News For June And This Summer
10 June, 2008 Posted by: Robin
Oh my God, it’s June already. As I sit here writing, today was the first hot day of summer. The last two months have been packed with activity and things are starting to fall into place. Where should I start?
The biggest news is that I’ve finally got my “new “ mash tun in place and operating. Wow, what a chore that was. I obtained it from the Vermont Pub and Brewery. It was the mash tun I used during my first paid position as a head brewer. Damn, I hated that thing. I mean, I really hated it. It is a ten barrel tun and we were doing 14 barrel batches in it. Always sticking. But I am very pleased to have it in my own brewery now, very sentimental, and I do seven barrel batches, so it is a dream to work with. I’m most pleased because it has hydraulic rakes AND a manway. No more hand mixing of the mash, and no more shoveling wet mash up and over the side of my old tun. So I will no longer dread making the big beers.
Which is good because it looks like the law will be changed July 1st to allow beers up to 16% ABV. I’ve got to admit, that I’m not too thrilled by the newfound freedom to brew stronger beers. Those of you hoping to see a lot of strong beers at The Alchemist might be sorely disappointed. It’s one thing for my bottling brethren to dive into this market, but as a publican, it would be crazy of me to start serving beers greater than 10%ABV. Not only is it a liability, but I just don’t like drinking strong beers. And I’m not gonna brew it if I’m not gonna drink it. So, you will occasionally see a beer pushing 10%, but they will be few and far between.
In the very near future, I will be brewing a barley wine to celebrate our 5th anniversary on November 29th. That will most likely be the first 10% beer you see at our place. I also have two additional Grundies I will be moving into my cooler to double my secondary capacity. More aging room to take some of the pressure off this summer.
I’ve been very busy brewing up some new treats for everyone. On tap right right now is the Waterbury Weisse (which will be gone soon) fermented with a weizen yeast from our friends at the VPB. It turned out all right I guess, not enough clovey phenolics so I won’t be using it again.
I will be doing a batch of Heftyweizen with some yeast I’m obtaining from my friend Paul at Burlington Flatbread. Also just released is this years batch of Mortal Sin. I’m pretty pleased with it. Absolutely seething with hops, yet coming in at only 66.6 IBU’s. Get it while it lasts.
My third rotating choice right now is Misinformation. As the beer menu says,” This sweet brown ale will keep you guessing”. I’ve purposely given a very vague description and I’ve gone so far as to only tell my wife what is actually in it. Even my employees will not be able to tell you. WHY???? You may ask? Because I want people to try a beer that really pushes their pallet, and to try it with no preconceived impressions of what to expect. Too many people want to know what to expect so they can put it into some narrowly defined pigeon hole. I want you to have a surprising taste experience. So give it a shot and see if you can tell me what is in it. I’ll be serving this one at the brew fest too.
As for brew fest. This year I will be pouring four beers as always. They are…
1. Sterk Wit- our award winning double white
2. Misinformation- see above
3. An as of yet un-named Saison-inspired ale. My friend Shaun laid the groundwork of convincing me to brew one of these, so I’m making it tomorrow.
4. The Crusher- a new double IPA that I’ve had rumbling around in my head. It is named so after a Bugs Bunny cartoon ( Bunny Hugged ), not because it will get you crushed. It is also my bowling name just so you know. It will come in at a Vermont 8%, and in honor of the “hop shortage” it will be LOADED with hoppy goodness. Just you wait…..
Oh yeah, my trip to Belgium. I would like to put together a detailed blog when I get photos from my brothers, so until then. It was five days of nothing but trains, walking, and lambic. My God, it was incredible.. Stay tuned for a complete recount.
Until then….
John
Oh, and by the way, I've got my first 20 gallon test batch of Vermont spontaneous fermentation going in some carboys.....Alchambic??? motl
The biggest news is that I’ve finally got my “new “ mash tun in place and operating. Wow, what a chore that was. I obtained it from the Vermont Pub and Brewery. It was the mash tun I used during my first paid position as a head brewer. Damn, I hated that thing. I mean, I really hated it. It is a ten barrel tun and we were doing 14 barrel batches in it. Always sticking. But I am very pleased to have it in my own brewery now, very sentimental, and I do seven barrel batches, so it is a dream to work with. I’m most pleased because it has hydraulic rakes AND a manway. No more hand mixing of the mash, and no more shoveling wet mash up and over the side of my old tun. So I will no longer dread making the big beers.
