Barley, Hops, Yeast and Water

American Craft Beer Week

2009-05-11T16:21:00.003-04:00

Today marks the start of American Craft Beer Week. It's truly an exciting time and the giant middle finger to those that (still) insist that craft beer is "just a fad". For anyone who's been paying attention, for over 15 years it's been much more than that; even the big brewers are taking note and marketing their products consequently (can you say "triple hopped"?)

Some linkage for ya:

http://www.beertown.org/

http://www.beertown.org/events/acbw/index.html

So grab a pint (or three) of your favorite craft brew and raise a glass to the craft brewers and homebrewers that have made it possible.

Cheers!

More hops!

2009-04-24T08:01:00.006-04:00

Speaking of hops, I've decided to delve into the world of growing hops! After seeing pictures of fellow homebrewers with buckets full of fresh hop cones, I began to dream of trellises wrapped with hop vines and the aroma of a wet hop ale.

My friend Jason got me started by generously donating a Nugget rhizome, which has broken through the soil in its flower pot and is steadily inching skyward.

The excitement prompted me to buy a few more from Freshops: Chinook, Cascade, and Centennial. I had ordered them UPS Ground but got an email from Dave at Freshops saying that UPS Ground was too slow to Pennsylvania and that he'd send it Airmail with a refund (was cheaper too!). Less than a week later I had hop rhizomes in my mailbox with a few dollars tucked in. Now THAT'S service!

So thank you to Dave for the excellent service and thank you to Jason for pushing me in the right direction. I now have the construction of 12-foot 4"x4" posts joined by wire and twine sticking out of my yard to look forward to!

Cheers!

Hop p0rn

2009-04-06T08:49:00.000-04:00

Just found this.

The folks over at Hops Direct maintain a blog, complete with pictures. If these don't make you drool or you don't get a goose egg on your forehead from trying to sniff the pictures, something's seriously wrong with you.

Cheers!

Frye?...Frye?

2009-03-09T16:21:00.003-04:00

OK, it's been a month and this page has gotten more stale then yesterday's doughnuts. What's going on?

Saturday I took advantage of the nice 70° weather and a yeast cake of WLP833 from my Maibock and brewed 10 gallons of Dopplebock. It was a little bit of a logistical concern, since my mash tun and kettle are both 15.5 gallon kegs. 25 pounds of grain at average grain/water ratio is pretty much the max for the mash tun. Each 5 gallon batch called for 20 pounds of grain. I could've double mashed, using wort from both batches to fill the kettle, but the preboil volume was 14.5 gallons---a little too close to the maximum for comfort and feasibility. So I boiled the first while mashing the second. In all, it took about 6 hours and I hit my target OG and volumes with no problems. I had 40 pounds (dry) of spent grain when done.

Prior to that, I brewed 10 gallons of Centennial IPA with a fellow local brewer. He brought the Centennial whole leaf hops and his computer and the brew session was broadcasted on his Mogulus channel. If I can ever get a notebook and a wireless internet connection here, I'll be doing more of that!

Lastly, I have a German Pilsner and a Maibock that are lagering and awaiting the day when we can be acquainted! Late April/early May will be the date.

Oh, and one more thing...I apologize to those who've linked my blog; if you previously noticed that the favor wasn't returned, it wasn't intentional. Once this blog was upgraded to the new Blogger interface, I lost a little info. If you don't see yours on there, please let me know!!

Cheers!

How Many Brewers could You Take in a Fight?

2009-02-17T15:33:00.005-05:00

A new post at Draft Magazine wants to know.

24

24 brewers, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?

Interesting questions. I'll confess, I fight dirty: there's no such thing as a fair fight. But those instances are rare and extreme. I'd rather have a beer.

Cheers!

Best East Coast Brewery?

2009-01-27T19:22:00.007-05:00

Best East Coast Craft Brewery? | thefullpint.com - Craft Beer News, Reviews and Event Coverage.

A poll at TheFullPint.com wants to know who you think the best East Coast brewery is. Quite a tough choice in my opinion, and it's nice to see good breweries on the list. At the posting of this blog entry, Dogfish Head leads with Victory Brewing Co. a close second. With all due respect to Sam Calagione and while I agree that Dogfish Head is stellar in terms of innovation, creativity and is an industry leader, could they produce a well-made Helles? A clean, malty Dopplebock? Where would they be without megadoses of alpha acids (Raison d'Etre notwithstanding)? In their own defense, their name does include the phrase "Craft Brewed Ales".

My money is on Victory. Equally adept at hoppy ales like HopDevil and Hop Wallop, malty lagers like St. Victorious, and estery Belgians like V-Twelve and Golden Monkey. There's a reason why they have a German-born 50 barrel Rolec brewhouse and yes folks, they do decoction. But that's just my opinion.

EDIT: TheFullPint just added Flying Dog, presumably excluded initially because Flying Dog Brewery is still "new" to the area. That'd be a close call for my vote as I do like Flying Dog!

So get over there and cast your vote!

Cheers!

We Have the Technology

2009-01-26T10:55:00.003-05:00

This morning I did a little browsing add-ons for FireFox and grabbed a few that made reading RSS feeds

First off, if you don't already know that FireFox is---in beer terms---like Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine to the Coors Light that is Microsoft Internet Explorer: lots of people like the latter because of mass-marketing and cheap production, but the former is light years better. And I'm only speaking in terms of functionality at this point, nevermind security.

What motivated my search was the need to incorporate my RSS feeds into FireFox to make single-platform viewing easier. Fortunately, there is an add-on called Brief that handles that task well. I have quite a few feeds (many beer-related of course), seen in a screen shot here.

(And if you can recommend any beer RSS feeds you don't see there, please let me know!!)

Also, you'll see TwitterFox in the lower right corner. Another great add-on that posts to Twitter and receives feeds from people you're following.

Finally, I've just started using the ScribeFire add-on to compose and publish my blog. Pretty neat!

Tonight I'll raise a pint to the Mozilla and FireFox add-on developers. Keep up the good work!

Cheers!

Equipment upgrade

2009-01-20T09:32:00.004-05:00

Speaking of improvements to make things run better...

I'm a gear head. One thing I love doing nearly as much as homebrewing is modifying my system. Fortunately, moderation is brought about by fiscal and practical concerns. Short of three Boilermakers, 30-plate chiller, a 14-gallon conical and a winning lottery ticket, my options are limited. Finishing my basement and brew room have primarily fed this addiction, but lately I've realized that my system as-is could use some improvements.

Some time back I received the HopStopper as a Christmas present. It worked wonderfully initially but after some time, it's claim of being able to strain out pellet hops seemed to be questionable. Even trub would clog mine, leaving precious wort at the bottom of the kettle. Because I use a plate chiller, it's absolutely imperative that as much particulate matter is left behind in the kettle as possible. In my brewery, it soon came to be known as the HopClogger. I'm still using it (even after 2 years), although placing hop pellets in muslin bags and accounting for wort losses in the kettle.

In terms of the mash tun, I initially started off with a Sanke kit from MoreBeer. Grain particles easily got around the screen edge and clogged the plumbing. So I made a manifold out of stainless steel braid and retained the screen to help keep weight off the braid. This too worked well for a while but it's performance dwindled over time. Searching for the better way (again, the gear-head motivation), I grabbed the Bazooka T I used to use in the kettle and married it to the stainless steel diptube from the old MoreBeer kit. Because of piping size differences, the T would move freely, despite a rubber grommet. This too caused lautering issues, leaving wort behind in the mash tun.

Recently I ordered a Sanke adapter for the Bazooka T in an attempt to solidify the mash tun manifold structure and hopefully leave less wort behind. Yes, I could just account for the losses in the mash tun and kettle, but where's the fun in that? Again, gear head! If you're a supporting member of HomeBrewTalk, you already know the story behind the snafu in ordering the part; if not, we won't rehash it here. Suffice it to say things didn't exactly arrive as expected.

Short of ordering a Bazooka T Sanke adapter, I'm thinking of cannibalizing the HopStopper and using the copper tubing to connect to the Bazooka T. Leaving the kettle to be addressed, I'll use either the stainless steel diptube from the mash tun or the errant Kewler adapter kit and the screen from the HopStopper to create a pick-up tube. Instead of picking up directly from the center, the side near the wall would help reduce hop and trub in the chiller. I do have the ability to whirlpool.

Comments? Ideas? Other suggestions? I'd love to hear 'em. I'm not doing any brewing right now, it's too @#$%^& cold!

Cheers!

Beer Pong competition, Vegas

2009-01-07T10:20:00.002-05:00

Beer Pong competition in Las Vegas, Baltimore Sun

From college dorms and apartments and bars to a nod on the big screen, and now to the Vegas strip! Bring your A-game though, this is serious business. 400 teams vied for the top prize of $50,000 that eventually went to Ron Hamilton of New York.

$50,000 would buy some sweet homebrewing gear! Although exemplified in Beerfest, I'm sure they weren't playing with liter Maßkrug steins. But hats off to 'em!

"Und...TRINKEN!"

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T08:43:00.006-05:00

Some of us have to work the holidays, so this Happy New Year wish is a day off...

Hopefully the holidays were good to you. I managed to spend some time in Warren, Michigan (northern suburb of Detroit) at Dragonmead with a few other brewers, enjoying their expansive tap list. Drinking with other brewers, even ones you've never met before, carries a comfort that just isn't possible with strangers otherwise. It's like putting on an old pair of shoes. Comfy, familiar.

Here it's life as usual. Work, brewing here and there, and enjoying a beer or two. I need to catch up on a few Beer Appreciation 102 beers now that I'm back in town. My Oatmeal Stout is carbonating and I'm patiently awaiting ingredients to brew a Best Bitter---time to celebrate 6 years of brewing! 6 years ago I was boiling wort on my kitchen stove, making a pale ale with a Brewer's Best kit and wondering what this was all about. Here's the recipe:

Brewing Date: Sunday January 12, 2003
Recipe: First Ever Pale Ale

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Extract (Lbs): 5.80
Anticipated OG: 1.045
Anticipated SRM: 7.9
Anticipated IBU: 13.3
Wort Boil Time: 30 Minutes

3.30 lbs. Muntons LME - Light
2.00 lbs. Muntons DME - Light
0.50 lbs. Crystal 60L

1.00 oz. Cascade (Pellet, 5.30% AA) 30 min.

Danstar Nottingham yeast

From what I remember it actually turned out pretty well. The second batch...well, we won't get into that right now.

Brewing will at least keep me occupied and kept from thinking about how dreary and underwhelming January is---no holidays, cold, dark, naked trees. Rock-hard ground. Time to brew some Maibock and Pilsner for Spring!

At any rate, Happy New Year to you and yours!

WANTED: Logo

2008-12-12T09:08:00.003-05:00

Ok, creative types. Do you like beer?

For years I've been trying to come up with something as a logo and although my Photoshop (GiMP) skills are basic, I lack the killer creativity some of you right brainers have. Interested in helping? How about 2 cases of whatever kind of homebrew you want? Ok, to some that sounds like offering a bag of McDonald's...here's some consideration.

Interested now? That's right, you make an award-winning logo, I make you award-winning beer!

Of course, the namesake of my brewery has to do with my other calling: firefighting. I'm thinking maltese cross, pick head axes, mash paddles and hop cones. If interested, drop me a line at DualLines at Yahoo.

Now get to work!

Looking ahead

2008-12-10T16:47:00.006-05:00

Been more back in the swing of things lately, despite Christmas around the corner. My homebrew club released the competition brews for next year, so I at least know what to brew when in terms of that: English Bitter/Pale Ale (BJCP category 8) for February, Pilsner (2) for May, Light Hybrid Beer (6) for August, Smoke and Wood-Aged Beer (22)for November.

January of 2009 also marks 6 years of brewing for me! My next batch will mark #75 as well (65th all-grain). Will I break 100 next year? As far as the Feds know I won't...

I'll also be making some Maibock for the springtime---this time I'll be making 10 gallons, as 5 gallons seems to go rather quickly! Also some Oktoberfest for the fall and probably a Dopplebock pretty soon for the fall as well...you read that right, for the fall. We're talking at least 6 months of aging!

I'm also looking to get back on the competition circuit a bit. I did pretty well in the past, but this past year I just haven't put forth a lot of effort. Regrettably so. The winnings are nice and even if you don't win, it's still great feedback and motivation.

But for now, I'm patiently awaiting some ingredients for an Oatmeal Stout brewday this weekend. Santa UPS man should be here tomorrow! And to tide me over, I'll be closely following Eric's recommendations for Beer Appreciation 102.

Cheers!

Early Christmas present

2008-11-24T16:27:00.002-05:00

Eric over at Trouble Brewing organized a group buy for Beer Appreciation 102. One of my local fellow homebrewers was kind enough to grab my case over at The Beer Yard in Wayne, PA while I was spending another 24 at work. And today Christmas came a little early! Thanks, Eric!

(Blogger doesn't want to create thumbnails right now so here's some linkage:)

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In other news, I sadly had to retire my old serving freezer. It worked well for a while but began to go downhill. It was 20-25 years old, after all, so I didn't see putting more money into it. Instead, I scored a 20 cubic foot refrigerator off of Craigslist, did some basic modifications, and the taps are now back in service!

Cheers!

How Beer is Brewed

2008-10-30T15:08:00.002-04:00

Here's a video from About.com with Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewing showing how it's done. Whether you're a n00b or well aware of how the brewing process takes place, it's a good video and a nice look into the Brooklyn Brewing brewhouse.

Cheers!

My time of year

2008-09-08T10:22:00.004-04:00

I did allude to my love of Fall, in terms of beer. It's not just the beer though (yes, you read that right).

The stores are already getting their Halloween gear, candy, wreathes of orange, yellow, and brown leaves out. Soon the leaves will fall, the lawn mower will be drained of gas, the cornstalks will be cut and the sweatshirts will come off the hanger. The air becomes crisp, the wind picks up, and the morning commute to work stays darker for a little longer. Yesterday I had a colossal hankerin' for some spaetzle, wurst, and of course beer, but by the time the wife got home from work my fav local destination for German consumables would be soon closing. It was Sunday afternoon, afterall. So when you can't go to the Hoffbrauhaus, bring the Hoffbrauhaus to you!!

I grabbed a spaetzle recipe and headed to the store for some bratwurst, kraut, and buns. It was my first time making spaetzle, and it turned out very well. So much in fact that there was none left whatsoever and the wife reiterated her interest in it's production once again!

I grabbed my German drinking song CD, my last bottle of Sam Adams Octoberfest, and a plate of chow. It wasn't long before my oldest was singing "Ein Prosit", something I'm sure will confuse his preschool teachers. I hinted to my wife that all that was missing was dirndl, to which I got that "look". Ah well, the food was good, the beer was good, and I was with my family. Couldn't get much better than that.

Ein Prosit, der Gemütlichkeit!

Attention South Central PA brewers

2008-09-05T12:35:00.002-04:00

Stoudt's is hiring! According to their post on ProBrewer.com, they're looking to hire a new brewer and the wording indicates that they may consider hiring a homebrewer with no formal brewing education.

I've often entertained the idea of looking for a part-time brewing gig (my full time job of breaking things and hauling people to the ER pays much too well to leave), but an 90 minutes one way to Stoudt's is too far for me.

Here's a lucky chance for a homebrew to live the dream! Good luck!

Oktoberfest approaches

2008-08-30T10:27:00.005-04:00

Oktoberfest in Munich may be a few more weeks off and smaller celebrations state-side as well, but the brewers haven't failed to deliver the beer world's Harbinger of Fall!

While at my local bottle store yesterday, I perused their singles rack and noted 5 or 6 Oktoberfest beers...Victory Festbier, Hacker-Pschorr, Warsteiner, Spaten. All kicking out the Oktoberfest. I settled upon a sixer of Sam Adams Octoberfest, as I haven't had it in some time.

The local brewers haven't failed to disappoint either. Appalachian Brewing has their Kipona Fest on tap, Victory has their Festbier flowing, and Tröegs has their Oktoberfestbier as a specialty in their Scratch Beer Series, available only in cases and on tap at the brewery (probably not for much longer!)

Prost!

Crabs and Beer

2008-08-11T11:55:00.004-04:00

Is there anything better?

Saturday it was time to get together with the family, mow down 4 dozen steamed crabs, and drink some beer---some Sly Fox Dunkel, in this case. I'm not a summer person by any means...I can get a sunburn from the full moon. But some things make it better. Crabs, beer, corn-on-the-cob, spaghetti-string tops and bikinis!

Cheers!

Let there be DUNKEL!

2008-08-06T21:20:00.003-04:00

After reading Eric's comment about a place in York that sells more Sly Fox than my local store, I begged of him the location. He kindly called me and gave me the coordinates. So after my errands were done, it was off to DJ's Westgate Beverage.

Their selection was approaching that of Westy's in Camp Hill. DJ's gets points: Troegs, Sly Fox, Stone, Victory (saw a case of 10 Years Alt!), Southern Tier, Bluepoint, Sam Adams, Clipper City---even saw some Hook and Ladder Brewing Company brews from Silver Spring, MD. Looked like they had a nice cigar selection as well, unfortunately which I didn't have time to explore; the wife just got off work and the kids were getting restless. Swoop and scoop as we say in the EMS business.

Eric reminded me that sometimes they have the Dunkel and sometimes not. As a reward for my determination, daring, and---well, just thirst for some good Sly Fox beer, I picked up the last case of Dunkel. I didn't notice until I got home that the case read "Best Before 4/28/08". I've drank worse. But I was pleasantly surprised when I cracked a can, poured it in a glass and took a sip. Sly Fox doesn't disappoint, even 3 months past the "fresh date". It is good beer, afterall. Missing were the cases of Sly Fox Pale Ale, Royal Weiss, and Rt. 113 IPA. Hopefully they'll stock up now that I've completely depleted them of Pheonixville brews.

So thanks Eric! I tip my second pint of Dunkel to you tonight!

Cheers!

Sly Fox Update

2008-07-21T16:24:00.002-04:00

Just got an email from Sly Fox with their latest news.

Looks like some 750ml offerings of Incubus, a Belgian Trippel, and Saison VOS; the former available on tap the first Friday of every month at the Pheonixville location. As well, on the second Friday of the month (July through November) their IPA project brew goes on tap.

Last but not least, it looks like some more cases of Sly Fox beer will soon be available. Hopefully they'll have more at my local case 'n' keg than just one case of Pheonix Pale Ale. To boot, they have an impressive line up! Brian O'Reilly must be one busy brewer!

All this makes me really wish I were closer to Sly Fox...or that gas was less expensive. Unfortunately it's more likely that I'll move to Pheonixville than gas prices drop appreciably.

Cheers!

Hofbrauhaus, Abbottstown

2008-07-15T13:46:00.003-04:00

Sunday my parents stopped by and took us out to the Hofbrauhaus Pub and Eatery in Abbottstown. Presumably named after the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, it's definitely one of my favorite haunts in the area. German beer on tap and in bottle (Warsteiner, Spaten, Franziskaner, more), German cuisine like sauerbraten, spaetzel, rouladen. All that's missing is the Oompah band and jumbo pretzels. And of course they have light lagers on tap and in the bottle for those of you who like it fizzy and pale. But with their tap list and location, it'd be a sin not to venture beyond the yellow stuff.

They don't skimp on the portions either. I had the tree sausage platter, of which I picked knockwurst, bauernwurst, and bratwurst with sauerkraut and spaetzel. Started off with a pint of Warsteiner Dunkel and finished up with some Franziskaner Dunkelweizen. Fearing my stomach would explode, it was time to go.

The Hofbrauhaus is a definite stop and doesn't disappoint. Just west of the traffic circle on 30. Check 'em out.

Prost!

The Great American Lager

2008-07-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

Since it's been over a month since my last blog entry (I had some back issues at work and the wife had her gall bladder out, so things have been pretty hectic to say the least), I figured it's time to get back to it. At the forefront of beer news, InBev's acquisition of Anheuser-Busch.

It wasn't long ago that Anheuser-Busch's marketing strategy to address the brewing corporate mergers of SABMiller and Molson-Coors was to drive a jingoistic baseball park foam index finger rap into the heads of Bud drinkers, as shown in the YouTube clip above. Of course, the irony is now while A-B may identify the brand as American, it certainly no longer is. Hopefully, this merger won't mean job losses for the guys and girls working at American A-B breweries.

I love my Country. But I'm not going to thumb my nose at imported beer because the label's not on the side of a NASCAR stock car. I'm not going to believe the drivel that what you drink is related to what political party you align yourself with. Taste is highly subjective. We're a young country, and our brewing heritage has strong irrefutable ties to the UK, Europe, and Asia; Anheuser-Busch, Adolf Coors, and SAB Miller are all proof of this. Maybe this merger will help a few to broaden the horizons of their palates and try something that's made with more than just 6-row barley, rice syrup, and a hop cone.

And if being American-made is unequivocally important to any given beer drinker, I'd like to point out that there are tons of American-made beers.

They're called "craft brewers", their beer is made here in the good ol' USA by proud Americans and they want their countrymen to drink quality, flavorful beer.

Cheers!

Another busy week

2008-06-10T16:11:00.001-04:00

Yet another busy week.

When it's 95° outside, the only thing to do outside besides mow the lawn is sweat. So, indoor projects return to the forefront. I've been slowly working on finishing my basement. In particular, I want to get my "brew room" done so I can get things organized. Just a little more drywall to hang, then it's time to tape, compound, and sand. Thought a little brick wall look would be cool...who knows.

Hopefully by Fall we'll be ready for carpet. And a wood-burning stove or pellet stove. Propane prices are going nowhere but up!

Late last week in my local travels I stopped by my fav bottle shop looking for some Avery Hog Heaven barleywine. They searched the back room for me, knowing they had some but couldn't find it. They then figured out that the last time they got some in, someone came in and bought the whole case! So I asked them to set a few aside for me and a few days later returned with these 3 sisters. It is by far my favorite barleywine! Already down to two after the first night, the remaining two snuggled together comfortably in my vintage box for later (as long as I can hold out, anyway).

Last night I decided to hit a local case-and-keg store seeing as how I'm dangerously low on beer; the vintage box is, afterall, for rainy days. I grabbed a sampler case of Bell's, formerly which wasn't available short of a drive to Ohio or Michigan itself. And at these gas prices...

Wherever you are, cheers!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Week in Review

2008-06-03T10:21:00.006-04:00

Lots of chit has happened over the past week. Sadly, my keg of Maibock is almost gone. Good and bad really. Bad, obviously, because it's malty yumminess is almost gone. Good in that Maibocks tend to get sweeter over time, which of course is what you don't want. Some sweetness, yes. Cloyingly sweet, definitely not. So it's just as well. I did take 1st place at a club comp with it (head-to-head with some very good brewers, I might add) and 2nd Best-of-Show at last year's Montgomery County Ag Fair homebrew comp (out of 107 entries).

This morning I got a PDF of the scoresheet. 42/50 isn't bad! Hopefully later today I'll have some Dunkelweizen brewing. Need to get more beer on tap ASAP. Besides the brewing prospects, the last few days have been eventful. On Saturday we met some friends at the Virginia Wine Festival in Centreville, VA. Being my first wine festival, it was quite a bit different than the beer festivals I'm used to. Samples are limited to a few drops, but you can buy a glass or the whole bottle to enjoy there or take home---something that you don't see at beer festivals. But the samples are MUCH bigger at beer festivals. It was a good time overall, even after the 3 hour drive that should've taken 2 hours except for rain and traffic on I-495 and Rt. 66 in Virginia. Worth it to have a few glasses of wine with friends though.

Lastly, yesterday was our 7-year anniversary. We dated for 3 years before that, so last night we went out to dinner at Mealey's in New Market, MD to celebrate 10 years of not killing each other. I'd been going there since I was a kid and they never cease to impress. Started off with some Cream of Crab Bisque with a glass of Sam Adam's Boston Lager. Then it was Stuffed Rainbow Trout and a glass of Dogfish Head Pale Ale. My wife had the Crab Imperial. Of course dessert was too good to pass up, I had a slice of their Key Lime pie and she had the Crème Brûlée. Perfect.

After picking up the kids from the neighbors' and putting them to bed, we watched the Penguins and the Red Wings. Bunch of BS calls, I might add...high sticking? Tripping? Interference for just barely touching the goalie? Even the announcers said the referees were being inconsistent. Hope they had a police escort home. At any rate, I topped the evening off with a bottle of Victory Baltic Thunder Baltic Porter. Very good, hadn't had it since a few years ago at Victory Brewing in Downingtown. Which reminds me, a roadtrip to the remodeled Mecca of Victory beer is long overdue. Time to grab the calendar.

Cheers!!

This beer's for the dogs!

2008-05-14T08:29:00.002-04:00

via the Daily Mail

Yes, this canine concoction actually has malt extract. Whether is has brewer's yeast or not remains to be seen. Of course, no hops, as some instances have suggested that hops can cause malignant hyperthermia in dogs.

Either way, it's interesting. I'm sure my two mutts wouldn't waste a drop, nor time in consuming it.

Cheers!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Pleasant surprises

2008-05-07T22:03:00.003-04:00

So far a good week for beer, only to get better by the weekend (Friday's my birthday and it's going to involve enjoying good beer of course).

Monday night was my brew club's meeting night and quarterly competition. The style this time: bock. Traditional bock/Helles bock/Dopplebock/Eisbock, take your pick. I brewed up 5 gallons of Jamil's Angel Wings Maibock and took 1st place! Enjoyed a pint or two after the meeting downstairs in Brewer's Alley as a victory dance of sorts...brewmaster Tom had a great selection on tap. The dunkelweizen and Pils on tap were both very good.

Then, tonight after running some errands, we decided to visit one of my fav bottle stores. The wife grabbed two bottles of local wine while I perused the beer selection (mind you, I have 5 gallons of Maibock on tap and a half-case of Bell's Two Hearted Ale as well). I hadn't before noticed the small beer fridge in the back containing a few 22oz bombers; nor did I before notice the shelves immediately to the left of the fridge that were FULL of 22oz bombers! Stone, Southern Tier, La Chouffe, Allagash, Arcadia, Victory...beers that I was previously picking up 500 miles away while visiting family. I grabbed a 22oz of Southern Tier Barleywine and a 500ml bottle of Reissdorf Kölsch.

They know their stuff and the staff is friendly and helpful. By far my favorite bottle shop.

Stay tuned, Friday is going to be fun!

Salvation

2008-05-02T10:34:00.004-04:00

Homebrewing requires a lot of patience at times; especially in the case of lagers. Lagers take time and the ability to slow down and pay attention to what's going on. Rushing a Munich Helles is like trying to bed Melissa Theuriau by saying voulez vous coucher avec moi: the result would most likely be futile and humiliating. (you're welcome) My Maibock requires the same level of babying.

Luckily, with a club bock competition coming up Monday, it was absolutely necessary to pull a pint to check for...erm, flaws etc. No other reason. Really! After a slight hiatus, it's nice to see the taps flowing again.

Meanwhile, work on my man-cave (ok, so it's not just mine) has resumed. The brew room has come to resemble the aftermath of an F5 tornado, making brewing that much more difficult.

