Brew Masters on Discovery w/ Sam Calagione

[joety]

That dude is everywhere I look lately. He's got a tv show, his book ad is on HBT permanently, and he's in a Sabco ad in BYO. If I come home and find him in bed with my wife, ill lose it.

You're looking at the glass as half empty. That also means Mrs. Calagione is home alone needing attention.

 

[vicratlhead51]

Easier to drink when you have a wal-mart pallet. ooooooooooohhhhh yah i said it. lol

Hey hey that was a cheap shot. I did say craft beer newbies.

 

[HerotBrewer]

Thanks to the haters, Sam's Brewing up a Business book is a permanently affixed ad on HBT.

Go on now. Tell us how Sam isn't Charles Bukowski.

^And that is awesome.

I just have to say that regardless of what you may think of his beers (I've had some I liked a lot, some I had to hold my nose to finish), he is living the dream. He decided to start a brewery after his first batch of homebrew, and he actually made it. Plus, in these economic times, I'm happy to applaud a guy who is running a successful small business. Maybe that's OT, but I respect the guy more than I respect any individual beer. To each his own.

 

[elproducto]

Hey, he's drinking beer out of the bottle. FAIL.

 

[bknifefight]

I've decided there is enough nastiness on the internet and am unsubscribing from this thread. There is nothing constructive in it or about it. I'd like to discuss this show but I can't read this thread without getting worked up by people who have nothing to say but "DFH SUX YR SO GAY MY BEERZ WY BTTR!!!!1!! OMG!"

 

[Lodovico]

Lol. This made me laugh. Let's bring the humor and good discussion about the show back into this thread. What do ya say?

 

[stageseven]

Let's bring the humor and good discussion about the show back into this thread. What do ya say?

And the discussion about beer. So anyway, I actually really started thinking after the past episode about wood aging. Kind of made me wonder why not a lot of people have experimented with different wood types other than oak for aging a beer. Aside from the obvious that most wine and whiskey barrels are made of oak. What do you guys think? What wood would you want to experiment with, and what qualities would you look for in a wood to age a beer?

 

[mkwasnie]

I am into homebrew PRIMARILY because I do not like how brewers / distillers (makers of one of the great scourges of our society) use my money and their political clout to attempt to control domestic policy (especially the policies that I don't agree with).

If only you knew specifically what policies I am against could you comment on the foundation of my decisions.

Sorry, I just interpreted this as not liking lobbyists, and I like how you seem to know me so well, i.e. my definition of wholesomeness...oh wait didn't you say

Am I going to continue this banter with you? Absolutely not.

Hmmm, and about what you did say on how "my definition" of wholesomeness would be "impossible" to achieve. I bet fifty years ago you would have said the same thing about making your own beer. Impossible and a lot of effort are different in most books.

 

[mkwasnie]

Stageseven, I always thought Sugar Maple chips would be great to age beer in, should give it a nutty sort of taste.

Birch would be amazing if there would be a good way to age it using the bark, without it infecting your beer. The wood itself does not have that amazing taste/smell. I want to try crushing the bark and making a tea with it, then adding it at the end of the boil, but that's not really aging I guess. One might be able to boil the bark and then add it to the beer, but not really sure if it would impart many flavors after that.

 

[newski]

And the discussion about beer. So anyway, I actually really started thinking after the past episode about wood aging. Kind of made me wonder why not a lot of people have experimented with different wood types other than oak for aging a beer. Aside from the obvious that most wine and whiskey barrels are made of oak. What do you guys think? What wood would you want to experiment with, and what qualities would you look for in a wood to age a beer?

I would like to try aging in a pecan or hickory or maybe even a peach wood barrel. i think they would add nice subtle flavor(s). i'm pretty sure it's unwise to use any wood that has sap or anything similar to sap for aging in.

 

[TheWeeb]

I will probably do a mesquite pale ale this spring, have been looking for a tequila barrel to age it in. The thought is to incorporate some of the flavors of the southwest; secondary on mesquite chips and then age in the barrel.

 

[stageseven]

Birch would be amazing if there would be a good way to age it using the bark, without it infecting your beer. The wood itself does not have that amazing taste/smell. I want to try crushing the bark and making a tea with it, then adding it at the end of the boil, but that's not really aging I guess. One might be able to boil the bark and then add it to the beer, but not really sure if it would impart many flavors after that.

This is actually an idea that I've been toying around with as well. Kind of a "birch beer beer". I was thinking of just adding the bark to the boil, or soaking some in vodka and adding it to secondary.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

I've decided there is enough nastiness on the internet and am unsubscribing from this thread. There is nothing constructive in it or about it. I'd like to discuss this show but I can't read this thread without getting worked up by people who have nothing to say but "DFH SUX YR SO GAY MY BEERZ WY BTTR!!!!1!! OMG!"

Haha so apparently you're new to forums and the internet in general

... just stay away from 4chan

 

[jkarp]

Haha so apparently you're new to forums and the internet in general

... just stay away from 4chan

No, no, come on over and try the PUDDI!

 

[mkwasnie]

This is actually an idea that I've been toying around with as well. Kind of a "birch beer beer". I was thinking of just adding the bark to the boil, or soaking some in vodka and adding it to secondary.