Which is good because it looks like the law will be changed July 1st to allow beers up to 16% ABV. I’ve got to admit, that I’m not too thrilled by the newfound freedom to brew stronger beers. Those of you hoping to see a lot of strong beers at The Alchemist might be sorely disappointed. It’s one thing for my bottling brethren to dive into this market, but as a publican, it would be crazy of me to start serving beers greater than 10%ABV. Not only is it a liability, but I just don’t like drinking strong beers. And I’m not gonna brew it if I’m not gonna drink it. So, you will occasionally see a beer pushing 10%, but they will be few and far between.
In the very near future, I will be brewing a barley wine to celebrate our 5th anniversary on November 29th. That will most likely be the first 10% beer you see at our place. I also have two additional Grundies I will be moving into my cooler to double my secondary capacity. More aging room to take some of the pressure off this summer.
I’ve been very busy brewing up some new treats for everyone. On tap right right now is the Waterbury Weisse (which will be gone soon) fermented with a weizen yeast from our friends at the VPB. It turned out all right I guess, not enough clovey phenolics so I won’t be using it again.
I will be doing a batch of Heftyweizen with some yeast I’m obtaining from my friend Paul at Burlington Flatbread. Also just released is this years batch of Mortal Sin. I’m pretty pleased with it. Absolutely seething with hops, yet coming in at only 66.6 IBU’s. Get it while it lasts.
My third rotating choice right now is Misinformation. As the beer menu says,” This sweet brown ale will keep you guessing”. I’ve purposely given a very vague description and I’ve gone so far as to only tell my wife what is actually in it. Even my employees will not be able to tell you. WHY???? You may ask? Because I want people to try a beer that really pushes their pallet, and to try it with no preconceived impressions of what to expect. Too many people want to know what to expect so they can put it into some narrowly defined pigeon hole. I want you to have a surprising taste experience. So give it a shot and see if you can tell me what is in it. I’ll be serving this one at the brew fest too.
As for brew fest. This year I will be pouring four beers as always. They are…
1. Sterk Wit- our award winning double white
2. Misinformation- see above
3. An as of yet un-named Saison-inspired ale. My friend Shaun laid the groundwork of convincing me to brew one of these, so I’m making it tomorrow.
4. The Crusher- a new double IPA that I’ve had rumbling around in my head. It is named so after a Bugs Bunny cartoon ( Bunny Hugged ), not because it will get you crushed. It is also my bowling name just so you know. It will come in at a Vermont 8%, and in honor of the “hop shortage” it will be LOADED with hoppy goodness. Just you wait…..
Oh yeah, my trip to Belgium. I would like to put together a detailed blog when I get photos from my brothers, so until then. It was five days of nothing but trains, walking, and lambic. My God, it was incredible.. Stay tuned for a complete recount.
Until then….
John
Oh, and by the way, I've got my first 20 gallon test batch of Vermont spontaneous fermentation going in some carboys.....Alchambic??? motl
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It's March!
09 March, 2008 Posted by: Robin
And just like that, it’s March.
I just tapped the latest batch of Heady Topper on Wednesday , so if you’re alpha count is low, get on in. This is a beer that I’m really starting to hone in on where I want it to be. You’ll notice it will change quite a bit over the next 4-5 weeks.
I prefer to drink it immediately while there is a healthy level of oils still hanging in suspension. The slight hazy look to the beer is nothing but hop oils and it shows in the lush and chewy character. It will get a much cleaner and more refined hop profile as those oils start to drop to the bottom of the serving tank. Either way, I think you’ll like this.
The hoppy American stout I spoke of last time is on tap and called Beelzebub. The Bacchus is also on tap for at least the month of March. This batch turned out just as I had hoped and the next incarnation is already rolling around in my head……
Also, keep a sharp eye out for a Mooseknuckle sighting at the bar sometime soon. My newest pale ale brewed with a healthy dose of Warrior hops throughout. Broken Spoke is coming back in April.
But all of this just leads me to the REALLY big news. MY TRIP TO BELGIUM is now planned with a couple of my brothers. I thought I’d give you a little insight to my plans……
Wednesday..We arrive in Brussels at about 1 pm. A quick train to Leuven to dump our bags and back to Brussels before we crash from travel lag. Our first stop will be a bar called Poechenellekelder ( pooshenkelder). It is directly across the street from the Mannekin Pis , they open early, and they have an “unparalleled” selection of Gueuze. Our next stop will be across town to the Cantillon brewery. They are open until 5 pm and are THE STANDARD by which all other lambic is judged. I guarantee that it is the most bizarre beer you have ever tried…..you’ll LOVE it!
