Brewing up the Kolsch today. Beer #104 for the St. Francis Brewery.
After that, there will be a couple of days of minor tasks in the Brewery, a couple of tours, and then a few minutes of reflection on the year.
During those minutes, I will try to put together a pictoral "year in review" featuring some fun times the Brewery has hosted over the past twelve months. Who knows? Maybe some of you will appear??
With that, I want to thank all of you who have tipped back a pint or two, or enjoyed the kitchen's wonderful offerings. Thank you Mug Clubbers who remind me monthly what is one of the best parts of this job.
Thanks to the staff and fellow managers who keep the place running.
I wish you the joy of the Season and the hope of an even better 2011.
Enjoy your New Year's Eve. Please, celebrate safely.
Scott
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
That Odd Time Of Year
So, our First Annual New Year's Eve Party is coming at the end of the week, and I have no idea what to expect, beer-wise.
At every party that I've ever attended that had an open bar, the party-goers lean toward cocktails over beer. I think people think they're getting more bang for the buck.
Regardless, this week will be spent making sure all the tanks are full. Transferring a Nut Brown tomorrow. The Doppelbock is done fermenting and tastes wonderful. Plus, it will only get better as it lagers.
The Chocolate Hazlenut Porter is almost gone. I'm a little surprised by how quickly it is selling. St. Francis seems to favor the lighter beers over the darker ones, but lots of folks are taking this one home in growlers.
Tonight I made pork chops braised with Victory's Moonglow Weizenbock. They turned out great, but the beer didn't come through very well. Next time, I'll try a stout.
At every party that I've ever attended that had an open bar, the party-goers lean toward cocktails over beer. I think people think they're getting more bang for the buck.
Regardless, this week will be spent making sure all the tanks are full. Transferring a Nut Brown tomorrow. The Doppelbock is done fermenting and tastes wonderful. Plus, it will only get better as it lagers.
The Chocolate Hazlenut Porter is almost gone. I'm a little surprised by how quickly it is selling. St. Francis seems to favor the lighter beers over the darker ones, but lots of folks are taking this one home in growlers.
Tonight I made pork chops braised with Victory's Moonglow Weizenbock. They turned out great, but the beer didn't come through very well. Next time, I'll try a stout.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Gift of Beer
How about a gift basket from the St. Francis Brewery?
You get two weisse glasses. A half-gallon glass growler, and a coupon for a free fill of one of our craft brews.
All for only $25!
Plus, you may add a gift card for any denomination.
On behalf of the staff at the St. Francis Brewery, I'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed Holiday Season.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Second Annual SFB IPA Contest Announced
Hey Homebrewers!
As a brewer, I appreciate all styles of beer. However, there's a big difference between appreciating and enjoying all beers.
Though it is a bit of heresy to admit this, I've cultivated a weird attitude about IPAs. Quite frankly, and perhaps to my detriment, I am not a hophead. This is a term of endearment applied to those of you out there who find that with hops, more is better. My tastes lean toward the maltier side of brewing.
Many years ago, I really didn't like IPAs. Then, I tried Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale and fell in love. A homebrewed version of this quickly became my favorite beer. From there I started to "get" what you hopheads believe and I started diving into IPAs. I found the history of the style fascinating. I developed a fondness for a well-brewed IPA. I had reached an epiphany about the heavy-handed use of hops, and I truly enjoyed them. Then, about three years ago, IPAs became the rage. I attended a couple of local beer festivals, and it seemed every one of them had an IPA on tap, and it's quite possible that I tried them all! Brewers bragged about the insane amount of hops that were in their beers. They developed ingenious methods for periodically adding hops throughout the entire length of their boils and adding more in the fermenters. Some brewers focused so much on the hops side of things, that they forgot that there still has to be some beer backbone. Unfortunately, I got "IPA-ed out".
Then, about two years ago, a series of events occurred that drove hop prices through the roof. Many hop varieties were in very short supply, and brewing IPAs became an expensive proposition. The proliferation of this style slighly waned, though the popularity of it did not.
Hop prices have since come down significantly, and that's a good thing for you hopheads. I can't let my personal preferences get in the way of the demands of our patrons. But, my attitude toward this style prevents me from being the best judge of a good IPA.
We solved this issue last year by holding an IPA contest for local homebrewers. I expected maybe a half-dozen submissions and I think we ended up with 24! The success of the contest and the final result makes me excited to repeat it for this year.
So, homebrewers, I know it's a long way off, but start planning. Brew up a batch of your favorite IPA this spring. We will accept submissions starting April 23rd until the deadline on April 29 at 9pm. Submit two unmarked 12oz bottles. Entry labels will be available at the host stand which you will need to fill out and attach to your bottles with rubber bands. The judging will occur on Saturday, April 30th, and the winner will be announced at our May 4th Maibock tapping, at 7:30 pm. All contestants are welcome to attend the tapping, even if you are not a Mug Club member. I will once again assemble a great judging panel, though I will only serve as a steward.
This is not a BJCP sanctioned contest. The judging panel will have some BJCP-certified judges, as well as prominent members of the Milwaukee brewing community.
Once again, the winner will brew his or her beer on a commercial scale with me on Wednesday, May 18th. They will also be invited to the tapping on June 8th where praise and accolades will be heaped upon them. Finally, they will win a party at the Brewery.
Good luck and good brewing!
As a brewer, I appreciate all styles of beer. However, there's a big difference between appreciating and enjoying all beers.
Though it is a bit of heresy to admit this, I've cultivated a weird attitude about IPAs. Quite frankly, and perhaps to my detriment, I am not a hophead. This is a term of endearment applied to those of you out there who find that with hops, more is better. My tastes lean toward the maltier side of brewing.
Many years ago, I really didn't like IPAs. Then, I tried Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale and fell in love. A homebrewed version of this quickly became my favorite beer. From there I started to "get" what you hopheads believe and I started diving into IPAs. I found the history of the style fascinating. I developed a fondness for a well-brewed IPA. I had reached an epiphany about the heavy-handed use of hops, and I truly enjoyed them. Then, about three years ago, IPAs became the rage. I attended a couple of local beer festivals, and it seemed every one of them had an IPA on tap, and it's quite possible that I tried them all! Brewers bragged about the insane amount of hops that were in their beers. They developed ingenious methods for periodically adding hops throughout the entire length of their boils and adding more in the fermenters. Some brewers focused so much on the hops side of things, that they forgot that there still has to be some beer backbone. Unfortunately, I got "IPA-ed out".
Then, about two years ago, a series of events occurred that drove hop prices through the roof. Many hop varieties were in very short supply, and brewing IPAs became an expensive proposition. The proliferation of this style slighly waned, though the popularity of it did not.
Hop prices have since come down significantly, and that's a good thing for you hopheads. I can't let my personal preferences get in the way of the demands of our patrons. But, my attitude toward this style prevents me from being the best judge of a good IPA.
We solved this issue last year by holding an IPA contest for local homebrewers. I expected maybe a half-dozen submissions and I think we ended up with 24! The success of the contest and the final result makes me excited to repeat it for this year.
So, homebrewers, I know it's a long way off, but start planning. Brew up a batch of your favorite IPA this spring. We will accept submissions starting April 23rd until the deadline on April 29 at 9pm. Submit two unmarked 12oz bottles. Entry labels will be available at the host stand which you will need to fill out and attach to your bottles with rubber bands. The judging will occur on Saturday, April 30th, and the winner will be announced at our May 4th Maibock tapping, at 7:30 pm. All contestants are welcome to attend the tapping, even if you are not a Mug Club member. I will once again assemble a great judging panel, though I will only serve as a steward.
This is not a BJCP sanctioned contest. The judging panel will have some BJCP-certified judges, as well as prominent members of the Milwaukee brewing community.
Once again, the winner will brew his or her beer on a commercial scale with me on Wednesday, May 18th. They will also be invited to the tapping on June 8th where praise and accolades will be heaped upon them. Finally, they will win a party at the Brewery.
Good luck and good brewing!
2011's Year of Beer
I will send this list out separately to the Mug Club, but I thought you might like to know what's in store for 2011 and when the tappings will occur. This schedule is subject to change. If you're not a member of the mug club, you are welcome to stop in for these seasonals the day after their tap date.
