Let's talk about "health-conscious" beer

[Myka]

I try to eat "health conscious". I read labels, and pick brands of foods that have better ingredients. We don't eat a lot of bread or grains in general. If we eat corn, I make sure it's non-GMO.

So, awhile back I learned about some of these not-so-nice ingredients in beer, and recently I was just thinking, what's the point of all my health-conscious grocery shopping when all bets are off at the beer store?! I don't drink a lot of beer, but still...

I took a gander at some information online and found my favorite crap beers (Molson Coors Light and Molson Pilsner) have GMO corn in them. :( I've tried some "different" beers and really don't like anything too artisan-like such as microbrewery beers, etc. In my hunting-about I found that aside from buying organic beer (a sure shot at health consciousness), German beer is a good choice as they are quite strict about beer ingredients in Germany.

Heineken is a brand that stood out in the health conscious mentions I read. I bought a single today. Heineken is from Holland, I'm Dutch. It really should be a great choice for me. I must say...the Dutch should stick to growing flowers! :redface:

Anyone here have a favorite "health conscious" beer that I should try?

[Aquattro]

I would drink whatever was good. Been eating GMOs forever, still alive.

[Aquattro]

If I were to drink a beer, it would be Corona. It makes me happy, and when I'm happy, I do more, and doing more is healthier than doing less. Therefore Corona = healthy.
But I don't drink. So I'll leave now...

[mike31154]

I make my own at home from Cooper's concentrate kits. Another good reason to have an RO system & a CO2 tank.

What's the beef with micro breweries? They generally abide by the German purity law of 1516, restricting ingredients & no funky additives. Okanagan Spring brewery is my go to label when I run out of home brew. Most if not all their beer follows the 1516 law, they even have a beer named 1516. Besides that, it's a local Vernon brewery & I like to support my local businesses. It was one of the early entries in the craft brewing industry in BC. Sold to Sleeman of Ontario years ago which is now owned by Sapporo, Japan! Fortunately the new corporate owners have left things alone with regard to the actual brews produced here.

Belgian beer is pretty good as well. When I lived in Ottawa my local pub the Royal Oak had a good selection of Stella Artois on hand. During my years in Europe, I had the opportunity to visit the Stella brewery in Liege. Most European brews, including the Dutch are generally pretty good, trouble is, you need to be in the country to get the really good stuff. Most of the beer they export, like Heineken, has preservatives since they don't want to take a chance of it spoiling due to lengthy shipping & storage.

[Myka]

What's the beef with micro breweries?

I don't like the taste. I'll check out some of your suggestions.

If I were to drink a beer, it would be Corona.

:lol: That's like the king of bad beers.

[Aquattro]

:lol: That's like the king of bad beers.

Lucky I don't drink then!

[Slick Fork]

Micro-brews are all a little different and you really do have to just look until you find what you like, but once you find one you like you'll find it hard to believe that you actually ever enjoyed a Molson product.

Try Steamwhistle, I have a lot of friends that 'enjoy' Molson & Budweiser etc. who like Steamwhistle so it might work for you.

[Myka]

Try Steamwhistle, I have a lot of friends that 'enjoy' Molson & Budweiser etc. who like Steamwhistle so it might work for you.

I have tried this one before, and I don't like it. Thanks for your suggestion though!! I have tried a lot of microbrewery beers, and haven't found anything remotely to my taste.

[daplatapus]

I typically don't like home made beer, personally. I'm not a micro-brewery beer guy either. There's just something about the aftertaste I just don't enjoy. But strangely enough I drink Corona Extra and Kokanee.
But... I have to admit, there's a micro brewery beer made on Granville Island that's actually pretty good. Not sure if you can find it in Saskatchewan though.

[Wretch]

One of my favourites right now is Deschutes. They are from Oregon with a wide selection beers. Should be able to find something you like.

[rsisvixen]

More of a wine drinker myself, but strangely enough I grow my own hops, lol

[Aquattro]

Seriously, you don't drink a lot of beer, and the ingredients in the beer you actually enjoy are not going to harm you. Just enjoy your fave brew and relax :)

[daplatapus]

But maybe if she found a healthy one she likes she'll drink more :D

[Myka]

But... I have to admit, there's a micro brewery beer made on Granville Island that's actually pretty good. Not sure if you can find it in Saskatchewan though.

One of my favourites right now is Deschutes. They are from Oregon with a wide selection beers. Should be able to find something you like.

