March's Meeting

The next meeting will be held at Bailey's in Canton, MI on Wednesday, March 28. Bailey's is located in the strip-mall on the southwest corner of Ford and Canton Center Roads. Their address is 8777 Canton Center Road and their phone number is 734-844-1137. They share their strip-mall with a Krogers grocery store and one of the local La Shish restaurants. The competition for this March is Brown Ale. As usual, the thirsty hard-core who want dinner will start arriving around 5PM, people will drift in for an hour or so, and we will start our meeting around 6PM.

To get to Bailey's from Dearborn, you can take Ford Road due west to Canton Center. Allow yourself at least 45 minutes from Michigan Ave and Southfield. From the northern suburbs it may be easier to take I-696 to I-275. Exit at Ford Road and travel west until you come to Canton Center Road and then turn south. Bailey's is immediately at the strip-mall on the right. From the downriver and far western suburbs, it would probably be easier to take I-94 to I-275 north and then exit at Ford Road. I hope to see everyone there.

Competition Results

The winners from the Stout Competition are:

This March's competition will be Brown Ale, BJCP category 10b, c, & d . The BJCP specifications follow.

10B. Northern English Brown Ale

Aroma: Restrained fruitiness; little to no hop aroma. May have a caramel aspect to the malt character.

Appearance: Dark golden to light brown color.

Flavor: Gentle to moderate sweetness, with a nutty character. Balance is nearly even, with hop flavor low to none. Some fruity esters should be present; low diacetyl is acceptable.

Mouthfeel: medium-light to medium body, with a dry finish.

Overall Impression: Drier and more hop-oriented that southern English brown ale, with a nutty character rather than caramel.

History/Comments: English brown ales are generally split into sub-styles along geographic lines.

Ingredients: English mild ale or pale ale malt base with caramel malts. May also have scant amounts darker malts. English hop varieties are most authentic. Moderate carbonate water.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.040-1.050

IBUs: 15-30 FG: 1.010-1.013

SRM: 12-30 ABV: 4-5.0%

Commercial Examples: Newcastle Brown Ale, Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, Adnams' Nut Brown Ale.

10C. Southern English Brown

Aroma: Malty and moderately fruity, with some mild malt, brown malt character common.

Appearance: Dark brown, almost opaque.

Flavor: Gentle, moderate sweetness. Malt dominates the balance, but hop bitterness is sufficient to prevent an overly sweet impression. Hop flavor is low to non-existent. Malt flavor will be present, but sharp or roasty flavors are inappropriate.

Mouthfeel: Low to medium body, with a caramel impression.

Overall Impression: A malt-oriented version of brown ale, with a caramel, dark fruit complexity of malt flavor.

History: English brown ales are generally split into sub-styles along geographic lines.

Comments: Increasingly rare.

Ingredients: English pale ale malt as a base with a healthy proportion of caramel malts and often some darker malts. Moderate to high carbonate water would appropriately balance the dark malt acidity. English hop varieties are most authentic, though with low flavor and bitterness almost any type could be used.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.040-1.050

IBUs: 15-24 FG: 1.011-1.014

SRM: 20-35 ABV: 3.5-5.0%

Commercial Examples: Mann's Brown Ale, Oregon Nut Brown Ale.

10D. American Brown Ale

Aroma: Hop aroma, often citrusy, is mild to strong. Esters and dark malt aspects are mild to moderate.

Appearance: Dark amber to dark brown color.

Flavor: Hop bitterness and flavor dominate the malty richness that is a characteristic of brown ales. Slightly drier than English versions, with assertive hop presence (bitterness, flavor, and aroma).Although malt flavor plays a supporting role, some toasty malt character(or even restrained roastiness) should be evident.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a dry, resiny impression contributed by the high hop bitterness.

Overall Impression: A bigger, hoppier, dryer version of brown ale, typically including the citrus-accented hop presence that is characteristic of American varieties.

History/Comments: A strongly flavored, hoppy brown beer, originated by American home brewers.

Ingredients: Well-modified pale malt, either American or Continental, plus crystal and darker malts should complete the malt bill. American hops should be used in generous quantity. Moderate to high carbonate water would appropriately balance the dark malt acidity.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.040-1.060

IBUs: 25-60 FG: 1.010-1.017

SRM: 15-22 ABV: 4-6.0%

Commercial Examples: Pete's Wicked Ale, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Hart's Pacific Crest Ale, Smuttynose Old Brown Dog, Il Vicino Tenderfoot Brown, Shipyard Moose Brown.

Minutes from February's Meeting

Chris Frey opened the meeting for us by letting us know that Al is doing well. He plans to start attending club functions again as soon as he is able.