We will then travel to the St Gilles district of Brussels to go to Moeder Lambic. Another highly recommended place to drink in the essence of Brussels. We should be able to complete this before it gets too late so we can get some much needed rest.
Thursday..We wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed. This is the day that I suggest we rent bikes and take a long slow ride through the heart of Lambic country, Payottenland. I believe that this area is particularly easy and set up for bike access. Besides,
Drunk driving = illegal
Drunk-biking= not so much.
Our day would begin in the village of Beersel. Our first stop will be the world famous Drie Fonteinen (“Three Fountains”). “This is a classic café-restaurant of the 50’s, with a focus on draft lambic, faro and kriek along with many vintage selections“; and it opens at 10:30!!!! In the next village of Vlezenbeek there is a “rural classic” known as Kiek. This is a place where you can get “pitchers of cool draft lambic brought from the cellar in a large jug and refilled at the table“. A short pedal would get us to Schepdaal where we will find the Rare Vos tavern. More draft lambics including their own blend from Giardin called Rare Vos. The next place for us would be the village of Wambeek, which has a café-restaurant in the middle of nowhere called De Voet Van Keizer Karel. I would guess that about this time we could take a little nap someplace if it’s nice……..
Of course, these are all suggestions, so don’t lose sight of the fact that we can add or subtract any stops. Also, a lot of these places have food, but I’m afraid that a bunch of them only have homemade sausage and cheese…..boo hoo.
Friday..This is the day that I suggest we head to Brugge bright and early. I have found four must-see beer stops for us. The first of which would be De Garre. It opens at noon, and they only serve beer, cheese, and sausage. The next stop is for sure Brugs Beertje. This is THE beer bar to visit in Brugge and I want to get a seat at the bar. They open at 4 and it should be awesome. Once this place starts to get crowded we can go to Oude Speye, a much more relaxed kind of place I’m told.
Saturday..This is the day I would like us to visit one of the coolest breweries in the world, Westvleteren. This is the smallest and most traditional of the Trappist breweries, just outside the village of Westvleteren in West Flanders, near the French border. Founded in 1831, brewing since 1839! The beers are available at a café across the street called In de Vrede ( At Peace). The other stop I need to make in West Flanders is the village of Esen, home to de Dolle Brouwers ( Mad Brewers). These guys make some of the most incredible sour beers going. Geez, this isn’t going to be any fun at all……I just hope our plane doesn’t crash until the flight home…
John
I just tapped the latest batch of Heady Topper on Wednesday , so if you’re alpha count is low, get on in. This is a beer that I’m really starting to hone in on where I want it to be. You’ll notice it will change quite a bit over the next 4-5 weeks.
I prefer to drink it immediately while there is a healthy level of oils still hanging in suspension. The slight hazy look to the beer is nothing but hop oils and it shows in the lush and chewy character. It will get a much cleaner and more refined hop profile as those oils start to drop to the bottom of the serving tank. Either way, I think you’ll like this.
The hoppy American stout I spoke of last time is on tap and called Beelzebub. The Bacchus is also on tap for at least the month of March. This batch turned out just as I had hoped and the next incarnation is already rolling around in my head……
Also, keep a sharp eye out for a Mooseknuckle sighting at the bar sometime soon. My newest pale ale brewed with a healthy dose of Warrior hops throughout. Broken Spoke is coming back in April.
But all of this just leads me to the REALLY big news. MY TRIP TO BELGIUM is now planned with a couple of my brothers. I thought I’d give you a little insight to my plans……
Wednesday..We arrive in Brussels at about 1 pm. A quick train to Leuven to dump our bags and back to Brussels before we crash from travel lag. Our first stop will be a bar called Poechenellekelder ( pooshenkelder). It is directly across the street from the Mannekin Pis , they open early, and they have an “unparalleled” selection of Gueuze. Our next stop will be across town to the Cantillon brewery. They are open until 5 pm and are THE STANDARD by which all other lambic is judged. I guarantee that it is the most bizarre beer you have ever tried…..you’ll LOVE it!
