Barleywine is a great breakfast beer for sure. And you know what they say about oatmeal stout: it’s not just for breakfast any more.

It’s bottling that’s a pain in the ass for me these days, but since I started hanging out with my friend Ken who kegs his beers, I’m converted, and before the end of the summer I’ll have my own dedicated refrigerator tap and start kegging my own beer every batch…I can’t wait. I’m curious to know what (if any) bittering agents you use if you don’t use hops. I’ve had some tasty Scottish ales that use heather instead of hops (Fraoch comes to mind immediately) but I always use hops myself, sometimes in inventive combinations…

I’m going to a beer and cheese tasting event with Fred here in Portland next Tuesday night at the Rogue Brew Pub; I went last year for my birthday and it was a phenomenal experience. For those who don’t know, Fred Eckhardt is like the Yoda or the Gandalf of beer: old, wrinkled, all-knowing and powerful, and now that Michael Jackson (the beer-writer) has departed for that great brewpub in the sky, Eckhardt is arguably the great grand-daddy of all living beer writers. But he’s so cool and laid back; very easy to talk to and interested in answering any and all questions. I hope you can get Fred to come to your event; he’s a living treasure.

philly

I got brewing when I wanted to expand my palette and couldn’t get Gruit’s in Texas. I brew in the extreme. I’ve never used hops. I just made an all wheat, no barley wit. It’s my first batch with an OG lower than 1.080. I’ll give Sam Calagione a run for his money.

It’s funny you mention time. We got one guy that does a whole brew session in 2.5 hours. He doesn’t sparge, just adds 25% more grain. On the other hand we have a brewer that does a wholly unorganized double decoction that I bail out of at the 9 hour mark.

Have you considered the BJCP? If you ever feel like traveling, the largest single sight Homebrew Competition is here in Houston every October. The Foam Rangers put on the Dixie Cup. We’re trying to get Fred Eckhart to come say hi just one more time. And definitely bring that barleywine! (We drink more barley wine by 9 am than most people drink all day)

To read more on the intersection of beer and music in my life, check out my blog at http://www.musicaloozings.com and look in the June folder for the post entitled: Sasquatch Music Fest aka a Travesty in Beerland.

I would definitely recommend homebrewing to anyone who really loves beer and wants to understand it better. It can be a frustrating endeavor, especially at first, but it is definitely worth the effort. With a little patience, a lot of reading and the right equipment, anyone can brew delicious beer on their own. Keep your eyes peeled here at Primer; I’ll be doing a sort of ‘Homebrewing 101′ article before long that will include a lot of valuable advice I’ve learned from my own successes (and failures).

Wes,

Please do! July is Craft Beer Month in Oregon, and there are over 120 events planned throughout the state, the largest of which are here in PDX. Just two weekends ago was the North American Organic Brewer’s Festival, (which I unfortunately had to miss due to prior commitments.) Next weekend is the Portland International Beerfest, and the last weekend in July is the Oregon Brewer’s Festival. (You can be sure I won’t miss those.) These are all massive, 3-4 day outdoor events that draw beer lovers from all around the world. Beer is deeply ingrained into the economy and the culture of Oregon; it contributes almost a billion dollars annually to the state, and 42% of all beer drunk in Oregon is brewed in Oregon, far and away the highest ratio of any state. There’s no better time than July to find out why.