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

Thirsty Thursday–Revolution Ale

So a few times now, I’ve mentioned my Revolution Ale (here and here and here.) I suppose I should more than mention it, but talk about it.

This beer started with a long ago read article from Brew Your Own. Around that time, I had a tasty “Colonial” ale from remember not which brewery at a World Beer Festival, in Durham. I think it was a Virginia brewery. And it was somewhere between a couple and several years ago. The beer seemed “bright” and intriguing. So I searched for recipe ideas and came up with Dan Mouer’s piece from BYO.

Basically, he’d discovered a beer recipe during a dig on a Virginia plantation. He translated the recipe to today’s available measurements and ingredients and brewed it up. I translated it to what I had available and brewed that. One element of the recipe was brown malt, which at the time I couldn’t get at my local homebrew shop. And I didn’t want to fool with shipping. I told Mike, my local homebrew shop guy, what I was after, and he suggested I substitute special roast, and mash for a good two hours.

So that’s what I did. To this day, it’s one of the coolest beers I’ve ever done. The grain bill was simple: 7# pale malt and 7 # special roast (5 gallon batch). It was dark, roasty, chewy with dark fruit nuances and a touch of alcohol warmth, somewhere between a porter and an old ale–OG around 1.072. Out of necessity on another occasion, I substituted biscuit instead of the special roast. The beer wasn’t the same (duh). One summer, I scaled it back to drop some of the alcohol, and it wasn’t the same (duh). While I fully recognized the Bob Ross “happy accident-ness” of the original beer and knew that to be my Colonial Ale, I’ve always wanted to try it with the originally intended brown malt.

That’s what I’ve got in the keg today, though fortunately, I screwed up my order. I did 10 gallons with the intent of oak aging half of it (also adding juniper berries and a touch of molasses), but somehow I ordered 14 pounds of pale malt and only 7 pounds of brown malt. The brown reduction was probably the good thing.

I make it sound like this beer came out poorly. It did not. I enjoy it very much, but I can sense where half again more brown malt would be overkill. It’s got a roasty element, but not the roasted barley kind of roastiness found in a glorious stout. This is more like if you stuck your tongue on spent Folgers coffee grounds, with a little sweetness and more body. Again, I don’t mean to say that it’s a chore to drink it, but I’m just trying to give you a place to imagine your tastebuds.

Interestingly, the “regular” version of this beer scored below 30 and the oak-aged version took a blue ribbon. Click on the correct “here” link above to read why I take both results with a grain of salt. Oh, nevermind. Here it is again.

Never again will I jack with this beer. I intend to brew the special roast version again, sometime in the next few months. I won’t dumb it down for summer, because I both like this beer and happily drink dark, beastly stuff at all times of the year.

I haven’t really talked about the hops, as they’re generally irrelevant on this brew: a dose for bittering and that’s it. I used 2 ounces of Fuggles for 60 minutes of a two hour boil. For the record, I mashed at 155F.

Try this if you like, but I’d recommend the special roast version. In that case, I’d start the sentence with, “Try this if you love…”

Cheers!

Six Degrees of Beer

In preparation for an article I’m working on, I spent a portion of yesterday with a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor. While we didn’t remotely discuss beer, it will be little surprise to many of my readers that I tie this stuff together.

It’s not so much that the attack on Pearl Harbor=better brewing, it’s just this Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon mindset I have (or should I say Six Degrees of Beer?).

I feel pretty strongly that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason–we should listen twice as much as we speak. If we’re listening, we’re learning. We’re then able to act with a broader knowledge base, which one might hope translated to fewer mistakes. After all, we truly don’t have time to make them all ourselves. We can and should learn from our elders.

So I’m listening to Sam describe his experience to me (and asking a lot of questions), and can’t help but feel additional layers of wisdom settle in my core. And then, beer enters my thoughts. How good a brewer would I be if I’d been going it alone all these years? Fair to midland, at best. My first two years were awfully sparse on the mentor front, as I lived on the Navajo Reservation, where there are no homebrew clubs. I had Ruddster, who had brewed a few batches years before. He helped me with my first batch and was there with advice based on his limited brewing experience. I had Colonel Clark, who’d been stationed in England and took the time to school himself on the lovely British libations. And I had Gene, from Homebrewers Outpost–Flagstaff’s homebrew shop.

