Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with beer

Something's Contract Brewing

soy_renfield — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:22:05 -0800

How much does contract brewing cost? A friend of mine is an exceptional home-brewer. I am interested in helping him to start a business around his beer, and I want to know how much it would cost to have a brewery brew one of his beers on contract. I have had a hard time finding information on actual costs.

How much money would it cost, per keg or case, to brew a basic beer at a contract brewery? What is a typical minimum order? If it matters, we live in New York City.

How do I learn a LOT about beer in a short amount of time?

macrowave — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:56:10 -0800

I need links to interesting websites and enjoyable books about the history of and current practices of beer making and beer tasting. I start a new bartending job soon, and I may have scored it by pretending to know more than I really do about brew. I currently work at a bar, and have had extensive service industry experience, but the new job involves a super extensive list of bottles from around the world and a changing lineup of relatively unusual drafts. We've been warned that brewers and booze snobs will be among our regulars and that we all need to brush up on our factoids if we're going to really pull through as staff members. I'm in Chicago, so if you are too, think HopLeaf restaurant (it's not there, but I'd rather not give away my identity/location cuz I don't wanna be haggled!).

I'm hoping to start with fun to read literature. Something along the lines of "Salt-A World History" but about beer. I know that there are tons of guides out there, and that this question is highly google-able, but I'm hoping for suggestions that you have personally read, enjoyed, and been enlightened by. I know too that they key is TASTING all of these beers, but I need to know more about what I'm tasting and how to describe it. I need to be a beer nerd starting tomorrow! And yes, I already love and enjoy beer, that's not a problem. I'm just a bit of a n00b when it comes to critical analysis and meaningful beer-related chitchat. Help!

They may take our lives, but they can never take our BEER!

naoko — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:02:32 -0800

Where can I buy Scottish beer in DC or Alexandria tomorrow morning? Tomorrow is the Scottish parade in Alexandria, VA, and I'm going to a parade-watching party. I would like to bring some appropriate but inexpensive drinks/snacks along, but as of right now I just have, um, shortbread cookies. I was hoping to snag some Scottish ale somewhere but it's more difficult to find than I expected - I had pinned my hopes on Harris Teeter (Potomac Avenue location), but it let me down. Where can I go tomorrow morning - ideally either in Alexandria proper (i.e. none of that Fairfax-County-pretending-to-be-Alexandria nonsense) or in DC (but not too far northwest, as that would be completely out of my way) - and buy some SkullSplitter or similar? Also, the shop needs to open no later than 10 (yes I am drinking beer at a party that starts at 10:30). I'm pretty there are some cute little wine/beer shops in Alexandria but I don't know what/where exactly they are or what sorts of things they stock.

What kinds of beer should by brother serve at his restaurant?

kirkaracha — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:10:06 -0800

What kinds of beer should by brother serve at his restaurant? My brother's working on a business plan for a tavern-style restaurant specializing in roasted meats, and is looking for suggestions on types of beer to serve and specific recommendations. I thought a good light beer, a lager or pilsner, and one or two good IPAs. What do you think? Ideally the beers would come from a good American microbrewery that's distributed on the East Coast, but this isn't an absolute requirement.

hops hops hops hops hops

sanka — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:29:04 -0800

I'm looking for some great homebrew beer recipes. I looking for some new homebrew beer recipes! I realize there are a million little brew shops out there selling a million different kits, and I'd love to hear your local brewshop favorites. Here's one of my recent favorites (opt for the Wyeast). I'm not set up for full mash, but anything else is game.

I'm particularly looking for very hoppy IPAs. IBU's around 100 or so. I'm really looking for recipes or clones for beers like Hop Stoopid, Dogfish Head 90, Green Flash, Ruination etc. I understand many of these brews use hop extracts to reach these IBU levels, but I have no idea how to use extracts like that.

Recipes and guidance would be much appreciated.

Not so delicious beer

y6y6y6 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:57:22 -0800

How do I remove the beer smell in my car? So I was driving home from the store yesterday and a six-pack of beer fell over after a quick stop. One of the bottles broke and dumped most of a bottle of beer on the floor carpeting. I sopped up as much of it as I could, but there is still a strong beer smell. Regular all purpose household cleaner doesn't seem to be getting all of it. Any suggestions? Clean harder? Or is there a trick?

Wine Advocate?

furiousxgeorge — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:11:03 -0800

Are there any wine review sites similar to Beer Advocate or Rate Beer? I'm looking for a site with a database that hits nearly everything in the world with a good amount of user reviews for reasonably popular wines.