In times of great stress and multiple irons in the fire, the reward of patience and vigilant respect in paying homage to one of the greatest brewing styles in the world is in itself greatly gratifying, first sip to last.

Prost!!

Charlie P. has a blog!

2008-04-25T11:06:00.002-04:00

Charlie Papazian's blog

That's right! The godfather of homebrewing has a blog. Feed added!

And just in case you're a complete n00b and have no idea who Charlie Papazian is, check out these links:

http://beertown.org/events/otr/aboutcp.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Papazian

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.beerbooks.com/

Cheers!

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MADD: Vestigial idiocy from the Women's Christian Temperance Union

2008-04-22T11:20:00.001-04:00

Not too long ago my wife received a magazine subscription notice for one of her favorite mags. The publisher had partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in the subscription drive to which MADD would get a share of the subscription price.

Then about a week ago my wife received a phone call about the notice, to which she informed the caller that I refused to give money to any organization that supported MADD. The lady was shocked, and my wife explained why I feel a formerly decent organization like MADD should not receive any assistance whatsoever and organizations that naively support it should be educated.

It's an established fact that MADD is more interested in the total prohibition of alcohol than simply bringing to light the problem of drunk driving (and reasonable efforts to cease it), rather than the warm-and-fuzzy "MADD" name would suggest:

"MADD generally attempts to mask its radical, neo-prohibitionist agenda in the veneer of sound science and sober statistics."Charles V. Pena, former MADD official. (1)

And even after the proven absolute failure of Prohibition, MADD and its cohorts still push the neo-prohibitionist agenda; every Presidential Election has a registered Prohibition party campaigning with a candidate. Clearly, these people have never heard George Santayana's words, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

National Prohibition not only failed to prevent the consumption of alcohol, but led to the extensive production of dangerous unregulated and untaxed alcohol, the development of organized crime, increased violence, and massive political corruption. Although Prohibition was repealed in 1933, there are still hundreds of dry counties across the United States today. Amazingly, some people today insist that Prohibition was a success! (2)

Truly, alcohol, in moderate consumption, is no more responsible for killing than the spoon is responsible for making Rosie O'Donnell fat. The Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine have both published articles verifying health benefits of moderate consumption:

Moderate alcohol consumption, up to 2 drinks perday, was significantly protective for ischemic stroke afteradjustment for cardiac disease, hypertension, diabetes, currentsmoking, body mass index, and education (odds ratio [OR], 0.51;95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39-0.67). This protective effectof alcohol consumption was detected in both younger and oldergroups, in men and women, and in whites, blacks, and Hispanics.In a quadratic model of stroke risk, increased risk of ischemicstroke was statistically significant among those consuming 7or more drinks per day (OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.05-8.29).

Clearly, the proof is in the pudding...er, beer. Fanaticism rarely produces positive results.

Cheers!

References:

1. Mothers Against Drunk Driving: A Crash Course in MADD
2. Temperance Movement Groups and Leaders in the U.S., by David J. Hanson, Ph. D.

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Seen Through a Glass: Why the PLCB should be abolished: Reason #17

2008-04-22T10:47:00.001-04:00

Why the PLCB should be abolished: Reason #17

This popped up on my Flock browser (love it!) this morning and I couldn't agree more with Lew. It's very well written and quite an eye-opener for the uninformed.

We need t-shirts and bumper stickers!! And logo pint glasses...definitely logo pint glasses.

Cheers!

2008 World Beer Cup winners

2008-04-20T08:28:00.003-04:00

Just released are the 2008 World Beer Cup winners list.

From the Brewers' Association:

Brewers from five continents earned awards from an elite international panel of judges this week in the 2008 Brewers Association World Beer Cup. The seventh bi-annual competition awarded medals to brewers from 21 countries ranging from Australia and Italy to Bolivia and Japan.

This year, 644 breweries from 58 countries and 45 U.S. states vied for awards with 2,864 beers entered in 91 beer style categories. The top three entries in each category won gold, silver and bronze medals.

In addition the competition gives “Champion Brewery” and “Champion Brewer” awards in each of five brewery categories based on the medals won by each brewery.

Brewers from the United States won 185 of the 268 style category awards and four of the five Champion Brewery/Brewer awards.

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Small Brewpub Category
Bend Brewing Company
Tonya Cornett

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Large Brewpub Category
Pelican Pub & Brewery
Darron R. S. Welch

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Small Brewing Company Category
Port Brewing Company and The Lost Abbey
Tomme Arthur

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Mid-Size Brewing Company Category
Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH
Peter Bucher

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Large Brewing Company Category
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Warren Quilliam

Again, the US took 185 of the 268 styles! Of course this competition was held in the US, but when you look at the international entrants and the categories the US won in, it instills pride.

I was happy to see some of my favorite breweries winning medals: Troegs won two, Rock Bottom in Bethesda, Sam Adams, Great Lakes Brewing, Bell's, Three Floyds, Flying Dog, Clipper CIty, Brooklyn Brewery...the list goes on.

There were some interesting categories as well, and some rather suprising results: Stone wins in the ESB/Strong Bitter category for Stone Pale Ale, for instance. And of course, there are some not-so-suprising: german breweries like Weihenstephan, Schneider Weisse, and iconic breweries like Allagash and Alaskan Brewing Company.

All in all, it seems to be a pretty good barometer of brewing in the US. Time to search out some Beer Cup winning brews!

Cheers!

Light at the end of the tunnel

2008-04-11T09:02:00.003-04:00

Looks like hop price relief and availability may be coming a little sooner than expected. Thanks to Stan H. for the article.

Ralph Olson, general manager of grower-owned HopUnion of Yakima, a buyer who deals primarily with smaller craft brewers, thinks the figure may be closer to 8,000 acres by the time all is said and done. That would be a jump of nearly 25 percent in acreage in one year.

So supply is rushing to catch up with demand. At least this is one industry where you can count on prices eventually leveling out.

75 Years of Beer

2008-04-07T18:12:00.008-04:00

Today is the 75th anniversary of the modification of the Volstead Act. On April 7th, 1933, Americans could once again drink beer! And it was the only legal alcoholic beverage allowed from that day until December 5th, 1933 when Prohibition was repealed. Tonight I'm celebrating by enjoying a pint after the kids hit the sack.

But my brew club did celebrate a little early this past Saturday by getting together and brewing up 30 gallons of beer for the National Homebrewer's Conference in Cincinnati. Brewing with others is always more fun, especially when they're your fellow homebrewers! It was a great day. About 60°F outside, light wind, sunny. Great beer on tap at fellow homebrewer Mike's house (his Classic American Pilsner was outstanding!), good food, and overall a really good time. I did 10 gallons of Schwarzbier which is currently bubbling away at 50°F in my lagering freezer. I did manage to get a little too much sun...didn't seem all that strong but with my complexion, it doesn't take much. My face was as red as a beet!

Wherever you are, take a moment to reflect and celebrate the beginning of the end of an era!

Self-serve taps

2008-03-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

Interesting concept...

Table Top Beer Taps
Uploaded by neither_Bug_nor_Crank

Time to break the seal

2008-03-22T14:32:00.003-04:00

Last night found me with a serious thirst for barleywine. And unfortunately, the closest bottle shop that actually has barleywine in amounts less than a case is 25 minutes away. Not feeling like stepping out and dropping an hour to get a six-pack, I broke into my vintage collection.

Amongst all my gadgets, gear, and ingredients on the shelf in my basement brew room lies a box with a little more than a six-pack's worth of beers I've squirreled away over the past few years. A 2001 bottle of Samiclaus, some Victory Storm King '03, and some Anchor Christmas ale '05 to name a few. The two that made it out were a bottle of barleywine made in 2003 from a fellow FOAM guy for the 2003 FOAM Iron Mash competition, and a wax-sealed one-liter bottle of DuClaw Devil's Milk '06.

First out was the Iron Mash barleywine. I chucked it in the freezer to drop the temperature quickly...unfortunately, in between chasing children and cleaning, it got left in the freezer just a little too long! Luckily I caught it in time and only the top inch or so started to freeze. It still poured into a snifter well, the head being mostly a barleywine slushy. And I'm a huge fan of 7-11 Coke Slurpees, so it was a welcome suprise. It didn't affect the flavor or beer at all and soon warmed by my hand's grip on the glass. The beer was well-done, no oxidation, begging for just a little more hop bite...but what can you expect from a 5 year-old barleywine?

Tonight I'll break out the 2006 Devil's Milk and after tomorrow's Easter dinner, little if any will be left. Do I really want to bottom-up a two year-old bottle of some of the best barleywine I've had, leaving no barleywine left?

You bet your ass I do! Nothing lasts forever and nothing tops off a holiday with family like a good glass of beer. Besides, it makes more room for barleywine to cellar for a few more years.

Wherever you are, Hoppy Easter!

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

2008-03-17T17:20:00.005-04:00

It's March 17th. That means the ubiquitous beer, Irish fare, and wearing o' the green! While corned beef and cabbage may be not a true Irish invention, it's still pretty good and an American St. Patty's Day standby. For me, a plate of homemade Shepherd's Pie, Soda Bread, and a pint of my own dry stout will fill the bill nicely tonight.

And if you're interested in Guinness' petition to make St. Patty's Day an "official" holiday, look here and sign up. I just want to know if that means I'll get holiday pay in the future...

Slainte!!

Cast your vote!!

2008-03-09T13:41:00.003-04:00

Time for some voting where you can vote for the best of two; not the lesser evil!

The Philadelphia City Paper ran an article on the Philadelphia beer scene and is looking for your feedback. It's a little late in the game, but Round 3 is still open.

While I can't agree with all the results (a fruit beer beats out a dopplebock?!?!?!), taste is very subjective. Most of the flights are very close, near 48%/52% splits. Either way, it looks good for Philly's beer scene!

Maryland Senate puts the screws to Maryland homebrewers AND winemakers

2008-02-26T09:53:00.007-05:00

Hot off the presses this morning, here is some legislation aimed at requiring those who teach homebrewing in Maryland to acquire a $250 license, in addition to some other fees:

1. $50 for a solicitor's permit, an individual storage permit, a nonresident winery permit, or a commercial nonbeverage permit;
2. $75 for a public storage permit, a public transportation permit, or an import and export permit;
3. $100 for a public storage and transportation permit, a nonresident dealer permit, or a bulk transfer permit;
4. $400 for a family beer and wine facility permit;
5. $10 for a direct wine seller?s permit; AND
6. $250 FOR A HOME BREWING INSTRUCTOR'S PERMIT."

With the introduction of Governor O'Malley (aka Martin the Teflon Leprechaun), it seems Maryland residents have had a new tax to pay every week.

Want to let 'em know your opinion? Email the sponsors:

TODD L. SCHULER, Democrat, District 8, Baltimore County
JOSEPH C. BOTELER III, Republican, District 8, Baltimore County
ERIC M. BROMWELL, Democrat, District 8, Baltimore County

I may not be a Maryland resident anymore, but my family, friends, and homebrewing brethren are. Enough is enough!

Another brewer adjusts to keep beer on tap

2008-02-18T16:20:00.002-05:00

Being a fan of DuClaw's fine creations (and for having a home base in my native Harford County, MD), my email patiently awaits their newest releases. This email today is another example of the hop shortage and what it means to craft brewers:

Loyal DuClaw Patrons,

As you have probably already noticed, our beer prices increased in January. A combination of low grain supplies and a worldwide hop shortage (that has left many varieties of hops completely unavailable) has lead to an industry wide price increase for beer. When grain prices double and hop prices triple, beer prices must follow.

The hops shortage has had other sobering effects (no pun intended) on the brewing industry as a whole and DuClaw specifically. The hops used in the recipe for Venom are simply no longer available. Rather than offer you a pint of something called Venom, that looks similar but tastes nothing like your favorite APA, we’ve decided to pull it from the lineup until the hops are once again available. This wasn’t an easy decision. In fact, we’re angry about it. Angry enough to raise some hell…

COMING SOON: HELLRAZER, our new American-style India Pale Ale. HELLRAZER boasts a light amber color, citrus aroma, smooth hoppy finish, and devilish 6.2% abv. This new IPA will more than fill the void for you hop heads out there during Venom’s absence, but we promise, Venom will return with the hops.

So, to recap: prices are going up, Venom is going away, and we’re going to an old axiom: when life hands you lemons, RAISE HELL!

Cheers!

Their Venom Pale Ale uses Cascade and Columbus hops, which by some estimates are completely unavailable (at least to homebrewers; presumably craft brewers as well).

It's going to be a long year. Fortunately there are a few carrying the torch for us.

Boston Beer Hop Sharing

2008-02-16T09:53:00.003-05:00

Jim Koch never fails to impress and demonstrate his support for the homebrew and craft beer segment, as shown in this email:

From: Jim Koch/Hop Sharing [mailto:Hop.Sharing@bostonbeer.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 9:22 AM
Subject: Boston Beer Hop Sharing

For a couple of months now, we've all been facing the unprecedented hops shortage and it's affected all craft brewers in various ways. The impact is even worse on the small craft brewers--openings delayed, recipes changed, astronomical hops prices being paid and brewers who couldn't make beer.

So we looked at our own hops supplies at Boston Beer and decided we could share some of our hops with other craft brewers who are struggling to get hops this year. We're offering 20,000 pounds at our cost to brewers who need them. Specifically, we are able to spare 10,000 pounds of East Kent Goldings from Tony Redsell, a top English grower featured by Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson's Beer Companion (page 75 has a picture) and 10,000 pounds of the German Noble hop Tettnang Tettnanger from small farms in the Tettnang region in Germany. These are both type 90 pellets from the 2007 crop and are the exact same hops we brew our own beers with. We're not looking to make money on this so we're selling them at our cost of $5.72 a pound plus $.75 a pound to cover shipping and handling for the Goldings and $5.42 per pound plus $.75 a pound to cover shipping and handling for the Tetts. They're packed in 22# foil bags, boxed four bags to a box in 88 lb. boxes and will be shipped from cold storage.

