Article

2007-11-02 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Shortage of hops for beer cuts small brewers' profits, Suds to Corn the choice is made

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Posted by Icerigger 2007-11-02 14:16|| || Front Page|| [9 views ] Top

#1 Damn straight there will be blood for beer!

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-11-02 15:32|| 2007-11-02 15:32|| Front Page Top

#2 A decade-long oversupply of hops that had forced farmers to abandon the crop is finally gone and harvests were down this year.

Uh, hops are, as far as I know, not particularly storable. I'm guessing the over-supply was caused by unusually good growing conditions.

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2007-11-02 16:06|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2007-11-02 16:06|| Front Page Top

#3 I've semi-designed in my head a home brewery that would look something like a washer-dryer combo. The process would begin by adding 15-20 gallons of bottled water to the "washer" side, along with clarified wort syrup, yeast, and maybe some additional sugar. The lid is then sealed.

The extra heat and CO2 are vented through the dryer vent while gentle agitation speeds up the fermentation process. The resulting green beer, ale or lager, is then conditioned, then filtered into the "dryer" side tank, which is mounted on wheels and also serves as a portable refrigerator, with a tap on the top.

After the beer has been produced, then the system is flushed with tap water and a flavorless, mild detergent, rinsed with bottled water, and ready for the next batch.

Beginning the process with clarified wort avoids the really hard parts of the beer making process. And with the machine monitoring the fermentation and conditioning, it should be fairly trouble free.

Best of all, it fits right in to the water, drain and vent set up for a washer/dryer combo, so such a large system has a place to fit in typical residences that don't have a washer/dryer.

If two or more people live in a residence, federal law allows up to 200 gallons of beer to be brewed annually. But who's counting? Such a machine might even have an attachment so that the beer can be home bottled.

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-11-02 16:06|| 2007-11-02 16:06|| Front Page Top

#4 Such a machine might even have an attachment so that the beer can be home bottled.

Heck, why not just run a tap straight to the sofa?

Posted by mrp 2007-11-02 17:13|| 2007-11-02 17:13|| Front Page Top

#5 There is a similar taste substitute for hops - but it is kind-of-very illegal.

Posted by 3dc 2007-11-02 17:16|| 2007-11-02 17:16|| Front Page Top

#6 Damn straight there will be blood for beer!

LOL!

Moose selling the idea to Whirlpool :)!

Posted by Icerigger">Icerigger 2007-11-02 18:12|| 2007-11-02 18:12|| Front Page Top

#7 There is a similar taste substitute for hops - but it is kind-of-very illegal.

It may taste vaguely similar, but it ain't no hops. OTOH, the "buzz" people would be getting form a bottle of beer...

Posted by twobyfour 2007-11-02 18:42|| http://www.twobyfour.nfo/]">[http://www.twobyfour.nfo/] 2007-11-02 18:42|| Front Page Top

#8 Schematics for the win!

Posted by Thomas Woof 2007-11-02 19:18|| 2007-11-02 19:18|| Front Page Top

#9 Heck, why not just run a tap straight to the sofa?

"That's exactly the kind of radical thinking I need!"

[/M. Burns]

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-11-02 19:23|| 2007-11-02 19:23|| Front Page Top

#10 We were in the Midwest this past summer, and Niles was reading in the local paper that barns are disappearing. Farmers don't need them as much anymore because raising livestock is much less profitable than growing corn.

They're taking away your beer and steaks, men! To the barricades!

Posted by Angie Schultz 2007-11-02 20:17|| 2007-11-02 20:17|| Front Page Top

#11 To the barricades! For Niles!

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-11-02 21:08|| 2007-11-02 21:08|| Front Page Top

#12 wait.... that sounds lame.

To the barricades for Angie! (and we know all Angie's are hawt!)...works better...

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-11-02 21:10|| 2007-11-02 21:10|| Front Page Top

#13 Of course you know this means WAR!

Posted by JosephMendiola 2007-11-02 23:18|| 2007-11-02 23:18|| Front Page Top

23:57 Redneck Jim
23:50 JosephMendiola
23:44 JosephMendiola
23:43 Redneck Jim
23:42 Redneck Jim
23:34 JosephMendiola
23:25 Zenster
23:22 JosephMendiola
23:22 twobyfour
23:21 Redneck Jim
23:19 Abdominal Snowman
23:18 JosephMendiola
23:14 Rambler
23:13 GK
23:12 JosephMendiola
23:11 Zenster
23:11 Redneck Jim
23:10 JosephMendiola
23:07 JosephMendiola
23:05 twobyfour
23:03 Zenster
23:02 3dc
23:02 Redneck Jim
22:57 Redneck Jim