Kathy and Doug would like to put together a recipe book, nicely bound and detailed. This would include brewing tips and tricks for beginner and advanced brewers, pictures of equipment, common phrases and definitions, etc. Oh yes, they would also like to begin collecting all our favorite recipes, especially the award-winners. This book would be available to our new members by increasing the price of membership to $30, and made available for purchase to our existing members.

Chris brought flyers for the club, explaining who we are and what we do, as well as contact information. He would like for us to post these at local homebrew stores to try to develop more interest in the club.

We need our photographer/historian/beer-mooch to provide us with some updated pictures for our web site.

The March meeting will be held at Bailey's at Ford Rd. and Canton Center Dr. in Canton. They have a great beer selection there, including micro-brews on tap and various bottled imports.

We do not have any new Pub Crawl information at this time.

Mark Hansen is reviewing the possibility of having a club meeting at a local bar (Lilly ...) in Royal Oak (sorry, name garbled due to munching an Avalanche at the time). More info to follow.

Cinco De Mayo = National Homebrew Day (May 5th for all you non-Spanish speaking folk). Crispy is going to have another huge party at his house. There will be zero-tolerance for non-attendees - you have been given plenty of notice. There will be a band and plenty of room to set up tents for those who refuse to drive home. Call Chris for more info.

Howard Jr. screwed up the membership cards for the 2nd year in a row. The omission of a couple homebrew stores will mean he will get those in the mail to everybody before the next meeting. Temporary cards were handed out to those at the meeting, just so we can get by.

Club t-shirts are still available for $10 each.

We welcomed Steve Close to the club and to his first meeting. Steve is the proud owner of the newest Pico system in the state of Michigan.

Adventures in Homebrewing has a lot of new merchandise in the store, including new Corny Kegs.

Competition results were announced for last months Schwartz Bier. Congratulations to Rich Hampo. Also, congratulations to Mike Arend for his 2nd place Holiday Ale.

A big congratulations goes out to Mike Arend as our new Homebrewer of the Year.

National Homebrew Day

Just a heads-up to put a placeholder for Saturday, May 5th onto your calendars. Once again I will be hosting my annual get-together of brewers to celebrate National Homebrew Day.

Brewing will start around 9:00ish, and will be going on pretty much the whole day. Along with Mike O'Brien cooking up his fabled bar-b-que turkeys, I also have Junior and his band returning. Tom Plunkard will amuse the families with his magic and we might even get the Byrnes to come over and play with their karaoke.

I will publish the recipes that are being called for this year in the next monthly newsletter, but the main theme is to relax, enjoy and brew a batch with the tribes. I will be looking for side dishes and homebrew and will send out an invitee in April.

Wine Dinners and Offers to Purchase

I organized a very successful wine dinner at the Mason Girardot restaurant in Windsor for Valentine Day, priced at $65. 12 of us from F.O.R.D. attended, along with 30 others, including Molly Abraham, a local newspaper food critic

I am now planning 3 more dinners, these IN THE ACTUAL VINEYARDS in the Windsor area. I also have one in the planning stages at a downtown Detroit restaurant recently purchased by a well-known local chef. A BEER DINNER and other wine dinners will follow.

I am going to Grapetree vineyard (supplier of the wine for our Valentine Dinner) in Leamington, Ontario in about 2 weeks to purchase the following wines for friends. Very good quality Ontario wine for around $10 - 16 per bottle. The Canadian exchange makes it a real bargain. All prices are in US dollars and include tax and duties.

We enjoyed the following wines at the Valentine Dinner:

Viognier (2000) $11: French Vinifera, white. Orange blossoms and sweet perfume make the nose on this dry yet mellow white half of the pleasure. Pink grapefruit essence fills the pallet, and finishes naturally with mild acid. As good alone as it is with traditional country-style cuisine of roasted chicken and root vegetables.

Pinot Gris - Gewurztraminer (2000) $12 White

Cabernet Merlot Reserve (1999) $14: Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot - red. This traditional Meritage (French Bordeaux style) is resplendent with dark roasted aromas of cocoa, vanilla, coffee and berry. Rich, complex tannins can be attributed to one full year of aging in new French Oak Barrels. Superb with rare red meats, and roasted herbs and vegetables, a few years in the cellar will pay dividends to the patient collector.

Sauvignon Blanc (2000) $11: French vinifera, white. A citric, yet floral nose is the prelude to a charmingly acidic, crisp mouth and finish of lemongrass and mandarin. 10% semillon blend adds a light smokiness that slightly softens the acidity and provides a little extra body. Shellfish and hearty greens bring out the citric tones in the wine, while cream-based sauces will compliment the smokiness of the semillon.

