Fall Beer 2012

Managed to get a batch brewed this Labor Day- Bourbon Barrel Porter '12.  The base is a high- gravity Baltic Porter (O.G. 1.088), and it is fermenting at 66F on Wyeast 1335 British Ale II yeast to enhance the bready, malty, goodness.

Once fermentation is complete, I'll cask- age this baby over charred oak barrel chips that have been soaked in maker's Mark for the last 2 months.  This all should up the final flavor and mouth feel.  Will be ready around November 15.

Next is a Honey Golden Ale (last light sipper of the year), then it time for  PUMPKIN ALE!!  Can't wait.

Cheers!

Mason

Brewery Upgrades- July 2012

All, attached are pics of my most recent equipment projects.

  

I added a sight glass and a whirlpool to my brew kettle. 

  

View inside the kettle. Up top is the thermometer probe, on the right is the whirlpool arm, and in the bottom is a screen for the drain valve. Notice how the whirlpool arm directs the flow tightly against the kettle wall. This increases the efficiency of my copper coil chiller by two fold, and helps to concentrate the trub (sediment/ hops) in the center of the kettle.



Theses are the cam- lock fitting I found to connect all of my hoses to my kettle/ coolers/ pumps.



One of the two March fluid pumps



I mounted them so that the magnetic head is outside of the tool box



First mounted pump head.  Had to get longer SS machine screws do to the added thickness of the toolbox side



Pump mounted through toolbox side



   

I also added a ball valve to control flow on the "out" port of each pump.  I use one to run from my ice water through the 40' copper coil chiller, and the other to circulate the whirlpool. This setup cools 5 gallons of boiling wort to 65F in <12 minutes.





View inside the completed pump box project.  I wired the motors to the junction box and to the orange extension cord to power the unit. Next, I added switches to control them independently. The gray junction box mounted in the front also has 2 GFI outlets to run other equipment if needed.  My only concern is that the box has a water- tight gasket (orange in the picture above) around the lid, and that may cause overheating issues with the pump motors.  I'll run a test for 30 minutes and check to see if they get too hot.



Finally, I added SS ball valves and cam-locks to my mash/ sparge coolers.

Cheers!

Mason 

New goodies in the pipeline!

Here’s what cooking at LeGrue’s Brewing:

LeGrue's Brett Biere-

Texas Farmhouse Ale brewed with a blend of Saison and Brettanomyces B. yeasts.  Amber color, Crisp, Dry, slightly tart and deceptively strong and super complex.  Brewed with barley, wheat, rye and oats and spiced with orange peel and coriander seeds. The Brett yeast add earthy, pleasantly sour flavors that become stronger over time. Bottle conditioned, 9.2% ABV.

LeGrue's Lagniappe Double IPA

Traditional DIPA continuously hopped with a special blend of Pacific NW hops, then dry- hopped for a very intense hop bitterness/ aroma.  Bottle conditioned with Brett C. yeast for "a little supm'n extra".

LeGrue's Wildflower Honey Mead 2012

Traditional dry mead, brewed with local wildflower honey and spiced with lavender, cinnamon, and cloves.  Aging for 6 months on French oak chips like a wine. 13%ABV.

LeGrue's Vanilla Bourbon Imperial Porter

HUGE beer, very rich and complex, with a bourbon nose, toffee/ chocolate flavors and slight vanilla and dried fruit overtones.  Brewed with vanilla beans and aged on bourbon barrel oak chips soaked in whiskey.  Technicolor in beer form. Cask- conditioned, 9.6% ABV.

Cheers!

Mason

IPA Day 8/2/2012

IPA Day Returns on August 2, 2012

IPA Day is back! On Aug. 2, 2012, join beer enthusiasts across the globe in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: India Pale Ale!
Founded in 2011 by beer evangelists and social media personalities Ashley Routson (@TheBeerWench) and Ryan Ross (@RyanARoss), IPA Day is a universal movement created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide, using social media as the common arena for connecting the conversation.
IPA Day is not the brainchild of a corporate marketing machine, nor is it meant to serve any particular beer brand. IPA Day is opportunity for all breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. It is an opportunity for the entire craft beer culture to combine forces and advocate craft beer through increased education and global awareness.

