Ladies of Craft Beer

Posted By: SBenner

Poster courtesy of stonebrew.com

The Raleigh Times Bar in Raleigh, NC, has earned quite a few distinctions over the years, including multiple recognitions on Draft’s “100 Best Beer Bars” list. The most recent is a bit more specific, but carries quite the honor – Stone Brewing Co. declared it the “Most Arrogant Bar in America.” The honor came after North Carolinians drank the most pints of Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale, Double Bastard Ale, and OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale during a week-long promotion in fall 2011. This is the third year in a row a North Carolina drinking hole took the honors, with previous winners being from Charlotte.

Greg Koch, Stone Brewing Co. CEO, was at the celebration at Raleigh Times on March 24 to present the plaque and join hundreds of thirsty admirers in enjoying a prime lineup of a dozen Stone beers. After careful consideration, my husband and I chose Arrogant Bastard Ale, dry-hopped Arrogant Bastard, Imperial Russian Stout, Double Bastard Ale with chipotle peppers, and the Smoked Porter with vanilla beans. The special additions, like chipotle peppers or vanilla beans, enhanced the base beer just enough to smooth them out, and not change the flavor so much you wouldn’t recognize what you’re drinking.

I had the great opportunity to talk with Greg about the event and his impression of the following that Stone, and specifically the “Bastard” series, has developed over the years. When asked about the impression North Carolina has made having taken the honors three years in a row, he said we are “unquestionably very passionate” about our craft beer. The state is home to 21 brewpubs and 28 breweries, and most recently added Sierra Nevada to that list. The craft beer pioneer will set up their East coast facility, including restaurant, about 20 miles south of Asheville, which currently holds the title of “Beer City USA.”

Greg said to expect the Stone version of the Dogfish Head/Victory/Stone collaboration, Saison du Buff, later this year. The three breweries are getting together at the San Diego-based facility in May to put a California spin on the previously brewed batches from Dogfish Head and Victory. The herbs for the beer, which have included rosemary, thyme, and coriander, are grown right at Stone’s own 18-acre farm.

The event lived up to expectations, with Raleigh Times even creating a menu for the day that they deemed “Incredibly Arrogant.” We are looking forward to that week in the fall where we accept the challenge to bring the title back to North Carolina once again!

Related Posts:

• Vicki Stowe – Brewmaster (The College Years, Part 18)
• Slate.com – The Hops Ceiling
• Interview with Randy Mosher about Women and Beer (Guest post by Ingrid Calderoni)
• Vicki Stowe – Brewmaster (The College Years, Part 15)
• Vicki Stowe – Brewmaster (The College Years, Part 14)

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

Hello There. I’d like to introduce myself to the Ladies of Craft Beer. I’m Beki and I’m a lover of craft beer. I like to think of myself as a beer connoisseur, and a beer enthusiast, but never a beer snob. As far as I’m concerned, you should drink (and homebrew) what you like!! I figured since this is my first blog, I’d make it sort of a bio-get to know me blog. So here goes. . .

It’s no secret that my family loves beer. In fact my husband Frank’s great-great grandfather was the owner of a local pre-prohibition brewery, “The Peter Krantz Brewery”. And his five sons, owned and operated “The Fell Brewery”. They had a thriving brewery company until nasty 18th Amendment was passed. Prohibition put the Krantzes out of business, and as a result I didn’t marry a rich Beer Barron like Adolphus Busch. But rather, and more importantly, a really great guy who shared my love of beer, and had a really cool family history that he wanted me to be a part of!!

I guess we started out not much different that anyone else. Fresh out of college with little money to spare, our beer choices often reflected what was on sale that week. This went on for a few years, but it all changed for good one fateful day. We (along with our best friend, and partner in the love of beer, Brian) went on a PA craft beer brewery bus tour. In one day we visited Tröegs, Lancaster, Appalachian, and Stoudts. I’m happy to report life has never been the same since then.

I can vividly remember the flavorful beer dancing on my tongue as I sampled wheat beers, hoppy beers, milk stouts, and pale ales for the first time. So much flavor, so much mouth feel. . .Oh Sweet Nectar!! During the trip when we toured all of the breweries and it was like a switch was turned on for both Frank and me. It was as if the ghosts of Krantz Brewers past we’re beckoning us to carry on the family brewing tradition. We knew could, and should brew flavorful beer!!

One day not too long after that several boxes appeared at the front door. Frank had bought all of the equipment to homebrew, and enough ingredients for two batches of beer: a traditional lager, and an IPA. (Isn’t he the greatest husband EVER??)

