The stats are coming in.  The American Homebrewers Association is still in the process of tallying Big Brew results staged on May 3.  So far American Homebrewers Association reports 240 locations around the world brewed up 602 batches, 4777 Gallons of homebrew and the numbers keep trickling in, “I’d expect the Big Brew numbers to go up quite a bit from what’s reported so far, since it looks like around half of the sites have not yet reported results” reports AHA director Gary Glass (photo right). 

So, as a homebrewer myself I’m figuring that just about now primary (initial) fermentation is subsiding.  Ales and lagers will soon be transferred to a second fermentation vessel for cellaring and lagering for the thirsty days of June.  I can’t wait for my own Big Brew’d “Time 4 A Beer Helles Lager” to get ready, which I brewed the week before (I was travelling on Big Brew Day).  It’s always nice to know that as a homebrewer, you know that the situation on the home front is always improving, even when you are away. 

But the fun doesn’t stop there.  Check out youtube and search with “AHA Big Brew” for dozens of links showing ecstatic homebrewers; having fun, brewing beer and enjoying past successes.  Great stuff and visual statements about the joy of homebrewing, if I don’t say so myself.  Relax. Don’t Worry.  Have a homebrew.

            But there’s one woman who is finding less time these days to have a homebrew as she manages the American Homebrewers Association (Inter) National Homebrew Competition.  Janis Gross (photo left), American Homebrewers Association competition director recently confirmed that first round winners have been determined at 10 different judging locations around the country and in Canada.  It’s the largest biggest meanest most awesome beer, mead and cider competition ever in recorded, unrecorded, imagined and unimagined in the history of the galaxy – with over 5,600 entries!  Wow, now that’s a boatload of beer.  Each and everyone of these entries gets judged individually by several qualified judges (Beer Judge Certification Program) with the contestant receiving their judging forms back to receive an assessment of their beer.  The first round results are up.

The final round of judging will be determined at the already sold out American Homebrewers Association National Homebrewers Conference which will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio June 19-21.

            What’s Janis’ favorite beer these days?  “My favorite beer right now is the Chiswick Bitter recipe for Big Brew that I brewed in early April to serve at the National Homebrew Day Kick-Off Party we had on May 2nd.  I'm intrigued by the character the beer gets from the three dry hop additions of English hops; plus, even though it snowed here yesterday, this beer is one to savor in the warmth of summer days which are coming soon.  I can't wait”

What’s in my glass?

I’m away from home, but not ever far from beer.   You’ve read about my experience in the Lupulin Reunulin at the Brickskeller in the previous blog.  Here’s the two beers I was sharing with New Belgium Brewery’s “Guru of Goodwill” J.B. Shireman.   First a legendary Oude Gueuze Boon Marriage Parfait at 8% a superior blend (“perfect marriage”) of wild fermented Belgian lambic beers. From the legendary and award winning Boon Brouwerij N.V., Lembeek, Belgium.  One of the best gueuze lambic beers I’ve ever had.  Tart, crisp, refreshing.  Doesn’t assault the palate with acidity.  Balanced acidity with plenty of blended beer flavors.  An excellent accompaniment with food.  Worth seeking and paying good money for.  Then Dave Alexander treated us to a 10 year old bottle of St. Louis Brewery (Belgium) Gueuze Fond Tradition.   Another sour wild beer with plenty of character.   I’d recommend having this beer with some hearty food.  It is quite acidic and a bit overdone on the acidity, though with food the flavors would emerge in balance with the dining experience.   Another brew shared by Gordon Biersch, DC brewer Jason was Brewery Ommegang Ommegeddon’s Farmhouse Ale fermented with the addition of Brettanomyces yeast. At 8% the Brett character was new and soft spoken.  An intriguing spicy wintergreen type aroma and flavor contributed to by an unknown hop, I imagine.  Quite floral and reminiscent of the Witbier style, but peculiarly unique.  Nice foamy lace on the glass.  Refreshing and devilishly deceiving.