Welcome back to our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast… the podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Patreon community! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts on HomebrewSupply.com and Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
We welcome one of our favorite people in the homebrewing community, Fred Coleman, to the show. Fred, also known as @BlindBrewGuy on Instagram, is an avid brewer who splits his time between Arizona and Minnesota. He also happens to be visually impaired but that doesn’t stop him from brewing up delicious batches of homebrewed beer and we had a blast talking with him. I have felt bad for excluding Todd and James on these homebrewer showcase episodes so you’ll notice that it was a nice addition having them on with our special guest.
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Become a Patron! Reminder that these episodes are ultimately made possible because of YOUR support. Consider becoming a member of our newly launched Patreon page and receive perks such as merch, exclusive group access and content, recipes, and some tiers even get monthly recipe kits mailed to you! https://www.patreon.com/HomebrewHappyHour
Welcome back to another episode of the Recipe Recap & Review show!
This show features discussions on the recipes that we’re brewing, how our brew day experiences went, and what we think about the finished beer after it’s done fermenting and is properly carbonated.
Click on the link above to buy either kit for yourself or you can even download the recipe instructions (grain bill + ingredients included) at that same link for FREE.
All of the recipes we feature on Recipe Recap & Review are provided by HomebrewSupply.com — Fresh ingredients, the best prices, and same-day flat rate shipping make Homebrew Supply your shop for brewing beer. HomebrewSupply.com – make your brew day better!
Welcome back to our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast… the podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Patreon community! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts on HomebrewSupply.com and Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
We had a great time recording this week’s episode for you! We recorded on “National Beer Day”, which happens to be one of our most favorite made-up holiday. I hope you were able to celebrate too. We then took your questions and discussed a ton of fun topics that I also hope spread some useful information on keeping beer at room temperatures (or, ideal temps for storing beer), is it legal to “give away” beer, should I filter my homebrewed beer, and what else could cause a “stale” off-flavor in my beer if I didn’t splash/oxidize my batch?
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Become a Patron! Reminder that these episodes are ultimately made possible because of YOUR support. Consider becoming a member of our newly launched Patreon page and receive perks such as merch, exclusive group access and content, recipes, and some tiers even get monthly recipe kits mailed to you! https://www.patreon.com/HomebrewHappyHour
Welcome back to our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast… the podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Patreon community! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts on HomebrewSupply.com and Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
We’ve got a fun-filled episode lined up for you this week! Todd and James graciously joined me to take your questions and we discussed a ton. We also went over the new recipe kits for our recipe receiving members of the Super Duper Homebrew Club AND Todd talked about some of the used HERMS units he is selling (click here to learn more, if interested: https://www.homebrewhappyhour.com/sale/ ) on top of all the info we dove into from your questions.
We want to hear from you!
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Become a Patron! Reminder that these episodes are ultimately made possible because of YOUR support. Consider becoming a member of our newly launched Patreon page and receive perks such as merch, exclusive group access and content, recipes, and some tiers even get monthly recipe kits mailed to you! https://www.patreon.com/HomebrewHappyHour
THESE ARE OFFICIALLY SOLD! THANKS TO ALL WHO INQUIRED AND CONGRATS TO THOSE WHO GOT SOME DEALS!
1st Unit: Spike 20 gallon Herms Brewing System Complete. This Spike 20 Gallon HERMS System has been used at Kegconnection’s headquarters to brew test batches for just under 4 years. This system is in great shape and is a pleasure to brew on. It has large kettles that actually hold more than 20 gallons and we often brewed 17.5 gallon batches so we could completely fill three of the 5 gallon kegs. This system was originally over $5,200. Price with FREE SHIPPING is $2595.00 SOLD
2nd Unit: Brautag Prototype This was the last Prototype unit we used before the final product. It has 3 AMCYL Kettles that are marked to 20 gallons, but have about 22 gallons of capacity. These kettles are new, unused. This These kettles have welded fittings which are strong but have some minor imperfections in the weld. would be an issue in a fermenter, but poses no issue in the brewing kettles because everything is boiled in the end. The controller on this system is almost identical to the final controller and works great. Todd has brewed on this controller at his home about 5 times. This system comes ready to brew! Price with FREE SHIPPING is $1,990 (Less than it cost to build!) SOLD
3rd Unit: Pre-Brautag Prototype This was our very first HERMS system. It has stainless steel bulkhead fittings. The Kettles are AMCYL 20 gallon kettles that actually hold about 22 gallons. The controller works well, but it not a “pretty” as our newer controllers (this is James description, Todd thinks it looks great). This was Todd’s main brewing system for 2 years. It was replaced (not because it did not work great) because we were trying to test other units. This unit is fully functional and ready to brew! Price with FREE SHIPPING (to business addresses) is $1,490 (much less than it cost to build!) SOLD
3 Kettles ONLY, welded for Fittings. Hot Liquor Tank, Mash Tun and Boil Kettle These three Kettles were used a couple of times and set up with HERMS system. They are ready to go for a do-it-yourself Herms system and we can help with any parts you need. They hold just over 19 gallons each. They have all welded fittings. They have some dings and dents from original shipping, but this does not affect function. Price is $500 (way under cost) for pickup or we can quote shipping to your location. SOLD
Welcome back to our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast… the podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Patreon community! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts on HomebrewSupply.com and Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Todd and James join me to take your questions for this week’s episode. We’ve been having a great time reading your feedback from our recent Kolsch Cup and we want to know: what event should we host next? Altbier seems like the style you’d think we should judge for the next competition but we are also open to your ideas.
