At the tail end of this last December I picked up, for the first time, a full sack of 2-row along with some bulk hop packs to keep around so that I if I decided to brew when I woke up that morning, I had everything I needed. Well this of course led to a little more frequency in my brew sessions. Once my beer is ready to drink, it doesn't last too awful long, and wasn't always available for my friends to have a try. Alot of times I was either fermenting something or had just bottled and the timing wasn't working out with the requests. So, since I bottle, I decided to start saving 4 bottles from each of the batches I was doing and let them sit in the refrigerator. So in April, I was looking in there and had a nice little assortment stockpiled and 2 more on the way. So I decided I would do it and hosted my first tasting this last Saturday at my house featuring my very own homebrew, Wood Walker Brewing. I rounded up 10 friends and planned the day. As the date approached, I started to become a little more leery on this whole thing. I started to get self-conscious of my beer and began to fret over what kind of critiques I would be in store for. I became less excited to share. The nice thing is that the friends I have won't hesitate to tell me if it's bad or not but that was my worry.
As the day got closer I had 7 batches ready, the 8th still needed some time in the bottle, and the wife and I planned out a nice spread of food that all had to be made using beer as one of the ingredients, which she totally rocked on every dish. Pork and beef roast cooked in Sierra Nevada Stout, coleslaw with a nice Citra Pale ale and also some lemon bars with the same ale (which my wife also added a small amount of ground Crystal 60 to the crust), candied stout bacon, and smoked sausages cooked in bbq sauce made with a local Imperial Stout. I figured if my beer wasn't going to hold up, at least the food would. We picked up some cheap 8 oz clear plastic glasses as tasters and I nervously awaited the group to show up.
I had my brewing notes ready as the crowd showed. The line up that night consisted of my Blonde ale, SaazSquatch Vol 6 and Vol 7, SNPA clone #2 and #3, a pale that used J-Lime hops, and my ESB Vol 3 and Vol 4. 4 bottles of each one. I tried to push the jitters away and started with the first round. I announced what I was pouring and handed each person their taster and then just stared, waiting for the ridicule.....
To my surprise, it never happened. My friends and I aren't extremely knowledgeable when it comes to deciphering a beer but we do know what we like about them. I already stated that it was ok if they had to dump their sample (secretly I was most afraid of witnessing that) and that I would understand because I was lacking a little confidence in some of these recipes. The brew notes were great to have because when we made it to the next version of the same recipe, I was able to tell them what I did differently from the previous one and explain how that changed the flavor of what they were currently drinking. We moved through the rounds and I stood back watching as they talked among themselves, holding the samples up to the light, swishing it around before they swallowed and describing how the flavors showed through the front or back end of the taste. They were all total Beer Snobs and I loved it. Even my buddy who pretty much only drinks Coors Light was enjoying each of the samples and began to describe his thoughts just as snobbish as the rest of us (and also at the end was a big fan of the ESB ). I was loving it. Of course they were remarks that someone didn't like something about one or the other whether it be a little too malty, or drier than they would like and even too bitter for their liking but I took each one of those remarks as gratefully as I did the compliments.
We made it through all of my stuff and then of course had some seasonal offerings that we picked up earlier and poured samples as we set up around a nice fire and talked and laughed and told stories.
So I had an outstanding 1st ever Wood Walker Beer Tasting and Hangout (official title, lol) and now not only myself, but everyone else are excited for the next one to be held this winter.
I guess the reason for my post, not only to brag about how incredibly awesome my homebrew is (totally just kidding there) is that if you are a brewer out there like me, who is a little apprehensive in getting opinions of your beer that you put so much thought and time into, just do it. Get all those great friends that you have gathered around, let the kids play and do their thing, have some great food and enjoy not just the beer itself, but the company you have around you. Whether recipes need to be worked on a little or they are dead nuts right on, you will learn something from these people and you may teach them something also.
Happy Brewing everyone!
Brad
As the day got closer I had 7 batches ready, the 8th still needed some time in the bottle, and the wife and I planned out a nice spread of food that all had to be made using beer as one of the ingredients, which she totally rocked on every dish. Pork and beef roast cooked in Sierra Nevada Stout, coleslaw with a nice Citra Pale ale and also some lemon bars with the same ale (which my wife also added a small amount of ground Crystal 60 to the crust), candied stout bacon, and smoked sausages cooked in bbq sauce made with a local Imperial Stout. I figured if my beer wasn't going to hold up, at least the food would. We picked up some cheap 8 oz clear plastic glasses as tasters and I nervously awaited the group to show up.
I had my brewing notes ready as the crowd showed. The line up that night consisted of my Blonde ale, SaazSquatch Vol 6 and Vol 7, SNPA clone #2 and #3, a pale that used J-Lime hops, and my ESB Vol 3 and Vol 4. 4 bottles of each one. I tried to push the jitters away and started with the first round. I announced what I was pouring and handed each person their taster and then just stared, waiting for the ridicule.....
To my surprise, it never happened. My friends and I aren't extremely knowledgeable when it comes to deciphering a beer but we do know what we like about them. I already stated that it was ok if they had to dump their sample (secretly I was most afraid of witnessing that) and that I would understand because I was lacking a little confidence in some of these recipes. The brew notes were great to have because when we made it to the next version of the same recipe, I was able to tell them what I did differently from the previous one and explain how that changed the flavor of what they were currently drinking. We moved through the rounds and I stood back watching as they talked among themselves, holding the samples up to the light, swishing it around before they swallowed and describing how the flavors showed through the front or back end of the taste. They were all total Beer Snobs and I loved it. Even my buddy who pretty much only drinks Coors Light was enjoying each of the samples and began to describe his thoughts just as snobbish as the rest of us (and also at the end was a big fan of the ESB ). I was loving it. Of course they were remarks that someone didn't like something about one or the other whether it be a little too malty, or drier than they would like and even too bitter for their liking but I took each one of those remarks as gratefully as I did the compliments.
We made it through all of my stuff and then of course had some seasonal offerings that we picked up earlier and poured samples as we set up around a nice fire and talked and laughed and told stories.
So I had an outstanding 1st ever Wood Walker Beer Tasting and Hangout (official title, lol) and now not only myself, but everyone else are excited for the next one to be held this winter.
I guess the reason for my post, not only to brag about how incredibly awesome my homebrew is (totally just kidding there) is that if you are a brewer out there like me, who is a little apprehensive in getting opinions of your beer that you put so much thought and time into, just do it. Get all those great friends that you have gathered around, let the kids play and do their thing, have some great food and enjoy not just the beer itself, but the company you have around you. Whether recipes need to be worked on a little or they are dead nuts right on, you will learn something from these people and you may teach them something also.
Happy Brewing everyone!
Brad
