I’ve
been brewing beer for a few months now but I haven’t taken the time to
sit and write about it. I haven’t really even had a chance to talk with
any other brewers about what I’m doing, how I could be doing it better
or what they learn in their own pursuit of brewing a fine beer they can
call their own. I’m a bit down on the lack of community I have but that
could extend to a number of things from baking to raising the chickens.
I probably just need to get out more.
In
any case, today I’m brewing batch of beer number 6. It’s a creamy
brown ale based on a recipe found in Stephen Snyder’s “The Brewmaster’s
Bible” as submitted by Ric Genthner of Wine Barrel Plus in Livonia,
Michigan. This will be my second brew based on a recipe from The Bible,
and as the other turned out really nice I’m thinking positively about
what I have going now.
As a bit of a recap, below are the beers I’ve made so far:
1. Basic Wheat, 5 Gallon, Extract kit - Cooper’s Wheat Beer
2. Australian Pale Ale, 5 Gallon, Extract kit - Coopers APA
3. Cream Ale, 3 Gallon, Partial Grain - Recipe from the Brewess
4. Chocolate Maple Porter, 1 Gallon, All Grain, kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop
5. Oatmeal Stout, 5 Gallon, Partial Grain - Based on recipe from The Bible
6. Creamy Brown Ale, 5 Gallon, Parial Grain - Based on recipe from The Bible
So
far, none of my beers have been disappointing. In fact, the basic
wheat from the kit which was really not very drinkable early on, got
quite good after about week 5 of conditioning. I have a few bottles
left that I’m saving to try in the spring, and I will probably brew up a
partial grain batch from recipe to compare it to, as my next project.
The
APA which was also had a pretty good chance of being awful, is quite
nice. It’s very thin and probably the furthest thing from a beer I’d
actually buy on my own, but it has nice hints of apple and a smooth
tartness to it. There isn’t much aftertaste or bitterness to it -- it’s
good cold but warms up to have some nice flavor too.
If
there’s one beer that’s been most disappointing it’s actually been the 1
gallon all grain kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop. And it is getting much
better the longer it sits too. I’ve given a few bottles of it away and
people are pretty complimentary. The problem with this brew is akin to
buying coffee beans that are already ground. The longer cracked grains
sit in a bag, the more stale they become. When I do a partial grain
brew now, I use the grains freshly cracked from my homebrew store --
they crack them while I wait so I don’t have to make a mess at home.
Those are like using freshly ground beans to make your morning pot of
coffee. There’s no staleness and the flavors of the grains come
through. Also, I think there’s probably something to the husks sitting
open like that for very long. They impart bitterness (like garbanzo
skins in hummus) so the sooner after you crack the grains that you brew,
the better.
My
cream ale was really good and I’ll do another batch of beer from The
Brewess sometime soon. Her recipes are nice because a 3-gallon recipe
can almost be all-grain on the stove, which makes is really inexpensive.
So
far though, I’m most proud of my Oatmeal Stout and my soon to be Creamy
Brown because feel like I really did something to make those 5-gallon
batches, I enjoy the partial grain process, and they are some darn good
beers.
More
to come on this front, including pictures and possibly a report about
baking with spent grains, but I wanted to get this out of my head.
The mash is done steeping so it’s time to boil. More soon.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Making Tofu
Mike got after me for not posting about my projects much -- especially my beer exploits and my more recent tofu experiments. I haven't popped open any homebrews for a few days, but I did make tofu last night so here are my notes.
