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Read video testimonial from Tracy Green of Lansing, KS. Tracy joined us at our official launch party at Marfields Irish Pub in Leavenworth, KS.

The PERFECT Brew Crew

Choosing the best brews for our beer candle collection

The first step to “scent-matching” a craft beer or microbrew is research. With over 4,000 breweries in the United States alone, we had to create a manageable list to choose from. We started by making a list of our very favorites. With the help of the amazing APP called “Un-Tapped,” we were able to scan through our lists and comprise a much smaller list.

Down to 20 Brew Favorites

This list was comprised of each of our “top 5’s.” With 2 gents and 2 gals, we really felt we had a great representation of some fantastic craft brews. Not all of the beer types made it to the top 20, but at least we had narrowed our list down to 20 craft beers out of a total of over a few hundred. Over a couple of weeks, were were able to get together and conduct our own “tasting sessions.”

Down to 10 Brew Favorites

As these sessions proved to be very helpful and insightful, it was very hard for us to narrow it down to just 10…so we narrowed our “launch” list down to 10. We still have 10 more we could potentially add in the future.

In this list, we made sure we had at least 5 different styles of craft brews. To learn more about the different categories of craft beers, we have made a small list of the few brew categories we used in our top 10.

Hopefully, this list of craft brew types and their definitions can help you when choosing the perfect beer candle from the Barley & Hops Craft Candle microbrewery.

Craft Beer Categories

What is a Brown Ale?

Brown Ales are amber or reddish-brown in color. They are relatively mild in flavor. Brown ales oftentimes will have hints of malt, toffee, caramel or coffee. These are sometimes referred to as  “nut brown ales.” This is only in reference to the color, not the flavor.

What is an IPA (Indian Pale Ale)?

IPA’s are lighter colored beer. They tend to have a sharper, more bitter flavor. This beer was originally brewed in England, then exported to India. Large amounts of hops were added as a preservative and to mask any off-flavors as a result of the long voyage. Depending on the IPA you are drinking or smelling, you might get a sense or flavor of grapefruit, pine, marijuana or roses.

What is a Porter?

Porter’s are a darker colored beer. Usually a deep shade of brown or mahogany. Porter’s are milder in aroma and taste when put next to a Stout. Porters have notes of dark chocolate, coffee (or espresso), and roasted grains.

What is a Stout?

Stout beers are dark, rich, creamy and thick. Like the Porter, they are dark in color. A Stout is made using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, water and yeast. A Stout has taste and aroma notes of coffee, chocolate, licorice, or molasses. They are often referred to as strong Porters.

What is a Fruit beer?

Fruit may be added either during the primary fermentation or later. Fruit beer is usually made with berries, although other fruits can be used.

What is a Hefeweizen?

A south German style of wheat beer (weissbier) made with a typical ratio of 50:50, or even higher, wheat. A yeast that produces a unique phenolic flavors of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge, some spiciness, bubblegum or notes of apples. Little hop bitterness, and a moderate level of alcohol. The “Hefe” prefix means “with yeast”, hence the beers unfiltered and cloudy appearance.

What is YOUR favorite craft beer?

We would love to hear about your craft brew favorite list. In the comment section below, share with us your favorites!

Barley & Hops Craft Candles do smell like a variety of craft beers.

The intensity and authenticity varies from candle to candle. For instance, as our Angry Bean Vanilla Espresso Porter does have a classic porter roasted malt or roasted barley base smell, it is heavier on the aroma of rich espresso and warm vanilla bean.

If IPA’s or beers with a distinctive “hoppy” flavor or scent is more your thing, our Bitter Sweet IPA is the way to go. Our IPA candles are blended with an actual hops extract oil. Because we try our best to mimic the scents of some of the finest craft beers available, our scentmaster Marsha is very picky when she is adding the top notes aromas.

Smell is the dominant sense affecting flavor perception. ~ Julia Herz, craftbeer.com

Craft Beer Candle Ranking Scale

As many times as I have tried to make the internet “scented,” I have realized that it will never happen…at least not in my lifetime.

There are a couple of ways we can best articulate how our craft beer candles smell: 

• Reviews from our customers.
• A scent scale based on intensity and authenticity.

Just like when I am in the mood to try something different, I will usually ask the bartender for suggestions – starting with the type of craft beer I prefer. In turn, they will usually offer me a few suggestions or set me up with a “flight.” A beer flight is simply a sampling of several beers. At the same time, fellow patrons will chime in with their suggestions. These are what I consider to be “reviews” if I am at a brewery or bar.

Another method I use for craft beer selection is to simply read the beer list descriptions. This is a good way for me to start. I start by choosing a type, based on my mood, and then read the descriptions in that category.

Craft Beer Brewer / Aficionado VS Occasional Craft Brew Drinker

Craft Beer Brewer / Aficionado. Our clientele is as unique as our craft beer candle selection. For example, craft beer brewers have a discerning nose when it comes to scent authenticity and how it is defined. Craft beer brewers and craft beer aficionados can make a night of tasting a variety of brews and describing the flavors and scents they are detecting. They celebrate the fact that every beer they taste or brew is unique in it’s aroma and taste, therefore, many of our beer brewer’s prefer a craft beer candle’s “flavor” to be more authentic.

