• Beerporn – Heavy Seas – Marzen

    Enjoying a great beer with a great view.

  • Groupon and the home brewing kit deal

     

    If you’ve been following us lately, you know that I’ve been brewing my own beer theses days.  While generally cheaper than buying good craft beer, there are still lots of costs associated with brewing that are outside of the just the ingredients.  It because of this that anytime I can find a good deal on brewing supplies, I’m going to take it and save some cash.

    I was forwarded an email by a very loyal Indy Beers follower (my mother) that was a deal of the day from groupon.  If you were looking to start brewing your own beer, now might be the time to do so.  So here is the deal from “Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making”:

    $64 for Beer-Brewing Starter Kit and Ingredients (Up to $137.92 Value)

     

    In a Nutshell

     

    Home-brewing kit quick starts batches of ales, lagers & stouts with premium hops, yeasts & grains, as well as easy recipes

    So there you have it.  Check the link below if you interested, and get started brewing your own beer today!!!!

    http://www.groupon.com/deals/dc-fd1-midwest-homebrewing-amarillo

    http://www.midwestsupplies.com/

  • Brew at the Zoo in Baltimore MD

    I love how the animals and beer glasses have been incorporated together into the logo.

    Kelli and I headed out to the Brew at the Zoo over Memorial Day weekend in Baltimore.  The entire event was a lot of fun and I would recommend to anyone who loves craft beer and is in the Baltimore area.  I didn’t get to try all the beers, but I had my fair share.  I’ll be trying to make this event next year, too, as it is too much fun to pass up.

  • Falling stout bubbles in Guinness explained


    Ever wonder why the bubbles in a pint of Guinness fall instead of rise?  Science has cracked the code on this one.  A few Irish mathematicians have done some research and come up with an interesting theory.  As it turns out, it is most likely the shape of the glass that is cause of this unusual phenomena.

    Now the University of Limerick’s William Lee, Eugene Benilov and Cathal Cummins have discovered the simple answer to the problem – and a test that can be carried out by consumers as well.

     

    The team has been generally interested in the formation of bubbles in liquids.

     

    “One of the things we found was it’s actually very easy to see bubbles forming in stout beer rather than in, say, champagne where the bubble formation process is much more violent,” Dr Lee told BBC News.

     

    But as has happened to a generation of like-minded scientists before them, the question of falling bubbles became their focus.

     

    The team had the idea – borne out by calculations carried out by Mr Cummins – that the relative density of bubbles and the surrounding liquid could be behind the phenomenon.

     

    A settling pint held at an angle shows both falling and rising bubbles in the same glass

     

    “If you imagine your pint is full of bubbles, then the bubbles will start to rise,” Dr Lee said.

     

    But the bubbles in a standard pint glass find themselves in a different environment as they rise straight up.

     

    “Because of the sloping wall of the pint, the bubbles are moving away from the wall, which means you’re getting a much denser region next to the wall,” Dr Lee explained.

     

    “That is going to sink under its own gravity, because it’s less buoyant, and that sinking fluid will pull the bubbles down.”

     

    The bubbles, that is, are “trying” to rise, but the circulation that creates drives fluid down at the wall of the glass.

     

    “You’ll see sinking bubbles not because the bubbles themselves are sinking, but because the fluid is and it’s pulling them down with it.”

     

    The same flow pattern occurs with other beers such as lagers, but the larger bubbles of carbon dioxide are less subject to that drag.

     

    If you’re looking to try this out for yourself next time you have a pint of Guinness here is the suggestion on how to perform the experiment:

    For those interested in experimenting in the pub, the effect can be best seen if a pint of stout is served in a straight-sided, cylindrical glass (not quite filled up).

     

    If the glass is tilted at an angle while the pint settles, the side in the direction of the tilt represents the normal situation of a pint glass, while the opposite side is the “anti-pint” – and bubbles can be seen to both rise and fall in the same glass.