We want to hear from you!
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Become a Patron! Reminder that these episodes are ultimately made possible because of YOUR support. Consider becoming a member of our newly launched Patreon page and receive perks such as merch, exclusive group access and content, recipes, and some tiers even get monthly recipe kits mailed to you! https://www.patreon.com/HomebrewHappyHour
There are a myriad of reasons for one decide they would like to become a beer judge. Some may wish to judge beer competitions, others may want to enhance their sensory perception in their own brewing, while others may look at it as an education opportunity to learn about beer styles and historical brewing practices. An often overlooked benefit to becoming a judge is that the process may benefit your own beer. By studying the causes of off-flavors and the ways to prevent them via adapting your brewing techniques, you may find that your own beer is greatly enhanced.
The most well-known judge certification program is the BJCP- the Beer Judge Certification Program. While “beer” is one of the names of the program, this organization also has guidelines for cider and mead. The main objective of the BJCP is to provide a standardized program to train beer judges, providing education, appreciation and knowledge of the world’s beer styles. They have many sanctioned competitions world-wide and entering a competition is a great way to get impartial feedback on your brew.
Even if you don’t actually become a registered judge, the process of preparing to take the exam can be very valuable to you in tasting and brewing your own beer. Whatever the reasons for wanting to become a beer judge, the process is fairly straightforward. With the BJCP, the first step is to learn about beer styles, and begin tasting beer. That sounds easy, and it is! Instead of simply drinking a beer, begin actually tasting it. The idea is to evaluate this beer fully. Start by pouring and simply trying to enjoy the aroma. What do you smell? Consider the mouthfeel, and the flavors you detect. Even if you don’t have the exact words, try to label the flavor and the sensation. Is it smooth/harsh/thin? Does the flavor remind you of breadcrusts, or toast? Is it grainy? Do you notice citrus notes? Is it sweet in the finish? Fully experience each swallow, and then compare the differences you note as you finish the beer. To help with this, the BJCP has a list of style guidelines for each named beer style, so that you can read about a Munich dunkel while you drink one, to learn some of the words associated with that style.
(See the BJCP guidelines here: https://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf). For example, a Munich dunkel is “bready-toasty” and may have hints of chocolate or caramel. As you sip, concentrate on the flavor and note these words that come to mind. This sensory analysis is made easier if you have a homebrew club with chances for sensory perception training, as others with experience can help with the words for the flavors that you may perceive.
Once you read the style guidelines for your chosen beer, read them again! Understand the beer for the style, so that your expectations of that beer match the description of that style. Note the aroma changes as the beer sits in front of you. Hold it up to the light and notice color, clarity and foam. Does the head linger or fade quickly? As you name the flavors and aromas you perceive, also note the depth/strength of them. Once the more prominent notes fade, try to pick up the more subtle nuances and name them as well. Take note of the hops, the flavor of the malt, any yeast flavors imparted, the amount of sweetness, and the finish as you swallow. Notice any flaws or off-flavors.. All of these add up to the impression and enjoyment of the beer, and make the difference between a “good beer” and an “excellent beer” from a judging standpoint.
The BJCP scoresheet has sections on aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, appearance, and impression as well as some definitions of some of the common off-flavors, so if you can print out a blank scoresheet and look at it as you sip, this can be very helpful. Practice judging a beer with the scoresheet, as that will help you analyze the separate components: https://www.bjcp.org/docs/SCP_BeerScoreSheet.pdf
It is helpful to utilize aids in your study- for example, books discussing different beer styles, the BJCP study guide, internet sites about beer tasting, and also looking into brewing techniques and the common off-flavors that can arise from fermentation mistakes and brewing flaws. A local homebrew club or online club can be extremely helpful in this process, as when you taste a beer with a flavor that isn’t familiar, someone can help you name it. If you’ve never been told that a “phenol” is clove-like or medicinal, or that an “ester” can be fruity like bananas, it’s hard to recognize those on your own. That said, it is possible to do self-study and with plenty of tasting and reading, you can definitely become a beer judge without a single class or meeting.
