Competition - NJ Homebrew Showdown April 6

Entries are currently being collected for the Star Ledger's "NJ Homebrew Showdown." Submissions are due on April 6. They can be dropped off at:

1-The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza (Court Street at University Avenue), Newark.
2-North Jersey HomeBrew, 358 Lafayette Road (Route 15), Sparta; (973) 383-2739; njhomebrew.com
3-Oak Tree Wine & Spirits, 902 Oak Tree Road, South Plainfield; (908) 561-0051; oaktreebuyrite.com
4-Princeton Homebrew, 208 Sanhican Drive, Trenton; (609) 252-1800; solarhomebrew.com

Bottles can be 12 or 16 ounces, but not growlers.
The following information must be on a label or piece of paper attached to the bottle (the judges will not see the information; it will be covered during judging):
Name
Address
Home or cell number
E-mail
Style of beer
General ingredients

I'm not sure what the prize is, but I'm sure bragging rights will due.

visit this article online http://www.nj.com/entertainment/dining/index.ssf/2012/03/jersey_homebrew_showdown.html

Bartending For a Cause

In addition of writing for this blog I am also a NJ state certified bartender. I have held my license since November 2010. I attended National Bartenders School in Woodbridge, NJ where I trained in a real bar environment. I attended classes for martinis, manhattans, Rob Roys, cream drinks, after dinner drinks, highball drinks, two liquor drinks, wines, champagne, coffees, frozen drinks, collins, sours, and shots. I learned bar set-up, clean-up/closing, customer service, and NJ State laws.
I have experience bartending at fundraisers, charitable events, fashion shows, parties, and beer festivals. I am available to bartend at your fundraiser/charitable event gratis. My resume and references are available upon request. Please email i.love.drinkingisasport@gmail.com for more information.

~Melodie
(NJ Beer Girl)

Event - Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival

The 7th Annual "Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival" will be held this weekend on March 30 &31. Over 80 local/national breweries will feature a variety of craft beers. Local favorites will be on hand, such as Cape May Brewing Co., Brooklyn Brewery, Carton Brewing, Cricket Hill, Shmaltz, Kane Brewing Co., and NJ Beer Co. This event is a must for any craft beer enthusiast or home brewer. You will be able to speak with representatives from the featured breweries. In addition there will also be culinary demonstrations, beer seminars, and vendors selling food/clothing.

There are three sessions:
Friday March 30: 7-11pm
Saturday March 31: 12-4pm
Saturday March 31: 6-10pm

This year features an expanded musical line up including:
Friday March 30 - Session 1
7:15pm Muscle Shoals Revival
8:00pmThe Apache Match
8:30pm Stellar Corpses
9:30pm Nicos Gun
10:15 pm Marky Ramone's Blitzkreig


Saturday March 31 - Session 2
12:15pm Who Dat
12:45pm Kyle Mc Gill
1:15pm Griz
1:45pm New Sweden
2:30pm Tsunami Rising
3:15pm Turf War

Saturday March 31 - Session 3
6:15pm Full Blown Cherry
7:00pm The Bailey Hounds
7:45pm Strawberry Jam
8:30pm Even the Slept
9:15pm Brick + Mortar

Tickets can be purchased online from ticketmaster for $50/per ticket.

More information can be found on the "Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival" website http://www.celebrationofthesuds.com/

The Atlantic City Convention Center
1 Miss America Way
Atlantic City NJ 08401

Please drink responsibly!! Saddle River Tours offers buses from various NJ locations, with a casino credit refund of a portion of your bus ticket.

Event - Funky Jewbelation Release

One of my favorite brewing companies Shmaltz Brewing Co. is releasing it's newest barrel aged beer " Funky Jewbelation" on Tuesday March 27. The party will be held from 7-9pm at:
Rattle and Hum

14 East 33rd Street
New York, NY 10016

Shmaltz Brewing Company has a variety of craft beers under HE'BREW beer and Coney Island Brewery. The Coney Island Brewing Company is located in Coney Island and is the world smallest brewery. You are welcome to visit them and take the tour.

