Skydiving themed beers

[LongWayToFall 0]

I'll give it a shot!

[DJL 235]

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I'll give it a shot!

Wups, meant to link the clone: http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=32681

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[LongWayToFall 0]

Damn sweet, I'm always on the lookout for new recipes. Might have to give that one a shot after the Common (wasn't able to brew today unfortunately)

[airtwardo 7]

Gee...I thought you were talking about Old Style.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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Been thinking about making some skydiving themed beers for friends and fundraisers.

Bill, I'm completely in support of you doing this, since you have a good palate for quality beer. I'm excited to try new kinds.

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Belgian. I'm doing a belgian double right now, but for the skydiving market I'd probably do it as an abbey-style single (broader appeal.) Aiming for a beer like Lost Abbey Inferno. Call it Bigway Belgian.

I adore Inferno. That one taste of it in the team room made me a beer believer! I would give you my thoughts, but I know virtually nothing about beer, except that I loved Lost Abbery Inferno.

Good luck, and please keep us posted with all of your upcoming brews!

[Jumpervint 0]

Did you see Non Sequitur today (2-21-10 if it doesn't load today's strip)? It speaks to us beer drinkers..er..skydivers.

. . . . .
"Make it hard again." Doc Ed

“A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free” Nikos Kazantzakis

[akarunway 1]

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Been thinking about making some skydiving themed beers for friends and fundraisers. Some ideas:

Skydiver Blonde. This is a biggie because most people like it and it has a long and storied history in Montana and the Lost Prairie boogie. I'd have to get the OK from John C before I try to reproduce this in earnest, but I'm doing a few experiments to see how close I can come based purely on memory (and hints from their website.)

Porter. This seems to be the most popular dark beer out there, and I'd go for a chocolaty porter similar to Hangar 24's porter. Call it Perris Porter or something and have a picture of the Porter on the label.

Belgian. I'm doing a belgian double right now, but for the skydiving market I'd probably do it as an abbey-style single (broader appeal.) Aiming for a beer like Lost Abbey Inferno. Call it Bigway Belgian.

Fruit beer. I've had a lot of luck introducing people to better beer via fruit beer because it's less intimidating than (say) a stout or a barrel aged whatever. For this one I'd probably do a mild ale with raspberry or blackberry. (Rubick Raspberry?)

Anyone else have any ideas? The names are easy; I'm more interested in the styles people 1) like, 2) think would be popular to other skydivers and 3) are relatively easy to make. In other words, I'd probably skip the barrel aged sours and lagers for now in favor of the more basic ales.

Have to try one of these>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/01/sam-adams-utopia-rare-150_n_374997.html

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[RPC1117 0]

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Been thinking about making some skydiving themed beers for friends and fundraisers. Some ideas:

Skydiver Blonde. This is a biggie because most people like it and it has a long and storied history in Montana and the Lost Prairie boogie. I'd have to get the OK from John C before I try to reproduce this in earnest, but I'm doing a few experiments to see how close I can come based purely on memory (and hints from their website.)

Porter. This seems to be the most popular dark beer out there, and I'd go for a chocolaty porter similar to Hangar 24's porter. Call it Perris Porter or something and have a picture of the Porter on the label.

Belgian. I'm doing a belgian double right now, but for the skydiving market I'd probably do it as an abbey-style single (broader appeal.) Aiming for a beer like Lost Abbey Inferno. Call it Bigway Belgian.

Fruit beer. I've had a lot of luck introducing people to better beer via fruit beer because it's less intimidating than (say) a stout or a barrel aged whatever. For this one I'd probably do a mild ale with raspberry or blackberry. (Rubick Raspberry?)

Anyone else have any ideas? The names are easy; I'm more interested in the styles people 1) like, 2) think would be popular to other skydivers and 3) are relatively easy to make. In other words, I'd probably skip the barrel aged sours and lagers for now in favor of the more basic ales.

I just got the makings for a Belgian Wit. I'll brew it this Friday night. Hopefully it will be good, I had to convert an all grain recipe to extract b/c I dont' have a mash tun yet.
I'm trying to think about what I may call it....maybe.... "Hayabusa"

[LongWayToFall 0]

Buy a Gatorade cooler, I have a big rectangular one, and it is worse because making a false bottom is much harder. The round, cylinder type is much easier. You will love all grain, it is lots of fun and the quality is much improved.

[billvon 2,991]

> Buy a Gatorade cooler, I have a big rectangular one, and it is worse
>because making a false bottom is much harder.

You don't even need that. A length of metal mesh off the outside of a water hose will work. Williams Brewing sells a pre-made one of these for about $15 -

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/8_KETTLESCREEN_FOR_5_GALLON_I_P2476C181.cfm

That one is for a 5 gallon cooler, so good for lower gravity 5 gallon batches.

[RPC1117 0]

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Buy a Gatorade cooler, I have a big rectangular one, and it is worse because making a false bottom is much harder. The round, cylinder type is much easier. You will love all grain, it is lots of fun and the quality is much improved.

Yep, I have a friend that made on this past weekend. I'm going to do a 10 gallon cooler with the mesh hose. I swear I will never be satisfied with brewing equipment...seems like there is always something else I will want. Sort of like skydiving...

[BikerBabe 0]

Bill, I've had luck getting "I hate beer" people into beer by giving them fruit beers, but also the strong American farm-style ales that are very heavily spiced.

If you ever had Lightning's Electrostatic (or even their Old Tempest), this is what I mean. lots of clove, nutmeg, etc. It's not cider at all, but the tastes remind people of autumn or christmas and they are very smooth. more malt than hop. of course, they are BIG, warming beers with a high ABV...

