Brewery Profile: Coronado Brewing Company

Well it's been a while.........

I've been busy.  Or lazy. Or preoccupied. Or some combination of the three these past few months.  But enough people have demanded that I keep blogging (2), so I have rededicated myself to spreading some beer knowledge.  This post is the first in a series of brewery profiles, which will showcase a microbrewery and talk about some of their beers.

The first brewery to receive this honor is The Coronado Brewing Company (CBC).

Where the hell is Coronado?  Good question.  It's technically an island in the middle of San Diego Bay, but the bridge to get there is so short that it seems like part of San Diego.  San Diego has been a hotspot for microbreweries in the past 20 years, with famous names such as North Coast Brewery, Stone, Alesmith, and more.  The Coronado Brewing Company is pretty new to the game.

I first tried the "Idiot IPA" from CBC last weekend, and I was extremely impressed.  They have been an established brewpub for a while, but just recently started distributing kegs to Socal restaurants and bottles to Bevmo.  I was so impressed with the pint of Idiot that I visited Bevmo a couple hours later to see if they carried the beer.  Sure enough, they had just started carrying a variety of CBC brews, and I emptied my wallet pretty quickly.

Beers that I have tried and highly recommend:

Idiot IPA

Style: Imperial IPA (8.5% ABV)
When first drinking this beer, I had no idea that it was an Imperial IPA.  The beer is pale in color, similar to normal IPAs, and the alcohol content is not evident in the taste.  The beer itself has the best hop flavors that I've tasted in a beer.  This is not to say that it is extremely bitter (at least as far as IPAs) go, but the first sip is an explosion of fresh hops on your palate.  I highly recommend this beer to fans of the IPA style.

Mermaid's Red Ale

Style: Red Ale (5.7% ABV)
This is an extremely tasty Red Ale.  If you aren't a big fan of hops, but enjoy malty flavors, this is the beer for you.  Light to Medium body, slight caramel and roasted flavor with a sweet finish.  Well brewed.

Although these are the only beers I've tried so far, I was significantly impressed and I highly recommend anything from CBC.  For more info here's their website:

http://www.coronadobrewingcompany.com/

If you're interested in beer related tweets get at me on Twitter @LABrewin
Todd

Chocolate Brown Ale

Beer lovers and other marginally interested parties-

This past Saturday, I decided to flex some creative muscles and set about formulating my own beer recipe.  As with cooking, most homebrewers follow recipes for an extended period of time until they gather enough practical and academic knowledge to experiment with various combinations of ingredients.  Well.....some brewers (and chefs for that matter) start experimenting earlier and cross their fingers hoping for the best.  I've tried to follow the knowledge and experience route for the most part because I know how much it sucks to dump a 5 gallon batch of beer that you've worked on for 6 weeks!

I've brewed an English Brown Ale before, and it was one of the best beers I've made.  Brown in color (obviously), low hoppiness/bitterness, rich caramel flavor, and full body.  I wanted to include many of these qualities in my brown ale recipe, but I definitely wanted to up the hop additions, up the alcohol content, and add a combination of pale and chocolate malt in an attempt to make the malt background even tastier.  Here's what I came up with:

Grain Bill
9 lbs British Mild Malt
4 lbs British Amber Malt
2 lbs. Marris Otter Pale
2lbs. Corn Sugar *
0.5 lbs Medium Crystal Malt**
6oz Chocolate Malt

*Corn sugar (dextrose) is the sugar that is added during bottling to carbonate beers.  It is used in recipes because it is a directly fermentable compound and does not leave a flavor profile.  In layman's terms, that just means it's added to make beers more alcoholic.
** Crystal Malt is typically added to beers to add "body."  "Body" refers to the thickness/fullness of the beer that is perceived when you drink it.  Mass produced commercial beers have little to no body.

Hopping Schedule 
1 oz Northern Brewer                   90min
1 oz Northdown                            30min

Grains in the mashing ton.  The grains need to be soaked in water between 145-155 to activate enzymes that break down the complex carbohydrates into fermentable compounds.

Fermenting beer!