2011
January 12--Doppelbock
February 9--Double Red
March 2--Scottish Heavy*
April 6--Altbier*
May 4--Maibock
June 8--IPA
July 6--Saison
August 10--Dortmunder Export*
September 24--Oktoberfest (This will also be the date of our second annual Oktoberfest Extravaganza)
October 19--Pumpkin Pie Spice Ale
November 9--Weizenbock*
December 7--Christmas Ale (Style, TBD)
* Indicates a new style for this year
In addition, once our expansion project is completed some time late summer of 2011, three of my serving vessels will be freed up allowing me to add three more seasonal taps to our current lineup.
2011
January 12--Doppelbock
February 9--Double Red
March 2--Scottish Heavy*
April 6--Altbier*
May 4--Maibock
June 8--IPA
July 6--Saison
August 10--Dortmunder Export*
September 24--Oktoberfest (This will also be the date of our second annual Oktoberfest Extravaganza)
October 19--Pumpkin Pie Spice Ale
November 9--Weizenbock*
December 7--Christmas Ale (Style, TBD)
* Indicates a new style for this year
In addition, once our expansion project is completed some time late summer of 2011, three of my serving vessels will be freed up allowing me to add three more seasonal taps to our current lineup.
What Did Scott Eat Last Night??!
or
Who Pulled St. Francis' Finger??
I don't often think twice about it. One gets used to the sounds and smells of the Brewery.
The staff on the other hand.....
So where is this going? I've mentioned before that I seldom brew lagers. I wish I could brew them more often, but it is hard for me to tie up one of my three fermenters for a month or more with a single beer and keep the other house beers in stock. However, the restaurant industry slows down a bit in January and February and I can plan for lagers. It also follows Bavarian tradition to brew lagers in the colder months.
Without getting overly technical, lagers use a different type of yeast than ales. This yeast tends to produce a lot of sulphur during the early stages of fermentation, and much of this sulphur vents out with the carbon dioxide, thus lending a particular pungent smell to the Brewhouse. The rest of the suphur drops out of solution with time and actually lends some beneficial characteristics to lagers the longer they age.
I brewed January's Seasonal beer, the Doppelbock earlier this week and the Brewhouse now smells like the campfire scene from "Blazing Saddles"! This morning, I mentioned to the GM and the bartender, "The brewhouse may smell a little like farts. It's not me." Both ladies immediately smiled and said "I was wondering what that was!"
Who Pulled St. Francis' Finger??
I don't often think twice about it. One gets used to the sounds and smells of the Brewery.
The staff on the other hand.....
So where is this going? I've mentioned before that I seldom brew lagers. I wish I could brew them more often, but it is hard for me to tie up one of my three fermenters for a month or more with a single beer and keep the other house beers in stock. However, the restaurant industry slows down a bit in January and February and I can plan for lagers. It also follows Bavarian tradition to brew lagers in the colder months.
Without getting overly technical, lagers use a different type of yeast than ales. This yeast tends to produce a lot of sulphur during the early stages of fermentation, and much of this sulphur vents out with the carbon dioxide, thus lending a particular pungent smell to the Brewhouse. The rest of the suphur drops out of solution with time and actually lends some beneficial characteristics to lagers the longer they age.
I brewed January's Seasonal beer, the Doppelbock earlier this week and the Brewhouse now smells like the campfire scene from "Blazing Saddles"! This morning, I mentioned to the GM and the bartender, "The brewhouse may smell a little like farts. It's not me." Both ladies immediately smiled and said "I was wondering what that was!"
Friday, December 3, 2010
Road Trip!
I buy nearly all of my malt from Briess malting company in Chilton, WI.
When setting up the Brew Schedule for 2011 the other night, I decided to make January's Seasonal the Doppelbock. A quick check of our malt inventory showed that I'm a little short on a couple of the malts. This being a lager, I'll need to get it brewed asap.
I've never been to Briess, but I heard it was very impressive. So, I'm going to brave the "blizzard" that's supposed to hit the Milwaukee area this weekend and take a trip up to Briess on Monday. I've got a tour lined up and am hoping to meet with one of their tech guys, Bob Hanson. Bob is a wealth of knowledge and it would be nice to feed off of his intellect for a while. Plus, he gave me some advice about using Briess smoked malt--the malt that gives our Harvest Strong its unique flavor.
If they let me bring my camera in, I'll post some photos next week.
When setting up the Brew Schedule for 2011 the other night, I decided to make January's Seasonal the Doppelbock. A quick check of our malt inventory showed that I'm a little short on a couple of the malts. This being a lager, I'll need to get it brewed asap.
I've never been to Briess, but I heard it was very impressive. So, I'm going to brave the "blizzard" that's supposed to hit the Milwaukee area this weekend and take a trip up to Briess on Monday. I've got a tour lined up and am hoping to meet with one of their tech guys, Bob Hanson. Bob is a wealth of knowledge and it would be nice to feed off of his intellect for a while. Plus, he gave me some advice about using Briess smoked malt--the malt that gives our Harvest Strong its unique flavor.
If they let me bring my camera in, I'll post some photos next week.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Another Year of Beer
I've written in this blog's past about deciding what will be the next seasonal. I had some time this evening to finally sit down and come up with 2011's seasonal schedule.
Some of my seasonals will be making reappearances: Oktoberfest, Doppelbock, Maibock, Double Red, the Saison and the Pumpkin--(what's with you people and your love of Pumpkin beer??)
I've got several newcomers in the works as well. I've tentatively scheduled a Scottish Heavy, an Altbier, a Dortmunder Export and a Weizenbock.
What's more, once the brewery expansion project is complete, I'll be able to add two or three more seasonals to our brewpub lineup.
Maybe there's a beer you'd love to see? Yes, there will be an IPA again, and I may choose it through a contest again. Let me know your thoughts.
Some of my seasonals will be making reappearances: Oktoberfest, Doppelbock, Maibock, Double Red, the Saison and the Pumpkin--(what's with you people and your love of Pumpkin beer??)
I've got several newcomers in the works as well. I've tentatively scheduled a Scottish Heavy, an Altbier, a Dortmunder Export and a Weizenbock.
What's more, once the brewery expansion project is complete, I'll be able to add two or three more seasonals to our brewpub lineup.
Maybe there's a beer you'd love to see? Yes, there will be an IPA again, and I may choose it through a contest again. Let me know your thoughts.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Going World Wide
As a homebrewer, I use a great piece of software called "BeerSmith". I've found that it works extremely well for brewing commercial size batches, so I use it all the time at St. Francis. I sent its creator, Brad Smith, an email a while back letting him know that I use his software at the brewery and I'm very happy with it. He wrote back saying that he started a podcast and he's interested in interviewing me.
We're doing the interview this evening. I'll be appearing, via Skype, along with George Bluvas, the Director of Brewing Operations at the Water Street Brewery in Milwaukee. George is a great guy. He's my age, and has been doing this a lot longer than I have. We took two very different paths to our positions. Tonight's podcast will focus on going from homebrewer to pro.
Anyway, once Brad edits out all my lies and umms and errs, you'll be able to catch the interview online at: http://www.beersmith.com/blog/category/podcast/
We're doing the interview this evening. I'll be appearing, via Skype, along with George Bluvas, the Director of Brewing Operations at the Water Street Brewery in Milwaukee. George is a great guy. He's my age, and has been doing this a lot longer than I have. We took two very different paths to our positions. Tonight's podcast will focus on going from homebrewer to pro.
Anyway, once Brad edits out all my lies and umms and errs, you'll be able to catch the interview online at: http://www.beersmith.com/blog/category/podcast/
No Worries, Mate!
I just finished up the porter. Thanks to Sous Chef Greg, I took an unplanned tack.
Initially I was just going to dump the cocoa into the brew kettle. Greg suggested I mix it with water before adding it. Instead I drew off buckets of hot wort and whisked in the cocoa. Then I added it back to the brew kettle. Finally, I whirlpooled the whole thing for about 10 minutes before transferring to the fermentation tank.
I think it went well. A fair amount of cocoa was left behind in the brew kettle, but a lot made it to the fermenter. The heat exchanger didn't clog, and it cleaned up easily afterward.
