Thirsty Thursday–Sampling Sanctuary

Once upon a time, on September 2, 2007, Wilson brewed his first Flanders Red. He’s very patient. He knew this would take some time.

Sanctuary spent a week in primary fermentation. It went from a gravity of 1.061 to 1.008 in that time. On September 11, 2007, Wilson racked the beer to secondary, and added Wyeast 5335, as well as one ounce of French oak chips, which had been soaked in 7 Deadly Zins.

Five months have passed. The fermenter just sits there, taunting. Wilson remains committed. It will be better later. He figured on bottling in May of 2008. Eight months seemed a good compromise. He didn’t want to wait a whole year (certainly not two or three), but knew that six months would not be enough.

Wilson’s the kind of guy that can wait. He always saves the cherry for last. But at some point it would be fine, dandy, appropriate and necessary to take a sample. That was this week.

The Sample

On one hand, I should point out that it had reached 1.006, but on the other hand, I want to know how it tasted.

It was a lovely, rosy caramel color, clear and tempting. The aroma was a fascinating burst of vanilla which eventually gave way to some acidity and fruity malt character. The flavors were really a melding of light cherry/red currant malt tones and a touch of acidity/sourness. A waft of alcohol drifted past. Nothing dominated. Swished in the mouth, the character of the oak became apparent beyond the amazing vanilla aroma. Oak and Zinfandel came forward and lent a tannic, dry coating to the mouth.

Of course, it was flatter than a pancake, so one has to pull out the old imagination to envision how this will taste in the end. It will taste good, he decides. But he’s looking forward to a stronger sour character. Will three more months suffice? He’s almost skeptical. Since he’s patient, he might just wait a little longer. Will it be a year? He doesn’t know.

Regardless, it will indeed be a Sanctuary. It will be, like today, brewvana.

Thirsty Thursday–Kyle’s First Batch

The Good Beer Army strengthened its numbers this past week by one more as Kyle popped open the first bottle of his first batch.

This knucklehead of a brother-in-law couldn’t just settle for starting out with a pale ale or an amber. He had to fool around right out of the gates. He is a true homebrewer at heart.

Fond of Rogue’s Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Kyle was determined to emulate this libation. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find hazelnut extract. Instead, he improvised with black walnut, nutting up the nut brown in a different direction. The beer was tasty with the black walnut mingled with chocolaty notes, a noble First Beer, as are they all.

Lager Rhythms

“Let it flow. Let yourself go. Slow and low, that is the tempo.”

–Beastie Boys

After eleven years of brewing ales, I’ve started my first lager. On December 30, I brewed 10 gallons of bock. I pitched the yeast the next morning, with the wort at about 50F. No activity for at least 3 days, then slowly the bubbles came. After 3 weeks in the fermenter, this methodical creation had dropped from an original gravity of 1.066 to 1.030.

I knew this would take some time. Further slowing the action is probably the part about me not having terribly sophisticated temperature control. With my fridge on its warmest setting, this one’s spent most of its time around 45F, at the lower end of the temperature spectrum. Clean and lovely, it will be.

Like Tom Petty said, “The waiting is the hardest part.” But like David Lee Roth said, “I’ll wait.”

My new brewery

After much debate, I’ve brought my brewing setup indoors.

Of course many homebrewers, myself included, start indoors–on the stove top. Like other brewers I know, I eventually took it outside to avoid destroying and tying up the kitchen. Cleaning up a boil over with a hose is so much easier. And a propane burner is faster than my stressed out stovetop.

But now that I’ve moved to the cooler winter climes of Iowa, brewing outdoors has become less attractive. It’s freakin’ cold here. Aside from my personal shivering, it’s tough for my mash tun to maintain its temperature. And it takes “a coon’s age” (as they say around here) for my wort to come to a boil–not to mention all the propane involved. Fortunately, my very own Room of Requirement has revealed itself in my basement. The room has a cement floor and cinder block walls, a window for ventilation, space for storage shelves, a sink and a floor drain. Could I safely brew here?, I wondered.

Using propane in a confined space is a good way to die, or cause an explosion (and die). I consulted with other brewers, reasonably intelligent folk, as well as a friend–a heating-and-cooling guy. Some people seemed quite concerned about the idea, others not. After weighing all considerations, I decided to give it a shot.