Exhibit - "Beer Here" @ New York Historical Society

The New York Historical society will be hosting a new exhibit on brewing in New York. It will run from May 25, 2012 to September 2, 2012. The exhibit "Beer Here: Brewing New York's History" will examine the production/sale and social aspects of beer in NYC from the 17th century to the present.


This is perfect for any history buffs. This is a summary from their website:
Beer has been brewed in New York City and State since the days of its earliest European settlement, when it was a vital source of nourishment and tax revenues. Brewing continued locally and statewide throughout the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and for much of the nineteenth century New York State was home to one of the country’s largest brewing industries. Early nineteenth-century development of New York State’s hop farming industry was vital to this growth, and from the 1840s through the 1880s the state was the largest producer of hops in the United States.

There will also be an opportunity to sample some beers, there is a small beer hall that will feature a selection of favorite New York City and State artisanal beers.

To read more about the exhibit check out the New York Historical Society Website.
www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/beer-here

Coulthard's Brewery built in 1792

New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street)
New York, NY 10024
Phone (212) 873-3400

Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday - 10 am-6 pm
Friday- 10am - 8pm
Sunday - 11 am-5 pm
Monday - CLOSED

Happy National Potato Chip Day - Potato Beer

March 14 is National Potato Chip Day. What better way to celebrate than trying some Potato Beer.

There are many recipes out there. Here is a sample of one. I am not a home brewer so I'm a little lost here. I'm hoping a home brewer can try this and let me know how it tastes.



If you are looking to purchase brewed beer try these links:
http://www.lazymagnolia.com/ourbeer.php
www.beeradvocate.com
Full Sail Sessions Lager


Spiced Sweet Potato Ale

Starting Gravity: 1.050 (9/7/09) Days @ 68º F
Final Gravity: 1.010 (9/23/09)
5.23% alcohol (by volume)
Apparent Attenuation: 79.31
Real Attenuation: 64.36

Mash (@152º 90 min)
11 lb Maris Otter
0.5 lb Crystal 40
0.5 lb Crystal 105
0.25 Special B Malt
0.25 Melanoidin Malt
4 lbs NC Sweet Potatoes (Baked for 90 minutes at 350 degrees, peeled and mashed)

Boil (60 minute boil)
0.25 Hallertauer Pellets (3.7 AA) (60 min)
0.20 EK Goldings Pellets (4.75 AA) (60 min)
0.33 Horizon Pellets (10.9 AA) (60 min)
0.25 Nugget Leaves (Homegrown) (12.0 AA) (60 min)

Spices at flame out:
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/8 tsp Nutmeg (ground)

1 tablet Whirlfloc (Boil – 15 min.)
½ tsp Brewer’s Choice Wyeast Nutrient Blend (Boil – 10 min.)

Primary (68º F)

Safale S-04 English Ale

Spices made in tea and added to Primary after fermentation:
1/2 tsp Allspice (ground)
1/8 tsp Ginger (ground)
1/8 tsp Nutmeg (ground)

Recipe - Bobby Flay's Spiked Milkshakes

Bobby's Flays book "Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes" features many shakes and adult spiked shakes. In 2010 Bobby Flay opened a chain of restaurants know as Bobby's Burger Palace where you can try his shakes. If you feel like making them at home you can get the recipes from the book. Here are a sample of two spiked shakes recipes.



Vanilla Bean Burbon Milkshake

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 fresh vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (reserve pod for another use)
• 11 ounces premium vanilla ice cream (about 1 3/4 packed cups)
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) bourbon

  Combine the milk, bourbon, and vanilla bean seeds in the blender and blend until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the ice cream and blend until smooth, about 10 seconds.
  
