Taverns, debauchery, beer, etc.

[markjitsu]

Hello everyone!

My name is Mark. I'm new to the forums. I actually stumbled across these forums from Gotmead forums. I've been making wine with my family for a long time and just recently got the itch to get into beekeeping and mead. I see you have a mead forum and that's great.

So, I'm sitting here in my office at work (I'm a greenhouse/field grower) and I was thinking about starting beer as well. My problem, I'm stuck in 2013. I love beer. Actually, I don't know if it's beer I love as much as taverns in general. I know I'm not the first person to bring this up but, why do taverns suck so much now a days?

When I'm in the mood to drink beer I'm typically in the mood to smoke a pipe or just debauch in general with my friends/Army mates. I never used to drink beer, chew tobacco, or smoke pipes until I joined the service! So, going back to my original question, why do taverns suck so much. Man, I can't tell you how many people I've talked to and asked what happened?

Have you ever seen that movie the Patriot (Mel Gibson one)? There was one scene where they were at a tavern trying to recruit for local militia. Guys were smoking pipes, shoving their knives into long wooden plank tables, music was wholesome and cheery and live. I wish I could find a tavern that I was allowed to just randomly carve into a table at because I was bored or kick my feet up over the planks and smoke a pipe whilst eating a leg of some random animal.

I knew then, I wanted to brew my own beer. Weird? I dunno, you tell me. It made me wonder, man, I want to start a tavern with nothing but oil lanterns, huge wrought iron candelabras, fireplaces and wood stoves. I don't really need or require electricity. But I didn't know much about beer. I always thought you had to keep it cold. After utilizing the amazing search function on this forums I found that it can be kept warm and it's actually light that skunks beer. Awesome.

Do you think its even possible to get large blocks of ice delivered anymore? Are there any beers you would drink warm? I know its horrible of me to say but I like **** warm Budweiser. Somebody told me once Belgian white ale is good warm. But now I know all beer could be kept warm, if you walked into an establishment like that, what types of beer would you expect to see?!?!

Pfft. This is an awesome first post. I hope you guys and gals chime in.

-Mark

 

[twistr25]

Can't talk much to the tavern aspect, but a lot of english style beers are served much warmer. There is a new brewery opening near me that is planning to do English style beers and serve them the English way, which is warm.

Unfortunately, given the times, you will likely be required to have some electrical setup, though that doesn't mean it can't be fabricated to that style. I'm sure you can get blocks of ice still, and if you are serious, those would all be things to research to put into a business plan.

 

[BrewCrewKevin]

NOT budweiser. NOT any mass-produced domestic beer. Gross.

If there was something that's meant to be warm, it's dark, full-bodied beers. (Think Guinness if you're not a beer connaseur. Budweiser is NOT a dark beer). I would go with European dark beers: Irish (stouts, reds), English (browns, not specials) and German (Marzen/Oktoberfest lagers) and maybe a darker Scottish Ale. Not so sure about Belgians as much- some of theirs can be light and fruity as well.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Sounds to me like you were born 300 years too late. And not in a movie

But you can still brew beer. And not worry (as much) about the Sheriff coming to steal it for the King.

 

[tims5377]

1. Empty garage
2. Add rustic (homemade?) wooden table
3. Decorate to preference
4. Brew beer
5. Invite friends over
6. Imbibe
7. ???
8. Repeat and never leave that magical place

 

[markjitsu]

300 years too late indeed!

Serious? Hardly serious yet. Shoot, I'd like to get serious about brewing something and actually being able to do it first!

Actually, being a professional grower with an education in it, I was thinking about growing hops! I don't know much about them but as long as I can get some nutritional requirements for the plant throughout it's life cycle, I can grow pretty much anything.

I'd be welcome to hear some input from you guys. I have a lot of disposable land where I work to try out new projects and of course If you pay for shipping I'd be willing to send you the hops for free.

I like pale ales a lot, if that makes a difference.

 

[freisste]

Hops take up a lot of space (not land area, height), so look into that first. Not sure where you live, but there are traditional areas that grow hops based on climate (not tropical, not arctic, etc.) so somewhere in the middle is good. They seem to like getting cold in the winter, but not swelter in the summer. Think Pacific Northwest, Germany, England, etc. although I'm sure the growing regions are larger than that. But you won't see hops near bananas and coffee!