My yield will be a little less than I would hope for, but I'm not going to filter this ale, so that will help my final yield.
The numbers turned out slightly higher than I was shooting for, but if I erred on the right side. It just means the ABV will be a little higher than anticipated, and our customers don't seem to mind that!
Initially I was just going to dump the cocoa into the brew kettle. Greg suggested I mix it with water before adding it. Instead I drew off buckets of hot wort and whisked in the cocoa. Then I added it back to the brew kettle. Finally, I whirlpooled the whole thing for about 10 minutes before transferring to the fermentation tank.
I think it went well. A fair amount of cocoa was left behind in the brew kettle, but a lot made it to the fermenter. The heat exchanger didn't clog, and it cleaned up easily afterward.
My yield will be a little less than I would hope for, but I'm not going to filter this ale, so that will help my final yield.
The numbers turned out slightly higher than I was shooting for, but if I erred on the right side. It just means the ABV will be a little higher than anticipated, and our customers don't seem to mind that!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Christmas Ale 2010
As I mentioned earlier, this year's Christmas Ale will be a chocolate hazlenut porter.
I've never done a porter on a commercial scale, so this one will be interesting. It also has to potential to be promblematic.
In addition to six different malts, I am also using unsweetened cocoa powder:
I've never done a porter on a commercial scale, so this one will be interesting. It also has to potential to be promblematic.
In addition to six different malts, I am also using unsweetened cocoa powder:
"So Scott, what's the problem?"
Well, there could be several:
Number one, I'm dumping most of this right into the brewkettle. This will allow it to mix well with the wort and sanitize it. But, it can make a layer of chocolately sludge that will turn the inside of my heat exchanger into an M&M.
Number two, if you've ever tasted unsweetened cocoa, you know how bitter it is. This will add an astringency to the beer which I hope will mellow with time and be balanced by the malt.
Number three, there is fat in the cocoa. Fats play havoc with head retention in beer. This is the least of my worries.
As for the hazlenut--I picked up some natural extract from a local ingredient company. It smells wonderful, but a little goes a long way, and it will be very easy to ruin this batch. Therefore, I will have to add a little at a time in the fermenter and taste test each addition. Actually, this part of it doesn't sound too bad!
The tapping of this ale will occur on December 15th. Unlike its predecessor, you will be able to take home growlers for your Holiday parties.
What Are You Doing New Year's......
.....New Year's Eve?
Well, here's an idea.
The St. Francis Brewery is announcing its first Private New Year's Eve Party.
Friday, December 31st, 9:00 pm to 2:00 am.
We're shutting down for the evening and settting up for a private party, and you are all invited. Your ticket price includes:
All of this for only $75 per person. You'll need to purchase tickets in advance, so stop in to the brewery or call us at 414-744-4448. Semi-formal dress required.
Well, here's an idea.
The St. Francis Brewery is announcing its first Private New Year's Eve Party.
Friday, December 31st, 9:00 pm to 2:00 am.
We're shutting down for the evening and settting up for a private party, and you are all invited. Your ticket price includes:
- Open Bar
- Appetizer and Dessert Buffet
- Live DJ and Dancing
- Party Favors
- Champagne Toast at Midnight
- A Bus Ride Home (within a 10-mile radius)
All of this for only $75 per person. You'll need to purchase tickets in advance, so stop in to the brewery or call us at 414-744-4448. Semi-formal dress required.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Coming Home
And, boy am I ready!
I've mostly kept my personal life out of this blog. The focus has always been the brewery and brewing, as it should be.
After all, this isn't Facebook!
But, I will say that I spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with my extended family out here in Virginia. Once again, my daughter-in-law did a beautiful job with the meal as I spent the day utterly useless on the couch watching football.
We packed a lot of fun into our week here, but I am excited about coming back home and getting into the brewery again.
As you all enjoy your Black Friday crowds, I'll be bombarded by huge amounts of radiation while the TSA takes naughty pictures of me.
I've mostly kept my personal life out of this blog. The focus has always been the brewery and brewing, as it should be.
After all, this isn't Facebook!
But, I will say that I spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with my extended family out here in Virginia. Once again, my daughter-in-law did a beautiful job with the meal as I spent the day utterly useless on the couch watching football.
We packed a lot of fun into our week here, but I am excited about coming back home and getting into the brewery again.
As you all enjoy your Black Friday crowds, I'll be bombarded by huge amounts of radiation while the TSA takes naughty pictures of me.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
A Little Market Research
When I venture around this great country of ours, I like to check out what the local craft breweries are doing. The last time I was in Virginia, I visited many breweries. Most were good, some were not. I did revisit a couple on this trip so see if there have been any changes. So far on this trip I've tried:
Gordon Biersch (Virginia Beach, VA)--two years ago, a couple of beers on their sampler were infected. This year, all of their beers were very well-made. Some general notes--yes, it's a chain. I do not hold that against them, as a national chain gave me my start in commercial brewing. However, they have a much stronger "chain vibe" than Rock Bottom. There were no references to their Brewmaster on the menus or table tents. There were no local references to their beer names. It felt a little more like a beer factory. On the plus side, they were very busy. They have a large menu. Another interesting note is the ABVs of their beers hovered around the low to mid 5%'s. The top ABV was 7%, and was described a "powerful".
Weeping Radish (Grandy, NC)--Just stopped in for one pint there. Didn't have the sampler. When I was there last time, I took the tour. This place has a pretty cool story. The owner is a German immigrant. He bought a bunch of land just north of the Outer Banks to farm. His brother talked him in to adding a brewery to the project. This working farm/restaurant/brewery is largely self-sustaining. Most of ther food served is grown there. They also have an old-school butcher who processes their livestock and turns them in to some of the best sausages I've ever tried. Oh, and the beer's good, too!
Williamsburg Alewerks (Williamsburg, VA)--Again, this was a return trip. Last time, the Brewmaster had just been replaced, and the new Brewmaster's beers were not on tap yet. The beers were fine, but nothing really stood out. On the revisit, all of the beers I tried were very well-crafted and true to style. I picked up a mixed case to share during our Thanksgiving meal.
Gordon Biersch (Virginia Beach, VA)--two years ago, a couple of beers on their sampler were infected. This year, all of their beers were very well-made. Some general notes--yes, it's a chain. I do not hold that against them, as a national chain gave me my start in commercial brewing. However, they have a much stronger "chain vibe" than Rock Bottom. There were no references to their Brewmaster on the menus or table tents. There were no local references to their beer names. It felt a little more like a beer factory. On the plus side, they were very busy. They have a large menu. Another interesting note is the ABVs of their beers hovered around the low to mid 5%'s. The top ABV was 7%, and was described a "powerful".
Weeping Radish (Grandy, NC)--Just stopped in for one pint there. Didn't have the sampler. When I was there last time, I took the tour. This place has a pretty cool story. The owner is a German immigrant. He bought a bunch of land just north of the Outer Banks to farm. His brother talked him in to adding a brewery to the project. This working farm/restaurant/brewery is largely self-sustaining. Most of ther food served is grown there. They also have an old-school butcher who processes their livestock and turns them in to some of the best sausages I've ever tried. Oh, and the beer's good, too!
Williamsburg Alewerks (Williamsburg, VA)--Again, this was a return trip. Last time, the Brewmaster had just been replaced, and the new Brewmaster's beers were not on tap yet. The beers were fine, but nothing really stood out. On the revisit, all of the beers I tried were very well-crafted and true to style. I picked up a mixed case to share during our Thanksgiving meal.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
I've Been Reprimanded.
No, not from my General Manager. Not from the Owners.
Rather, from my eldest step-son. Joshua said I do not update my blog often enough.
Sadly, he is correct.
You see, though this blog is a year or so old, I'm still a relative newbie. I take a look at the list of followers to the bottom left of this post and see it at a steady 22 +/- followers, so I feel I'm writing to a tiny microcosm of the people who stop in for a beer. What I didn't realize, is that for every full-fledged "follower", there are several (if not many) of you who silently follow along and soak in the beauty that flows from my mind, though my fingertips and out to the blogosphere. Ok, maybe that's taking it a little too far.....