We will then travel to the St Gilles district of Brussels to go to Moeder Lambic. Another highly recommended place to drink in the essence of Brussels. We should be able to complete this before it gets too late so we can get some much needed rest.
Thursday..We wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed. This is the day that I suggest we rent bikes and take a long slow ride through the heart of Lambic country, Payottenland. I believe that this area is particularly easy and set up for bike access. Besides,
Drunk driving = illegal
Drunk-biking= not so much.
Our day would begin in the village of Beersel. Our first stop will be the world famous Drie Fonteinen (“Three Fountains”). “This is a classic café-restaurant of the 50’s, with a focus on draft lambic, faro and kriek along with many vintage selections“; and it opens at 10:30!!!! In the next village of Vlezenbeek there is a “rural classic” known as Kiek. This is a place where you can get “pitchers of cool draft lambic brought from the cellar in a large jug and refilled at the table“. A short pedal would get us to Schepdaal where we will find the Rare Vos tavern. More draft lambics including their own blend from Giardin called Rare Vos. The next place for us would be the village of Wambeek, which has a café-restaurant in the middle of nowhere called De Voet Van Keizer Karel. I would guess that about this time we could take a little nap someplace if it’s nice……..
Of course, these are all suggestions, so don’t lose sight of the fact that we can add or subtract any stops. Also, a lot of these places have food, but I’m afraid that a bunch of them only have homemade sausage and cheese…..boo hoo.
Friday..This is the day that I suggest we head to Brugge bright and early. I have found four must-see beer stops for us. The first of which would be De Garre. It opens at noon, and they only serve beer, cheese, and sausage. The next stop is for sure Brugs Beertje. This is THE beer bar to visit in Brugge and I want to get a seat at the bar. They open at 4 and it should be awesome. Once this place starts to get crowded we can go to Oude Speye, a much more relaxed kind of place I’m told.
Saturday..This is the day I would like us to visit one of the coolest breweries in the world, Westvleteren. This is the smallest and most traditional of the Trappist breweries, just outside the village of Westvleteren in West Flanders, near the French border. Founded in 1831, brewing since 1839! The beers are available at a café across the street called In de Vrede ( At Peace). The other stop I need to make in West Flanders is the village of Esen, home to de Dolle Brouwers ( Mad Brewers). These guys make some of the most incredible sour beers going. Geez, this isn’t going to be any fun at all……I just hope our plane doesn’t crash until the flight home…
John
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February!
28 January, 2008 Posted by: John
And just like that, it's February.
I am very glad to see the end of the worst month of the year, January. Jen and I will be spending the night of the 31st with our friends at Dieu di Ciel in Montreal. They are having the grand opening for their new bottling brewery and we are very excited to sample their wonderful brews once again. Check it out on our list of links.
As for our brewery, I've all kinds of tasty things going on in the basement. The Whonky is in the cooler and awaiting release. I've also brewed a new beer named Beelzebub which will be released in about 5 weeks. This is a very hoppy American stout brewed to 8% ABV and 90 IBU's. A massive roasted malt character is balanced wonderfully by the generous kettle additions and dryhopping. I might even lay a few kegs of it down for this summers Vermont Brewers Festival. The Bacchus is aging nicely and should be released sometime in March.
Great news for all you fellow hopheads out there. I'll be brewing a new batch of Heady Topper next week for release in mid March. Mark it on your calendars because I won't release it again until the fest.
I've also got a new wild ale in the works to be aged in some pinot noir casks I obtained from Schug Winery in the Russian River valley of California. This beer is inspired by the sour reds of Flanders and will age in the casks for the next 2-3 years. Primary fermentaion will be entirely by our house blend of Brettanomyces, and the secondary fermentation will be heavily influenced by Lactobacillus bacteria.
Patience Grasshopper......
I've been doing some further experimentation with some of my regular offerings. As I discussed in earlier notes, I've been forced to switch up some of the hopping in my beers. The last of the drastically different Holy Cow is now gone, and the beer is just about back to normal. I'm FINALLY getting my last missing strain next week in time to brew the Heady Topper. I've also taken this opportunity to try some new things with the Donovans Red and Pappy's Porter. I've taken both of them higher in alcohol content in the past, now it's time to try a batch in the other direction. The Red you will be drinking in the month of February will be 3.8% ABV as opposed to the usual 5.0%, and the porter will be 4.0%. To the fans of these beers, have no fear; the usual versions will be back soon enough.
