On today's episode of Kitchy TV, the lovely Nathalie Balandran (or, I should say Mrs. Caldwell?) of the
walks me through my first attempt at home brewing. With a recipe for Humulus Blonde generously leant to us by Patrick Rue of
, Nathalie and I boiled up a batch Belgian ale that won us the Silver Medal at the
. So, yeah, we're kind of a big deal, just sayin'....
Our award winning beer (I have never won anything, so I am soooo milking this) was renamed Humulus Auburn, due to the rich caramel hue imparted by our malt extract. Perfectly balanced with vegetative hops (think citrus, asparagus, pine), cotton candy notes (so says Patrick Rue), a well rounded mouth feel, and a frothy thick head, this beer is a strong, vibrant, and easy to drink.
We also take a peek at The Bruery's fall selection, Autumn Maple. A brown ale brewed with yams, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, maple syrup, and whole vanilla beans, this beer is dry and sophisticated despite its sweet components, which reveal themselves in restrained measures, never overwhelming the palette of the beer. It's absolutely delicious and the perfect partner for Thanksgiving dinner, or any holiday season dinner for that matter. So whether you're watching to see how brewing is done, or you want to salivate as I imbibe Patrick's beer, enjoy!
Home Brewing from Claire Thomas on Vimeo.
The finished product...
Here is the recipe if you feel the urge to brew it yourself (just click on the photos and they'll get larger):
For more articles by Claire, visit her blog The Kitchy Kitchen