Kilted Hop Brewing

05/29/2023

For my friend Ivan Krpan.... the mad scientist's whole garage.

05/29/2023

Aside from making Piwo Grodziskie, this is my first attempt at making a true smoked beer. It's a Smoked Maibock or by BJCP 2021 standards, a Smoked Helles Bock.

I have mixed feelings on the smoke. Some sips, it comes off as a smokey almost bandaid phenolic and other sips, it's a subtle smokey character trait on top of the Maibock that's pleasant.

BTW... I don't really like Rauchbier so I went for subtle with this one. I think I hit the marks for Maibock though.

05/28/2023

Late start to the brew day today but, Hey, it's a holiday weekend and I don't have to work tomorrow so, no problem.

Trying my hand at a New Zealand Pilsner in honor of my nephew who lives in New Zealand and is coming to visit with his family in August. Should be a good party.

05/27/2023

Received our First Round ribbon from Nationals today. First place in the European Sour Ale category in the Chicago Region for our Gueuze titled "Can't Wait To See Where This Gueuze".

This was a co-brew project with my son, Noah. It's year 1 of this project and we have a pretty good product.

Now, this beer gets shipped to San Diego for the Finals in June against all of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in 9 regions from around the country. It's a true best of the best competition at that point.

BTW... For those who are wondering, we only entered 1 entry into the competition!

05/22/2023

Just tapped my HANK's Place cider from the fall. We hand picked all the apples 🍎 from the tree in our backyard back in October 2022 along with my co-brewer friend, Blake Williams. We transported our bounty to his house where we pressed it all on the old 1870's apple press he has. Then, we shared the cider and each fermented our share of the finished product.

While it's not perfectly clear, this cider has a balance of acid and sweet apple and drinks just right. Two pints went down quick...

05/19/2023

This has to be one of the more unique medals we've won... a Bronze for "Can't Wait To See Where This Gueuze" Belgian Gueuze (sour Blonde Lambic style ale) from the 8 Seconds of Froth competition in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

05/14/2023

Got our hardware in from the Greg Noonan Memorial Homebrew Competition in Vermont. 2nd place in the Strong European Lager category for "Cluster Bock", a Dunkles Bock made by myself and cousin, Jeff Knepper.

05/13/2023

Judging today at the 32nd Annual Charlie Orr Memorial Chicago Cup Challenge in Tinley Park, Illinois.

I have no entries in this year's competition.

https://www.bossbeer.org/ChicagoCup/

05/07/2023

Silver in Vermont for our "Cluster Bock" Dunkles Bock. Booyah!

Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Greg Noonan Memorial Homebrew Competition organized by Green Mountain Mashers, 56 Main Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

05/06/2023

Whirlwind day... Big Brew Day in the morning, then a quick wine tasting with the neighbors and now, finishing with the Blink 182 concert at the United Center.

Great full day with my son!

05/06/2023

Happy Big Brew Day everyone!

What are you all brewing today?

05/05/2023

Drank one of my last collector's Norma Jean Merlots from back when they were good. This bottle is a 2003 that I bought in 2003. It aged well enough to still be decent after 20 years.

Last time my wife and I drank one of these, it was 4 years old and worth $250.