First, I conducted a few propane test runs by roasting my coffee beans inside. I opened the window for ventilation and all seemed well. With a brew day approaching and the mercury well below freezing (not to mention the wind chill), I decided to give it a shot. I double checked my system for leaks, set up a fan in the window above my brewing system, and opened other windows to ensure fresh air.

The brew day went well. I didn’t pass out. My house didn’t burst into flames. And the beer seemed to have potential, as well.

Great as this is for winter brewing, I’m actually looking forward to using my new brewery in the summertime as well, since the basement’s very cool in the blaze of July and August, not to mention shaded.

In closing, I really should say that bringing my burner indoors was not a decision that I took lightly. My dad (ardet nec consumitur) died in an explosion while performing the routine (albeit occasional) task of lighting the pilot on his hot water heater. I consulted with a number of people on the issue, some of them professionals related to all things gas. And even then, I thought about it a while longer. For my basement, this seemed a workable undertaking. For another basement, it might not be a good idea. If anyone else were considering this, I’d recommend caution, common sense and the expertise of professionals. I’ve still got tweaking I plan before calling this brewery permanent, but today, I’m pretty pumped about my setup.

Thirsty Thursday–Great Provoker Porter

Macduff: Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, that you do lie so late?

Porter: Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock: and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.

Macduff: What three things does drink especially provoke?

Porter: Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and it unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance: therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him, and it mars him: it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him; and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to: in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.

–William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act II, Scene 1

If I do say so, I brew a pretty good porter. It’s one of my favorite styles, and I’ve spent time on it. This rendition contains some compromises, based on indecision, forgetfulness and available ingredients, but it turned out well, and I’m pleased.

The interesting thing about this batch  is that I bottled the whole bloody volume. I hate washing bottles. But, all my kegs are engaged. Fortunately, I’ve been saving 22-ounce bombers. Those little gems made a hassle slightly less of a hassle.

The problem with brewing porters is that my wife really likes them. They don’t last long around our house. Maybe I’ll tell her it’s infected.

Cleaning out the beer closet

And now, a guest post from one of my beer heroes, Ken Hilton.

What happens when you have been brewing for competitions for a couple of years? It is simple…..you have amassed so much beer that the closets have been overflowing for what seems a beer eternity. Meaning, no more brewing until you drink up the stashes of delightful delectables…..or pour out the crap.

Well, the last 2 weeks has been the latter….with a few surprises. Most of the stash is 2-3 years old, well beyond hope of redemption for the lighter varieties, but still within finding yet another “oh, wow, Dude” beer tucked away somewhere. Here’s the drill……take one of each of the 47 varieties and chill them down. Resist the temptation of falling back to the “standards” and drink 2-3 of the 47 each night with the ultimate aim of determining which ones stay in the closet for consumption, which ones get poured out, and which ones go to “Joe the next-door-neighbor who drinks crap beer anyway”.

Here’s the tally. Joe got the soapy tasting dunkelweizen and foamy English Pale Ale. The darker beers seemed to hold up fairly well, so saving them for BBQ nights seems appropriate. The Royale Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout hit the drains….went down kinda “chunky”. And then there were the surprises. One bottle left of the Sweet Spiced Kumquat Orange Tripel….poured nicely, darker than I remember, slightly oxidized sherry-like character. Oh My!!!!  What a wonderfully delightful beer. This one brings back memories of the competition in which it was entered in Charlotte…..the U. S. Open. As I recall fondly, a remark was made by one of the Best of Show judges….something to the effect of “anyone having enough balls to put kumquats in a beer”. Truly classic memorable comments. That’s what homebrewing is about…..pushing the limits of creativity. This one probably stays a memory…to difficult to even comprehend brewing it again.

And, there was the Belgian Dark Strong that was so hot and alcoholic and so overpoweringly “dark-fruit-prune” character that it was hardly drinkable. Now, complex, mellow, warming, lucious and exotic. Alas…..only 2 bottles of this one left.

And the tale goes on. The moral to the story…….put some brews away. Practice patience and self-restraint. Indulge yourself over the holidays with some old friends, some good music, rich foods, and surprise brews out of the closet. You might just surprise yourself…..and resurrect some fond memories of times past.

