Going the distance for an IPA....Burton-on-Trent to Calcutta

[brewt00l]

http://petebrown.blogspot.com/2007/08/petes-big-adventure-or-can-you-take.html

Beer journalist Pete Brown is taking a pin of IPA from Burton-on-Trent to Calcutta by boat and train to recreate the voyage that has made this style famous and for the basis of a new book.

August 16th he is scheduled to brew the beer at White Shield and start the journey in September.


...a little further than I have ever traveled for a beer

 

[kvh]

I was reading this yesterday, and relayed the story to by brewing partner... Both of us were jealous of such an awesome project and an excellent excuse to travel. Then we got to talking about what exactly would make the trip so important in terms of the beer. It would be the agitation, the heat, the fluctuations of hot to cold, and we decided we'd try it ourselves.

We're going to brew an IPA over the winter, say, February-ish, keg, and then bottle (off the tap probably, because I do enjoy my draft beer) 12 bottles. He doesn't own a car, and instead bikes everywhere he goes, all year round. He agreed that if we can pack them safely, he's willing to carry 12 with him from March through October, the full hot season in Baltimore, everywhere he goes. That should provide sufficient agitation, temperature highs and fluctuations...

We can also keep a sample or two as controls (as we are certain the keg won't survive the summer).

What do you think - suggestions??

kvh

 

[brewt00l]

Sounds like another interesting idea!

 

[Morgo]

Are you going to have hops in the bottles to? Wasn't that part of the process that made IPA? Putting a bunch of extra hops in the casks for the sea voyage?

 

[eriktlupus]

:rockin: rather than bottling that beer you should put it into a mini-keg for the ease of dry-hopping and also if he takes a spill, no chance of breakage. sweet idea though:rockin:

 

[kvh]

I'm more than happy to do both of those things - didn't someone one here talk about refilling a minikeg of Heineken? That might work, of course I'd have to get rid of the heineken first which is not appealing....

kvh