Official Alcohol Discussion Thread!

[DaMexiRican]

Can we get a sticky for this?

What do ya'll prefer to drink? Beer, Wine, Hard Liquor, Wine Coolers? All of them?

I only drink Beer and Hard Liquor. Mint Mojito is about the only thing close to a wine cooler I'll drink though LOL

 

[DaMexiRican]

Grey Goose

 

[Illiciter]

I pulled the first few pints off of my kegerator recently. My pale ale is pretty much done, might need another few days to carbonate fully.

However, the pale ale is very interesting. I first thought that it was contamination somewhere, but I think it is from the new Sorachi Ace hops that I used. They have a weird earthy lemon flavor. The lemon sounded great when I made the recipe, but these hops aren't like a citrusy lemon, it's more like a lemon flavor minus the citrus bite, still kinda sour though. I don't think I really like it too much and now I'm still left wondering if I have a contamination issue somewhere.... I sanitized the hell out of everything though

I've got another beer that I was going to put in this weekend but I'm wondering if I should try to find any potential contamination issues....could it be my beer lines? I ran oxyclean> iodophor solution> water through them before I attached the keg.

It could very well be the hops you used. Did you notice any weird foam or furr in the fermenter during/after fermentation?

I'd give your kettle a solid cleaning. I'd dismantle the ball lock if you can or at least remove it from the kettle if you have one and clean all the seals/gaskets. Not that it *really* matters for sanitizing since you just heated the kettle, but you'd be amazed the crap that gets behind those seals over time and I always think it can spoil beer. Also, when you clean the kegs I'd use PBW overnight, make sure after you shake the crap out of it that you leave it upside down overnight so it cleans all the crevices near the ports, rinse really well... When you sanitize the keg did you make sure the sanitizer got into the dip tube?

Old beer lines can create a sour taste due to beer stone buildup.. but yours are all new right? I don't think it'd be your lines... I always use BLC to wash the lines and then run cold tap water through them before tapping the keg.. no real need to sanitize as long as you draw beer into the line to get the water completely out right after cleaning the lines you should be ace.

Sorry the batch didn't turn out like you hoped. I wonder if next time you used lemon zest it'd perk that flavor up proper. A deep earthy lemon flavor with the perky lemon zest sounds like a win. Only thing I can think to get rid of sourness is to cover it up with something else. Did you use all Sorachi Ace hops? I wonder if a dose of cascades or kent goldings near the middle/end of an ounce or so would cut through that sour note?

 

[Off_contstantly]

Alpha - Where did you learn all of this from and how long have you been homebrewing? :bow:

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

Everything was fine as far as the krausen, final gravity, etc. I think my cleaning and sanitation is spot on too which is why I thought it might be the lines, maybe something leaching in since they are new. However, I was reading up on the sorachi ace hops at some different homebrew sites and I think that I just don't like them

I have heard that early additions (which is what I did) yeild a more subdued lemony flavor, a lot like lemon tea. That describes mine pretty well. However, I used a half ounce each of cluster and sterling and 15 and 0 mins so I'm getting some flavors from them as well. If I could do it over again, I'd either put some citrusy hops like amarillo or cascae up top to bring the citrus back to the lemon overtones or I'd put the sorachi in as late additions since they smelled wonderful. Such is the way of homebrew though, there are no mistakes, just special editions

 

[Illiciter]

Alpha - Where did you learn all of this from and how long have you been homebrewing? :bow:

ive been brewing about a year and a half now. Before i actually started to make beer i spent a year or so reading up and studying the science behind the process from ye olde method of malting barley to yeast harvesting and mutation control. i also drank a lot of beer.

brewing itself is 90% doing dishes and keeping stuff clean. The rest is in your recipe and quality of ingrediants. If you find yourself to be a good cook, you'd likely be a good brewer. All the brewers i know have pretty kickass homemade recipes for food. its also a lot of experimentation and willingess to drink damn near anything. Weirdest beer ive had was a bacon smoked cheddar chili beer. It tasted exactly as the name implies and it was groooooosssssssss!

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

All is right in the world again, I have found the source of my nasty beer. It is definitely my lines. The PVC from the keg to the tap is 5' on my setup and any beer that sits in there for more than about 5 mins is horridly marked by a weird plastic taste - kinda reminds you of a new shower curtain.

I pulled about 4 ounces off last night and dumped it out and then immediately pulled a full pint right afterwards - it was delicious As it turns out, I'm not a terrible brewer, nor do I dislike Sorachi Ace hops. They are actually quite good.

The problem here is that I don't want to waste 4 precious ounces every time I want a beer. I've looked around and apparently lots of people have the "plastic taste" issue and have gone with Tygon tubing. I just ordered 10' of it for my other tap and will do some side-by-side comparisons.

 

[Illiciter]

All is right in the world again, I have found the source of my nasty beer. It is definitely my lines. The PVC from the keg to the tap is 5' on my setup and any beer that sits in there for more than about 5 mins is horridly marked by a weird plastic taste - kinda reminds you of a new shower curtain.