Educational aids such as off-flavor flash cards, off-flavor kits (to doctor commercial beers to recognize off-flavors), a beer color wheel, books on recipe formulation and BJCP materials are readily available to assist your journey.
If there is a beer competition in your area, volunteering to steward the exam can be a huge step towards becoming a beer judge yourself. You will be privy to the methods and paperwork that is used in the judging, hear the judges’ discussion of the beer and the scoring process. Usually you will get a pour also to follow along. Judges love to help newcomers learn to become beer judges as well, and will usually answer any questions you may have.
The BJCP’s Study Guide was created to help you become a beer judge. See it here: https://www.bjcp.org/docs/BJCP_Study_Guide.pdf. Once you feel comfortable with your knowledge, they have a practice self-test to simulate the online exam. When you are ready to take the real online exam, the cost for each test or retest is $10. The exam is based on the questions in the Study Guide, and is a pass/fail exam. To take a practice test or the exam, visit the BJCP’s online exam site here: https://bjcp.coursewebs.com/cart/pageCatalog.aspx.
There are also cider and mead online exams available. Once you pass this online exam, you are a provisional judge and then you can be scheduled for a tasting exam to become a registered judge. Currently, due to social distancing and meeting restrictions, there are fewer exams scheduled but you do have plenty of time to take the exam as one becomes available to you. There is an exam calendar on the BJCP site, and you can sign up online.
Preparing to be a beer judge does take time and dedication (and of course, plenty of beer to drink!) and is a worthwhile endeavor. You will enhance your sensory perception, learn to be an impartial critic of your own beers, enjoy learning about historical beers and their genesis, have beer education opportunities, spend time with like-minded beer lovers while studying or judging, and have a broad knowledge of brewing and beer styles. Because of this, the process of learning to judge beer usually leads to being a better brewer in the end.
and welcome back to our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast… the podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Patreon community! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts on HomebrewSupply.com and Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
I am joined by a very special guest and I couldn’t be more excited. He is the man crowed “Grand Champion” by Todd, James, Joe, and myself for the 2021 Kölsch Cup, Mr. Brian Geraghty. I got to talk with him and learn more about his history as a homebrewer, what he’s brewing on, his favorite styles to brew, and a whole lot more. I truly had a great time with Brian on this week’s show!
– We want to hear from you –
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Let us know what you think and enjoy the show!
cheers,
joshua
————————–
Today’s show is brought to you by HomebrewSupply.com! HBS has all of your favorite recipe kits, fresh ingredients, and homebrew equipment in stock. Homebrew Happy Hour listeners can visit HomebrewSupply.com and use the promo code “HHH” to receive 5% off your order.
Become a Patron! Reminder that these episodes are ultimately made possible because of YOUR support. Consider becoming a member of our newly launched Patreon page and receive perks such as merch, exclusive group access and content, recipes, and some tiers even get monthly recipe kits mailed to you! https://www.patreon.com/HomebrewHappyHour
Welcome back to our Homebrew Happy Hour podcast… the podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Patreon community! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts on HomebrewSupply.com and Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
FIRST OFF – today is a great day. Do you know why today is a great day? It happens to be the first day of Kolsch Cup 2021! As you are watching or listening to this week’s episode, we have started judging 60+ entries of homebrewed kolsch sent in by listeners and we’ll be awarding 1 grand champion on Saturday. I could NOT be more excited!
For this week’s show, Todd and James joined me as we took on your submitted questions. It was a great time and I hope you get as much out of it as I always do.
We want to hear from you!
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Let us know what you think and enjoy the show!
cheers,
joshua
————————–
Today’s show is brought to you by HomebrewSupply.com! HBS has all of your favorite recipe kits, fresh ingredients, and homebrew equipment in stock. Homebrew Happy Hour listeners can visit HomebrewSupply.com and use the promo code “HHH” to receive 5% off your order.
Become a Patron! Reminder that these episodes are ultimately made possible because of YOUR support. Consider becoming a member of our newly launched Patreon page and receive perks such as merch, exclusive group access and content, recipes, and some tiers even get monthly recipe kits mailed to you! https://www.patreon.com/HomebrewHappyHour