Why Celebrate the IPA?

This illustrious style represents the pinnacle of brewing innovation with its broad spectrum of diverse brands, subcategories, and regional flavor variations—making it the perfect style to galvanize craft beer’s social voice.
At the 2012 World Beer Cup®, the most-entered category was the American-Style India Pale Ale with 150 entries. The second most entered was its close cousin, the Imperial India Pale Ale (93 entries). Its popularity and accessibility makes the IPA the most inclusive style for brewers, retailers and consumers to collectively celebrate.--

Cheers,

 

Mason

Phase 1 complete

Here's the final product for Phase 1.  Up and running, and works like a champ.  There's enough room on the top to serve a cask, which pretty much rocks.

Cheers!

Mason

Kegerator is coming along....

This is an update to the last post.  The Kegerator (Keezer?) project has finished it's first evolution and is operational on 3 faucets.  Here are some pics to enjoy!



Holes drilled in the lid, ready to mount the tower




Underside of the lid, with access holes for the washers




Tower mounted, hole drilled for the drip tray's drain




drip tray/ drain installed




I mounted the first bank of 3 regulators on the back wall of the unit, providing visibility and access.




Lid re- mounted, all hardware installed and the temp control unit in place




From the left: Coco Bolo Rosewood, Walnut, Goncalo Alves hardwood, and Curly Maple



Notice the amazing hand crafted wooden tap handles courtesy of your truly.  Many thanks to my Pops for letting me commandeer his lathe for 2 days.

Cheers,

Mason

New Projects and Summer Beer

Hello all,

Rodeo is wrapped up for another year in Houston, and that means my free time can be re- directed to my beer obsession again.  Let me know what summer beers you'd like to see from LeGrue's, you might get your wish!

Last year I bought a large chest freezer on Craig's List for a steal, with the desire to convert t to a kick- ass draft machine one day.  Well, that day has arrived!

My design includes two draft towers with three faucets each (yes, that's 6 different beers on tap!), two drip trays, and a digital temperature controller to keep the beer perfectly cool.  On the inside, I'll have the CO2 lines running to six individual regulators, as well as a separate Nitro setup for pouring stouts and porters like a pro. I've even got connections so that I can serve commercial goodies from microbreweries in addition to homebrew!

I have taken the first steps toward bringing the LeGrue's Mobile Draft Station to life.  I have gotten all of the parts/ hardware for her, and am in the process of painting her a nice, glossy black. First, I removed the lid of the freezer.  Then, I sanded and cleaned the surface, then added a gray primer.  Next comes 3 coats of gloss black. Check it out:



First of 2 coats of primer



Painted the hinges and access panel as well





First coat of black enamel





More black...

























I hope to have this done before Easter, but we'll have to see.  After all, I'm working on it two hours at a time after Bennett goes to sleep. I will post pictures as the project moves along.

And yes, you can rent her for parties when she's done!

Cheers,

Mason

LeGrue's Spring Beers & Swag

Greetings,

Things have slowed down a touch since New Year's, and I've been working in the yard and not the brewery as of late.  I'm ready to make that ESB that I mentioned in the last post, as well as an American Pale Ale that should be awesome as the heat returns to the third coast.

I've recently been working with Jeff Grant, LeGrue's go- to graphic genius, on some t-shirts and other swag that I'd like to share.  If you have any ideas on these or other items, please let me know in the comments below. Your opinion is appreciated!

Cheers,

Mason

NYE 2011

Well, all the preparations are complete for this Saturday's NYE bash at the homestead.  I have all the beers brewed, fermented, and bottled or kegged for copious consumption.  For some of the readers that need a refresher course on beer nerd jargon, here ya go:

Original Gravity (OG): The Original Gravity is the specific gravity measured before the commencement of fermentation.