BA and Rate Beer really helped me when learning about beer and how to appreciate it. They gave me a frame of reference for what I was tasting and what others tasted in the beer.

When I try to find reviews for wines I maybe find one or two and otherwise just links to online liquor stores or generic epinions type crap.

What's the backstory behind "Beef and Beer" parties?

scblackman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:50:09 -0800

PhillyFilter: So .... what's the story with the "Beef-and-Beer" benefit parties that I keep hearing about as a new arrival in Philadelphia? I understand the point (Pay $X.XX at the door, eat as much beef and drink as much beer as you can, proceeds to the designated charity). My question is, is this only a Philadelphia thing? Does anyone know the history of these things, or some other entertaining back story? Or is the Philadelphia "Beef and Beer" the gastronomical equivalent of the Bostoian "wicked" ... just part of the cuture of the place?

Let me slip into something more comfortable

brainmouse — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:50:42 -0800

My boyfriend is having a really bad day at work. I'm going over to his house when his day is over (which will be pretty late). What is the best way to cheer him up? I have the obvious things (sex & beer), but I want to really make him forget today, at least until tomorrow... He'll be getting home pretty late -- probably post-dinner. What is your best idea for how to do this? I don't have time to do a lot of buying of things or whatever, but easy, cool things I should do... things that would make your night Perfect.

Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie (for beers)?

ClanvidHorse — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:13:27 -0800

Give me your recommendations for good bars in Berlin and Hamburg-with a few provisos! We are going to be in Berlin and Hamburg this week and we already have our sightseeing itineraries worked out. We would like to complement this by going to some great bars when we are there. Five people are going.

A few considerations that I hope you can take into account:

-ideally we would like to go to areas that have a concentration of bars/nightlife. A great bar in an isolated area may be great in it's own right, but being in a group, we would like to be in areas where we can bar-hop and move from one place to the next if the current one's not to our taste.

-we would like the bars to be quite lively.

-we like good dive bars, a little bit scuzzy is good.

-we would rather listen to rock music/electro than hard techno.

-we would like to drink nice beer.

-somewhere that sells great food is good.

-hipsterish is both good and bad. If you know a good hipster bar, please tell me, if you know one to avoid, please tell me.

-any other info such as subway stations, best times to visit an area, anything else that you can think of would be most appreciated.

I've been to Berlin before, read a few of the Berlin websites and previous threads but anything you have to add would be great.

Thanks

Stocking up on beer

otio — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:33:04 -0800

I'm in Olympia, WA and looking to lay up a few (3 or 4) cases of Guinness Extra Stout for the winter. What's the least expensive way to do this? Are there beer emporiums around that offer close to wholesale prices? I can travel south to Portland if prices are significantly better in Oregon. Thanks!

Can I pay a lawyer in beer?

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:20:03 -0800

I'm getting more and more serious about starting a brewery. I don't know where to start with the state, the city, the FDA and the ATF. (Does the ATF even care about beer? See! I need someone who knows these things!) You're not my lawyer, but maybe you know what kind of lawyer I'm looking for and how to find them! While I've never started a business before, I have a good deal of book knowledge -- I'm not looking for help with that aspect. I'm specifically concerned with beer laws, not small business creation.

I have no idea what I need to do to brew beer legally for sale. Obviously a lawyer sounds like a good place to start -- Googling for anything and lawyers just brings up accident lawyers. How do I find one knowledgeable of relevant law and regulation?

Beer pairing advice?

furiousxgeorge — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:27:33 -0800

What would you say are the best beer styles (or individual beers) to pair with Indian or Thai cuisine? I work in a take out beer shop in BYOB land (PA) and there are popular Thai and Indian places nearby. Though I know a ton about beer, I've never been great about food pairings.

If you can give me the best styles to pair that would help, but also toss out individual beers. We have around 400-500 beers in the store at any one time so there is a good chance we have a lot of what you could suggest.

Bottles for home-made ginger beer

goingonit — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:59:54 -0800

Are there any good alternatives to 2L soda bottles for fermenting and storing home-brewed ginger beer? I've tried making my own ginger beer (with baker's yeast, if it matters) which I bottle-ferment in 2L soda bottles. It works fine---but I never buy any 2L soda bottles, and I worry about them getting flimsier as I reuse them. They also let most of the carbonation out the first time you open them.

Are there any good reusable bottles that I could buy that will handle the pressure of my ginger beer without exploding? Should I be considering glass bottles of any kind, or is it too dangerous to build up pressure in glass?

