Vachabrew

07/23/2022

The consumption of alcohol on a hot day isn’t generally recommended by doctors, but it is recommended by brewers. In the midst of an international heat wave, it can help with hydration..... and beer sales. :)

To combat dehydration, start with a pint of beer, followed by water or a sports drink, to help the body retain water better than drinking water alone.

06/22/2022

Dont let your summer be wasted! Plan ahead to hit these popular beer festivals.

These are the Best Beer Festivals in the US that preserve great popularity and reviews. These beer festivals are the ones preferred by brewers and beer lovers serving as great travel destinations to discover wonderful places, meet new people while you enjoy great beer.

06/04/2022

Congratulations to Pizza Port Brewing Co. for winning in 5 different categories at world's largest beer competition!! I have said for a long time that (despite Stone, Ballast Point, and Alesmith all being here in SD) the best kept secret in San Diego is Pizza Port! I think their beers are excellent. And the World Beer Cup agrees. Pizza Port is the only brewery winning 5 or more medals.

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GOLD MEDALS (1st place)
Dieguito [American-Style Pilsener]
Dusk til Dawn [Coffee Stout or Porter]

SILVERS (2nd Place)
Cruisin' [American-Style Pale Ale]
Locals Only [International Pale Ale]

BRONZE (3rd Place)
Guillaume [Belgian-Style Session Ale]

The 2022 World Beer Cup was the largest competition to date, with 10,542 entries from 2,493 breweries representing 57 countries.

06/03/2022

I knew it felt like something was missing....! I forgot to wish you all "Happy National Donut Day!"

Remember, Sprinkles are for winners.

Want to celebrate National Donut Day in style? We’ve got the best activities, ideas, discounts, and deals to make your day super sweet!

05/26/2022

I cant tell you how depressing it is to see "Most Consumed Beer" to be garbage.... but the positive is "Number of Beer Breweries!" Clearly these places stay in business because they offer a good alternative, and people appreciate what they offer.

Party on, Wayne!

Which states drink the most beer, and what beers do people prefer? This visualization maps the consumption of beer by gallon across the U.S.

05/20/2022

Ready for a Road Trip? Summer is coming and there is a wonderful world of parks and beaches out there ready to explore. This light clean beer is 'road ready' and dry-hopped with Azacca and Comet.

Cheers!

05/18/2022

Incredibly Sad Day!!! Yesterday I found out that the place that I get all my beer supplies from is CLOSING!

Back in 2013, my wife worked at an elementary school about 2 miles from our home. Right in between, The Homebrewer opened up. So on my wife's standard route to and from work, she passed by this new beer making store and thought, "There is a gift I can get my husband who is always complaining about not having a hobby." So she bought me a 1-gallon brewing kit. Thus the inception of Vachabrew in 2013...

George Thornton and Chris Manzi not only were my new best friends, but invaluable resources over the years for someone that just didnt know what he was doing but had tons of questions. Over the years, The Homebrewer doubled their space and added brewing equipment and a tasting room. There have been MANY "graduates," people who started out stocking, then brewing, then leaving for many great brewing jobs throughout San Diego. They also gave back. Tasting others beers, collaborating with local breweries, and their Sunday Neighborhood Clean-ups. they even added a national award, the very first ever "Homebrew Shop of the Year Award" from AHA!

I cannot tell you how much these guys will be missed!!! This is all my supplies.... ALL of it! It is literally my whole fantasy beer company. But its also them. Jason, Sean, Graham, etc etc etc. I cant tell you how many times a 10 minute supply run turned into 1-hour long+ conversations. Of course I will find another store, but you cant replace people like that. You just cant...

So long, my friends...

2018 AHA Homebrew Store of the Year inside an award winning Brewery and Taproom.

05/13/2022

If you are into the craft beer scene at all, chances are you’ve heard of the Azacca hop variety. It made quite the splash when first released to the market back in 2013.

Azacca is a dual purpose hop that leans toward late additions and dry-hopping. Its intensely tropical fruit aroma’s make it an exceptional choice for a single hopped beer, sometimes bringing the malt flavors forward.

In order to try and experience this unique hop, I brewed this as a SMaSH beer using only Vienna for the malt.

Cheers!

05/11/2022

3 GLASSWARE: Pouring & Storing
Cans, bottles, and kegs are just 'transport devices,' not drinking vessels. Understand this-- ALL BEER SHOULD BE POURED!

One of the best things about beer – especially quality craft beer – is the smell. The tongue and nose are inseparable in distinguishing flavor. Your enjoyment of a great glass of beer involves taking in that delicious aroma, encapsulated in that head. As each of these bubbles pop, they release delicious scents – everything from caramels to peppers, and spices to pineapple.

