Yes and No,
Briess DME allegedly has a maximum attenuation of 75%, and I believe most malt syrups are slightly lower than DME, but that doesn't take into account the Yeast strain, Yeast Health, pitching rate and fermentation temperature

tried this the other night.....ah-mazing!

Had these two on tap saturday.

Sort of a bready malt bomb. I would describe it as a scottish ale but with a little bit more hop aroma. I loved it. 9/10


Real bitterness but not a lot of hop aroma. Still great...most bitterness junkies would like it....and it's the best beer I've had from Lift Bridge. 7/10

So many fucking new small breweries. I read we're now past the all-time peak (1870's) of near 3,000, up from 30 (!) in the 1970's.

Too easy to make beer now? Sounds like similar problem we're having in music. Too many shitty bands out there. If someone created a bonafide filter...

It's not easier or harder than it was, well since after the 70's when homebrewing was decriminalized. But shitty beer sales are dropping and good beers sales are exploding. Last night I got a perfect example...

One of my best friends has probably consumed Miller Light cans every day of his life since turning about 16. His folks bought them, they're cajuns, it's just not a big deal. Starting in college (1992) I would venture a SAFE guess that's he's averaged 5 cans a day, period, full stop. He's never been afraid of decent beer, per se, but he's never bought it.

Talking to him on the phone (lives in southern AL now) last night, he tells me he tried some good beers at a tasting event with friends, and then as he was mulling the experience over a guy walked past him wearing a shirt that said "Life is short: Drink good beer." And in his words "dude I'm on board. I'm trying new stuff and finding a lot that I like. This is awesome."

If THAT guy is buying micros, then the brakes are off and it's full tilt downhill. Something has changed, this isn't a quick trend.

At two of our recent work parties, the MGD, Bud Light, etc.. sat there totally untouched.
I would say just a couple years ago, people would see me drinking a Summit pale ale and say something like "I don't like that dark beer stuff"

Absolutely. My father in law is getting to be like a time capsule.

Had my first beer this weekend since completing my second round of radiation and chemo. Kept it a bit easy and went with the Duck Rabbit Milk Stout. Beer has never tasted so good.

And that was a good choice.

I guess I missed where you had the big C. Sending good vibes)))))))))))))

I missed that too. Hope you are doing well k!!

Anderson Valley - Winter Solstice

Picked up a Growler of this for the Auburn/Georgia game. Really enjoyed it. Solid winter warmer without being overly spiced ala Pumpkin Ales. Fairly sweet with little in the way of hops but pretty satisfying in that bready/caramely way. Glad I shared the growler though. That style starts to wear out it's welcome after 2 or 3. ABV 6.9%.



Great Divide - Fresh Hop Ale

I may have posted this already (I can't remember anymore) but I picked up another bottle and it was as good as the first. Just a solid green, piney, pale ale. Not overwhelming at 6.1% and not some hop bomb. Really drinkable. I wish they sold it in sixers.

Benj we have to get you brewing. I got you this far... I can push you over the cliff.

While you were sitting around enjoying a Growler, I was On The Plains rocking a 6er of Monkeynaught:


carried in this:


Picked up some interesting selections yesterday. Been too long just drinking Good People IPAs and Two Hearteds (not that there's anything wrong with that....


This is an easy drinking Belgian style white that lacks the punch it should have from the description. I was expecting something a little more out there, what with the "using lemongrass and not orange peels" schtick. Not bad, but not really noteworthy either.


This was very good. I finally tried Founders Breakfast Stout, and while this is not that, it scratched my itch for a caramel-y, malt-y, semi-sweet stout.


Drank this during the podcast. It's good, but sort of "neither fish nor fowl." A little too fizzy and not thick enough for me, really.

I have not tried these yet:




A couple North Alabama brews. Blue Pants Brewery Tuxedo Black IPA and Yellowhammer Brewery IPA

and


I believe this is a Derris favorite?

For sure. That and Lagunitas IPA and Lil Sumpin Sumpin are pretty up there for West Coast IPA's. Never had a Pliny though.

Does the beer holster hold ice or just the beers?

Just don't have the space yet. Preparing the townhouse to be put on the market at the beginning of the year though. Hoping to get a house next year so as we continue to look, "brewing space" will be a wishlist item.

I want to though. Every time I'm in Hop City I alway look sadly at the home brewing section.

I don't have a lot of room, and have managed nicely. You need basically enough room for 3 separate big 6 gallon plastic buckets (the amount of space they take up) and maybe a box or a bag to store the smaller stuff in. And then a dark closet somewhere to ferment. I nest a big white bucket inside the brew kettle and hang both on a hook on some shelves. Then I have 3 carboys, and a bag of gear.

The sell will be to FemDerris... brew her favorite stuff.

You can fit 4 and ice or 5 and beers. It's made by a snow board company, so I think they're assuming the beers stay as cold outside as they do in your fridge? It's still a cool ass thing to carry around because everyone wonders what the fuck it is.

I got one of the Lowe brothers exactly the same thing, a can tube with shoulder strap (but green and gold with our logos, not awesome bullets), from the brewery store in germany before I came home in 98. It was marketed as a golf thing - you could stick it down into your club bag.

Yeah, if I can find the room to brew and store equipment in my apartment, anybody can. With that said, we have two bikes parked behind our couch and half of our linen closet is filled with bottles of homebrew.

I will vouch for the Derris' condo not having any extra space especially now with all the wedding stuff: Dude has two rubbermade "sheds" on his back porch just to hold tailgating stuff and other odds and ends.

I am looking forward to the new Chez Derris in '13. I need a couch in the city sometimes when I get the doll eyes and can't make the long trip home.

If they're buyin', it could be a good opportunity for one of us to finally put in keg taps.

I could have a whole fucking brewery at my house if I had the inclination...I certainly have the room, haha.

YOU could have the tower.