Perhaps, you are in a quandary concerning the appropriate beer gift for a special friend or a family member. The fact is that brew drinkers are a very diverse group. Some like a good old fashioned brew, while others prefer one of the newer craft brews. Hopefully, the gift ideas here should inspire you.
Brooklyn Brew Shop Beer Making Kit
Satisfy your friend or family member with their very own kit. Make the brew at home, using the same techniques used by master brewers for years. This kit includes easy to follow recipes. Next game night, perhaps your friend will invite you over to sample their homemade drinks.
Making Brew IPA Style
How about a book on making the best IPA style brew around. Mitch Steele has composed a great book on the old tradition. The book includes the history, practice, and recipes. The book has received top ratings by readers and others in the industry.
Glassware
Gone are the days, when the average Joe or Jane gulped down their brew in a can. Today’s generation would prefer customized glasses to drink their brew. Those on a budget might prefer a few generic editions at a local retailer.
Getting Crafty
Just about every city has their own special craft brand. Research around and discover those hidden local craft brews. These ideas are really hot. Ask the staff at a local craft beer shop to select just the right blend for your friend or family member.
Magazines
There are several magazines that discuss beers and brew making. Why not give gift that keeps on giving all year long. A magazine.
Photo by alles (Pixabay)
As the craft beer phenomenon increases in popularity, the terminology gets stranger and more complicated. But, it doesn’t have to be. We want everyone to have a better handle on all the brew-specific words in the intoxicating world of craft beer, so here are a few:
1. Adjunct= Grain that is not malted barley, like rice, oats, wheat or corn.
2. Bottle Conditioning= Carbonation via the addition of sugar and yeast prior to capping.
3. Dry Hopped= Additional hops added for flavor at the end of brewing.
4. Esters= A flavor compound occurring mostly in ale.
5. Gravity= A measurement used to determine ABV.
6. Imperial= A style that’s intensified by increasing malt and hops.
7. IBU= International Bittering Units, a scale for the amount of bitterness.
8. Macro Lager= Typically mass-produced beers like Miller and Budweiser.
9. Malty= Any brew with apparent malt characteristics.
10. Noble Hops= Aromatic hops used in European lagers.
11. Piney= Hoppy beers with predominantly pine notes.
12. Single Hopped= Beers with only one type of hops for a specific flavor profile.
13. Brettanomyces= Wild yeast used in fermentation.
14. Clean= Not much complex texture or flavor.
15. Session Beer= Low alcohol, about three to four percent.
16. Skunked= Exposed to sunlight and having a skunky flavor and smell.
17. Fresh or Wet Hopped= Fresh-cut hops dumped in for a delicate green hop flavor.
18. Yeasty= Intentional yeast flavor.
19. Cask Beers= Unfiltered, hand-pumped, and unpasteurized with a little yeast added, giving them gentler carbonation.
20. Phenols= A fermentation product much like esters.
Photo by alles (Pixabay)
December is when thousands of fans will flock to movie theaters around the globe. That’s because the latest installment in Star Wars comes out. The film is already seeing success when it comes to pre-ticket sales. While many people are waiting patiently, they are wondering what they can do in the meantime to pass the time and celebrate that much-anticipated release. A few companies have come up with an answer! They’ve marketed Star Wars beer for all of those who are anxiously awaiting.
For all you fans of Startroopers, there is a stout available for you! The Imperial Stout Trooper is brewed by New England Brewing Company. It’s been said to have chocolate and coffee flavors infused together. A sweet malty flavor finishes off this stout as well.
The Empire Brewing Company has crafted a Strikes Bock lager, it’s a play on the popular title from the series. Strikes Bock is a traditional German style Mai-Bock. The characteristics of this lager are a malt forward, a medium body, and an overall dry peppery flavor.
Gilgamesh Brewing has come out with a Vader coffee Cascadian dark ale for all of those who are feeling a little dark. This is a black IPA that is mixed with coffee. It’s a delicious brew that will awaken and delight the taste buds. Vader may be a villain in the movies but this dark ale is not. It’s complimentary to almost anyone.
Overall, it’s never too early to start celebrating the release of Star Wars with one of these beers. The beer will help you pass the time and commemorate the movie until its release.
Photo by Artiee 
With football season approaching, you all know what that means: lots of parties and get togethers and the guys enjoying an ice cold brewski. In a recent article it discussed how beer can be such a great pairing with different varieties of food. What types of lager taste best with certain types of foods? Well, here’s your answers so you can plan your football bashes accordingly.
The first food to pair beer with is the inevitable sandwiches/ pizza combo. Any type will go with these types of foods as they just so happen to taste great with cheese. When it comes to pairing with sushi, always go for a 100% malt, as this is what will taste best with raw fish. As for chicken, pasta and seafood, light beer always goes best. Whichever lager you choose, it’s good to have guidelines to point you in the right direction of which type will go best.
When you pair a lager with snacks or meals, you want it to taste great with the food you are serving. You can pair the right type of beverage to your meal to ensure your guests are happiest and enjoying heir meal or snacks. Just like wine, lagers of all kinds have matching pairs as well!
If you are like me then you have trouble deciding between a mixed drink and a beer. Well look no further because the beer cocktail may be just what the doctor ordered. This combination mixes beer with liquor to make a smooth but potent punch.
Some of the most popular choices are the Brass Monkey, Coronarita, Sake Bomb, and the Flaming Doctor Pepper. The Brass Monkey is a combination of ale with Brandy. Margarita lovers can relish in the Margarita and Corona combination of the Coronarita. The Sake Bomb features a shot of Sake dropped into a glass of ale while the Flaming Doctor Pepper tastes like its namesake and consists of a shot of Bacardi 151 dropped into a glass of one’s favorite pilsner. If you are looking for something a little strong then try a Boilermaker. The Boilermaker is a stout drink highlighting pilsner with a shot of whiskey.
This twist on some old traditions is an excellent choice for the undecided and most of the recipes have a smooth taste. However, this a strong drink so even though in this case its okay to mix liquor with ale start out slow and remember if this drink proves to be too much you can always begin the next morning with a choice from Canada. The Breakfast Cocktail is a favorite in Canada and with ingredients such as bourbon, coffee, and pale ale it is sure to kick start your day.
Photo by niseag03