I'll take a look for these - thanks guys!

Seriously, you don't drink a lot of beer, and the ingredients in the beer you actually enjoy are not going to harm you. Just enjoy your fave brew and relax :)

I go to the health food store just to buy non-GMO corn and popcorn, I order meats from a local grain-free farm, and then I drink Coors Light. Uh, that just doesn't make sense. Also, with all due respect, you have no idea if it will harm me or not. You don't even know if it will harm yourself. I don't know how you can go through life these days without being health-conscious.

Did you know that GMOs and GMMOs are a Class 9 UN3245 Dangerous Good if they continue to have the ability to alter biological substances? Obviously, things like GMO corn are (somewhat) inert in this fashion (according to "them") and are exempt.

This is from the US, but these regulations cover US, Canada, and Europe. Maybe other places too.
GMO’s are divided into the following categories:
1. Those that meet the definition of an infectious substance. These must be classified as either Category A (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/portal/page/portallive/0FDF9D28028443D0E0440003BACD13A5) or Category B (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/portal/page/portallive/0FDF9D28028043D0E0440003BACD13A5).
2. Those that meet the definition of a toxic substance. These must be classified as Class 6.1.

3. Animals that contain or are contaminated with GMO’s that meet the definition of an infectious substance. They must not be transported by air unless exempted by the States concerned.
4. GMO’s which do not meet the definition of infectious substances but which are capable of altering animals, plants or microbiological substances in a way which is not normally a result of natural reproduction. These must be classified as Class 9 (miscellaneous dangerous goods) and assigned UN 3245.
Exemptions:
The following are exempt from these Regulations:


Substances containing micro-organisms which are non-pathogenic to humans or animals e.g. Class 1 GMO's.
Substances transported in a form whereby any pathogens present have been neutralised or inactivated such that they no longer pose a health risk e.g. substances fixed in formaldehyde.
Environmental samples (including food and water) which are not considered to pose a significant risk of infection.

[Nate]

Check the healthiness of red stripe. Made in Jamaica. Been my favorite for about 5 years now. I seem to be less groggy the following day than when drinking some of the cheap brew American beer . Needs to be pretty cold though .

Also if looking for a nice breakfast beer.... Apricat from alley cat brewery , or l'abrocot from a French brewery are great

Don't know the healthiness of any, but I don't enjoy Heineken, and can tolerate coors light , so we might have the same preferences .

More of a wine drinker myself, but strangely enough I grow my own hops, lol

[Aquattro]

I don't know how you can go through life these days without being health-conscious.


I consider myself fairly health conscious, eating fresh whole foods, not really anything processed. I buy bison and grass fed beef, simply due to the Omega 3 profile vs grain fed meat. I buy regular chicken, because that's what I can afford and organic tastes like crap :) I buy wild salmon, again due to Omega content vs grain fed dyed farmed salmon.
I also fully support GMO agriculture, and agree with "them" that it's not harmful.

We've been modifying genes in agriculture for 10k years, and now that we do it in a lab vs the field just makes it more efficient and allows us to further yields and target pest control.

I also don't want to live under my bed afraid of everything outside, and if I'm going to drink a beer, it's based solely on taste. "If" there's anything terrible in it, my body is really good at removing things it doesn't need. Although an altered protein in an ingredient simply breaks down into amino acids once I've digested it, and I use what I need and pass through what I don't. This is true of all macro nutrients, proteins carbs and fats. Eating bread and eating a yam both result in glucose entering the blood stream. Some slight timing differences in insulin response, but as far as the body is concerned, bread and broccoli are the same macro. Yes, one has additional micro nutrients and enzymes, but that doesn't make the other inherently bad.

However, having had this argument on nutrition boards all too often, people believe what they believe and there's seldom changes in thinking. I hope you find a healthier beer :)

[Reef Pilot]

If they can make "meat" from plants, maybe they can also figure out how to make non-grain beer...
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102659606

[DAVE]

Give Mill St. Organic a try.

[Myka]

I also fully support GMO agriculture, and agree with "them" that it's not harmful.

We've been modifying genes in agriculture for 10k years, and now that we do it in a lab vs the field just makes it more efficient and allows us to further yields and target pest control.

There's a big difference between the "line-breeding" (in-breeding) of organisms in fields and the genetic modification of organisms such as adding a bacteria gene to corn which makes corn produce a toxin that kills the corn boring insect. Of course this is the same toxin that's been used as a pesticide since the 1960s and is considered safe, and yada yada. They don't talk about the other genes they add either, since you can't just add that one single bacteria gene, you also have to add other genes that control how that first gene is expressed in the organism too.

