Widdershins Oak Aged Barleywine Ale

I would love to get my hands on a bottle and save to compare to our first homebrew barleywine. Is it just me or does the label just reach out and say “you must drink me”

beerbliographer

Widdershins (which means counterclockwise or in a left-handed direction) Oak Aged Barleywine Ale from Left Hand Brewing Company (now I get it!), Longmont, CO., has a great label, and that’s what attracted me.  The description on the label was enticing, highlighting such qualities in the beer as floral, fruity, orange, apricot and peated malt.  10.7% ABV sealed the deal.  Widdershins pours honey-colored with a fleeting head

Image courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Company

and just a bit of lacing.  The bouquet is definitely malt forward, but the hops balances well, with neither being extreme.  The mouthfeel is a bit thinner than I would expect, but it’s certainly not detrimental.  The taste profile however is not all that it advertised.  In fact, I found it kind of unflavorful.  Yes, there was a sweetness, yes there was a dryness, but there was not an interesting array of tastes and flavors, contrary to…

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Sweet Brew Creations™ Test Batch of Cookies is a HUGE Hit!

It seems I am getting better at tweaking recipes I find on the Internet for spent grain goodies.  I have used this recipe before found on blog cheflisa, who tweaked the recipe from JoyOfBaking.  I decided to make Spent Grain Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, but also added protein powder, chia seeds and coconut and they were divine.

I doubled the recipe so here goes:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened room temp

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup spent grain flour (I had dried it in oven and used Vitamix to turn into flour

1 cup oat flour (I didn’t have all-purpose)

2 cups wet spent grain, but make sure not dripping wet.  I pulsed them in Vitamix to break down the texture a little

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1/4 cup protein powder, I used whey protein powder 365 Brand vanilla from Whole Foods

1/2 cup natural organic peanut butter, you can use whatever you have

1 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup coconut

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, cream butter, sugar until creamy then add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.  Mix together spent grain flour, wet grains, oat flour, oatmeal, salt, cinnamon, combine with wet ingredients and lastly add chocolate chips and coconut.  If mixture seems to wet, slowly add more flour.  I baked for 13 minutes and they were perfect!!

Lastly, share with friends who love craftbeer and/or cookies and they will be your friend for life.  I had requests for my recipe and I’m happy to share!  Cheers:)

What a great night at Northern Lights Rare Beer Fest in St. Paul, MN

If you thought $100 was too much for a beer festival, a RARE beer festival, you were mistaken.  The Northern Lights Rare Beer Fest was worth every penny.  Held on Saturday, March 29, 2014, at the Minnesota History Center.  Mind you this is HoppyGirlBrews view and personal opinion, but I didn’t see anyone complaining all night.  The food offered from Bon Appetit both to the brewery reps/volunteers and to the patrons was incredible.  The only beef, pun intended, was from vegetarians that they didn’t have an offering of more consistency for them.   I was a clean plate clubber….

The dessert was just as good and yes we had plenty…

It was a long night so we also tried the peanut butter, chocolate and I think it had coconut and the berry cobbler bar too!!!  shhhh….don’t tell anyone.

 

 

Let’s get to the good stuff!  Pictures are worth a thousand words so enjoy them.  I will say the craftbeer from Central Waters Brewing Co that we poured was over the top incredible.  Kosmyk Charlie’s Y2K Catastrophe Ale Barleywine and their anniversary Imperial Stout “16” was downright top notch.  With flavors of vanilla, bourbon-soaked marshmallow, dark chocolate and subtle espresso intermingle with the molasses and caramel notes from the whiskey offer a decadent finish (simply offering the description from our booklet).

North Coast Brewing Company out of Fort Bragg, CA, was pouring their Old Rasputin Barrel Aged since 2011 and Grand Cru….let’s just say this Belgian Strong Ale was smooth and delicious on the front end with a punch on the back at 12.5% ABV.  They both were phenomenal so we didn’t have to travel far away from our table to enjoy great rare beer.

Sadly, I didn’t get to every booth, but I can tell you that there were so many wonderful beers to choose from….including Surly Brewing’s Darkness 2010 and 2011, which we did get a tasting.

 

Brenda and Lizzy are having some fun setting up the booth!

Oskar Blues has never let me down.  Their new Icy Wheat IPA is hopped up wheat and tastes so good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Again Meagan for allowing us to represent two awesome breweries!  Cheers

Spent Grains for Breakfast

I will be trying this recipe and tweaking with bacon and cheddar cheese to boot!

The Candle Wine Project

I’m into a bit of recycling, especially if it doesn’t cost me anything, such as making a grape trellis out of an old swing set. Well, recently I’ve begun eating spent grain for breakfast.

What is spent grain? In order to make beer, grain is soaked to remove the sugars/carbohydrates, and then the water is removed leaving behind “spent grain.” This is now a by-product of making beer, which most home brewers either toss it or compost it. Commercial breweries usually ship it to some farmer to feed livestock because there are still some nutrients in it, especially protein and fiber, which is very good for cattle.

