Welcome back! After an intentional and much-needed hiatus we are finally ready to share what we’ve been up to for the past few months, most of which has overlapped with the pandemic outbreak of coronavirus in 2020. Highlights include Rick’s latest beer recipe, Melon Collie Berry, a thank-you to Trisha and Arthella, the hostesses with
Articles with the Tag craft beer
L’odeur du Printemps: The Smell of Spring in a fruity French Saison style
L’odeur du Printemps is our first saison in a very long time, and we were overdue brewing one. This recipe uses French yeast and (mostly) German malts and hops, coupled with some honey malt for a little added sweetness to accentuate the fruit notes found in the Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon hops. A little
The Hairy Porter – A Rich Winter Warmer
The Hairy Porter is a full-bodied, slightly sweet, chocolatey beer without the astringency some dark ales have. We forwent the usual black patent malt and swapped it with a dark wheat malt, leaving the familiar brownish-red color and highlighting the Belgian Special B and chocolate malts. The flaked oats and the wheat malt make for
DiploMEADic CHAImunity – Braggot
DiploMEADic CHAImunity gets its start and origin from a recipe by Rob Friesel, whose blog Rick has been following for over 15 years. The recipe was published along with his article in Brew Your Own magazine on the Braggot style. Having done a few meads this past winter we were very interested in this fusion
Photo HOPortunity – American Pale Ale
This week, we’re tasting and sharing the recipe for Rick’s latest brew. For those who would like to brew this beer it is available below, as well as on Brewer’s Friend. This was the first beer done on the new 1800W induction burner in our dedicated brewing space in the basement. It should be a
Brewery Upgrade: New equipment and a fresh space for a better brew experience
Over the years, we’ve come to realize that each iteration of our homebrew setup was lacking in some way: convenient access to water, adequate storage space, reliance on fossil fuels for heating water, or just a pleasant space to work and hang out while waiting for various steps in the brew process to complete. In
Portland, Maine – Music, Makers, Museums, Meals, and mmm Beer
Aside from lengthy European getaways, our favorite vacations are 2-day trips that we can make within easy distance of the homestead. Last weekend we went back to Portland, Maine, to revisit some favorite sites, hear one of our favorite bands, and of course, sample some great craft beers. We had an excellent time, and discovered
Waterbury, Vermont Field Trip: Local Yarn, Food, Beers
This weekend, my mother and I made a quick trip up to Waterbury, Vermont a town about an hour from the homestead. Our venture was prompted by the relocation of our local yarn shop from Montpelier. We were happy to see the new space: bright, open, and buzzing with lots of visitors. Congrats to Lee
Tasting New York Beers: Standby styles and unusual experiments
While on her recent trip to New York for the big sheep and wool festival, Sarah picked up some new-to-us beers to try. In this video, Rick and Sarah taste three beers from two different breweries and compare notes. Sarah found the first beer at a restaurant in Kingston, NY called Boitson’s. In addition to
Brewing Big Llama Bräu with Scott Russell
Join us for a behind-the-scenes preview as we brew Big Llama Braü, a double IPA recipe developed exclusively for Gage Hill Crafts by the Homebrew Guru himself, Scott Russell. This big New England-style IPA has a boost of hop aroma and flavor balanced by local ingredients. Vermont has a variety of flavors to offer the