Zombie Apocalypse Wheat Beer: Part 1

Before I launch into the first part of my home brewing experience, you are probably wondering about the name we chose for our beer. Well over a year ago I was invited to attend the factious Zombie Apocalypse on Facebook, you know since the world is ending tomorrow. Then when Michael and I started dating, I noticed he was attending too! Since this could be our only sustenance while we fend off the zombie, it seemed fitting. 

Home tiki bar one day? source

Awhile ago Michael and I discussed what we wanted to do with our back bonus room and the idea of putting a bar or a kegerator came up. That got me to thinking about brewing our own beer. So I asked Michael for a home brew kit for Christmas. He loved the idea and instantly started researching it. 

It takes about a month to make beer so, we got my present early. Michael found a wine and beer making store in Campbell called Fermentation Solution. We went last Monday and asked a bunch of questions. The guy who helped us (I don't think we ever caught his name) was very friendly and super informative. He recommended the Starter Beer Making Kit and one of their Recipe Ingredient Kits.  We discussed it some more then I came back on Friday and bought it. 

I was so excited! Then I read the instructions that came with the recipe kit and realized our first issue. The beer takes 7-12 days to ferment. We were leaving in a week to spend Christmas with my family. That meant we either started it right then and hoped it would be ready before we left, or wait until we got back to make it. When Michael got home I told him the issue and he said let's just go for it. He is coming back few days before me so if it wasn't ready in a week, he would bottle when he got back at the 12 day mark. So I followed the recipe instructions as best I could.

First,  I essentially made tea from grain. I put wheat malt and row malt  in a bag and stepped it in very warm water.

Grain bag, steeping in 164 degree water.

Then I realize our second issue. We had a 3 gallon pot of water to steep the grain, but we need another pot to serve as our brew kettle---and it needed to be at least 5 gallons. So we quickly ran to Target and bought another pot. 

In our new pot, we brought 2.75 gallons of water to boil...which took FOREVER!

Bringing 2.75 gallons of water to boil while the grain steeps.

Then I added the "tea" to the pot and realized our third issue. The pot was completely full now and we still need to add 3 lbs of liquid wheat malt. Rather than pour off some of the liquid to make room and risk loosing the flavor, we decided to boil off about 1 inch of it instead. This once again took FOREVER. 

Too full to add the liquid malt...hmm...

I finally added the liquid malt and brought the kettle back up to boil. Then I added the bag of hops and then let it boil away for an hour. 

Our house was very humid and sugary smelling after all the boiling.

That is when Michael realized the fourth issue. We needed to add more cold water before it ferments. He bought 5 gallons of purified water, but we boiled off a gallon or more of it already. Luckily the kit comes with dechlorination tablets so we dechlorinated water from our fridge. 

Then we removed the hops bag and siphoned the beer into the fermenter while trying not to get the trub (the layer of stuff on the bottom).  

Never thought learning how to siphon water troughs back
 in 4H would come in handy one day

Next we added enough the dechlorinated water to bring it up to 5.25 gallons. Then I rehydrated the yeast packet in warm water and added it to the fermenter. 

5.25 gallon of sugary yeast water.

Then Michael put the lid on and stuck in the airlock. 

Ready to ferment!

It should be kept in a cool (between 62 and 72 dergees) and dark place during fermentation, so Michael decided on the garage. 

The instructions said it should start fermenting within 12-24 hours. I check it in the morning before I left for work and there were no bubbles in the airlock. But it had only been 12 hours at the point so I was not concerned. That night after dinner I check it again....still nothing. But there was a residue visible on the side of the fermenter as if something was happening so I still was not too concerned. The temperature in the garage was 60 degrees so I figured it was just taking longer because it was chilly. 

On Tuesday, there was still nothing in the airlock and the temperate was 56 degrees in the garage. I was worried fermentation never started or stalled, so I had Michael bring it inside. 