The first two beers we homebrewed we were a smashing success!! We proudly shared them with our family and friends. They begged us to brew more beer, and then further complex styles. We happily obliged. So we bought several beer recipe books, and joined a few homebrew forums online. This is where my creative juices really took over. You see, as the matriarch of my family, I am seasoned cook. I love the satisfaction I get from knowing I made something from scratch that tastes so good, and that it makes those I care about happy. It’s an Italian woman’s highest expression of love. I like to joke that I am an artist, and food is my medium. So it really wasn’t that much of a stretch for me to apply this “art form” to brewing beer. And having a degree that included extensive microbiology studies didn’t hurt either!! Today I use recipes sort of like a jumping board, or a backbone that I build on. I like taking a classic beer style, like say an IPA, and giving it my own personal flair. I enjoy experimenting with what flavors “play nice” together. Sometimes the recipes come to me in dreams, and I have to wake up and quickly write them down before I forget!!

Since it’s still the fall season I’d like to share my Pumpkin Draught recipe with you. In the spirit of my “brew and drink beer you like” philosophy, I prefer to write my recipes as an outline, rather than a step by step guide. This allows the brewmaster the flexibility to add their personality to any recipe. And well just as any good cook won’t give you their exact blue ribbon recipe, I think the same holds true for a really exceptional beer recipe!! Feel free to tweak this as you see fit. (after all it’s YOUR BEER)

Given that most homebrewers start out as extract brewers, I’ve decided to write my recipe that way. If you’ve advanced to partial mash or all grain, please feel free to convert some / or all of the LME to the grain of your choice.

Pumpkin Draught

1/2 lb carapils /dextrin (this is important for mouth feel, head retention, and foam stability)
1/2 lb caramel/crystal malt (I would suggest caramel 10L – 40L, cara hell, cara red, or cara amber)
2 (3.3lbs) LME (I would suggest light, gold, amber or a combination)
1/4 – 1/2 cup brown sugar (light for less pronounced flavor, dark for a more pronounced flavor)
2 (14oz) cans pumpkin
1 tsp good quality cinnamon (if you put dollar store quality in your beer, you’ll get dollar store taste)
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (again quality matters)
a pinch of any other spices/ingredients you might think taste good in pumpkin pie (cloves, orange peel, ginger, etc)
1 oz Mt Hood Hops (or other 3.5-4.0 AA hop)
3/4 oz Cascade Hops (or other 5.5-6.5 AA hop)
1/4 oz Saaz Hops (or other 3AA-ish aroma hop)
1 tsp. Irish Moss
American or British Ale Yeast

Bring about 2 – 2 1/2 gallons of water to 155º. Remove from heat and then steep the crushed grains in a grain bag for 20-30 mins. Thoroughly drain the grain bag, give it a squeeze and discard the spent grains. Add both cans of LME, and brown sugar stirring to completely dissolve. Bring to a boil and add Mt Hood hops. After 45 minutes add Irish moss. Continue to boil for 10 more minutes then add pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, (any additional spices that suit your fancy) and Cascade hops stirring to avoid scorching of the pumpkin. Boil 5 minutes longer (for a total of a 60 minute boil) and add Saaz hops at flame out. Cool wort, rack into a sterilized5 gallon fermenter, top off with sterile cool water to5 gallons, and pitch yeast. Primary fermentation 5-7 days, secondary fermentation 3-5 days (for a total of 10 days). Bottle with 5oz priming sugar or keg.

This is Beki Kosydar-Krantz’ first post with the Ladies of Craft Beer. You can check out Beki’s (and her husband’s) brewing endeavors on their The Krantz Brewing Co. facebook page.

Originally posted 2010-11-09 10:30:50.

Posted By: PFinicky

Marinade
- 6 large cloves of garlic
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 lb raw shrimps, peeled and deveined. Cooked shrimp is optional.
- Salt and pepper

Sauce
- 1 and ½ cups pilsner (I used Saranac Bohemian Pilsner)
- Handful of cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1-2 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper

Pasta
- 1 box linguine (1 lb)
- 1 and ½ cups grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Grated parmesan is optional.
- 1 heaping tbsp of dried basil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Olive oil, approximately 1/3 cup.

