Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Maybe it's the calm before the storm.

But, there hasn't been much for me to do lately.  Bummer.

Two of our three fermenters are full of Oktoberfest, happily lagering away.  However, one of our old friends will return.  I brewed up a small batch of our South Shore Stout.  As soon as the Breakfast Stout is gone, I'll get that one tapped. 

But, this doesn't keep me from trying new things:

Premium Sodas!

I experimented with some new sodas:  Cream, Orange Cream, Grape and Cherry.  The cream was gone in about two days!  The other three are currently on tap, and I'd love your feedback.

Also, I'm going to experiment with some premium bottle selections.  More on this as it develops.

Now, back to sleep.

Oktoberfest!!

My favorite time of year calls for one of my favorite pictures:

Yes, we are looking forward to our second Annual Oktoberfest extravaganza.                

We're BIGGER, BETTER, and BEERIER this year.

The event kicks off at noon on Saturday, September 24th.  We will have the big tent set up in the west parking lot. 

In true Munich tradition, the Mayor of St. Francis will tap the first cask of Oktoberfest beer, I'll open the tap, and everyone there can fill their mug until the cask runs dry.

Immediately following the tapping, we will be entertained by the polka stylings of Milwaukee's own Squeezettes.  Three lovely accordion-clad ladies, a dapper drummer, and Chaltry will do what they do best.

Chef Ron has put together a wonderful German menu, and two fermenters full of Oktoberfest are happily laagering until their debut.

The Squeezettes will perform from noon-ish to 3.  Then, the Music Venders will take the stage for a music marathon.  Unlike last year, will will have bands performing throughout the entire day.

Can't get there Saturday??

No Problem!!!

Because the party hasn't ended yet.  We'll crank things right back up on Sunday, September 25th.  Enjoy our Sunday brunch at 10:00 am, and then head out back to the tent to get your Gemutlichkeit on at noon again on Sunday.  The Jeff Winard Band will kick things off from noonish to three.

Then, the second kick-off of the day will take place around 3 pm--The Green Bay Packers!!  We plan to broadcast the game outdoors with a hi-def, LCD projector.  Enjoy a mug or two of Oktoberfest beer and a Pretzel while watching the Pack destroy the Bears.

Finally, we can celebrate the Packer victory through song and dance, as we end the weekend as it began--with the Squeezettes from six to nine pm.

Looking forward to seeing you then!

 

 

 

Shhhhh! It's a Secret.....

As I've mentioned in the past, I will often "test brew" a beer for numerous reasons.  Maybe it's a variation on a current offering.  Maybe it's an oddball recipe that I don't want to try full-size.

This leads me to our newest beer:

And So It Gose

Gose (pronounced goes-uh) is a near-extinct style of beer dating back to pre-Reinhietsgebot in Germany.  Reinheitsgebot is the German Purity Law that says that beer can only be made with four ingredients:  Barley, Hops, Water and (later) Yeast.

Gose has the inclusion of wheat, coriander and salt.  It also uses weisse yeast so you do get a bit of that banana/clove flavor.

It is a very light beer, refreshing and low alcohol.

As a gift to my blog followers, you will be the only ones who know about it. 

Starting Monday, August 15, if you go up to the bar and say "And So It Gose", you can get a pint of this beer for $3.00.  Quantities are EXTREMELY limited, and when it's gone, it's gone.

Do me a favor and let me or your bartender know what you think of it.

Going Nuts. A Pictorial Essay.

At Firkin Fest last week, I debuted the cask-conditioned Toasted Coconut Brown Ale.  I had no idea how it would turn out. 

I also fully intended to have enough left over to put it on tap at the brewery when the festival was over.

No dice.  The crowd at the fest pretty much drained the cask.

So, I thought I'd make up another cask of it.  Here's some of the prepwork involved:

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!

Drill a 3/8" hole through one of the "eyes".

Drain the coconut milk, reserving it.

2 1/2 cups of milk from three coconuts.  Not too shabby!

Bust those bad boys open.  A few taps does the trick.

Scrape the meat from the shell.  A spoon works well. 
The meat will have a tough, brown coat that should be peeled.

All peeled and ready for processing.

The shredder attachment on our Cuisinart makes short work of it.

Toast in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. 
Check/toss it every now and again.
The aroma is outstanding.
While it's toasting, simmer the milk in a saucepan for about
ten minutes. 

And, here's what three coconuts will yield.