One Hop Forward, Two Hops Back

When hanging out with other craft beer lovers or brewers, you often get asked this question: what is your favorite style of beer (to brew)?

I have always had a hard time answering this question. As I said last post, I have mainly tried to focus on experimenting with the different styles, both in brewing and consuming. I slowed down my brewing, so that left me with just the consumption part, and while I preached experimentation, I found I kept going back to the same style: IPAs. I absolutely buy more IPAs than anything else. I started to question why, and began to realize the real reason.

When you go into a bar, brewery, beer shop, home brew house, you will always find an IPA. Everyone makes one. They are wildly popular, and brewers know this. If you want to make money, you have to brew an IPA . The BJCP is even adjusting the guidelines to fit this rapidly growing trend, by greatly expanding the category to encompass many different IPAs (i.e., black, session, red, Belgian). And of course they should! New IPAs variants come out once a week!

Even many of the experimental and interesting beers are IPA variants. Look at Sierra Nevada's recent beer camp with 12 different beers from 12 different collaborations (which I loved). I found it funny that many of the beers were classic styles packed with American hop goodness (i.e. Hoppy lager, Maibock, pale ale). 

Our hop obsession even extends to the low alcohol beers. If you want a low alcohol, or session beer, what will be the easiest style to find it in? IPA. Session IPAs are all over the place. It's even becoming a staple with breweries now. Good luck going to Total Wine and finding much of anything that is 1) under 6%, and 2) is not loaded with American hops. This is arguably worse in restaurants, where you'll be lucky to find more than two selections under 6% (a topic I may expand on in another post).

Now I don't bring this up to bemoan the future of craft beer with IPAs. I love IPAs and high gravity beers, and I completely understand the trend of brewers and bars to sell them. I bring it up because it's relevant to the path I want to take as a brewer.

It's very hard to find low gravity, malt forward beers, so we, at the Toffee Brew House, are dedicating our brewing efforts to creating these beers. If I want to get an IPA, I have 100s if not 1000s of options to choose from. But I could probably count the number malty low gravity beers on my fingers, so I'm going to make them myself.

If anyone is interested in joining me in these efforts, then post a comment on this post. I would love to discuss possible ideas, commercial examples, and recipes. Furthermore, please check out and join Alistair Reece's American Mild Month page! Hes asking that everyone pledge to brew a mild ale in May this year (https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMildMonth)

- Toffee Brew House

And it Shall be Henceforth Known As

It's been awhile since I've posted. Honestly, blogging got put on hold with my work schedule, the holidays, new found soccer obsessions, and newly obsessive online gaming hobbies. While I have many ideas for my first post back, I wanted to start with something light, specifically about my brewing.

When I first started brewing on my own, I had much angst about a "name" for my "brewery." I had never thought too heavily about it. Having no intention to open a brewery, ever (a topic I might cover in another post), I didn't dedicate any time into a name. However, around Christmas time, my dad kept asking about a name. Little did I know, it was for a very nice chalk board for my kegerator. He wanted a name so he could have it on the board (silly me...). I, of course, did not think of a name before Christmas, but my dad decided to just put our last name on it, which works great.

While I didn't think of a name before Christmas, my dads questioning got me thinking about it more. I did need a name. It really gives a basis as a brewer. I couldn't really think of anything solid. Then, this little guy happened (spoiler alert: it's not a baby.)

My wife and I finally got our first dog. We thought a lot about what to name him. We went back and forth on different names, read name lists, and even researched ancient Celtic names (he's a terrier so it seemed fitting). We couldn't really find much. My wife rejected Maximus, but she hasn't seen Gladiator so I understand. 

The other thing that happened in my absence was the World Cup, and my new found love for watching football (soccer). While I could write a whole paragraph on picking an English Premier League team, I'll just cut to the chase and say I picked Everton, AKA the Toffees. 

We finally decided that Toffee would be a perfect name for our dog. He seemed to love it so we are solid. You can probably see where I am going, but that led me to the name of our brewery. First off, I did not want to use the term "brewery." I thought Brew House was more fitting; I brew in my house...

Naturally, Toffee Brew House became the name. I even had my dad work up a fun logo with the dog and the Everton crest. Like I said, I don't plan on opening a brewery, so copyright is of no concern to me.

Up next, I'll be expanding on the basis and purpose of my brew house. Up until now, I've really wanted to experiment with each style. But I've learned that my ultimate goal is to brew things you rarely find in the store anymore: low alcohol malt forward beers.