Until next time....
John
I am very glad to see the end of the worst month of the year, January. Jen and I will be spending the night of the 31st with our friends at Dieu di Ciel in Montreal. They are having the grand opening for their new bottling brewery and we are very excited to sample their wonderful brews once again. Check it out on our list of links.
As for our brewery, I've all kinds of tasty things going on in the basement. The Whonky is in the cooler and awaiting release. I've also brewed a new beer named Beelzebub which will be released in about 5 weeks. This is a very hoppy American stout brewed to 8% ABV and 90 IBU's. A massive roasted malt character is balanced wonderfully by the generous kettle additions and dryhopping. I might even lay a few kegs of it down for this summers Vermont Brewers Festival. The Bacchus is aging nicely and should be released sometime in March.
Great news for all you fellow hopheads out there. I'll be brewing a new batch of Heady Topper next week for release in mid March. Mark it on your calendars because I won't release it again until the fest.
I've also got a new wild ale in the works to be aged in some pinot noir casks I obtained from Schug Winery in the Russian River valley of California. This beer is inspired by the sour reds of Flanders and will age in the casks for the next 2-3 years. Primary fermentaion will be entirely by our house blend of Brettanomyces, and the secondary fermentation will be heavily influenced by Lactobacillus bacteria.
Patience Grasshopper......
I've been doing some further experimentation with some of my regular offerings. As I discussed in earlier notes, I've been forced to switch up some of the hopping in my beers. The last of the drastically different Holy Cow is now gone, and the beer is just about back to normal. I'm FINALLY getting my last missing strain next week in time to brew the Heady Topper. I've also taken this opportunity to try some new things with the Donovans Red and Pappy's Porter. I've taken both of them higher in alcohol content in the past, now it's time to try a batch in the other direction. The Red you will be drinking in the month of February will be 3.8% ABV as opposed to the usual 5.0%, and the porter will be 4.0%. To the fans of these beers, have no fear; the usual versions will be back soon enough.
Until next time....
John
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Housekeeping Heads-Up
02 January, 2008 Posted by: Robin
Just a quick note to point you to some updates to the blog.
Notice over on the right of your screen, you'll see we have added a list of links to friends and fun stuff. The really fun stuff was the video interview I did that was uploaded to YouTube. Check it out. Has some good behind-the-scenes shots of my life down here in the brewery, as well as some lofty opinions on what makes good beer :).
As well are links to some of my best beer friends: Blind Tiger Ale House and The Vermont Pub and Brewery.
Later,
-John
Notice over on the right of your screen, you'll see we have added a list of links to friends and fun stuff. The really fun stuff was the video interview I did that was uploaded to YouTube. Check it out. Has some good behind-the-scenes shots of my life down here in the brewery, as well as some lofty opinions on what makes good beer :).
As well are links to some of my best beer friends: Blind Tiger Ale House and The Vermont Pub and Brewery.
Later,
-John
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Bacchus: God of Beer
31 December, 2007 Posted by: Robin
Well , I've just finished brewing another batch of Bacchus. I really love this beer as it is an American Wild Ale fermented entirely with a three way blend of Brettanomyces yeast and a massive amount of Concord grapes.
Wild Ales can take on many characteristics, almost always depending on the brewers' preference for style and profile. Some interpretations sit in tanks and age on bacteria for years, while others are meant to be consumed much younger.
The Wild Ales currently served at The Alchemist tend to be relatively young and centered around the Brettanomyces. In the future, when the sour beers in my cellar have matured, I'm really looking forward to introducing everyone to the effects of Lactobaccilus and Pediococcus bacterias on a Wild Ale.
My original pilot batch of Bacchus went pretty much as I had planned. Fruity, horsey, tart and fresh. I let the beer finish dry so as to add to the effervescence and keep it light and crisp. This new batch will have a juicier, more viscous quality to it. As with most of my work and brewing, I will stash away a keg or two for future blending.
As always, my number one goal with all of my beers is drinkability. This is even more of an issue with Wild Ales. While pushing the envelope of flavor is important (and fun!), it is equally essential for you guys to want a second or third serving.
When I drink any beer I ask myself, "would I want another two of these?" That is , in my opinion, the sign of a great beer.
With that said, stay tuned.
-John
Wild Ales can take on many characteristics, almost always depending on the brewers' preference for style and profile. Some interpretations sit in tanks and age on bacteria for years, while others are meant to be consumed much younger.