To you who actually enjoy the occasional musings from me, I truly appreciate it. For you I make these promises:
1. I will update more often. Or:
2. I will sincerely feel bad if I don't.
Since my last post, we have tapped the Harvest Strong, and I'm proud to say that it turned out pretty well. This being my first "conceptual beer", I am honored that many of you who have offered feedback said that it is exactly what I touted it to be. If you haven't tried it yet, come on it and give it a shot. Ask the bartender what it is. Hopefully he or she will give you the full description--as I left a half-page cheat sheet right next to the taps. If this information isn't provided, let me know and I'll crack some skulls! What I can suggest is to give it a small sip when it's first poured, but then let it warm in the glass and take in all the aromas. As it warms, the flavor will change dramatically, and for the better.
As I type this, I am sitting in a hotel room in Virginia Beach with my family for a little R&R and some holiday time with my stepson and his family. The body's here, but the mind drifts back to St. Francis many times each day.
One of the things I'm gearing up for is this year's Christmas Ale. Last year, I made the Cranberry Rye. It went over fairly well. Most Christmas beers involve some sort of spice. I'm not a huge fan of spiced beers, and I am loathe to put out a spiced beer so close to the Pumpkin Ale. That's why I went with a fruit beer last year.
This year will be different. I will be putting out a style which I've not brewed commercially before, so it will be a bit of an adventure. This will also challenge the good patrons of St. Francis, as you all tend to prefer the lighter beers over the darker ones.
This year's Christmas Ale will be a Chocolate Hazelnut Porter. I'm planning to brew it this coming Tuesday and it will be tapped December 15th. I will write more about it in an upcoming post.
Other upcoming posts may include a tale of me falling off the back of a farmer's pick-up truck before 9:30 am on my birthday....
Rather, from my eldest step-son. Joshua said I do not update my blog often enough.
Sadly, he is correct.
You see, though this blog is a year or so old, I'm still a relative newbie. I take a look at the list of followers to the bottom left of this post and see it at a steady 22 +/- followers, so I feel I'm writing to a tiny microcosm of the people who stop in for a beer. What I didn't realize, is that for every full-fledged "follower", there are several (if not many) of you who silently follow along and soak in the beauty that flows from my mind, though my fingertips and out to the blogosphere. Ok, maybe that's taking it a little too far.....
To you who actually enjoy the occasional musings from me, I truly appreciate it. For you I make these promises:
1. I will update more often. Or:
2. I will sincerely feel bad if I don't.
Since my last post, we have tapped the Harvest Strong, and I'm proud to say that it turned out pretty well. This being my first "conceptual beer", I am honored that many of you who have offered feedback said that it is exactly what I touted it to be. If you haven't tried it yet, come on it and give it a shot. Ask the bartender what it is. Hopefully he or she will give you the full description--as I left a half-page cheat sheet right next to the taps. If this information isn't provided, let me know and I'll crack some skulls! What I can suggest is to give it a small sip when it's first poured, but then let it warm in the glass and take in all the aromas. As it warms, the flavor will change dramatically, and for the better.
As I type this, I am sitting in a hotel room in Virginia Beach with my family for a little R&R and some holiday time with my stepson and his family. The body's here, but the mind drifts back to St. Francis many times each day.
One of the things I'm gearing up for is this year's Christmas Ale. Last year, I made the Cranberry Rye. It went over fairly well. Most Christmas beers involve some sort of spice. I'm not a huge fan of spiced beers, and I am loathe to put out a spiced beer so close to the Pumpkin Ale. That's why I went with a fruit beer last year.
This year will be different. I will be putting out a style which I've not brewed commercially before, so it will be a bit of an adventure. This will also challenge the good patrons of St. Francis, as you all tend to prefer the lighter beers over the darker ones.
This year's Christmas Ale will be a Chocolate Hazelnut Porter. I'm planning to brew it this coming Tuesday and it will be tapped December 15th. I will write more about it in an upcoming post.
Other upcoming posts may include a tale of me falling off the back of a farmer's pick-up truck before 9:30 am on my birthday....
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tapping Tonight
Tonight we will be tapping our Pumpkin Pie Spiced Ale. This orange-hued ale features five types of malt and a wonderful blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger and mace.
Tapping begins at 7:30 this evening for the Mug Club. The rest of you can enjoy this seasonal favorite on Thursday.
Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A Quick Plug
Most of you know my brewing career began with homebrewing. Over time, many brewer's supply shops have come and gone--the Frugal Homebrewer, the Kettle Moraine Brewing Company, the Homebrewing Depot. It's sad when they disappear.
However, the new kid on the block has quickly become my favorite--Northern Brewer. Once in a while, I would order from their online catalog from their store up in St. Paul. About a year ago, they opened up a store in Milwaukee (108th and Greenfield) and I have had nothing but pleasant experiences with their products and staff.
What's more, the guys at Northern Brewer have been extremely supportive of the craft brew industry as a whole and St. Francis Brewery in particular.
If you've been toying with the idea of trying to brew your own beer, the staff will be happy to put together a nice starter package for you.
Tell them, "Scott sent me".
Monday, October 18, 2010
What is Harvest Strong?
Heck if I know.
This begs the question, how do I come up with recipes?
Well, for our house beers, I inherited them from the previous brewer. I did tweak a few here and there, but for the most part, the grain and hop bills are the same.
For the seasonals, often I will search for recipes and when I find one that looks good, I will adapt it for our brewery. I never copy recipes verbatim. I'd rather substitute one or more malts, or change up the hop varieties, and come up with something similar, but unique.
My next seasonal, the Harvest Strong, is more of an ideal. A notion, if you will. I want to create a beer that encapsulates the feeling of this time of the year--the autumnal colors, the scent burning leaves, the coolness in the air, sipping a spiced cider by your fireplace. Sort of a romantic air that goes along with my favorite season--Autumn.
The Harvest Strong will hopefully inspire those feelings. It contains seven different malts, including smoked malt. It will be a brownish-orange hued ale. I will use a Belgian yeast strain which will give it some complex, spicy characters. It will also come in at close to 10% alcohol, so it will certainly warm you on a cold night.
Look forward to sampling this ale mid-November.
This begs the question, how do I come up with recipes?
Well, for our house beers, I inherited them from the previous brewer. I did tweak a few here and there, but for the most part, the grain and hop bills are the same.
For the seasonals, often I will search for recipes and when I find one that looks good, I will adapt it for our brewery. I never copy recipes verbatim. I'd rather substitute one or more malts, or change up the hop varieties, and come up with something similar, but unique.
My next seasonal, the Harvest Strong, is more of an ideal. A notion, if you will. I want to create a beer that encapsulates the feeling of this time of the year--the autumnal colors, the scent burning leaves, the coolness in the air, sipping a spiced cider by your fireplace. Sort of a romantic air that goes along with my favorite season--Autumn.
The Harvest Strong will hopefully inspire those feelings. It contains seven different malts, including smoked malt. It will be a brownish-orange hued ale. I will use a Belgian yeast strain which will give it some complex, spicy characters. It will also come in at close to 10% alcohol, so it will certainly warm you on a cold night.
Look forward to sampling this ale mid-November.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
What to brew.....
I am often asked, "when are you going to brew the (fill in the blank) again?"
One of the best parts of this job, and there are many "bests", is coming up with our seasonals. The most popular, like the Oktoberfest, will be annual brews. Some of the other one-offs are the results of a whim. The trouble is, there are so many different styles of beer that I love coming up with things that craft brew lovers can't get very often.
Last November, I sat down and planned out the entire seasonal schedule for 2010, and to this point I have kept to it. I had not planned on doing the Pumpkin Pie Spice Ale this year. Instead I was going to feature a completely made-up style of beer, the "Harvest Strong" this month, a Schwarzbier for November and the Christmas Ale for December.
Back to the original sentence, customers are asking me about the Pumpkin Ale. I have bowed to your requests and am brewing it today! Should be ready in a couple weeks. A special Mug Club notice will go out about its tapping. I've postponed the Schwarzbier and will move the Harvest Strong to November.
