Scouting the Taps is moving!

One of my New Years Resolutions was to switch this blog to website of my own.

Yes scoutingthetaps.blogspot.com is my blog, but the blogspot portion is not mine. I don't own the URL or host the information on my own.

Branding in this world has gone beyond just a name or image. A brand is a definition of a what you bring to the table. When someone thinks of you, everything that person thinks of is your brand. Your brand is your markets perception of you.

In this case I am redefining Scouting the Taps image by removing the blogspot portion.

I am proud to announce that I have a new website. My blog will now be located simply at www.scoutingthetaps.com. 

Please feel free to go the are take a look around. This site will be around for awhile as I look into a redirect.

Let me know your thoughts on the new site and help me make the new Scouting the Taps site a great success!

Building a Keezer: Part 2 - The Outside First

I don't know what people did before Al Gore invented the internet. I don't know how information or knowledge was passed from person to person and generation to generation. This is a mystery to me. The internet is a valuable resource when you are wanting to learn and get help on "how to" questions.

A few weeks ago, when I started to realize that my kegging dream was going to come true. I had a moment of panic. HOW DO I BUILD A KEEZER?! HOW DO I KEG HOMEBREW?!

That is when I took to scouring the internet for resources, forums, and best of all videos. YouTube became my friend and resource. To the point that I watch YouTube videos on loop for 3 to 4 hours at one time!

I watched videos on how to keg beer from a carboy. I literally watched four people make their own keezer from start to finish! I took ideas from all of them and came up with my own plan.


This is what I wanted to accomplish with building my own keezer:

1. Four kegs
2. Black body on the keezer
3. Stained wood for the collar
4. Not look like crap

These objectives I felt were the best from what I had seen, but also what I could accomplish on my own without breaking the bank.

My plan was to get:

1. A freezer
• If it was white get black appliance paint 
2. Wood for a collar
• Get wood stain to darken and shine the wood
3. Parts for a four keg system from Grains & Taps
4. Get four kegs
5. Put it together
6. Drink Beer

The execution of my plan was slightly different due to some complications, decisions that needed to be made, and the delays for drying.

To start things off I went to Costco to find a freezer that would work for me and be on the cheaper end. I bought a Danby 7.2 cubic foot chest freezer. It was white, so I knew I needed to paint it to get the desired look.

Once I got the freezer, I started doing measurements to figure out things I should have been thinking about all along. I needed to figure out how much wood I needed for the collar. What kind of kegs should I get? How far apart can four taps be while still being caught by a standard drip tray? Do I want to measure from the edge of the freezer lip or the center? Can four kegs fit in the space?

I will answer some of these trouble spots and others in the fifth installment of this series.

I went to Lowes with the intention of buying some oak to make a collar. Now you ask what the collar is for. The collar is to increase the vertical space in the feezer and more importantly give you something to drill through other than the side of the freezer. It is easier to mount four taps in two inches of wood than three inches of freezer that may or may not ruin the freezer. While I intended to go with oak, I found cedar that was better than the construction grade lumber and not as expensive as the oak. I also got some wood stain. I want to note that I have never stained wood before on purpose. Lowes also had the wood glue to attach the collar to the freezer and black appliance spray paint.

Next, I removed the hinges from the freezer so that I could separate the lid from the freezer's base. This would let me paint the freezer and set the collar.

Now I needed to measure and figure out how I wanted my taps to be. I decided to make each center of a hole four inches away from each other making the total distance from the farthest holes a foot. This will be good for when I get my drip tray. I found out my drill set did not come with a 1 inch drill bit. It came with a 3/4 inch bit and a 1 1/4 inch drill bit. So I made another trip to the hardware store.

Measured and remeasured the lengths of wood and placement of the holes. My father always said to measure twice because it is easier to cut more than to add wood back on. I assembled the frame after making my cuts and then I drilled my holes and I think I did a decent job. Then I sanded and stained the wood with three coats of stain. I learned how to stain on YouTube. This took a couple of days to wait between coats. The result was astounding and well worth the effort and wait.