The brewing process went really smoothly, but there were a couple problems with our recipe that could be attributed to a number of factors.  The corn sugar addition was meant to boost the alcohol content to 8-9% in the finished project, but after taking a specific gravity reading* we found that the potential was only around 7%.  The beer also turned out way darker than we were expecting.  The chocolate malt (even though it was a very small addition), heavily influenced the color of the beer.  Depending on the finished product, we might replace more of the British Mild Malt (a darker malt) with the Pale Malt next time we brew this beer in an attempt to lighten the color.

Later this week I'll be posting about the BREAD that we made from the grains of this beer.  Very exciting development.

Todd

Brew Log 1/7

Now that the New Year has started and I'm back at school, I can return to the best hobby that anyone can have, BREWING.  This post is the first in a series that will document the beer that I brewed the past Friday, show some pictures of the process, provide some background on the style, and attempt to give you guys some more insight into the home brewing process.  For details on the brewing process, refer to the "How is it made?" post.

Beer o' the Week: Belgian American IPA
If you've been keeping up with the blog, you should know that the IPA style includes a wide variety of beers, but the two traditional styles are British IPA and American IPA.  The British IPA uses British Pale Malt as the main grain, and is heavily hopped with British hops at all stages of the brewing process to produce a very bright, bitter flavor.  The American IPA uses American 2-row Pale Malt as the main grain and is heavily hopped with American hops at all stages to produce the distinct IPA bitterness and hop flavor.

The Belgian-American IPA is somewhat of a hybrid beer.  The backbone of the grain bill is Belgian Pilsener Malt, a light Belgian style that provides a sweeter background than American or British Pale Malts.  The beer is then heavily hopped with an American strain of Saaz hops, Mt. Hood.  Saaz hops are added later in the boil for flavoring and aroma, which is very typical of Belgian style beers.

Here's an overview of the recipe:

Grain Bill
10 lbs Belgian Pilsener Malt
1.5 lbs Crystal Malt (10L)

Hopping Schedule (where minutes indicates minutes IN THE BOIL)
2.0 oz Mt. Hood        60min
2.0 oz Saaz                30min
1.0 oz Saaz                5min

Yeast: White Labs Belgian Ale Yeast

All the Ingredients!

The resulting beer will have a relatively sweet, full bodied background with a strong floral/spicy hop flavoring that will be accented by the Belgian Ale Yeast.  Here are some pictures of fermentation (which started about 18 hours after the yeast was added:

Visible fermentation will continue for another 5-7 days, after which we will transfer the beer to a different fermenter for another week or so, ensuring the beer has fermented completely.  Then we'll keg the beer and enjoy it about 2 weeks after!

Always down to split a homebrew or answer any questions
Todd

Ingredient Profile: Malted Barley

The 4 essential ingredients of beer.  How many can you name off the top of your head?

1) Water- Probably the most obvious of the 4.  Beer wouldn't be a liquid if water wasn't used in the brewing process

2) Hops- Another essential ingredient that most would probably name.  One of the most clearly definable characteristics in most beers.  Used for bittering, flavor, and aroma

3) Yeast: Although many beer drinkers consider fermentation and the use of yeast more of a process than an ingredient (similar to an oven), the type of yeast you use in a particular beer effects the flavor and alcohol content enormously.

4) Malted Barley- Last but certainly not least!  Malted barley is the specific term for this ingredient, although many refer to it under the more general category of "grains."

What is Malted Barley?

Malted barley (left) and a beer that might result from using that malted barley in a recipe (right)

A superficial glance at malted barley would probably provoke images of grain or bread, but that glance would be ignoring the chemical complexity of this ingredient.  In order to produce it, barley is germinated to a certain degree, usually through soaking for 4-6 days.  Once it reaches a certain level of germination (before the plant would sprout above ground if it were planted), it is dried and slowly roasted over a period of 24-36 hours.  Where the barley is grown, as well as the temperature that the barley is dried and roasted at, determines it's type.  Most malted barley that is used to make lighter colored beers (Pilsener and Pale malts) is roasted at around 120F while darker "specialty" malts are roasted at temperatures up to 220F.  Malt is a source of sugars, starches, and enzymes that are essential in the brewing process

How is Malted Barley Used in the Brewing Process?