1. It's easier than you think
2. You don't need special equipment
3. Home made is way better and richer than store bought
4. It's considerably cheaper than store bought
5. It's fun!
I didn't get any pics of the processing, just my ghetto press and the finished product. The process though goes as follows: soak 1 lb dried organic soy beans (bulk or packaged from Whole Foods or the like) for at least 6 hours or over night, food process or blend in batches with soaking liquid for 5-12 minutes depending on method until smoothe and creamy, cook in a big pot over medium heat until a soft boil stirring constantly for about 15 minutes -- watch out for the boilover and keep some cold water on hand to knock that down, skim off the foam, drape several layers of cheese cloth (or a sanitized cloth diaper - flat fold) over a colander to retain the solids, press through as much soy milk as you can. I feed the solids to the chickens but they're very nutritious and can be used in baking if you want. Once you have your soy milk, let it cool to about 145-160 degrees and add your coagulent. I use 2 tsp of gypsum (an adjunct I have on hand for beer brewing) or the juice of one lime. Stir it in calmly then let the pot sit undisturbed for 20 or 30 minutes. Place another few layers of cheese cloth or another sanitized flat-fold cloth diaper over your press (my ghetto press is a modified half gallon cardboard milk carton). Spoon all that jelly tofu into the press. Fold the cloth over, place the other carton side down and weight it. The rest is super easy.
Tofu in process with a few cans of soup.
Inside the press ready to remove the yummy tofu.
Flip that thing upside down.
Here's the big brick in its cloth.
The top is a little lumpy because of the folded cloth, but it's super smooth inside.
Cut it into two bricks to fit in the water bath and it's ready to use. See how smooth and creamy it is inside? Those two cans of soup on the tofu overnight make a very nice silken to medium firm tofu.
1. It's easier than you think
2. You don't need special equipment
3. Home made is way better and richer than store bought
4. It's considerably cheaper than store bought
5. It's fun!
I didn't get any pics of the processing, just my ghetto press and the finished product. The process though goes as follows: soak 1 lb dried organic soy beans (bulk or packaged from Whole Foods or the like) for at least 6 hours or over night, food process or blend in batches with soaking liquid for 5-12 minutes depending on method until smoothe and creamy, cook in a big pot over medium heat until a soft boil stirring constantly for about 15 minutes -- watch out for the boilover and keep some cold water on hand to knock that down, skim off the foam, drape several layers of cheese cloth (or a sanitized cloth diaper - flat fold) over a colander to retain the solids, press through as much soy milk as you can. I feed the solids to the chickens but they're very nutritious and can be used in baking if you want. Once you have your soy milk, let it cool to about 145-160 degrees and add your coagulent. I use 2 tsp of gypsum (an adjunct I have on hand for beer brewing) or the juice of one lime. Stir it in calmly then let the pot sit undisturbed for 20 or 30 minutes. Place another few layers of cheese cloth or another sanitized flat-fold cloth diaper over your press (my ghetto press is a modified half gallon cardboard milk carton). Spoon all that jelly tofu into the press. Fold the cloth over, place the other carton side down and weight it. The rest is super easy.
Tofu in process with a few cans of soup.
Inside the press ready to remove the yummy tofu.
Flip that thing upside down.
Here's the big brick in its cloth.
The top is a little lumpy because of the folded cloth, but it's super smooth inside.
Friday, December 09, 2011
A recap of months gone bye
It's been some time since I engaged in a substantive blog posting. We've had plenty ongoing for the past year, but not much time for more than photos and even those have been well spaced.
Just now, I'm sitting on an airplane leaving Seattle where it was gray and cold but here at 30,000 feet, the sun on the cascades is like something out of a fantasy novel, with Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Mt. St. Helens and many others in full view. The spectacle is positively glorious. I'm flying home after a week of work, sitting behind a couple holding a lap baby (7 mos) and remembering Paige and my flights with little p.
This has been a very productive year and except for a few weeks when we were under the weather we've been healthy, Piper has grown and matured into a darling, jabbering toddler, Paige passed her preliminary defense to reach "all but dissertation" status, and my work is on track as I continue to have myriad champions for my approaches and ideas.
Considering highlights of the year, early on we did some travel that was enjoyable. Piper got to see Little Bird Farm and get slightly more acquainted with her Albuquerque cousins. We traveled to Portland where Piper walked in the ocean for the first time, a cool Pacific Northwest beach with wide sandy stretches and dramatic scenery. A week in Fort Worth introduced Piper to her Texas cousin and we ate stuffed pumpkins. In early Fall, we spent a week on Oak Island, NC where Piper played in the warm Atlantic and we enjoyed the company of friends.
