Brewed: Rye Pale Ale

About two years ago, I came up with the idea to use rye in one of my beers.  Though novel to me, this idea was not a new one.  It seems that rye has been used in beer for hundreds of years, but has been relatively unpopular due to its being banned outright by the Germans in 1516 via the Reinheitsgebot.  Thankfully, in America, and any other country that couldn't care less about the Reinheitsgebot, anything goes when it comes to beer.  Just ask Dogfish Head, my radically brewing, unofficial mentors.  Rye adds a very peculiar and distinct flavor to just about anything it comes in contact with and therefore, in my mind, is a prime candidate for a beer ingredient.  I'm a big fan of rye bread, especially when it contains pastrami and spicy mustard, but also in general because of its famous bite and pleasant dryness.  Irish whiskey presents these flavors well as it is a main ingredient in most if not the only in some.  However, in order to experience this flavor first hand in a beer, I had to go a bit overboard.  This became the now infamous "Marble Rye" beer.  It was the lovechild of two fairly outlandish ideas: a heavy bodied, intensely flavored session beer and a rye beer.  This beer was, admittedly, unpopular due mostly to the two characteristics that inspired it: heaviness and rye flavor.  However, it did allow me to prove to myself that I could brew with rye as well as what rye tastes like in a beer.  These are both important lessons as they lead to the inspiration for the next, but not only, use of rye in our beers.

The Rye Pale Ale has its own story to tell.  In an effort to erect a shining symbol of his admiration of Magic Hat Number 9, Brewmaster Mike, decided to create his own interpretation of this well known beer.  In the evolution of the creation of this beer, Brewmaster Mike decided not to include the signature apricot flavor in this his rendition of Magic Hat Number 9.  The first brew of this beer was a fantastic blend of light malt flavor and crispy hops, refreshing its consumers with flavors of grapefruit and lemons.  Brewmaser Jason, in a moment of brilliance, decided a sharp bite would compliment this blend of hops and barley well.  Thankfully, due to my mishaps with rye, he added flaked rye to the grain bill.  The combination has been a sought after delight by the Brewmasters ever since.  I believe it has been brewed 3 or 4 times now and every time excites us all.  We can only wait now for it to reach maturity and grace us with its rye inspired robustness.

Recipe: Rye Pale Ale

Beer Gadget: An Introduction

Someone once quoted Benjamin Franklin as having said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Whether or not he actually said it is completely irrelevant. Simply the fact that someone said he said this famous quote should be enough to get a blog about my passions started. That being said, I have two hobbies: homebrewing beer and obsessing over gadgets.

Homebrewing beer is not only a passion of mine, but a creative outlet. I enjoy tasting, analyzing, sharing, and discussing all things beer/brewing. Creating recipes allows me to explore what I would really want in a beer and keeps me searching for the next beer I want to experience. Its a great feeling to be able to drink any beer, off the shelf or homebrewed, imagine what it could be, then create something new and different based on a feeling or desire. The other side of homebrewing is the fellowship during and sharing of a brewday. Its a great feeling to enjoy the company of people that love what you love, no matter what it is. Its like hanging out with people you work with, but everyone loves their job. Its hard to find a profession that this is true. Brewing may be the only "profession" (hobby, for most) that allows this kind of interaction amongst people, but let's not forget that this hobby/profession is based around alcohol. It greases the wheels of your inhibitions, emotions, and excitement. We have all seen what it is capable of; fortunately, brewers, at least in my experience, know a little bit better and try to enjoy the beer for its subtle flavors, textures, and aromas. This usually keeps brewers honest, allowing them pleasant company and sophisticated conversation.

Gadgets, on the other hand, are a whole 'nother beast. Since they appeal to the masses on a huge scale, followers of these minute machines cross all demographics. From fanbois in high, or even middle, schools to CEOs in their ivory towers, people love gadgets. Conversations about gadgets can be as sophisticated as those of beer, but can also be juvenile, ignorant, and fool-hearty as a three-year-old clinging to his or her blanky. For these reasons I have chosen to learn, obsess, and wonder about gadgets from afar. However, this doesn't mean I strictly look and don't touch. My deeply rooted fascination with gadgets stems mostly from my profession in electrical engineering. Every day I am blown away by what tech companies are doing with silicon and copper. From phones to TVs to power generation, these companies are furthering civilization in new and exciting ways.

There you have it, Gadgets and Beer: two of my loves/obsessions displayed and described for you. I can only hope you too enjoy these amazing facets of society as I do. Here's to creativity and fascination. Cheers.