One of the best parts of this job, and there are many "bests", is coming up with our seasonals. The most popular, like the Oktoberfest, will be annual brews. Some of the other one-offs are the results of a whim. The trouble is, there are so many different styles of beer that I love coming up with things that craft brew lovers can't get very often.
Last November, I sat down and planned out the entire seasonal schedule for 2010, and to this point I have kept to it. I had not planned on doing the Pumpkin Pie Spice Ale this year. Instead I was going to feature a completely made-up style of beer, the "Harvest Strong" this month, a Schwarzbier for November and the Christmas Ale for December.
Back to the original sentence, customers are asking me about the Pumpkin Ale. I have bowed to your requests and am brewing it today! Should be ready in a couple weeks. A special Mug Club notice will go out about its tapping. I've postponed the Schwarzbier and will move the Harvest Strong to November.
Monday, October 11, 2010
It Has Begun!
Actually, to credit a lot of hard work done by a slew of architects, engineers, consultants and our ownership, work on the new St. Francis Brewing Company started months ago.
However, the fruits of their efforts have become visible for the first time, and I couldn't be more excited.
When I arrived at the brewery at seven this morning, I was greeting by a wonderful sight:
Yes, the new brewing equipment has arrived from Colorado. After a mere ten hours, we got all of the gear into our warehouse. I will be meeting with the engineers and our brewery consultant tomorrow to go over all of the equipment and start determining how this jigsaw puzzle will come together.
However, the fruits of their efforts have become visible for the first time, and I couldn't be more excited.
When I arrived at the brewery at seven this morning, I was greeting by a wonderful sight:
Yes, the new brewing equipment has arrived from Colorado. After a mere ten hours, we got all of the gear into our warehouse. I will be meeting with the engineers and our brewery consultant tomorrow to go over all of the equipment and start determining how this jigsaw puzzle will come together.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Winding Down/Gearing Up
What a crazy couple of months it has been!
After preparing for my first trip to the Great American Beer Festival, our first Oktoberfest Extravaganza and our first appearance at the Wisconsin Wine and Dine Expo, I finally get a chance to take a breath.
Over the next couple of days, I'll post some photos and notes about these events.
This break will be short-lived, as there are several great things coming up:
A new Brewmaster's Dinner on October 17th.
The St. Francis Sip 'N Taste
AND
The new brewery equipment for our expansion project starts arriving THIS WEEK!
Details on all of these things follow shortly.
After preparing for my first trip to the Great American Beer Festival, our first Oktoberfest Extravaganza and our first appearance at the Wisconsin Wine and Dine Expo, I finally get a chance to take a breath.
Over the next couple of days, I'll post some photos and notes about these events.
This break will be short-lived, as there are several great things coming up:
A new Brewmaster's Dinner on October 17th.
The St. Francis Sip 'N Taste
AND
The new brewery equipment for our expansion project starts arriving THIS WEEK!
Details on all of these things follow shortly.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Too Much To Write...
....but not enough time.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Meeting More Heroes
Just returned from the Wynkoop Brewery which held a reception for the GABF Brewers. Very cool place. Everything was free--open bar (beer), lots of food.
I tried all three of their cask-conditioned ales. Then tried a few others. Here's their beer list:
My favorite of the bunch was also their flagship beer, the RailYard Ale.
Then I ventured outside and sat with a couple from the Turtle Mountain Brewing Company in Rio Rancho, New Mexico--just outside of Albuquerque.
We chatted for a while--very nice folks.
Let's get to the hero part.
One of the coolest things about brewing (and there are MANY) is that many of the people about whom you read or hear tales are readily accessible.
There has been a surge in beer and food pairings over the last few years. Brewmaster's Dinners happen frequently now. In fact, we've had one of our own in St. Francis last Spring and are having another next month. More on that in a future post.
The Brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery literally wrote the book on beer and food pairings. His name is Garrett Oliver. I own his book, "The Brewmaster's Table" and use if often in planning our own pairings at the Brewpub.
Sure enough, sitting two tables away from me was Garrett. I took the opportunity to introduce myself and compliment him on his book.
 |
| Garrett Oliver |
Here's proof:
You gotta love that hat!
First Beer=First Denver Mistake
I caught the hotel shuttle to the convention center to pick up my registration passes. I thought I would be there for a while and then I would check out some of the local watering holes.
Registration took about five minutes and I walked out of there with four bigs bags of swag! Brewers are treated very well there. I felt bad with the thought of calling the shuttle service just after he dropped me off, so I decided to walk back to the hotel to drop off my stuff.
The walk was just under two miles.
I stopped off at a convenience store right by the hotel to pick up some refreshment. I was excited to see they had this:
Registration took about five minutes and I walked out of there with four bigs bags of swag! Brewers are treated very well there. I felt bad with the thought of calling the shuttle service just after he dropped me off, so I decided to walk back to the hotel to drop off my stuff.
The walk was just under two miles.
I stopped off at a convenience store right by the hotel to pick up some refreshment. I was excited to see they had this:
Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale
So I get back to the room, drop my bags, grab a glass and crack open one of these beauties. I tried this for the first time at The Bomb Shelter in Milwaukee and it was wonderful.
As soon as it touched my lips, I realized something was wrong. Was it old? It didn't taste old. I had remembered it being more full-bodied than this. I took a closer look at the label, and nearly shrieked in horror:
Oh good Lord!
Some quick online research told me that Colorado convenience stores cannot sell high octane brew. I shelled out over nine bucks for a six pack which, by Wisconsin standards, is more like a three pack.
Live and learn....
After grabbing some free dinner at the hotel, I'm headed to a Brewer's reception at the Wynkoop Brewery tonight. I will rest assured that the beer will be much better tonight.
The ALE-gle Has Landed!
All right. That was lame.
Flight in to Denver was uneventful. The weather is absolutely perfect.
I shared a shuttle with a well-pierced couple, Fraggle and Rebecca, from the San Francisco Bay area who own "Beer Revolution"--a Bottle Shop and Tasting Room. They venture out here annually to find odd/interesting beers to add to their line up. They gave me some must-see ideas which I'll try to check out.
Just checked in to my hotel and am "strategerizing" the week. There's a buzz about the city. I think it knows what it's in for...
Once I escape the room, I'll head downtown and check out some hot spots, and hopefully get some photos up here.
Flight in to Denver was uneventful. The weather is absolutely perfect.
I shared a shuttle with a well-pierced couple, Fraggle and Rebecca, from the San Francisco Bay area who own "Beer Revolution"--a Bottle Shop and Tasting Room. They venture out here annually to find odd/interesting beers to add to their line up. They gave me some must-see ideas which I'll try to check out.
Just checked in to my hotel and am "strategerizing" the week. There's a buzz about the city. I think it knows what it's in for...
Once I escape the room, I'll head downtown and check out some hot spots, and hopefully get some photos up here.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Headin' to Denver
This is the largest beer festival in the country, and one of the largest in the world. There will be just under 500 breweries serving over 2,200 different beers, including five from the St. Francis Brewery.
I'll catch up with some old friends and make many new ones. Throughout the week, I'll update this blog and you can follow my exploits.
Until then....
Friday, September 10, 2010
Oktoberfest!
We'll be serving up plenty of them at our First Annual Oktoberfest celebration.
On Saturday, September 25 the St. Francis Brewery will ring in Oktoberfest.
We will have erected a huge tent in our west parking lot. The 'flaps' open at 11:00 am and I will have the ceremonial "Tapping of the Keg" at high noon. I will tap the cask-conditioned version of our Oktoberfest, open the tap and let the beer flow until the keg has emptied. Those of you lucky enough to be there right at noon can line up for a free glass of this orange-hued lager.
Immediately following the tapping, you will be entertained by the polka stylings of Milwaukee's own Squeezettes, featuring a trio of accordion-squeezing ladies, along with a drummer and tuba player. Chef Ron has prepared a full menu of Bavarian delights and dirndl-clad ladies will help keep your cups full.
The Squeezettes will be on hand from noon to three. The Jeff Winard band will take the stage at 5:00 pm for three more hours of polka-fueled fun.
Can't be there at noon? Not to worry. I have brewed up plenty of this Seasonal beer.
This event is open to the public, so spread the word. Food and beer tickets can be purchased inside the brewpub.
