Archive for December, 2005
» posted on Friday, December 30th, 2005 at 6:44 pm by Garrett
New Years Eve Brew
Yeah, I’m getting in my 200 gallons under the wire. Its silly and unnecessary (and I’m going to be seriously screwed for secondary fermenters in a week or so) but hey – I can say that I did it once. I’m brewing 10 gallons of my delicious Amarillo Pale Ale. 21 pounds of grain measured, a huge starter of White Labs California V is in the refrigerator, I’ve got all my stuff drug upstairs so I can just wake up and start brewing tomorrow morning early. Oh crap! Need to go set the coffee maker.
I hope to be done by noon – then I can spend the rest of the day entertaining the children and wife, and deciding how I want to spend my evening – I’ve got many good beers in the basement, and I’m not sure which ones I should crack into. Maybe tomorrow evening would be the perfect time to drain my bottles of Ommegang to culture the yeast…
I hope to get together with Marty sometime over the next week or so and talk about what we want to do this year. I know that the First State Brewers is about fun, socializing, and sharing our homebrews and is most decidedly not about structure, and I don’t really want to change that – but if there are activities and subjects that people want us to do, then I’m all for it. For example:
- How about a discussion around yeast – starters, pitching rates, strain behaviors, etc.
- Can we develop a better and mutually beneficial relationship with HDYB or some of the brewpubs in the area?
- Is there interest in doing more inter-club events with PA or southern DE clubs?
So hopefully Marty and I can come up with a couple ways to make 2006 an even greater year for the club… I certainly want to do right by you all.
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» posted on Monday, December 26th, 2005 at 6:44 am by ScottB
The best Christmas present ever
Wooo hooo! My wife bought me an assorted case of Ommegang Ale for Christmas! :)
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» posted on Saturday, December 24th, 2005 at 7:38 am by Garrett
Brewing Sake in 2006
Anyone out there have the Sept/Oct 2004 edition of Zymurgy? Apparently Fred Eckhart had an article in there on how to homebrew Sake, and that was well before I joined the AHA. Also, any other advice on where to get info on brewing Sake? I’ve seen some on the web, but I’m still looking for printed material.
Have a great holiday, everyone!
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» posted on Sunday, December 18th, 2005 at 11:59 am by Garrett
200 gallons in 2005
I will hit it this year. Today was 190 gallons, and I’ve already got the beginnings of a big starter of California V Ale for 10 more gallons of Amarillo Pale Ale… so once we get back from Atlanta, I’ll fire up the kettle for one last time this year and hit my legal limit for the year. Fortunately I’ve also got the records to prove it if ATF comes snooping.
Good meeting at Marty’s – Lots of good beer to be had. A couple people definitely found the Native Rage IRA to be a little extreme in the hops department (I will never forget Marty’s face), but Cindy Cook certified herself as a major hophead – she loved it. Rock on… I will be brewing another batch of it early in 2005.
Christmas will outfit me with new brewing toys this year – I’m getting a pressure/canner for starter wort (and if I ever get as nuts as Marty, I could steam-power my mash tun… As well as a small shopping spree at MoreBeer. I went to How Do You Brew on Saturday and picked up a bunch of stuff, including another 50lb bag of American Pale Ale malt. I really like Joe and his wife – as club president I definitely hope that we can establish a good relationship with them that will be mutually beneficial and help both of us grow. Joe is also really working on expanding and improving his offerings. He wants to have another meeting there sometime in the first half of 2005, and is still looking for volunteers to do brewing demonstrations. I will definitely pack up my stuff and get over there some Saturday to give a demonstration in January or February.
Well, I am off to oxygenate and pitch yeast into my Homegrown Pale Ale… Later all, and have a great holiday.
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» posted on Thursday, December 15th, 2005 at 8:18 pm by Garrett
Meeting tomorrow night
Same time, Marty’s place, right down the road from How Do You Brew?… I need to stop in and pick up some stuff too… although it’ll have to be well in advance of the meeting. I am running low on 2-row, although I’ve got about 30 lbs each of Golden Promise and Maris Otter… I’d prefer to keep the Golden Promise for Scottish Ales and the Maris Otter for English… So for any american pale ales I need to pick up more Briess or Great Western or whatever it is that Joe carries. I also need some white six-pack carriers for christmas gifts.
