Mike Loves Beer

Have you ever wanted to learn the whole process of home brewing.  I know I did and now I have done a couple batches of beer of my own.  This Saturday is your chance to really learn how it all goes down.

BX Beer Depot in Lake Worth will be presenting an all grain brewing class in the morning at 9 am followed by a group brewing session out back at their tiki area.

If you are  a brewer in South Florida, show up at noon with your brew pots and your friends and join in on a group brewing session.  At sites across the country and the world they will be celebrating the hobby of home brewing.

If you are not yet a homebrewer but have been wanting to learn what it is all about, just show up and learn from others who have already found out how fun and easy home brewing can be.

BX Beer Depot
2964 Second Avenue North
Lake Worth, FL 33461
Phone: 561-965-9494

So now with my second batch, Black IPA, in the primary and about to go into secondary I am trying to think of my next brew.  This time I want to make the recipe instead of just go on a premade recipe.  I want to try to stick to extract with specialty grains for now since I don’t know the first thing about all grain.  I am hoping to go by Funky Buddha some time to see an all grain brew done so I can grasp it in my head.

So here is what I need help on.  I’m not really sure what types of grains and hops to really pick out and how much of them for the idea I have.  I would like to make a chocolaty Belgian strong dark that is similar to The Bruery’s Two Turtle Doves and Terrapin’s The Dark Side.  I am looking at you my home brewing friends for some assistance on what I should look at.  Like if there is a really good and easy ingredient calculator out there to use please let me know.  Or if you think I should use some specific items please let me know.  The only thing I am pretty sure of doing is adding cocoa nibs to it probably in the secondary.

So here I am asking for help from my friends as the home brew newb.  I appreciate everything in advance.

Last week I finally cracked open a bottle of my first home brew.  I kind of got myself convince that it was not going to turn out very well but I was pleasantly surprised.  The nose was very nice.  Nice citrus hops with a hint of pineapple to it.  The taste had a nice citrus hop and pineapple taste up front followed by some pine notes at the end.  It didn’t really have much malt backing to it but I’m told that’s difficult to get with extract brews.  There is a good bit of sediment in the bottom of the bottles and that is because of my lack of filtering it after the boil.  This is something I will do from now on.  But overall I was happy with it.  But does my opinion really count?  I went to masses (well sort of).

I had friends and family give some a try including a number of people at the Coffee District last night.  Almost everyone agreed that the nose is very nice.  Most even liked the hoppy flavors and little bit of bitterness that it gave.  Again they mentioned the lack of malt backing but hey it was my first go around.  So I was happy that some people enjoyed it and didn’t just spit it out.  Also glad there was no infection that I was afraid of.

A lot of people asked me if I was going to name it just for fun.  Before I tried it I said no because it had low hope on it but now that I know it turned out decent I decided why not.  So I give you the naming of my first home brew along with mock up label design

The name Lil’ Bitta comes from my reaction that it is a little bitter.  I then thought of the character Lil’ Brittle from Aqua Teen Hunger Force and the name was created.  I decided to just take it another step forward and create a mock up label design just for fun.  Lil’ Bitta is from the streets and is bringing his hoppy goodness to the masses (again sort of).

But it was a great experience from beginning to end with this brew.  I am totally addicted and am planning my second brew day this Saturday when I will be brewing up a Black IPA.  I’ll be sure to write something (or as Lil’ Bitta would say, sumpin) up early next week.