Final Gravity (FG):  The Final Gravity is the specific gravity measured at the completion of fermentation.

ABV:  Alcohol by Volume, stated as a percentage (e.g 6.5%). Most brewers and consumers are used to having alcohol content reported by volume (ABV) rather than weight. Interconversion is simple but the specific gravity of the beer must be known.

IBU - International Bittering Units : This is a measure of the actual bitterness of a beer as contributed by the alpha acid from hops. Because the apparent bitterness of a beer is subjective to the taste of the drinker and the balancing malt sweetness of the beer this is not always an accurate measure of the "hoppiness" of a beer. But, generally speaking, beers with IBUs of less than 20 have little to no apparent hops presence. Beers with IBUs from 20 to 45 are the most common and have mild to pronounced hops presence. Beers with IBUs greater than 45 are heavily hopped and can be quite bitter.

Example:

"Not knowing that the barleywine had an IBU of 68, Rachel took a big swig from the glass then twisted up her face as the hops assaulted her taste buds."

And now, the LeGrue's NYE Tap Lineup:

Triple Rhino:

• Belgian style Abbey Triple, originally brewed by and for Trappist monks in Europe.
• Light in color, malty, effervescent, very aromatic and deceptively strong. 
• Examples: Unibroque "Fin du Monde", Chimay "Triple"
• 32 IBU 9.2% ABV.

2011 Winter Weizenbock ( pronounced "veye-tsen-bock")

• Strong wheat ale, seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Bready and balanced, with hints of banana bread and clove and a dry finish.Similar to Brooklyn Brewing's Winter Ale, but with a traditional weizen yeast character and dry finish.
• 12 IBU, 7.6% ABV

Brad's Big Bad Black IPA

• A black Imperial IPA, made with debittered dark malts that impart a black color and roasted flavor without the burnt toast astringency of a stout.  Think "hop-bomb" in technicolor.
• This is a HUGE beer, very flavorful and aromatic. It has a citrusy hop- forward nose, and a clean, balanced hoppy bitterness throughout the palate.
• Examples of the Black IPA or Cascadian Dark Ale style would be Stone Brewing's "Sublimely Self- Righteous" and Dechutes' " Hop in the Dark".
• 106 IBU, 9.8% ABV........ Bring it!

Pumpkin Pie Porter 2011

• My annual holiday offering that includes fresh roasted pumpkins and toasted spices, all wrapped in a smooth, malty porter package.
• Dark reddish brown color, and the aroma is all pumpkin pie.  The flavor is on the sweeter side, and has a caramel, toffee, toasted bread quality that is very nice. Great after a holiday meal, or any time if you're Brad.
• 36 IBU, 7.8% ABV

LeGrue's 2011 Winter Warmer Cask Ale

• This a my riff on the traditional beers brewed for cold months in Britain.  Medium- strong, roasty, malt forward with a nice, full body and holiday spices to make things interesting.
• Enhanced mouthfeel and low carbonation due to 3 weeks conditioning in a cask, and served in the traditional style.
• Similar to Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale with spices.
• 42 IBU, 7.4% ABV

Reminder

Greetings,

Just a reminder, Saint Arnold is tapping the last cask of Christmas Ale 2011 at the Stag's Head Pub tomorrow night at 7:30 pm.  Be there!

Cheers,

Mason

Black Bulldozer 2011

The Brewery has some production news.

Black Bulldozer 2011, my Black IPA,  is in the fermenter and should be ready by New Year's Eve.  It weighs in as 98 IBU and an O.G. of 1.086, so this MONSTER beer is not for the faint of heart. Thanks to my Brother-in-law Brad for the brew day help. I pitched my standby Wyeast 1056 American Ale strain and will ferment at 65 F. I'll keep it in primary fermentation for 5 days then transfer to secondary to dry hop on 2 oz. of Citra Hops until the 28th. Chill, Carb, Serve, Enjoy.

The Wizenbock is in the keg and chilling down to force carbonate.  Great ester aromas, and a final gravity of 1.008.  Great beer!

