My New iPhone is Available

After a couple months of development, I've created my first iPhone App to help you track and rate the beer that you've tried.  As many of you know, my son and I are avid home brewers and we also like to sample a lot of different beers.  The problem is that we had trouble remembering what  we have had, where we've had it, what we thought about it, etc.  Over the last couple of weeks, I've been teaching myself how to build iPhone apps, and my first app is one that allows you to track your beer.  It's not as fancy as other apps (I'm not a UI guy), but is very functional (you can even store pictures of the beer - or as Chris Varnes found out - bitter beer faces).  In usual database geek fashion, all of the information is stored on a database on your iPhone. 

Plus, it's only $2.

If it works out well, I'm going to see about allowing users to download their information to a web site where I can post results by geography, etc.

It has been officially released in the iTunes store, and can be found at the following link.  Feel free to try it out and see what you think.

iPhone App Purchase

Andrew's Double Chocolate Stout - 2-24-2013

Today I bottled the double chocolate stout that Andrew made back in January.  He made a batch with a friend, and we had a total of ten gallons.  There was lactose and two cans of Hershey's cocoa (powdered) in it.  When I siphoned it from the carboy into a bucket for bottling, you could smell the chocolate in the beer.  It's going to be very strong, and probably will sit a bit heavy given the strong flavor.  We got 9 of the 22 ounce bottles, and 36 of the 12 ounce bottles.  2 weeks in the bottle, and then we get to taste it.

Bottling Activities - 01-13-2013

Today, I finally bottled the Brick Warmer holiday red ale.  It was fermenting a bit longer than required because I didn't have a lot of time over the holidays to bottle it.  Red ales are one of my favorite styles of ale, so I'm looking forward to tasting it.  There was a spice pack with orange peels that was included for fermentation, so I'm expecting a rich flavor.  Some of the spice packs add a lot of flavor to the beer, but also make them "rich" in flavor, which means that they fill you up much faster than other ales.  For example, my Novemberfest recipe had a spice pack that included cinnamon and nutmeg, and the beer is very good, but it also fills you up after just one.

Double Chocolate Stout - 12-30-2012

Today, we went to visit a guy with his own brew room, and made a double chocolate stout using all grains.  It was the first time I've made an all grain batch of beer.  It takes a lot more time than using extracts and malts because all of the sugars come from the grains.   You have to run water through the grains and maintain the water temperature.  It requires a bit more precision.  It was definitely fun, but definitely longer.  We also had a chance to sample some of his other beers and met his two dogs, who like to drink beer.  Photos below.

Honey Amber - Version 2

On Saturday, 12/22/2012, I went to the homebrew store and the liquor store and picked up more oak chips and Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon.  My amber ale that fermented with the oak chips that were soaked in Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon was so popular that I decided to make another batch of that ale.  It was also one of my personal favorites.  The oak chips soak in the bourbon for 2 months, so it will be at least February before I can make this batch of beer.  Add 4 weeks for fermentation and another two weeks in the bottle, so it probably won't be until April when it's ready.

My Beer of the Year

It's official!  The feedback on the Honey Bourbon Amber Ale is the best I've received of anything I've made this year.  All of my tasters have really liked it.  I'm going to have to make that one again.  Gotta get some oak chips and some more Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon.  Have to soak them for two months before I can make the beer.  A three month process, but worth the wait.

Non-Alcoholic Sangria - 12-14-2012

Today, I gave out multiple samples of my home brew, sangria, lemon cello, and a non-alcoholic sangria.  At the request of some of the samplers, I am attaching the recipe for the non-alcoholic sangria

4 cups cranberry grape juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 pear, diced
1 apple, diced
3 cups carbonated lemon-lime beverage

Refrigerate all ingredients except the lemon-lime beverage for 2 hours.  Right before serving, add the lemon-lime beverage.