The purpose of doing this is to get some hops to the brewers who really need them. So if you don't really need them, please don't order them. And don't order them just because we're making them available at a price way below market. Order them because you need these hops to make your beer. We're not asking questions, so let your conscience be your guide.

A few mechanics--until we know how much need there is, we've put a maximum out there of 6 boxes per brewer, which is 528 pounds. You can order less in 88 pound increments. You pay shipping. If we get more orders than the 20,000 pounds, we'll have a lottery. We will be putting the basic information to order, some faqs and the actual offer on our website www.samueladams.com in the next day or so, probably no later than Tuesday. Look for "Hop-Sharing Program" on the front page of the site.

We hope this will make brewing a little easier for those hardest hit by the hop shortage.

Jim Koch, Boston Beer Company

Now that's what you call class!

So go buy some Sam Adams and support those that mutually support the craft brewing industry.

Cheers!!

Boycott Anheuser-Busch

2008-02-04T14:45:00.000-05:00

For the third legislative session in a row, thirsty residents in Alabama have been trying to do away with the state's 6% alcohol limit, which excludes about 1/3 of the world's beer.

Barleywine? Uh uh.

Double IPA? No way.

Chimay? Fuggetaboutit.

It's not all that much of a suprise when old laws linger, but to find a major brewer like Anheuser-Busch in the background, playing their chips and using their muscle to keep the law in place to protect their market share is reprehensible. Anheuser-Busch certainly doesn't care about consumer choice or supporting the industry.

Anheuser-Busch likes to tout their supposed passive coexistence, but really they're no better than they were in the mid-'90s when their "100%-share-of-mind" campaign sought to clear liquor store shelves of craft beer:

The action goes on to quote an address by August Busch III at the 1995 NBWA convention, in which he stressed the need to focus on flagship brands, and continues: "In March 1996, August Busch III announced that he decided that A-B distributors should not distribute craft beers any longer, and that A-B distributors should give '100% share-of-mind' to the Budweiser family of products. In fact, A-B launched a 'share of mind' campaign headed by a 'share of mind' team... The purpose of this nationwide effort was to eliminate as many non-exclusive distributors as possible, and thereby deprive the plaintiff and the members of the class a material part, if not all, of their distribution network.

What can you do?

Help out by calling/emailing A-B's corporate offices to express your opinion about Birmingham Budweiser's efforts to thwart consumer choice in Alabama.
1-800-DRINK-BUD
https://contactus.anheuser-busch.com/contactus/email.asp

You can also call and email Birmingham Budweiser (keep trying if it's busy!)
205-945-4893
customerservice@bhambud.com.

Lastly, support the thirsty beer lovers in Alabama. Check out Free The Hops.org.

Spread the word!

Pop Quiz, Hotshot!

2008-01-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

Test your brew know-how! Go to http://www.pikebrewing.com/, click on "History" in the middle of the image, then click on "Pop Quiz - Test Your Beer Knowledge" on the right.

I got an 86...I don't know much about Pike Brewing Co. and I don't know everything about brewing either; the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.

Cheers!!

Westy's

2008-01-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

I usually don't frequent the Mechanicsburg/Camp Hill/Harrisburg area, mostly because it's about an hour from my house on 2-lane roads. Fortunately I finally got around to stopping by Westy's in Camp Hill while out furniture shopping. I've heard good things about it but it really doesn't do it justice until you get there and see for yourself.

And in a state where the word "variety" is just as much a foreign concept as being able to buy a 6-pack of beer without signing over the deed to your house, it's truly a diamond in the rough.

The staff were very nice and helpful. My son walked out with a 4-pack of Steward's Birch Beer and I with a sampler case of Southern Tier (IPA, pale ale, raspberry wheat, and Tripel), but not before I perused the isles 5 or 6 times. I truly felt like a kid in a candy store! Many national and local brews were on hand: Stone, Bell's, Victory, Sly Fox, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, Southern Tier, Ommegang, Rogue, Penn Brewery, Avery...the list literally goes on and on.

Unfortunately they don't have a working website at the present time; directions and a list of what they carry would be helpful. But beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

Check 'em out:

Westy's Beer Distributor
420 St. Johns Church Road
Camp Hill, PA 17011

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Happy Brew Year!

2008-01-09T18:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2008!

First, a thanks and hello to some fellow homebrewers that have pumped up the activity on the blog! I tip my pint of Troegs Troegenator dopplebock to you!

Doesn't seem like that long ago I finally made a New Year's resolution to do something with that homebrew kit that was sitting in my basement for a year or so...

No, really!

And like any other homebrewer I was instantly hooked. So I did 10 extract-with-grains batches before deciding to try all-grain. 5 years, 58 all-grain batches and 510 gallons later, here I am.

That's 4,040 beers! Granted, a few of those batches were tossed due to one reason or another. Everyone gets at least one infected batch. Luckily, I've only had one or two. And lots of it have been given away, supplied at parties, etc. Fortunately, my liver isn't the sole beneficiary!!

So as we march into 2008, I've made a few Brew Year's resolutions: to take a shot at the top dog and defeat the competition in my homebrew club, and to try some new, haven't-brewed-this-yet styles (Schwarzbier, Saison, etc).

Next up: a Bavarian Dunkel and a Maibock, back-to-back on brewday!

Cheers!

Hop and Malt prices hit home

2007-12-27T13:24:00.001-05:00

Someone please explain to me how it costs $8 to ship 3 pounds of malt from Columbia, MD to Hanover, PA (roughly 50 miles) but it costs $20 to ship a 55-pound sack of Munich malt from Champlain, NY to Hanover PA (roughly 500 miles). Unfortunately it would probably cost me $8 in gas to drive to Columbia, MD and back. But there definitely isn't a direct relationship there.

At any rate, the effects of the price hike in malt and hops due to several agroeconomical factors is already being felt. Take for instance Northern Brewer's footnote on hops, and the outright unavailability listed on their hops page. "Temporarily Out of Stock" is a recurring sight on MoreBeer's page as well.

It's definitely going to be a rough year. Hopefully we'll have enough beer to cry in...

Merry Christmas!!!

2007-12-25T10:12:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from OSBC!

Christmas time is definitely my favorite time of the year. In terms of beer, it's a no-brainer: holiday ales, barleywine, etc. Brewers roll out their special batches for the season. Bell's released their Special Double Cream Stout, which goes really well with dark chocolate chip cookies by the way!

Part of my treasure trove of presents was a bottle of Stone Double Bastard and St. Peter's Winter Ale. Proof the wife does pay attention, even when I think she's not. Gonna have to keep an eye on her...

Wherever you are, enjoy the holidays!

Cheers!

Brooklyn Monster 2007

2007-12-21T15:20:00.001-05:00

I was pleasantly suprised to find a sixer of Brooklyn Monster Barleywine at my fav bottle shop the other day. As I said in the Devil's Milk blog post, I love barleywine---and the Monster doesn't disappoint. Sporting Willamette, Cascade, and American Fuggle hops, it's a tasty interpretation of the English style. This year's rendition clocks in at 10.8% so there's plenty of warmth for these cold nights.

Personally, I'm more partial to the English-style barleywines---the exception being Avery Hog Heaven, an American-style barleywine and probably my favorite of that style. But in many cases, the line between American-style barleywine and Double IPA tends to get blurred by liberal doses of hops. With barleywine, it's not solely about the hops. Maybe the Left Coasters can manage to show some restraint for once.

"Yeah, and maybe I'm a Chinese jet pilot."

Happy Holidays!!!

Flying Dog packs up and moves

2007-12-15T11:44:00.000-05:00

Looks like Colorado-based Flying Dog Brewing Co. is packing its bags and moving east to Frederick, MD. As you may know, Flying Dog bought Frederick Brewing Co. a few years back. Flying Dog is moving all of its brewing operations to Frederick; the sales, marketing and administrative staff will remain in Colorado.

That means more beer for us---special release parties, events, etc!

Cheers!!

DuClaw Devil's Milk Barleywine

2007-11-16T10:01:00.000-05:00

It's fine weather for Barleywine!

Last night I attended the 2007 release of DuClaw's Devil's Milk Barleywine at their Bel Air location. It's fresh from a fire restoration; you can almost smell the sawdust. Unfortunately the new setup isn't much bigger than the old restaurant, in terms of seating and room. One would think dragging the brewhouse out and starting with a clean slate would make for a prime opportunity to expand, given their popularity. The upstairs is walled-off, presumably holding a banquet room. But last night it was standing-room-only at the bar and at least an hour wait for a table. If they did design it bigger than it previously was, they seriously undershot.

Fortunately, irritation was easily soothed by a good selection of very good beer. On tap were their Porter, Belgian Wit, Oktoberfest, Wheat, Blonde, Amber, Pale Ale, and of course, the Barleywine. 6:55pm hit with a short presentation for the release on all flat-screened video monitors in the bar. The lines were already forming at the email-club table. Once 7:00pm I headed to the bar and ordered-up and by 7:01pm I had a snifter of Barleywine in one hand and a growler full of it in the other! I don't need to go into detail of its virtues. Suffice it to say it's excellent, it's worth driving an hour each way for, and a lot of beer drinkers feel the same way.

Last year, they released their Barleywine in wax-sealed 1L flip-top bottles in addition to their normal release. I grabbed two; one lasted a month tops, the other is still in my cellar "beers-not-to-touch-for-a-while" collection. Also last year they ran through 15 kegs of Devil's Milk in one night at their Bowie location and sold out of it soon after.

Word to the wise: if you're jonesin' for some Devil's Milk, get there NOW. Whoever first said "while supplies last" never had a good glass of Barleywine.

Project: Draft Box

2007-10-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

For some time now I've been wanting to build a draft box for parties and what not. For probably 3 years now I've been grabbing gear here and there for it, starting with a cooler that my neighbor offered to me. Then, about 15 months ago I scored a 3-circuit cold plate on eBay for about $85, which is very cheap by comparison. After stopping by the store to grab two shanks and some tubing, it was time to get to work.

First, I measured and drilled the 7/8" holes for the shanks. I spaced them 6" apart and left a space in the middle where I will add a third shank and tap sometime soon. Unfortunately my local homebrew store (LHBS in homebrewing forum-speak) only had 2 3" shanks. If you plan to follow my lead, know that once you get past the outer plastic layer and hit the insulation inside, it gets very messy. Drop the cold plate in only after all holes are drilled, shanks are installed and the cooler is cleaned out. Insulation in your cold plate is bad.

Once that was complete and the fittings were installed on the cold plate, in it went. I also wrapped each fitting's threads with Teflon tape, as the cold plate is aluminum and the fittings are steel. I heated some water in the microwave and soaked the ends of the 3/16" tubing in it before pushing them onto the nipples.

The 3/16" fittings on the liquid disconnects and cold plate were no problem; the shanks I bought had two 1/4" nipples welded on. No problem, as long as the tubing is nice and soft. And don't forget to put two Oetiker clamps on the tubing before putting both ends on the nipples.

For the rear, I just drilled two holes the size of the outer diameter of the tubing. Many commercial draft boxes use pass-through shanks, which work well but add to the cost, assembly and disassembly.

After all fittings were finished, it was time to flush the cold plate with OxyClean and sanitize with StarSan before giving it a test-run. It worked well, however it got pretty foamy at serving pressure of 8 psi...give that it was just flushed with 60°F sanitizer. Once the cold plate is chilled with ice water, it should be a different story.

Which means more testing. And more beer to drink! Cheers!

The Dangers of Carboys

2007-10-20T07:45:00.000-04:00

Saw this today on one of the brewing forums I frequent. Unfortunately, it's not a freak accident. I've seen this quite a few times before and I'm sure I'll see it again:

My good friend and fellow brewer has been off this week recovering from surgery.

He dropped a full carboy and instinctively tried to save it... putting his hands in the path of the resulting explosion. All that liquid escaping pushes the glass shards out pretty explosively apparently.

He severed 5 tendons in one had and had over twenty stitches in the other.

After telling my wife this story she made me sit down and by a carboy hauler, can't say I blame her.

I guess the lesson is be very damn careful with your vessels, spend the money on safety equipment, and if the carboy is going save yourself, and cry over the lost beer later.

The carboy hauler will help, but for me this danger is averted by using food-grade buckets. Until I can afford to drop $600 on a conical fermenter, this will be my fermenter of choice. Not to mention you're going to drop $12 on top of the $20 per carboy you have. That gets expensive quickly; though presumably once you make that purchase, you probably won't have to replace it again (short of any disasterous accidents like the one mentioned earlier).

I've been brewing for almost 5 years and for every one of the 67 batches I've made, I've used buckets. Buckets just have a few advantages over glass carboys:

Easier to clean
Easier to harvest yeast from
Do not shatter
Have a carrying handle built in
Protect the fermenting wort from light (UV has negative effects on yeast and unisomerized hop compounds)
Less slippery than wet glass

Of course there's the ever-debated issue of scratching the plastic buckets that may create a place for bacteria and wild yeast to take hold and flourish. If you're using a Brillo pad maybe. I just hose 'em out, soak 'em in OxyClean, drain, rinse and wipe 'em down.

Oxygen permeability was also debated at one point, before it was pointed out that new buckets are made of a plastic that is impermeable to oxygen. In terms of secondary fermentation, many homebrewers are now using the Better Bottle. And many, including myself, are using Cornelius kegs for secondary fermentation. No "suck-back" issues with the airlock and the beer stays protected in stainless steel under a blanket of carbon dioxide (provided you purge the headspace with it).

