The Champagne of Blogs

Not sure how it happened, but the holidays are here again. And with them, the request for Christmas ideas from our loved ones. At BS Brewing, we don’t really go in for “neckties,” but we feel a little funny asking Aunt Mildred for a wort chiller. This year, we developed a handy list of things we like, and think you will too. Pass this link along to Gladys. She’ll get the hint.

Charcuterie Cookbook.

If you’re not making your own bacon yet, you obviously haven’t been paying attention to this blog, or the 100,000 or so people who followed links to our article on how to do so. New Zealanders, Finns, and yes, even Iowans have sent us photos of their attempts, and they all look amazing. Trust them, trust us, and read the book that started it all, Charcuterie. $23.10, available from Amazon.com.

Laser (infrared) Thermometer.

Originally, I ordered this to do some beer glass testing (coming 2008), but have found new uses for this novel gadget every day. I’ve used it to check wort temperature (having killed several digital thermometers by way of immersion), check oil temperature in cooking, and even to see where cold air was entering my house. It’s also a source of endless feline entertainment. $39.95, available from Amazon.com.

Michael Jackson’s Ultimate Beer.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this year, you’ve probably heard the news that the famous beer writer died this year after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. Thankfully, his words live on in this lushly-illustrated coffee table book. Its emphasis is a little more British, but provides a great background on the beer styles of the world. $19.77, available from Amazon.com.

Meat Slicer.

Once you start making your own bacon and sausage, you’re going to want one of these puppies. Converts ham to ham sandwiches in under 2 minutes. $99.95, available from Amazon.com.

Kegging System.

If there’s one thing I dislike about homebrewing, it’s washing bottles. I typically go in for 22 oz. “bombers” since it requires me to sanitize about half as many containers as I’d need to if I used 12 oz. bottles. Even easier, though, is kegging beer. 1 container, sanitized in about 5 minutes, to make 5 gallons of awesome. $189.95 gets you a regulator, C02 tank, hoses, and pressure-tested 5 gallon Corny keg from Let’s Brew in Portland, Oregon.

Kegerator.

Of course, once you have a keg, you’re going to need a kegerator. Get something purpose-built, or get your started by requesting a gift certificate from Steinbart’s here in Portland. $200-500.

Beer Movies.

Like beer? Then you’ll love sitting on your ass with a cold one while you watch a movie about a real-life beer road trip (American Beer), a fictional beer-drinking contest (Beerfest), or the movie that begat the “beer movie” genre (Strange Brew). $10-20, available from Amazon.com.

Digital scale.

When you get serious about homebrewing, you get serious about your recipes, tweaking them over and over until they are just so. And the best way to do that is to ensure a consistency of measurement. In brewing, that measurement is weight. Get accurate, without spending a fortune. As a bonus, it’s great for portioning your homegrown hops! $24.95, available from Amazon.com.

Fancy Beer Glass.

Some are content to drink swill from the bottle, and some are content to slurp their beer from aluminum cans. But not you. As a true connosseur, you deserve the best. And in our opinion, the Duvel beer glass is the king of kings, with its unique tulip shape, delicate lip, and laser-etched bottom. $5.99, available from Belmont Station in Portland, Oregon.

Subscription to Beer Advocate magazine.

A whole magazine about beer? Believe it or not, there are actually 7 or 8 magazines devoted to beer culture, but this one is the best, in our opinion, edited by the Alstrom brothers, the livers who brought the world BeerAdvocate.com, the most heavily-trafficked beer review site online. $19.99 for a 1-year subscription, available at BeerAdvocate.com.

Oops! Forgot you were on the hook for a side dish tomorrow, did you? Got an hour? Then you’ve got beer bread to bring to Thanksgiving.

This recipe is for my signature version, a savory sage-cheddar-bacon beer bread, but you can pretty much freestyle this one, omitting any or all of the modifiers, and adding your own special blend. I’ve made it with pepper jack and jalapeno bits, which also worked. I am planning a sweet stout raspberry version sometime, too …

1. Set your oven to 375.

2. Fry up some bacon. Homemade bacon is best. Oscar Mayer bacon barely deserves “bad.” None is worst.

3. Measure 3 cups flour and dump it in a bowl. Add a tablespoon each of baking powder and sugar. And a teaspoon of salt. These three are all pretty key, so don’t skip. Well, maybe you could skip the sugar. Or the salt.

4. Add the cooked bacon bits and some chopped up sage. How much? Some. You’re in a hurry, remember? And this isn’t exactly Le Cordon Bleu.

5. Add some shredded cheddar. I went with extra-sharp Tillamook Cheddar. I also did it with some Huntsman a few weeks ago, which was also delicious. Anything but Kraft singles is going to be good, I’m thinking.

6. Add a 12 oz. bottle of beer. I’m using Jubel Ale here, due to its malty deliciousness. I’ve tried IPA, but the hops get pretty bitter when cooked, so I’d go with Ambers/Reds/Stouts/Pales … Just remember that whatever you’ve got is going to be a hell of a lot better than a 6-pack of 7-11 taquitos, so don’t get stressed out now. Pour like the wind.

7. Mix it all up, and throw it in a greased bread pan. Don’t have one? How about a muffin tin? Empty soup can? Improvise, and bake for 50 minutes. Because I am an overachiever, I made two loaves. If you are Jesus, and you are reading this, you are going to want to multiply the ingredients list by about 5,000. If you are Santa, and you are reading this, I would like a meat slicer for Christmas. If you are Abraham Lincoln, and you are reading this, holy f-ing shit.

8. After 50 minutes, pull out the bread to cool. Do not cut into it until you get it to your host’s house. Unless you are really skillful with the knife, and then you can cut a piece out of the middle and push the two ends together on a plate. No one will ever know. ‘Cause this bread is gooooooood.

Beer makes anything taste better. And if you pour the beer into a recipe in a smart fashion, rather than drinking like a fish on an empty stomach (ahem, last year’s “Thanksgiving Miracle” of Dave’s wicked Bathtub Shampagne), you could have a stellar Thanksgiving menu.

A menu like the amazing Homebrew Chef.

Allow him to tempt you with dazzling ideas such as Beer Brined Turkey, stuffed with Duck Porcini Stuffing that has been braised in a Belgian Dubbel.

No? Of course, of course. You are a fan of the hops. Then perhaps you might be interested in Roasted Garlic IPA Mashed Potatoes drizzled with Doppelbock Wild Mushroom Gravy

Yeah, I drooled, too.

Of course, you’re naturally wondering, “What beer should I pair with that sumptuous meal?”

Samuel Adams (no, not that Sam Adams) will offer you some food pairing advice that’s a little slanted toward their brewery. Or you could get crazy with a trip to Belmont Station after reading Beer Advocate’s Thanksgiving Beer Pairings article.

Hope it’s not too late to bring some beer-themed recipes to your Thanksgiving!

Thanks, MeFi.

Bud Light.

With Clamato.

Introducing La Roja.

How could this possibly be a good idea?

p.s. You can thank my wife for digging this one up.