Our Tastes-- Harvest Pumpkin Ale

Trying to keep my palate up with Sam, Harvest Pumpkin Ale is a sixth of the Harvest Collection released this fall along with other Samuel Adams comrades. These styles of beers always pour such a deep ruby garnet that I enjoy the variation of color almost as much as the pumpkin bang in the taste! (Hint, I have a uncarved 10 pounder on the back porch and I'm off Friday) and I'm a pumpkin guy. Head is a creamy light tan with a nose of cereal malt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice (no allspice to note that I can tell, which tends to be a bit sweeter on both the nose and palate). The taste is awesome. I've tried a few pumpkin beers on a straight taster with The Enabler, and I think Shipyard came in 1st but I'm not sure this one was in the panel at that time. Made with two-row pale, Caramel 60, Special B and a nice Smoked malt this one will be a perennial fav of mine from now on. 5.7%abv, 199cal per long neck, 17lbs of pumpkin per barrel, East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. Think I'll finish them all.

The Bees' Knees Mead© 2010

Not mentioned since about February 2010, but sampled tonight via wine thief. The "plain" if you will was a bit warm with regards to the EtOh mouth feel, but the 2.5C of blueberry/vanilla bean ferment was excellent. Still in the carboys but soon to be in bottles for aging, I am convinced had I done a cherry batch that it would have really brought out some great flavors or even some aging on oak chips. Regardless, it's been 2 years since I've brewed, fermented, racked and started aging so it may be time to rip it again in January.

Brew Batch #48 Honey Kölsch (aka Jake's Juice)

Racked over and dropped to 1.002+0.001 @75F. The swill test shows a beautiful slightly cloudy straw, but the special honey addition gives it a great crispness. I'll cold age in a few more days for about 10 or so. Can't wait to have an ice cold one.

Hand in hand

For me, running and brewing go hand in hand (or foot in foot) so check out what you can do with your old running shoes after that race and refreshing cold beer.

Brew Batch #48 Honey Kölsch (aka Jake's Juice)

For #48 and to get back into the swing of things, I'm trying my hand at a honey kölsch for the builder of my house. He's helped me out a ton this past year with items around the house that I simply didn't have knowledge about so hence forth it will be Jake's Juice. I'm hoping to turn him from a macro light lager to something with a little bit more finesse. I've even found a pound of little honey from Auburn to give it that special touch. A pretty easy recipe this one calls for only wheat malt and 2 hop additions of Vanguard, a hop I've never used, but the alphas pull in at 4.8%. I'll keg about 2.5C and bottle him off a case of brown long necks, then toss him a fresh growler when the pressure is just right. OG turned in at 1.0042+0.001 @75F.

Our Tastes-- Vas Deferens

I know the name of the beer for the majority of the population causes the Cremasteric reflex. As a great gag to my pop-in-law and I this past SeaGrove venture, I was going to try this brew with him. But time flew by and I figured Junk and I would try this curiosity; however, he went into rut early so I'm sipping alone! Pouring a cloudy medium brown with somewhat frothy head this beer smacks of orange peel and cereal. Aroma is of stale fruity pebbles, taste of a sweet wit beer. Made by Caldera Brewing Co. with blood orange zest, orange bitters and dark Belgian candi sugar. An 8.1%abv makes it a closer and unfortunately seems to be a one and out fall release with no plans for reproduction?