Whatever method you chose, make an informed decision. Many homebrewers still like the glass carboy for primary fermentation, if not just for the perk of being able to watch the fermentation activity. Who doesn't like that?!

Cobblestone's

2007-10-17T11:46:00.000-04:00

About a year ago I remember seeing a billboard for Cobblestone's in York, PA. Then, Trouble Brewing blogger Eric cited an article mentioning Cobblestone's and the South Central PA Homebrewers' Association. After reviewing the website and their salivation-provoking beer list, we put it on our to-do list.

Yes, the wife suggested it...even though she's not a beer drinker! How to know you married the right girl...

Anyway, last night we made the trip. Fortunately for me, it's less than 30 minutes from my house. True to the picture on their website, the inner doors open to a large expanse of TV screens, pool tables, dart boards, and tables. The service was great, the food was good, and the overall atmosphere was inviting. I started with a pint of Bell's Oktoberfest and it fit the bill perfectly. Although later I did order a pint of Bell's Porter, the server returned with something that was definitely not dark and nearly opaque. The server had been great in every way and since it was a light copper color, I was sure it wasn't Bud so I didn't complain. Instead I looked at it as a challenge to try to test my senses and palate. After a few sips and some nosing, I was certain it was an IPA. When it was time to pay up, the check told me it was a pint of Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. A nice surprise for sure!

All in all, their beer menu was encouraging and the pool tables looked inviting. Definitely heading there for Happy Hour someday!

Construction

2007-10-10T12:09:00.000-04:00

This past weekend kicked off another stride of construction in the ol' basement. A good friend of mine stopped by and helped me wire the place and the next day I started hanging insulation. The basement includes my back room, which is where all the brewing-type things happen (fermentation, yeast propagation, serving freezer, endless cleaning, etc.)---minus the actual wort production process; that happens in the garage or outside on a nice day. It also includes my bar with four VentiMatic faucets that run straight from my serving freezer. Once it's carpeted and the furniture and LCD TV go down there, I think my wife may have to forcibly remove me from my "man cave".

It is nice to be able to build things the way you want them, though. Outlets for the temperature controlled freezers, one here and there for miscellaneous items, shelving, etc. Once I finish framing the HVAC chase I'll be hanging moisture-resistant drywall. Maybe some epoxy on the floor someday. Who knows.

For now, I just have to suffer through not having any light in the back room---it's wired, just needs to have the overhead 48" lights hung after the drywall goes up. Until then, it's a 1,000-watt tripod light. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little to gain a lot.

Pictures? They're coming. That place is looks terrible right now!

Another trip, another score

2007-10-01T09:07:00.000-04:00

I've got it down to a pattern now: trip to Michigan, stop in Arbor Brewing, stop in Andersons in Maumee/Toledo, return. Ok, and some family things in between too.

Arbor Brewing was pleasant as usual, but unfortunately their offerings this time were diminished in selection. The Sacred Cow Cask IPA was out, their menu said they had Dunkel but didn't, and their Abbey ale was the only seasonal on tap. All were good, nonetheless. Just not as diverse this time. Hopefully they'll have their Terminator dopplebock back on tap soon.

And as usual, the Andersons store didn't disappoint. Aside, I really wish we had one here but then there's the PA distribution stranglehold---so you can forget singles right out, nevermind selection. It truly is a shame that in a state with such great breweries as Victory, Appalachian, Sly Fox, Stoudt's (countless more) the consumer is so limited in terms of what and where they can buy. There's supply and demand (the countless stores that stock 30-packs of Bud/Miller/Coors) but then there's politics. Pathetic, really, and a scarlet letter on the Pennsylvania legislative and distribution systems.

Anyway, I arrived safely home with a bounty of tasty brews:

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA. Had it before, great beer. And look, I can buy one bottle!
Lagunitas IPA
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat
Paulaner Salvator Dopplebock. The original dopplebock. Didn't make it 4 hours in the house before it was opened and summarily poured. It will be missed.
Three Floyds Rabid Rabbit Saison
Arcadia Coco Loco
Southern Tier Harvest Ale
Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA
Southern Tier Big Red Imperial Red
Fort Collins Brewing Chocolate Stout
Great Lakes Brewing Oktoberfest
Great Lakes Nosferatu (stock ale)
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Yes, that is a 6-pack of Southern Tier Harvest Ale. The "quadrupulus humulus lupus" descriptor on the package sealed the deal for me. And before you think that this is just another double IPA, take a sip and you'll find that it's not even a double IPA at all. It has a very pleasant hop aroma and flavor but restrained bitterness. The beer delivers a moderately-malty flavor, devoid of a darkness that would suggest highly-roasted caramel malts; only 2-row pale malt and wheat malt. Clearly, the emphasis is the hops here: Amarillo, Chinook, and Columbus hops in the kettle, Styrian Golding hops in the hopback, and dry-hopped with Amarillo.

I've really grown a fondness for Southern Tier. Their beers are creative, and who doesn't love the packaging? Vibrant and vivid.

The Three Floyds Saison, one of the Arcadia Coco Locos and the Arcadia Hopmouth will be going to my craft beer enthusiast and amateur magician friend Jason, in return for 3 bottles of Stone 2007 Vertical Epic he brought me. It's good to have good friends with good taste.

Cheers!

There's hope for the world yet

2007-09-19T21:31:00.000-04:00

Among my usual offering from my blog reader was an encouraging article from the BBC. Good beer knows no boundaries and makes its own friends. These friends in an unlikely part of the world modeled their event after the ubiquitous Oktoberfest in Munich and reaped the rewards in true Bavarian bierkeller style.

Rodney King missed the mark but he was close: can't we all just have a good beer together?

Ein prosit, der Gemütlichkeit!!

Time to reap what was sown

2007-09-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

Received the score sheets and goods for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair yesterday. This is the big pay-off, and not always necessarily in terms of physical goods (although those are nice too). The honest, objective feedback from BJCP judges on your brew is invaluable. This is where the wheel meets the road, in my opinion. Often I see posts of brewers on internet forums of "I've done [insert technique---or lack thereof---here] and my beers taste great!" While pride in one's creations is admirable and empathic, it's still subjective. I firmly believe you cannot completely and objectively analyze your own brews. That's where the score sheets come in.

In terms of my own, I received a 41 (out of 50) for my dry stout, 1st in category and an honorable mention in Best of Show. Here are some remarks:

Very nice beer. Could consume vast quantities.

Good coffee flavor with slight hop bitterness. Great balance, no huskiness.

A classic example of style. Very well balanced with only minor flaws. Kudos to the brewer.

Moderate roast with very low roast sharpness. Slight chocolate in middle of palate with some creaminess that smoothes beer tremendously.

For the Second Best of Show Maibock (36 points, 1st in category):

Very close to an excellent Hellesbock. The cloying malt flavor is my only problem. You have a very nice balance, but I've found that the best Maibocks are served fresh but become cloying with age. This could be the issue here. Still, very nicely done beer.

And just to be honest and drive the point home, Oktoberfest (30 points, 2nd in category):

Deep copper, very clear. Pretty good initial carbonation, but very poor head retention.

Recipe is probably ok but you need a cleaner yeast and lower fermentation temperature.

So, feedback, whether shining or shining a light on your shortcomings, is a good thing. It's certainly motivation to do better next time or to try to replicate your results. It's constructive criticism, so if you have a problem with that you're probably not going to do well with competitions or brewing in general.

Man up, put 'em in the box and send 'em on their way! If nothing else, the loot (like a gift certificate to the Flying Barrel) will put some bounce in your step!

How you know you married the right girl

2007-08-27T15:12:00.000-04:00

My patient and ever-loving wife headed out to Michigan this weekend to help out a friend in need and returned with a mixed six-pack:

Bell's Porter
Bell's Lager of The Lakes (Pilsner)
Bell's Batch 8,000 (Belgian Strong Ale)
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Great Lakes Elliot Ness Amber Lager
Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA

She done good! Not bad for someone who doesn't even like beer---show's she's been paying attention! Think I'll split the bottle of Batch 8,000 with her, some homebrewers I've talked to that have non-beer-drinking wives say they've had success with Belgian beers.

Cheers!

DIY taphandles

2007-08-24T09:13:00.001-04:00

You don't have to go out and plunk down $40 on a new tap handle. You don't even have to spend $10-15 on eBay. You can make 'em yourself. Granted, some may require some tools most don't have in their workbench (myself included), but if you have access to 'em or know someone that does, a little homebrew barter can go a long way.

I grabbed an old aluminum spanner wrench that was dumpster-bound and decided to give it a second life, delivering hoppy and malty goodness. First it needed a little cleanup, so 5 minutes in the sandblasting cabinet made it look brand-new. Aluminum's a soft metal, of course, so drilling it and tapping it was a piece of cake. Add a light spray of acrylic to protect and voila! Ready for the faucet.

Short of that route, there's always the Tap Handle Insert, but it's probably best used for wooden or plastic items. It requires you drill a 1/2" hole, and in my case that was way too big. Still, it's a good low-tech option at $1.70.

Weight is a concern, so bear that in mind while you perform your search. I'm not sure exactly how much a given faucet can handle, but in reality the faucets aren't mounted 100% vertically and a little unsupervised movement in the wrong direction could mean an empty CO2 tank, an empty keg, and a large mess of beer on your floor---not to mention the loss of the beer! In my situation, my bar is being constructed in a fire department theme (go figure) so axe and sledgehammer heads aren't exactly practical. But aluminum is nice and lightweight so it fit perfectly.

Good hunting!

Sam Adams: Beer Lover's Choice

2007-08-21T13:57:00.000-04:00

In 2005, it was the Brown Ale. In 2006, it was the Honey Porter (delicious, by the way). And once again, the Boston Beer Company is looking for votes for their next production brew. In one corner is an Irish Red, and in the other is a Dunkelweizen.

So check out the video and go to their promotions page to find a date and location where you can put your $0.02 in and drink good beer!

Cheers!

Alabama town considers going DRY

2007-08-14T16:28:00.000-04:00

Link to Yahoo News Article

It appears some of the residents of Athens, Alabama retain the conviction that alcohol begets all that is bad. And to spare every reader with a political/religious tirade, I'll just say this: "What happened to Separation of Church and State, Reverend Eddie?!?!"

Ironically, the movement in Athens is encouraging the citizens to pray and fast---and when I think of fasting and alcohol, I think of the first monks that emigrated to Germany and sustained themselves with dopplebock, the ancestor of Paulaner Salvator. The outcome was much more prolific.

Someone needs a history lesson on why Prohibition failed. Perhaps Athens, Alabama can endure another ugly period in time; hopefully, the rest of the Country will never have to and as long as I'm here, I'm going to do my small share to ensure that doesn't happen by brewing beer, drinking beer, and blogging/talking/having a few pints with those that would agree that the world is a better place with beer.

Cheers, beer drinkers!!!

The results are in!

2007-08-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

The results of the 2007 Montgomery County Agricultural Fair are in and I did pretty well:

2nd place Best-of-Show, Bock (Maibock)
Honorable Mention, Best-of-Show, Stout
2nd place European Amber Lager (Oktoberfest)
1st place Dark Lager (Dunkel)
1st place Bock (Maibock)
1st place Stout

Second year in a row with 2nd Best-of-Show!!! Gonna shoot for the top for next year.

Betrayal by Auto-Siphon

2007-07-31T14:45:00.000-04:00

The Auto-Siphon. A $15 contraption built by Fermtech Ltd., probably one of the most valuable tools in any well-equipped homebrew's brewing toolbox. It comes in two sizes, 3/8" and 1/2" diameter. Originally I opted for the 3/8" and later moved up to the 1/2" diameter one, naturally because larger diameter equals higher volume flow. I sang its praises at every siphon-discussion turn until...until it betrayed me.

The Achilles' Heel of the Auto-Siphon is the seal at the bottom of the inner tube that contacts the outer tube. When this seal wears or is otherwise defective, it will let air into the siphon. Perhaps not enough air to completely break the suction seal, but enough to create a long, steady line of very large bubbles that'll give you nightmares of your frail and delicate Bohemian Pils tasting like a mouthfull of wet cardboard.

(In case you're confused on that last line, do some reading up on oxidation.)

My second Auto-Siphon died an early death at the hands of a defective seal, summarily and unceremoniously tossed into the trash can. Order up #3, drop another $15.

Straight from the package and into the sanitizer it goes, dunked into the beer, start the siphon and what appears before my disheartened eyes but a long, steady stream of bubbles coming from down at the seal. Another $15 down the drain.

I'm not the kind to let the same dog bite me 3 times (who would've expected twice?!?!) so I'm done with the Auto-Siphon, despite claims on the Fermtech website of a new and improved seal that "prevents introduction of air at the seal." Luckily, I can still use the inner racking cane and tubing to siphon. Just need to come up with a Plan B to get beer into the keg without oxidizing the bejesus out of it along the way.

It's that time again!

2007-07-30T08:33:00.000-04:00

Dropped off my entries Saturday for the 12th annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. Included is a homebrew competition, held by the Gaithersburg Area Brewers Society (GABS) and other local clubs who also supply the BJCP judges. I have a title to protect as I did pretty well last year:

2nd Best-of-Show (Robust Porter)
1st Place, Bock (default)
1st Place, Light Hybrid Beer - Kölsch-style ale
1st Place, Porter
2nd Place, Strong Ale - English Barleywine

Cheers!

The Harpoon Championship of New England Barbecue

2007-07-26T11:54:00.000-04:00

The only thing I love more than beer is beer and good barbecue. Real barbecue, cooked slow-and-low at 225° for the better part of a day, not grilled spare ribs with bottled sauce slathered on just before it hits your plate.

The Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, Vermont is holding it's annual competition this weekend. Unfortunately for me, it's 450 miles away and has a time conflict with that pesky...uh, "occupation" or whatever you call it; quite fortunate, however, for New Englanders or anyone up for a worthy roadtrip.

Here's the info:

What is Harpoon Championships of New England Barbecue all about?

A celebration of the best of Summer—Fresh beer, great BBQ, & live music
The Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, Vermont offers an ideal setting for the event
40 BBQ Teams from all over will be competing for prize money & trophies
A select few teams will be selling their award winning BBQ to the public
Great live music provided by the hottest local bands from Vermont
Come sit back, relax and enjoy the summer with friends at Harpoon Brewery
Brewery tours offered through out the weekend

Event Date:

Saturday, July 28th, 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Entrance closes at 6:30 pm)
Sunday, July 29th, 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Entrance closes at 3:30 pm)
Schedule of Events

Where to Come:

At the Harpoon Brewery, 336 Ruth Carney Drive, Windsor, VT. Map/Directions
Off Route 5, next door to Simon Pearce, exit 9 off Interstate 91
Free parking available in the fields surrounding the event site
Camping at the event is for competing teams only. See attached list of local campgrounds and accommodations

More Details (subject to change):

Schedule of Events
Door charge is $6.00 per person and does not include beer or food Children under 12 are admitted free, but must be accompanied by a parent
Cash bars serving a selection of Vermont-brewed fresh Harpoon and UFO beer for $4.25 a pint
Various BBQ teams will be selling a wide variety of hot delicious BBQ
The event will be held rain or shine. Tickets not sold in advance

Stop...hefe time!

2007-07-10T11:41:00.000-04:00

I came up with this recipe on my own 4 years ago as my second all-grain batch. It won 1st place in wheat beers at the 2003 Great Frederick Fair. It's simple and is just what the doctor ordered:

Hot Summer Hefeweizen

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 10.00
Anticipated OG: 1.053
Anticipated SRM: 4.3
Anticipated IBU: 15.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 65 Minutes

4.50 lbs. Pale Malt
5.50 lbs. Wheat Malt

0.80 oz. Hallertauer (Whole, 4.25% AA) 60 min

White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale

Single infusion mash at 152°F. If you want to get fancy you can do a rest at 111° to optimize ferulic acid production and/or a beta-glucanase rest at 122° to make lautering easier. If you really want to go crazy, do a decoction mash. Otherwise, a single infusion works fine.

Ferment in the low-mid '60s...higher will give you more banana esters. And use a blow-off tube, WLP300 is notorious for blowing the lids off fermenters! Unless you like mopping the floor and ceiling.

Cheers!

Another trip to Michigan

2007-07-09T10:52:00.001-04:00

...means another trip to Arbor Brewing and a stop at my favorite beer store!

Arbor Brewing had a great lineup as usual and some nice beers on the hand pump: their Sacred Cow IPA and their Milestone Cask Porter. Both delicious. We went there with some friends so we ordered their sampler, which was 13 3-ounce glasses of all their brews. Nicely done, all very good. They had a Rauchbier that tasted like liquid bacon (admittedly by their own description), which isn't really my thing but it was good for what it was. I just haven't acquired the smoked beer taste yet. Unfortunately their Terminator Dopplebock wasn't on tap but hopefully next time I'm in town, maybe it's a seasonal thing for them.

And without fail, I stoped by Anderson's in Toledo to grab some beers and some other items before heading home. They have a great selection and you can buy SINGLES, something you're not going to do here in Pretzelvania without paying out the wazoo. Didn't go hog wild this time, grabbed some Bell's Porter, Three Floyds Alpha King, Stone Pale Ale, Southern Tier Porter, Southern Tier IPA, Southern Tier UnEarthy IIPA, Salvator Dopplebock (the original, scheduled to die tonight), New Holland Blue Goat Dopplebock and Great Lakes Blackout Imperial Stout.

I'm especially looking forward to the bomber of Blue Goat Dopplebock! Gonna have to be a slow night for that one though.

And what better way to come home than for my dry stout to be carbonated, ready to drink and my Kölsch done fermenting?! A pint of stout was the perfect thing after a long day of driving 500 miles of turnpike.

Up next: brewing a hefeweizen for a club competition and a Three Floyds Alpha King clone!

Another brew

2007-07-01T15:52:00.000-04:00

Today was an absolutely beautiful day to brew---74°F, a few clouds in the sky but otherwise great. Brewed 10 gallons of Kölsch with a local fellow brewer. Always good to have good people around who like to make good beer. Things went well, was a little low on the temps when going from the beta-glucan rest to the sacc. rest but we resolved that. Mash-out temp hit dead on at 168°.

This same recipe has won 3 first-place ribbons in competitions over the past few years and usually comes up with 40-42 points. Plus there's a few more comps left this year so it's time to send in the big ones! Not to mention there's a growing demand for my Kölsch among family and friends so I had to get the supply back up!!

Cheers!

Pump it

2007-06-21T10:47:00.000-04:00

Eventually some all-grain brewers decide that a pump is a good idea. Rightfully so, I came to that conclusion whilst lifting 10 gallons of 180° sparge water. Not fun.

But here's where the confusion begins; although it doesn't have to be. Most homebrew stores sell the March 809 pump which is perfect for homebrewing---short of the fact that it has to be primed. While this is a common annoyance, with a little practice it's not an issue. It runs on 120V, has a maximum head of 16 feet and runs at about 8 gallons per minute (gpm). Notice the output pressure here is low as well.

So some homebrewers will start checking eBay and finding pumps of all sizes, shapes, and capabilities. Note: you NEED a pump that can handle boiling wort. And you DON'T need a pump that has an output pressure of 50 psi, unless you want wort sprayed everywhere and your couplings to leak. Not to mention 50 psi will make your lines move if they're not securely connected (much like nozzle reaction, sans nozzle).

Then you'll find the ones on eBay that have no plug, requiring you to hardwire it yourself. Hope you're good with electricity.

Another good feature about the March 809 is it's magnetic-slip impeller. This means that you cannot cavitate this pump. You can starve it, but it's not going to create enough power to start ripping molecules of water apart and dropping the vapor pressure in the pump. Why not? Because (1) it's only 1/4 horsepower, (2) the RPM of the pump is constant and cannot be changed, and (3) because of the aforementioned magnetic-slip impeller. Trust me. If you want to see a pump cavitate, go to your local fire deparment, ask the engine driver to try to flow their deck gun at 2,000 gpm from a 20' draft. And if he actually tries it, smack the f--- out of him and reconsider your homeowner's insurance.

In the end, by the time you're done buying the cheap, sketchy pump off eBay, adding in this or that to make it work, it's easier and nearly as expensive to just buy the 809 outright from either eBay or a homebrew store. Unless, of course, you like headaches.

Ok folks, listen up

2007-06-19T16:04:00.000-04:00

You need to understand a thing or two about yeast, whether it's your first batch or 100th.

First off, those little packs of dry yeast that come with the kit? IT'S NOT ENOUGH YEAST FOR A 5 GALLON BATCH.

Secondly, those little smack packs and yeast tubes full of liquid yeast that say "pitchable"? IT'S NOT ENOUGH YEAST FOR A 5 GALLON BATCH. Historically and predictably repetitively, homebrewers do not pitch enough yeast.

Third, yeast need OXYGEN. Swirling/shaking the fermenter isn't doing shit except putting you at risk for a back injury or dropping the carboy, shattering it, sending wort and shards of glass everywhere. You need to aerate or oxygenate, even if you pitch the correct amount of yeast. Yeast use oxygen to reproduce and create healthy, pliable cell walls. Do you ever see a professional brewer swirling a cylindroconical fermenter? Me either.

Lastly, if you're going to forego the above advice, save us all the trouble and bandwidth and don't post the "I never make a starter and my beer turns out great", "my beer didn't ferment completely", "it's been 4 days and no airlock activity" or "this has some wierd flavors" mainstays in the internet forums.

Do yourself a favor: read this. Then read it again. Then think about your yeast propagation procedures. Bookmark it for future reference. Then go here and plan out how much yeast you need. Pitch the calculated amount.

What's that you say? Fermentation didn't take 3 days to start? Fermentation didn't take 4 weeks to get to FG? Hit your FG? No off flavors? That's what pitching the right amount of yeast will do for you.

REMEMBER! Brewers make WORT; yeast makes BEER. Take care of them, they'll take care of you.

Return to Darkness

2007-06-09T16:22:00.000-04:00

I love lagers. Flavorful lagers, not the "Classic American Pils" crap. I mean Bock, Dopplebock, Dunkel, Oktoberfest, Vienna, Bohemian Pils...flavorful lagers. And for the last few batches, that's all I've brewed. Of course, I'm now enjoying having 3 lagers on tap.

But sometimes you just have a hankerin' for some good ol' Dry Stout.

I've tried a few stout recipes that just didn't pan out. Not what I was looking for. Since getting a hold of an iPod, brewing podcasts have been the next-best-thing to my heavy metal MP3s...better than radio most of the time, anyway. In particular is The Brewing Network. Great information, quality listening. Jamil Zainasheff (AHA Board member, 2004 Ninkasi Award winner, author and all-around nice guy) reviews beer styles and how to brew them weekly on his internet radio show. So I downloaded the Dry Stout podcast and gave it a listen. Jamil gives a basic recipe for dry stout and I tweaked it just a little:

Something Different Stout

Batch Size (Gal): 10.00 Wort Size (Gal): 10.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 15.75
Anticipated OG: 1.041 Plato: 10.26°
Anticipated SRM: 34.9
Anticipated IBU: 37.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 75 Minutes

10.50 lbs. Marris Otter
0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt
3.00 lbs. Flaked Barley
1.75 lbs. Roasted Barley

2.40 oz. East Kent Goldings (Whole, 6.90%AA) 60 min.

White Labs WLP004 Irish Stout yeast

6am comes bright and early tomorrow morning! Gonna get brewin' while the weather is still cool and the kids are still sleepin'.

Cheers!

Say Hello to My Little Friends!

2007-05-23T08:44:00.000-04:00

Two, count 'em---two, forward-seal faucets! Finally got these up, almost running. My birthday was a few weeks back and that meant goodies! Got two faucets, two 4" stainless steel shanks, tail pieces and nuts, etc. The shanks were on backorder so it took a little while for them to get in but well worth the wait. Personally, I'd rather have beer in contact with stainless steel than chrome-plated brass. More durable, will never have to be replaced. Plus the stainless shank is only roughly $7-8 more. The faucets, on the other hand, are more than twice as much but eliminates the sticking that rear-seal faucets get and are more durable as well. In my opinion, if you're going to drop the coin to do something like this, do it right!!

Installing taps means making a wood collar for the beer freezer (temp-controlled kegerator) so you don't have to drill through the top of the freezer. Some 2x4s and some nice oak 1x6s to cover does the trick nicely. Then just hook up the beer line and let 'er rip!

Maybe by the end of summer I can have 4 of them up and running!

Another win!!

2007-05-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

I got the results back from the SoFB---my Kölsch got 2nd place in category!!! That's the third ribbon that beer's won, 2 1st-places and a 2nd! Great feedback on the BJCP form, got a 42/50 (Excellent).

Speaking of which, I need to make more! Time to get a-brewin'!

More on comps

2007-05-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Speaking of the National Homebrew Competition, I just learned last night that my friend and fellow brewclub guy Bill has placed twice in the first round! Bill got 2nd place for his English Pale Ale (which he said was his first time brewing it) and 3rd for his American Ale. Likewise, another brewer from my club, Dave, got first place in the American Ale category. And in the West, a few compatriots of mine (Jamil and Jason) scored as well---Jamil, not suprisingly. The guy was a Ninkasi Award winner, among other awards.

Dave also beat me out last night at our club's Oktoberfest/Märzen/Vienna competition---he got 1st, I got 2nd. One of the judges told me the 1st and 2nd places were very close, almost to personal preference, which was humbling as Dave is one hell of a brewer!

Congrats to all!!

Cheers!

National Homebrew Day

2007-05-05T15:39:00.000-04:00

I'd certainly be amiss if I didn't mention the fact that today is National Homebrew Day! Many homebrewers will either be teaching a friend to brew, brewing at one of the many registered locations, or just hanging out at home with the kettle boiling. Me, I have a 3-1/2 year old and a 17 month-old to watch, no brewing for me today. Such is parenthood at times.

At any rate, Happy National Homebrew Day!

Cheers!

Competition time!

2007-05-05T15:18:00.000-04:00

Invariably, the spring and following summer seasons mean beer competitions. There are a few in the fall and even less in the winter, but the warmer months seem to be high time. The American Homebrewers Association has their annual National Homebrew Competition in April through June---the first round being in April and the finals being at the National Homebrew Convention.

Last month I entered 3 beers---a Maibock, an Oktoberfest, and a Kölsch---in a local brewpub competition. The competition wasn't AHA sanctioned and asked for only -one- beer per entry. There was no entry fee either. The winning beers were a Coconut Porter, a Weissbier, and a Honey Ginger Ale. Then it dawned on me: this was a People's Choice competition; in other words, the brewmaster picked the beers he/she thought would be most marketable for their brewpub, as the winner got to assist with the brewing of that beer on the brewpub's 4.5 barrel system. Part of what makes competitions so great is the invaluable feedback you get. Presumably, as this is not an AHA-sanctioned competition and was just a way for the brewpub to drum up sales, I probably wont' be seeing any score sheets. Kinda sucks, but it was free so I can't complain.

Oh well, there's plenty more comps!

Of note is the Spirit of Free Beer competition hosted by Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP), a Metro DC homebrew club. The club's 15th annual competition is being held next Saturday, May 12th and my entries are in!