Winterfrost Vidal (Icewine, 1999) 200 ML: $16: Golden honey colour is the first noticeable trait of this luxuriously decadent dessert wine. A nose of plentiful tropical fruit: lychees, mangos and pineapples - is rewarded with a mouth that is slightly acidic and warmed by notes of peaches and apricots. The higher acid provides a finish that is silky, but not overly sweet, and is only enhanced by a pairing of chocolate truffles, lemon-butter tarts or pineapple cheesecake.

These wines are also available from Grapetree Vineyards when I go:

Baco Noir (2000) $12: 3 liter Baco Noir (2000) $58: French hybrid, red. Rich, luxurious, medium to full-bodied. This early release Baco is akin to the Australian-style shiraz with inky purple color, and jammy plum notes on the pallet. A fabulous accompaniment to anything spicy, such as hearty ragu or pizza, or also with rare red meats.

Chambourcin (2000) $13: French hybrid, red. Light to medium bodied, aromatic with nose and pallet of seeded berries, especially mulberry and blackberry. Gem-like ruby colour and a slightly tangy finish make this a perfect accompaniment to country-style cooking. Excellent with roasted foul, root vegetables and hearty stews, as well as lighter cheeses and pate.

Fluer Blanc (1999) $10: Blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Vidal - white. Rated as a high zero, this crisp, nicely acidic white has a pleasant nose of mandarin orange and fruit blossoms. A wonderful sipping wine this also pairs nicely with light fare, easy summer grill and salads.

Foch Reserve (1999) $13: French Hybrid, red. Warm and earthy, this medium-bodied wine noses of wild mushrooms and very ripe strawberries and has a pallet of pleasing fruit which finishes with toasty nut smoke. A fabulous partner for wild game, anything made with mushrooms or lightly roasted meats.

Moelluxe Rouge (1999) $9: Red

Pinot Noir (1998) $13: French vinifera, red. Light bodied and silky with a nose of strawberries and pallet that finishes with little to no tannin.Colour akin to a dark rose and flavours of sweet cherries and mild French oak make this the perfect sipping wine. Also superb with lighter fare of chicken, osso bucco, pork tenderloin, mushrooms, mild greens and butter.

Pinot Noir (1999) $13: French vinifera, red. Medium bodied, fully aged in new French oak with lots of tannins. Sweet and sour cherries on the nose lead to a velvety feel on the tongue with a rich finish of tannins, chocolate and nuts. Great body and finish make this a natural choice with continental cuisine, grilled red meats and rich, creamy sauces.

Pinot Noir Reserve (1999) $19: French vinifera, red. This special clone of the traditional Pinot Noir grape lends itself to a longer ripening, more skin contact during fermentation, and a full year of aging in new French oak. Complex and full with tannins, the nose of this wine is black cherries and tar and leather, with a finish replete with dark chocolate, white and black pepper and coffee. Only truly appreciated after 2-3 years of cellaring when it will be the ideal wine with rich, rare red meat and bitter greens.

Interested in future dinners or purchasing wine? Please e-mail Pegasus@Provide.net or call 313/277-3865.

Recipe Book

As we discussed at the meeting last night, we are putting together a beer recipe book. If you have a favorite recipe(s) that you would like to share, please send it to me at kathyloftus@yahoo.com. Any ideas or suggestions on what we include in the book are welcome.

I'll be contacting the a company that puts the books together to get costs and the information will be forwarded to you as I receive it.

Recipes for liqueurs and non-alcoholic beverages are more than welcome.

Also, any tips or suggestions you may have for making the brewing process easier can be included as well.

We want to make this book as easy to use and helpful as possible.

Kegs

I spoke with Scott Day at Brew & Grow in Livonia recently and he asked if I wouldn't put out a quick e-mail about his impending arrival of 1000 Corni Kegs that are going to fill his warehouse to bursting!

Scott normally sells these for $30, with new seals included (may need cleaning to get rid of the Pepsi smell - no Coke kegs in this lot). He said if people identify themselves as a member of any local homebrew club he will sell these puppies for $15. He even indicated he might put together a Buy 3, Get 1 free deal. So, if you are looking for a few kegs to relieve the boredom of bottling, or just want to have a few extras, this is a pretty good deal.

No affiliations, blah, blah, blah, just think Scott is pretty cool, this is a good deal and I like his wife a whole lot ;-)

Odds & Ends

Beer Fact:

In England and the rest of Great Britain, 85% of all beer is served in restaurants, pubs or clubs. In the United States, the reverse is true: 85% is consumed at home.