But it wasn’t until I joined a homebrew club (CARBOY) that I really started to grow by leaps and bounds. I showed up to steward at a competition, and Dave and Eric were judging the porters, the category to which I was assigned. They were positive and welcoming and full of helpful tidbits. I learned a lot that day.

And then came the wealth of beer knowledge from the likes of Mike, Mike, Jim, Steve, Mack, Ken, Paul and many others, some old enough to be my dad or grandfather. Older and wiser (or better educated). And by keeping my mouth shut (except for the asking questions part) I became a better brewer, at times, by osmosis it seemed. Books are great, but human contact is invaluable.

It doesn’t take six degrees to get from a wise and experienced old man to get to a better kettle of wort. Take that old man as the motivation to surround yourself by experienced brewers who are almost always happy to share their knowledge. Listen, learn and apply it to your brewing. Get involved in a club. Go to brew-ins. Ask advice from professional brewers. They’ll share.

And you’ll be a better brewer as a result.

Granny’s Liquor Cabinet

It’s not like Grandma Johnston is a lush. Really. She isn’t. It’s just that she makes her own booze. She also played piano at church for years and years. She knits and works puzzles. She gets her hair “done.” Let’s not judge her or pigeonhole her. She is a fine, well-rounded person. And I have her recipes.

With the Coldness and the holidays around the corner, it’s good to have a little variety in the liquid diet. Every so often, November is a signal for me to check the stock of home-grown Kahlua. Last year cleaned us out. So time to get another batch in the works.

GRANDMA JOHNSTON’S KAHLUA

Ingredients

4 cups sugar

3/4 cup instant coffee

2 cups boiling water

1 pint brandy

1 vanilla bean, sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Process: Mix sugar and instant coffee. Stir in 2 cups boiling water and cool. Add brandy and vanilla bean. Pour into half-gallon jug. Let stand 30 days in a cool, dark place.

I usually double this, as decanted into 16-ounce swingtops, it works well as a Christmas gift–but leaves enough for our own private stash. I’ve used it in a right yummy porter, mixed with coffee, and well, it’s good straight up.

Granny also makes good meatloaf and potato salad. And there’s nothing quite like frosting Christmas cookies with her. But there’s something awfully cool to have and use your grandma’s liquor recipes.

If you try this one, please make it a point to toast to my grandma’s health.

Thirsty Thursday–Jimmy’s first batch!

There’s nothing quite like your first batch of homebrew. Jimmy was very much the proud papa tonight. And so am I. We sampled his first batch–an imperial porter (sucker jumped right in with something big, didn’t he?). Much anticipated by everyone, we met at Kyle’s place for this tasty brew.

The verdict? Good stuff. Big roast, full body and plenty of hop character. Jimmy even took creative license with his very first beer by tossing in a vanilla bean. With such a big, flavorful brew on the line, I must admit, the vanilla character didn’t come through. No worries. That’s better than something like that getting over the top. Add more next time.

And there will be a next time. Brew #2 is already fermenting and #3 is in the mail.

Like I said: Good stuff. Congrats, Jimmy! Here’s to you, the best brewer inside the Prescott City Limits.

Cheers, bro!

The problem with planning

 

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”

–John Lennon

 

“I would rather have a good plan today than a perfect plan two weeks from now.”

–General George S. Patton

The swirling beer ideas in my brain are constant. Today’s thirst. And tomorrow’s weather.

It’s this way when visiting Grandma Bev and Granddad Dave. “Oooh, that breakfast was perfect. What should we have for lunch?” Life is a constant map and compass, looking for the next meal. The next great meal. The next great meal.

For the conscientious eater and drinker like myself, it can truly be a burden. Tonight, it’ll be a pint of Revolution Ale (the oaked version), my colonial ale. And I’ll split a bottle of RIS with Michelle.

Thursday, I’ll be sampling Jimmy’s first homebrew.