The milestones for Piper were fast and furious. Crawling at Christmas and pushing a cart at Easter time, Piper became a legitimate "walker" on my birthday when she was just shy of 13 months old. By 16 months she was a solid sign language speaker, able to "say" animals, colors, activities, foods and basic objects. Within the last two months, she's begun speaking more words verbally, along with continuing signing. Early words were of course mama and dada, milk and more, dog and cat; but a few more interesting breakthroughs include mailman and couscous.
Paige and I did a month-long yoga intensive with a nice teacher and a challenging practice in August, and while we managed to keep it up for a good month or so beyond, by October I was finding little motivation to continue even as Paige carried on.
I have continued some of my more enjoyable hobbies this year including baking bread, working with Paige in the garden and maintaining the chickens. I also picked up a few new hobbies including canning jam and brewing beer. I tried my hand at making cheese but with the price of milk that is a pursuit better left to professionals. Bread and beer are my staples.
About Durham, we continue to enjoy the weekly farmer's market, the ever-growing restaurant scene with new hang-outs like Scratch, Geer St. Garden, Fullsteam, and Daisy Cakes. The wine shop is still a favorite of mine, as is Sam's Quick Stop, which is possibly the best beer store I've ever frequented. The food truck scene is also strong and is growing with recent additions that include a triangle raw food truck and the doughnut bike, alongside standbys like Pie Pushers, Parlour, and Chirba Chirba.
The house, too, has undergone several renovations this year including new HVAC for the upstairs including duct, heat and cooling; and a new gas fireplace for the living room. Factoring in some work we had to have done on the car, and miscellaneous maintenance costs, all is well but we didn't manage to get out of 2011 unscathed.
Recently Piper has begun to pay more attention to reading books and enjoys Where the Wild Things Are, A Pocket for Corduroy, The Cat in the Hat, The Children of the Forest, among others. The old stand-byes of Goodnight Gorilla, Everybody Poops, and I Like Bugs also make the rotation from time to time.
Piper is very fond of coloring and for several months in late summer and early Fall, would color on her own at her enameled green table in the living room on her own for about 20 minutes while I cooked her oatmeal or made her scrambled eggs. Recently she's been less concerned with coloring, but enjoys moving her plastic farm animals around the house, and trying to give Sam a carrot or to pick up Baby Cat and Figgy.
Though Sam is getting older and a bit more gimpy, he's doing well and is a sweet presence in the house. Baby Cat still rules the roost and spends a lot of time keeping Figgy in line and Sam on edge.
For all that has transpired in 2011 and that we look forward to in the first half of 2012, one of the more noteworthy events that we'll look forward to will be enrolling Piper in a pre-school or daycare. It is time for her to begin playing more with other kids and having broader influence than Paige, Lisa, Amber, me and the pets. She will turn two years old, begin to speak in full sentences, start to memorize books and recognize words.
Time flies.
I hope this hasn't been too tedious for those of you who've taken time to pop in. I'll continue posting pictures and possibly even pick up the bug to blog again in the months ahead. We shall see.
Until next time...
Just now, I'm sitting on an airplane leaving Seattle where it was gray and cold but here at 30,000 feet, the sun on the cascades is like something out of a fantasy novel, with Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Mt. St. Helens and many others in full view. The spectacle is positively glorious. I'm flying home after a week of work, sitting behind a couple holding a lap baby (7 mos) and remembering Paige and my flights with little p.
This has been a very productive year and except for a few weeks when we were under the weather we've been healthy, Piper has grown and matured into a darling, jabbering toddler, Paige passed her preliminary defense to reach "all but dissertation" status, and my work is on track as I continue to have myriad champions for my approaches and ideas.
Considering highlights of the year, early on we did some travel that was enjoyable. Piper got to see Little Bird Farm and get slightly more acquainted with her Albuquerque cousins. We traveled to Portland where Piper walked in the ocean for the first time, a cool Pacific Northwest beach with wide sandy stretches and dramatic scenery. A week in Fort Worth introduced Piper to her Texas cousin and we ate stuffed pumpkins. In early Fall, we spent a week on Oak Island, NC where Piper played in the warm Atlantic and we enjoyed the company of friends.
