March 2011 BIER Minutes

March 9, 2011

Present at the March 2011 meeting were:

Paul Sarkisian     Chris Given      Dick Tuthill      James Dunn    Roger Haggett

Dave King (2)     Tim & Corrine O’Leary          Dave Semo       Ed Miner          Don Petcosky

We discussed BYO Mag started coming, no results from AWOG yet.  Tim & Corrine are going to England about 3/16.  Dave King (2) has since gotten a report from Tim, and the beer is very good, but mostly session ales.  Their beer is taxed on the % HOOCH, thus lighter ABV.  They also recently visited Cortland Beer Co, and found some good sampling. 

Don’s natural gas burner produces soot when throttled down, which he later fixed by eliminating some nozzles.  Fermcap-S Foam Inhibitor is reported to work very nicely.  Dick Tuthill brought in an AP newspaper article describing a Portland Maine World Cup Biathlon event where alcohol free beer, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, from Bavaria was served to the finishers, as a health drink. 

Oh well, on to the brew, ours 1st.

Don – Wheat Beer – His carbonate heavy well water was cut 60% with reverse osmosis water, and made a very nice wheat.   

Chris – Amber Ale – This kit with added Carmel and Munich grains has a great malt profile.   

Ed – Bass Ale Clone – Also from a kit, has a fine dark crystal malt flavor, much better than the old imports we get.

Dave King (2) – Judy’s Brown Ale – low hop aroma, good CO2 level, not very bitter, and drier than the usual, probably due to the greater fermentability of Halcyon base malt.  

Tim – Baltic Porter – a lager, very nicely done, but we need the recipe.  Maybe this would be good for our barrel.

Now, for the commercial versions.

Dave Semo – Blue Mountain Full Nelson, APA – made with their own estate raised hops, in Afton Virginia.  5.9%, nice pale ale.  

Dave Semo – Starr Hill IPA – slight metallic taste, harshly bitter. 

Paul – Coast Hopart IPA – 7.7%, good hop flavor.

Roger – Trφegs Java Head Stout – A big coffee stout, 7.5%, from central PA.    

Roger – 2008 Zinfandel, his fine dark, dry, flavorful red wine. 

We had a big group, 11 is plenty big.  Thanks for all the fine beer, and wine.  Warren, when are you going to get up here for a meeting? 

              Dave, your resident Hop Head