The Wild Ales currently served at The Alchemist tend to be relatively young and centered around the Brettanomyces. In the future, when the sour beers in my cellar have matured, I'm really looking forward to introducing everyone to the effects of Lactobaccilus and Pediococcus bacterias on a Wild Ale.
My original pilot batch of Bacchus went pretty much as I had planned. Fruity, horsey, tart and fresh. I let the beer finish dry so as to add to the effervescence and keep it light and crisp. This new batch will have a juicier, more viscous quality to it. As with most of my work and brewing, I will stash away a keg or two for future blending.
As always, my number one goal with all of my beers is drinkability. This is even more of an issue with Wild Ales. While pushing the envelope of flavor is important (and fun!), it is equally essential for you guys to want a second or third serving.
When I drink any beer I ask myself, "would I want another two of these?" That is , in my opinion, the sign of a great beer.
With that said, stay tuned.
-John
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The Alchemist Pub and Brewery has a Blog!
16 December, 2007 Posted by: Robin
So the snow is falling and we are going full bore here at The Alchemist. There are some new beers and some old favorites working in the brewery.
I've brewed a batch of our Belgian-style white beer, Honky, with a new twist. This time it is fermented entirely with our house blend of Brettanomyces, and it will be called Whonky ( for wild Honky ). This treat is being conditioned in the keg and will be released whenever it is ready.
There is also a batch of Blackout in the works. This coffee stout is made with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Organic Fair Trade beans and will be released sometime in early January.
I am also getting the Hellbrook 2007 rolling through the tanks. This American double red ale will come in at about 7.5% abv and will be overflowing with hoppy goodness. Keep an eye out for the latest version of Dunkler Stern. I ferment and age this German-inspired ale at lager temperatures. It is VERY loosely based on German Schwartzbiers, and is hopped with Perle malt on the hot side, and Saaz hops on the cold side.
It's very common knowledge in the brewing world, but I want everyone to know that there is a crisis going on in the world of brewing ingredients. Increasing world-wide demand and a poor harvest have made hops supplies very tight. Our hop suppliers have just informed us that our new crop of hops will not be delivered until early January. Have no fear, we have plenty of hops to satisfy your (and my)cravings. I will , however, be using some different strains in some of my regular offerings. Look for a temporarily different hop profile in the Donavans Red and the Holy Cow IPA. Like them , or not, the regular recipes will be back in full force as soon as we receive our new hop crop.
I'd like to ask everyone to understand as well that I'm very excited about this new blog, but don't have the first idea how it works! I have some excellent help with this, but with my time in the brewery and my time as a father and husband, I'm just going to do the best I can with this. My only promise is straight info when I do post. I have lots of opinions about brewing! :)
Until next time, John
I've brewed a batch of our Belgian-style white beer, Honky, with a new twist. This time it is fermented entirely with our house blend of Brettanomyces, and it will be called Whonky ( for wild Honky ). This treat is being conditioned in the keg and will be released whenever it is ready.
There is also a batch of Blackout in the works. This coffee stout is made with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Organic Fair Trade beans and will be released sometime in early January.
I am also getting the Hellbrook 2007 rolling through the tanks. This American double red ale will come in at about 7.5% abv and will be overflowing with hoppy goodness. Keep an eye out for the latest version of Dunkler Stern. I ferment and age this German-inspired ale at lager temperatures. It is VERY loosely based on German Schwartzbiers, and is hopped with Perle malt on the hot side, and Saaz hops on the cold side.
It's very common knowledge in the brewing world, but I want everyone to know that there is a crisis going on in the world of brewing ingredients. Increasing world-wide demand and a poor harvest have made hops supplies very tight. Our hop suppliers have just informed us that our new crop of hops will not be delivered until early January. Have no fear, we have plenty of hops to satisfy your (and my)cravings. I will , however, be using some different strains in some of my regular offerings. Look for a temporarily different hop profile in the Donavans Red and the Holy Cow IPA. Like them , or not, the regular recipes will be back in full force as soon as we receive our new hop crop.
I'd like to ask everyone to understand as well that I'm very excited about this new blog, but don't have the first idea how it works! I have some excellent help with this, but with my time in the brewery and my time as a father and husband, I'm just going to do the best I can with this. My only promise is straight info when I do post. I have lots of opinions about brewing! :)
Until next time, John
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