Another interesting competition is the Sam Adams Long Shot. Unlike the competition mentioned in the first paragraph, this is not what the brewmaster feels will fill his pockets the best. The winner gets a one-time $5,000 royalty and has his beer produced for a Long Shot specialty line that's brewed once a year after the competition. You even get your mug on the label! Last years winning beers were a Boysenberry Wheat, a Dortmunder Export, and an Old Ale. Again, these styles were judged by category---notice, no "kitchen sink" beers here!

Jim Koch has always been a big supporter of the homebrewing community, being a former homebrewer himself. Maybe I'll send one off afterall...

Cheers!

The flaws of beer rating sites

2007-05-03T13:26:00.000-04:00

Currently there are two beer rating sites on the 'net (at least that I'm aware of), RateBeer.com and BeerAdvocate.com. Personally I prefer the former, due in part because after several instances, I find one of the proprietors of the latter to be less than a nice guy. But they're both choc-full of good information insofar as content. Both contain information about what beer is what and where to find it, be it store/pub/etc. Links to maps, etc. A wealth of knowledge.

Then we come to ratings and the inherent problems associated with many users who may or may not have any Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) training whatsoever. With some users, it's "this beer tastes great" and it gets a high rating without further elaboration or analysis; likewise, an otherwise decent beer (or one that may just be a flawed batch and not the best example of the beer) may get a "this tastes like shit!" and congruent ratings.

To me, a user's ratings should carry a weight given by their experience. For example, a newb with only their limited personal tasting experience should carry little weight and should increase as the user gains experience, while someone with BJCP training (ie. a National Judge) should carry A LOT of weight. A nice descriptor of "aroma of honeysuckle and raisins" is good but it does little to tell about how the beer fits into it's style category.

Probably more peoples' choice than stylistic accuracy...

Luckily, there are ways with computers to address that sort of thing---to an extent. Both show ratings and the number of users who have rated them, and RateBeer even gives a standard deviation, straight from your Stat 101 class. But neither can address the discrepancy between a newb and a trained beer judge.

So enjoy the sites, use the info but take it with a grain of salt. Remember, human nature plays a huge part here.

Cheers!

DUNKEL!

2007-05-01T18:29:00.000-04:00

Today I racked the dunkel over to the kegs for lagering. Came in a little high at 1.018 FG but it didn't taste overly sweet---malty yes, cloying no. That's good. I will say the hydrometer samples (two fermenters) didn't last long!!

This Saturday is National Homebrew Day!! Lots of homebrewers will be brewing up a batch of something, think maybe I'll brew up some dry stout, haven't had any of that on tap for a while. Hopefully a Guinness-fanatic coworker/friend of mine can stop by and assist. Here's the recipe:

Murphy's Law Dry Stout

Batch Size (Gal): 10.00 Wort Size (Gal): 10.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 19.00
Anticipated OG: 1.050 Plato: 12.27°
Anticipated SRM: 37.1
Anticipated IBU: 34.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

15.00 lbs. Pale Malt (2-row)
1.00 lbs. Chocolate Malt
1.00 lbs. Flaked Barley
1.50 lbs. Roasted Barley
0.50 lbs. Crystal 55L

1.50 oz. Target (Whole, 10.00%AA) 60 min.
0.40 oz. Goldings - E.K. (Whole, 4.75%AA) 15 min.

WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast

Cheers!!

What next?

2007-04-11T20:13:00.000-04:00

So as I returned from my cellar this evening with Warsteiner Dunkel in hand, I found myself thinking, "what should I brew next?" For the immediate plans, it's going to be some barleywine have some ready for the fall/Christmas. Gonna do an Avery Hog Heaven clone and then my English barleywine as well, 5 gallons each. Then it's time to restock the Kölsch.

After that, I'm thinking about expanding out of my typical line-up of brews. Maybe an 80 Schilling Scottish ale, maybe a Dopplebock with all the 833 Bock yeast I have (highly likely!), maybe a Schwarzbier, maybe even do a Pale Ale or IPA for a change---yes, for a change. I usually don't brew them just 'cause I get tired of them. But every now and then you need something hoppy.

I seriously need to revamp my porter recipe. Did well in a few comps but it's just lacking something...

Anyway, stay tuned, you're sure to read about it here.

Cheers!

BBQ?

2007-04-05T16:20:00.000-04:00

I've added a few links to the right frame of the blog to a few BBQ sites and blogs. Why? Cooking is another passion of mine and I really love good 'que! I'm a BBQ newb and I've enjoyed what I've learned thus far---especially when you put it to work and it turns out some mouth-waterin', finger-lickin', lip-smackin' BBQ! And what goes better with some delicious 'que than a wonderfully-crafted, flavorful beer?!

Don't fret, I'll still be going on about beer, brewing, and everything that has to do with it; it's my foremost love, afterall.

Cheers!

Batch #61: Munich Dunkel

2007-03-28T13:05:00.000-04:00

Dunkel. Means "dark" in German. Well, not pitch-black can't-see-squat-through-the-glass dark. Not Schwarzbier dark. Just an inviting, mesmerizing, alluring dark brown.

Sunday I brewed 10 gallons of Munich-style Dunkel, making it 61 batches (10 extract, 51 all-grain) to date. Here's the specs:

Altfeuerwache Dunkel

Batch Size (Gal): 10.00 Wort Size (Gal): 10.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 22.00
Anticipated OG: 1.052 Plato: 12.82
Anticipated SRM: 19.1
Anticipated IBU: 20.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65 %
Wort Boil Time: 75 Minutes

12.00 lbs. Munich Malt
5.00 lbs. Dark Munich Malt
4.00 lbs. Pilsener
0.50 lbs. Melanoidin Malt
0.50 lbs. Carafa II

2.00 oz. Hallertauer (Whole, 4.50% AA) 60 min.

White Labs WLP833 German Bock Yeast

In about 4 hours I had 10 gallons in the fermenters and a yeast slurry pitched. Popped it in the chest freezer at about 50° and the next day it was a-bubblin'.

Just for shits and giggles I took some video of the brew session:

Next up: Barleywine, just in time for the colder nights.

Cheers!!

Sly Fox

2007-03-18T09:05:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a couple weeks. Family's been sick and that means time away from keyboard and brewing.

But I did manage to get some free time and head over to hang out with a good friend and hit the taps! A 2-1/2 hour drive east on the turnpike landed me in Royersford, PA, home of Sly Fox Brewing. My friend and I stopped in and sampled some of their offerings.

The Sly Fox Brewpub in Royersford is their second of two and it houses a 20bbl brewhouse, a bottling line and a canning line. The restaurant was pretty big, about 7,000 sqare feet. The food was good, the beer was even better!

We kept the barstools warm for a while, giving us time to knock back a few pints. I opted for the dunkel, the stout, and split a 22oz bomber of their Double IPA with my friend. My friend grabbed some dunkel and their Rt. 113 IPA, a little of which I tried. Nice, hoppy aroma and flavor; only upstaged by their huge Double IPA! He also remarked that he had been there a few days earlier with a friend and that their Saison was very good as well.

All in all, it's a nice place with very good beer! Next time I'm in the area I'll be visiting their Pheonixville establishment.

Cheers!

Another good year for craft beer

2007-03-03T15:50:00.000-05:00

According to the Brewer's Association, craft beer sales were up 11.7% by volume in 2006! Furthermore, craft beer sales have grown 29.5% over the past three years! See the press release at the Brewer's Association website for more info and statistics.

Microbrew fad, my ass! Sounds to me like a lot of people are discovering what beer with flavor is like.

Batch #60

2007-02-14T17:06:00.000-05:00

Today makes 445 gallons and 60 batches. Brewed 11 gallons of Oktoberfest, partially for a couple comps coming up in a few months and the other part being Fall parties!!

Today I learned that when the propane cylinder is getting low you can shake it and the pressure will pick up...enough to help get the boil going while you go to the neighbor's and beg to borrow theirs, or go to the store and get more. The latter wasn't a viable option since we have about 6" of snow and sleet here. Wish I could've been just brewing, but I was shoveling when I wasn't standing by my system.

I'm done with Winter, bring on Spring. By then my Maibock will be ready!!!

Cheers!

Bookend Brews

2007-01-26T08:41:00.000-05:00

On a whim I decided that Saturday morning would be a good day to brew beer. What to make? Looking over my current is-fermenting/conditioning/carbonating/on-tap list I see a Kölsch (always on tap!), a Double IPA, and a Christmas Ale on tap; some Maibock fermenting away at 50°, and 10 gallons of Porter carbonating. Problem being, the Christmas Ale and Double IPA are almost gone! I have a few jars of yeast slurry in the ol' kegerator, namely Kölsch yeast, English Ale yeast, and the standard WLP001 California Ale yeast. And then there's that little bottle of raspberry extract that's been sitting on my shelf for months.

Then I decided I'd give it a shot at making a Raspberry Wheat. The only thing I had missing was the wheat malt, and I'll be using the WLP001 yeast instead of a hefeweizen yeast (basically an American wheat). So here we are:

Raspberry Wheat

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 10.00
Anticipated OG: 1.053
Anticipated SRM: 3.5
Anticipated IBU: 16.8

5.00 lbs. Wheat Malt
4.00 lbs. Pilsner Malt
1.00 lbs. Honey

0.75 oz. Hallertauer (Pellet, 4.00% AA) 75 min.
0.25 oz. Hallertauer (Pellet, 4.00% AA) 15 min.

Raspberry extract added at kegging

White Labs WLP001 California Ale

And of course the week stated out with brewing 5 gallons of Maibock for the Spring with a couple of fellow brewers over to assist. Drank a little too much homebrew for brewing, but I hit my starting gravity and volume dead-on. I used Jamil's Yeast Pitching Rate Calculator and used the stir plate to get 2L of lager yeast going. By the next morning the Maibock was chugging away, very good considering lager yeast ferments more slowly than ale yeast. All-in-all, a great day.

Prost!

Pilgrimage to Victory

2007-01-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the wife told me her friend was in a karate tournament near Valley Forge, PA. Not being the history buff she is, I was a little confused as to the exact location. Once she said "just outside of Philadelphia", my brain said "VICTORY!"

"Victory" as in Victory brewing company!

Located in Downingtown, Victory's only about 20 minutes from Valley Forge, PA. Quite an allegory, salvation after hardship. In my case, after a long day at work. Unfortunately for the 11,000 men of George Washington's Continental Army, there was no Victory Brewing Company for their R&R and I'm sure the 18-century taverns paled in comparison.

We made it to Victory around late afternoon and already the restaurant area was brimming with people. Their 10 Years Alt was still on tap, so I started with a pint of that and enjoyed a pint of their Mad King Weiss with a rack of ribs. The restaurant area is large with a hint of a Bavarian beer hall feel. A long bar area backs up to a large window with a view of many shiny, stainless steel fermenters.

Before leaving, I presented my growler to the waitress for a fill with their Festbier. I also visited the gift shop and grabbed a few Victory gear items. On patron was busy buying 4 cases of beer, apparently a big fan as well!

Overall, the place is great. Last time I was there I toured the brewhouse, which was narrated by one of their management staff who certainly knew his way around and well knew the various functions of their brewery.

Again, I highly recommend a visit!

Prost!!

#57

2007-01-06T07:26:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, 6 a.m. Not much else gets me up this early in the morning on my days off, 'cept for the kids when they're being ornery. What a great morning. Freakishly warm for January at 63°F! And whisper-quiet outside, hardly any noise other than the constant roar of the HLT burner.

It was time to brew up 10 gallons of Porter for a homebrew club competition next month. And it was also the first time I used the HopStopper (thanks, Santa!) I gotta say I'm very satisfied with this thing. It's hard to judge clarity going into a fermenter with a Porter but from what I saw looked good. No green and brown hop particles/trub going into the fermenter first.

Almost had an incident-free brew day until I got distracted and left the CPC Quick Disconnect on the hot keg seat! Lesson here is always have extra parts. I managed to make a make-shift one with a female QD x 1/2" MPT and a 1/2" FPT x 3/4" female garden hose.

In the end, I knocked out 10 gallons in 4 hours and was just a gravity point short of the anticipated OG. Nice cool wort went into the fermenters and the yeast was ready to go off the stir plate.

Next up: Oktoberfest!

Thirsty travels

2006-12-28T15:51:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas/Happy Hannuka/Kwanzaa/whatever! Hoppy Holidays!

Just got back from an out-of-state run to visit the family. One of the best things about being 500 miles away is the regional beer varieties. I think I drank barleywine just about every night for the past week! My liver's thanking me for the rest.

Two places of note: Arbor Brewing and The Beer Depot in Ann Arbor, MI.

Ann Arbor is a neat town in and of itself. Home to the University of Michigan. Nice college town feel and the huge U of M signs at the stadium are big enough to bring down small aircraft if they were to fly just a little too low. Arbor Brewing is right down the street from the stadium, 114 E. Washington Street. Parking's ample; a few spots on the street and an at-least-5-story parking garage right across the street. They have the typical brewpub 7 barrel system but they crank out some very tasty beers! This was my second visit and I decided to try their Milestone Cask Porter (absolutely delicious!), their Sacred Cow Cask IPA (very smooth hoppy flavor and nose) and their Terminator Dopplebock. Their selection is only upstaged by the taste of the beer. To boot, the place is pretty kid-friendly as a handful of little ones were scampering about. Nice family place. The food is darn good as well.

After feeling full and pretty buzzed (the wife was driving), we make a quick hop over to The Beer Depot. After reading a few sparkling reviews on the net of this place, I certainly was intrigued.