Winter Warmer in in the firkin and conditioning for the NYE party as well.  I decided to forget the oak in the cask, as there's not enough time to get the correct oak character for this batch. My next cask aged beauty will be a British Bitter pub ale.

Tripel Rhino is in a secondary and still very active, even after a week and a half of fermenting at 64 F.  Crazy yeast, guys.  I'm going to bottle half of this and the rest will be on tap for NYE.

Cheers, and leave some stinkin' comments already!

All-Grain or Bust

It's finally winter here in Houston, and the cool weather has gotten me frisky to brew.  I have some real news for you guys, so bear with me while I give you the rundown.

First and foremost, I became a new Dad in July!  It might explain my absence in the blogospere of late.  Bennett came a little early, but he's more than made up for lost time in his first four months.  Here's the little guy on Thanksgiving.  He's not too much help on brew day yet, but we're working on that.

Next, my loving and eternally supportive wife saw fit to approve a few capital equipment expenditures for the LeGrue home brewery. Do you think I can write that off under the Obama tax plan (Branden, check that out for me)?  Regardless, we have new toys! LeGrue's is officially all systems go for ALL-GRAIN brewing, just like the big boys!  Had to do some modification, but all in all it is a killer setup for 5 gallon all-grain batches.  I'll have a post that shows the system in action at a later date.  Moving on....

We are also delving into the mysterious world of cask- aging my beer.  The little guy to the right is a stainless steel firkin, only in miniature (know as a "pin", for the beer nerds in the crowd).  It holds 5.5 US gallons and will let my serve cask ale or "Real Ale", which is defined as a beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide".^[1][2] The heart of the definition is the maturation requirements. If the beer is unfiltered, unpasteurised and still active on the yeast, it is a real beer; it is irrelevant whether the container is a cask or a bottle. If the yeast is still alive and still conditioning the beer, it is "real". 
The inaugural LeGrue's cask will be tapped at our New Years Eve party this year, and it will be a delicious Winter Warmer Ale with fresh spices and aged over toasted oak for vanilla/ honey notes.

Now on to production news.  I've got 4 batches in different stages of maturation right now. My annual Pumpkin Beer is on tap right now, and  I currently have a Weizenbock ready to bottle.  My brother in law Ryan was clutch this past weekend, helping me brew two batches in a day for the New Years Party: the Winter Warmer and a Belgian Tripel.

On a side bar, that damn belgo beer almost exploded in my kitchen!  The yeast was so active that the krausen sealed up the air vent in the top of the fermenter, and as such it began to build pressure.  When I took it outside to clean the airlock, it went off like a bottle rocket and sprayed yeast about ten feet high.  The loud "whoosh" it made when I removed the stopper was very dramatic, and it scared the dog.  I had to move it to another vessel and then put the rest in a1 gallon jar so that it would have room to expand this time.

Lastly, I made another Rye beer that I did a split fermentation with.  I did half with a Weizen yeast for a traditional German Rye beer, the other half I pitched a Farmhouse Ale yeast for different effect.  Next, I split the Farmhouse batch again and dry hopped 1 gallon and added oak to the other gallon, and bottled the rest as a control.  Did you get all of that?  In essence, I have 4 different beers from the same 5 gallon batch, with the goal of doing a side by side tasting of all 4 and comparing.  I know it's nerdy, but it should be fun!

Yes, for those who were counting, I have 25 GALLONS of fresh beer available.  Will I be able to find all of them good homes?  Only if you all do your parts!

Next up, Black Bulldozer Imperial Black Ale with a little Brettanomyces surprise, and an American Blond Ale for those who need training wheels.  I'll leave you with the newest version of my logo.  Let me know what you think! Shout out to Jeff Grant, the graphics genius that helped me to design this baby.

http://www.jeffreygrant.com/

Cheers!

Summer 2011 updates

Sorry for the long absence, kids.  Been kind of crazy with work/ culinary school/ 8 month pregnant wife.  Anyhow, enough apologies. My creative juices that have been flowing big time, and I've got some exciting stuff on the docket for the summer 2011.