Prosit!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
New Toy
Is it not every boy's dream to receive their first Firkin??
This brand-new 10.8 gallon beauty arrived yesterday, which will allow me to start my foray into cask-conditioned beers.
Eventually, the Firkin will sit behind the bar. Until we build in a beer engine, I'll use gravity to dispense the beer. On that end, I threw together a "stillage"--a keg stand that raises the back end for dispensing:
This Firkin will make its debut at our Oktoberfest celebration where you can sample a cask-conditioned version of our annual lager.
This brand-new 10.8 gallon beauty arrived yesterday, which will allow me to start my foray into cask-conditioned beers.
Eventually, the Firkin will sit behind the bar. Until we build in a beer engine, I'll use gravity to dispense the beer. On that end, I threw together a "stillage"--a keg stand that raises the back end for dispensing:
This Firkin will make its debut at our Oktoberfest celebration where you can sample a cask-conditioned version of our annual lager.
Monday, August 30, 2010
More Scrambling!
I previously posted my Nut Brown woes. I was able to get the new batch on after being down only about 36 hours. Not great, but not too bad.
The next casualty looked like it was going to be the Weissebier. I brewed it on Saturday and it's chugging along nicely. I only hope we don't run out of the current batch before the next is ready.
Finally, I was cutting it pretty close with the Amber. This is our top seller.
Let's talk for a moment about yeast.
One of the beauties of brewing is that we are able to use our common ale yeast from one batch to the next. While some brewers will allow their yeast to go for up to 20 generations, I tend to cap my generations to seven. Over time, yeast can develop mutations that, while not harmful, can change the profile of your beer. Yeast is one of the most expensive ingredients in brewing. As I was on my seventh generation of ale yeast in the Nut Brown, I called the Lab to order a new pitch. They said it would ship the second week of September. I asked why it would take so long, and I was told that they had a "yeast infection" and they had to dump all of their supply and start from scratch!
Rock Bottom to the rescue! I called my friend, Dave Bass, to see if he had any ale yeast to spare, and he had plenty. Dave's been doing a bit of scrambling on his own, as Rock Bottom has been very busy lately.
A few years ago, when I worked for Dave, I asked him, "Is there a lot of competition among Milwaukee craft brewers?" His response was something I didn't expect and have found true to this day...
"No, we help each other out. What's good for one of us, is usually good for all of us."
And so it is. Dave, and other Brewmasters in the area know that if there's any way I can help them out, I will. On that end, Dave and I also swapped some stories and advice. He also gave me a sample of his current cask-conditioned ale which is his Naughty Scot--a Scotch Ale in which he added an oak spile for some added flavor. Quite frankly, it was one of the best Scotch Ales I've had in some time.
If you're downtown, go to Rock Bottom and ask for a cask-conditioned pint. You won't be disappointed.
The next casualty looked like it was going to be the Weissebier. I brewed it on Saturday and it's chugging along nicely. I only hope we don't run out of the current batch before the next is ready.
Finally, I was cutting it pretty close with the Amber. This is our top seller.
Let's talk for a moment about yeast.
One of the beauties of brewing is that we are able to use our common ale yeast from one batch to the next. While some brewers will allow their yeast to go for up to 20 generations, I tend to cap my generations to seven. Over time, yeast can develop mutations that, while not harmful, can change the profile of your beer. Yeast is one of the most expensive ingredients in brewing. As I was on my seventh generation of ale yeast in the Nut Brown, I called the Lab to order a new pitch. They said it would ship the second week of September. I asked why it would take so long, and I was told that they had a "yeast infection" and they had to dump all of their supply and start from scratch!
Rock Bottom to the rescue! I called my friend, Dave Bass, to see if he had any ale yeast to spare, and he had plenty. Dave's been doing a bit of scrambling on his own, as Rock Bottom has been very busy lately.
A few years ago, when I worked for Dave, I asked him, "Is there a lot of competition among Milwaukee craft brewers?" His response was something I didn't expect and have found true to this day...
"No, we help each other out. What's good for one of us, is usually good for all of us."
And so it is. Dave, and other Brewmasters in the area know that if there's any way I can help them out, I will. On that end, Dave and I also swapped some stories and advice. He also gave me a sample of his current cask-conditioned ale which is his Naughty Scot--a Scotch Ale in which he added an oak spile for some added flavor. Quite frankly, it was one of the best Scotch Ales I've had in some time.
If you're downtown, go to Rock Bottom and ask for a cask-conditioned pint. You won't be disappointed.
Two Brothers Brewery
Last week, I had to take my kegs for the Great American Beer Festival to Warrenville, IL--home of the Two Brothers Brewery.
It's not easy to find. Warrenville is a Northwest suburb of Chicago and my GPS didn't quite know the exact way to go. It is in an industrial park with no sign. However, the locals seem to have a good idea where it was, as I got there around lunch time and the taphouse was abuzz with activity.
I met a burly guy at the taproom bar, "Gabe" and asked where my contact person, Jason Ebel, was. Gabe said, "Who wants to know?" I told him who I was and why I was there. His demeanor turned very cordial and he said that he was the bulldog. He said that he'd help me out as long as I stayed for lunch and a beer. I told him that that was my plan all along!
So, I unloaded the beer, made my way to the tap room and ordered a sampler, along with a chicken sandwich with smoked gouda and sweet potato fries. The meal was excellent and the beer was quite good:
It's not easy to find. Warrenville is a Northwest suburb of Chicago and my GPS didn't quite know the exact way to go. It is in an industrial park with no sign. However, the locals seem to have a good idea where it was, as I got there around lunch time and the taphouse was abuzz with activity.
I met a burly guy at the taproom bar, "Gabe" and asked where my contact person, Jason Ebel, was. Gabe said, "Who wants to know?" I told him who I was and why I was there. His demeanor turned very cordial and he said that he was the bulldog. He said that he'd help me out as long as I stayed for lunch and a beer. I told him that that was my plan all along!
So, I unloaded the beer, made my way to the tap room and ordered a sampler, along with a chicken sandwich with smoked gouda and sweet potato fries. The meal was excellent and the beer was quite good:
I had previously asked if I could get a tour of their facility and Gabe was happy to oblige. Here a a few pics:
 |
| Gabe |
 |
| The new oak fermenters |
 |
Looking back toward the fermenters |
 |
| The Brewhouse is in the background It was a nice trip. Their "Rye-PA" gave me some good ideas and I made a couple of new friends. |
Monday, August 23, 2010
Full Boil
Boil is underway. In the meantime, I have sanitized my carboys and the counter-flow chiller. 
Starch Test
The whole point of the mash is to convert all of the starch in the grain into sugars. At certain temperatures, enzymes within the grain kernels will act upon all the starch (endosperm) and convert them to sugars. Brewers need these sugars to provide food for the yeast.
One easy test to determine when starch conversion is complete is to add a few drops of iodine to the wort. Basically, I draw off a small amount of wort onto a white plate and put a few drops of common tincture of iodine (the stuff old guys' moms used to put on their cuts and scrapes.) In the presence of starch, the iodine will turn a dark blue. In the absence of starch, the iodine will stay a rust color.
Most American malts are so highly modified that conversion usually takes place in about 10-15 minutes.
I don't often do iodine tests in the Brewery because the efficiency of our equipment is very good. However, I like to do it at home for peace of mind. Here is the result of my iodine test:
One easy test to determine when starch conversion is complete is to add a few drops of iodine to the wort. Basically, I draw off a small amount of wort onto a white plate and put a few drops of common tincture of iodine (the stuff old guys' moms used to put on their cuts and scrapes.) In the presence of starch, the iodine will turn a dark blue. In the absence of starch, the iodine will stay a rust color.
Most American malts are so highly modified that conversion usually takes place in about 10-15 minutes.
I don't often do iodine tests in the Brewery because the efficiency of our equipment is very good. However, I like to do it at home for peace of mind. Here is the result of my iodine test:
No blue at all. Time to sparge.
Mashed In
I was striving to hit 158 degrees on the mash in.
Only got to 154....
Only got to 154....