Once the stain was dry and holes drilled, I was able to set the wood on the lip with wood glue and seal it further with black caulking.

Just an FYI! Paint takes a week to cure. Stain takes 6 hours between coats to soak in. Wood glue and caulk take 24 hours to dry. A little wood glue goes a long way and a lot of it goes too far. Essentially what I am saying is that keep in mind that time drags and you will need to add it to your plan and timeline.

I also found that if you add 6 inches to the height of the freezer the hinges no longer line up for the holes and screws. So how do you handle that?

I grabbed a 1" by 4" piece of wood and stained it. I cut it in half and then cut two 2" pieces off. This allowed me to secure the hinges back on the freezer using the old holes. This method also help clear space for the hinges to actually open and close. However I did have to get longer screws than came with the freezer. I got 16 2 1/2" machine screws with washers and lock washers. I had 8 2" wood screws that help me secure the bottom of the hinge through both boards. The hardest part about this whole process was lining up the holes in freezer with where I needed my pilot holes in the planks of wood. My parents actually help me solve this by suggesting that I put the screws in the freezer with out the wood and force indentations on the wood's back side to get the markers to guide my pilot holes. This work fabulously and I was quickly able to get the screws in after that.

WOW! I have written A LOT!! This is only the outside of the keezer. I will break this up and the next installment will be about the intricate internal portion of the keezer. Please stay tuned and feel free to ask questions a long the way!

Building a Keezer: Part 1 - The leap of faith to start and why

Over the past few weeks I have been busy. This time it was not with work. I have been designing, building, and troubleshooting my very own handmade keezer. If you have heard of a kegerator then think more taps and in my opinion a more attractive and tasteful option. Put that into chest freezer and you have a keezer.

Over the next few posts I will be telling you about the why, how, what I spent, and most importantly tips and things to keep in mind while building yours.

There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something.

-Henry Ford

As Henry said and I had failed to realize that the joy of doing something for yourself is an intense high and I had no idea what I could accomplish with my hands nor the emotions that it could elicit. Two years ago I would never have thought I could be proud of something I built with my own hands. I never fancied myself a handy man nor capable of fashioning an aesthetically pleasing project.

There are four main reasons why I decided to make a keezer and two conditions that allowed me to do it.

First the conditions. First I knew it could be done and as long as I did my research, planned, and stuck with it, I would be able to drink beer on tap in my own house! Second, I had the support of C. In fact she encouraged me to do it! Without that support and knowledge, I would never had the guts to do this.

As for the reasons spurring me into action.

1. Beer tastes so much better on tap than out of a bottle!
• I don't know exactly why, but this is something I can research as I drink beer that is on tap in my basement!
2. Financial Support
• I had a few gift cards from family and work in recognition of hard work, dedication, and birthdays.
• I had saved up some money to take care of any amount the keezer would take on top of that.
3. Opportunity and approval
• We had space in basement that would permit me to have a keezer
• C was and is fully on board for the keezer
• I know this was also a condition but when you have this kind of support you have to act as quickly as possible, because the mind can change on a whim.
4. Bottling
• As home brewer, the bane of my existence is hand capping every bottle that I fill.
• This labor intensive portion is tedious action sometimes ending in broken bottles, frustration, and worst of all wasted beer!
• With a kegging system I no longer have to bottle my beer!
5. Awesome factor
• When you hear man cave, you think sports memorabilia, TVs, and maybe a bar top with a refrigerator. 
• I now have a four tap system that could hold up to 20 gallons of beer!
• Beer tastes so much better on tap!
• How many other people do you know that have beer on tap in their house? Maybe 1 or 2? 

This is why I built a keezer in my basement. Next time I am going to tell how I did it from start to finish!

Fixing past mistakes: The Belfry

I must admit that prior to last Friday I had not enjoyed the Belfry in Crossroads district of Kansas City. That's right! I had failed to make it to this bar in the first year that it has been around. There was a lot of noise about this little bar at 16th and Grand Avenue over the past year. The Kansas City Star wrote about a year ago about Celina Tio and the opening of this bar with quality beer, spirits, and food. If you have never heard of Celina Tio the world class chef click here. As of Friday, I have realized the error of my ways and just a taste of what I have been missing in the Crossroads district.

