Category Archives: Friends

Stef Makes Beer

A highlight from this past summer was getting the chance to drink our friend Stef’s home-brewed beer.

This IPA, so crisp and refreshing, especially on that warm, summer day back in late May, was the first home-brewed beer that wifey and I ever had.

And with our growing interest in craft beers really taking off since the beginning of this year, we were very happy to see the home beer brewing process in person about a week after drinking this delicious IPA, thanks to the kind invitation from Stef, his lovely wife, and their charming kid.

Steeping the grains.

  

Beer recipe and instructions.

 

Main ingredients.

 

Mixing in malt to make wort and then adding hops.

 

Cleaning and sterilizing.

 

Wort ice bath.

The home beer brewer.

 

Transferring and then pitching yeast.

  

Waiting for fermentation and then the transfer to secondary fermentation (which would take 10-14 days) before bottling.

 

Watching the beer brewing process was completely interesting and inspiring. It’s a labor of love and something I hope to try one of these days soon.

Meanwhile, the kids had a great time playing.

Then, it was time for dinner.

 

To go along with some beers.

Thanks very much for an awesome time!

As cool as viewing the home brewing process was, it’s much cooler to be able to call you our friends.

Always Grateful,

~Andy

Celebrating Oktoberfest at Harry’s Hofbrau San Jose

Copied from last month’s Harry’s Hofbrau Facebook page:

OKTOBERFEST! September 26th Come kick off our month long celebration with Schneider Brewing from Kelheim. We will feature 4 brews on draft Aventinus (100/100 ratebeer.com), Hopfen-weiss (98/98 ratebeer.com), Edel-weiss (95/99 ratebeer.com) and Original Weiss (95/99 ratebeer.com). Buy the beer take home your 1/2L mug, and refills are only $6-$4! Sausages, Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, Hot German potato salad, and meet the rep from Germany!

My brother and I went. Here are the pics as proof.

    

Schneider Aventinus (Weizenbock; 8.2% ABV).

 

Hopfen-weisse (Weizenbock; 8.2% ABV).

 

Both of these beers were enjoyable. It was great taking home these beer glasses. Hanging out with my brother for a while was also nice. Smile

And I had the pleasure of hanging out with my brother a couple of weeks later at Harry’s Hofbrau again.

October 13th Thursday’s pint night will be a German celebration! Hofbrau Munchen original will be on draft… Large steins will be only $11 that’s for the glass to take home and 34oz of delicious Bavarian beer. .5L steins will go for $7 for the glass to take home and 16.9oz of HB Original… The rep will be here with samples. So come grab a brat, a schnitzel, and a Litre of Hofbrau Original! Prost!

 

Sausage and Weinerschnitzel, sauerkraut, and hot German potato salad.

 

 

Hofbrau Munchen Original (Munich Helles Lager, 5.1% ABV).

A refreshing, relatively light beer that paired very well with the hearty food.

 

More.

 

As is usually the case when going out, the highlight of the evening was the company. It was simply great to meet up with a couple of friends we haven’t seen in ages. Hope to hang out with them again soon.

Prost!

~Andy