This recipe is taken from Victory Beer Recipes and makes 2 1/2 gallons

3 1/3 pounds Munton and Fison old ale kit malt extract
2 1/2 pounds Munton and Fison light dry malt extract
6 ounces black patent malt
6 ounces roasted barley
6 ounces caramel malt 40 degree
1 1/2 ounces Nugget hops - 60 minutes
1/2 ounce Nugget hops - 10 minutes
1 1/2 teaspoons gypsum
1 packet Red Star champagne yeast
2 ounces corn sugar to prime

Boiling time 60 minutes
Primary fermentation 7 weeks at 70 degrees
Secondary fermentation 6 weeks at 70 degrees

Crush grains and add to 3 quarts cold water. Slowly raise temperature to gentle simmer and hold for 10 minutes. Sparge with 2 quarts hot water. Add to brewpot to make 3 gallons. Heat to boil and add malt extract.

Well, the upcoming hops shortage has finally hit home. I was going to make a batch of beer over this past weekend and needed to buy some hops.

So, I hopped in the car and headed to my local brew shop. Walked back to where the hops are and to my horror, there were none. Now, just how in the heck can you make beer without hops? I was soon informed that a shipment of hops might be coming in, but the store's supplier was out and did not know when they would be getting anymore in.

I did find some online, but the price has really skyrocketed. What used to go for $16 - 20 per pound is now closer to about $80. So much for the liberal use of hops.

Where does that leave the homebrewer? Being at the end of the food chain, it looks like we are going to have to make some major changes in our brewing habits. What I am looking for are recipes that use something other than hops. If anyone has any, please e-mail me the recipe and I'll post for everyone to try.

For more on the hops crisis, check out these articles.

The Bitter End: The Great 2008 Hop Shortage

On the Coming Hops Crisis

Hop Crisis

This recipe is taken from Victory Beer Recipes and is an all grain recipe.

Makes 5 Gallons


8 pounds two-row malt
2 pounds light crystal mat
2 pounds Munich malt
1 1/4 ounces Hallertauer hops - 90 minutes
wyeast no 308 liquid yeast

Boiling time 90 minutes
Primary fermentation 3 weeks at 50 degrees
Secondary fermentation 4 weeks at 32 degrees
Mash grains at 151 degrees for 1 hour.
Force carbonate

My first attempt at doing video for my blogs. This will be a regular feature on Beer, Wine and Food and at sometime in the future I would like to try using video on this blog. Enjoy!