Today’s beer painting is of my favorite homebrew of all time known as the SPR, Scott’s Private Reserve. All great beers have three-letter name acronyms: IPA, ESB, APA, PBR, and now SPR. I named my favorite beer after myself, because I wanted people to know that I made it. This is the first beer recipe I made 100% on my own, and I am constantly monkeying with the formula, mostly because I try to keep my homebrew affordable, and I use ingredients that are freshest and readily available. Large doses of dark grain and hops make this dark beer more of a porter than a stout. I brewed this particular dark ale with California ale yeast #5 from White Labs, the liquid yeast that comes in a vial. This yeast produces a fruity quality in the brew. I used exclusively Simcoe hops, which is one of my favorites. Normally utilized as a bittering hop, this high alpha hop does the trick nicely. Simcoe has a piney citrus aroma that will knock your hat in the creek! I brewed three batches in a row, each with different hops and yeast. The dark grain is always delicious with any combination of yeast and hops to go along with it. This is a session beer that is not too strong. I hate hangovers and I brew this one to be consumed during the long dark winter when people gather and have deep conversations in Alaska. I keep the beer light in alcohol, but high in flavor to enhance the moment.
Here’s to homebrewing! A fun hobby with great results! If you haven’t had an SPR, stop by and I’ll pour one out for ya!
You can purchase this painting, or a limited-edition print at my Etsy Shop.
View the complete Year of Beer Paintings gallery.
Year of Beer 03.27. Scott’s Private Reserve Homebrew. Oil on panel, 8″x10″.
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