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The BYOB Post: Brewing Your Own Beer!

April 19, 2013 Menu No Comments

This is not a step-by-step tutorial, but rather a recap of my first experience helping to make a batch of home brew. 

If I were to be keeping a bucket list, I would have recently been able to cross off one of my top list items…and it actually involved a bucket! I spent a recent Saturday afternoon with my friend Carl, helping him brew a batch of Irish Red ale. Carl is an enthusiastic and well seasoned home brewer, and has been after me for a while to help with brewing up a batch. As you may already know, I have developed a deep appreciation over the years for well-crafted beers, so an opportunity like this is one that I just could not pass up.

Obviously, one day of assisting does not qualify me to pass along brewing wisdom, which is why I am not posting detailed steps in this post. The kits that you can purchase come with pretty specific instructions, and there are countless websites and videos that can offer you extra assistance. You can also refer to the following link for easy to follow step-by-step instructions: www.wahomebrewers.org

So let me share with you a VERY abbreviated version of my ‘inaugural’ beer brewing day….

The process of brewing beer is a lot like brewing a big pot of tea. The first step is placing your select grains into a cheesecloth-type sack that will steep in a big pot of boiling water. This step brings out all of the colors and flavor of your selected grains. What you are starting to make at this point is called a ‘wort’, which essentially is the the beer without the alcohol.

You will then spend the next hour or so adding your selected malts and hops, while bringing the mixture up to a boil and carefully stirring to make sure that none of it boils over. There are other elements that could be added to help with clarification and protein coagulation, such as Irish moss.

Once all ingredients are added to the wort and it has reached its required boiling time, it’s time to chill down the wort to a proper temperature so that you can add the yeast (the yeast is activated by the sugar, which creates the alcohol). You pour the wort along with additional water into a sanitized 5 gallon bucket, which acts as your fermentor. Bacteria is yeast’s worst enemy, so sanitizing your equipment is crucial!

At this point, a hydrometer can be used to measure the sugars in your wort, which will give you an idea on how much alcohol will be in your beer. By doing a little basic math, you will get an idea on your alcohol volume.

Next you add your yeast to the wort, put the lid and stopper on the fermentor bucket and give it a few good shakes to kick-start the yeast into activation mode (this is where the yeast starts to eat up the sugar and create the alcohol). You add an airlock to the fermentor,  which will let you know that the yeast is doing its work, and you let it sit for a few weeks. You now have an early stage batch of beer!

By this point in the game, my assistance was no longer needed. Carl had taken over and handled the second fermentation phase a few weeks later, followed up with the racking and bottling phase. You can refer to the link mentioned above for a better description of these final phases.

When all was said and done, we each ended up with a TREMENDOUS case of Irish Red Ale ( a batch of home brew will produce two cases). This made for an enjoyable and easy drinking beer with a smooth body and a pleasant aroma, and would easily be considered a true session beer. Because this was my first attempt at home brewing, I decided to appropriately christen it ‘Inaugural Irish Red Ale’.

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WHAT I REALLY LEARNED

Because I was more of the helping hand, I spent more time photographing and taking notes than I did stirring and steeping. But I do have a few good tips to share, if you are interested in attempting to home brew…

1. Team up with a friend (preferably one who may have some experience in home brewing). There’s actually a lot of waiting around for water to boil, so having a friend to hang out with helps fill up a lot of your time. There’s also a fair amount of lab-type equipment involved. If you have a friend who already brews, this will save you the cost of buying your own equipment. It will also help you avoid making mistakes that your experienced friend will know how to avoid!

2. Be sure to get your wives/girlfriends out of the house. You will be taking over the kitchen for a good few hours, and boiling brew will make for a bready/yeasty aroma (not unlike a frat house). I personally found the smell to be comforting…but chances are the ladies will think different.

3. Prepare a good meal for the day. Before we were left to play, Chrissy (Carl’s wife) made sure that we were set with a nice pot of home-cooked chili, some crusty bread and good cheese. Take advantage of the “waiting for the pot of water to boil” down-time by enjoying a nice hearty lunch with your buddy!

4. Save those pop-top bottles. Recycling your old bottles is easy and cost-effective. You can purchase various bottle cleaning products online or at a brewing supply store. A quick soak in warm soapy water and a few minutes of scrubbing with a scouring pad will help remove the old labels.

5. Share the wealth! As I mentioned earlier, a batch of home brew will make 5 gallons, or two cases of beer, for a reasonable cost of about $30-40 depending on what kind of beer you are making. What better form of a friendly gesture is there than to share your home creation with your family and friends? And if the batch is good, the compliments and kudos will make you proud.*

 *Before I get any flack…this case went fairly quickly to those who I knew would appreciate it most. I am certain that I will be attempting another brew with Carl sometime in the near future, and I will be happy to share what I can next round!

Below are some photos that I took while Carl and I…ok, mostly Carl….were preparing our batch. 1) The ingredients; 2) the first stir of the boiling brew; 3) adding the malts; 4) the hops; 5) the big chill; 6) straining the wort into the fermentor bucket; and 7) Ava giving the wort one final stir. Just to clarify, photo #7 of our little assistant handling the stirring and mixing duties was taken prior to the yeast being added to the wort. In other words, there is NO ALCOHOL involved at any point during this portion of the process.

brewing

 
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D.I.Y. Pomegranate Mojito

Today I am very excited and honored to introduce to you the newest contributor to the Cucina Domenico food bog, Kendra Thornton. When I was contacted a few weeks ago by Kendra, asking if I would be interested in sharing some of her unique recipes and advice, I was a bit taken aback. Kendra, who is a long time travel expert and a world traveler since the age of 3 months, has been sharing her knowledge and advice on family, luxury and adventure travel for FOX News, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CW networks. A person with such an established track record reaching out to me was overwhelming to say the least. When I learned that Kendra is now taking on the very important and rewarding role of mom and wife to a family of three, incorporating her experiences into creating unique meals, I knew that my readers (along with myself) would benefit from and enjoy hearing what tips and recipes she has to offer! You can find out more about Kendra by checking out her bio in the Guest Blogger section by clicking here. You can also find her recipes by clicking On the Go with Kendra under the Recipes section. So take it away, Kendra, with today’s post…we look forward to your insightful visits here at Cucina Domenico! 

