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It’s easy to get bummed out by the long nights of autumn and winter. But in this issue we’re embracing the dark and delving into the world of stout with some great tips and recipes to help you create and serve the perfect velvety pint. And we explore which foods to pair it with. We’ve also got some helpful tips from The Beer School Lady, Joanne Love, who explains why we homebrewers need to sharpen our beer tasting skills and how to do it.
Our interview with the cycling obsessed Fixed Wheel Brewery has got us looking at whether ‘functional’ beer has a role in sport, and in life in general. Plus we’ve got post-launch news on the homebrewing kit that everyone’s talking about, The Brew Tank.
Until the spring, my friend, happy brewing!
Cheers
Gareth & Yohanna
I met with my local home brew group the other week and we shared some of our most recent home brews (I took a nutty brown ale and a mustard beer, if you wanted to know!). One person had brewed a table beer and we passed the bottle around to share out samples for tasting. A few of us went in for a good sniff before we supped.
Beer and cycling. A good pairing (when done in the right order), don’t you think? And two of the passions that fuelled the launch of Fixed Wheel Brewery in the West Midlands seven years ago. Whether you’re a committed cyclist or not, you have to admit that it’s hard to beat a bit of physical grunt followed by a great pint (or two). Especially if it’s one of Fixed Wheel’s medal winning brews.
We’ve all been told the importance of cooling down your wort as quickly as possible once the boil is over. Reaching the pitching temperature (the temperature where you can safely add your yeast) helps reduce infection from microbes and external nasties. Other benefits of rapid chilling include clearing out proteins and hop particles when used alongside a whirlpool.
Back in the day, the Tour de France was powered by beer and champagne. I was both surprised and delighted when I heard this. You see, supporting sports performance with optimal nutrition and health is a relatively new thing. Up until the 1960s the heroic peloton would chug back the brews and fizz for hydration and energy. And because they’re darn tasty and rather fun. These drinks also had the added benefit of dulling the inevitable pain and fatigue that comes from this epic race.
Is it OK to store my mini keg in the fridge with the tap and dispenser connected?
As homebrewers, we love stout here at MASHED! HQ: not only are they delicious, and a great drink for the darker months, but they are pretty forgiving! Clarity is not an issue, for example, so that’s one less thing to think about. But there are a few things to bear in mind to help you create that perfect glass of darkness.
It’s been a busy and exciting few months. Shortly after we published the last issue of MASHED!, we harvested our hydroponic hops, which had been growing like crazy in their temporary warehouse home this season.
While you might not be looking to become a pro cicerone (the beer equivalent of a sommelier), being able to identify the various layers of the beer you’re drinking can really enhance your experience of beer and your homebrew.
