. So here we go!

As the weekend is approaching and I am hopeful to get my first real brew under my belt (and above it in my belly a few weeks from now) I was reading my newest Bike magazine that just arrived via the postal system yesterday. I usually take a look through at the pictures and what articles are there then start from the beginning on the Start Here section, which tells me what this month’s magazine will concentrate on.

As Brice Minnigh starts his short article, Ties That Bind: Friendship might be unspoken, But is always understood, he talks about how riding is “nowhere is this (friendship) truer than in Mountain Biking, the fabric of which is practically woven into the fibers of friendship” He talks about community, and the bonds formed within the riding community.

I started to think about what I love about riding, yes it is the ride in itself, everything that makes it great, the pushing yourself, the mud, the dirt, or what I call God’s roller coaster, the quiet in the woods, and yes when I get to ride with friends or family it is those moments you stop and say “did you see that?” or “Wow! That was crazy” or even “How you doing?” The moments at the car when the bike is packed and you shoot the shit with your friends that make the ride itself mean so much more.

This also brought me to brewing beer (yeah the other topic this blog is about) could I brew on my own trying out some new recipe? Sure, but where is the fun in that?

Brewing with a friend or friends is what makes it really fun. (keep in mind I have a limited experience in this as I had a class with about ten people but even with these people I did not know it was fun) 

Having a few cold ones while you talk about the batch and everything else going on in life (keeping out the petty drama and rat race crap is also nice, you get enough of that in your work week) Hell I talk all the time about my UFC get together when we usually have some new beers to try.

 The whole point here is how much riding or brewing are social events.  Whether you are working through a mess the boil may have made (oops looked away a bit too long) or getting up that damn hill for the first time with your friends, it all comes down to friendships and ties that well” Bind” you together.

 I am a Military Veteran (GO AIR FORCE!) and I always say it is the greatest fraternity in the world, why? Because we all went through common things, Boot camp, teamwork, the work you do and the pride of earning that uniform. Now I don’t want to get away from the blogs topics so brewing and biking have a similar feel, we all go through the learning curve of each, tackling what is in front of us and then coming out on the other side with the good and bad times to be able to talk about for a long time.

It all comes down to shared experiences that creates a community of people. I have met people for the first time on the trail that I talked to about what was going on as I stopped for a quick water break and never saw them again. Are they “friends”? No, but it is still the socializing that comes with riding.  In my life I kind of have a group of friends who brew and like trying beer. And a group of friends that ride.  I will continue to do both, I have fallen in love with riding and it kills me that I have not been able to. And I have now fallen in love with the process of brewing, and cannot wait to brew that next batch and try it.  And the thing in common with both of these activities (other than I am going to spend a lot of money doing both and have to cut back on some other hobbies.) is the friendships I have and the time spent doing each of these activities with them.  

The Ultimate Fat Tire Bike!!!

Beers To Try Before you Die or the Beer Bucket 52 List 20 of 52 Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Ale

As I tried a little Sumpin’ or another Ale, Lagunitas LittleSumpin’ Ale, From the Lagunitas Brewing Company.

 At first taste I was not too impressed, but after further examination it was a very good Ale. Solid middle of the road, drinkable, after a run (and that is when I drank it) Ale.

 I had picked this up as a Mix and match from my Pick 6 box and randomly grabbed one after my run yesterday.

It did remind me of an IPA a bit hoppy, but not as strong as say the Sierra Nevada Torpedo I had the day before (it was an Extra IPA) 

It is also a Wheat Ale so I think if you enjoy a good IPA or Wheat beer you will enjoy this one. It is 7.5% on the ABV side so after a run and not much in the old stomach it hit me a little before I ate, but nothing too bad, and if I would have eaten first would not have felt it at all (so my bad on that one)

I enjoyed it and I am going to give this beer a 2 beer rating (Remember people any beer that makes this list even a 1 beer is an excellent beer) 

I will absolutely be trying some more from Lagunitas soon and you should also

As a Side note they have a great Website and a pretty cool blog with videos and what is going on  https://lagunitas.com/blog/

To view what all the ratings mean go to the 52 Beers to try Before You die Bucket list page

Disclaimer I am a beer drinker and a beginner home brewer the above is only my taste buds telling me what I enjoy, it is not the law or rule of the land, these would be the beers that I am grateful to have tried before the day comes when I pass on and meet my maker. 

Great Articles from The Net:Stone Beer Shares Recipe for Discontinued Levitation Ale by Jim Vorel

For anyone who is into the Clone brew process, or making a beer that has already been made, here is an article from the net, Stone Beer Shares Recipe for Discontinued Levitation Ale by Jim Vorel

And if that is not enough from Stone here is one  by Graham Averill Stone Brewing Co Shares Recipe for Pale Ale

I don't want to steal the details from their posts so go to either via the link and take a look

Beers To Try Before you Die or the Beer Bucket 52 List 19 of 52 Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Well in an effort to get ahead of my 52 beers this year and my daughters softball season going into full swing this weekend, I am picking up some extra beers during the week. Now this is awesome the Pick 6 six pack. 

