How to brew beer in a coffee maker, using only materials commonly found on a modestly sized oceanographic research vessel

Beer brewing is the delicate and dedicated blending of art and science.  Finding the perfect balance of grains, hops, malt, adding just the right flavoring agents, boiling for exactly enough time to release the tannins, starches, humic acids from you wort, activating enzymes to break down those starches, forging the perfect mash from the ether of sobriety to give birth to that most glorious pint, these are skills that take a lifetime to master. Perfect beer is meticulously planned and carefully crafted.

Screw that.

You’re six days into a 2 month expedition, and if you were lucky enough to not be on a dry ship, it’s de facto dry by now anyway. You’re eying the ethanol stores, the crew is eying each other, and all hell will break loose if y’all don’t get some sweet water soon. This is no time for artistry.

This is not, as a rule, a terribly good beer (though, with a good brewmaster on board, it can be). This is a beer to pass the time and ease the pain of life at sea. I can guarantee that if you are careful, it will be at least as good as the cheapest commercial alternative.

Materials

The tools you need are simple: an electric drip coffee maker with hot plate, a coffee filter, [...]

Yes, you read that correctly.

Full article:  http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=1419

I want to apologize for not having enough copies of the handouts printed out last night (and for the incredibly small font they were in for the ones who DID get a copy).  If you’d like to have a copy of the recipe and didn’t get one or if you’d just like a more legible copy, you can get them here:

• Mr. Porter’s Lullaby (brown porter)
• Good Night Irene (Baltic porter)

I’m looking forward to trying LOTS of good porters for the CoC tasteoff next month!  You’ve still got time to brew a brown or robust porter so what are you waiting for?

– Gary F.