December 2010 BIER Meeting
December 8, 2010
December is full of holiday parties, so we had a “BIER Dinner” at the Sports Page. They have great bar food, so we really enjoyed our annual dinner. The pizza, wings, and sandwiches were excellent.
Present were:
Dave King (1) ….. Ed Miner …......... Brian Murphy ….. Dick Tuthill …... Dave Witman
Jim Parks ….......... Dave King (2) ….. Dave Semo ……. Chris Given …... Roger Haggett
Tim & Corrine O'Leary …................... James Dunn …..... Rich Andel …….Jeff Poltz
We discussed:
Our BYO magazine deal worked this year, and we got 1 more than the necessary 10 minimum. We did have to combine with the Ithaca club, but that’s cool. Tim handled the cost of the web site for us, so we owe him a huge “Thank You!”
We got a step closer with our barrel aged Porter project. Brian is going to suggest a recipe, both all-grain and extract versions. If anyone else wants to suggest a recipe, let us know. The 55 gallons are promised, but our schedule is not set just yet.
NHC is getting closer, June 16th, in San Diego. Rich, Joan and I will be there. We need another homebrewer to go, so we can do club night. We’ll be driving the RV out, so I’ll be taking a keg, but we need at least a couple more, so if you’re able to contribute something you consider special, let me know.
Homebrew
Samples
Ed – Bass Clone ===> Better malt flavor than what we get on
tap. The CO2 was a bit low,
but no problem. Well done!
Dave Semo – Old Peculiar Clone ===> an English Old Ale, with US-04 dry yeast, on the sweet side, nice body,
should age well.
James Dunn – Honey Brown ===> Great brown malt flavor, not sweet, good bitter balance. Here’s the recipe;
8 lb Rahr Pale Ale
0.25 lb Chocolate
0.25 lb Special B
0.75 lb Biscuit 25L from Northern Brewer
0.25 lb Special
Roast 50L from
Northern Brewer
0.50 lb Carapils
1lb Honey
1 0z Cluster Hops
at 60 mins, Safbrew S-33
ale yeast
Tim – Brown Ale ===> Newcastle clone, all grain, good stuff, eat your hearts out, Brits
Chris – Irish Red Ale ===> Great mahogany color, 3 yrs old, firm bitterness, aging well.
Chris – Bourbon Barrel Porter ===> Was too oaky when we tried it last, but it’s mellowed out nicely, now.
Roger – Special Bitter ===> Big hop flavor
Dave King (2) – IPA ===> Heavy bitterness (85 IBU), some aroma, moderate crystal malt, on target.
Rich – Matrimony Ale ===> Alimony Ale clone, 158F mash, overnight, 80 IBU, great malt & hop flavors.
Tim Frost – India Black Ale ===> Northern Brewer Kit, intense roasted barley flavor, with 4 oz. of chocolate malt, brought by his friend, Jim Parks.
James Dunn – Coffee Stout ===> Great coffee nose and flavor, from the recent Battle of the Brews in Albany.
Jim Parks – Scottish 80 Shilling ===> w/ 2oz of Seagrams 7 per bottle, so it’s
a “Boiler Maker,” of sorts. Not much
malt, over the top?
Brian – Steel Reserve ===> Blind tasting, heavy sweet, no one
guessed it.
The
Commercial Samples
Dave King (1) – Stone Levitation ===> Low ABV, but very intense flavor,
typical Stone.
Jeff - Hot-Jala-Heim, ===> from Horseheads
Brewing, intense hot pepper flavor, but not too hot.
Dave Witman – Jubelale Festive Ale ===> from Deschutes Brewery, heavy flavored winter ale, not spiced.
Dave Witman – IPA ===> from Milwaukee Brewing Co., Mid West? More like a West Coast IPA, really bold.
Dave Witman – Hopalicous
===> Ale Asylum Pale Ale, from
Madison Wisconsin, a fine hop head’s session ale.
Dave Witman – Maduro
Oatmeal Brown Ale ===> from
Cigar City Brewing, in Jensen Beach, Florida. Craft beer from Florida?
It is possible.
Don’t whine,
make some!
Roger Haggett – Pinot Noir ===> 2006, great dry red, wish I could
make it. Roger keeps them in kegs on N2,
and it obviously works!
Straggler Brew
Dave Witman – Old
Blarney ===> Moylan’s barley wine, 2 yrs old, not
cloying, 10% ABV, some sherry like oxidation.
Great ending
to a great year
We said good bye to 2009. Hoppy New Year. See you next meeting, January 12th, back to our normal 7:30 meeting time at The Sports Page.
Dave King (2)