For Auld Lang Syne, My Dear

Can you believe that 2013 is here?  As you prepare your numerous apps and dips, you can't forget about the beverages!  I do not really love the traditional cocktail.  Why?  High alcohol content and harsh flavors.  I have been researching and trying different beer cocktail (bocktail, maybe?) recipes for about 6 months and found a few that I would like to share.

Sunburnt Arnold Palmer is a cocktail I wrote about over the summer.

• 1 can of Arnold Palmer Iced Tea/Lemonade
• 1/4 cup of Rascal Wild Red raspberry beer
• Garnish with thin slice of lemon

Fruit Punch Beer is the name my other half uses to describe anything with Framboise. This is a flashback our welcome of 2012.

• 1 cup of sparkling grape juice
• 1/8-1/4 cup of Lindemans Framboise
• Garnish with berries

The Cure is an easy and cheap way to brighten up your evening (original recipe on Epicurious)

• 2 tablespoons of ginger ale
• ~1/2 bottle of a light lager (Miller/Bud Light)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• Garnish with 3-4 matchsticks of ginger

In addition to these recipes, a fun and easy way to keep your drinks cold without diluting the flavors is to freeze grapes until rock hard and drop them in your glasses!  These concoctions are based on the size of a pint glass.  If you are going to use flutes or even wine glasses, you will need to severely cut down the proportions.  You could even adjust the recipes for guests to self serve like a punch.  If you try the bocktail (I'm trying to make it a thing) this coming New Year's celebration, please share your successes and photos in comments or tweets!  As always, please enjoy responsibly and do not drink and drive.  Slainte and Happy New Year!

Bottle Up Your Holiday Cheer!

I love this time of year.  The colors, the sounds, the smells, and, of course, the festive decorations.  I know that I have done a terrible job keeping up with my blog over the fall/winter months but I found a fantastic and fun addition to your holiday trimmings while paging through Pinterest.  Whether you are home brewing or planning holiday soirees, these Ellinee labels will really jazz up your bottles and truly make your days merry and bright.  All you need is a stack of Avery labels, stock #5265, and a color printer.  To read more and print the PDF, visit HERE.  Happy holidays!

Taste the Rainbow?

I found this amazing picture on Ellen Degeneres's Facebook fan page.  Her caption read, "That's my kinda rainbow."  See more of her amazing photos and funny comments at her show's fan page!

Obama Shares His Secrets

Okay, maybe not the kind of secrets that you see in InTouch  or The National Enquirer but it's still a long-awaited secret that has finally been revealed. In a previous post, I shared that President Obama enjoyed a true home brew - straight from the White House itself!  Mark McDermott recently posted a piece for the Examiner with the recipes for the White House Honey Ale and the White House Honey Porter.  Below is the recipe for the Honey Ale, as I have a slight preference for this style of beer.

White House Honey Ale

Ingredients

• 2 (3.3 lb) cans light malt extract
• 1 lb light dried malt extract
• 12 oz crushed amber crystal malt
• 8 oz Bisquit Malt
• 1 lb White House Honey
• 1 1/2 oz Kent Goldings Hop Pellets
• 1 1/2 oz Fuggles Hop pellets
• 2 tsp gypsum
• 1 pkg Windsor dry ale yeast
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Directions

1. In an 12 qt pot, steep the grains in a hop bag in 1 1/2 gallons of sterile water at 155 degrees F for half an hour. Remove the grains.
2. Add the 2 cans of the malt extract and the dried extract and bring to a boil.
3. For the first flavoring, add the 1 1/2 oz Kent Goldings and 2 tsp of gypsum. Boil for 45 minutes.
4. For the second flavoring, add the 1/2 oz Fuggles hop pellets at the last minute of the boil.
5. Add the honey and boil for 5 more minutes.
6. Add 2 gallons chilled sterile water into the primary fermenter and add the hot wort into it. Top with more water to total 5 gallons. There is no need to strain.
7. Pitch yeast when wort temperature is between 70-80˚F. Fill airlock halfway with water.
8. Ferment at 68-72˚F for about seven days.
9. Rack to a secondary fermenter after five days and ferment for 14 more days.
10. To bottle, dissolve the corn sugar into 2 pints of boiling water for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into an empty bottling bucket. Siphon the beer from the fermenter over it. Distribute priming sugar evenly. Siphon into bottles and cap. Let sit for 2 to 3 weeks at 75˚F.

Sneak Peak at Victory's New Facility!

I am incredibly proud to know that Downingtown, a small place where I have spent many of my years, is the home of Victory Brewing Company.  In fact, VBC first exposed me to quality craft beer and was a huge inspiration for my first entry. With their amazing success and contributions to the Chester County community (and beyond), they are needing to open a second facility in Parkesburg, PA.  Below is a short YouTube video of the project's progress.  You can read more about the new facility on their website also.  Slainte!

Throw Fresh Fruit in a Cold One

With Labor Day upon us, I thought it would a great idea to have fun and playful ideas for your celebration.  Well, it's a shame we are all shacked up indoors because of this lousy weather.  Anyhow, perhaps you can take these ideas with you for another occasion!

I have been playing with some different combinations of beer with fruit. I figured out the key is using fruit that either slightly under ripened or fruit that has just crossed the ripe threshold. The other night I threw some peach wedges into a glass of Walt Wit by Philadelphia Brewing Co. for some added summer freshness. The carbonation of the beer helped disperse the peach's flavors. Meanwhile, the beer was softening the fruit ever so slightly (key point in using slightly under ripened fruit). When I finished the glass, I had a little fruity treat to finish it off. I am thinking about other fruit additions to use.  Berries?  Apples? What do you think?  Slainte!

Photo by author.

Sunday Sips: Purist Pale Ale

Beer Name:  Purist Pale Ale

Brewed By/In:  Appalachian Brewing Co. / Harrisburg, PA (original facility)

Beer Type:  American Pale Ale

Best Served In: Stein, Pint

ABV:  4.9%

Characteristics:  Clear penny-like copper color.  Smells piney or grassy.  Pours with thick white head.  Malt forward taste finishing hoppy and dry.  Little carbonation but medium-light mouthfeel.

Food-pairing:  Robust beef dishes, spicy foods

Overall:  7.0 - Purist Pale Ale is available year-round and is brewed true to style.  Tonight, I'll be honest, I did not make a good choice is trying to drink this with salmon with spices and floral herbs like rosemary.  My palate was numb to those flavors by the end of my meal.  Perhaps if I had chosen a different entree to eat with this, I would have been more excited.

Yikes, it has been almost 3 weeks since my last post!  What has consumed my time?  Well, my better half and I have been feverishly running here and there...well, Rehoboth Beach, DE and Williamsburg, VA.  In one, we had a quick getaway and in the other we traveled down the historical Memory Lane and visited Busch Gardens.  The summer running around is winding down.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I can't decide yet.  But here's to the ever-approaching fall season.  Slainte!