The Bubbles!

We did it! We made our first beer. Well, it's in the first stage of fermentation right now. But, it's bubbling and it's alive!

After battling through the bizarre Iowa weather, we decided not to make the beer outside. It was cold and it would just be easier inside. The girls went off to use their recently acquired gift cards and the boys were left to stink up the house. We read and reread all of the instructions, discussed what we had learned outside of those instructions (gleaning tips from my future father-in-law for example).

The pot I purchased to make the wort in was much too big, but the plan is to work our way up to bigger batches, so whatever. After boiling the water, we added the grains in their little sock to the mixture. This created what could be the most incredible teabag effect ever. The grains steeped for a while, the we took those out and added the malt extract. This came in two very large cans, filled with what can only be described as a thick, sweet molasses-like syrup. My brother was kind enough to stir all of this in while I tried to keep everything clean.

Then that had to boil. For quite a while. So, we decided to open a beer. I had brought down a few favorites from the Ommegang Brewery. One of these was their namesake brew, Ommegang. This beer is quite possibly my favorite drink ever. It pours with an amazing clarity and a rich, red-hued head. My brother had gotten some new beer glasses for Christmas (Thanks Kimmy!) and we were able to use the "proper" glass. This beer has a rich complexity at the beginning, without any overwhelming single characteristic. After you swallow, there is a secondary explosion of flavor in your mouth. A fruity, sweet afterthought, like the beer wants you to remember it.

We also tried the Ommegang group's Hennepin ale. This is a very good ale also. It's a lot crisper and less fruity than the namesake brew, but it's definitely tasty. It pours a clear golden color with a light head. A little heavier on the hops, this beer still retained that complexity that makes it difficult to pin down a single ingredient. We also sampled a brew from Amsterdam, which was amazingly caramelly, but I have no idea what it was called. I studied German and the label was aggravatingly close to German, but not enough that I could actually understand it. And we had another Belgian ale. Mind you, this is over the course of nearly ten hours, not just in the hour it took for the wort to boil...

So, the wort has boiled, we've added the finishing hops and we're getting ready to add it to the bucket of cool water. How, exactly, should we go about pouring this vat of bubbling liquid into the bucket? My brother, always the hero, grabs a coat so he can pour the thing without burning his arms (although as a plumber he has managed to burn most of his arms anyway). After he successfully poured it, I filled it to the five-gallon mark and then began to wait until the temperature was correct for adding the yeast. It was a bit over 90 degrees initially and we didn't want to kill the pour little buggers.

After adding the yeast, we realized how tense we had been. It was a very stressful experience. As it was our first go at brewing, we didn't want to muck it up. However, when would we know if we had mucked it up? A week? Two weeks? Three weeks??? No, we just had to wait for the bucket to bubble. 24 hours. So, we sat down to play some video games and watch some television. After a night of this and a feast prepared by my sister-in-law, my girlfriend and I prepared to leave. It was at this point that we saw the bucket bubble.

That was a memorable moment. It meant that we hadn't messed up the yeast process and that the beer was fermenting. Whether or not it will taste good is still up in the air, but by God it will be BEER! Next weekend, we will bottle it and store it so that it can carbonate properly. So, now I have to figure out what type of bottle I want to use. I'm thinking the bigger "Grolsch" type bottles would be cool. Also, I have a lot of bottles around here that I am thinking about cleaning up and seeing if they will work. Either way, I know the name of the beer. Baby Bock. In honor of my buddy who just found out his wife is pregnant.

Here's a link to me and the Bubbles.


Prost!

Hurray Christmas!

I got the rest of the homebrewing equipment for Christmas. So guess what I'm going to do Saturday!!!

Brew beer. That's what... duh...

Making an American Style Bock with my brother in his garage, because the boiling of the wort stinks. Sweet.

Less money = Less good beer

With the holidays taking hold, and my job cutting me back to part-time, my finances are a bit tight. So, until further notice, I will be drinking my fall back. Pabst Blue Ribbon. Please don't judge me too harshly. It's a comfort food. Like, mashed potatoes and gravy with roast beef. Something that reminds you of better times. It's not the most flavorful item on the menu, but you can't beat it for lifting your spirits. The posts might continue, but the reviews of interesting beer will probably be done mostly from memory, or include large quantities of news from the beer world, as opposed to reviews.

Prost!

Saranac Variety Pack

This winter is set to be a snowy one here in Iowa. So, what better to do than get your hands on a winter beer variety pack? Nothing beats it. I recently picked up a variety pack from Saranac, or the Matt Brewing Company. Saranac has been a perennial favorite for me because of their willingness to experiment. Also, it's one of the first craft beers I ever picked up. Their IPA and Black & Tan are readily available at most stores in the area and provide a flavorful beer at a reasonable price. Anyway, my sordid affair with Saranac can be left to another day. Today is about their variety pack.