These bubbles, which cling to each other, make up the beer’s head – what we know as beer foam. It also visually tells us something about the brew. A good stout should have a nice thick head on it with tiny bubbles. A weizzen should be frothy and effervescent. A lager dissipates quickly after pouring. Like aroma, it provides a prelude in anticipation to enjoyment or a warning that something might be off.

Generally with most styles, you pour half the beer with glass tilted, then the second half directly down the middle. But not always. If it is over-foaming, you angle more; if it is failing to froth, turn the glass upright. The key really is to pay attention! Anyone who watches a "proper pour" on a Guiness knows that sometimes patience is important as well.

Glasses are not stored upright simply because it collects dust, and thus is not ready when you are. But storing it on the rim increases the chances of damaging that rim. For Vases and Flutes, we are stuck storing them upright and washing prior to drinking. Tulips and Snifters are stored by hanging them upside down. And Nonics are stored upright, but typically stacked, which is how they best protect both rim and keep out dust.

Lastly, as much as it pains me to write this, glassware should NOT be chilled. A chilled glass will over-foam a beer and introduce off-flavors from the icing. In short, beer is expected to be poured into a room temperature glass so that the beer is doing all the work and the glassware is not working against it.
(short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRW-0pZEAoc)

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Hope you have enjoyed these couple posts. When you head out to happy hour, notice which glass you are provided. Even if it is poured in the "wrong glass," take the time to notice what your glassware provides to your experience.

Cheers!

05/10/2022

2 GLASSWARE: Pairings
Yesterday we got a quick introduction to the importance of drinking from a glass instead of a bottle or can, so that the beer has an opportunity to be truly appreciated. And the shape is integral to that experience.

Their are 5 main glass styles: the Flute, Vase, Nonic, Snifter, and Tulip. And each glass is really sort of tailored to a style (or vice versa) as a compliment to the sensory experience.

THE FLUTE (also known as a pilsner glass) is all about presentation. It is tall and thin to best display clarity and color of pilsners and pales, allowing the carbonation to "blow off" before consuming.

THE VASE, also being tall and thin, is similarly about presentation, while the flare at the top supports the voluminous, fluffy head that the wheat beers are prized for. And it is also well suited to display the clarity of ambers without loss of a good top froth.

THE NONIC is the iconic pub glass. Unlike the other glasses, the Nonic's shape is one of utility, not taste. While the sides of a standard pint glass (or shaker) are straight, the nonic's sides are interrupted by a bump around an inch below the lip. This gives the drinker a place to securely hold their beverage so the glass doesn't slip from their grip. Additionally, the ridge acts as a 'bumper' if the glass is tipped over and preventing damage to the rim – hence the nonic name, a play on "no-nick."

THE SNIFTER is a short squatty little bu**er that turns inward at the rim to hold in aromas produced as the beer slowly warms in the hand. It is great for the high-alcohol, sipping brews like barleywines and imperial stouts. But in recent times has become the perfect glass for tastings.

Last but not least...

THE TULIP glass, with its inward turn and flared rim, is perhaps the most versatile of them all. In addition to the Belgian ales it was designed for, it makes a great vessel for everything from IPAs to stouts. The flare supports a healthy head, while the narrow waist helps hold in aromas. The stem and foot make for an easy grip and facilitate swirling to release more aromas. If you are only going to buy one beer glass, this is it. Not the pilsner or the pint. The Tulip.

Libby makes a great beer lovers starter pack located here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KIG3V3E/ref=as_li_tf_tl

Cheers!

Show some love for your favorite beer enthusiast! The Libbey Craft Brews 6-piece Assorted Beer Drinkware Glass Set provides a pilsner glass, an English pub glass, a Belgian ale glass, a porter/stout glass, a wheat glass, and a craft pub glass to bring out all your brews' best qualities. Cheers!

05/09/2022

Glassware a very important factor in just about every sensory aspect of enjoying beer. From the obvious aesthetic and aromatic enhancement all the way to foam retention and temperature control, glassware completely transforms a drinker’s experience.

This 3 post guide will highlight some of the most popular glass shapes and what beer styles benefit most from each style.

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1 GLASSWARE: Keeping It Glassy
Drinking beer out of a bottle is a very iconic, blue-collar, American way of drinking a brew. While it’s a lot easier drinking out of a bottle or can, you really aren’t doing the beer, or your tastebuds, any justice.

Different glass designs help present a beer to the drinker in a manner that best suits the beer. A concave top traps aroma and beer foam, retaining both for when the drinker presents the brew to their palette. However a more open top is more of a fireworks display, allowing the beer to 'release' itself and 'calm down' before drinking.

05/05/2022

Hola, Mis Amigos! And say hello to my little friend. I am trying my hand at a Mexican lager. So grab some salsa, guacamole, chips and an Uber and we will see you in the Vachabrew Beer Garden tonight :)

Cheers!