Part Three: The Great Homebrew Taste-Off

(Photo by Alex Rich)

In the film 24 Hour Party People, Steve Coogan (playing famed Factory Records chief Tony Wilson) says, "Jazz musicians enjoy themselves more than anyone listening to them does."

The same could also be said for home brewers. They enjoy the craft of making their beer and drinking it often times far more than anyone else does. Which makes sense, because it is a labor of love and often times the product is far inferior to commercially available beer with their access to fresh ingredients and industrial-strength brewing equipment.

But there is also a sense of competition among those who brew, to try and do their best and better other brewers. So there will be many taste-offs and competition to see who really has the upper hand.

Tasting Andrew Canning's (full disclosure: he is the author's roommate) IPA, which he claims to taste the same as a Sierra Nevada was like tasting a beer after someone dumped a handful of lawn clippings into it. The hops were so overpowering, and hit the drinker so violently, making it almost impossible to taste any sweetness at all. Bittering is important in the brewing process, but that amount of hopiness was unforgivable.

Meanwhile, a second beer (brewed by the author) in the American tradition of light beers, was also on had. This beer was a little too sweet, possibly due to adding too much sugar to the brew. It was more enjoyable, but less sugar would have brought out a more hoppy flavor.

This taste test was an exercise in two extremes, and the next round should go much better.