I’ve heard that some claim beer is a gift from the Gods (Heck Yeah!) others tell a story of it being a healing potion (Couldn’t agree more!) But for me, my appreciation for beer has grown quite profoundly over the years.
I’m not entirely sure why I heart the bubbly brew so much, perhaps it’s the Aussie in me, or maybe it came about during my struggling apprentice chef days because it was the only booze I could afford; or perhaps it was because I have so many great memories of Mom and dad brewing beer in the front room (the explosions in the night were fun… Ha!) but the fact of the matter is…. I love my beer.
Have you ever wondered what the process of making beer is? Well this little budding beer nerd surely did. I booked in a Sunday session at a DIY microbrewery in Canberra and got my brew on.
We were given a menu where we could pick from 100’s of recipes, I decided on a Pale Ale with similar characteristics to Coopers.
We gathered our ingredients, mixed them up and boiled our wort – for the uninitiated that’s water, hops, grains & malt which magically ferments into beer.
The wort is transferred into a fermenter, which is left to brew in their cool room for about two weeks.
When the beer is ready, it is filtered, and we poured it into bottles. The really fantastic thing about this experience – A single brew produces 50 litres of beer! #boom
My first attempt at brewing was a success, however tasted nothing like the ale it claimed too, so I crowned thee ‘Goanna Beer’. Brewing Beer brought out the Beer Wench in me & I found myself ever so delicately asking guests if ‘Thou wished for beer m’lady or ‘siree’ instead of the usual………. ‘wannabeermate’?
So tell me dear reader, have you ever made your own beer, wine or spirit? If yes, was it drinkable?