    Source: http://arxiv.org/
    Via: http://www.bbc.co.uk/

  • Beerporn – Yuengling – Traditional Lager

    Beerporn – Yuengling – Traditional Lager – Memorial Day Weekend

    Remembering our men and women who died while serving the US Armed Forces.

  • Beerporn – Yards Brewing Company – Saison – Brew at the Zoo

    image

    Beerporn – Yards Brewing Company – Saison – Brew at the Zoo

  • Friday Beer Fun – Spring is Here Edition

    With Spring time here in full swing and Summer right around the corner it’s time to take a look at some beer related items that will help you get through the outdoor time of year.

    1. First on the list is a Beer holster, for the hands free action you’ll need.
      http://gifts.personalcreations.com/productdetail.aspx?cobrand=PCR&pid=30029868
    2. Perhaps you’ll be going to some festivals and want your own stylish mug to take along.
      http://www.macgowans.com/products.html
    3. If you want a stein that is a little more geeky, how about a portal stein?
      http://www.gearfuse.com/get-your-own-portal-beer-stein/
    4. If you’re looking to sneak beer into an event, how about a fake beer belly.
      http://www.baronbob.com/beerbelly.htm
    5. Of course, women may want to sneak in some beer of their own.
      http://www.baronbob.com/winerack-winegaggift.htm
    6. Having an outdoor party and want to roll out your latest homebrew? (Holds 2 corny kegs and a 5lb CO2 bottle)
      http://www.amazon.com/Nostalgia-KRS-2100-Refrigerated-Beverage-Dispenser/dp/B000HJVYDQ/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp
    7. With all this beer being opened, you wouldn’t want to litter, so make sure to catch all the bottle caps.
      http://www.likecool.com/Beer_cap_catcher–Accessories–Home.html
    8.  With all that you have going on, you wouldn’t want to lose track of time, so you’d better get yourself a good clock.
      http://www.palletart.com/clock.html
    9. If you’re into entertaining, why not bring your music with you in these perfectly tuned beer bottles.
      http://2d3d5d.com/41817/97878/work/tuned-pale-ale
    10.  And lastly, if you’ve been looking for an impressive way to open a beer, why not use a chainsaw.
      http://youtu.be/KZ-slvv_ZT4
  • iPads and Beer

    When I think of drinking beer at a bar, I don’t usually think about iPads, but that’s not the case for cousins and business partners Steve Escobar and Hugo Salazar.  Together they own Brooklyn Tap House in New York, a bar that specializes in great craft beer selections.  One of the things that makes this bar unique is the point of sale ordering system.  Instead of a more traditional computer based system Steve and Hugo opted to go with a iPad ordering system with custom software.

    The Brooklyn Tap House abandoned the traditional sales terminals most restaurants use in favor of three iPads at the bar and 10 iPod Touch devices carried by waitstaff. The devices are identical to what millions of consumers carry for listening to music or browsing the Web, but they’re loaded with a point-of-sale app developed by Albuquerque, N.M.-based POSLavu.

    My first thought for such a venture would be the total cost of implementation.  I’m not sure how much a PoS system costs, but I know iPads aren’t cheap.  It turns out that the iPad system was less than half of the traditional PoS setup.

    Devices plus software for the bar totaled about $7,000, compared with traditional point-of-sale systems like Micros and Aloha that can run upwards of $20,000, including hardware and long-term contracts.

    “I did not consider a traditional POS system,” Mr. Salazer said. “They were too expensive.”

    There are more than a few perks to having an iPad based system, for example, ever server has a web browser in their hands.

    The Web is an asset, too, according to bartender Wesley Godbout: “In case there is something I don’t know, I go and look it up. It really helps the barroom chatter.”

    Of course, iPads are bound to have issues like any other piece of hardware, especially in an environment in which they are constantly in use by multiple users.