Kendra Thornton

Kendra Thornton

Spring is in the air! What better excuse could there be to invite loved ones over for cocktails on the patio. The sheer mention of cocktails and I am instantly reminded of my recent stay in Las Vegas with my husband. It was absolutely heavenly.

Surrounded by the glorious Venetian Hotel, smack bang in the middle of all the action, we had the most wonderful time by the pool, sipping a cocktail that screamed, “Spring has arrived!”

I just had to get a copy of the recipe. This drink was something I was determined to take back to Chicago and share with my friends and family. So with my sites locked on a target, I set to work. I love a challenge, and have yet to fail in a mission. Their pomegranate mojito was to die for and I was not going home empty-handed. I managed to pilfer the recipe from the bar staff who so creatively bring Venetian’s poolside dining to life. Now I can’t offer you the magical atmosphere of the Venetian, ranked amongst some of the top hotels in Las Vegas, but I can give you a few tips to help you create your own signature pomegranate mojito fit for spring celebrations.

D.I.Y Pomegranate Mojito
(Makes 2 cups)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of fresh lime-juice
10-12 fresh mint leaves
6 tablespoons of white rum
¼ cup of pomegranate juice
¼ fluid ounce of soda water

Directions:
Simply mix the lime-juice, mint leaves and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Press the mint leaves against the edge of the glass with the back of a spoon so that they are slightly bruised. This will help them to infuse their flavor into the drink. Stir in the rum and pomegranate juice, and then fill the glass with ice and finish with a splash of the soda water.

Or, if you happen to have a cocktail shaker in your home bar, toss the lime-juice, sugar, half of the mint and some ice cubes into the shaker. Give it a thorough shake. Add the pomegranate juice and rum and shake gently. Place some ice into a serving glass and strain the drink in, top up with soda water. Garnish with a slice of lime on the side of the glass and float a sprig of mint on top. I hope you enjoy this just as much as my friends and I do!

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Dana’s Game Day Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Spring is in the air, and the boys of summer are back on the field. But put away those peanuts and crackerjacks, because today I have a special treat for you. I could’t think of a better way to help celebrate the home opener weekend  than by sharing with you a recipe given to me by my friend Dana Gollotto, who is a dietitian and chef for the Philadelphia Phillies. As you may recall, I shared a recipe back in February that I found online for chicken meatballs as part of my post on Superbowl party foods. When Dana offered to share her version of buffalo chicken meatballs, which by the way she says is the Phillies all time favorite recipe, I knew that it would be a home run. No doubt this recipe, which puts a unique spin on the classic appetizer, would make for a great game day dish to share with family and friends!

Dana has also graciously agreed to check in with Cucina Domenico occasionally to share other special recipes that she prepares for the Phillies. You can also check out my interview with Dana by clicking here. Now play ball!

GAME DAY BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS
Courtesy of Dana Gollotto

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup hot sauce
1 pound ground chicken, preferably thigh meat
1 large egg
1/2 celery stalk, minced
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup locatelli cheese

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, cheese, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
Roll the mixture into round, 3/4 -inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
Serve with Ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side and celery sticks.
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Easter Wishes: My List of Easter Recipes

Easter week is here once again and I’m sure that many of you, like myself, are preparing to bake the traditional Easter breads and pies. It’s a time of year that I look forward to and take pride in being able to carry on my family’s traditions. Over the past few years, I have shared on this blog many of my family’s traditional recipes. In fact, as I was preparing to write this week’s post, I realized that I have run out of family recipes to share with you. Instead of searching out and sharing a recipe that I am not familiar with, I thought it would be best to simply share all of the links to my previous Easter posts, in case you are looking for a last minute idea for your Easter week family gatherings. Below are a list of all Easter-related links, most of which are from my family’s table, along with a few delicious dishes that were submitted by my friend Emma Caparelli Loerky.

I do, however, have one new item to share with you. My good friend Joe was gracious enough to allow me to share a photo of his Great-Grandmother, Giuseppina Benincasa, flipping her Easter fritatta. This photo was taken at her house on Tulip Street, in the Tacony section of Philadelphia. Everything about this classic photo sums up the love and dedication that so many Italians and Italian-Americans bring to the kitchen, especially during this special time of year. As soon as I first saw this photo, I knew that every one of my readers would enjoy it. Thanks, Joe, for allowing me to share it.

Happy Easter to you and yours!

Giuseppina_Benincasa_flipping_the_Easter_Fritatta

Giuseppina Benincasa flipping the Easter Fritatta.

Please click on the links below for previous Easter recipes.

 

 

Easter Ham Pie

 

 

 

Easter Rice Pie

 

 

 

Mascarpone Cheese Cannoli

 

 

 

Easter Strata

 

 

 

Easter Cheese Bread

 

 

 

Taralli Dolci di Pasqua (Easter Ring Cookies)

 

 

 

Italian Love Cake

 

 

 

Honey Fig Gorgonzola and Prosciutto Crostata

 

 

 

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

 

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