After a long day at work, I join some friends for some after dinner drinks. They suggested the Belfry because they were celebrating one year of their doors being open. I jumped at the chance.

It's not that I never wanted to go to the Belfry. I just never took the chance when it was open. I tried to show up once for brunch to find out that it wasn't open on Sundays. I have always heard positive things about the place, just never had a friend to go with me. Now that I have been there I am going to be pushing my friends to go. Maybe I should find more friends?

The reason I am really excited to go the Belfry again? Take a gander at the draft list and you might have a tiny idea.

Last Friday I got to have a really extraordinary and flavorful beer. You wouldn't be able to find this beer elsewhere because a brewery you might have heard of Jolly Pumpkin? They collaborated with Celina Tio and made Jolly Pumpkin Forgotten Takes of the Last Gypsy Blender Series 1 Volume 2. The name maybe a mouthful but the beer is so much more of a beautiful mouthful that just danced across my tongue. Drop what you are doing right now! Tell your boss that you are feeling under the weather. Tell them the only cure is a special serum and you have to go get it. I will write the prescription.

Besides that beer, I also had Bourbon County Stout on tap as well as some Cathedral Square Saint Jewbelation, a great sour. It was late and I was feeling some munchie food. Guess what?! Celina, who was there, personally recommend some awesome nachos with creamy cheese and good meat. And there is so much more!

This is why I decided to become a member of the Belfry Club. I got a etched glass that stays at the bar for me to drink out of while I am there. I got a pint glass, a bottle opener etched with my member number, and I will get deals and first dibs on events including beer dinners!

All of this is not to mention the amazing selection of whiskey behind the bar. I would recommend the smooth J Rieger whiskey... I am just saying.

I am going to be there soon, care to join me?

Happy New Years! Welcome to 2015!

Happy New Years to you! 2014 has been one of the most growth and successful years in my life. I have been able to become more stable in my relationships and economically speaking. I have been able to grow as a writer and experience a wide range of amazing things. I think next week I will do a reflection post about beer and events, but this is about my 2015 Resolutions.

Many people make resolutions and fail to keep them. For those people a resolution is a one line goal statement that is really pretty nebulous. I am going to succeed in accomplishing my resolutions by making them specific, measurable, and finite with deadlines.

Resolution number 1: Website transition

I have been wanting to transfer my blog to a website that is my own. Within the next month or so I hope... No, I will be launching a new site for the blog and it will be nice, new, and shiny! I will be on the look out for ways to improve the capabilities of the site and information I can provide. Let me know if you have suggestions.

Resolution number 2: Beer Knowledge

I know I have a lot to learn about beer, brewing, and the craft beer business. This year by July, I will have set up and participated in an off flavor class, conducted at least three interviews, and collaborate with two other home brewers! The off flavor class will help me understand flavors that are supposed to be in beer and more importantly, help me articulate what I am tasting in a beer. The interview will not only provide the interviewees to voice their perspective on questions I pose but also broaden my understanding of craft beer culture and industry landscape. The home brew collaborations will be valuable to you as the reader because it will give you a better and closer look into the process of brewing beer. I will be able to get a different perspective of the process and make my own brewing better.

Resolution number 3: Quality time with friends and for myself

I will make a point this year to spend quality time with friends and family. As the year wore down in the last few months, I found that I was working incessantly and without reprieve. This year, I am going to go on at least one vacation away from the KC area and organize 10 get togethers with friends close and new.

Resolution number 4: Application Development

I am determined to develop an app and service idea that I have. My next step is to put my idea into writing and wire frames. From there I will be able to push technology and creative initiatives to implement my ideas. I will have the foundation laid for all of this by early summer.

What are your resolutions?