DIRECTIONS
1. Marinade the shrimp: Using a blender or food processor, blend the garlic, oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the shrimp and toss to combine. Place in a resealable plastic bag and marinade in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
2. Once the shrimp is done marinating, boil the linguine according to package directions until al dente. Drain and quickly rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process. Return pasta to the pot but keep off the heat.
3. Prepare the Linguine: Drizzle the 1/3 cup of olive oil on the pasta, add more if desired. Add the grated cheese, basil, zest and juice. Toss to combine, ensure that every strand is covered with cheese. Cover the pasta and set aside.
4. Heat a skillet on medium heat (it should be deep enough to hold the total amount of beer.) Empty the contents of the resealable bag into the skillet and fry until the shrimp is opaque and pink (add the handful of tomatoes 2 minutes before the shrimp is fully cooked).
5. Once the juices in the skillet have mostly evaporated, add the pilsner. Lower the flame to low heat and let the sauce simmer until reduced in half.
6. Add the chopped dill, cilantro and honey into the sauce and stir. Add salt and pepper according to taste. Let simmer for another 2 minutes.
7. Prepare the linguine on a deep dish. Pour the beer sauce all over the pasta and arrange the shrimp as desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Related Posts:

• Pumpkin Beer Muffins
• A Meatloaf Aday
• Spiced Imperial Pumpkin Pie by Paula Finicky
• Beer Cheese Soup
• Hot Game Sausage Dip

Originally posted 2010-12-06 14:58:10.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

Featured photograph courtesy of (ironically) a 1949 Miller High Life Advertisement

Things are looking up in the world of home brewing- laws are changing, craft beer is booming, and there are limitless possibilities in the realm of equipment and know-how. Resources are at your fingertips, and the results are delicious.

Do you know a homebrewer or someone who is itching to start? Do you know someone who has expressed an interest in brewing, no matter how small?

If so- you’ve come to the right spot to figure out a great holiday gift for your favorite homebrewing pal. From beginner to intermediate to the semi-professional, we’ve got ideas for educational resources, equipment and even software that will help keep those bottle caps popping!

Educational:

• Good friend and advocate of Ladies of Craft Beer Billy Broas has recently launched an online resource aptly called The HomeBrew Academy. Billy’s service currently includes write-ups, videos, a glossary and instructions on the process of becoming a homebrewer. As the site builds, he will add more advanced instructions and supplemental videos on interesting topics with special guests such as “Brewing Sour Beers” with Mike Tonsmeire of the Mad Fermentationist. The best thing about this complete and comprehensive online resource? It’s only $30. Word on the street is that the HomeBrew Academy will close tonight at 10PM Eastern Time so get in while you still can! (The HomeBrew Academy will open again for enrollment in 3 to 5 months.) Sign your homebrewer up here.
• There are TONS of homebrew based books available on the market today, but here are a few suggestions of our favorites: The Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian, Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anybody Can Brew by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer, Radical Brewing: Recipes, Tales and World-Altering Meditations in a Glass by Randy Mosher, and Designing Great Beers: The Ultimate Guide to Brewing Classic Beer Styles by Ray Daniels. For more great books, just search “homebrew” on Amazon.com.

For the Beginner:

• Looking for a small kit to get someone who wants to try homebrewing before going all the way? Try the 1 gallon kits from Brooklyn Brewshop and from The Brewer’s Market. Both sites also sell larger beginner kits in 5 gallon batch sizes. I, for one, got the men in my family each a one gallon kit from the Brooklyn Brewshop- a convenient package that not only includes the specialty equipment needed for brewing but the ingredients for one of six different flavors of beer- Gingerbread Ale, Chestnut Brown Ale, Honey Sage Seasonal, Everyday IPA, A Well Made Tripel and Chocolate Maple Porter. Kits range from $40-$150 and ingredient mixes (to continue brewing) range from $15-$50.

For the Intermediate:

• Some of the most handy tools for the homebrewer are calculators for recipes, gravity, IBUs, priming sugar, etc. BeerSmith is a comprehensive software package that combines these calculators in a user friendly, easy to use way. BeerSmith also has a great printer interface where brewers can print out their (just made) recipes in a step-by-step format that is easy to read and works well with the brewing process. This software can even make equipment recommendations based on what you already have and help you schedule your brew dates. BeerSmith is available for a free 21 day trial and the full version of the software only costs $21.95.

For the Semi-Pro:

• This Cornelius kegging system from Midwest Brewing Supplies is a great starter kit for the homebrewer who wants to get into easier storage methods for their beer. Kegging is the process of inserting beer into one vessel for storage while simultaneously inserting carbon dioxide (carbonation) into the beer (this normally happens in the bottling process by adding priming sugar to the beer). Kits can range from this size (about $175) to multi-tap systems in the $300-$500 range.

