Book Review: Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible

You may have noticed some Amazon.com links on our site.  We signed up for their affiliate program in hopes of offsetting a portion of our hosting fees and fund future adventures to blog about.  Mostly this has resulted in me buying more stuff from Amazon!  The latest example is this book that kept popping up in the sidebar rotation.  I couldn't resist the name and I'm glad I didn't.

The Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible by Leon W. Kania is a very amusing read starting out with a brief introduction to life in rural Alaska.  It is full of anecdotal references to life as a a bootlegger while providing very practical advice and recipes for everything from Dandelion Wine to Moonshine and Bathtub Gin.  There are at least a hundred beer, wine, and liquor recipes in this book, and nothing pretentious about it.  While I don't think I'll ever make milk wine, I appreciate this book's bravery in exploring all things fermentable.

As a DIYer I also enjoy the simple instructions and tips for building our your brewery and/or distillery (including several still designs) from everyday objects all while maintaining an emphasis on safety.

This is not a technical book by any means, but it will get the wheels turning if your adventurous.  Its also a fun window into the history of homebrewing and bootlegging moonshine.

Cheers,
-D

Brewing Gadgets: Auto Siphon

Here's a must have gadget for simplifying your brew day!

If you brew beer or make wine at home you will inevitably find yourself needing to move several gallons from one vessel to another.  It is usually important not to disturb any sediment while doing so.  In that case, siphoning is usually the best answer.  A siphon can be tricky to get started while avoiding contamination by creating more contact with the outside of your tubing filling it by submerging to get the flow started (please, I don't even want to know if you suck on it like a straw).  once you get the flow going a break in suction or a need to stop the flow quickly and you're back to square one.

Enter the Auto Siphon!  This magic contraption uses a one-way valve in the bottom of a tube that allows you to draw the liquid up into the tubing with a plunger at the bottom and then force it up into your tubing.  Heck, if you're willing to pump it continuously you don't even need to use gravity!  If you do break suction, just give it a quick pump to get things flowing again.

This device has saved my brew day several times and is easy to clean and sanitize by pumping sanitizer through it for a minute.  Hot fluids take their toll on the rigid tubes and will make them brittle over time.  I've replaced mine once already. At about $10 I think it pays for itself in reduced frustrations in just a few brew days!

Happy Siphoning,

-D

Review: Belhaven Wee Heavy Scottish Ale

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•   Appearance:  A    •    Aroma:  A-    •    Taste:  A    •
Overall:  A

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I've only tried a couple of different Scottish Ales but each has fascinated me.  They are very strong ales with a lot of malt character and lighter hops.  You have to be careful with these because they can go down easy and kick your butt early in the evening due to their higher alcohol content.  At 6.2%ABV the Belhaven seems a little lighter in alcohol than others I have had but that may be an attribute of the Wee Heavy style.

My first impression of this beer was this must be what beer was like in the old world.   It has a nice dark amber color with a generous tan head that keeps it lightly covered all the way to the bottom of the glass.  This aroma is in your face with malt, not hops like modern beers.  The aroma also comes across as very sweet (almost annoyingly so).  The taste doesn't disappoint, very robust, with a caramel malt flavor balanced with bitterness from the hops at the end.  There is a hint of smoke or peat or something like that, kind of like burning leaves but it is very subtle way and it really made me wish I was drinking it by the smoker or with some beef brisket (dry, no sauce).

This beer will definitely warm you up even at 6.2% (its about 20° tonight, so I was looking for a winter warmer)!  I paid about $4 for this bottle at a local liquor store but its worth every penny.

Cheers,

-D

Review: Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey

•    Appearance:  A    •    Aroma:  B     •    Taste:  B+    •

Overall:  B+

I have a particular fondness for Speyside Single Malts.   However, in order to live within my means I am always on the lookout for more economical alternatives.   Recently, this bottle of Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey caught my eye in a commemorative 400th anniversary tin.  The dark amber color convinced me I had to give it a try.  Wow!  I sure am glad I did.  At about $30 a bottle I am considering this my own personal stimulus package to make it through a long economic winter.

This whiskey is exceptionally smooth with surprising complexity.   I highly recommend drinking it neat.  The taste is warm and spicy with a nice rounded sweetness (aged in sherry casks).  It is full bodied and clings to the side of your glass even on the rocks.  The nose highlights the spice and malty goodness.  Did I mention it was really smooth?

Not only is it a great buy, its been an absolute delight to sip while solving the worlds problems : )  I can't recommend this enough and plan to make it a staple on my bar from now on.  I got to get back to the candy store soon since I just polished this one off.

Cheers,

-D

Review: Schlafly No. 15 Ale

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•     Appearance:  B     •     Aroma:  A-     •     Taste:  A     •

Overall:  A-

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Schlafly first introduced its No. 15 Ale in celebration of its 15th anniversary in 2006.  Fortunately, they have kept this beer in production ever since.  I think this may be the best beer brewed in St. Louis right now.

I try to introduce everyone I can to this brew, so this seems to be a great opportunity to broaden that endorsement.  So whats so great?  Its a really nice and complex session beer.  This beer seems to be brewed in the dunkel weiss, or dark wheat style although it does not advertise itself as such.

It is a little lighter than most dark wheat beers with a hazy amber appearance thanks to its unfiltered yeast.  That yeast gives this beer with a lot of character that shows up in the nose as well as in the flavor.  There are distinct fruity notes, more plumb-like than citrus, some banana and hints of clove and other spice.  This is a very, very tasty brew with just enough hops to balance the sweet wheat flavors and add some spice to the finish.

I highly recommend giving this beer a try when you can find it.  Luckily the supermarkets in the St. Louis area seem to keep it on hand for most of the year.  Schlafly has also upgraded their capacity by several thousand barrels this fall, so look for their distribution to grow!

Stay tuned, I'm going to take a shot at cloning this beer at home over the Christmas break.
Cheers,

-D