First is Saison DeGrace, an American Farmhouse ale that I brewed last week.  The malt bill includes barley, wheat, oats and rye and should have a ton of depth and complexity.  It was fermented at 76F to maximize the yeasty effects, and I chose Wyeast 3711 French Saison because of it's ninja- fast attenuation and complex flavor.  This batch will be bottle conditioned for at least a month, so look for it in mid August.

Next up, my Imperil Pilz.  This is a monster lager, OG around 1.080 and heavily hopped w/ noble cones.  Nothing fancy, just wanted a BIG beer that would be warm weather friendly.  Should be ready in a month or so.

Lastly is a creation that I am super excited to try.  It's an American-style Rye Ale that I'm going to age for 2 months on toasted French Oak.  It's going to be hard to wait, but this beer should be AWESOME.  Bottle conditioned only.

Taking requests as well.  What LeGrue's brew would you like to see?

Cheers!

Letter to TX House Committee

Mike Hamilton (R), District 19
Chairman- House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee

Dear Representative Hamilton,

As a lifelong resident of Missouri City, TX, I am deeply interested in the growth and vitality of our City as well as Texas as a whole.  We all agree that it is in our state’s best interest to find constructive ways of addressing our budgetary challenges while still fostering a positive environment for small businesses to flourish.

That brings me to the reason for my letter.  I am writing you today regarding House Bill 660, relating to the sale of malt liquor, ale, and beer by the holder of a brewpub license, filed by Representative Mike Villarreal of San Antonio. This bill would allow Texas brewpubs the right to make their products available for sale off-premise, a right that out-of-state brewpubs already enjoy within the borders of Texas.  It is unfathomable that in this economic climate that our statutes would so greatly restrict local small businesses; the very businesses that will help us out of this recession.

The craft brewing industry in the US is booming, showing double digit growth annually despite the country’s economic trouble.  Even in light of the current repressive laws, Texas craft brewers are beginning to garner national attention and acclaim.  Just imagine what Texas brewers could accomplish with laws that enable new brewers to more competitively sell their products!  One needs only to look at Oregon or Colorado to see the potential in job opportunities and tax revenues.  Oregon has permits for “Brewery public houses” that allows brewpubs to sell to distributors and/or self-distribute up to 200,000 barrels per year, and their industry has flourished. Oregon produces over 1 million barrels of beer per year, employs over 5,000 people in breweries, and generates an estimated $2.2 billion per year for the local economy. 

In Texas, the wine industry experienced extraordinary growth after the legislature loosened restrictions preventing wineries from selling to consumers on-site. In 2003, the Texas Legislature changed the law to allow wineries to sell to consumers in addition to the previously allowed activity of selling to distributors; much like what HB 660 attempts to do (though from the opposite direction – brewpubs can already sell to consumers but seek the ability to sell to wholesalers and distributors). Since then, the number of wineries in Texas have increased from 46 in 2001 to 181 in 2009, jobs increased from 1,800 to over 9,000, and the economic impact has increased from $132 million per year to $1.35 billion in 2009 making Texas the 5th largest wine producing state in the US.

Opponents of this bill say that it would open the doors for the unregulated sale of alcoholic products in dry counties, to minors, and other such “sky-is-falling” nonsense.  Let’s address these arguments so their lack of logic can come out.  The sale of alcoholic beverages in dry counties or to minors would be impossible because the brewers sell to either distributers or direct to retailers.  That means that the wholesaler and/or retailer would have to be complicit in the illegal sale to the public.  Why would a wholesaler or retailer purchase a product that they can’t sell to the end user or endanger their ability to sell at all by selling to minors?  The answer is that they would not.

