In retrospect I realize many people who read this wouldn't know why this was a big deal. I've been attempting to limit my purchasing of commercial beer. Mostly because I want to save money, but, also to perfect my homebrewing. You can't drink it if you don't have it. Sometime back in Sept 2007 I consciously decided to do this. During that time I have purchased...
- two cases of craft beer (for guests mostly)
- at least 6 bombers of craft beer from local brew pubs (new releases, seasonals)
- one sixtel of craft beer (again for guests)
- brewed many many many batches of homebrew
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In preparation for Brian and Gavin coming over to help keg the porter and play some pool I bought a sixtel of the Sierra Nevada ESB. This is the first commercial beer I've bought in a long time. Hey, with the last few pints of the dry hopped 1620 going bad and no other beer in the house I thought it was time. Picked it up over at Exton Beverage. Why the ESB? I'm not sure if it was the news of Patrick working for them now or one of the guys at Exton Bev. saying they just got it in and it is great. I was going for the Lancaster Brewing Four Grain sixtel, but, it was reserved. Looks like serendipity took over and led me down a path of good fortune.
Sierra Nevada's ESB (Early Spring beer) - from their website...How is it? Well, I love it. It isn't too hoppy or bitter. It isn't too high in alcohol at 5.9%. Gives you a dose of hops with a spoonful of malt to help it all go down just right. Not filtered eh? Cool. Maybe that is why it has an earthy (almost funky) nose. So this is like good homebrew eh? Be careful though. It goes down way too easy. Doesn't ESB stand for Extra Special Bitter? Eh...who cares. This one is tasty.
"Our ESB combines the best of English tradition with West Coast style. A blend of malts featuring British-grown Maris Otter is balanced with the earthy spiciness of hand-selected English and US hops. The ale is left unfiltered, which enhances mouthfeel and hop aroma creating a slightly reddish-copper hue."
Ok Ok...I finally did it. I kegged the Yule Porter. The jury is still out on it though. I thought it was a bit too fruity with alcohol in the nose. Of course that was just my first taste not to mention it was warm and uncarbonated out of the carboy. We'll see. Egads that reminds me! I forgot to vent the air out of the headspace in the keg. Hold on...be right back. Jeez that sucks. I filled the keg with CO2 before I transferred the beer in so there shouldn't have been to much oxygen in there anyway... I hope. I do think I vented it once now that I think about it. Seems like I talk to much when friends are over and I get distracted ;-) Its all Gavin and Brian's fault!!
I'll have some tasting notes about the Yule Porter up sometime this week. I just wish I could find my original gravity reading or my notes! Sheesh...
Cheers!
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