Malted barley is first put through a grain mill, which removes the husks and increases the surface area of the grains.  The grains are then soaked in hot water normally ranging from 145-155F.  This process is called "mashing."  For more on this process, refer to the "How is it Made?" post.  After the mash (anywhere from 30 min- 2 hours), the liquid is drained off the grains and they are rinsed with 170F water until the desired boil volume is reached.  During the mash and the sparge, enzymes within the barley are activated that break down the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars.

How Does Malted Barley Affect the Final Product?

The type of malted barley used determines the color and the flavor background of the beer.  Lighter malts and the lack of specialty malts produce lighter beers, while darker malts and the addition of specialty malts usually produce darker beers.  Malt also effects the texture, carbonation, and alcohol content of a beer to a certain extent.  Smoked malts can be used to produce smokey, barbeque flavors, while the combination of pale and dark roasted malts can produce chocolate flavors in beer (typical of stout and porter styles).  Here are some standard grains that are used to brew and a brief description of each.  Luckily the name of the malt corresponds relatively well with the style it is meant to be used to brew.

Belgian Pale - Used to brew various Belgian Pale Ale styles, typically lighter in color and flavor than its cousin.....

Belgian Pilsener - Common malt in Abbey Ales and other pale Belgian styles.  Light, golden color with a sweet background that complements Belgian hop varieties very well

German Pilsener- Similar to Belgian Pilsener, but is used more extensively in German and Czech lager recipes

German Munich- Slightly darker than German Pilsener malt and often used to brew Amber or Blonde Ales, but also various German lager styles

British Pale- Used extensively in British Pale Ale and Bitter styles.  Also used as a background malt for many stouts and porters

British Mild-  A darker cousin of British Pale malt.  Used extensively in stout recipes and also as a portion of the grains in Brown Ales.

American 2-row Pale- Used in American Pale Ale styles, also as a background malt in American versions of English styles such as Irish Red Ale, Stout, and Porter

Specialty Grains: 

Crystal Malt (Often used to increase the body/thickness of a beer.  Available in pale, medium, and dark varieties)

Roasted Barley (Very dark malt that gives a bitter, mocha flavor.  Usually used in small amounts as it greatly influences color)

Chocolate Malt (Another very dark malt that gives more of a bittersweet flavor than a chocolate flavor.  Also used in very small amounts

This is a lot of information, but I'll try to summarize the important things:

-Malt is one of the most important ingredients of beer

-Types of malts are determined by region where the barley is grown and the temperature of roasting

-Malt highly influences the flavor, texture, alcohol content, and carbonation of beer

-I skipped over A LOT of different varieties of malt that can influence beer because it would take me a book to cover them all

Can't wait to start my first batch of 2011!

Todd

Where can I find quality beer?

Before I get too far into style profiles, ingredient contributions, or just bore you with my brewing experiences, I wanted to do a short piece on an essential question of those who are beginning to explore the world of beer.

"Where do I get nice beer and how do I know if it's good?"

The first location anyone in college looks at beer is at a store.  I'm sure most of you are familiar with the alcohol aisle at your local grocery store (often guarded by security cameras).  Well, even if you aren't 21, you can still peruse the beer selection in this "forbidden" aisle, you just can't personally buy it.  For all of my underage buddies out there, become good friends with someone who is 21, because the drinking age is among the many questionable "state" laws and is virtually mandated by the federal government.

Quick Profile of a Typical Beer Aisle
95% of the viewing space will be dominated by the big 3 (Miller, Coors, Bud) and their various knockoffs.  You're looking for the spaces that don't contain these beers.  A good rule of thumb: If it's sold in a can, it's not good brew.  This rule doesn't work both ways, though.  Just because a beer is in a bottle or a keg doesn't mean it is a nice beer. Corona and Pacifico might also take up quite a bit of space, but while these beers are refreshing, they are not very high quality beers.