When Saranac labels something "variety," they aren't kidding. This twelve-pack comes with six different types of beer, two of each (sometimes I struggle with math, so bear with me.) There were a few old favorites with their E.S.B. and Belgian Ale, along with their Season's Best. The pack also included three NEW beers. These are the Vanilla Stout, India Brown Ale and Bohemian Pilsener. I had never even had a vanilla stout before and the concept of an India Brown Ale instead of Pale intrigued me. So, I merrily toted this beauty home with me for a nice, relaxing, fireside drink to match the book I'm reading - The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon, an interesting detective story set in an alternate history of the Jewish people.

I'm a sucker for an E.S.B. so that's what I started with. While it doesn't quite come up to the standards of Bluebird E.S.B. or Fuller's version, it comes damned close! As far as American E.S.B.s, this is definitely one of my favorites. You can tell they used Fuggles and Saaz hops for the finish, delicious. The E.S.B. name can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different brewers. So, it's like an extra special beer (which seems like a term that a five-year old would come up with super-extra-special-awesome-beer!!!) This beer has enough of a hoppy flavor to please me without overwhelming your average drinker. It makes a really great session beer due to its crisp, light flavor. I would definitely recommend this beer for holiday gatherings.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Extra Special Bitter
Malt Selections: 2 Row, Biscuit Malt
Hop Selections: Fuggle, Saaz
Color: Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium Full
Alcohol By Volume: 5.3%
Original Gravity: 13.5

Okay, I proceeded on to the IBA... India Brown Ale. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one. Like I said, IPAs are my favorite style of brew, with brown ales a close second. So, combine them and what do you get? Delicious? Confusing? It was really a more malty version of an IPA. It's a very impressive balance between a delicious hoppiness that one would expect from an India ale, while bringing in the aromatics and delightful malt flavor associated with brown ales. It has a very full body and I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is used to lighter, blander beers. This IBA would make a great way to introduce a friend to craft beers. It's very complex but enjoyable at a basic level also. Easily one of my new favorites from Saranac.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Strong Brown Ale
Malt Selections: Marris Otter, Crystal
Hop Selections: Fuggles
Color: Dark Brown
Mouthfeel / Body: Full
Alcohol By Volume: 6.0%
Original Gravity: 14.5

On the subject of introducing people to better beer, Saranac's Bohemian Pilsener would be a great baby-step. This beer is much more flavorful than American pilseners, but not overwhelming like some other craft offerings. Saranac did a beautiful job with this beer. It's light but flavorful, not overly hopped and easily one of their best session beers. This beer would be great for watching the big game with friends or just for relaxing after work. I'm surprised it made it into their winter pack, because it seems like it would be pretty friggin' good in the summer months too.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Malt Selections: Pilsener
Hop Selections: Saaz
Color: Straw
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Original Gravity: 12

I move on now to the Vanilla Stout. Now, I was a bit concerned about this one because I have had some pretty bad luck with beers being overly sweet in the past, and the term "vanilla" scares me. I did try it and I did greatly enjoy it. It had all of the traditional characteristics I associate with a tasty cream stout but none of the overly-sweet that ruins so many otherwise good beers. There was the familiar chocolate, almost coffee, flavor. It was a beautiful dark color. It made my detective novel seem even more dark, dreary and cold. Definitely not a session beer by any means, but if you like stouts and you're adventurous, this beer's for you.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Flavored Sweet Stout
Malt Selections: 2 Row, Chocolate Malt
Hop Selections: Willamette
Color: Black
Mouthfeel / Body: Full Body, Sweet
Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Original Gravity: 14

Ok, the pack also included a Belgian-Style Ale. I'm always wary of "Belgian-Style" because sometimes it means the brewer just dumped orange flavor into a light wheat beer. They balanced this beer quite well though and it left me wanting another one. It really epitomizes a Belgian style to me. It has a complexity that you really have to dig for, making it much more tantalizing. There was a hint of something to it that I couldn't quite put my finger on and it kept me thinking for a while. I'm still not sure what that little something is. The best part? This beer is just plain tasty!

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Belgian Style Ale
Malt Selections: 2 Row, Belgian Aromatic Malt
Hop Selections: Hersbrucker & Tettnang Hops
Color: Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium Body, Dry
Alcohol By Volume: 5.9%
Original Gravity: 14.5

Finally, we come to Saranac's Season's Best. This beer is magnificent. It's a Vienna style lager, which normally means the beer will be heavily malted and barely hopped. This beer doesn't disappoint on the malty goodness. It has a very strong, heavy body that wraps itself around your tongue when you drink it. I know, weird analogy, but that's just how it feels. That's not the best part though. They managed to use hops to perfectly compliment the malt. It doesn't override the thick smooth malt flavor, but lends to it ever so slightly that just makes it pop. Really impressive stuff.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Vienna - Style Lager
Malt Selections: Munich & Biscuit Malt
Hop Selections: Tettnang Color: Dark Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Heavy
Alcohol By Volume: 5.3%
Original Gravity: 14.0

Okay, that does it for their twelve-pack. I've only had one of each so far, and I might decide to update this post. Saranac has reaffirmed my love for them and I imagine I will pick this treat up again. Check out their website for updates and more info.

http://www.saranac.com/home/