This reformed wino will happily choose one of Rob's homebrews over my formerly cherished glass of wine any day of the week. And now that also applies when on the (very) rare occasion that we dine out, at Kona Brewing Co., naturally. Give me a good beer. And I am in no way saying I know anything about beer, except I know what I like, and am slowly learning more via Rob's big brain.
I can't tell you too much about the beer brewing process in your home, but I can tell you that having mild OCD is an absolute must. It is such a meticulous process. But the end result is worth it, at least for me since I'm the one reaping the rewards.
According to Rob, this is the very "basic" process to making your very own delicious beer with my wifely observations added. Where does he get his supplies you ask? There's a homebrew store over by the airport that he gets most all his grains/hops/etc. from.
Crush grains.
Steep grains at 150 degrees fahrenheit.
Boil water. Our stove will not get the big ol' pot he uses that hot. So MacGyver wraps a beach towel around the pot to get it hot enough to boil. Said towel has now been relegated to only beer brewing and Rob surfing since it has a huge burnt hole in it. However, here we're trying foil.
Add malt extract.
Add hops.
Boil 60 minutes, adding additional hops at set times. Smells delicious!
Quickly chill below 70F. Our freezer is FULL of frozen gatorade bottles for this purpose. Curses!
Aerate with O2 very well, add yeast and liquid in bucket.
Seal for approximately 3 weeks.
Clean bottles. He sterilizes them in the oven. Smells weird.
Add small amount of sugar to "flat beer" and mix in bottling bucket.
Bottle beer.
Curse a little when beer overflows out of bottle. My observations.
Wait 1-2 weeks for yeast to eat sugar and carbonate beer.
Put in fridge and...
DRINK COLD!
He also adds that different varieties require adding other things at the end of the boil, like lemon or orange peel, coriander, rosemary, etc. and some had stuff added just prior to bottling like vanilla and coffee.
IPAs all have additional hops added for a week in the bucket prior to bottling called "dry hopping."
Also, not a fan of IPAs.
Some of Rob's very delicious homebrews include:
Amber Ale
Coconut Porter (yummm)
Coffee Coconut Porter (double yummm)
Stone Ruination
Vanilla Stout
Wheat beer (personal fave)
Stone 2
Lemon Rose Wheat
Saison (This is a Belgian farmhouse ale... Rob has told me this 100x so I'll most likely never, ever forget.)
IPA
Berry Saison
Honey Hefeweizen (more yummm)
Belgian IPA (Saison IPA)
Holiday Ale
Honey Wheat (I love wheat beers)
Belgian Triple
It's a long process to make delicious beer, but Rob does it. And he does it way-more-than-well. The other day I heard our landlord telling Rob that one particular beer we gave him was the "best beer [he'd] ever had." True story.
If you're wondering how he got started, or where to even begin with such a hobby, buy a beer brewing starter kit. A friend of Rob's from Colorado visited sometime a year or so ago and brews his own beer. Rob picked his brain and was interested, but sometimes getting started can be a little overwhelming. I ended up seeing a Groupon for a brewing starter kit through Midwest Supplies, which he purchased.
I have so much admiration for my husband. He's one of those guys that is just so frustratingly good at everything he does. He is a God-loving family man, surfer, beer brewer, and so much more. His passion for his hobbies is contagious, hence my surfing and beer-loving self. He taught me to surf oh so many years ago, and now he's converted me to beer. What in the world.
Not surprisingly, while in Richmond, our new favorite hangout is Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. If you live in RVA, then please, GO THERE. They still have things going on during these (your) freezing cold Winter months. Last year when we went during the Summer they had a gaggle of food trucks. Every Thursday (more during the Summer). Everyone had their blankets set out, kids running around. It was so much fun for everyone. They also frequently have live music.
And continuing on this beer themed post, there's a movie on Netflix called Drinking Buddies. I loved it! It's an independent with Olivia Wilde (gorgeous), Jake Johnson (New Girl), Anna Kendrick (duh), and Ron Livingston (Office Space guy). I read that there was no actual script; all improv. Anyway, it's about two people that work in a brewery that are "just friends."
And also for throwback fun, that time we visited the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. (PS- do you know how delicious Guinness is straight from the source??)
Cheers!!
