Sexy Hops

As I am on break, I have a boat load of time on my hands. I've brewed two beers and prematurely tried the Double IPA. Now what to do? The same thing you're doing right now; read about beer. First I'll give you some updates on my beers and then entertain you with tales of the "wolf plant."
Devil's Double IPA
As the image shows, hops grow high. This is what the Stuart's backyard looked like during the summer. Beautiful female cones of humulus lupulus. The next stage is harvesting the hops. Unfortunately, i missed out on this experience. What I didn't miss out on was the finished product. I used a boatload of homegrown Chinook and Cascade hops.


To the left is a great image of chinook and cascade being harvested. After they are taken off the vines they can be immediately put into a boil to make what we call "wet hopped" beer. In my case, I used them a few weeks after harvesting so it's not an official wet hopped beer, but it is fresh and delicious.







As I said, I opened my double IPA prematurely. It wasn't fully carbonated and the hop flavors were incredibly dominant. In time, the malt will balance out the hops a bit, but leaving the beer smelling of citrus and puckering your lips. By the time I write my next blog my double IPA might be gone! I can't help myself, I love these beers.


Belgian Tripel
This beer was another collective effort. I had my boys over to help.
I guess I forgot to mention the importance of these two pictures. A key ingredient to homebrewing is enjoying homebrews!! My staff here are quaffing a couple of Mocha Porters. Mike, however, may have had too many...















Over the course of the evening, we drank every beer in my fridge to the point where old Miller Lite's had to be used for consumption. (I did not take part in that). The yeast was finally ready to be pitched and the yet unnamed Belgian Tripel was ready to ferment. And what better way to end a night of brewing than by watching the Hangover? Ok, you're right,that wasn't enough... what's missing you ask? Cherry Valley.

The Graduator
Before I started brewing the Tripel I racked the Graduator. This process just involves transferring the beer post fermentation from one carboy to another. The purpose to to isolate the dead yeast to avoid off flavors. It also allows me time to acquire enough bottles for bottling. The beer can sit in the secondary fermentor for a while with no negative effects. In fact, it allows the beer to mellow and the flavors to come together.
Yes, I use my mom for help. She is the omnipotent preventer of boil overs.

Back to the Graduator. It's definitely NOT a bock. Tasting it immediately made us all say "IPA." Stuart's hops are just too overpowering. The beer should end up having nice balance of the hops and maltiness. We'll see what it ends up tasting like. My bet is a well balanced amber ale smelling very citrusy. Should be delicious.

Now, what you've all been waiting for. Sexy Hops.
During the break, I came across some interesting information. This information explains a lot about college and inevitably links me to hops.

First, as we all know, hops are members of the same botanical family as cannabis. (Don't try smoking them). What I didn't know is that hops are an aphrodisiac for men, yet a sleep inducer for women!! I can finally connect the dots to many nights in college.... Who knew the very reason I loved beer, hops, prevented me from getting any? Oh the bitter sweet irony of it all.

Of Wolf and Hops
Second, my name is linked to hops. Pliny, a 6th century Roman writer, was the first to write about hops. He called them.... get ready for it.... "Lupus salictarius," or "Wolf plant." Apparently they had a fondness for growing wild among willow trees and soil, like a wolf among sheep.




Thanx again for reading. Hope you can enjoy a delicious brew with me soon.

Cheers