I don't know what these things do (neither do you), and I know I don't know, so I will avoid eating them until there is less turmoil surrounding it.

I also don't want to live under my bed afraid of everything outsideI hope you're not suggesting that of me. You talk about all the healthy things you do, so why is that ok with you, but then GMO foods is one step too far? What makes you the decider of that? ;)

[Aquattro]

I hope you're not suggesting that of me. You talk about all the healthy things you do, so why is that ok with you, but then GMO foods is one step too far? What makes you the decider of that? ;)

No, I'm suggesting that of society in general. But this topic is akin to religion and politics. So I'll just decide for me. Carry on.

[Myka]

Check the healthiness of red stripe.

GMO corn syrup. :(

Give Mill St. Organic a try.

Will do. Thanks!

[ALBERTA REEF]

Try the hard stuff. My poison is Rye. Sask boy en yall.

[mike31154]

Referring back to your original post it appears you prefer a light or pilsner style of beer. I really enjoy a good pilsner myself, especially one with a strong hop flavour. Hoppy is not everyone's cup of tea though. In any case, keep looking for & trying pilsners from different producers until you find one that suits your taste & doesn't have any GMO corn. I'm quite surprised to find that any kind of corn is actually an ingredient for beer! Going by the 1516 Rheinheitsgebot, water, barley & hops are the only allowable ingredients in beer made to that standard. Of course you need yeast as well, but it wasn't mentioned in the original text of the law. I haven't checked to see if there's any GMO barley out there yet, chances are there is, but if you stick to beer made to the 1516 standard, you'll be less likely to come across GMO ingredients.

I'm thinking the smaller craft breweries are more apt to follow the 1516 rule than mega breweries like Molson, Labatt, et al. And these days there's a greater selection of smaller local brewers offering Pilsners & lighter beers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinheitsgebot

Okanagan Spring no longer makes a pilsner (WTF?), but if you can get hold of a 1516 Lager in Saskland, it might be close to what your taste buds crave.

http://okspring.com/1516-bavarian-lager/

I've found my tastes have changed significantly with respect to beer I enjoy as I myself 'matured' (or aged do put it bluntly). I'm liking the darker brews these days. Also don't drink my beer very cold any longer. Cold kills the flavour, particularly the darker brews. Nothing like a Backhand Of God from a craft brewer in Sorrento in Long John's Pub (shameless plugs, yes) after a morning skiing the slopes of Silver Star. That brew is so dark & thick, you can almost skip food for lunch altogether. On the other hand, a chilled Corona with a lemon or lime in the heat of summer is hard to beat.

Clearly I drink a bit more beer than Mindy! I'm kind of on the same page as Aquattro with respect to watching ingredients of what I consume very closely. Generally if it tastes real good, I'll go for it, within reason of course. I figure if it hasn't put me under the ground yet, I'll keep risking it. To each his own though. There's certainly a lot of stuff going on that we don't know about with regard to our food supply. My problem with modifying crops is companies like Monsanto (spelling?) having the power to put farmers out of business that don't use their seeds.

[Myka]

Monsanto...ugh!!

Mike I don't like really hoppy beer. On the topic of darker beers, I don't know ofbit really counts, but I do also like Rickard's Red. I'm known to buy a case of Alexander Keith too. Maybe I just need to buy some tester cases or something.

[mike31154]

Rickard's Red is tasty. Another originally smaller craft brewery bought up by larger corporation, Molson. When I lived in Ontario, I used to enjoy Rickard's out of the tap at the local pub when it was still an independent brew. "The first-ever Rickard’s, this full-flavoured, Irish-style ale .....", described further as an amber. Most pale ales will be similar, although not quite as 'red'. So sample more pale & amber ales..... or keep enjoying the Rickards, according to their web site, the ingredients seem natural.

I mentioned backhand of god earlier. Very dark stout, but upon searching, they have a web site & looks like additional selection. Not sure they ship out of province, it's difficult enough to find pubs that serve it locally. About as organic as it gets.

http://www.crannogales.com/

[Myka]

Rickard's Red is tasty. Another originally smaller craft brewery bought up by larger corporation, Molson. When I lived in Ontario, I used to enjoy Rickard's out of the tap at the local pub when it was still an independent brew. "The first-ever Rickard’s, this full-flavoured, Irish-style ale .....", described further as an amber. Most pale ales will be similar, although not quite as 'red'. So sample more pale & amber ales..... or keep enjoying the Rickards, according to their web site, the ingredients seem natural.