I pulled about 4 ounces off last night and dumped it out and then immediately pulled a full pint right afterwards - it was delicious As it turns out, I'm not a terrible brewer, nor do I dislike Sorachi Ace hops. They are actually quite good.

The problem here is that I don't want to waste 4 precious ounces every time I want a beer. I've looked around and apparently lots of people have the "plastic taste" issue and have gone with Tygon tubing. I just ordered 10' of it for my other tap and will do some side-by-side comparisons.

That's so funny, I was just reading about another feller who had bought some new lines and was getting a plastic taste in his beer.

I've never had this problem, I guess I just got lucky with the type of beer line I purchased.

Learn something new everyday!

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

Redhook Belgian Tripel

I went to Capital Ale House, one of my fav restaurants last night for steal the glass night. They were featuring Redhook Brewing and had the ESB, Long Hammer IPA, and a limited release Belgian Tripel all on tap. Each had their own respective glass that you got to keep for only $1 more. Needless to say, I got all three I got the belgian tripel and the glass pictured above first, it was delicious. Very spicy and peppery, a little clove and belgian yeast flavors too. And at 10.2% alcohol, it was a little warming as well - Nice since it was raining here yesterday evening. I think this stuff is pretty rare so if you guys can get a hold of it, you should try it. I think my glass was only $5.95 last night but I've heard that they are selling 22oz. bombers for around $8.

 

[splax23]

well hopefully this week i will see some Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout.

BCS Coffee is 2008 brewed, aged in HH bbls for about 15 months, then infused with Intelligentsia Black Cat espresso

I'm hoping to find at least 2 bombers which I'm sure I can. One to drink now and one to age for a few years. But I am assuming they are gonna be at least $15 a piece.

 

[splax23]

anybody ever have any beer from Bear Republic Brewing Co out of Cali? They are suppose to be shipping to Michigan in the next week or so. Just wondering how good the beer is?

 

[Illiciter]

Bear Republic isn't bad I think they do the hop rod racer x etc...

Not bad, nothing to line up for, but decent hoppy offerings.

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

anybody ever have any beer from Bear Republic Brewing Co out of Cali? They are suppose to be shipping to Michigan in the next week or so. Just wondering how good the beer is?

I had a bear republic IPA last time I went to capital ale. The waitress suggested it since they were out of Green Flash West Coast IPA. It wasn't bad, but I found the Green Flash to be a hundred times better.

 

[splax23]

Aged Beer Tasting Tonight!!!! 120 Minute IPA, Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout, Rochefort 10 (aged and not aged), and plenty more. Ill have the full list later.

 

[splax23]

Aged beer tasting right now. Just finished 08 double bastard now on to 07 rochefort 10

 

[splax23]

tonight was awesome. beers on the list were as follows:

1. Fuller's Vintage Ale 2007
2. Collaboration Holiday Ale 2009 (Stone, Nogne, Jolly Pumpkin)
3. Stone Vertical Epic 09-09-09
4. Stone Double Bastard 2008
5. Rochefort 10 2007
6. Arcadia Big Dick's Old Ale 2007
7. Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine 2007
8. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA 2008
9. Arcadia Imperial Stout 2007
and last but not least
10. Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout (my favorite of the night).

it was a great night and a yearly event for sure!!!

 

[MacDaddyOJack]

I've had a few of those althogh I doubt they had been aged that long when I had them. I loved the Rochefort 10 last time I had it (back in college). It's harder to find here now

I've had the Dogfish 120 too, but I actually think the 90 min is better. The 120 is just too over-the-top. Overly sweet too I thought....

 

[splax23]

I've had a few of those althogh I doubt they had been aged that long when I had them. I loved the Rochefort 10 last time I had it (back in college). It's harder to find here now

I've had the Dogfish 120 too, but I actually think the 90 min is better. The 120 is just too over-the-top. Overly sweet too I thought....

And at 21% ABV can you still consider it beer? haha. ive never been a fan of 120 but yeah 90 is the way to go.

 

[Illiciter]

ima be doing some beer tasting tonight after work. PUMPED!

I think I'll be trying some Night Stalker, maybe some double crooked tree



the possibilities are almost endless!

 

[splax23]

ima be doing some beer tasting tonight after work. PUMPED!

I think I'll be trying some Night Stalker, maybe some double crooked tree



the possibilities are almost endless!

yes they are!!!!!

 

[splax23]

Check out this video. Best U.S. Microbrews. They were all selected from Great American Beer Festival. The only issue i have is the reporters wont shut up haha. but one of the beers is from Arcadia Ales here in michigan. Its their Cereal Killer Barleywine. I had this one Bourbon Barrel aged at the Winterfest in october. Me and the brewmaster sat around talking and drinking that all day long. good stuff

http://blip.tv/file/3537930