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BeerTownAustin uploaded a new video
(1 week ago)
We met up wt Mr. Peters Saturday morning at the tail end of the Texas Cr...
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We met up wt Mr. Peters Saturday morning at the tail end of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild meeting at Independence Brewing Co to talk about the quickly approaching Texas Craft Brewers Festival.
Here's the deal. If you only go to one beer festival in Texas, make it this one.
Swifty, along with the other Texas Craft Brewers Guild members are waking this festival from a six year hiatus. Started back in 2004, by Rob and Amy Cartwright of Independence Brewing, the festival is Texas's only Texas only craft beer festival. This is an event that allows Texas brewers to showcase the fine craft beers made in Texas.
And with the recent growth and excitement going on in the state, there will be a lot to showcase.
Enough from me, watch the video.*
Pardon the video quality, it's been a while since I've done one of these.
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BeerTownAustin uploaded a new video
(2 months ago)
I remember back when we used to number these. Like we thought someone mi...
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I remember back when we used to number these. Like we thought someone might create a catalogue or reference guide for them.
Wow. Pie in the sky.
So we recently spent some time out at the Austin Beerworks brewery with the ABW boys, Will, Mike, Michael, and Adam (whom you may or may not recall, was the guest on Over a Pint Ep1). They gave us the tour, let us sample some unfiltered, uncarbonated beers, and then participated in an Over a Pint taping.
Since our visit, ABW has released all four of their staple beers on tap, Screaming Eagle IPA (cans pictured above), Peacemaker Extra Pale Ale, Pearl-Snap Pils, and Black Thunder Schwarz beer (black lager), with the Extra Pale Ale and IPA releasing in cans over the past 7 days around town.
Between the four of them, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and it shows from their brewery build-out ingenuity, fund raising, marketing and branding, and obviously, the quality of their initial beers. Both Adam and Will have prior brewing experience (at Flying Dog and Real Ale, respectively), and it shows.
Although none of the beers are ground breaking or "extreme" (I'd argue that the Black Thunder is something of an anomaly in these parts... no, Shiner Black doesn't count), they are not setting out to make those beers right now. From their own words, they are aiming to make solid, drinkable, delicious, dry, Texas summer appropriate beers (just heard today the whole state is declared a natural disaster due to the draught and wildfires...)
So without further ado, crack open a cold one and join us over a pint.
Enjoy!
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BeerTownAustin uploaded a new video
(7 months ago)
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, yeah?
Well, Over a Pint has been on ...
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Absence makes the heart grow fonder, yeah?
Well, Over a Pint has been on a hiatus, but now it's back. Huge thanks to JIB for coming back from Hawaii, surviving having a kid, and now making time to do some videos.
So we recently had the great opportunity of sharing some beers with Black Star Co-op's brewer, Jeff Young and beer steward, Chris Booth in the brewhouse of Austin's newest brewpub and the world's first and only cooperatively owned brewpub.
The gents waked us us through the Rational lineup, their tap wall and commercial beer philosophy, the Irrational series premier beer, Moon Tower, and some speculation on future Irrational beers.
Enough from me, watch the video.
We're drinking the Moon Tower as we chat, so if you can, crack one open and join us over a pint.
Enjoy!
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BeerTownAustin uploaded a new video
(7 months ago)
A week ago we teamed up wt Scott Metzger of Freetail Brewing to put toge...
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A week ago we teamed up wt Scott Metzger of Freetail Brewing to put together this video in support of HB 660.
We also asked Scott, who has been blogging daily on HB 660 news over at his Brewednotbattered blog, to guest post on BTA.
Take it away, Scott.
House Bill 660, filed by Representative Mike Villarreal, would allow Texas Brewpubs to sell their products to wholesalers and distributors -- something that is currently outlawed in our state. Meanwhile, shelves and taps are flooded with beer from out-of-state brewpubs. For Texas to grow into a truly top class Craft Beer state, we need to stop handcuffing our brewpubs. This video was shot on a chilly evening in Austin as myself and my peers in the industry gathered to discuss what we should to make HB 660 a success. Thanks to Chris Troutman and BeerTownAustin for putting it together.
Find your representative HERE (http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/).
Write your house representative, here's a sample letter from Scott's blog:
Representative [Representative's Full Name]
[Representative's Address]
Dear Representative [Representative's Last Name],
[First Paragraph, briefly introduce yourself. Give your name and the name of your organization if it is relevant to the cause. Mention if you are personally a constituent of the Representative or what your connection to him/her is].
I am writing you today in regards to H.B. 660 relating to the sale of malt liquor, ale, and beer by the holder of a brewpub license, filed by Representative Mike Villarreal of San Antonio. This bill would allow Texas brewpubs the right to make their products available for sale off-premise, a right that out-of-state brewpubs already enjoy within the borders of Texas.
This bill would help Texas brewpubs grow and remain competitive in a rapidly growing industry; help Texas wholesale permit and distributors license holders by expanding their product portfolios; help retailers by allowing them to highlight local products; give Texas consumers greater access to the products they want; and help the state by creating new jobs and increasing the tax base.
The craft brewing industry is beginning to garner national attention, and our laws must not prevent our own small businesses from flourishing -- especially to the benefit of out-of-state businesses who are currently able to do what our own breweries cannot.
I hope you will Vote Yes for HB 660 should you be given the opportunity either on a committee or on the house floor.
Thank you for your time and service to our great state.
Sincerely,
[Your Signature if Mailing or Faxing]
[Your Name]
Thanks to Draught House and Billy's on Burnet for allowing us shoot and thanks to everyone who got on camera in support of HB 660.
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BeerTownAustin uploaded a new video
(9 months ago)
So we're making this beer from about 90% donated ingredients. We're call...
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So we're making this beer from about 90% donated ingredients. We're calling it the 90% Deniability Ale.
Via the Austin Zealots we acquired some Real Ale Sisyphus second runnings. We then gave the gents at Jester King a ring and scored some of their inoculated house yeast. Next we approached Draught House and were generously given 11 pounds of Celia hops. We purchased the remaining ~10% ingredients at Austin Homebrew out of our deep deep BeerTownAustin pockets.
Awesome.
We got the second runnings on Wednesday and "brewed" on Sunday (the wort from Real Ale was so hot it popped the butt off my corney keg!)
The wort was ~1.055 when we got it. We added a half a pound of Belgian Dark Candi Sugar and finished out at 1.060 OG. We added 1 oz of the Celia hops at 60 minutes, then half an ounce at 30 and another half at 15. We pitched with White Labs Belgian Ale Yeast 550 for primary fermentation. There were signs of active fermentation within 12 hours. (see the video)
Next we plan to rack the beer in my Balcones Blue Corn Whiskey barrel and inoculate with the Jester King house strain and letting it sit for a few monthswhile moving the 5.3 gallon barrel among the various climates in my house. Maybe we'll add some cherries to it. Who knows.
So maybe come this Spring we'll have five gallons of swill. OR maybe we'll have five gallons of the most lusted over local collaboration known to man (who reads our blog and knows anything about the generous donators to this brew).
So check out the video of this sweet primary fermentation.
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