Yeah, it's hard to say because Molson has openly said they used mixed corn (GMO and non-GMO) in their beers. I should take a closer look though.

[mike31154]

Just in case you missed it, I just edited my previous post with some more info & a link.

http://www.crannogales.com/

[Werbo]

+2 for Mill St if your into organic and all

[MKLKT]

Try Harp maybe, I don't think that's GMO.

Most large volume North American beers are going to be corn based and therefore likely GMO.

Personally I just don't like the taste (lack of) of most high volume beers. If I don't have a huge selection I'll try and get Stella or Kronenberg. For mid-sized breweries I like a lot of the stuff from Phillips, Big Rock and Central City.

Kilkenny, Guiness, Tetley, Newcastle Brown are probably my top ones, I never get tired of those.

For cheapy/lighter stuff I'll usually have Rolling Rock, Red Stripe, Stella, Kronenburg, Heineken, Harp.

Personally what I always do is buy one beer I know I like and then one I've never tried, founds lots of good ones that way.

I tried a Corona for the first time in ages the other day, it was basically just air and bubbles.

[sphelps]

Judging by the beers you like it seems to me you've just become accustomed to crappy beer which will pass in time :wink:. The best beer you'll find will probably be from your closest micro-brewer, good beer rarely gets exported. So besides the real big names the German beer you get here will actually be pretty crappy over there. What I would suggest is to stay away from ales, those probably contain the flavors you aren't overly impressed with, to lager drinkers these are referred too as off flavors and undesirable. A good lager will be clean and crisp without such flavors favorable in ales, so try some micro lagers but be picky and avoid things like dark or black lagers. Also note many micros won't even brew lager due to the extra complexity involved in the fermentation.

That said be weary of internet articles targeting beers as being unhealthy. There are many that are completely made up which virtually no truth what so ever(the top 8 list comes to mind). Check the author, if it's some generic username you know its BS as a real journalist would put their real name on it.

[dino]

Everyone should try INNIs &GUNN its won lots of awards and it's put into scotch barrels so you get a little of that flavor its amazing other than that I like miller

[Myka]

Well, I decided to take the advice of you guys suggesting the microbrewers. I found 3 local microbrewers, and two of them have a lager. So I will go try them out. If I don't find anything there, I will see what I can find for organic beers - just gotta find a decent beer store around here...

[StirCrazy]

I consider myself fairly health conscious, eating fresh whole foods, not really anything processed. I buy bison and grass fed beef, simply due to the Omega 3 profile vs grain fed meat. I buy regular chicken, because that's what I can afford and organic tastes like crap :) I buy wild salmon, again due to Omega content vs grain fed dyed farmed salmon.
I also fully support GMO agriculture, and agree with "them" that it's not harmful.

We've been modifying genes in agriculture for 10k years, and now that we do it in a lab vs the field just makes it more efficient and allows us to further yields and target pest control.

I also don't want to live under my bed afraid of everything outside, and if I'm going to drink a beer, it's based solely on taste. "If" there's anything terrible in it, my body is really good at removing things it doesn't need. Although an altered protein in an ingredient simply breaks down into amino acids once I've digested it, and I use what I need and pass through what I don't. This is true of all macro nutrients, proteins carbs and fats. Eating bread and eating a yam both result in glucose entering the blood stream. Some slight timing differences in insulin response, but as far as the body is concerned, bread and broccoli are the same macro. Yes, one has additional micro nutrients and enzymes, but that doesn't make the other inherently bad.

However, having had this argument on nutrition boards all too often, people believe what they believe and there's seldom changes in thinking. I hope you find a healthier beer :)

+1

[StirCrazy]

What's the beef with micro breweries? They generally abide by the German purity law of 1516, restricting ingredients & no funky additives. Okanagan Spring brewery is my go to label when I run out of home brew. Most if not all their beer follows the 1516 law, they even have a beer named 1516. Besides that, it's a local Vernon brewery & I like to support my local businesses. It was one of the early entries in the craft brewing industry in BC. Sold to Sleeman of Ontario years ago which is now owned by Sapporo, Japan!

your the first person I know of that admits to drinking Okanagan springs :mrgreen:

Seriously though Myka, be carful when looking at the micro breweries, most are not following the law of 1516 (which only Germany has to follow) as the latest trend is putting different stuff in beer, and than god because plain old pilsner is so darn, well just plain. and I am German from a very German family. I like the variety, and if your worried about what is in the beer, I think your worries are a little misplaced. your looking for bad things in alcohol, where the booze isn't the best thing for us anyways?:mrgreen:

when looking at the micro breweries (which is where it is at) and there are so many good ones, which Okanagan springs isn't even close to being on the ranking list (sorry Mike) the stay to there pilsners. some will be more hoppy than others but if it is just a plain pilsner then there all pretty much the same. Phillips makes 78 which is there lightest beer. I myself have been indulging in big rock brewery lately, in the spring/summer they release purple gas (Saskatoon infused beer) I also like the black betty (blackberry infused) by Vancouver island brewery and Grandville island makes a raspberry ale. honey lagers pumpkin beer, lions winter ale, and on and on are the kinds of things that are making beer exciting. now they aren't for everyone, but if you see taster tables set up try them, or go on brewery tours to try some of them.

most important is to have fun with your beer :lol:

PS. I saw you talking about tester packs, most of the micro breweries will put out mixed packs, as long as your other half will drink what you don't like you can't go wrong with those haha that's how I started. Phillips has one, Big rock has one, and there are a few others I see out here all the time.

Steve

[Wretch]

You may also want to try New Belgiums Fat Tire amber ale.

Flavour: Toasty malt, gentle sweetness, flash of fresh hop bitterness. The malt and hops are perfectly balanced.

[mike31154]

your the first person I know of that admits to drinking Okanagan springs :mrgreen:

Seriously though Myka, be carful when looking at the micro breweries, most are not following the law of 1516 (which only Germany has to follow) as the latest trend is putting different stuff in beer, and than god because plain old pilsner is so darn, well just plain.
Steve

No problem admitting to drinking a well crafted product from my local brewery. I find it tasty, to each his own I guess. I like being unique, but you may need to expand your horizons a bit if you've not come across anyone else but me who admits to drinking Okanagan Spring beer. The fact they added capacity recently, seems to indicate I'm not the only one enjoying it. I don't see the folks in the beer store buying OK Springs hiding their faces & rushing home to stash away the brew, lest someone recognize them. It doesn't make your list, but apparently it has some merit to folks who may know a bit about beer.

http://okspring.com/news/okanagan-spring-1516-bavarian-lager-wins-second-place/

As far as the 1516 law goes, even German brewers are no longer bound by it. Read the full wiki article I linked to in an earlier post. It has been replaced by the Vorläufiges Biergesetz (Provisional Beer Law) of 1993 and although many brewers still claim to go by the 1516 law, it's mostly a marketing tool & you still need to read the label or do your research on any beer regardless of where it originates to verify the ingredients.

[Rory]

+1 on the innis & gunn! That's the kind of stuff dreams are made of!

[sphelps]

Got to side with Mike there, that 1516 law is weee a bit outdated, pretty sure it was put in place to prevent substitutions for grains and hops which I imagine at the time in Germany were quite rare and expensive. Poison Ivy among other items were often substituted for hops for bitterness and an extra "kick", this was also of course toxic hence the the law. Now a days I'd like to think we have better standards in place plus being in the prairies no shortage of proper grains or hops. I will also point out that all the beers Steve recommended wouldn't meet the 1516 law since they all have fruit in them, which I find strange. What's up with the fruity beers Steve? :lol:

I do agree that the worst thing in beer is definitely the alcohol, which would essentially trump any of the "undesired" ingredients. Ultimately if you want healthy beer then you probably shouldn't drink beer or stick with non-alcoholic but where's the fun in that.

Lastly in regards to Okanagan Springs, it's comparable to Big Rock IMO which is no prize these days either. Both make decent beer but certainly not micro brew quality. Around here I find the best beer comes from Village and Last Best, both have awesome beer especially if you like IPAs.

So Steve, next time you're in town picking up purple gas, grab some village and last best.

[mike31154]

Well, after getting my CO2 bottle back into commission for carbonation, it'll be home brew again. I have a few cans of 1516 ale in the fridge to enjoy & allow the home brew to age a bit longer. Bottom line, lists, awards, purity claims et al are fine as are recommendations, that's what the thread is all about. One bonus of this thread is that I discovered I can order a 'pig' from that little Sorrento organic brewery I mentioned in an earlier post. Don't need to wait until the next ski season to go to Long John's Pub up at Silver Star to enjoy a Backhand of God stout. They've been known to put some of their raspberry crop into a brew or two as well. Most important thing is your personal preference, if it tastes good to you, nothing else matters.