Still, a very good mash temp. The final product will be slightly drier than I would have liked. Homebrew systems are a bit fickle. For you beer geeks out there, I do not have a RIMS or HERMS system, so all of my mashes are direct infusion. As a result, the only way to get the temp up is to add more hot water, and I already added more than I wanted. 154 is a good "rule of thumb" mash temp. I'm not using any imported malts, so my conversion should be just fine.
Brewer's Helper
The family dog, "Barley" plus a miniaturized stein version eagerly await the final product.
**DISCLAIMER** Don't give your dog beer. They're smart. If they like it, you'll come home to a missing six pack and a gassy dog.
Test Brewing Today
This was supposed to happen a few weeks ago, but with everything else going on, I didn't get to it until today.
I'm brewing the Molasses Porter--an eleven gallon batch. Today, I'm doing this from my home, as it's easier to brew a batch larger than 5 gallons, but less than 4 barrels from there.
I also made some modifications to my set-up last night. I added a "water distribution system" with service to my hot liquor tank, my counter-flow chiller and utility hoses.
The long copper pipe serves as my Hot Liquor Tank filler. Sure beats standing there with the garden hose!
I will update as the project unfolds....
I'm brewing the Molasses Porter--an eleven gallon batch. Today, I'm doing this from my home, as it's easier to brew a batch larger than 5 gallons, but less than 4 barrels from there.
Waiting for the Hot Liquor Tank (top vessel) to get to 170 degrees for mash-in.
I also made some modifications to my set-up last night. I added a "water distribution system" with service to my hot liquor tank, my counter-flow chiller and utility hoses.
The long copper pipe serves as my Hot Liquor Tank filler. Sure beats standing there with the garden hose!
I will update as the project unfolds....
Friday, August 20, 2010
Nut Brown Nuttiness
People come in all the time and ask me, "What's your favorite beer?" I usually tell them that it changes all the time. On different days, I like different styles.
One of the beers here that I'm particularly proud of is the Nut Brown. Problem is, I'm one of the only ones! During the summer, it moves very slowly.
If you've paid attention to the beer board outside the brewhouse, you'll see that most beers on tap have been there for a month or less. This is by design. I like to keep beer here a maximum of one month. We do not use any kinds of preservatives or pasteurization. After about 90 days or so, the beer can start to taste "old".
To account for this, I will make smaller batches of the slower movers. This is exactly what I did for my last batch of nut brown. I scaled back a 7 barrel batch all the way down to a four barrel. This amount should surely be gone in a month, no?
NO!
Two days ago, I received a keg order for four half-barrels of Nut Brown! Like that, half of my Nut Brown was gone in one hour's time.
So, the scramble begins to get another batch brewed before the current one runs out.
People ask me what my normal hours are. Mwahh--ha--haaaaa! Normal hours? If you stop in tomorrow, pop your head in the brewhouse and say "hi". I'll be brewing up your Nut Brown Ale.
One of the beers here that I'm particularly proud of is the Nut Brown. Problem is, I'm one of the only ones! During the summer, it moves very slowly.
If you've paid attention to the beer board outside the brewhouse, you'll see that most beers on tap have been there for a month or less. This is by design. I like to keep beer here a maximum of one month. We do not use any kinds of preservatives or pasteurization. After about 90 days or so, the beer can start to taste "old".
To account for this, I will make smaller batches of the slower movers. This is exactly what I did for my last batch of nut brown. I scaled back a 7 barrel batch all the way down to a four barrel. This amount should surely be gone in a month, no?
NO!
Two days ago, I received a keg order for four half-barrels of Nut Brown! Like that, half of my Nut Brown was gone in one hour's time.
So, the scramble begins to get another batch brewed before the current one runs out.
People ask me what my normal hours are. Mwahh--ha--haaaaa! Normal hours? If you stop in tomorrow, pop your head in the brewhouse and say "hi". I'll be brewing up your Nut Brown Ale.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Kegs have arrived.
The largest beer festival in America takes place next month. Appropriately named, the Great American Beer Festival.
Part of the festival includes judging and medals for great beers. Due to the sheer number of submissions, there is a lot of prestige in this contest. Some of the best beer judges in the world evaluate the samples that come in from around the world.
To win a medal is no small feat. I am submitting five different beers for evaluation. I do not have high hopes. A very small percentage of submissions win awards. If nothing else, the feedback from the judges will help me to improve upon my recipes and techniques.
Anyway, the kegs have arrived for me to fill and send back to Denver:
Part of the festival includes judging and medals for great beers. Due to the sheer number of submissions, there is a lot of prestige in this contest. Some of the best beer judges in the world evaluate the samples that come in from around the world.
To win a medal is no small feat. I am submitting five different beers for evaluation. I do not have high hopes. A very small percentage of submissions win awards. If nothing else, the feedback from the judges will help me to improve upon my recipes and techniques.
Anyway, the kegs have arrived for me to fill and send back to Denver:
Yesterday I sent my bottled beer for the judging. The kegs are to share the beer with the festival participants. The event takes place September 16-18. I'll be heading out there and will report back with photos and news.
Wish me luck!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Too Much Going On!
Hi folks,
I've been a little lax in my postings lately, mainly due to two reasons:
1. It's been a very busy couple of months here at the Brewpub
2. There are a ton of things to write about, and I don't even know where to begin!
Let's start with this past weekend. I had the pleasure of representing the St. Francis Brewery at the Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival. This is the second largest Beer Festival in America. 125 Breweries, 500 beers, 6000-7000 attendees! We poured seven beers, and it was a huge success.
Secondly, pending city approval, we are excited to be breaking ground in the Spring of 2011 for an expansion project which will include a Stone Hearth Pizzaria and bar, a reception hall, and a production brewery. Tentatively, we will refer to our current establishment as the St. Francis Brewpub, and the new location will be the St. Francis Brewing Company. The vacant warehouse which shares our parking lot to the North will house the new facility.
It is there we will produce seven beers in quantity with distribution in Milwaukee, Madison and other areas.
I am working with a brewery consultant who initially set up the Sierra Nevada brewery and now consults all over the country with projects such as ours. Not only will our production capacity quadruple, it will also allow me to have three or four more new beers at the Brewpub, while maintaining our currect selection.
As the project progresses, I will post photos of the transformation. This is something we are all very excited about.
This week, I'll let you know some of the other great things we're gearing up for. Be patient with me.
P.S. We tapped the Helles last week to some very nice comments. Stop on it for a pint or two. On the downside, the Saison is gone--but you have the Oktoberfest to look forward to on September 25th.
I've been a little lax in my postings lately, mainly due to two reasons:
1. It's been a very busy couple of months here at the Brewpub
2. There are a ton of things to write about, and I don't even know where to begin!
Let's start with this past weekend. I had the pleasure of representing the St. Francis Brewery at the Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival. This is the second largest Beer Festival in America. 125 Breweries, 500 beers, 6000-7000 attendees! We poured seven beers, and it was a huge success.
Secondly, pending city approval, we are excited to be breaking ground in the Spring of 2011 for an expansion project which will include a Stone Hearth Pizzaria and bar, a reception hall, and a production brewery. Tentatively, we will refer to our current establishment as the St. Francis Brewpub, and the new location will be the St. Francis Brewing Company. The vacant warehouse which shares our parking lot to the North will house the new facility.
It is there we will produce seven beers in quantity with distribution in Milwaukee, Madison and other areas.
I am working with a brewery consultant who initially set up the Sierra Nevada brewery and now consults all over the country with projects such as ours. Not only will our production capacity quadruple, it will also allow me to have three or four more new beers at the Brewpub, while maintaining our currect selection.
As the project progresses, I will post photos of the transformation. This is something we are all very excited about.
This week, I'll let you know some of the other great things we're gearing up for. Be patient with me.
P.S. We tapped the Helles last week to some very nice comments. Stop on it for a pint or two. On the downside, the Saison is gone--but you have the Oktoberfest to look forward to on September 25th.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Beer Festival This Weekend
St. Francis Brewery is proud to be a part of a second "First-Annual" beer event this Saturday.
The Milwaukee Brewfest takes place this Saturday. Details can be found here.
Bring 3 cans of food with you and take $10 off your ticket! Dig in that pantry and find those lima beans.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Givum Helles!