Do a little research ad report bak when you start growing. I'll give my address and pay for shipping.

 

[BrewCrewKevin]

300 years too late indeed!

Serious? Hardly serious yet. Shoot, I'd like to get serious about brewing something and actually being able to do it first!

Actually, being a professional grower with an education in it, I was thinking about growing hops! I don't know much about them but as long as I can get some nutritional requirements for the plant throughout it's life cycle, I can grow pretty much anything.

I'd be welcome to hear some input from you guys. I have a lot of disposable land where I work to try out new projects and of course If you pay for shipping I'd be willing to send you the hops for free.

I like pale ales a lot, if that makes a difference.

Diddo! I would love to try some home-grown hops! I think I'm going to start a couple hop plants next year, too. I'm in the city and don't have much space, but I've got a fence on one side of the yard, I was going to grow some up that on a trelus I think.

 

[markjitsu]

Hops take up a lot of space (not land area, height), so look into that first. Not sure where you live, but there are traditional areas that grow hops based on climate (not tropical, not arctic, etc.) so somewhere in the middle is good. They seem to like getting cold in the winter, but not swelter in the summer. Think Pacific Northwest, Germany, England, etc. although I'm sure the growing regions are larger than that. But you won't see hops near bananas and coffee!

Do a little research ad report bak when you start growing. I'll give my address and pay for shipping.

Right now I'm growing in Allamuchy NJ. We have the space and the height required. Yep, I plan on doing my research into it over the winter. What I really need to know from you guys is how much hops are required for your batches and I'll match that up with average yields from the plant and then go from there.

I know they require drying out but I read if you use them within the first couple days you could use them fresh. I could always vacuum seal and send if it marries up with your brewing schedules. I'm going to have to research some DIY drying and storage. I think they're called Oasts?

Anyways, I look forward to trying out the venture. Maybe I'll start a nice little growing blog so everyone can follow it. I'm going to incorporate my beginning beekeeping and current greenhouse growing into it as well!

I'm looking to start a masters, maybe I'll focus a thesis on hops! Woo! The possibilities are endless. It would be prudent for me to keep a list of interested folks.

Just so I know, are you guys crazy about organic? I'm not. I'm well versed in fertilizer and as far as pesticides go, I'll probably try to identify the pests which feed on hops and see if they prefer another crop more. I'll make some banker/trap crops and just blast those side crops with the pesticide to keep levels down and maybe try to introduce some beneficial insects to eat up the baddies.

They will be drip irrigated with water soluble fertilizer of my own concoction though.

kevincoenen
freisste

 

[freisste]

One more thing I remember reading: there is something critical about groundcover - you can't leave the roots at the surface, but you have to be very careful about watering and keeping the ground moist but not wet. Apparently they are sensitive to some kind of mold? I wish my memory was more clear, but I do remember the article really driving that point home. Anyway, happy research!

 

[BadMrFrosty]

I think you should visit the Czech Republic for debauched nights of great beer and loose wenches in smokey, rowdy, dimly lit watering holes. In fact that is exactly what we do every Friday night, lots of beer followed by a slab of something that used to be four-legged. Hurrah its Friday today, wenches here I come

 

[freisste]

Note to self: Move to Prague...

 

[twistr25]

I'm in for some hops. There's also a wet hopping technique that uses fresh hops not dried yet.

 

[Rhumbline]

I didn't see what country you are in. If in the US, you're pretty well screwed for operating the kind of establishment you describe, as a commercial venture.

I'm not personally into this, but I'd guess your best bet in the US would be getting involved with the Renaissance Fair re-enactor folks. They seem like they'd be kindred spirits.

good luck and happy brewing.

 

[markjitsu]

Move to Prague indeed.

I'm actually going to automate my irrigation system. I'll shove soil moisture probes I'm building into the ground to monitor levels. I'm also going to be solely irrigating them so I'll have plastic mulch stretched over shaped beds with my drip tape underneath.

We have a tall fence here, I wonder if I could trellis them against the fence.

Hops List:
kevincoenen
freisste
twistr25