A good starting place is a Sam Adams variety pack, which change with every season.  This pack will expose you to 6 different styles of beer and allow you to experience the most beer for the least amount of money.  Sam Adams is right over the line between commercial beers and microbrews in my opinion, because the beer they produce does not match up to the expertly crafted brews that many microbreweries produce.

Any other 6 packs or 12 packs are also fair game.  Larger breweries such as Fat Tire and Blue Moon will also put out seasonal varieties that are worth trying.  The bottom line is to pay attention to the styles you enjoy and read the bottle, because it usually gives you some information on how the beer was brewed.

BevMo = the Mecca of Quality Beer
If you are 21, or can manage a ride to Bevmo, I highly recommend it.  Bevmo has an amazing selection of imported beer, as well as the largest collection of American microbrews that I've ever seen in a chain store.  Read the bottles and ask questions to find the styles that you think will best fit your tastes.  All the beer is purchased at room temperature, but it will be well worth the wait when you crack open your first 22oz bottle of quality brew.

Brewpubs and Gastropubs
A brewpub is a restaurant where most, if not all, of the beer served is brewed on site.  These restaurants are the BEST place to go to drink high quality beer.  Talk to the waiters or the bartenders, ask questions, or just spontaneously order a brew!  Some restaurants also have "Sampler Platters" of beer, which is the absolute best way to taste different beers for an affordable price.  Unfortunately, there is severe lack of brewpubs in the LA area, but look up San Pedro Brewing Company and Eagle Rock Brewery.  I've also heard word of another opening in the Santa Monica area, but we'll see

A "gastropub" is a term that refers to a restaurant that prides itself in quality food and quality brew.  The beer isn't necessarily brewed onsite, but most of these restaurants offer a wide selection of beers on tap.  The Yardhouse in Downtown LA is an excellent example, as well as The Library Alehouse in Santa Monica.  My brother even lives near a quirky gastropub called "The Surly Goat" on Sunset.  I love these types of bar/restaurants, because they make a huge effort to provide quality microbrews and imported beer on tap.

I hope this helps those who are interested in beer to find good brew.  At the very least when you taste these beers, attempt to identify what you like and don't like about each one, but KEEP AN OPEN MIND.  There are few people in this world who have enough knowledge to be acceptable beer snobs, and you're probably not one of them.

Todd

Style Profile: IPA

"Give a man a beer, he wastes an hour.  Teach a man to brew, he wastes a lifetime"

I saw this quote last time I walked into my favorite homebrew store.  Really pretty true, although I have a couple problems with it.

1) If it takes you an hour to drink a 12oz beer, let's be honest, you're nursing it.
2) Brewing is a pretty scientific, enlightening, and just downright awesome process.  Hardly a waste.  Although it probably seems like a pretty alcoholic, wasteful hobby.  Shit.  Maybe it is.

Alright now to the informative stuff.  What is an      IPA?????

History
IPA stands for Indian Pale Ale, but the style originated far from India.  Like the Russian Imperial Stout, the IPA originated in England and was given its name with regards to the geographic location it was originally produced for.  The malt background of an IPA originates from the English pale ale style, but IPAs are known for high bitterness and hop content.  Originally, hops were added to beer as preservatives, and the trip to India was a long one.  This long trip called for increased hop additions during brewing, creating a hoppier version of the popular English Pale Ale style.  While the style was first brewed in the 1800s, it actually became popular within England during the 1840s, but by that time it had already been labeled Indian Pale Ale

Today
The IPA is a style that is readily adopted by American microbreweries for many reasons.  The IPA itself is a complete contrast to the tasteless, watered down brews of the American giants, and seems to be a style that serves to protest the commercialization of the beer industry.  The key to understanding the label of "IPA" lies in the history of the style.  Any highly hopped brew that isn't black can be considered an IPA.  In today's beer industry, IPAs don't necessarily have to be "pale" in color.  Some IPAs approach a color that is closer to red, while others are more amber in color.  IPA is more of an indicator of hoppiness than color today.

