Craft beer lounges in Vancouver

I am very enviousness of the great craft beer scene in B.C. C'mon Alberta, let's get on it! http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Tasting+lounges+about+give+Vancouvers+flourishing+craft+brewers/9151469/story.html

Home Brew - Pumpkin Ale

Once again the Jack O'Lantern season is upon us, and that means making some pumpkin beer.  This year I thought I would try for an ale as opposed to a stout.  I also decided to throw in some of my smoked malt to try and give it a subtle smoky flavour under the spices and pumpkin.  I guess we will see how it turns out.

Roasted 3.5 pounds of pumpkin "meat" at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (note - next time, roast longer)

Steeped in 5.5 litres of water at 150 degrees for 30 minutes:
- the pumpkin
- 2 oz. crystal malt (40L)
- 5.5 oz pale malt
- 2 oz smoked malt (see my smoked porter recipe)

Bring to boil:
- added back some of the pumpkin
- 2.8 kg amber malt extract
- 1 oz Willamette hop pellets (4.7% AA)

After 50 minutes:
- 1 tsp Irish Moss
- .5 oz Willamette hop pellets

After 55 minutes:
- spices: 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, 3 allspice berries, 1 clove

fill to 19 .5 litres (approx 5 gallons)

Pitch Wyeast American Ale II (1272)

I will let it ferment for a week then rack to the carbuoy for another week or so

Happy Halloween!

Here are some spooky beers to help get you in the mood!  (and yes, that is the Simpsons in the background)

Triumph Visits the Great American Beer Festival

This video is hilarious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcRHUOTNobE

25 beers to drink this fall

I am always a fan of lists like this, especially when they point me to new and exciting craft beers.  Of course the downside is usually only a handful are available in Calgary.  So far I have had the Ayinger and the Anchor.  Better get hunting!  The winter beers will be here soon enough.

Thanks to Raj Smith for the find.

http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/falls-best-beers

Beer number 1500

Well, I recently drank beer number 1500.  (It didn't seem that long ago I was in České Budějovice knocking back beer number 1000).

The place: The Flying Saucer pub in Kansas City, Missouri
The beer: Boulevard Brewing Pop-Up Session IPA
The event: Annual boys football trip

The beer is a slightly hoppy IPA, with a slight, saison-style sourness (although the brewery describes a fruity taste).  The relatively low (for and IPA) bitterness does make this a potential session beer.

See you at beer 2000!

The new must-have glass!

And speaking of IPAs, it appears that Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada have helped design the "prefect" IPA glass from Spiegelau.  Looking forward to receiving (hint hint) and test driving one of these babies!   Too bad you can't get Dogfish Head in Alberta anymore.  Boo!

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/chris-schryer/ipa-glass-comes-to-canada_b_4036908.html