It warmed up to just barely 62 degrees in the living room by the next day, but I was still concerned. After some research online, I decided that it was probably okay since it smelled like yeast. But I wanted to open it just to be sure. There was a lovely yeast cake right on the top, just like all the photos I saw online. I just chalked it up to being slow because it was too cold in the garage. On the plus side, there is no way it will be ready soon so we do not have to frantically bottle it before we leave. It can probably wait until I come home now. 

The next step will be bottling and waiting for it to carbonate. So Part 2 will follow soon. 

Duchesse de Bourgogne Ale

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Lats Friday I went out to lunch with my sweetheart and our friend.  We went to a wing place called Smoke Eaters across the street from my work. The boys got wings while I got a veggie burger. In addition to awesome hot sauces, it also has a decent selection of draft and bottled beers. I decided to go for something new and I liked the regal title of this beer: Duchesse Ale.

Duchesse de Bourgogne Ale is a Flemish-style red ale from Brewery Verhaeghe.  The beer is named after Mary of Burgundy, a beloved Belgian Princess in the 15th century who died in a tragic accident. I would give your more information about the beer or the brewery, but everything else I can find is in Flemish or German.

The beer itself is interesting. It kind of reminded me of alcoholic soda---but I liked it. It is a blend of a young and old beer, both of which where fermented in oak. This gives the beer a little bit of sour taste. It has passionfruit and chocolate, which makes it fruity and rich at the same time too. This is an unusual beer, but definitely drinkable.  This would go nicely with a heartier meal and something less spicy than  nuclear hot sauce fries.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchesse_de_Bourgogne_(beer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brouwerij_Verhaeghe

Full Sail Brewing Company

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This is another brewery that has a special place in my heart. Full Sail Brewing Company is a local, employee-owned company in the Columbia River Gorge. Founded in 1987, it is one of the oldest microbreweries in Oregon. And the first in the Northwest to have commercial bottling success.

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The brewery itself is is located in charming town of Hood River, Oregon, just an hour from Portland. They bought the abandoned Diamond Fruit Cannery and transformed it into a place to pursue their dreams. The first beer they produced was a golden ale.  As business began to boom, they added more beers, including a porter, an amber, and a winter ale. They continued to grow and now feature two core beers, a few seasonal, special releases, and session lagers.

Photo courtesy of my boyfriend

Not only do you need to try the beer, but you need to visit the brewery as well. The Columbia River Gorge is one of the most spectacular sights in the world. It is located right along the Interstate 84, making it very hard to miss. You get an amazing view of the river and the surrounding landscape. The pub offers Pacific Northwest inspired food prepared with local ingredients. I usually get the Hummus Plate (just minus the feta). The Brewery offers tours everyday on the hour from 1-4 PM. The staff member are very nice and very knowledgeable. And, you get a free beer glass at the end!

Here are my two favorites beers:

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Full Sail Amber Ale: I love the chocolate malt in this beer. It has a unique taste---sweet and malty, but somehow a little spice too. It was very groundbreaking at the time-- just like the Oregonian spirit. This is one of the flagship brews and has won numerous awards. 

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LTD 03:This is a seasonal beer, only available from June to September (which is usually when I visit home anyways).  Full Sail calls it a pale-golden, I was argue it is more on the golden side. I do agree that it is a "thirst quencher", especially after a long, hot day. The hoppy/floral combination is what draws me to it.

You can find Full Sail Beers almost anywhere nowadays. If I can find them in a literal shack of a store on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, you should have no trouble at all.

The reason (besides the awesome beer) this company has a special place in my heart is because it was the place my sweetheart and I discovered our mutual love for beer. He was in Hood River doing an internship with one of our geology professors. The first day he was there, I asked how he liked Full Sail. He answered, "How do you know where I am?"  I responded ,"You would be crazy not to be there!" Later he invited me to come join them for the day since I only lived an hour away. After a long and tortuous day of hiking to find a hidden fault, we were exhausted and thirsty. He suggest we get beer from Full Sail and I knew right then that I wanted to date this boy.

What I like the most about Full Sail is that it uses all local ingredients and is committed to being an active member of the local community. These are people who truly enjoy beer and want to make a good product.  As the bottle caps say, they really are just "stoked to brew."