Oh, the real drill of this exercise is to make room for the 20 cases of meads made over the last year of competitions…..so that 2 or 3 years from now, I can do the same voyage of discovery with the meads.

Beer Crazy in Des Moines

As if I’m not something near beer crazy day in and day out in the comfort of my own home, I had the opportunity over the weekend to go Beer Crazy in Des Moines.

Beer Crazy is a new homebrew shop/beer store in Des Moines, Iowa. Around a month after opening, they’ve got a good selection of beer on the shelves, as well as a well-stocked walk-in cooler. They have a solid array of homebrewing supplies, and Mark was both friendly and helpful.

The latter two are reasons enough to give this place my business, as I didn’t find the other Des Moines option for a homebrew shop any too inspiring.

But that’s not to say that I’d fork over my cash to any old place. I genuinely enjoyed talking beer with Mark. He was very helpful, and his store had what I needed. New on the scene, his only high gravity beers at present are the Chimay lineup. In time, he hopes to bring in a better assortment on that front, but for now, Iowa’s goofy beer laws have his selection a little restrained on the bigger beers. No matter. There are many other great beers to choose from.

Easily accessible and with plenty of parking, I’d strongly encourage everyone to support this location, for both beer and (especially) homebrewing needs.

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Wanna check ‘em out? Here’s the info:

Beer Crazy (map on their homepage, just click the above link)

3908 NW Urbandale Drive/100th Street

Urbandale, Iowa 50322

Thirsty Thursday–Millstream Schokolade Bock

I was but a few days early to try the seasonal bock when I visited Millstream Brewing Company a few weeks back. No worries. They had several other fine beers to enjoy.

Now, Schokolade Bock has appeared, and the patience we have here in brewvana is a really good quality. If only I could apply this trait to traffic situations when I have morons in my midst. Yes, I have road rage sometimes.

The beer was tasty, and bock-alicious and has me chomping at the bit for my next brew session. I’m planning on a big traditional bock, half of which I’ll eis. This beer was good, and a little perplexing for me. The first aroma threw me off, and when I tasted it, I sorted it out right away: root beer. This tasted like root beer bock.

I know this because after the first time my boys and I kegged a batch of root beer, I did not change the o-rings. The stout which followed was a very cool root beer stout. Not what I planned, but something I could enjoy and smile at. Makes me wonder if this beer followed a batch of Millstream Root Beer, without switching the gaskets. No matter. It tastes good.

Ozzy’s Birthday Beer

 

On a great day like today, it only makes sense to  celebrate with something dark and foreboding. Actually, it might make sense to slam it, snort it or shoot it directly into my veins, but I don’t always make sense.

I’ve always been a big Ozzy Osbourne fan, so to mark his birthday, I turn to my year-old Russian Imperial Stout–Prince of Darkness Ale. It’s black, threatening, but also truthful and reassuring.

That’s how I see Ozzy, somehow–a dark, good guy like oh, so many beers I love.

Happy Birthday, Ozzy!

Bon Scottish on St. Andrew’s Day

What an exciting day! I should have a beer today! More specifically, I should have an appropriate beer today.

As luck would have it (naaaah, it ain’t luck), I do have just the thing: my new 80 Shilling, which I call with great reverence: Bon Scottish Ale. Yes, yes, I know; Bon Scott and AC/DC are from Australia–but Bon “Death by Misadventure” Scott, one of the greatest frontmen of all time, was born in Scotland.

Perhaps I should call it, Johnston Ale after my gramps, or William Wallace Ale or even St. Andrew’s Ale. But no, I need to have a beer to commemorate Bon Scott. It’s yummy, a “live wire,” in fact. Built on malt with caramel and wisps of yeast-derived smoke, this “rocker” stops short of being “high voltage” or “TNT,” but satisfies like a “whole lotta Rosie.”

So to speak.

Wanna give it a go? Here’s the recipe:

Bon Scottish Ale

8 # Golden Promise

1/2 # Carapils

1/2 # Crystal (49-64L)

1/2 # Crystal (135-165L)

2 oz. East Kent Goldings (4% alpha–60 minutes)

Wyeast 1728 (Scottish Ale Yeast)

Mashed for one hour at 156F. Boiled first gallon for 30 minutes, then full wort for 60 minutes. Fermented 12 days @ 64F.

OG: 1.050

FG: 1.015