Source: 365 Bottles of Beer for the Year Calendar

Blast from the Past - Five Years Ago in the Newsletter

Fermental Order of Renaissance Draughtsman Vol. 4 No. 3

Last month's AHA's Club-Only Competition was for the Ultimate Alt. For the second month in a row, the brewing techniques of Tyler Barber and Bill Cole overwhelmed the competition. Out of four entries (come on people, we need more!) Tyler and Bill's Dusseldorf-style Altbier scored the highest. Jim Bazzy came in a close second, and Tim Tepatti finishing last(Better Luck next Time) (Tyler's recipe will appear later in the newsletter)

....

Tyler Barber & Bill Cole

The winning recipe is as follows:

H-H-H-Alt

6.5 gallons, extract with specialty grains

One can 6.6 lbs Ireks light malt extract (unhopped)

1 lb. Munich malt

1 lb. Crystal (44 L) 1/3 Oz Northern Brewers 7.8% AA for 75 minutes

1 Oz Hallertau 3.9 % AA for 45 minutes

1 Oz Tetteng 3.1 % AA for 30 minutes

1 Oz Hallertau 3.9 % AA for 20 minutes

1 Oz Tetteng 3.1 % AA for 15 minutes

1 tsp. Irish moss at 15 minutes

Mash at 160 degrees

Starting gravity of 1.042

Finishing gravity 1.008

1/2 tsp. of Fermaid (added to the fermenter)

W-yeast 1007 German ale yeast

fermentation 3 weeks at 55 deg(?)

....

[Editor's note: it appears that the club was organizing a recipe book] Last call for recipes. In January I announced plans to create a club only version of winners circle, I planned on including all past winning recipes but I also need recipe submissions from everyone! To date only 5 people have submitted recipes, if you think this is a worthwhile project PLEASE send me your favorite recipes, otherwise this project is scrapped, thanks!

Portable Document Format Anyone?

I am trying to cut down on the number of mailed newsletters. If you currently receive a hard copy of the newsletter, and would like to switch to an electronically mailed pdf file edition of the newsletter please contact me at amtantillo@earthlink.net.

There is one caveat, however. Issues with a lot of pictures such as last November's issue can produce large file attachments. The pdf file from that particular issue came to 1.8 megabytes. This issue is only around 59 kilobytes.

Next Month's Competition

Next month's competition is the AHA's Bockanailia competition. The BJCP categories 14a-d, the non-wheat bocks, are the styles for April.

14. BOCK

14A. Traditional Bock

Aroma: Strong aroma of malt. Virtually no hop aroma. Some alcohol may be noticeable. Diacetyl or esters should be low to none.

Appearance: Deep amber to dark brown color. Lagering should provide good clarity despite the dark color. Head retention may be impaired by higher-than-average alcohol content.

Flavor: Rich and complex maltiness is dominated by the grain and caramel flavors of Munich and Vienna malts. A touch of roasty character may be present but is rare. No hop flavor. Hop bitterness is generally only high enough to balance the malt flavors to allow moderate sweetness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied. Low to moderate carbonation.

Overall Impression: A dark, strong, malty lager beer.

History: Can be thought of as a strong version of Munich Dunkel. A Bavarian specialty that is most closely associated with serving in winter and spring seasons.

Comments: Decoction mashing may enhance the caramel and melanoidin flavor aspects of the malt.

Ingredients: Munich and Vienna malts, rarely any dark roasted malts, never any non-malt adjuncts. Continental European hop varieties are used, for bittering only. Lager yeast. Water hardness can vary.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.064-1.072

IBUs: 20-35 FG: 1.013-1.020

SRM: 14- 30 ABV: 6-7.5%

Commercial Examples: Aass Bock, Hacker-Pschorr Dunkeler Bock, Dunkel Ritter Bock, Einbecker Ur-Bock.

14B. Helles Bock/Maibock

Aroma: Moderate to strong malt aroma. Hop aroma should be low to none. Aromas such as diacetyl or fruity esters should be low to none. Some alcohol may be noticeable.

Appearance: Golden to amber in color. Lagering should provide good clarity. Head retention may be impaired by higher-than-average alcohol content.

Flavor: The rich flavor of continental European pale malts dominates. Little or no hop flavor. Hop bitterness is generally only high enough to balance the malt flavors to allow moderate sweetness in the finish. Perception of hops may be more apparent than in darker Bocks.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation.

Overall Impression: A relatively pale, strong, malty lager beer.

History: Can be thought of as a strong version of Munich Helles. The serving of Maibock is specifically associated with springtime and the month of May.

Comments: A pale type of Bock beer.