My ideal would be some kind of siphon bottle, so I wouldn't have to let the CO2 out by opening the bottle. But most of the seltzer bottles I can find online seem to have a CO2 canister in the nozzle, so they don't actually store any carbonated beverages inside. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Does anybody remember this beer commercial?

LDL707 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:24:38 -0800

Apologies in advance for the lack of details. I'm trying to find a beer commercial from, probably, about ten years ago. It said something to the effect of, "we've never sent a man to the moon. we've never cured a disease. we just make beer, but we do it well. pursue your passion." Does anybody remember seeing this? Do you know what beer it was for? Do you have a link to it on YouTube?

Do these lederhosen make my ass look awesome?

JimmyJames — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:29:19 -0800

Where in the SF Bay Area should I celebrate Oktoberfest? Last year I felt like I found out about amazing Oktoberfest parties a few days after they happened. Where should (and shouldn't) I head to celebrate the most noble of drinks? Size really doesn't matter, big or small both appeal to me. Events with Oompah bands and other fun touches score bonus points.

How to turn UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen into food?

Sticherbeast — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:08:29 -0800

I have a bunch of UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen. Can I turn it into tasty food? Some well-meaning person brought a lot of UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen to a party, leaving behind many bottles. Free beer is rarely a problem. Unfortunately, my ladyfriend and I find this particular beer far too sweet and syrupy to actually drink. Can anyone think of any good ways to use it in cooking?

I've already seen a recipe for a vinaigrette, but I haven't tried it out yet.

Bonus points for recipes which counteract its cloying nature.

All I want is a beer!!!

chicago2penn — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:47:06 -0800

Can someone explain to me liquor laws in Pennsylvania? I just moved to PA, and am having the hardest time finding a place to buy beer. like in a 6-pack. And/or a bottle of wine... why can't I buy beer at a liquor store? Why can't I buy wine at the grocery store?

Can somebody please explain to me the liquor laws in PA, and why everything is so complicated to buy?

Bonus points for a liquor/beer store in the west philly/university city/powelton area.

Kegging and transporting kegged beer.

Packy_1962 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:14:06 -0800

I am going to keg my homebrew for the first time and take it to a friend's wedding. I have the CO2 system set up and I have checked it for leaks and practiced with H20. Everything is set to go. I need some help about what do next however, because I have to transport the beer twice and I don't have a fridge to keep the beer in (my plan is a cooler and ice). Here's the scenario: Beer is ready to be kegged, the wedding at which it will be served is in 14 days. The beer is in a carboy two hours away from my home and I will need to transport it to my home this week before the wedding. Then, two days before the wedding I will need to transport it from my home 5 hours away to the wedding. What would you do? From my understanding it takes about a week for the carbonation to form in the beer with the pressure set at 12-15. Once I put C02 in the beer do I need to keep it cold continuously until the wedding? What would you do? Transport the beer the first time in the carboy, keg it a few days before the wedding and then transport it to the wedding in the keg in a cooler? Wait to keg it until I get to the Wedding? If I do transport it in the keg, should I turn off the gas and detach the hose. . will it keep its carbonation? A lot of this hinges on whether I need to keep it cold once the co2 has been added or if it can sit at about 65* in my basement.

Teach me to drink in Ireland!

nitsuj — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:59:55 -0800

I'm heading off to Ireland next week, and plan on spending lots of time in pubs. What do I need to know about drinking in and around Ireland to totally not come off as a dolt?

Leftover beer...is that even possible?

kro — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:04:34 -0800

What are some good uses for leftover beer? A *lot* of leftover beer? Last night, my roommate and I had a house party for her birthday. Due to a large misunderstanding, we ended up with 2 party balls of Bud Light (and a lack of a beer pong table, which probably would have eliminated the issue all together). We also had a lot of jello shots, hunch punch, and various hard liquors, and given that many of our guests don't really like beer, the party balls were largely ignored.

Because of that, we have a lot of beer left. About 3/4 of a party ball (about 60 8oz cups), to be specific. I made beer pancakes this morning for anyone still at the house, but that only used a few cups. I'm planning on making beer bread tonight, and my roommate and I are having beer (veggie) brats tonight. Beyond that...I'm clueless. We have no garden and no slugs to kill. We can't drink that much ourselves tonight. We need to return the tap to a friend of ours by Tuesday morning.

Basically: I need either recipes for using a LOT of leftover beer (keeping in mind that my roommate and I are both vegetarians) or some way of storing a lot of beer and keeping it good that doesn't involve keeping it in the party ball (no use of a tap after tomorrow),at least until I can cook enough to use it all.

