Kashmir IPA

Yet another IPA for the record, Highland’s Kashmir IPA contends with the best of them. It pours with a decent head and a clear, golden-brown color. The aroma is thin but with an abundance of fresh hops.

This IPA goes down pretty smoothly, surprisingly, as I’m not too big on IPAs. In my opinion they’re best reserved for warm summer days in the shade. The aftertaste lingers for a good bit of time, where the potent hops conquer the sinuses and throat. This beer’s pretty dry, which I think lends to it being more drinkable than most IPAs.

I recommend this IPA for the hardcore as well as the fair-weathered IPA fan.

Highland's Gaelic Ale

One of my favorites, Highland’s Gaelic Ale is an Asheville staple in the world of beer. You can never go wrong with a Gaelic Ale!

This beer pours nicely, with a good medium head. A friendly and bold aroma of malt and hops lends to the well-balanced flavor of this favorite beer. Its color is a deep amber to copper.

When sipped a sharp bite cuts in with a nice malty flavor, almost sweet. The hops join the party in the aftertaste, creating a nice balance of maltiness and hoppiness, without being overpowering.

This is a highly recommended beer, and no Asheville tourist should go without at least having a Gaelic Ale.

2nd Home Brew: Smoked Porter

So I finally got a chance to taste my second batch of homebrew! It’s a Smoked Porter, a recipe from Alex Buerckholtz, owner of Hops and Vines, a brew supply shop in West Asheville, North Carolina.

This recipe is based on Alex’s recipe that he brought to the Highland Pro Am. He won (first was his Smoked Porter, second was an American Pilsner), so Highland Brewing will be brewing and releasing something close to this beer this fall (2009).

The color of this beer is a nice, deep blackish brown, with a rich dark aroma of smokey flavor, chocolate, and malt. It goes down very, very smoothly, with a flavorful and kind aftertaste. The aftertaste lingers for a moment while more smoky flavor is released.

This is a winning beer, the best home brew I’ve tasted yet (well yeah, it’s only the second one I’ve brewed!).

My first homebrew!

So I wanted to taste my first home brew a few days ago, but Randy gave me shit about it. He said I gotta have patience! But we popped one open anyway.

Only after a few days, the beer was pretty carbonated! It foamed out all over the damn carpet. So I think we did well with the bottling!

Come to find out that Randy and Rollin popped open one each last night, so I figured it’s only fair that I have one, too. Patience my ass!

It’s a good beer! It’s pretty basic, tastes pretty much like what I thought it would taste like, but it is good! It’s dark, not black, and has a nice hoppiness to it. It’s warming, got a good head, and smells like a simple dark ale. We named it “May Be Ale” because we made it in May and we weren’t quite sure if the end result could actually be classified as ale. Hence the pun.

First pour of my first homebrew!

I think I love homebrewing!

The voting ends May 7th, so hurry up and cast your vote! Oh, and by the way, you should vote for Asheville!

Where: Bruisin’ Ales (directions)
When: Thursday, April 30, 2009 – 5pm – 8pm
Cost: FREE!

First, I did a bit of research. I’ve read through several sites on home brewing, materials, ingredients, and I think I’ve got enough of an idea to make my first batch. I’d like to brew a nice witbier, but I’m just gonna go with a standard old pale ale; supposedly it’s a great first time brew, as it’s not too hard to mess up.

I’m sure my batch won’t be the greatest, but I’ll drink it anyway. Unless, of course, it’s just awful. But as long as it’s carbonated, I’ll drink it.

For my first brew, I’m gonna follow this nice beginner’s guide over on Brew Your Own. This article gives enough info for me to at least take a stab at home brewing, even if I do foul it up something awful.

I’ve got a pretty good collection of beer bottles, and I’ll be cleaning them out this or next weekend. Crossed fingers!