I decided, rather than spending money to make beer and then spend money on buying cereal, that I would try eating spent grain like hot cereal. It is actually pretty tasty and a little sweet, but very chewy. I like…

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Sweet Brew Creations™ Creates Spent Grain Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Twist

I had some time on my hands and wanted to treat my friends at Lucid Brewing with some treats so I dug out the supplies and went to work.  Sweet Brew Creations™ never knows how things will taste or turnout when I tweaked a recipe, but I can honestly say I ate a #bakersdozen while making these and enjoyed some of the dough too!  Recipe will follow

It’s all in the fun to experiment!  Delete this and add that….

Even after baking the first batch, they spread thin, but were delicious.  I added more oatmeal and a bit of spent grain flour and a pinch more baking soda, but I believe it was the oatmeal and flour that made it better as it was too wet and the butter was making it spread thin, but again they tasted awesome!

Best way to eat #spentgrain #cookie is with some #homebrew.  I finally filled the CO2 tank and now I can enjoy “aged” O.P.A. Orgasmic (organic) Pumpkin Pale Ale even in March.  Cheers!

Recipe was  found via blog cheflisa and she tweeked it from JoyofBaking.com.  I tweaked it more and used organic ingredients for the majority.

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla extract

1 cup spent grain flour (took dried spent grains and used Vitamix to grind to flour)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup ground flaxseeds

1/3 cup protein powder (I used whey protein)

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350 degrees F, cream butter, sugar until creamy and smooth, add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.

Mix together spent grain flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, add to egg/sugar mixture and combine.  Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chip…can add nuts, cranberries, raisins too

I used a Pampered Chef seasoned stone to bake for 10-12 minutes, cool on stone for 5 minutes before transferring to a baking rack.

Yard House Restaurant Made Its Debut in Grand Style in St. Louis Park, MN

If you have never been to a Yard House restaurant around the country then you are missing out on an awesome lineup of craftbeer, delicious food and simply a great atmosphere to meet your friends, family or fellow co-workers for lunch, happy hour, dinner or late night munchies.  Sporting over 140 draught lines with over 130 choices of beer, some domestic, but mainly craftbeer, imports, Belgians and of course in Minneapolis many local craft breweries are represented including Fulton Beer, Surly Brewing, Summit Brewing, Lucid Brewing, Bad Weather Brewing, Indeed Brewing Co. and many more.  My next visit will have to be a flight of beers so I can enjoy and report on so many others available.

The front entrance faces the road and there is parking underground and on the street in the back.  The Shops at West End are very nice so take a stroll around the neighborhood when the weather warms up some more!

 

 

 

 

The bar area is massive, but if you prefer a cocktail table, short table or booth there is plenty of seating and large groups can be accommodated, but I would make reservations for a large group.

 

 

 

We enjoyed complimentary appetizer samplings and dessert alongside our two complimentary beverages.  Thanks again Yard House for inviting Hoppy Girl Brews and for allowing me to bring along a few friends!

 

 

 

Thanks Ray for the smiles and great service!

 

 

Feeling thirsty?  Try a half yard of your favorite brew, but remember to drink responsibly and enjoy some food and water to balance you out!! Cheers!  We enjoyed our Lucid Brewing Foto IPA

The best treat was Yard House creme brulee dessert or at least that is what I thought I was enjoying!

 

It was great to meet Brian from Fulton Beer and Joe from Bad Weather Brewing!  Cheers to the great fun we had and to much more to come!!!  Follow them all on Facebook and Twitter!

The Zen of Chocolate

I love chocolate and great dark chocolate can bring me into my zone!

The Mommy Illuminati

Bon bon on left: Caramelized champagne mango with Scorpion chilis blended with Danta’s magnificent La Soledad criollo 40% milk chocolate from Guatemala, finished in Tango 67% Dark chocolate. On right: Almond gianduja of Red Rack Ale and fresh blood orange juice in Axiom 60% dark chocolate.

Years ago, my husband brought me samples of chocolates whenever he returned home from work abroad in France and Switzerland. He is the reason I became too spoiled to ever go back to Hershey chocolate again. The creamy texture, the delicate flavors, the “mouth feel” and the happy feelings these special treats provided could never be matched by anything available in this domestic mass market.

Fast forward to last summer: when visiting my aunt in France, she brought us to her favorite chocolate cafe along a cobblestone walk in Bayonne. It boasted a cozy, comfortable place to sit and relax while tantalizing confections were…

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How I Became Popular on Pinterest

Always great information Beth, thanks for the input!

#SundayFunday as Day 4 of Snow Apocalypse 2014 continues with Hoppy Girl Brews

As an official MBA Member at Great Waters Brewing Company, it makes sense for me to go there on Sundays for $1 tap beers, yes $1 and $2 for the rest of you including Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas.  I’m felt like changing it up and tried their celery salt rimmed Bloody Mary with a chaser of Joe Moment Mild.  It was a good choice that went well with three glasses of water to balance out the salty flavors.  Part of finding great spots to enjoy craftbeer and delicious food, we always meet wonderful new people.  Cheryl and Jean thanks for the laughs and I enjoyed sharing “Mother’s Day” with you.  Let me know when you want to meet for another “Mother’s Day”.