Gifts for Everyone:

• Speaking of Midwest Brewing Supplies, those guys are your one stop shop source for beer, wine, cheese, coffee, soda, liquer, mead, cider and sake supplies. They also have these great lists of popular homebrewing gifts in the $1-$25 price range, $26-$50 price range, $51-$100 price range, and beyond. Check out their site for more details.
• If you want to get a homebrew centric gift but really aren’t sure what the equipment is and don’t want to get your homebrewer the wrong thing, check out this awesome (and searchable!) database by Brewer’s Roundtable for a listing of homebrew supply stores in your area. Most shops sell gift certificates or gift cards in different amounts- this way your homebrewer can buy what they need on their own terms.

• There are lots of great beer-centric magazines available nowadays, but the favorite of homebrewers here at Ladies of Craft Beer is Brew Your Own. Full of informational articles on brewing issues, procedures, equipment, and recipes for new beers as well as clone recipes for your favorite commercial brews, this gift is the gift that keeps on giving year-round. Brew Your Own is currently running a special of 8 issues (1 year) for $28 including the first issue as a free trial. This means that if for some reason, after the first issue, you aren’t satisfied, you cancel your subscription and pay nothing. I’ve been getting Brew Your Own for almost a year now, and I still wait by my mailbox for the next issue! Click here to subscribe.

• Last, but of course, not least, remember that your Ladies of Craft Beer have calendars and tee-shirts available at our merch store. Our official tees (see picture above) are a relaxed fit tee perfect for brew days. Our calendar can be used to schedule out days for brewing or to remind you when to bottle (or even your favorite upcoming beer events!) We also have men’s tees, more women’s tees, long sleeve tees, hoodies, and baby and pet apparel available on our Spreadshirt shop. Check it out here.

Whew! With so many choices available, (and this isn’t even the half of it!) how can you pick just one? Hopefully this guide has helped you out, but if you have any questions or need help finding something, feel free to contact me below.

Cheers, and have a happy, healthy and safe holiday!

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Related Posts:

• Women in Beer Series – Audra Marotta
• Homebrews & Craft Beer — The Gifts That Keep on Giving
• Philly Beer Tour #1
• Women in Beer Series – Melissa Ward
• Women in Beer Series – Mariah Calagione

Originally posted 2010-12-13 12:49:23.

Posted By: Melissa Ward

When people ask me where I’m from, I tend to be a smartass and say “the entire East Coast.” It’s not completely hyperbolic, seeing that I’ve lived in 5 different states up and down the coast. But while I might proudly call the Philly metro area my home, there will always be a special place in my heart for Upstate NY.

And in Upstate there’s a fantastic city called Ithaca, bordering the beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Region. Ithaca has a green reputation, Cornell University (Go Big Red!), and a growing brewery: Ithaca Beer Co., nicknamed “The Spirit of the Finger Lakes.”

I know my Uncle Larry—Cornell alum and Ithaca native for at least 30+ years (probably more)—favors Ithaca’s Nut Brown Ale; a lot of folks in NY do. For me though, I have to hand it to Ithaca’s seasonal offerings and its Excelsior! series. The other day, while perusing the cold case at my local Wegmans (yet another jewel of Upstate NY), I heard a six-pack of Ithaca’s Cold Front, a Belgian Amber Ale, calling my name.

According to Ithaca’s website, “Cold Front is our Belgian-style Amber Ale brewed in autumn to keep us inspired as the days grow shorter and the nights colder. It’s brewed with European Malts and hops and fermented with a legendary Belgian ‘Farmhouse’ yeast.”

Cold Front stands at 7.2% ABV, technically outside the prescribed limits of a “session beer,” but it’s extremely drinkable as a pint or two. The beer pours a deep amber brown with a fluffy white head. A spicy, Belgian yeast aroma erupted from the glass as I poured—I knew this would be good.

Taking a whiff, the nose is chock-full of spice. Taking my first sip, I’m greeted with a deep caramely sweetness with just the hint of dark stone fruit. Cold Front finishes slightly dry, demanding the drinker to take sip after sip.

What I find particularly clever is that Ithaca’s spring seasonal is called Ground Break. It’s a hoppy American Saison that celebrates spring and the waning of winter. As someone who spent five winters in NY, I can appreciate the care Ithaca’s brewers take to remind us that there are good (and warmer!) things around the bend.

Originally posted 2010-10-19 09:05:30.

Posted By: VGimpel

I think it’s fair to say that while I am a very ambitious home brewer, I am also the quintessential lazy (not to mention cheap) home brewer. I’ve been brewing all grain since my third batch, mainly because I wasn’t appreciative of the limitations on my creativity that extract brewing afforded me.

