Are HOPS going away!                              

As many of you know, the recent market has screwed up the availability of hops for many homebrewers.  Seems like they must have hired an executive from one of the oil companies to manage supply and demand (known to most of us as pricing and availability).  In a confidential interview with a good source, seems that the futures market is now looking at the mass of confusion that has been caused and can not figure it out.  In the mean time, alternatives for hops are being considered by many. 

It doesn't help the situation that many have turned to massive hoping to disquise the lack of knowledge about brewing flavor-rich beer that doesn't taste like a green flower.  While I don't doubt that there are many fine brews that have rich-hops flavors, there are many hop teas out there that are being called brew,  Maybe the shortage will pass, but I hear the price may get up to $5.00 a gallon for hop tea by the end of the year (lol).

Now for the real stuff.  You can steep a mean hop tea that enhances the brew flavor to be very hop intense with a lot less quantity of hops.  If you add it in at the end, you can boost your hop characteristics with a minimal amount.  Like dry hopping, it is added at the 2nd stage for flavor.  Try it.  You'll save hops and money.  And if you perfect it, it leaves more hops for the rest of us.

Drop us an entry in the Guestbook and let us know what you find.  Also, let us know if you find a supply of hops that has not been exhausted.  Maybe we can get through this thing.

Sam Adams Longshot American Homebrew Competition

From Bryce Eddings,
Your Guide to Beer.
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Every homebrewer has probably heard it at least once. A friend will try his latest brew and say, “Dude, you could sell this stuff!” Whether he reacts with modesty or not, the brewer thinks, “Yes. Yes I could.” Dreaming big is an inevitable offshoot of this hobby.

But every year a few lucky homebrewers actually get to see their beer on liquor store shelves. Boston Beer Company presents the Sam Adams American Homebrew Competition each spring. The winners of this competition get to see their brews go commercial unlike other competitions which usually only offer tasting notes from the judges and a ribbon for the winners

The entries are sent to regional competitions where the beers are judged according the BJCP standards.