On to our next stop…. Wow, look at that impressive lineup of Surly taps and we are not at the Surly Tap Room either, we found Alary’s Bar in downtown St. Paul within walking distance from Great Water Brewing Company.  Sundays are slow unless there is a game at the Excel Energy Center, but we didn’t mind the great music being played and the friendly bartender, whose name slipped my mind.  I bet this place is jamming during Bear’s games since the owner’s father used to play for the Chicago Bears.  Did you see the picture with all the police car doors hanging up and there are some fireman doors too boot.  Great place and having Abrasive Ale in a pint glass and we got to keep the glass was a BONUS!!!

We are in luck it is nearing 3:00 so we are heading to our final destination spot….Grumpy’s Nordeast for the release party for Surly Brewing Company’s can of Blakkr, which is a collaboration with our Indiana favorite Three Floyds Brewing and Real Ale Brewing.  This can packs a powerful punch at 9.99% abv so drink responsibly, we did.  I had 2 glasses of water while we waiting for the 4:00pm kickoff and after one each, we headed home to safety.  The best way to end our four day tour was with Chef Pearson making one of his delicious meals and a chaser of Hoppy Girl Brewing’s “Son of a Bastard” Pale Ale, another half gallon of water and a movie!  Next time, please join us….Cheers!

Snow Apocalypse 2014 Day 3 Hoppy Girl Brews tackles Summit Brewing Tour….

Wow, can I say we have tons of snow and ice on the roads, but our beer research obligations are important so on we trek to the Summit Brewing tour for the first time (I hope we can do it again soon).  After a near slip and slide on the off ramp, we arrived safe and sound to Summit Brewing Company.  The tour is free and you must sign up online to guarantee your spot.  Please remember to bring non perishable food items for Second Harvest food bank!

Summit Brewing started in 1986, just as I was graduating from high school.  At that time, I was not a beer drinker, actually I didn’t understand how people could sit in a bar, watch sports and just drink beer.  Well, my palate has grown fond of all the different varieties of beer and I look forward to seeking out new and exciting places to enjoy a great brew and of course the food that usually accompanies these expeditions.  Enjoy the pictures and make your reservation to take the tour at Summit Brewing.

Well that tour was worth the slow, icy drive there.  What’s next for the duo pair from Hoppy Girl Brewing? Pit stop at what we thought was an active brewing company in St. Paul called O’Gara’s Pub and Grill.  Come to find out they sold their brew equipment six years ago to some young guys from Colorado.  We didn’t fret too much because this place is huge and they have a dance club near by.  Their line up of craftbeer on tap is impressive and all I have to show for it is a near empty glass that I thought just might have been part of the #MNCleanPint program.  The Lift Bridge Hopdish IPA was a good choice, now onto one of our favorite spots; Surly Brewing Company Taproom.

You can tell that the weather is taking a toll on people because Surly’s taproom is usually wall to wall packed, but again it is only 2:00pm and most people are starting out slow this weekend.  We are glad for that because we found a seat and enjoyed one of our favorites the Abrasive Ale, and we tried the new Asator Viking IPA.  I should have taken the tour with Tim, to get another person’s perspective, but having a chair to sit and watch people and enjoy fantastic craftbeer is fun too.  The artwork and posters are always so expressive and cool! Love the Surly Girl Poster!!

Time for a few glasses of water to balance me out as the adventure continues to finally use our Living Social deal at 612 Brew.  As our luck continues we found a front row parking spot and two seats at the bar in this impressive taproom and brewery.  Our deal included a flight of beers, two pint glasses to keep and two full pints of our choice.  I’m amazed at how my palate has changed from my first try at beer nearly 3 1/2 years ago when Blue Moon loaded with orange slices was my pick of choice.  I soon moved straight to hoppy beers hence the name I now have Hoppy Girl Brews or simply One Hoppy Chick!!  I was going for the lighter side of beers here and liked the new one made with blueberries; Blue Coat 1916 Session Ale

I wish you were here with us as this day just keeps getting better as we head home, but wait…we have a free pint of beer waiting for us at The Freehouse Brewery.  Yes sign up for their email list and you might have the same offer waiting for you.  Freehouse is again another new and impressive brewery in the Blue Plate Restaurants group.  Thank you for the front row parking spot yet again.

Wow, this place is packed, but we found a spot in the cocktail seating area right near the brewery windows.  If you are hungry, you must try their chicken waangs. Thanks Freehouse for the great food selections.  It is time for the dynamic duo from Hoppy Girl Brewing aka Wabasha Brewery Creek Brewing Company to head home as Day 4 in our adventures will continue tomorrow – Sunday, February 23, 2014.  Cheers to our successful research adventure!