Ingredients: Pale lager malts. No non-malt adjuncts. Continental, European hops. Water hardness varies. Lager yeast.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.064-1.072

IBUs: 20-35 FG: 1.011-1.020

SRM: 4 – 10 ABV: 6-7.5%

Commercial Examples: Ayinger Maibock, Spaten Premium Bock, Pschorr Maerzenbock, Wuerzburger Maibock, Hacker-Pschorr Maibock, Augustiner Hellerbock, Fieders Bock Im Stein, Forschungs St. Jacobus Bock.

14C. Doppelbock

Aroma: Intense maltiness. Virtually no hop aroma. While diacetyl or esters should be low to none, a fruity aspect to the aroma often described as prune, plum or grape may be present due to reactions between malt, the boil, and aging. A very slight roasty aroma may be present in darker versions.

Appearance: Gold to dark brown in color. Lagering should provide good clarity. Head retention may be impaired by higher-than-average alcohol content.

Flavor: Very rich and malty, infrequently a touch of roastiness. Invariably there will be an impression of alcoholic strength, but this should be smooth and warming rather than harsh or burning. Presence of higher alcohols (fusel oils) should be very low to none. Little to no hop flavor. Hop bitterness varies from moderate to low but always allows malt to dominate the flavor.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied. Low carbonation.

Overall Impression: A very strong, rich, lager beer.

History: A Bavarian specialty invented in Munich by the brothers of St. Francis of Paula. Historical versions were less well attenuated than modern interpretations, with consequently higher sweetness and lower alcohol levels.

Comments: Most versions are dark colored and may display the caramelizing and melanoidin effect of decoction mashing, but pale versions have also been made.

Ingredients: Pale lager malt for pale versions, Munich and Vienna malts for darker ones and occasionally a small fraction of dark-roasted(burnt) malt in those. Continental European hops. Water hardness will vary. Lager yeast.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.073-1.120

IBUs: 20-40 FG: 1.018-1.030

SRM: 12-30 ABV: 7.5-12%

Commercial Examples: Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Spaten Optimator, Tucher Bajuvator, Augustiner Maximator, EKU Kulminator "28," Loewenbraeu Triumphator, Hacker-Pschorr Animator, Old Dominion Dominator.

14D. Eisbock

Aroma: Dominated by malt. Definite alcohol presence. No hop aroma. No diacetyl or esters.

Appearance: Deep gold to dark brown in color. Lagering should provide good clarity. Head retention may be impaired by higher-than-average alcohol content.

Flavor: Rich malt and concentrated alcohol. No hop flavor. Hop bitterness just balances the malt sweetness to avoid a cloying character. No diacetyl or esters.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied. Carbonation low.

Overall Impression: An extremely strong lager beer.

History: A Kulmbach specialty traditionally brewed by freezing a Bock or Doppelbock and removing the water ice to concentrate the flavor and alcohol content.

Comments: The process of concentrating the alcohol content by freezing may impart significant smoothness to the flavor. The effective OG range due to the freezing effect is 1.092-1.150.

Ingredients: Pale lager malt for pale versions, Munich and Vienna malts for darker ones and occasionally a small fraction of dark-roasted malt in those. Continental European hops for bitterness only. Lager yeast. Water hardness will vary.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.064-1.120

IBUs: 25-50 FG: 1.023-1.035

SRM: 18-50 ABV: 8.6-14.4%

Commercial Examples: Niagara Eisbock.

Beer Events, Meetings & Competitions Gabrielle Palmer

• March 28 (W) - FORD Meeting at Bailey's in Canton, MI, Brown Ale Competition, Category #10 b,c, & d.
• April 24 (T) - FORD Meeting Location to be announced , "Bockanalia" AHA Competition, Category #14 a, b, c, & d.
• May 5 (S) - National Homebrew Day.
• May 23 (W) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Porter Competition, Categories #15 a & b.
• June 26 (T) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Weiss and Wit Competition; the Wit Competition is an AHA Competition Category #3b {American Wheat} , 17 a, b, c, & d {German Wheat Beers}, and 19 b {Wit} .
• July 25 (W) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Lawnmower Beer AHA Competition, All light-bodied beers will be accepted.
• August 28 (T) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, California Common AHA Competition, Category # 6c .
• September ?? Beer-B-Q Heritage Park, Taylor ??
• September 26 (W) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Scottish Competition Categories # 5 a, b, c, & 11 b
• October 23 (T) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Mild AHA Competition, Category #10 a
• November 14 (W) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Pale Ales Competitions Categories 4 c, 6a, & 7a.
• December 11 (T) - FORD Meeting at Sisko's in Taylor, Holiday Beers Competition, All Style Categories.