Sources:
Full Sail Brewery Tour
http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/full-sail-story.cfm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Sail_Brewing_Company

Bison Brewing Company: Gingerbred Ale and Chocolate Stout

As I mentioned in the previous post, I attended the FoodBuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco this past weekend. In addition to the Lucky Hand I had during dinner Friday night, I got to sample two more beers during the Taste Pavilion on Saturday. Bison Brewing Company, an organic brewing company from Berkeley, had a few of its year-round and seasonal beers to try.

I had the Gingerbread Ale. It was just spicy enough and not too heavy. It was very fragrant. Michael had the Chocolate Stout. It's a medium-dark beer and not overpowering on the chocolate or malt like really dark stouts. We enjoyed both, and I am a fan because they are USDA Certified Organic!

I am going to look for their IPA at the store so look for that review in the future...

Lucky Hand's California Common

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This past weekend I attend the 4th Anual FoodBuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco. I had a great time and got to meet many other fellow bloggers. I also got to eat and drink some good stuff.

I had dinner compliments of FoodBuzz at the Millennium, a mostly vegan restaurant.  They had a nice liquor and wine selection, but I went with a beer, Luck Hand's California Common Ale.

Lucky Hand Brewing Company is only three years old and only has two beers currently, the California Common and the Black Lager.  I could not find much more information on the company. Hopefully they will continue to grow and produce more good beers.

California Common is a style of beer that popped up in California out of necessity. Pioneers had to adapt traditional ales to the ingredients they had on hand. They also had to ferment in colder conditions. The result  is a more rustic beer .Lucky Hand's was very drinkable. It went well with my spicy glazed tempeh but I could easily drink it with a burger too. It was well balance; however, a bit on the malty side, which I actually liked.

And, Lucky Hand is organic! Keep up the good work, I cannot wait to try more!

Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival and Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale

A few weeks ago the weather started to change and the air became a little crisper in the Silicon Valley. My mind began to dream of fall. I wanted wander through a pumpkin patch in a cozy sweater with my sweetheart. I told my daydream to my boyfriend, Michael, and he told me about the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. I instantly wanted to go.

I have to warn about two things: this is not a beer festival and there are not that many actual pumpkins at this festival. But trust me, it is still worth the trip. It's more of an arts and crafts fair. There is everything pumpkin and fall related, with some other randoms things as well. We bought some cute Hawaiian decorations for our house (we met in Hawaii while attending the University of Hawaii at Hilo and want to decorate our home like where we fell in love). 

We also had some classic fair snacks, grilled corn on the cob with no butter for me and he got a sausage. 

And of course we had a few beers, pumpkin beer in fact! Blue Moon Brewing Company's Pumpkin Harvest Ale.  We both really enjoyed this beer. It's a lighter pumpkin ale. Not too spicy, but spicy enough. Not so pumpkin-y that it's heavy, but enough that you can still taste it. It was very refreshing, especially considering my dream of a cool fall day was in fact a unseasonably, upper 80's kind of day.

We also got the awesome official festival beer mugs. They have a new design every year. I overheard a guy said he collected all of the the past 25 years. I think Michael and I have a challenge now! We will definitely being going again next year and I am going buy a some Pumpkin Ale next time I am at the store.

McMenamin's Cornelius Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall

All photos from here

My hometown is Hillsboro, Oregon and there is no way I make my first review about any other place than McMenamin's Cornelius Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall.  I went to the restaurant a child with my family and it was one of the first bars I ever went with my friends when I turned 21.

Oregonians know and love McMenamin's Restaurants. There are several locations around Oregon and Washington. They purchase historic buildings and turn them into amazing brewpubs and restaurants. They are decorated a little eclectic, but very warm and inviting. Every location feels like you are sitting at your friend's house for dinner.  I am partial to the Road House because it is right down the street from my parents' house. They all have similar menus that vary seasonally, and feature McMenamin's own beers.