The milestones for Piper were fast and furious. Crawling at Christmas and pushing a cart at Easter time, Piper became a legitimate "walker" on my birthday when she was just shy of 13 months old. By 16 months she was a solid sign language speaker, able to "say" animals, colors, activities, foods and basic objects. Within the last two months, she's begun speaking more words verbally, along with continuing signing. Early words were of course mama and dada, milk and more, dog and cat; but a few more interesting breakthroughs include mailman and couscous.
Paige and I did a month-long yoga intensive with a nice teacher and a challenging practice in August, and while we managed to keep it up for a good month or so beyond, by October I was finding little motivation to continue even as Paige carried on.
I have continued some of my more enjoyable hobbies this year including baking bread, working with Paige in the garden and maintaining the chickens. I also picked up a few new hobbies including canning jam and brewing beer. I tried my hand at making cheese but with the price of milk that is a pursuit better left to professionals. Bread and beer are my staples.
About Durham, we continue to enjoy the weekly farmer's market, the ever-growing restaurant scene with new hang-outs like Scratch, Geer St. Garden, Fullsteam, and Daisy Cakes. The wine shop is still a favorite of mine, as is Sam's Quick Stop, which is possibly the best beer store I've ever frequented. The food truck scene is also strong and is growing with recent additions that include a triangle raw food truck and the doughnut bike, alongside standbys like Pie Pushers, Parlour, and Chirba Chirba.
The house, too, has undergone several renovations this year including new HVAC for the upstairs including duct, heat and cooling; and a new gas fireplace for the living room. Factoring in some work we had to have done on the car, and miscellaneous maintenance costs, all is well but we didn't manage to get out of 2011 unscathed.
Recently Piper has begun to pay more attention to reading books and enjoys Where the Wild Things Are, A Pocket for Corduroy, The Cat in the Hat, The Children of the Forest, among others. The old stand-byes of Goodnight Gorilla, Everybody Poops, and I Like Bugs also make the rotation from time to time.
Piper is very fond of coloring and for several months in late summer and early Fall, would color on her own at her enameled green table in the living room on her own for about 20 minutes while I cooked her oatmeal or made her scrambled eggs. Recently she's been less concerned with coloring, but enjoys moving her plastic farm animals around the house, and trying to give Sam a carrot or to pick up Baby Cat and Figgy.
Though Sam is getting older and a bit more gimpy, he's doing well and is a sweet presence in the house. Baby Cat still rules the roost and spends a lot of time keeping Figgy in line and Sam on edge.
For all that has transpired in 2011 and that we look forward to in the first half of 2012, one of the more noteworthy events that we'll look forward to will be enrolling Piper in a pre-school or daycare. It is time for her to begin playing more with other kids and having broader influence than Paige, Lisa, Amber, me and the pets. She will turn two years old, begin to speak in full sentences, start to memorize books and recognize words.
Time flies.
I hope this hasn't been too tedious for those of you who've taken time to pop in. I'll continue posting pictures and possibly even pick up the bug to blog again in the months ahead. We shall see.
Until next time...
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Recent goings on...
Piper and Daddy Skyping
Put your shoes on, it's time to go!
Cooking the cranberry sauce!
Good stirring, bug!
Checking out the competition.
Piper lined up her animals to look outside before she went to bed one night! What a smart girl!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
PIcking a Pumpkin, and other adventures
I'm reminded, upon posting these pictures, that we've been to no fewer than three "pick your own" events this year -- strawberries, lavendar, pumpkins (am I forgetting one?) -- and that each time, the pictures have been quite similar. I promise that next year we'll get more creative. Just the same, enjoy some of our lovely Fall weather below. As usual, click to enlarge for print or whatever.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Morning at the Market
Piper in her wagon at the market with a big 'ol heirloom pum, a giant napa cabbage, and a bitter gourd. It was a fun morning, to be sure! Happy Fall everybody!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
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