  Mocha-Caramel-Kahlúa Milkshake

• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 3 tablespoons caramel sauce, plus more for garnish
• 11 ounces premium vanilla ice cream (about 1 3/4 packed cups)
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Kahlúa
• Freshly whipped cream
• Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for garnish (optional)

Combine the milk, espresso powder, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, and Kahlúa in a blender and blend until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the ice cream and blend until smooth, about 10 seconds. Serve immediately, garnished with the whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired.

Follow this link to purchase the book from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Bobby-Flays-Burgers-Fries-Shakes/dp/0307460630/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331062686&sr=8-1

Recipe - Spiked Shamrock Shake

Starting March 1, Mc Donald's has brought the Shamrock Shake back to most locations. This has always been one of my favorite shakes. It tastes great alone, or try spiking it.

"Island Shamrock Rum Shake"
1 Mc Donald's Shamrock Shake
2 ounces Captain Morgans Rum or Malibu Coconut Rum

You can add more or less rum depending on how strong you want your shake.

Enjoy!!

JJ Bitting Brewing Company 15 year Anniversary - March 10,2012

Then 1997

Now 2012

On March 10, 2012 J.J. Bitting Brewing Company will celebrate their 15 year Anniversary. All Profits from the day are going to the Kevin Reinhard Scholarship Fund. They will be introducing their commemorative Abbey Ale. It is 6.5% abv, blonde in color and light in body carrying notes of plum and spice. The day will include a ceremonial tapping of a firkin (gravity pour) of this special ale to kick off the celebration.

On tap will also be

The "O'Halloran's Irish Red Ale," for St. Parrick's day.

The "Barley Legal Barleywine" (9.1% abv) and featuring flavors of vanilla and pear.

The "Vintage XX Stout" (6.8% abv), which was aged for 4 months on oak and carries a distinctive tartness complimented by complex flavors of bitter chocolate and dried fruit.

J.J. Bitting Brewing Co
33 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
(732) 634-2929

Small Brewer Bill 5-0 passes NJ Senate March 5, 2012

One of the major hurdles facing the NJ craft brewing community is the current laws regulating breweries. Currently state law limits owners to two brewpubs and prohibits them from selling or sampling beer outside. Currently production brewers can sell direct only to visitors who tour the facilities and only in amounts not to exceed two take-out six-packs. Visitors can sample four two-ounce beers after their tour but can't drink a full adult-sized serving.

The new bill if passes in the House, will raise the amount breweries can produce per year and allow brewpub owners to own an unlimited number of properties, participate in tasting events, and sell their beer to stores and restaurants. The bill seeks to permit small production breweries (those that brew for distribution solely) to sell their beer directly to the public by the case and by the glass, both at the brewery and at up to 10 exclusive salesrooms.

If passed the bill would promote tremendous growth to the New Jersey economy. The bill was largely passed due to support from the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild. Please contact them if you would like to get involved http://www.njbeer.org/about/contact.php

Event - Beers on the Boards March 24, 2012

Martell's Tiki Bar will host "Beers on the Boards" on Saturday March 24, 2012. This craft beer festival will feature over 25 breweries and an all day buffet. There will be many local breweries on hand including Yards, Cricket Hill, and Blue Point.

There will be two sessions: 12:30-4pm and 6-9:30pm.

Two radio stations will be there, 92.7 Soft Rock and 94.3 The Point. The Band for the afternoon session is "The Mike Dalton Band" and the evening session is "The Jared Dean Band."

Tickets are $44 per person
To purchase tickets follow this link http://beerheads.ticketleap.com/beersontheboards/


Martell's Tiki Bar
308 Boardwalk

# 310 Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742

(732) 892-0131

Event - Heartland Brewery - Launch Party

Heartland Brewery is launching a new beer this month. It is the Cherry Blossom IPA.
They are hosting a launch party in the Union Square location on Monday March 26, 2012. The party is from 7:00-9:00pm. They will be providing a free mug of the new beer along with bar snacks. Heartland Brewery Brewmaster Kelly Taylor will be their to give a brief lecture, answer questions and raise a toast to the new beer.

Heartland Brewery

Union Square
35 Union Sq. W. at 17th St.
212.645.3400