When I started looking into going all grain, it was because it was Christmas time last year, and I wanted to make a clone of Rogue’s Santa’s Private Reserve (recipe here if you’re interested). The home brewing forums scared me off a little at first, with talk of converting coolers to mash tuns, drilling holes, home depot runs for strange piping that I’d never heard of, and horror stories of these conversions gone wrong. Then I stumbled on a couple of threads talking about “brew-in-a-bag”; it sounded like the answer I was looking for!

Since then I’ve been told almost every time I admit to a fellow home brewer that I don’t own a mash tun, and that I brew-in-a-bag, I get the “Oh, that’s right, all you Aussies do that!” Apparently it’s an Australian home brewer characteristic that I happened to stumble upon purely out of looking for an easier way to do it!

I now have a slightly bigger set-up, but for all you apartment or Northern-dwelling folk who have to brew inside at least part of the year, here’s how I did it originally on the stove inside! My “stovetop” all grain method assumes that you have a plastic fermenting bucket like you would get in a starter kit – I think most of us started that way. If not, you might need to get creative!

Equipment Needed

• Fermenting bucket (or 8-10 gallon pot)
• 2 x 4ish gallon pots to boil sparge water (or 3 smaller pots)
• Mash paddle/long handled spoon
• Thermometer (floating or dial that hooks on)

• 10 gallon paint strainer bag (pick one up at the hardware store)
• 6-8 medium sized binder clips
• Some kind of pan, pot or tray to catch the liquid from the grain bag (it’s liquid gold!) I use a metal colander over a smaller pot.
• If it’s a cooler day, a blanket/big towel to wrap your bucket in is a wise idea!

How-To!

1. Figure out how much strike water you’ll need. I’ve found a thicker mash has worked better for me (although there are many schools of thought on this). I usually calculate about 1.15 – 1.2 quarts of water per lb of grain.

2. Heat your strike water on the stove

3. Figure out how hot your strike water needs to be here. You can figure it out manually with this formula (courtesy of How to Brew by John Palmer) if you feel like exercising your algebra skills

Tw = (0.2/R)(T2-T1) + T2

Tw – Temp of water; T2 = Target Mash Temp; T1 = Initial Temperature of mash (temp of your house); R = Water to grain ratio

4. While the water is heating, place the paint bag into the bucket with the edge of the bag folded over the top. Secure the bag to the bucket with the binder clips.

5. Once the water hits your desired temperature, dump the water into the bucket, followed by your grain. Stir the grain well, check your temp – you might need to add a touch more hot water to get it up to the right temp, and cover with the lid. Note: if it’s a bucket with a hole for your airlock, plug the hole with some cling wrap.

6. I recommend stirring your grains every 10-20 minutes; but do it quickly, you don’t want to lose the heat!

7. Start heating your sparge water ASAP, especially if you use electric! I usually sparge around 168-170 degrees with good results. How much sparge water is going to depend on your pots, and how much you lose to boil off. I usually aim to have about 7 gallons for 90 minute boil & 5.5 gallon batch; everyone’s system will vary so it may be a little trial and error till you get it right.

9. Take the grain bag out of the bucket, let drain a bit and then transfer to whatever you will hold it in to drain. Being ladies, I hate to say it, but you might need a hand, these things are damn heavy soaked with water!

10. Pour the collected wort into a spare pot or bucket to hold till you’re ready to boil. Add the wort from the drain tray into the same pot.

11. Put the grain bag back into the bucket and clip it back on. Add the sparge water all in one go, stir it well, put the lid back on and leave for 15-20 minutes. Stir a couple of times during that time.

12. Remove the grains again and place grain bag into your draining tray. Add the wort from the bucket and drain tray into a pot on the stove. Gently! You don’t want too much aeration at this point

13. Bring the wort up to a rolling boil, and continue with your hop additions etc. as you normally would.

Yes, I know this system is not perfect. However, It will definitely give you the chance to try out some all grain recipes on a limited budget and with limited space – I know that’s something a lot of ya’ll have to deal with. I hope this helps!

Originally posted 2010-11-10 09:05:03.

Posted By: JOConnell

Jennifer O’Connell lives in Decatur, GA and is a co-founder of Georgia Ale & Lager Sirens (GALS). A long time lover & friend of craft beer she is also known by some as Hoptrollop. A trained chef she currently cooks only for family and friends, but still gets her kicks creating dishes. If beer is involved in anyway, all the better.

Originally posted 2010-10-15 08:20:00.