[StirCrazy]

What's up with the fruity beers Steve? :lol:

So Steve, next time you're in town picking up purple gas, grab some village and last best.

needed a change from regular beers, can looked cool so I bought it haha. the purple gas was real good, probably the best of the fruity beers I have tried. the trick with big rock is to buy there limited runs.

the Black betty is a blackberry saison by Vancouver island breweries, and the
FALSE CREEK RASPBERRY ALE is by Grandville island breweries. both real nice on a hot day.

I do like the Lions winter ale by GIB, as well as a chestnut beer I found before Christmas, which has quickly become my favorite. I like to buy a 6 pack of something new every time I go to the liquor store. got to live on the edge and try stuff.

Steve

[sphelps]

I hear ya, I like different stuff in my beer too but more bitter than sweet. The wild rose raspberry ale is good if you haven't tried it and big rock also has a juniper berry which is also pretty good.

Mike what kind of beer do you brew? I'm venturing this way as well shortly, actually ordered a BREWHA BIAC a while back which is suppose to ship out next week :mrgreen:

[Myka]

Give Mill St. Organic a try.

+2 for Mill St if your into organic and all

I picked up a pack of Mill Street Organic Lager. My first sip was, "That's not bad, a bit watery, and there's a little something in there I don't like." The particular flavor I don't like I don't know what it is exactly, but it's a taste I associate with dark beers and microbreweries. Is that the hops? I don't know. :lol: At this exact moment I've drank almost the whole beer and now my thought is, "Yep, I could drink this and enjoy it." It's not what I'm used to, but I think I could really get to dig this one. I also like the fact that is is only 4.2% alcohol because I'm a light-weight. :o

I also grabbed a single of a new grapefruit Rickard's (Molson) beer just for the fun of it (I kind of hope I don't like it) because the guy said it was super popular, and also a single can of Steamwhistle which I don't know much about, but I think someone mentioned it in this thread...now I have to go back and look.

Mike what kind of beer do you brew? I'm venturing this way as well shortly, actually ordered a BREWHA BIAC a while back which is suppose to ship out next week :mrgreen:

Maybe I should make like the two of you guys and brew my own. New hobby!

[sphelps]

Maybe I should make like the two of you guys and brew my own. New hobby!

You should look into it, it's super interesting with lots history and science behind it. I never thought much of it before, all the home brew stuff I tried was terrible but then after talking to a new colleague and trying his my eyes where opened to the fact you can brew beer better than anything you can buy provided you do it properly and you can tailor it exactly the way you like it. I think there's two kinds of home brewers, the ones that do it to save money and the ones that do it for better beer. While there's certainly a grey zone between from what I can tell doing the advanced method with good equipment won't save you any money.

[mike31154]

I currently have 3 batches on the go that I put on early in April. A Pilsner & Canadian Ale from Danmar brand concentrate kits that were on sale at the Superstore. Batch 3 is an English Bitter from a Cooper's concentrate kit (Australia) purchased at Save On Foods. I suspect the Danmar kits are from the same Australian producer as the Cooper's, simply rebranded for the Canadian market. The Danmar kits cost less.

Depending on the type of brew, you need to add either corn sugar (potential for GMO there I reckon) or Dry Malt Extract. Both are usually available in the same area as the brew concentrate. The brew concentrate & sugars are mixed with a given amount of water (this is where your RO system comes in handy) in order to arrive at the desired starting specific gravity (somewhere around 1.045-1.050). Generally you need to heat or boil a half gallon of the water to ensure that you have the proper temperature to activate the yeast when everything is mixed in the fermentation vessel. The hot water also helps get the remnants of gooey concentrate out of the can.

I tried something different this time 'round with the Danmar kits (Pils & Can Ale). They were on sale, so I decided to use 2 cans of the brew concentrate with no added dry sugars. I grow hops in my garden & like a hoppy Pils, so usually boil some of those with the water when preparing the batch for some extra bite/bitterness. From personal experience in Germany, pilsners are generally more strongly hopped (bitter) than ales or lagers, so Mindy, I tend to think the flavour you're not liking in the Mill Str. Organic Lager is something other than hops. Having said that, there's been a trend lately to strongly hop India Pale Ales, which to me detracts from the complexity an Ale has over a Pils.