Occasional Craft Brew Drinker. On the other side of the spectrum, we have people who appreciate a good craft beer every once in awhile, but do not consider themselves to be craft beer enthusiasts. Many of our “occasionals” lean more toward a craft beer or craft beer candle that advertises a familiar and tasty flavor. Flavors like apple, strawberry, honey, maple, vanilla and even espresso and coffee are more appealing because they are “familiar.”  For our newbies or just someone who appreciates a good flavored beer every once in awhile, we offer craft beer candles that are ranked a little less on the “authenticity” scale and a little more one the “intensity” scale.

So there you have it. Craft beer candles that smell like an actual craft beer. If you need any help choosing the best brew candle for you or the beer enthusiast in your life, you can use our online form or simply give us a call at 816-898-6401.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas for the Craft Beer Lover

Shopping made easy for your beer lover

Father’s Day 2016 Edition

For the craft beer lover, finding a craft beer six-pack, micro brew Growler or a 22 ouncer of a limited edition brew sitting on their favorite chair on Father’s Day is a welcome surprise. While craft beer is certainly a great choice, there are other great gift choices available for the craft beer lover on Father’s Day.

Although this blog will primarily focusing on Kansas City craft brew centered localities, the ideas can be mimicked in any city!

Top 5 Gift Ideas for the Craft Beer Lover

Being married to a major craft beer lover, I have spent many years researching, making and purchasing gifts that have everything to do with craft beer drinking, loving and sharing. Check out my list below. The items in the Father’s Day best gift list are in no particular order. Cheers!

Craft Beer Brewing Lessons

For the craft beer lover, learning HOW to brew beer is guaranteed to be on his bucket list. If your craft beer lover hasn’t crossed this off his list yet, there are a few different ways to learn how to brew beer.

• Online. If you live in a rural area, taking craft beer homebrewing classes online is a fantastic option. To find the best option for you, start by searching Google using the phrase “online beer brewing lessons.”
• On-Site Brewing. Some cities have on-site brewing facilities. In Kansas City, where I live, we have an on-site brewing facility / brewing supply store called “KC Brew Lab.”  On their website, they describe themselves as, “A place for home brewers of all all backgrounds and experience levels to improve their craft, create better beer, and have more fun doing it.” Learning at an on-site brewing facility has multiple advantages for the new and experienced home brewer. For one, everything is hands-on. From extracts and grains to experienced brewers and like-minded beer lovers, everything you need for brewing and networking is at your fingertips.

Single or Dual Tap Kegerator

“Doing-It-Yourself” has never been so easy since the advent of websites such as Pinterest and Instructables. The next Father’s Day gift idea for the craft beer lover can either be purchased or created. For years, my husband has been talking about installing a Kegerator into our home bar. This Father’s Day just might be the year I make this wish come true. I am still trying to decide if I should simply go out and buy one or take the time to get the parts so he can make it himself. These are my options.

• DIY Kegerator. If you are the extremely handy and ridiculously ambitious type, constructing a Kegerator from a DIY tutorial shouldn’t be too large an undertaking. If you decide to take the DIY route this Father’s Day and really make him happy, first – check out this tutorial. Secondly, print off the materials list and go shopping. Finally, put together the ultimate DIY Kegerator kit for the father and/or husband in your life. If you are not crazy about the Kegerator Instructable  I have chosen, simply search the Instructables database for the Kegerator that would work better for you!
• Purchase a Kegerator. The main advantage to purchasing a Kegerator over “doing-it-yourself” is fairly obvious – no “doing-it-yourself.” If the recipient of your Father’s Day gift isn’t exactly the handy type, or doesn’t have the time to take on a project of this undertaking, purchasing is probably your best bet. In the end, you will end up spending more money but there is no work involved. Simply hook it up and start your Father’s Day celebration with his favorite craft beer. I found this one at the Webstaurant store. They have good quality items at a great price!

Date Night at a Local Microbrewery

If you are looking for the perfect Father’s Day date night surprise, take him to your neighborhood microbrewery. Luckily for me, we live in a city that is ripe with microbreweries. My Father’s Day gift to my husband and father of my children will include a trip to a few of Kansas City’s local breweries. Deciding which KC breweries to sample will be the hardest decision I will face.

I really like the website RateBeer.com for locating local breweries. They also list the beers they brew and provide rankings.

Craft Beer Lover Gift Basket

For a Father’s Day project that everyone in the family can enjoy, why not make a custom craft beer gift basket! This is something my mother did for my husband a couple of years ago for Father’s Day.

For her gift basket, she started at Boulevard.  Boulevard Brewing Company is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest, and is only a 15 minute drive from her house. At their gift shop, she picked up some Tank 7 Infused Salt, a Boulevard branded wooden 6-pack carrying case and a tee-shirt.

Next, she headed to the liquor store up the street and picked 6 craft brews to fill the carrying case. Finally, I added a gift certificate to the KC Brew Lab, good for one Extract Brewing Session for him and a friend.

Finally, she picked up a small metal crate to hold all of the craft brew themed goodies and brought it over for our Father’s Day grilling extravaganza. He was ecstatic!

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST . . .

Barley & Hops Craft Brew Candle Flight

This year for Father’s Day, Barley & Hops Craft Candle company will be announcing their limited-edition 3-pack craft candle flight. The 3-pack craft beer candle flight includes a hand-made, rustic style, wooden brew candle paddle that holds 3 six ounce beer candles of your choice. We will be adding this amazing Father’s Day craft beer lover gift MUST on June 1, 2016! Check back often or join us on FACEBOOK to get the latest on B&H product launches, events and fun contesty stuff!