Customer Request

Seasons greetings, out there, friends!

We are now at that time of the year when things are getting very tight, particularly in the pocketbook-area. In addition, I have noted that there have been several requests for more knowledge on beer crafting and how one might even -- gasp! -- brew up a batch of one's own hand crafted beverage. To satisfy both of these customer requests, I have included here some helpful information that can get you on your way to brewing your own beer, no matter what level of brewer you may be.

Where do I go??

In Lawrence, there are, regrettably, no stores that cater to the home brewer. This leaves only the online market with which one may acquire the proper equipment and ingredients. However, there are a few places nearby (in Olathe and Shawnee), where you should be able to talk to someone face-to-face and get some hands-on help with home brewing:

Homebrew Pro Shoppe

2061 E Santa Fe

Olathe, KS

Bacchus & Barleycorn

6633 Nieman Rd

Shawnee, KS

What about online??

Of course, living in Lawrence, that are no home brew shops, which leaves only the ability to use the wonders of technology to get things. Listed here are some of the best websites you can use to learn more about how to brew beer at home:

www.howtobrew.com This website teaches you how to... BREW... Convenient like that, eh?

www.northernbrewer.com may be the best website to use, according to my resources. This website has a wide variety of products, from the advanced high-end home brewers all the way down to starter kits made for people who just want to give it a try. This website also has a pretty good deal for shipping, as $7.99 ships anything you want, no matter whether you're looking for a bottle-capper or a 20-gallon kettle.

www.williamsbrewing.com and www.morebeer.com are other websites website that cater to the home brewer, offering cutting edge recipes, new product info, and methods for brewing in your bathrobe.

How is that possible?

That Lawrence doesn't have any home brew stores? I don't have an answer to that one, chief. Maybe someone right now sees this blog and realizes that we really need one. The market for home brewers is growing just like the craft beer market has for the last 20 years, and it's no surprise. America was founded on hooch, kids. In the cramped basement speakeasy whiskey stills was where the first American revolutionaries met to overthrow British Rule. After all, even Sam Adams made beer. He also lit the tower lanterns when Paul Revere rode to inform the American revolutionary army: one if by land, two if by sea. If that's not some founding father folklore, I don't know what is. Lawrence does not have a home brew store, but, as all revolutionaries may already know, there is a guild. Click on the link to pay them a visit. Home brew is a lot closer to home than you might think.

Now, whether you're a hard-core seasoned veteran or a 21-year-old rookie, home brewing is a great way to test your mettle, to celebrate your freedom, and to actively participate in American history. As always, please be safe out there this holiday season, and stay thirsty, my friends.

Ho Ho Ho, bitches.

If this is your first visit to the Harper Corner News, then WELCOME. If not, then let's just drop the formalities and get to it, shall we?

BEER

O'Fallon's Cherry Chocolate Beer

O'Fallon's Brewery

St. Louis, MO

I don't know whether this is the first you've heard about this blissfully crafted beer, but I must insist that this is worth a try. Now, I know that there are still some classicists out there. I know who you are. I recognize you, from your resolute stroll towards the section with which you're most familiar to your product and price memorization, plus tax. Mr. Half-a-pint-of-Barton-vodka, good to see you. Oh, hello, Ms. Thirty-Pack-of-Busch, how's the renovation coming? But no one... NO ONE should think that they would not completely love this beer. If you can't find it in stock at Harper Corner, then find it somewhere. Oh, and don't forget the whipped cream.

Hop Rod Rye

Bear Republic Brewery

Healdsburg, CA

Rumor has it that the guys that started this brewery went to college with the same guys that started Sierra Nevada Brewery. Whatever the reason, they have got a serious product, here. The Hop Rod Rye ale has a rich, driven flavor that screams and rattles like a race track. Deep roasty rye flavor slams headfirst at no less than 55 mph into a bright citrus that rounds into a caramel undertone, and, at 22 ounces of oak, it creates a heavy, intimidating brew worthy of only the most serious beer drinker. People talk about a meal in a bottle, and that would be this. Perfect for the holidays, this beer reminds me most of chestnuts roasted on an open fire.

LIQUOR

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

If you know the story of Sailor Jerry, then I won't bore you. My only statement I have to say is this. The Sailor answers to no man. He has no fleet of ships at his command, like the notorious Admiral Nelson. He has no crew to order about, like the cantankerous Captain Morgan. He is his own man. He is the Sailor! And here's how I like to enjoy him around the holidays:

Hot Buttered Rum

1 generous T brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Lemon Peel

6 whole cloves

boiling water

2-3 oz. Sailor Jerry

pat of Butter

Grated Nutmeg

Rinse a large glass with boiling water (dump out!), then add brown sugar, and a lemon peel studded with cloves. Pour in a little boiling water just until the sugar dissolves. Add rum, then fill to rim with boiling water. Stir, then place pat of butter on top. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg, then drink... Then drink again... Then drink a little bit more.