I wouldn't add the bark to the boil directly, I believe you would get a bunch of nasty tannins. The vodka soak might work though. I'm thinking the best way to get the flavor/aroma would be steeping the bark at like 150F and then adding it in at the end of the boil.

 

[BeerWars]

And the discussion about beer. So anyway, I actually really started thinking after the past episode about wood aging. Kind of made me wonder why not a lot of people have experimented with different wood types other than oak for aging a beer. Aside from the obvious that most wine and whiskey barrels are made of oak. What do you guys think? What wood would you want to experiment with, and what qualities would you look for in a wood to age a beer?

I actually liked the idea of aging beer like whiskey. Makes sense that whiskey starts out as beer, why not treat beer like whiskey especially because aged beer takes on the flavors of aged whiskey. Now if only I could find a 5 gallon barrel. LOL I'd do charred white oak and see what that left me with. I imagine it would be pretty awesome.

 

[motobrewer]

I actually liked the idea of aging beer like whiskey. Makes sense that whiskey starts out as beer, why not treat beer like whiskey especially because aged beer takes on the flavors of aged whiskey. Now if only I could find a 5 gallon barrel. LOL I'd do charred white oak and see what that left me with. I imagine it would be pretty awesome.

http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/TuthilltownSpirits/-strse-16/Whiskey-Cured-Barrel,-3/Detail.bok

 

[rawlus]

not sure why or how this topic got political. the show itself is not very political, its general interest/hobbyist/niche designed to be fun, informative and entertaining... people expecting deep philosophical thinking, grand political or activistic statements or scandalous unveilings are probably looking in the wrong place. its not a show about global warming or breast cancer. its not to be taken too seriously.

the show is not for everyone, what show is?

it does a decent job (IMO) of holding attention between the commercial breaks when you think about what the show is really about - making beer. could have been a real community-cable low-production-value snorefest without some dramatics, plot twists, graphics and staging...

i dont know why or where all the resentment, bitterness, and jealousy comes from. i really dont. we are a small community, generally out to help each other, and here's a show about someone who made it, or is trying to make it - and all we can muster are criticisms of his beer, his personality, his ego, his family, his production, his recipes, his techniques, his staff, his motives, his integrity, his truck!

damn man.

 

[wyzazz]

I like the truck.

 

[BeerWars]

http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/TuthilltownSpirits/-strse-16/Whiskey-Cured-Barrel,-3/Detail.bok

Hmmmm. I should have known - you can find anything on Google. Now the question is what beer to make with it?

 

[motobrewer]

Hmmmm. I should have known - you can find anything on Google. Now the question is what beer to make with it?

i've actually been eyeing these up for awhile. 5 gal would be beer, then have a 3,9,15.

first thing i'd put in would be a barleywine...

 

[Eddiebosox]

I've tried a number of bourbon barrel stouts that range from over the top and to subtle and good.

 

[BeerWars]

i've actually been eyeing these up for awhile. 5 gal would be beer, then have a 3,9,15.

first thing i'd put in would be a barleywine...

They make 19 Liter barrels. Seems that they are primarily marked in liters.

I was reading up on barrels and you lose a decent amount to evaporation, I think with the losses, 3 gallon wouldn't be worth the effort for me.

I wonder what it would do to something like an ale.

I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. A guy I know ages his own balsamic vinegar in little barrels. I should ask him where he is getting them.

 

[rawlus]

Vadai is a popular source of barrels, including the smaller ones.

something to be aware of however, the smaller the barrel, the quicker it will impart the wood flavor to the beer - a new barrel in the 23L-25L size can over-oak a wine in a week or so - regular tastings are needed and a plan to quickly remove the wine at the right level of oakiness and have something else ready to go into the barrel are important..... generally in winemaking, the evaporation and micro-oxygenation of barrels is desireable... it concentrates good qualities of the wine.
barrels generally dont like to be empty once they are used, so strategic planning is required to keep them in use over time...
after several uses the ability for the barrel to impart wood notes is all but diminished, it is then referred to as a neutral barrel - it can still be used, sometimes is more preferred, for aging, concentration, micro-oxygenation and oaking can be done with added chips, staves or spirals to the preferred toast level.

 

[Special Hops]

Damn what a waste of a thread.

I've enjoyed the show so far. I would much rather watch that then 90 percent of the crap on TV these days. Jersey Shore, dancing with the Stars, American Idol, etc etc etc.

He tends to go over the top a bit and experiment with different stuff. Nothing wrong with that. Some of their stuff I like, others, not so much. You don't have to love their beer to enjoy the show IMO. I don't see all of the hate.

 

[Scooby_Brew]

I'm watching the "Ancient Ale" just right now. This one is very, very cool. Awsome.

 

[BrewerBB]

Yes, very good episode so far. Seems like they have to show a depressing part every episode. This isn't good if they end up throwing out this huge batch. Still 30 minutes to go though.

 

[Jenks829]

Dump Masters. We love to brew beer and then throw it out!

 

[BrewerBB]

I know right. Every episode they end up throwing something out.. That 120 ipa last week hurt to watch.

 

[Scooby_Brew]

Dump Masters. We love to brew beer and then throw it out!

Stop haterizing, bro