Best way to deliver beer across the world?

drewgillson — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:54:40 -0800

I need to deliver a case of good beer to an address in Bristol, U.K. and I live in Calgary, Canada. What are my options?

A few questions upon the eve of an imminent move to Toronto.

setanor — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:12:52 -0800

TorontoFilter: We're moving next week from the US and have a few questions. Can you help us hit the ground running? After spending all of our lives so far in New England, we're moving to Toronto - she's going to school, and I'm going to be working, hopefully, among a few other things. These are just a few vaguely "miscellaneous" questions that have been bouncing around in our heads for the past few weeks as we wrap up our lives here - any help pointing us towards any answers would be really appreciated, as I don't really have the time right now to wade through Yelp, etc... and trust you guys way more anyway.

1. What bank? Are there any big national banks that are a big "nuh-uh" for you that live there? Are there any new, smaller banks in the area that are the way to go over TD, Scotia, etc. or would we be better off going with someone big and established?

2. Zipcar, Autoshare, other or none of the above? We'd love to be able to head out to the land of Ikea and big-boxes every so often for things we might need, and I'd love to be able to drive out into the country (Prince Edward county, Bruce Peninsula) but we're not bringing our car.

3. We like good beer. We've been spoiled where we live now by one of the best places to drink crazy, awesome beer in the country. I know not a lot of the stuff we love here gets exported (Dogfish, Stone, etc..) but also that there is a lot of great beer from Canada that I have yet to discover. So, this is a two-part question: what Canadian-brewed beer is most similar to my favorite, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA? Second, what's the best place to go drink great beer in Toronto where there's a rotating tap and maybe some crazy stuff on cask every so often and people are really into trying lots of new things?

4. We're going to be living out west near Dovercourt. What's the best farmers market in the area, and what's the best place (market/shop) to go to get really awesome locally-farmed meats and produce?

5. Finally, if we plan on making a fair amount of calls to the US, what is our best option? Are there cell plans with fair calling rates to the US, or would we be better off just using our mobiles in Canada and some sort of Skype/Gchat/VOIP solution for our calls home?

The City That Confuses The Hell Out Of Me

Juliet Banana — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:54:44 -0800

If you've ever lived in or visited Chicago and had a good time without getting hopelessly lost, you are cordially invited to post in this thread. Needed: an explanation of the grid system, tips and tricks on navigation, and recommendations for how to find the underground music scene, awesome beers, weird things to explore, and the best Chicago-focused blogs. THE GRID SYSTEM: Whenever someone explains this to me I hear "It starts at State and Madison and blah blah blah blah blah and then you'll know exactly where you are!" Pretend I am a five-year old who was dropped on my tender infant cranium.

HACKS: I bought the Moleskine city notebook which is really helpful because I can pour over maps on the El without looking like a total tourist. I'm also thinking of buying a small cheap compass because I have no sense of direction and I'm too shy to ask the classic question "Which way is the lake?" My boyfriend is getting handed a dollar so he can get one of the CTA Tracker apps for his iPhone. Any other recommendations?

BLOGS: A focus on music, especially local/weird/electronic, is nice, and so are blogs that categorize/tag posts by neighborhood. I'm currently reading Cream Team, Chicagoist, The Chicago Weekly (I really like the focus on non-mainstream arts&music, and neighborhood catagorization), and Gaper's Block. Is There a Cubs Game Today? is a single-serving site, not a blog, but invaluable for a Wrigleyville resident like myself.

PLACES TO CHECK OUT: Metafilter let me know that Hopleaf existed, so I'm sure there's lots of wisdom to be shared.

BACKROUND: I've spent time in Chicago but never lived here, I live spitting distance from Wrigley Field, I will likely work in The Loop, yes I will be at the meet-ups, I like booze and electronica and lowbrow art and limited-run/old/obscure movies, I really liked this previous question though I am 21+, I do not drive and hence will be reliant on the CTA, I am kind of nervous about not knowing anything about the local underground music scene and how to penetrate it.

Help Me Figure Out the Legality of Having Beer Labels in a Bar Advertisement

rmrudy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:55:38 -0800

Do print ads for bars/restaurants have to blur the labels on the beers they carry in pictures? Our bar is putting out an ad in a magazine and the picture we're planning on using has a lot of the beers we carry in it. Do we have to censor the labels of beers we carry at our bar for the print ad for any reason? I know it seems like a silly question, but I'm genuinely clueless. Copyright, the magazine taking issue with free advertisement for the beers, etc? I'm not turning up many helpful things in my errant Google searches. Thanks hive-mind.