After much deliberation, next weekend, I’m brewing a porter and a Scottish 80 Shilling. Next month, if the temperature in my basement allows it, I’ll do ten gallons of a Traditional bock, on the high end of the gravity spectrum. Rather than do a doppelbock this year (I’ll do that next year), I’ve decided to eis half of my big bock.

Presently, I’m leaving the brewing session to follow the bocks open, in case I have a whim. But with the fo’ sho’ ness, I’ll be ready for some dry stout after that. I’ll be needing to think about St. Patrick’s Day. Then, I might get a batch of my other Colonial recipe going–the Bob Ross happy accident that truly rocks. Then some Scottish stuff. Come May, my Flanders Red should be ready to keg.

The only thing I know for sure is that I’m not planning on drinking anything light next summer. A saison will be my lightest summer beer next year. I’ll follow it with a porter, most certainly.

However, I’ve got to keep in mind the words of the late Jim Morrison: “The future is uncertain, and the end is always near.”

I could get hit by a truck tomorrow and find myself drinking a lot of commercial stuff.

Or not.

A day in the life of a beer geek

My life is rather beer-centric. The mention of any sort of trip sends my cogs into action: Where should we eat? Where should we have a beer? What breweries are there? Anything I can’t get in my own market? What’s the best beer store? Where haven’t I been? Do I need anything at the homebrew store?

As I sit here, dork-adelic, planning tomorrow’s agenda in Omaha, I thought I might share the goofy way I think and function.

I started my day by checking my email. Woo-hoo! a Google alert about beer stuff. Very interesting: hop prices, somebody called 911 because they ran out of beer. A while back, some guy had surgery to have a beer bottle removed from his…

Well, then I checked to see what interesting topics were being discussed on Beerinator (I sure would like to try Kolschboy’s porter). As I’m no longer in North Carolina, I don’t bother chiming in, but it’s fun to know what’s happening there, and to hear what friends are talking about. Following Beerinator, I check out The Beer Mapping Project’s forums. There, I post occasionally, and review and upload pictures whenever possible.

Next came a little blog reading. On a near daily basis, I check out Appellation Beer and Boak and Bailey. There are a number of other beer blogs that I check out, but those are two that I anticipate. They’re well written with content that I fancy, and with many views and elements of living a brewvanic life.

Tomorrow’s trip is centered on The Old Market. My wife’s attending a yoga workshop. We’ll visit the interesting shops and take in the atmosphere, while mulling over where to eat. On the beer front, Upstream came to mind. I paid a short visit once, and wanted to try and have a meal here, and sample a few more of their beers. But a look at The Beer Mapping Project points out that just a few blocks away, I’ll find Jobber’s Canyon. I’ve never been there, so I should go. Besides, no one has reviewed Jobber’s for the Project. I’d be doing the beer world a service if I went there and took a few pictures and assessed the atmosphere, beer, food and service.

Since we’ll be in Omaha, we’ve got to get a food fix, purchasing a few goodies at Wholefoods Market. On the way there, I’m not sure if we’ll have time to hit Crescent Moon Alehouse (beer bar) or Beertopia (beer store), but I definitely want to size up Fermenter’s Supply (another public service review opportunity and I need some yeast and a few specialty grains and hops for an upcoming brewing session).

I found this one via Google, and can’t remember if I read any Beer Advocate reviews (I have done a little work today interspersed with the beer research/trip planning in my day), but since I need to keep this day moving forward, I’m not going to track down another link for you. I’ve spent too much time on that already. Fermenter’s Supply will save me some shipping cost, keep some money relatively local and just give me a chance to check out another beery place.

There are a few other brewpubs I should hit, but the day’s but so long, and we’ll need to go easy so we can safely drive home. And how many meals can we jam into a day? I’ll have to do my best on the untried beers front during my visit to Wholefoods. They have good beer selection, so I should be able to find something new to try.

Seriously, I need to get back to work.

What else will I do today? I’ll have a beer after I take my jacket off–probably my homebrewed Revolution Ale–its a Colonial era recipe. I may have the oaked version. I haven’t decided. I’ll also make sure I have a Russian Imperial Stout in fridge to share with my wife tonight. She’ll love that. I’m thoughtful, you know. I’m full of thoughts, beery and otherwise.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re like me. If not, you should be. I think about flavor and friends and family and food and beauty and atmosphere (and yes, beer) a lot. I’m very careful to make sure I have quality in my life. I take good care of myself: brewing is a great stress reliever and a way to be a little artistic.

I’m sure that before I go to bed, I’ll sneak another peek or two at those forums. I’ll print off a map for tomorrow’s trip. I might get around to listening to a Craftbeer Radio podcast, but probably not. I think I’m one episode behind, but I usually listen to those on weekend mornings. But definitely not tomorrow. I’ll read a bedtime story to my boys (we just started Steven Ambrose’s Undaunted Courage, at the request of my eight year old). There’s the outside chance that I’ll wake up in the night with a good reason to switch from my plan of brewing a porter to a milk stout. That thought will bother me all day. I’m positive I’m saving a Scottish Ale for the following brew session. Then with my basement cool enough–a bock. I’m always six months ahead on what to brew, but constantly changing (I’ll need this for the holiday season, and this for St. Paddy’s day. And, Yipee! my Flanders Red will be ready to keg in May. What a wonderful summer beer that’ll be. And, and, and…

If you’re a beer geek like me, you know how it is, and you enjoy it, don’t you? There’s either something wrong with us, or something terribly right.

Right or wrong, I think it’s good, a constant state of brewvana.

THIRSTY Classic ‘07 @ Millstream Brewing Company

Long on my to-do list, I traveled to Amana, Iowa this weekend to visit Millstream Brewing Company. The primary prompt to make this visit finally happen was the THIRSTY Classic, a homebrew competition sponsored by THIRSTY, The Iowa River Society of Talented Yeastmasters. The competition was held at Millstream.

The competition was perhaps scaled back this year due to a couple of Des Moines clubs were invested in a Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day event they had organized at Raccoon River Brewing Company in Des Moines. (I taught my friend how to brew a few weeks ago–for me was Teach a Friend More about Beer Day–Jimmy and Kyle signed up to steward for the first time.) No matter, it was a fun day, and I met a lot of friendly Iowa brewers and drank a goodly amount of excellent beer. Susan Walsh and her THIRSTY crew put together a solid event with one of the best competition lunches I’ve ever had (the homebrewer-smoked brisket was great).

The brewery itself was also fun to explore, and buzzing with tourists throughout the day. Located in the quaint town of Amana, which is filled with interesting shops, the brewery has a pleasant outside seating area to relax and drink fresh, local beer.

Walking in the front door, you find the gift shop/taproom loaded with steins, glassware and beer. There were about eight taps, with a blend of Millstream’s sodas and beers. During the best-of-show judging, I headed straight toward a pint of the oatmeal stout, fresh and lovely. There for the competition, it was easy to walk around and eyeball the brewing system and bottling line. However, a cursory look-see reveals that there are no fermenters around this tight space. Head brewer Chris Priebe took me to check out where the fermentation and lagering takes place.

The fermenters are located directly below the brewery, in the basement. Seems a good way to avoid tripping over hoses all day. But really, the choice was dictated by the building. The lagering also happens in the basement, in a separate cold room kept around 40 degrees F. Many of the original fermenters were custom built, so to get inside to clean, one must first take out about 24 bolts. A hassle, but it gets the job done.

While the beer finishes in the basement, it begins upstairs. The mill and grain storage are located directly above the brewery.

At the end of the day, I came home with a first place ribbon for my Oaked Revolution Ale and a third for my Belgian Pale Ale. Interestingly, the “un-oaked” Revolution didn’t judge so well–but when’s the last time you had a Colonial ale? I can take neither the good nor the bad too seriously for a beer like this. However, it seems lame to score a beer down because it “detracts from this modern palate,” or “though appropriate, isn’t wonderful,” or if you’re “not sure I really liked it.”

Kyle, Jimmy and I stopped for dinner at Rock Bottom in West Des Moines on our drive home for a nightcap and a belly full of chow. Good stuff, they have. I had the Goldings Pale on cask, as well as a pint of their Rye Porter. Both were excellent.

And since we arrived home, safe and sound, the trip was even better. In the center of brewvana, right where I like to be.