Advent Calendar Day 24: Christmas Eve, Faith, Love, Hope, and Pike's Peak Brewing Penrose Private Reserve

If you do nothing other than listen to the news recently, then you probably are scared sick with the events and unrest that seems to be seeping into all aspects of life. There isn't an hour that goes by without something being said detailing a doomsday scenario or a societal altering clash that will spell the end of the American Dream as we know it. The words of a priest, today on Christmas Eve, put in perspective both the recent world events and my role in the future. He spoke of faith, hope, and love. He spoke to always show our faith by never losing hope and give others a reason to keep it as well. We give this hope to others by our actions. He spoke of our faith is love of God and our fellow man and this love is the inspiration of hope and faith.

While some people may not have faith in the same way that I have faith, I do hope that those people do share the faith I have in my neighbor. If we give of ourselves and show love to the person next as a decent human being, then we have every reason for hope and the restoration of faith in the human race. My charge to you is the next time you feel an urge to be a dick to someone, DON'T DO IT! Maybe you notice an opportunity to help someone, take two seconds, and with a smile do the right thing. I know I need to get better about this and I promise I will. I will carry the Christmas Spirit with me for the next 365 days to bring a genuine smile to someone's face. Beer can help this cause. Watching someone new to me drink a beer new to them, and have their eyes widen at the experience of a good beer can definitely increase the joy on this Earth. Could you imagine how much joy and good will that 8 billion small acts of kindness would bring to this world?

Now to settle in on this cold winter's night. Unfortunately, this Christmas will not be a white Christmas. But I did pick out a beer that is as black as the night sky and helps me fight against the biting cold the wind of the night brings. Tonight I drink a special beer. Pike's Peak Brewery Penrose Private Reserve Number 1306. This is a stout aged in whiskey barrels. The beer pours a dark melted chocolate look to it. Has the aroma of a stout that is softened by the oaky dark tinges from the whiskey. As I took a drink, I almost expected the burn of alcohol, but the burn never came. This went down very smooth but not quickly as the beer clung to the sides of my mouth and tongue. I also took the time to review what others have said about this and I, literally out loud, said, "Get a life!" Some them were talking about how the beer was undrinkable and was a total drain pour. I wanted to ask if they were drinking the same beer I was. This just helps me reinforce the idea that, each of us should make up our own minds as to what is a good beer. I would give this one a try and let me know what you think!

24 down... 0 to go!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

Advent Calendar Day 23: Wild Beer Bliss, Fake Fires, and Early Christmas Presents

When I came home from work tonight, I was greeted with the sound of Scottish songs from one of her shows with a fake fire on the TV screen. This was an interesting and enjoyable scene to come in on, because I enjoyed the music playing, and C was relaxed and burritoed into a blanket sitting in front of the TV as if the fire was real. My dogs, while they were excited to see me, were just as eager to lay back down as if to bookend C. It was definitely a comfortable atmosphere to come home to. I really want to start using the fireplace and cozy next to it as I blog future posts.

Because C and I have differing plans for Christmas Eve, we have already exchanged gifts and spent quality time together. We also know the next few days will have plenty of family togetherness and that we will be ready to breath in a few days. C thought that it would be a good idea to exchange presents early so that it wouldn't be lost and forgotten in the hustle of multifamily Christmas. C did really well! She not only gave me a sign for approval in installing a kegging system! She found a tap handle made from an old Nintendo Entertainment System controller. The NES controller brought back memories of never being able to beat the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game or really wanting to actually shoot the dog on Duck Hunter. This will be my first tap handle, as I will find three more for my home brew kegs that will be on tap here at the house. You will have to come take have some when I get it set up.

After finishing up work for the year and getting much needed rest and relaxation, I decided it was a good time to bring out a wild card of a beer. With The Wild Beer Company Bliss, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. According to the label, they really like to push the limits, expand palates, and create a beer experience with each beer. Bliss is wild yeast beer brewed with roasted apricots and spices. This beer poured darker and more amber than I was expecting. The aroma and taste are very complex with a great funkiness to it. In beers that list a fruit in them, you usually just get the sweetness or candy flavor of that candy. With Bliss you get the acidity and and mellow flavors of apricot. This beer was expensive for the quantity and while it was a great beer, I would look for another from this brewery before getting this one again.

23 down... 1 to go!! TOMORROW IS CHRISTMAS EVE!!