Episode 76 – Hoppy Holidays

Great to hear you guys reviewing beers again. The audio was a little odd, but I’m sure you’ll iron that out with this new system. I credit you both for doing this and making it work. It was great to listen to.

Brad was spot on with those of us collecting the vertical collection. If you have, and you plan on doing a tasting, you’d best be prepared to share them and do something special, otherwise you’ll be too drunk to determine what you’re tasting and the whole thing will be wasted. I’m sure Stone will have something special planned, and even provide a Vertical Tasting Party Guide.

I blew through my collection 2 years ago with a big beer dinner after 9 came out. We had 4 through 9 with a dish paired with each. It was great, although a couple of the beers did not stand up to the aging. I’ll be interested to hear how some of the younger beers turn out for others.

Great that you’re homebrewing, Spoon. Do the bottling thing for as long as you can. It’s like paying your homebrewing dues. Then you’ll truly appreciate kegging, which is far easier, safer, and rewarding. Just like those plastic fermenting buckets – we all have to start there and work our way up. That’s just how it is. You’ll look back on that first batch with great fondness.

I’ve been naturally carbonating in kegs lately – adding priming sugar to the keg and letting the beer carbonate, then hooking up CO2 and serving directly from the keg. The carbonation is fantastic. It’s REAL ALE like it was intended to be served. I will never go back to force carbonation.

Wow, am I wordy. I sound like a chick. I’ll shut up now and get back to this glass of pink fruit wine . . . . er, beer!