Someone mentioned an unpleasant aftertaste from home brews and/or micro brews. That is most likely from residual yeast which has not been filtered out. Large volume breweries will generally filter the product much finer than a micro brewery, organic brewery or home brewer. The issue with 'over' filtration is that you also remove complexity & flavour. Not everyone minds the yeasty taste, in fact there is a Bavarian Hefe Weizen Bier (Hefe=Yeast) featuring a layer of yeast sediment in the bottom of the bottle. It is customary to give the bottle a good swirl prior to finishing it in order to get all the yeast into the glass for a final sip. Hefe Weizen is not to be confused with Weissbier (Berlin tradition). Although both are brewed using wheat vice barley or other grains, the Berlin version is very clear & usually enjoyed chilled with a wedge of lemon. I've often seen a Hefe Weizen served with a lemon here in Canada. Sacriledge! A true Hefe Weizen needs to be savoured at room temperature & definitely does not benefit from a citrus boost.

Before deciding to make my brew at home, I used to have it made at a local brew on premise business. You go in, pick your brew, the proprietor brews it up for you & you bottle it when it's ready. Until the yeast is pitched, the ingredients are nothing more than groceries, so no liquor licence is required to run such a business. The catch is, the customer must be the one that pitches the yeast & bottles the product.

Ironically it is the salt water hobby that had me start brewing at home. I've been making wine for years, neither process is rocket science, but it was always the carbonation part of beer making that kept me from trying my hand at home. I didn't like the idea of adding sugar to each bottle in order to carbonate. This causes yeast sediment in the bottle and although I enjoy a fine Hefe Weizen, the sediment in the bottom of the home brew is just not the same & detracts from the taste if you don't pour carefully. Having a 10 lb CO2 bottle solves that issue. Once the beer has aged & clarified, I'm able to carbonate using a pop bottle cap with a tire valve in it.

I still have an issue with the odd batch fermenting a bit more in the bottle causing small amounts of sediment, but not near as much as if I were to carbonate by bottle fermentation. This is usually if I store it un-refrigerated. It's good to have a large fridge or cold room to store the beer. Although I have a cold room, it does get into the 15-16 degree C range during the summer, so any yeast still in the brew activates & causes sediment. I have a wine filtration pump & might consider running a batch of beer through the #1 coarse filter pads to see what happens. I'd hate to remove too much flavour along with the yeast though. One of the keys to home brew is patience. Although the fermentation is done in about 10 days & you could carbonate & drink it in 2 weeks, it's always better to age the brew for at least a month or even longer, depending on the type. Bulk storage & several rackings allow more yeast to settle & you get a clear product without need for filtration.

I'd like to have a kegerator at some point and there are many hard core home brewers out there now doing full grain brewing. That's a bit too labour intensive for me though.

http://www.canadianhomebrewers.com/

http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/

[mike31154]

I hear ya, I like different stuff in my beer too but more bitter than sweet. The wild rose raspberry ale is good if you haven't tried it and big rock also has a juniper berry which is also pretty good.

Mike what kind of beer do you brew? I'm venturing this way as well shortly, actually ordered a BREWHA BIAC a while back which is suppose to ship out next week :mrgreen:

May I ask where you order the BREWHA BIAC? Thanks!

EDIT: never mind, I googled & found it. Thought it was ingredients, not hardware. Costly little piece of gear!

[mike31154]

Happened to tune in to the news on TV this am & there was a quick blurb from a doctor regarding the health benefits of beer. As with most things, moderation is the key. So go forth & find a brew that appeals to your taste buds, organic or not, there are studies showing possible health benefits. Hops feature prominently.

A quick search yielded the following links:

http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/healthy-eating/the-health-benefits-of-beer#vgvkKWx03QC0t25t.97

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/7-healthy-reasons-be-drinking-beer

[StirCrazy]

I hear ya, I like different stuff in my beer too but more bitter than sweet. The wild rose raspberry ale is good if you haven't tried it and big rock also has a juniper berry which is also pretty good.



I was looking at there webpage no purple gas, so maybe it was one of there one off seasonal micro brews. Juniper berry hmm wonder if it has a gin after taste :mrgreen:

I just put down a new batch of wine and a batch of mead so i'll have to look at those now that I am waiting

Steve