Cornelis Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall are two historic buildings for the town of Hillsboro. Built in 1850, Imbrie Hall was the original home of pioneer Robert Imbrie.  As his family grew he built a second house next door, the road house. In the late 1970s, the Imbrie family opened a restaurant. In 1986 McMenanmin's leased the property and over the next couple decades (and a legal battle over construction rights) restored the house. Lastly, in 2001 Imbrie Hall opened.

The grounds are lit- up at night during the summer.

Today you can dine in either building. The Road House has both in door and out door seating. My dad loves coming for late dinners in the summer. They have picnic tables and lights around the property. He enjoys the warm evenings with his family and a cold beer. Inside, like I said, feels like you are sitting in a friend's country home for dinner in the 1850s. However, Imbrie Hall is my favorite of the two buildings. It is a mix between an 1850s saloon and a barn house. The dark wood and metal fixtures are gorgeous. My mom and I often go for lunch when I am home. The menu is the same in both buildings though.

Ok, now for the beer. I know the selection by heart by now so I have my own opinions. You can check out their own descriptions here.  I am going to discuss my three favorites.

Ruby:
I love this beer so much it was the only thing I wanted to toast with for my graduation from the University of Oregon. It is a light ale with a little pink tint. It is a little sweet and very refreshing on a hot day. It has fresh Oregon raspberries brewed right in. My mom and I both think it tastes a little grapefruit for some reason. This is more of "girly" beer but that does not make it any less amazing.

Hammerhead:
It's a classic golden ale. Hoppy and a little malty. It goes great with anything on the menu, but I suggest using it wash down a burger because they make their own buns with the beer!

Terminator Stout:
It's dark, rich, and chocolatey. If you like dark beers, this is the one for you.

They also have seasonal ales that change often so I suggest trying them too. I can't remember what it was called, but I had this wheat one a few years back that I still dream of often.

Man, this post made me homesick--and thirsty!

What Makes a Beer Vegan?

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Just because you have committed to living a healthier life by eliminating all animals products does not mean you can never have a frosty glass of beer again--in moderation of course. You are probably wondering why in the world a beer would not be vegan, isn't it made from grains like hops and barley? Most beers are made from vegan ingredients, so have no fear. There are two reasons that a beer may not be vegan: the filtering process and the flavoring ingredients.

Let's talk about the filtering process. Ever heard of isinglass? It is form of collagen obtained from the bladder of fish. It was traditionally used to filter and clarify beers so they could stabilize faster. Vegans do not use or consume any animal products or byproducts, so fish bladder extract is not okay. Nowadays most breweries do not use isinglass anymore, but a few traditional breweries in the UK still do. So sadly, vegans cannot enjoy a a pint of Guinness.  Some breweries also use gelatin, which is collagen from various animals (ever heard the phrase "Take the horse to the glue factory"?).  Once again, it is an animal byproduct and therefore not vegan.  Most breweries now use diatomaceous earth, which is crushed silca rock.

Although the basic ingredients of beer like hops, barley, and wheat are vegan, sometimes brewers add some flavoring ingredients that are not. The most common one is honey. Honey comes from bees, and although bees are insects, it is still a living organism and therefore is not vegan.

There is an easy way to find out if your beer is vegan or not. If you are at a brew pup, simply ask. Ask your server or bartender what they use to filter and what ingredients are in each beer. Most of the time they love sharing information about their beer and will answer any question you have (and will suggest a beer for you to try!)  If you are enjoying a beer at home, just research it online.

There are tons of vegan beers for you to enjoy, so do not let a few processes and ingredients deter you.

Welcome to the World of Vegan Beer!

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My man lucked out and not only got a beer drinking girl, but a beer appreciating one. I am from the great state of Oregon, which has the second most microbreweries per capita. Needless to say, I have been spoiled with amazing and unique brews. I like to check out the local breweries everywhere I travel.  I thought I would share my thoughts and inspire you to start checking out some places too!

Check out my other blog, All You Eat is Vegetables?  for some yummy cruelty-free and healthy recipes to munch on while you gulp down a cold brew.