    Several interface issues also slow the system. Switching between apps and navigating to the right screen can take time. And the app crashes occasionally. Beyond that, Apple equipment is fragile. Several of the units have cracked or been otherwise damaged. “It’s easy to break the thing,” Mr. Godbout said. “You really can’t bang on it.”

     

    The biggest problem, though, has been staying connected with the Web. When the Internet doesn’t work, neither does the POSLavu. And the iPods often struggle to communicate via local WiFi network in the large, crowded space. “The WiFi is the major problem,” Mr. Salazar said.*

    So next time you’re in Brooklyn, stop by Brooklyn Tap House and have a beer and check out the newest in Point of Sale systems.

    If you go:
    590 Myrtle Ave.
    Brooklyn, NY 11205
    TEL: 917-202-1801
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-Tap-House/296031050430481
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BrooklynTap

    Source: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/

  • Technology in the glass of your beer

    Guinness has a new marketing campaign that is similar to the Coors cold activated cans, but much cooler (pun not intended).  This one, instead of letting you know your beer is cold, turns on a QR code that you can scan for social media sharing.  As a long time user of QR codes I can tell you that most people don’t use them, but for those of us that do, this would be a fun conversation point at a bar.  As a note, the code in the image does not work (I tired).

     

    Source: http://adsoftheworld.com/

  • Review Hop Heads Alehouse – Middle River, MD

    Kelli and I recently went out for food and drinks at a new bar in the Baltimore area called Hop Heads Alehouse.  We had a great time as the bar is quintessential Baltimore at its roots.  There was very much a home town feel and a general comradery among patrons.  There are nightly specials listed on their website, so check it out before you go and see which night is the night for you.

    If you go:
    http://hopheadsalehouse.com
    9611 Pulaski Highway
    Baltimore, MD.
    443-969-2477
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hop-Heads-Alehouse/185854428124932

    Arriving at Hop Heads in Middle River, MD.

     

    Kelli had a Bear Republic Racer 5, I had a Flying Dog Classic Pale Ale.

    The menu was mainly comprised of your standard bar items of easy to make and easy to consume food.  Nothing really stood out to me on the menu, but keep in mind I don’t eat meat.

    For food I ordered the blackened tuna bites.

     

    Good, but highly seasoned.

    Their beer selection was really good if you are into craft beers.  I was blown away by the amount of beers they have available, over 200!!  While they are a lot of the standard craft beers you will find in the craft beer scene, that fact that the vast majority of the beers are from independent breweries is a welcome change in any bar.

    Plenty of great craft beers from which to choose.

     

    Craft beers were on tap, too.

    Make no mistake, this is not some stuck up, hoity-toity bar full of beer snobs.  This is a place where people come to have fun, meet new friends, and drink!!!

    Being a bar, and energy drinks on special at $4 each, we did a round of shots with the bartender.

     

    Not being full yet I went for a pizza.

     

    My pizza with half olives.

    There was a lot of room in the bar, and I could see the empty floor quickly becoming a dance floor when the music and crowd were just right.  Our early arrival found us in a mostly empty bar, but in the hour or two we were there the bar quickly began to fill.  I could easily see this bar being shoulder to shoulder by the end of the night.

    It was early on Friday, but you can see the potential.

    The event calendar on the website always lists any entertainment, and the DJ’s that were there the night we went were fantastic.  These guys had a nice grove going that made me want to stay longer.

    DJ’s Tony Stylez and Supreme were setting the mood.

     

    Some old school Baltimore action.

    The owner Mike Roser was a really down to earth guy that was enjoyable to talk with during my time in the bar.  He had some big ideas on what he wanted to do in the future, and I’m glad to see that his vision is off to a great start.  More bars like his would be a welcome addition to any city.

    Owner, Mike Roser.

     

    Beer selection 4/5
    Food: 3.5/5
    Atmosphere: 3.5/5
    Overall: 3.5/5

    http://hopheadsalehouse.com/