If you've been following my blog, you may remember this post:
Well, I kegged and carbonated the Helles and it was excellent. I served it at a surprise birthday party for my wife and five gallons was gone in about 1 1/2 hours.
I decided this will be the St. Francis Seasonal for the month of August. Additionally, the yeast I'm using will be the same one I'll use for the Oktoberfest, so I'll have plenty of yeast when I brew it later this month.
Helles (pronounced Hell-us) is a German Light Lager--similar to a Pilsener, but not nearly as hoppy. It's a clean, malty beer. In fact, the Germans were getting nervous with the popularity of the Czech Pilsener style so they came up with this as a competitor.
This beer will debut for the Mug Club on August 11.
Speaking of Oktoberfest, this year's Oktoberfest will be an all-out celebration. We're talking tents, dirndl-wearing wenches, polka bands, sausages, and lots of delicious Oktoberfest bier to wet your whistles. More on this will follow, but mark your calendars for September 25th!!
Well, I kegged and carbonated the Helles and it was excellent. I served it at a surprise birthday party for my wife and five gallons was gone in about 1 1/2 hours.
I decided this will be the St. Francis Seasonal for the month of August. Additionally, the yeast I'm using will be the same one I'll use for the Oktoberfest, so I'll have plenty of yeast when I brew it later this month.
Helles (pronounced Hell-us) is a German Light Lager--similar to a Pilsener, but not nearly as hoppy. It's a clean, malty beer. In fact, the Germans were getting nervous with the popularity of the Czech Pilsener style so they came up with this as a competitor.
This beer will debut for the Mug Club on August 11.
Speaking of Oktoberfest, this year's Oktoberfest will be an all-out celebration. We're talking tents, dirndl-wearing wenches, polka bands, sausages, and lots of delicious Oktoberfest bier to wet your whistles. More on this will follow, but mark your calendars for September 25th!!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
"Test Brewing" this week.
When I first interviewed for a Brewer's Assistant internship years back, the Brewmaster had a lot of questions for me. Finally, he asked if I had any questions and I had one. "Do you still homebrew?"
The answer was, "no".
That answer always bothered me. I liken it to the cab driver who hates to drive, or the professional chef who hates cooking at home. I don't understand it.
I still homebrew. I also get the opportunity to test brew batches of beer to see if they will be commercially viable. We're talking very small batches--5 to 10 gallons. Will the results be the same as a commercial size? Not exactly, but pretty darn close.
Though I've never been a huge fan of stouts, I really like a good porter. Therefore, I'm going to test brew a molasses porter this week. The recipe is a tweaking of a brown porter I found, but I am going to include a new seasonal malt from Briess called Carabrown--it adds a toasty, graham cracker taste to the beer. It will also include molasses which I've never used in brewing, but I'm interested in trying it out.
If it's decent, you may see it on the beer board down the road.
In the meantime, stop on in for a Saison. Next week I'll brew next month's seasonal--"Givum Helles". More on that later.
The answer was, "no".
That answer always bothered me. I liken it to the cab driver who hates to drive, or the professional chef who hates cooking at home. I don't understand it.
I still homebrew. I also get the opportunity to test brew batches of beer to see if they will be commercially viable. We're talking very small batches--5 to 10 gallons. Will the results be the same as a commercial size? Not exactly, but pretty darn close.
Though I've never been a huge fan of stouts, I really like a good porter. Therefore, I'm going to test brew a molasses porter this week. The recipe is a tweaking of a brown porter I found, but I am going to include a new seasonal malt from Briess called Carabrown--it adds a toasty, graham cracker taste to the beer. It will also include molasses which I've never used in brewing, but I'm interested in trying it out.
If it's decent, you may see it on the beer board down the road.
In the meantime, stop on in for a Saison. Next week I'll brew next month's seasonal--"Givum Helles". More on that later.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy Birthday, America!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Tapping this Wednesday, July 7th
Belgium. Great beer comes from here.
This Wednesday, I will tap the Summer Night Saison.
7:30 pm for all of you Mug Clubbers.
I'll have some out on the patio, weather permitting.
Not a Mug Clubber? No problem. You are welcome to stop in on Thursday for yours.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Beer Board (A Primer)
The St. Francis Brewery Beer Board
You may have seen this board outside the brewhouse. You may also wonder what the heck some of these numbers mean.
This board exists for several reasons. For most of you, it serves to tell you what beers are on tap, and when they were tapped. For you "beer geeks" out there, there are a few more numbers that provide information about the beer.
I love beer geeks. I am one. I want you to be one too.
Let's start with the the column "O.G." This stands for Original Gravity. Gravity is a measure of the percentage of sugar in a solution. Brewers, Winemakers, and fruit juice producers all measure gravities of their products. The original gravity is a measure of the sugar content before fermentation occurs. The original gravity will always be higher than the second number, "F.G." or Final Gravity. Once we add the yeast, the yeast will start eating the sugar to reproduce. As the sugar is consumed, the alcohol levels rise. Eventually there's not much food (sugar) left for the yeast and they start to become dormant.
When the fermentation cycle is complete, I'll take the final gravity reading. By using a simple calculation, I am able to provide a good estimate of the Alcohol by Volume or ABV--the next column.
Our gravities are expressed in degrees Plato. Most homebrewers use a different scale called the Specific Gravity scale.
The higher the O.G. number, the stronger the beer will be, and vice-versa.
Thus concludes today's lesson.
Amen
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Hero Worship
I don't have many heroes in my life. There's my dad. The guy who first hired me to be his brewer's assistant. An ex-boss brewmaster who taught me both from him and in spite of him how to be a better brewer, etc.
Some heroes are less tangible and don't even know they're your heroes.
That's why I jumped at the chance to meet John Palmer today. Over ten years ago, John wrote a book, "How to Brew" and made it available, free of charge, online. It was so comprehensive that I couldn't get enough of it. I downloaded and printed out the entire thing. It was so useful that I felt guilty having obtained it for free that I bought a "real" copy. John has since co-authored a second book, "Brewing Classic Styles" which I have purchased and used.
John held a book signing, thanks to the great guys at Northern Brewer, and I couldn't pass up a chance to meet one of my brewing mentors. John is a laid-back guy hailing from southern California who was up in Minnesota for the Homebrewing Conference in the Twin Cities this past weekend. John gave up his Father's Day (he is one) to sign his books and chat with Milwaukee-area homebrewers.
I brought along a growler of our current seasonal, "Number Nine IPA" which John enjoyed, further inflating my ego.
Anyway, here are a few photos. My thanks go out to John, and to David Kelley and the rest of the guys at Northern Brewer for making this an extra-special Father's Day for me.
Me and John Palmer, enjoying a Number Nine IPA from St. Francis Brewery.
Yeah, I did mention that I had a bit of a "man-crush" on John. I was quickly corrected by Jaime at Northern Brewer that the proper term is "Bro-mance".
Monday, June 14, 2010
Saison Day!
Today, I'm brewing a Saison. (Pronounced SAY-zahn)
Traditionally, it was brewed to quench the thirst of Belgian farm workers, and was brewed to very low strength (around 3.8% alcohol by volume). It is also referred to as a Belgian Farmhouse Ale.
Saisons are an orange to amber hued ale which use a special yeast strain giving them a fruity, spicy character.
Sparing no expense crafting this beer, I am using imported Belgian Pilsener malt:
Okay, I lied a little. There is one expense I spared. This recipe uses a product called Belgian Candi Syrup. This is basically a sugar which has been "inverted" or broken down chemically into simpler sugars. Candi syrup can run about $4-5 per pound and I am using about 35 pounds of it.
I can invert my own sugar through a very simple process. Regular cane sugar is mixed with a little water, a tiny bit of citric acid and brought to a boil. The heat and acid break the chemical bond of sucrose (table sugar) into the simpler sugars glucose and fructose. If you boil this mixture for a long time, the color will continually darken until it is almost black like molasses. For this beer, I want "clear" Candi syrup, so as soon as it reached a boil, I quickly cooled it off. I'm left with this:
Finally the last "special" ingredient is curacao orange peel which will add a bit of bitterness and a nice "orangey" flavor.
This seasonal will be available in July. In the meantime, the Number Nine IPA is getting raves. Stop and get some before it's gone.
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