I'm not a huge fan of all the super-hoppy San Diego IPAs (what's with that, anyway? it's like you drink beer in san diego you have to like grapefruit juice or dish soap). The bitter american hops are just too much. However, my old civilian sponsor in college used to use european hops to make some lighter pale ales, and they were much less citrus-y and more drinkable for the average person.

Anyway, good luck...can't wait to try some of your creations.

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Ummmm... Bill. Don't go with the chocolaty, fruity, spiced crap. Just make a good beer that tastes like BEER!

You could call it "bounce brew".

You could market it in a case of 24, but divided into a main and reserve portion.

[billvon 2,991]

>Ummmm... Bill. Don't go with the chocolaty, fruity crap. Just make a good
>beer that tastes like BEER!

You mean like Bud?

Everyone likes something different. Some people like Bud. Some people like dark, chewy beers; some like hoppy, bitter IPA's. One thing I've discovered about my taste is that I really do like most kinds of beer; in the past when I've said "I don't like X" it's because I haven't had a good example of X yet.

I never liked IPA's much, and they're still not my favorite, but I've had some really good ones. Bison Brewing had a beer they called an APA (but the brewer admitted was stylistically an IPA) at a recent tasting that was great.

I didn't like fruit beers until I had a Ruby from McMenamin's, and I didn't like porters until I discovered Lost Abbey.

So what to make? In general, talking to brewers, IPA's are favorites. (Expensive lately due to hop prices, but popular.) More mainstream breweries do best with blondes and pales; smaller breweries seem to have more luck with porters and stouts, perhaps because people who are willing to hunt down small breweries already have a somewhat unusual taste in beer.

So maybe I should add an IPA to that list for the people who are into bitter. That would give me:

Skydiver Blonde; that would be what many skydivers raised on Coors, Bud etc would think of as beer.

Porter for the dark beer folks. Although I recently did a brown that turned out very nicely; might be a better choice. More universally appealing, and the lighter color/taste may scare fewer people off.

Belgian for the 'beer snobs.' Probably the beer growing in popularity the fastest, at least in small breweries.

Fruit beer as a "lawnmower" or session beer. (i.e. a beer you can have a few of and still drive home.) ABV <5%.

IPA for people who like more bitter, hoppy styles.

[GravityGirl 0]

Bill,

You will be competing with Gravity Beer being brewed and consumed locally in Otay. But perhaps we should join forces... I suggest you come to Skydive San Diego for a sample of the Chocolate Stout or the IPA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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You mean like Bud?

Ummm... NO!

For your consideration, here's a short list of what I mean when I say beer that tastes like BEER should.

Grolsch
Becks
Bitburg
St Pauli Girl

Things like "cinnamon", "chocolate" or "cloves" shouldn't ever be added to beer, IMO. Anyway, over to y'all

Good luck!

[billvon 2,991]

>Grolsch
>Becks
>Bitburg
>St Pauli Girl

Sounds like you lean towards German pilsners then. Pilsners (any lagers actually) are a bit tougher to make because they have to be refrigerated during much of the fermentation, and have to have their temperature ramped up and down a bit during the lagering process (which can take a while.) But definitely doable.

>Things like "cinnamon", "chocolate" or "cloves" shouldn't ever be added
>to beer, IMO.

Chocolate porter generally refers to chocolate malt, which is a darker malt that tastes like chocolate (not surprisingly.) Combine that with some caramel malts and you've got a chocolaty porter that just uses barley, hops and yeast. (Cheaper to make that way too.)

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Having said that though... if you can make millions selling "fruity" "spicy" "beers" to the yuppy SoCal skydiving crowd, more power to you!

[Herky 0]

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Quote

You mean like Bud?

Ummm... NO!

For your consideration, here's a short list of what I mean when I say beer that tastes like BEER should.

Grolsch
Becks
Bitburg
St Pauli Girl

Things like "cinnamon", "chocolate" or "cloves" shouldn't ever be added to beer, IMO. Anyway, over to y'all

Good luck!

Grolsch is my #1 favorite beer but none of my friends drink it. Nice to see another aficionado out there. Never heard of St. Pauli before though, will have to see if I can find it.

[billvon 2,991]

>Grolsch is my #1 favorite beer but none of my friends drink it.

Grolsch is one of my favorites as well, but mainly because the bottles are so easy to reuse . . .

[LongWayToFall 0]

Man I just can't hang with Grolsch. I do admit that it defines the pilsner style well, i just need more body and hops to enjoy.

[kallend 2,026]

Old Speckled Hen.

Nothing whatever to do with skydiving, but it's named for an antique MG!

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[DJL 235]

Something like Spaten Lager or a Pilsner that isn't too sweet tasting would satisfy the typical skydiving Miller Light drinker.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[billvon 2,991]

>Something like Spaten Lager or a Pilsner that isn't too sweet tasting would
>satisfy the typical skydiving Miller Light drinker.

Yeah, I am guessing you are going to need one fizzy yellow beer for the BMC crowd. Skydiver Blonde might be that beer. Testing will occur at Perris, Elsinore and Otay.

[DJL 235]

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>Something like Spaten Lager or a Pilsner that isn't too sweet tasting would
>satisfy the typical skydiving Miller Light drinker.

Yeah, I am guessing you are going to need one fizzy yellow beer for the BMC crowd. Skydiver Blonde might be that beer. Testing will occur at Perris, Elsinore and Otay.

I don't see anything wrong with a light tasting session beer. I'm a craft brew drinker because I like the taste of real beer, not because I poo-poo the corn and rice beers. ..........Ok, I admit it, I poo-poo corn and rice beers.

OH...and just to let everyone know what I did today (and rub it in your faces) :http://www.hereforthebeer.com/kate-the-great-day-portsmouth-brewery-new-hampshire/

Tim will be posting the video we took today shortly but that's from last year.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher