Homebrew X: Belgian Stout

At long last, another post: This spring I brewed Northern Brewer's limited edition Mustache Envy Belgian Stout, concocted for Men's Health Month (Mo-vember). I brewed the week before hernia surgery, so the wort spent a little extra time in the primary fermenter and a lot of extra time in the secondary. About halfway through the time in the secondary, I realized I had forgotten the oak cube, so I threw them in and gave it a little more.

This past Sunday I transferred it to the keg. I had planned to bottle this batch and keg a summery brew, but since I'm hosting a brew session this weekend and wanted something to sample, I changed my mind. Worse comes to worse, I'll use the homemade counter-pressure bottle filler Dad and I built to bottle off the keg.

After three days in the keg I dropped the pressure and pulled the pint pictured here. It pours a murky chocolate brown, with about a half inch of creamy head. The aroma is dark malt and oak. The taste is dark fruits, oak, Guinness and sweet red wine -- balanced, but with little discernible hop aroma or flavor. It is murky brown from top to bottom, like the Tahquamenon when it's running high with spring runoff, and it strikes me that it will get better with age. That's a happy thought, since it's pretty solid to start with!

If you're reading this and in the greater St. Michael-Albertville area, a couple of us will be brewing on Sunday from noon to 4 or so at the Thorp garage. Next up for me is Northern's California Common kit -- a hybrid brew (a lager brewed at ale temps) based on the authentic American beer style known as steam. (Anchor Steam is a long time favorite of mine, though whether it taste anything like historic steam beer I do not know.) Feel free to stop by and sample some Mustache Envy -- and if you'd like to brew, you're welcome to do so. Cheers!

Pledge Week at Tappa Kegga Bru!

Well, I made the leap: Last Sunday, I transferred my Northern Brewer brunch stout to a sanitized 5-gallon pin-lock keg and hooked up the CO2 to carbonate (three days or so at 20 psi), then on Wednesday I sanitized the plumbing, hooked it it up, reduced to 10 psi, and pulled the first pint. I purchased the entire set-up (including a mid-size fridge spray-painted gold and a bunch of extra equipment) from a guy on Craigslist, and unbeknownst to me, a small flat O-ring was missing -- as a result, when I returned for a second pint, the system had lost pressure, and a small pool of stout had formed on the top of the keg and the liquid fitting. I remedied that today, with a 40-cent purchase at Northern on the way home. Resanitized, reassembled, and works like a charm! (Photos courtesy of Gabriel Thorp.)

Reducing to serving pressure.

Clearing the sanitizer from the lines -- don't waste too much!

Satisfaction.

New Friends, New Beers: The Not-So-Big Brew Day Update

 Transferring John's wort to his primary...

National Homebrewing Day dawned damp and gray in Minnesota -- and the Bottomless Pint crew was torn between brewing and celebrating the ordination of local seminarian Paul Shovelain to the transitional deaconate -- one step away from the Catholic priesthood, God willing. Turnout for our brewing day was consequently light.

I opted for a bit of both events: I slipped down to the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis for Deacon Paul's ordination, then home and to our president's garage for brewing and sampling. I brewed Northern Brewer's Brunch Stout kit -- another delicious-sounding ale made with Maris-Otter malt (along with Belgian candi syrup and French roast coffee). Butch helped first-time brewer John, who came with his father Ron and the Hank's Hefeweizen kit from Midwest Supplies. I'm fairly certain this is the first time any of our men has brewed either of these kits, so we'll have to schedule a tasting later this spring!

We were also joined by two other Rons -- Ron from Albertville, whom Fr. Richards recommended to our ranks, and Ron from Rogers, who found us online. Both brought beers to sample: a easy-drinking Pilsner Urquell clone and a nicely peaty Scottish Export ale, respectively, to complement the Irish Draught Ale that I brought. Those brews, some sourdough pretzels, and some delectable pepper-jack beef sticks supplied by the Rogers contingent, made for an enjoyably warm afternoon, despite the weather. Wish you were there!

Pre-Big Brew Day Buzz: Miriam/Marian Beer?

Mary and Jesus at home, from The Passion of the Christ (2004)

The following exchange is excerpted and edited from a (much) longer email exchange about our upcoming Big Brew Day on Saturday, May 4. This is what Catholic brewers act like when they get punchy...the highlight, of course, is the mini-homily delivered by Fr. Richards. Well done, Father!

Karl: "If we brew in May, we should also honor Mary. (May is the month for Mary.) Should we have a contest to see who can brew something that Mary would like? We could call it Miriam Beer."

Jim: "That's a good idea -- although I'm fuzzy on how to judge that contest...  :-P"

Karl: "Well, if we ask all women named Mary? (Just kidding.) Otherwise, we could just ask Father Richards to judge. (This is only a hypothetical idea -- I am NOT 100% serious. LOL)

Jim: "I'm thinking of calling the beer I just bottled Crown of Creation Irish Draught Ale for the occasion -- or brewing some Morning Star Breakfast Stout -- hail, Mary!"

Tom: "Wow, is it that good?"

Jim: "Maybe not quite, but branding counts with beer -- consider the swill the general population drinks by the barrel...  :-)"

Mike: "Private revelation only: She prefers 90 Shilling. Sorry, guys."

Fr. Richards: "I'm pretty sure Mary would like any beer you would brew for her (in moderation, of course). She is always very encouraging to her sons, you know. It is like a son (albeit under 10) picking a wilted dandelion for his mom. It’s the gesture, not the quality. But, then again, you are adult sons, so make it good!"

Tom: "Great email, Father. I laughed out loud."

Karl: "I loved the email also. It made me want to look up a beer recipe. I found one that uses rose hips (in honor of Mary), orange peel, and coriander."

Laura: "Fr. Richards, you are so completely awesome. That is all."

Michael: "Laura, who do you go to for confession?"

Laura: "Wait, I'm supposed to go to confession??? ;)"

Michael: "Sorry, Laura, I forgot who I was talking to -- never mind."

Fr. Richards: "Karl started it. It’s his fault!"

Laura: "It's always safe to blame Karl -- hahaha! Hey, dudes...'Mary' means 'bitter' -- I think she'd be a little put out if you DIDN'T make some good beer during her month! Hops. Keep your beer 'pure' of yucky stuff, and then also add a richness and depth of flavor. Mary helps to keep you pure and will add a richness and depth to your life. Just sayin'.  :)  Also...I will volunteer to be the tasting judge of the Marian Beer contest. My middle name is Maria.''

Karl: "Wow, I walk away from the computer for a little bit, now I'm to blame. I'll take credit for this since brewing a beer for Mary is a good thing."

The Son's love for his mother, from The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Homebrew VII: Irish Draught Ale

Spring has been slow in coming this year; as I write, the trees outside are being plastered white by an April snowstorm, and the cold of the basement concrete is seeping through my wool socks to the soles of my feet. Inside, however, I am warmed by my latest homebrew: Northern Brewer's Irish Draught Ale extract kit.

I had intended to brew this in time for the Feast of St. Patrick, but A) I got a late start, and B) I had given up beer for Lent. I had the right idea, though -- this is a beer for a blustery spring day, with just enough malt heft to hold its own against that last winter ale in the back of the fridge, and enough oat-n-honey smoothness to make it an easy drinker and thirst-quencher. The color is a ruddy, beer-bottle brown (depending on the light); the head pours thick and dissipates quickly. The flavor isn't like any other beer I recall -- I expected something like a Smithwick's or a creamier English pale ale, I guess, and that's not wrong, but not quite right either. The aroma is fruity, leaning almost to cider; the taste is roasted malt sweetness, but with enough hop bite to let you know that this is real, good ale.

I like it -- but more than that, I'm intrigued. Here's a beer recipe with a single ounce of Cluster hops to balance five-plus pounds of malt extract and a pound of honey. Here's a brew with a malty flavor unlike any I recall, that makes use of Maris-Otter malt, a long-time favorite of traditional English ale brewers that (I believe) only recently has become widely available to budding brewers like me. And as I drink it, I can't help but think this is a beer meant for kegging -- or maybe even nitrogen.

I'll brew this again. I joked with a friend that, in honor of the Virgin Mary, I was going to serve this at our Big Brew Day on Saturday, May 4, as Crown of Creation Irish Draught Ale. It may not be quite that immaculate, but this is a solid homebrew and a Real. Good. Ale.

BIG BREW DAY!

Saturday, May 4, is National Homebrewing Day -- the Biggest Brew Day of the Year! Join Bottomless Pint Brewers at the home of our illustrious president Butch beginning at high noon to brew, sample great beers, talk shop, and more! Bring your latest brew to share!

We'd like as many men as possible brewing -- but especially for newer brewers, we'd like to stagger the starts -- so email bottomlesspint@gmail.com to let us know if you plan to brew. Also: if you'd like to brew but don't have your own gear, let us know and we'll pull together loaner equipment for you -- all you'll need is an ingredient kit!

Additional details:

• For an address or directions, email bottomlesspint@gmail.com.
• If you'd like to bring snacks or something grillable to share, that would be great, too!
• We are starting at noon because local seminarian Paul will be ordained to the transitional deaconate at 10 a.m. Mass at the Basilica -- go there, then come celebrate!
• This is also a great time to pay your dues and/or get your membership cards -- remember: 10% off at all local and area brew suppliers!

Cheers -- hope to see you there!

First Brew Session of 2013!

After a long, busy fall and winter, Bottomless Pint Brewers is holding its first club brew session of 2013 -- Sunday, Feb. 24, in Butch Nielsen's garage. We'll be there around 10 a.m. (after 8:30 mass) to start, so any time after that, stop by to brew or just visit and sample whatever's on hand.

If you have time, please email bottomlesspint@gmail.com to let us know you're coming. If you'd like to brew but don't have the gear, let us know -- we may be able to arrange for equipment, too!

Brew Session and Upcoming Events

I forgot to take photos, but here's a quick summary of our brew session and possible upcoming events discussed at the club meeting yesterday.

Brew session
We gathered at Nielsens garage around 1 p.m. Karl brewed two full all-grain batches: a Spotted Cow cream ale clone and an imperial stout, both all-grain batches from Midwest Supplies. Butch and silent auction winner Joe D. brewed Joe's beer, Cologne Kolsch, an extract kit from Midwest -- which came off without a hitch. I was there, and prospective new members and St. Michael parishioners Trevor G. and Michael P., and Butch's neighbor Mike, also stopped by. We sampled my St. Paul Porter (extract kit from Northern Brewer) and Kulmbacher Eisbock, an unusual, strong, and sweet German beer I inherited from my dad, who has kept in in his well pit for years now.

Possible upcoming events

• November: We need to pick a Friday for a field trip to Steel Toe Brewing (tours at 6 and 7 p.m. Fridays, no reservation needed; free tasting; appears to be no charge) and The Four Firkins beer store (open 'til 9; beer tasting after 6 p.m.) -- plus Midwest, if need be, since they're all close to each other.
• Saturday, Dec. 1: Town Hall Brewery tour -- $7 per person for a brewery tour, samples, a pint of beer, a Town Hall sample glass, and 10% off meals -- first Saturday of the month; reservation required. I will let them know we want to do this since space is limited -- we'll need to see who wants to come.
• February: Try to schedule a Theology on Tap tasting and speaker event -- could make it a couples thing. I plan to see if Deacon Nevin (also a brewer, I believe) would speak.

Further updates
As of this morning, Butch says Joe D.'s Kolsch is fermenting nicely; they are planning to transfer next Saturday at Butch's, and bottle hopefully the following weekend at my place. This afternoon I bottled 51 12-oz bottles and five big bottles of English Pale Ale from Hanover Wine and Spirits and Brew Supplies for the upcoming Catholic Man Night.

Drink Globally, Brew Locally:Hanover Wine, Spirits, and Brew Supply

Hanover Wine - Spirits - Brew Supply

On the west side of Highway 19, just past the sign that marks the Hanover city limits, sits the new destination for local homebrewers and craft beer lovers:  Hanover Wine, Spirits and Brew Supply. I've stopped by twice in the past two weeks -- first, to pick up some priming sugar after I started sanitizing bottles, then I realized my St. Paul Porter kit from Northern Brewer didn't come with any, and later to pick up some sanitizer, check out their beer selection and try pick up one their Brewer's Best kits to compare to Northern and Midwest Supplies. The Hanover shop has everything an extract brewer needs to get started and is certainly convenient for emergencies or last-minute brew sessions -- but after purchasing and brewing their Brewer's Best English Pale Ale kit today, I think I'll be a regular.

During my first visit, one of the partners who opened the shop assured me that they want to grow their brew supply business and could get anything that area homebrewers needed, including bulk all-grain supplies, at a reasonable price -- and would be happy to work with us on special orders. So as not to put them on the spot with other customers in the shop, I sent them an email afterward asking if they offered a 10% discount for members of AHA-registered clubs, like Midwest and Northern. Dan and Chadd quickly replied that they do; just bring your membership card. 

So on Friday, I picked up 32 ounces of Star San sanitizer, a Brewer's Best English Pale Ale Kit, and a six-pack of Furthermore Beer's limited-offer fall brew Fallen Apple. The down side? The prices are a little higher for ingredients and noticeably so for the sanitizer. The 32-oz bottle of Star San cost $22 after the club discount -- compared to the Northern and Midwest price of $16 before the club discount. The pale ale kit cost $39.99 ($35.99 after the discount), compared to $34.99 for a comparable beer kit from Northern and $27.49 from Midwest before the discount. 

On the flip side, gas and diesel ain't cheap, and neither is time spent in traffic. Drink globally, brew locally!

Brewer's Best English Pale Ale kit ingredients

The Brewer's Best kit from Hanover included the following:

• 8 oz of Brewer's Best crushed caramel specialty grains, vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag;
• 3.3 lbs of Muntons Light LME (liquid malt extract) in a can;
• 2 lbs of Brewer's Best Light DME (dry malt extract), vacuum-sealed in plastic bags
• 1 oz Brewer's Best Fuggle Bittering hops, vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag;
• 3/4 oz Brewer's Best Tettnang Flavoring hops, vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag;
• 1 oz of Brewer's Best/Hop Union aroma hops, vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag;
• 1 packet DanStar Nottingham Ale Yeast;
• Brewer's Best priming sugar;
• a mesh grain bag;
• thorough and clear brewing instructions, including tips and cautions for each step and a customizable hop/boil schedule;
• and 60 Brewer's Best bottle caps.

With the exception of the crushed and vacuum-sealed specialty grains, these are, by and large, the same or similar ingredients you get from the other suppliers -- and the kit I received was completely self-contained, including yeast, priming sugar, and caps. Nothing missing; nothing extra to remember. Brewing this morning went relatively smoothly; if anything, I found it easier to get the LME out of a can than a jug, and the single packet of dry yeast, rehydrated, has already produced a more robust fermentation in the first several hours that any Wyeast "smack-pack" I've used. (Hanover does not yet stock Wyeast or White Labs yeast for homebrewers -- but I'm not sure I missed them today!)

If you're interested in tasting the results of my morning brew session, I'll be sharing samples in early November at Catholic Man Night. In the meantime, as I mentioned, I picked up Furthermore's Fallen Apple (a cream ale/hard cider concoction from Wisconsin that started out apply and underwhelming for me, but quickly rallied -- I wound up enjoying it very much!) and scoped out the other Furthermore brews and autumn seasonals. I used to always shop Westside in Albertville for craft beers and imports, then switched to the massive wall o' brew available at Cash Wise in St. Michael -- but Hanover has stuff (like Furthermore) that I have yet to see anyplace else. The best of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois brews, plus great beers from across the country and around the world -- check 'em out, and
support our local brew store!

Save the Date!Club Brew Session and First Regular Meeting

We will be holding a club brew session at Butch Nielsen's garage on Saturday, Oct. 13, beginning just after lunch (around 1 p.m.). Anyone who wants to brew that day is welcome -- we will also be hosting the winner of our Bottomless Pint Brewers Introduction to Homebrewing package at the St. Michael Fall Festival Silent Auction, Joe Donlon, as he brews his first ale with us!

I'm sure there will be brews to sample. Feel free to bring snacks to share. If you plan to brew and do not have your own gear, let us know, as some of our extra gear (and most of our extra bottles) will be used for Joe's batch.

Our goal is to be done brewing by 5 p.m. or so in order to hold our first monthly club meeting, currently scheduled for the second Saturday of the month beginning at 6 p.m. This first meeting will be primarily focused on discussing what we hope to get out of the club, possible club activities or events you'd like to be a part of, etc. Future meetings won't always be preceded by a brew session, and will
generally include sampling, a short presentation on a beer- or brewing-related topic (like this one,) then general fraternity. Actual business will be kept to a minimum, we hope!

We encourage those who brew with us on Oct. 13 to stay for the meeting, and anyone who can't come early to try to join us at 6 p.m.

Either way, it promises to be a fun day! Join us!

End of Summer Recap

Summer has fled, and with it, the last of my light, effervescent English Bitter. The time has come for more robust brews: Oktoberfests, doppelbocks, strong ales, porters and stouts -- and for and end-of-summer recap. In addition to numerous impromptu weekend brew sessions in recent months, we grew our membership to 15 and provided a variety of brews to sample at Catholic Man Night with Archbishop Nienstedt in August. The men in attendance were highly complementary of the selection and brews themselves, and I believe we are on tap to do something similar in November

A gathering of Catholic men for Catholic Man Night in August.

Archbishop John Nienstedt speaks on
the topic of "Jesus Christ, Defender of the Family."

Another first for the club: we supplied a homebrewing sampler and Introduction to Homebrewing prize package for the Silent Auction at the St. Michael Catholic Church Fall Festival. The winner, St. Michael parishioner Joe Donlon, received a locally brewed sampler -- two bottles each of Honey Nut Brown Ale and Cream Ale by Karl Becker, two bottles of my English Bitter, and a large bottle of Mike Engel's Scottish Light Ale -- plus the opportunity to brew two cases of the ale of his choice with Bottomless Pint Brewers -- we supply the ingredients, the equipment, the bottles, everything. (We said we would even brew it for him, but it turns out, Joe is interested in brewing and was looking forward to trying it out without the expense of buying equipment and bottles.)

Our first Silent Auction prize package...

The Fall Festival was pleased with the results of this first BPB foray into the Silent Auction -- now all we have to do is brew great beer for Joe! The date for his brew session (the next club session) has been set for Saturday, Oct. 13, at Butch Nielsen's house -- we'll likely start in early afternoon. Anyone who wants to brew is welcome, so come on out!

Homebrew V: English Bitter

A little more than a month ago, I embarked on my first solo brew. Prior to this, I had always done so with at least one other person brewing, and while the second set of eyes was certainly handy to avoid errors, the coordinated chaos of a group brew session (sharing sanitizer, aerators, wort chillers, etc.) meant that I hadn't really "locked down" the homebrewing process in my own mind.

Since we're headed into summer (and on the heels of my previous post "In Search of Small"), I opted for what I hoped would be a sunny-day-on-the-deck session brew: the English Bitter extract kit from Midwest Supplies.

It's a very simple and straightforward ale, so brewing went smoothly. Fermentation ramped up a bit slower than past brews, and then diminished rapidly once it peaked -- but I suppose this is not surprising for a session beer.  (In fact, I hit my starting gravity number right on, and when I took a second hydrometer reading after I transferred the ale to the secondary, it had already finished.)

After two weeks in the bottle, the pour was a bubbly, with a thick white head. A somewhat thicker layer of sediment appears at the bottle of these bottles than past brews, but if you pour carefully, it stays put, and the appearance in the glass is deep straw in color and crystal clear. (The photo does not do this justice.) The aroma is hoppy, but not staggering; hops predominate the flavor, but do not dominate or overpower. I'm going to describe the malt flavor as "biscuit," but I'm assuming in this case that the biscuits in question are English cookies or crackers, not Southern comfort food. If you get a little of the sediment in your pour, you might mistake this for a pale wheat ale; otherwise, this is an easy-drinking and refreshing "small" pale ale that, at 3 to 3.5% alcohol, can be enjoyed in multiples while remaining coherent.

I would recommend this for new brewers as an easy kit, and to beer-lovers who are used to American pilsners and pale lagers as a great first step into the world of ales. You definitely get that fruitier and more complex ale flavor, in a beer that is just as easy to drink as a Leinie's and as refreshing as a Rolling Rock.

Inaugural Brew Session Update

Eleven men showed; three brewed, including first-timer Kurt, vice president Mike, and treasurer Karl, who showed off and put to good use (for the first time) his all-grain set-up. Secretary Jim gave a brief primer on ale and lager styles, and we shared samples of El Presidente's hopped-up Bass Ale brew (which turned into more of a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Bob Z's stout, Mike's copper ale, Jim's Pete's Wicked clone, and more. Lunch was hotdogs and chips; special thanks to Mike for the "goat dogs" -- delicious pronghorn sausage. Great first event; can't wait for the next!

Inaugural Brew Session!

Our vice president, brewing hard...

Bottomless Pint Brewers is hosting its inaugural club meeting and brew session on Saturday, April 28, beginning at 10 a.m. at the garage of Butch Nielsen. Join us to brew or see how it's done, sample some solid homemade beer, and enjoy the fellowship of good men. If you need help getting there, email the club or consider following us over following Saturday morning Mass as St. Michael Catholic Church. Mass begins at 8 a.m. and should be done between 8:30 and 9 -- c'mon over and help with set-up!

We will also share a short presentation on the differences between lagers (what most people drink) and ales (what most people brew), and offer pointers on what styles of beer best match your personal preferences. A "quick and dirty" guide* is available online and at the event, as well as books, magazines, catalogs, and other resources.

We will also have the grill going -- please feel free to bring meat to grill for lunch or snacks for the good of the order! Look forward to seeing you there. God bless!

 Random/useful beer style resources**: 

• What's the Difference Between Ales and Lagers? 
• All About Lager Styles: Pilsners, Bocks, Marzen, and Light Beers 
• All About British & North American Style Ales 
• All About Weizen and Wheat Ale Styles 
• All About Stout & Porter Ale Styles
• Beer Judge Certification Program Style Guidelines 

 * * * * * 

*Please note that this guide is not an expert take on beer styles, but rather a useful starting point from which we can begin to talk about what guys like and don't like. (It's also based on my own opinions.) 

**Underscoring the differences of opinion, even among experts...