Brewmasters Festival - Galveston - Labor Day Weekend

[Oleander Kayaker]

I guess I'm advertising somebody elses economic stimulus. But hey, beer is beer.

http://blogs.chron.com/beertx/2010/08/brewmasters_festival_could_put.html

A little known fact about me, is that I used to brew my own while living in Saudi.

[SUPER SPOOK]

sounds like fun!

[Robalo]

I worked with a Geophys that worked in Saudi-this guy brewed bathtub gin, got busted and spent a few years in jail there!!

[Oleander Kayaker]

In my expat days (25 years ago), all the ingredients were available at the local "Safeway", this included malt extract with hop seasoning, grape juice in springtop bottles, yeast and sugar (nach). We'd brew a batch of wine with the grape juice, save the bottles for the next batches of beer. We did not distribute and kept the "hobby" low key and locked away. We'd rotate brews monthly, where one was going while the other was bottled. It took 6-8 weeks per brew. After the local mutawa (religious police) figured out what the extract was for, they banned it from the stores. The local expat community figured out a way to get some pallets shipped in for the local "black market".

I'll get a 6 pack of Newcastle from time to time, to reminisce. Our brews tasted pretty close to that brown ale.

Saudi Arabia is, remarkably, loosening up quite a bit these days, compared to the past. Last time I was there was the week before Christmas, 2009. During my visit, the locals didn't want to hold me over and insisted I get back in time for Christmas Eve. Interesting times...