>>Now, I have to add, here, that the recipe for Hot Buttered Rum swears that you should never, under no circumstances, use a spiced rum for this recipe. I beg of you all to differ.<<

Old Charter Whiskey

Aged 8 years, this whiskey has the oomph to warm a body up on a cold snowy night (like tonight!), but also has the price of Jim Beam, a whiskey bottled in only half the time. This whiskey is smooth, it is genuine. It's the working man's whiskey. Old Charter is not a new player on the field, no. He is a seasoned pro, long-established in the industry for his remarkable ability to make the perfect holiday beverage:

The Hot Toddy

2-3 oz. Old Charter (Or other hard liquor, your choice)

1 oz. sugar syrup, or to taste

4 whole cloves

Generous pinch cinnamon

Lemon slice

Boiling water

Mix all ingredients in a mug. Let the cloves steep a few seconds, then top with grated nutmeg and call your neighbors. If they are fortunate enough to even witness what you are enjoying, they will then proceed to tell you how awesome you are. You can then ask them for a favor, if you want. If they agree to the favor, it is proper etiquette to then offer them a taste.

I hope that these reviews and suggestions give you all something to think about for the holidays. With snow on the ground, it's a great time to wall off the world, play hookie, and treat yourself to a hot toasty holiday beverage. We'll see you around the store, but until then...

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Bird Day

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is that time of year that reminds us to be... well, thankful, I guess... It also is a time of transition: Riesling turns into mead, Octoberfest into winter brew, and the rambunctious Sailor Jerry snuggles willingly into the arms of hot butter and brown sugar. For the holidays this year, I plan on posting some of my favorite drink recipes up for the public to try. For the time being, I feel it necessary to pass on a few product highlights. Indeed, things have been busy at the Corner.

Mike's Hard Apple Cider

Usually, I don't consider sweetened malt beverages to be worth much attention. However, Mike's Hard Lemonade, a summertime favorite, has now come out with their seasonal winter beverage: Apple Cider. This is not only a poignant answer to other exclusively cider companies like Woodchuck or Hornsby's, it uses a distinctly winter flavor palette: deeply animated with subtle notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Now, this tasty carbonated beer alternative not only serves as a great way to quench the thirst after a hard day of hauling 30 packs, it can be heated in the microwave. That's right. Pour your Mike's Cider into a glass and pop it into the microwave for a hot and toasty holiday treat sure to ease the most abrasive holiday blues.

Chaucer's Mead

Soquel, CA

We sell this mead year-round, but it is known by and large as the standard by which all other meads are measured. I've had mead from all over, and this seems to be the best by my liking. For those who are unaware, mead is a traditional holiday beverage used primarily by Northern Europeans, common in England, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is made from carefully fermented honey that is combined with things like orange rinds, lemon peels, and cinnamon sticks, and tastes very sweet with hints of floral notes that vary, depending on the flowers that the bees used to make the honey. Hot or cold, mead is the holidays in a cup.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager

If you've been paying attention to the news, you may have noticed that Sam Adams has now made a beer that rings in at around $150 a bottle. This beer is sold in a copper and ceramic bottle that replicates a brewing pot, takes around 12 years to create, and clocks in at around 27% alcohol. Now, I like Sam Adams beer. Like. In fact, I'm happy drinking their Winter Lager a few times every year it's in season, and that keeps me happy with the product, in general. The winter ale is crisp, not too hoppy, and not over-the-top on the cinnamon and nutmeg. Orange peel and coriander work their magic in this bold broth that, for some reason, makes me think of a very comfy sweater.

Sam Smith's Winter Welcome

Wow. This is good. Probably my favorite Winter Brew I've tried, so far. This beer is bold, unapologetically nutty, and full of English grit. Think Newcastle, times ten. You might find Sam Smith's to be an intimidating purchase, and there's a good reason for that. This stuff is packed with character; an old leather football helmet or baseball glove grooved with familiar fingerprints, the beer washes the palette in deep nutty caramel flavors saturated with malty hops. If you haven't tried this, do yourself a favor and pick one up. After all, at a mere $3.99 for a wine bottle full of world class beer, it sure beats $150.00.

I hope that this message finds everyone doing well, and feel free to swing by to give any of these suggestions a try. As always, stay thirsty, my friends.