Let's just say this: over 650 different beers (two dozen of which are brewed right in Michigan) AND it's also a homebrew store. That's right. A huge selection of beer---and homebrew supplies.

You can't get much better than that!

The guy behind the counter was the owner of the store, proudly wearing an Ann Arbor Brewing Guild shirt. We talked for a few minutes before the wife's started to glaze over with boredom, and then headed out.

So yeah, I restocked my cellar barleywine complement and grabbed a few interesting brews too. Hope whatever you're drinking, it's good.

Happy Holidays!!

Victory!!

2006-12-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

First, lately there's been a lot of traffic to my humble blog from all over the US and even as far away as Venezuela. Gracias!

Now on with the show!

If you just happen to be within driving distance of Philadelphia, you'd really be letting yourself down if you didn't stop by Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown. Any beer lover that has tasted Victory's beers would agree and I promise you: a visit to the brewpub makes their beer taste that much better.

Like some HopDevil IPA...on cask.

Besides some cool gear and cases of bottled beer in their gift shop, a tour of the brewery is a must-do. Last summer they installed eight new 200 barrel fermenters to complement the 2004 upgrade, a 50 barrel Rolec brewhouse. Believe me when I say it's very impressive!

In addition to their already-diverse lineup of brews, they're working on some more seasonal and specialty beers. Currently available at the brewpub is their Scarlet Fire Rauchbier. Last time I visited, they even had a Baltic Porter on tap; something you're not going to find in the beer store.

So print out the directions and hit the road! You won't be disappointed.

'tis the season!

2006-12-13T09:43:00.000-05:00

...for drinking barleywine. But I'll soon be brewing up 10 gallons of it, 'cause I'm totally out!! By far, my favorite beer style is barleywine. Malty, hoppy or not so (American/English) , and an alcoholic wallop in the range of 8-10%+. Great on a cold night. My favorite commercial examples include Avery Hog Heaven and DuClaw Devil's Milk.

The Hog Heaven is an American barleywine with a delicious Columbus hop aroma.

Recently DuClaw released its barleywine in 1-litre wax-sealed swing-top bottles. I grabbed two, one for the vintage collection for aging and one to take to the inlaws' for my brother-in-law and I to enjoy.

Anyway, here's my English barleywine which I will (hopefully) brew on Saturday:

Old Excavator Barleywine

Batch Size (Gal): 10.00 Wort Size (Gal): 10.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 40.50
Anticipated OG: 1.106
Anticipated SRM: 19.9
Anticipated IBU: 54.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 55 %
Wort Boil Time: 120 Minutes

25.00 lbs. Marris Otter
9.00 lbs. Generic DME - Light
3.50 lbs. Crystal 60L
1.50 lbs. Biscuit Malt
1.50 lbs. CaraVienne Malt

1.50 oz. Northern Brewer (Whole, 9.00% AA) 90 min.
1.50 oz. Northern Brewer (Whole, 9.00% AA) 30 min.
2.00 oz. Challenger (Pellet, 8.00% AA) 15 min.
2.00 oz. Challenger (Pellet, 8.00% AA) 5 min.
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer (Whole, 9.00% AA) 5 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle (Pellet, 5.00% AA) Dry Hop
1.00 oz. E.K. Goldings (Pellet, 4.75% AA) Dry Hop

White Labs WLP001 yeast

If I get it brewed Saturday, it should be ready to drink in...maybe August, but probably closer to September or October, just in time for the cool weather. It's worth the wait.

Who wants another IPA?

2006-12-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

Not me.

Don't get me wrong, I love IPAs but they've become a brewing cliché in the homebrewing world. Everyone makes an IPA.

Ever notice a lot of successful brewpubs/breweries do make an IPA, but also make a few more styles that differentiate themselves from others?

How about lagers? For that matter, how many craft breweries make lagers?

I know, I know. Can't afford the chest freezer/refrigerator and $50 temperature controller. But you can afford the conical for your IPA.

I don't get it. Conspicuously and constantly missing are lagers at my homebrew club meetings. I'm not saying lagers are the be-all, end-all of homebrewing. But how about something a little different than the brown, stout, Belgian pale and IPA offerings for a change?

Give me a Munich Dunkel over an IPA anyday, my taste buds are bored.

137-year-old beer found

2006-12-12T09:02:00.000-05:00

According to a news story on Yahoo, a 137-year-old beer was found at Worthington's White Shield brewery in Burton-on-Trent, England! It was part of a cache of vintage bottles, so they popped one open to take a sip. Those are some lucky bastards!!

The beer was about 10% alcohol and got rave reviews. Just goes to show, big beers like barleywine age well. The wine crowd no doubt hasn't lowered their noses enough to see the headlines yet...

December 5th, 1933

2006-12-05T10:35:00.000-05:00

Besides being the anniversary of my 1 year-old son's birthday, it's also the date of the ratification of the 21st Amendment, the repeal of Prohibition!! Utah finally got onboard, despite the efforts of their most fanatical. Just as well, Pennsylvania and Ohio were late-comers too that ratified it the same day as Utah and their votes would've completed the 3/4 requirement (which probably explains why Pennsylvania's liquor laws are still so screwy).

So grab a drink, toast FDR and enjoy!!

20 gallons bubbling!

2006-11-27T10:39:00.000-05:00

I took advantage of the holiday weekend and the fact that both my wife and I were off and with her good graces did some brewing. On Wednesday I brewed B3's Christmas Ale. Nice malty pale ale with some all-spice, cinnamon, and ginger. Should come in at about 6% abv.

Then on Friday it was 5 gallons of Porter, with a little something extra: 8 ounces of Hershey's dark cocoa. Smelled wonderful, can't wait until it's ready! That'll end up at a modest 5% abv.

Finally on Saturday, it was time to keep the kegs filled with Kölsch. 10 gallons, about 4.75% abv.

This brings me to 56 batches and 415 gallons over the past 4 years! Feels good to brew like a monk!

Now that the cellar temperature is dropping, it's time to start brewing lagers. Next up is a Munich-style Dunkel with the grain bill being mostly Munich malt and Vienna Malt and a conservative charge of Hallertauer bittering hops. After that, it'll be 10 gallons of Maibock for the Spring and will be trying to work in 10 gallons of barleywine, 10 gallons of dopplebock, and maybe even a Bavarian Helles too.

Cheers!!!

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA

2006-11-22T12:48:00.000-05:00

Made a trip to the bottle store the other day (no, not in PA...PA has no idea what "variety" means), grabbed a sixer of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2006 and as I was perusing the cooler, a 22oz bomber with "SIMCOE" on the lable caught my eye.

Simcoe of course being a fairly-new high-alpha hop varietal that's popular in double IPAs, pale ales, etc. Pretty tasty. This brew aparently uses Simcoe all the way through; bittering, flavoring, aroma, maybe dry-hopped as well.

Wow!! Damn tasty brew. I admit I was a little hesitant to buy a Weyerbacher beer...last year I got a sixer of their barleywine that was pretty young. Tasted like they just dumped the yeast and bottled the brew, no aging whatsoever. High fusel alcohols, etc. Terrible. I was relieved in a way.

I'm not going to rate this like a BJCP judge, since I ain't, but I will say that for a double IPA, this is surely a tasty, worthwhile brew. It scored in the 99th percentile on RateBeer.com, not suprisingly.

Hats off to the Weyerbacher brewers. Prost!

Rain delay

2006-11-16T14:05:00.000-05:00

So much for brewing today. Mostly cloudy with a 100% chance of not getting shit done.

A little rain is no big deal but a driving rain like this is bad, considering it's even seeping around the garage door (thanks to the asswipe who built my house). If I'm brewing in the garage I try to keep the garage door at least cracked a few inches, if not fully open. Open propane-fueled flames, you know.

Looks like brewday is getting pushed---*sigh* yet again---to Saturday. I did, however, get a chance to make a yeast starter.

"A what?"

Yeast starters are a easy way of getting your yeast ready for the big party. I never brew without a starter---unless I'm using yeast that I humbly and gratefully got from a local brewery. There is a way that you can "kick it up a notch", and that's by using a magnetic stir plate.

Fortunately I got mine as a gift, since they're about $100. Otherwise I'd still say it'd be money well-spent, since more yeast means:

a stronger, faster fermentation
a full, complete fermentation
less chance of off-flavors
a strong, happy yeast that you can use on the next batch!

The process is simple. Bring ~1800mL of water to a boil, carefully add 1 cup of dry malt extract (DME), boil (watch for those boilovers!) for 15 minutes, cool to pitching temp, pitch the yeast and let it do its thing. You don't have to have a magnetic stir plate or 2000mL flask to make one. I used to make 'em in growlers.

Why? The little liquid tubes you get at the homebrew store that say they are "pitchable" are inadequate, period. For the most part us homebrewers underpitch, and that's bad for your beer. The proof is in the pudding...er, beer.

How many batches does one have to dump down the drain to make up the time it takes to make a starter? Unless you actually like your beer to taste and smell like green apples and/or butterscotch (hint: it's not supposed to, those are flaws)

Remember: brewers don't make beer, we make wort (unfermented beer). The yeast makes the beer. It's our job to provide the yeast with the best conditions possible, and that includes a shitload of yeast, my friends!

Cheers!!

Dear Santa...

2006-11-15T13:16:00.000-05:00

Still headlong in the perpetual quest for gear. That's what gearheads do. And if necessity is the mother of invention, I'm biddin' on one of her kids.

Although not new, the HopStopper has been tested by quite a few homebrewers with promising and positive results. It's basically a fine-mesh stainless steel screen around a copper (or stainless steel) dip tube. The intended result here is separation of trub and hop debris from the wort. If you get a little of each in the fermenter, no big deal but the less the better; especially with lagers. Plus, that's less gunk in your yeast after fermentation if you plan on harvesting the yeast for another batch. Granted, you can wash the yeast, but that's a topic for another day.

So, as I currently have a Bazooka-T installed on my kettle and a Shirron Plate Chiller, I'd like to get mostly--if not solely--wort going through the chiller into the fermenters. Some homebrewers fear that hop particles will clog a plate chiller and create bacteria-harboring "pockets". As far as I know, there's never been any tests done to confirm this fear but it seems reasonable. With a little backflushing before and after use, detergent and/or boiling water use, and sanitizer use, plate chillers are a non-issue.

As for the HopStopper, you can get it in all-stainless construction for $30 over the $60 price tag. But besides being cheaper, brass and copper work fine. Stainless is more durable over the long run and looks prettier, but once passivated, brass is a team player and copper has been used in kettles for centuries. As for the iHomebrewSolutions website...well, hopefully the proprietor can get some professional web work done on the site. Looks like a beginning HTML class project. If it weren't for word-of-mouth by quite a few homebrewers, I'd never order from that site.

Anyhow, c'mon, Santa! Hook me up!

The Weak and the Hippocrites

2006-11-14T11:35:00.000-05:00

Yep, crankin' 'em out today!

This has been on my mind for a while now. But allow me to preface the following with this: it's beer, drink what you like. If you like light beer, good for you. But if you're gonna start contradicting yourself, I'm going to make a point. And if you're the second-largest brewing company in North America and you contradict yourself, I'm going to crush it.

SAB Miller owns a ton of brands around the world and no doubt contract-brews quite a few of them. You may also know SAB Miller as Miller beer, or even Miller Lite. You may even be familiar with the recent "Man Law" Miller commercials.

One I did see recently (that magically disappeared) was the Man Law against adding fruit to beer. Maybe someone pointed out to Miller that some of their brands use fruit, as in Leinenkugel's Berry Weiss or Fusion Pineapple.

Maybe Miller could make a Man Law against using rice and/or corn syrup in brewing (yes, that's right!)

So fucking what if it uses fruit? A founding principle of the craft brewing industry (largely owing its existence to homebrewers as most craft brewers started as homebrewers) is experimentation. Like Dog Fish Head Brewing. Like Kalamazoo Brewing Co (aka Bell's). Like Boston Brewing Co (aka Sam Adams).

Maybe the Big 3 are just pissed because craft brewing grew ~10% last year whereas they actually lost some. If they're smart, they'll take notice. People are learning what beer is.

Maybe there should be a Man Law against drinking beer for its caloric and carbohydrate content. How fucking weak! Cutting carbs here is like ordering the Big Mac meal and washing it down with a Diet Coke.

Maybe there should be a Man Law about only drinking what the commercials tell you to.

In terms of beer, I say drink what the hell you want. Lots of hops/no hops, lots of malt/little malt, fruit/spices/whatever. Drink a watered-down, corn and/or rice syrup lager?

Whatever floats your boat.

What next?

2006-11-14T11:06:00.000-05:00

Turns out I haven't brewed in---oh, almost 2 months. Been busy with a class at work a few times a week and the wife picked up a few days here and there at work. Brewing with 2 kids 3-and-under is pretty tough. But maybe, just maybe I can do it tomorrrow. I need to get some Kölsch fermenting for back-up.

After that it's a Christmas Ale that I was going to brew for a November club competition, but didn't get to it in time. Again, work, class, blah blah blah. Should be nice---a little ginger, a little all-spice, a little cinnamon at flame-out.

Then it's a little tweak on my porter. Took a trip to Chocolate Town, USA a few months ago and happened to see some dark chocolate cocoa among the miriad of offerings there. 8oz of dark chocolate cocoa at flame-out will add nicely to the porter.

Then it's back to the lager world with a Munich-style dunkel. Haven't brewed that in a year!

And finally on the list, it's time to crank out some more Barleywine!! Gonna need lots of yeast, will soon be time to barter with the local brewers.

Welcome

2006-11-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new blog home of the Old Station Brewing Co. It's being moved over from the ubiquitous MySpace, just looks better and hopefully will allow a little more productivity. So stick around.

Cheers!