"Brewing" news and stories

When it comes to identifying the aromas of beer, the scientific community has spoken: Your nose is no good.

While trained sniffers -- both men and, increasingly, women -- have long helped assure quality control in brewing, the scientists claim human noses are slow to assess scents, they're subjective, easily fatigued and require pretty expensive upkeep. What, you think those Kleenex are going to pay for themselves?

Instead, in a review published in Trends in Food Science & Technology, scientists from Spain and Iran (hardly global brewing powerhouses, mind you) offered an alternative to a human schnoz: an electronic nose. "The demand for electronic noses in brewing is growing because the versatility and ease of operation of these instruments make them suitable for quick and accurate analysis of beers or for monitoring quality in the production process," the scientists wrote.

With warmer weather comes a craving for cold drinks. One of our favorites? Iced coffee. The secret is cold-brewing.

Back in October, the residents of eastern North Carolina's Kinston received an early Christmas present: a former supermarket had transformed into Mother Earth Brewing, the city's first -- and most ambitious -- microbrewery.

"We were looking for styles that weren't really out there," says the aptly named head brewer, Josh Brewer, of Mother Earth's inaugural quartet of quirky, European-leaning releases. There's not a bad one among the bunch. Weeping Willow is a tart, well-spiced Belgian witbier; Dark Cloud is a smooth, malty lager; and Sisters of the Moon is an intensely aromatic IPA.

Still, we're smitten by the Endless River. "I didn't want to do a typical golden ale," Brewer explains. "I wanted something with a little more flavor." For that, he looked to the pride of Cologne, Germany: the kölsch. Classically, the kölsch is all about balance and restraint. It's fermented at warmer temperatures before cold lagering rounds out the sweet malts and mellowed hop bitterness. Since kölsch is super-mild, it's tricky to do right: Off notes easily shine through, making a bad batch as nasty as Natural Ice.

Earlier today, the blog Michigan Beer Buzz posed an interesting question for these tough economic times: "Is it cheaper to brew your own?" They referenced an article on everyman financial advice site, The Simple Dollar, discussing "A Walkthrough and Cost Breakdown of Brewing Your Own Beer."

Let's cut to the anticlimactic chase. The answer: It depends. The Simple Dollar states: "If you are comparing the cost of homebrew to the cost of well-made craft beers...homebrewing is actually quite cost effective. I used $35 worth of ingredients to make seven six packs of porter, a cost of roughly $5 per six pack. [However] this doesn't include...the cost of the equipment."

And again, these saving only translate from homebrew to upmarket craft beer. "If you're content just buying some Miller Genuine Draft," The Simple Dollar continues, "Homebrewing isn't going to save you much money (if it saves you any at all)." Plus this cost analysis is sans equipment (which can be less than you might think, but is still a cost). If you throw down for equipment, or start buying ingredients in bulk, that will save you money in the long run, but if you quickly discover that homebrewing isn't the hobby for you, you'll end up eating that initial investment as a loss.

So my advice: Attempt homebrewing as a hobby first, and then see if savings come in time. The Simple Dollar does a straightforward job of laying out all the basics -- even providing a recipe for a porter -- and, trust me, plenty more websites are dedicated to homebrewing if you want to get in on the craze.

But also beware of this counterintuitive twist: If you think you'll buy less beer, you might be surprised. As Michigan Beer Buzz says, "In fact, I think I buy more. You tend to want to try all of the new craft beer [because it] inspires you on future batches." If you're really looking to save money, you might just want to give up drinking all together!

[via Michigan Beer Buzz and The Simple Dollar]

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A couple of my recent posts discussing opinion polls from BeerAdvocate and RateBeer opened a lively discussion on this website, including a comment from CEO of the Stone Brewing Company, Greg Koch.

Far be it from me to let the thoughts of the co-founder of one of America's most recognizable and renowned craft breweries languish in the comments section of one of my lowly posts, Greg was gracious enough to accept an interview offer to discuss these polls, as well as the Stone Brewery and craft beer in general.

I'd consider this suggested reading for both beer aficionados and casual Slashfood readers alike. As Greg puts it: "I appreciate the discussion of great craft beer in food-oriented circles like Slashfood. That is a huge win for both foodies and for craft brewers."

Mike Pomranz: In a recent "consumer opinion" list, BeerAdvocate named Stone Brewery the "All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth" -- a title I believe is reasonably within your grasp. More amazingly, Stone placed five beers in the Top 25 "All-Time Top Beers on Planet Earth." Putting aside for a moment the ancient brews of Mesopotamia, how do you feel about these honors? Do you believe Stone has five of the best beers of all time on planet Earth?

Greg Koch: For one brewery on Planet Earth to take five out of 25 spots is not probable. However, it IS possible (as evidence would suggest).

MP: The idea of "picking your favorite child" is so clichéd. So let's force you into it. The five that placed: Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Stone Ruination IPA, Stone IPA, Double Bastard Ale, Arrogant Bastard Ale. Who you got? (Styles be damned!)

Continue reading my interview with Greg Koch, CEO of the Stone Brewing Co. after the jump...

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