I highly recommend the IPA style, but be warned that these brews are very bitter, and may taste bad to drinkers who are unaccustomed to darker/hoppier beer styles




Excellent Contemporary Examples

-Stone Brewery of San Diego almost solely brews IPAs (although they recently released a Pale Ale).  Arrogant Bastard is the popular version, a reddish brown ale that is very strongly hopped.  Buy a bottle and be prepared for any other beer you taste that night to be without flavor

-Sierra Nevada brews several seasonal beers that are considered IPAs.  Torpedo IPA is the most indicative of the style, but Celebration Ale could also be considered an IPA

-Dogfish Head Brewing Company brews a 60 minute IPA, a 90 min IPA, and an 120 min IPA.  The minutes refer to the length of the boil.  Essentially, the longer the boil, the more alcoholic the beer and the hoppier the IPA.  I've only tried the 60 minute and it was excellent.

Always sippin' a homebrew when posting
Todd

Ale vs. Lager....What's the difference?

"Pale Ale," "The Great American Lager," "Refreshing Pilsner Taste," "Brown Ale," "Belgian Style Wheat Ale," "Bavarian Lager"

On a daily basis, the American public is bombarded with these terms, but how many beer drinkers actually know what they refer to?  This post seeks to address THE fundamental difference between beer styles: Ale vs. Lager.  I won't profile all of the beer styles within these categories, but I do want people to be aware of the differences.  I'll try to keep it short and simple, but as with most things beer related, it could prove to be a difficult task.

ALE

An ale contains the same basic ingredients as a lager (malted barley, hops, water), but the fundamental difference lies in the yeast.  Ales are brewed with a strain of yeast known as "Top fermenting yeast," that ferments at temperatures between 60-75 degrees. Although the origins of this magical strain of bacteria are not entirely clear, the regions of Europe that are renown for these styles are Great Britain and Belgium.  Ales typically ferment faster and more robustly than lagers.  They tend to have fruitier, sweeter tastes (which can be nicely balanced by a good dose of hops).

Contrary to American popular belief, not all beers are meant to be served at a temperature just above freezing.  In fact, if an ale tastes significantly worse at room temperature, it probably is not a quality brew.  Any beer drinker who has traveled to England will tell you that many of the beers they serve on tap are served at around 50-60 degrees.  Ales are meant to be served between these temperatures to maximize flavor and aroma.  I'm not advocating that you don't refrigerate your brew, but just keep in mind that icing it down in a bucket isn't the best way to treat a well brewed ale.

Color is not an indication of an ale vs. a lager

There are many ale styles, such as stouts and brown ales, that are much darker than "pale ales."  Some good mainstream examples of ales include: Sierra Nevada Pale, Newcastle, Blue Moon and Fat Tire

LAGER

A lager contains the same basic ingredients as an ale, but it uses a different strain of yeast commonly known as "bottom fermenting yeast," that initially ferments at temperatures between 50-60 degrees.  The brew then undergoes a "lagering" period at 40-50 where fermentation is completed.  Although brewing historians can't be positive on the origins of this strain, it is widely accepted that it originated in Germany, where brewers stored their fermenting beers in cold caves.  The yeast eventually evolved to operate at these temperatures, fermenting slower and producing fuller, rounder tastes.

Lagers are meant to be served very cold.  In fact, a lager served at greater than 40 will likely lose its intended flavor.

Miller, Coors, and Budweiser are all technically examples of a Czech subset of lagers: pilseners.  Pilseners are excellent beers when they are brewed with quality ingredients, but the watered down crap that big beer companies refer to as "pilseners" dominating the American beer landscape of today are a terrible example of the style.  The reason why there is so much "cold imagery" associated with Coors, Miller, and Bud is because these companies know that the only way their beer is "drinkable" is when it is ice cold.

Unfortunately, there aren't many well-brewed, commonly available examples of lagers, but any of the winter seasonal varieties of microbrew that contain the vocabulary "Lager" "Oktoberfest" or "Dunkel," and any imported German or Czech lager you can get your hands on are a good bet.  There are not many American microbreweries that specialize in lagers because the market is dominated by the "Big 3."

Drink up my friends

Todd