HB 660 would help Texas brewpubs, most of which are privately owned, grow and remain competitive in a rapidly growing industry. The benefits don’t stop there, however.  This bill would allow Texas wholesale permit and distributor's license holders meet the exploding  local demand for craft beer, enable retailers by allowing them to highlight local products, give Texas consumers greater access to the products they want, and help the state by creating new jobs and increasing tax revenues.  In fact, an Economic Impact study conducted by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild found that statutory reforms like HB 660 could result in $680 Million of new annual economic activity, 6,800 new jobs created, and an estimated $57 million of tax revenue generated annually.  Can we really afford to miss out on these benefits given the current job market, economic climate and budget deficit in Texas?

Our laws must not prevent our own small businesses from having the tools they need to be leaders in this industry– especially to the benefit of out-of-state businesses who are currently able to do what our own breweries cannot.

I trust you will vote Yes for HB 660 when given the opportunity in committee or on the house floor.

Thank you for your time and service to our great state.

Sincerely,

 Mason D. LeGrue

PS: see this letter in The Loop Scoop

History of Beer

Here's a pretty cool timeline I found on the history of my favorite beverage. Enjoy!

HB602 Rally 2/25/11 at St. Arnold Brewing Co.

 

  

Come to Saint Arnold for a Friday Evening Tour to Support HB 602.

 

Yes, they are going to have a tour on a Friday evening! People will also be there with computers to help and encourage you to email your state legislators to support HB 602 and 660. Here are the details:

 

Date: Friday, February 25
Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Cost: $10 per person (everything else is like a regular tour)

They will use any funds raised this evening in our effort to support HB 602 and 660.

 

Support your local brewery!!

 

 

 

AHA Rally Feb 27th at St. Arnold Brewing Co.

To all the LeGrue's Brew faithful,

Join me and our malted barley compatriots for the Houston area American Homebrewer's Association Rally.  Details below:

Saint Arnold Brewing Co. AHA Rally
Sunday, February 27 , 2011

Time: 1:00-3:00 pm
Address: 2000 Lyons Ave, Houston, TX
Web: http://www.saintarnold.com/
Space is limited, please RSVP.

AHA Rallies are free to current AHA members.
Non-members can join now or sign up at a discounted rate at the door.
Learn more about AHA Membership Benefits.
Entrance includes:
• VIP brewery tour!
• Meet and greet with Brock Wagner, owner, and Gary Glass, AHA Director.
• An opportunity to mingle with other Texas homebrewers.
• A chance to win great prizes from the AHA and Saint Arnold Brewing Company!

Chai Spice Ale- Soon for the tap

For those of you who are new to my malted misadventures, my favorite way to push the bounds of gastro- brewing is to deconstruct my favorite flavors of food and drink and reinterpret them in beer form. My latest experiment in,Chai Spice Ale, will be ready for consumption in a few day and I can't wait to see how it turned out. 

I used the spices you see in the picture, as well as Ginger and Orange Peel.  I added a little Lactose (milk sugar) as an homage to the traditional way the beverage is served, and finished with honey after the boil.

Stats are as follows:

OG 1.064; FG 1.014
ABV= 6.7%

Definite cinnamon on the nose, not too much of the cardamom is perceptible but that could be due to the temperature.  Honey flavor is light as well, might need to add some now that fermentation is complete.
However it turns out, it was a neat experiment!

Cheers

Beer Laws in TX need to change!!

Texas House Bill 660, filed by Representative Mike Villarreal in the 82nd Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, would be a game changer for Texas Craft Beer.

Currently Texas brewpubs are not allowed to sell to wholesalers, distributors or retailers for resale. That means you can't find beer from any of Texas' amazing brewpubs at your local grocery store, restaurant or bar. Meanwhile, out-of-state brewpubs are free to have their beer distributed all over the state.

HB 660 would finally allow Texas brewpubs to play on an even playing field. The exact specifics of the bills are:

*Would allow Texas brewpubs to sell to wholesalers and distributors for resale
*Change the existing 5,000 barrel/year limit to apply only to on-premise sales to the ultimate consumer
*Lift the overall production limit to 75,000 barrels/year

*Allow brewpubs to self-distribute to retailers so long as their total annual production is less than 10,000 barrels.