Trader Joe's has something similar, but the beer selection is not as wide (but I will hit them at some point during this process) I stopped by Shop n Save (a local supermarket out here in Missouri) and grabbed 6 beers off the shelf, especially in the case of IPAs it is always hit or miss with me so trying one bottle is a lot better than a whole six pack that may just be given away.

Anyway the first Beer I tried (and I have had it before this was not the first time, but the same thing will happen as the seasonal beers come into play, I will drink it again with a new perspective after trying beers I have never held them up against before)

On this evening I popped open a Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA, 

I figured if I was going IPA why not go with one of the classics. Now in the past it has always been the bitterness (or hoppiness) that has gotten me with IPAs, but after trying them here and there I am starting to enjoy that about them. I am and will always be a sweet Stout kind of beer drinker, but a nice IPA once in a while is a great way to taste what others have done as I make my trek into creating my own, as I well know IPAs are very popular so why would I not try and make some to share with my friends?

As for a rating it is hard because I want to give this one a high rating for a very well tasting IPA, but again it was one of the first (not counting the Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA which was a sweeter IPA and bar none right now my Favorite IPA ever) But it’s my blog so I reserve the right to come back and rerate it later on maybe bumping it up. Just like the Dogfish Head 90minute, which I gave a 5 beers and a shot, with the right to bump it to a 6 later.

 I am going with a 4 beers and a shot for now with the option of a full bump later (after I have more IPAs under my belt) 

I think across the board, IPA lovers on their own list would give this a 6 beer or a 10 out of 10. If you enjoy IPAs and for some reason have never had the Torpedo Extra IPA from Sierra Nevada 

Go grab some you will not be sorry!!!

To view what all the ratings mean go to the 52 Beers to try Before You die Bucket list page

Disclaimer I am a beer drinker and a beginner home brewer the above is only my taste buds telling me what I enjoy, it is not the law or rule of the land, these would be the beers that I am grateful to have tried before the day comes when I pass on and meet my maker. 

Beers To Try Before you Die or the Beer Bucket 52 List 18 of 52 New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

On an off drinking night, meaning it is rare to have a beer on a Monday night, i looked at my back-stock of beers in the refrigerator and discovered I had a  New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale  it was from a variety pack my sister in law brought over and believe it or not I have never had a Fat Tire Amber Ale, so I figured what better time than now? 

New Belgium is quickly becoming a favorite brewer, as I try beer after beer and they are all great tasting and well made. As I push out of the winter months and try to push away from my list heavy on the side of Porters and Stouts, I am trying to grab more Ales Lagers and IPAs (I may try and squeeze a Pilsner in here to at least have it represented on this list, but usually not a big fan of that style) 

With that being said This was a great start toward more Ales Very good clean taste. And if you don't know the story this beer was named after one of the Co Founders bike rides through Europe. Fat Tire was a Home brew that took the next step. It is a wonderful beer not too heavy not too light and plenty of flavor. As an Amber Ale it is going to set a high bar for others I try. I am going to go ahead and give Fat Tire Amber Ale a High 5 Beers. 

This one is very available (some beers on here are more local and harder for people outside of St Louis to find) SO go and grab some actually from what I have tasted from New Belgium so far I can recommend buying the New Belgium Folly Variety Pack you won't be disappointed.... 5 Great Beers in the box

To view what all the ratings mean go to the 52 Beers to try Before You die Bucket list page

Disclaimer I am a beer drinker and a beginner home brewer the above is only my taste buds telling me what I enjoy, it is not the law or rule of the land, these would be the beers that I am grateful to have tried before the day comes when I pass on and meet my maker. 

Share The Craft: Good Post by Brandon Hernandez: End of And Era Stone Ruination

Sometimes you just have to share a good read. I don't have to say anything about it other than go take a read for yourself......
End of an era Stone Ruination IPA by Brandon Hernandez

A Different way to Bike

Beers To Try Before you Die or the Beer Bucket 52 List 17 of 52 Schlafly Coffee Stout

With my weekly stop by Randall's 

I had plans on what I was going to pick up Schlafly Coffee Stout  was on my radar as I kept putting it back for other beers, now I did pick up another beer, but that is for another post.

Schlafly Coffee Stout  is what I love about Stouts, the Stout is made in combination with local St Louis coffee roaster Kaldis (I have always been a Dunkin Doughnuts Iced Coffee drinker and still am, but before Dunkin came back Kaldi's was one of my favorites out this way.) 

Anyway back to the beer. The Coffee Stout is that perfect mix of Beer (or stout) and Coffee flavor, it is like having that after diner coffee wrapped in the wonderful arms of beer. Great Beer. I have to give this one a 6 Pack it is a really good Stout (I think the only way to make this better would be to make an Irish Coffee Imperial Stout out of it and Add some Jameson whiskey flavor)

....Highly Recommended...

To view what all the ratings mean go to the 52 Beers to try Before You die Bucket list page

Disclaimer I am a beer drinker and a beginner home brewer the above is only my taste buds telling me what I enjoy, it is not the law or rule of the land, these would be the beers that I am grateful to have tried before the day comes when I pass on and meet my maker.