I’ll be bringing tomorrow:
- 1 22oz bottle of Pumpkin Ale
- 2 bottles Strong Dark Ale
- 2 bottles witbier (or whatever it is… Marty indicated it was not one at Fordham)
- 2 bottles Native Rage IRA
The Native Rage apparently made an impression with those that tried it at Fordham – Jerry Carney said “that’s a keeper”, Gene Diemer asked for the recipe, and apparently left an impression with Mike. I think Scott also said it was tasty. We’ll have to see what our club members think of it tomorrow night – its been ages since I’ve even tried it.
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» First State Brewers ShoutBox

- Info : Please, resolve the addition below before post any new comment...
- Seth : I'll be at Martys for the meeting. Anyone else going to the Beer & Bocce thing at Iron Hill tonight?
- Scott Johnson : ScottB: Still cant get my avator to work! what are the file requirements for it?
- Scott Johnson : Again, unfortunately I can't make it, gotta head to Norfolk for work that night!
- ScottB : Anyone going to the meeting Friday at Marty's house?
- JoeBob : I'll be in Newark around 3:30 for the festivities
- Seth : Hey everyone, big weekend for beer. Sat is the 7th annual Newark Food and Brew Fest. At least 4 new brewers (including 2 Belgian) that I can tell. Also this weekend is Stewart's Brewing Co's 15th Anniv. They're having stuff all week starting Fri.
- ScottB : Hey folks! Is anyone coming to the meeting this Friday?
- ScottB : How was the meeting last Friday? Sorry I couldn't make it.
- ScottB : Meeting Friday, 6/18, at How Do You Brew!
- ScottB : Check out the old club pics! «link»
- ScottB : 7pm to 10pm
- RavenChief : Thanks, I am not sure I can make it up there on the 18th. But what time do you all get togeather?
- ScottB : The next meeting will be this Friday, June 18 at the How Do You Brew store
- ScottB : Check out the new Mingle social network I just added to this site!
- ScottB : RavenChief, the next meeting will be this Friday, June 18. I have to confirm the meeting location.
- RavenChief : Hi folks, just wondering when and where you might be getting togeather for a meeting?
- RavenChief : Howdy
- ScottB : Cool!
- Seth : w00t! Brewed an Irish Red on Sun and put it in my new fermenter. I is a happy brewer!
- Seth : Anyone else planning on getting some malt from HDYB during the sale? Anyone only need half a big ole bag o'malt?
- ScottB : mike g77, sorry I did not see your message before the last meeting. I have added your email address to my distribution list so you will get the meeting notice next time.
- Seth : Have to have an organization in order to get them? If we bring in cones to compare at a meeting is it "research?" I say yes!
- Seth : Think maybe they'll buy "research" on the testing local terrestrial conditions (terroir) and lattitude orientation variabilities on the flavor and aromatic proporties on various hops varieties in regards to brewing and other commercial applications? Worth a shot, I say.
- Seth : Interested in the Southern Brewer and the Blue Northern Brewer, myself.
- Scott Johnson : looks interesting, but seems that you have to report back on your "research" May have to try it....researchin g about how homegrown hops makes my beer better :)
- Seth : Interesting. Saw this from Morebeer's facebook posting: USDA Germplasm Resourse Information Network (GRIN) has hops rhizomes for free, for research purposes. Anyone tried it? Here's the link: «link»
- mike g77 : How can I get directions to the next meeting?
- ScottB : I'm not sure. See if you can make the pic the same size as your current one before trying to change it.
- Scott Johnson : ScottB, I am having issues changing my avatar...is there a specific file type or size?
- Scott Johnson : dude, saw the pics, Very Nice!
- ScottB : Where are the pics?
- Seth : It's here! It's here! Nice shiny, still needs to be cleaned stainless steel 14.5 gallon fermenter. Bwahahahaha!
- ScottB : Louis, I heard that. Who did he sell to?
- ScottB : Check out the Big Brew site: «link» site#:445 | Heavy Handed Brewing, Wilmington, DE, site type: residence, email: Jay White «email»
- ScottB : No time to organize a Big Brew now.
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