The law will not only help our state's brewpubs (which are almost all independently owned small businesses), but it would give distributors incremental sales volume, allow retailers to highlight local products, and give consumers access to the products they desire.

Facing a $27 billion budget shortfall, HB 660 also benefits our State by increasing the tax base as breweries grow.

Please pass HB 660 and support our state's small businesses. Click the link below to sign the petition in FAVOR of HB 660!

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?TXHB660

Competition Updates, with a side of Verbiage

For those who are following the drama of my 2011 competition aspirations, I have the updates you've been waiting for!

1. I've moved the Sour Wheat to a keg and have it at room temp so as to let the Lacto bugs do their thing as fast as possible.  Tomorrow, I'll chill the keg and force carbonate so I can bottle them on Friday morning.
2. Chai Ale is in a secondary fermenter and ready to move to the keg to be carbonated on Wednesday this week.
3. No-go on the Oatmeal Stout for Bluebonnet Brew-Off, but maybe I'll enter it in later competitions this year.

It has also come to my attention that I might be getting a little to techno- jargon on my posts with talk of F.G, ABV %, and the like.  I'll try to refrain from too much brew- speak, but just in case I HAVE to give updates, I've decided to outline some of the more commonly used acronyms and jargon I use in these postings.

Wort: Wort, pronounced /ˈwɜrt/, is the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whisky. Wort contains the sugars that will be fermented by the brewing yeast to produce alcohol.
In beer making, the wort is known as "sweet wort" until the hops have been added, after which it is then called "hopped wort."

Gravity: Refers to Specific Gravity, or the ratio of the mass of a solid or liquid to the mass of an equal volume of distilled water at a given temperature and pressure.  For brewing, we use 60 deg. F. In short, the higher the Gravity of a beer, the denser or "thicker" it is.  Gravity, in the context of fermenting alcoholic beverages, refers to the specific gravity of the wort at various stages in the fermentation process.
At various stages in alcohol fermentation, the density of the wort varies. Depending upon the depth that the hydrometer falls into the wort, the percentage of alcohol can be determined.

Original Gravity (OG): The Original Gravity is the specific gravity measured before the commencement of fermentation.

Final Gravity (FG):  The Final Gravity is the specific gravity measured at the completion of fermentation.

ABV:  Alcohol by Volume, stated as a percentage (e.g 6.5%). Most brewers and consumers are used to having alcohol content reported by volume (ABV) rather than weight. Interconversion is simple but the specific gravity of the beer must be known.

Hops: Hops are the female flower clusters (commonly called seed cones or strobiles), of a hop species, Humulus lupulus.^[1] They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor.  Hops are used extensively in brewing for their many purported benefits, including balancing the sweetness of the malt with bitterness, contributing a variety of desirable flavors and aromas, and having an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms. Particular hop varieties are associated with beer regions and styles, for example pale lagers are usually brewed with European (often German and Austrian, since 1981 also Czech) noble hop varieties such as Saaz, Hallertau and Strissel Spalt. British ales use hop varieties such as Fuggles, Goldings and Bullion. North American beers use Cascade hops, Columbus hops, Centennial hops, Willamette hops and Amarillo hops.

Alpha Acid (% Alpha):  Alpha acids are a class of compounds primarily of importance to the production of beer. They are found in the flowers of the hop plant and are the source of hop bitterness. Iso-alpha acids are typically produced in beer from the addition of hops to the boiling wort. The degree of bitter flavor produced by the addition of hops is highly dependent on the length of time the hops are boiled. Longer boil times will result in isomerization of more of the available alpha acids. The alpha acid "rating" on hops indicates the amount of alpha acid as a percentage of total weight of the hop. Hops with a higher alpha acid content will contribute more bitterness than a lower alpha acid hop when using the same amount of hops. High alpha acid varieties of hops are more efficient for producing highly bitter beers.

(Thanks to Wikipedia for letting me plagiarize my lazy tail off.)

I hope these definitions help for anybody feeling left out of the lingo conversation.

Cheers!