F.O.R.D Crest Ye Olde Brew News F.E.R.A. Crest
December 2000 Fermental Order of Renaissance Draughtsmen Vol. 8 No. 12
In this issue:

December's Meeting

The next meeting will be held back at Sisko's in Taylor on Tuesday, December 12. . Sisko's is located on Monroe (between Telegraph and Southfield), just south of Vanborn. Their address is 5855 Monroe and their phone number is 313-278-5340. Sisko's also has a website at http://www.siskos.com/. The competition for this December is Holiday Beers. All styles are welcome.. 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.


Competition Results
Jim Racine

We did not have any entries in the "Historic Beer Competition". This Month's competition is the holiday beer competition all beer styles will be accepted. We will also accept the entries for the January AHA club competition, Dunkel and Schwarzbier (BJCP categories 13 A & B).


Minutes from November's Meeting

Howard Klix Jr.

The meeting at Sisko's this month was very brief, but the 10 members that attended managed to put away quite a few beers anyway.

We are now accepting nominations for the club officers and other voluntary positions. Please email any nominations to me at raistlin01@home.com raistlin01@home.com . We will be electing during our next meeting. ALL OFFICERS MUST BE PRESENT.

Current nominations are:

President: Doug Geiss, Sue Merritt
Vice President: Howard Klix, Sr.
Secretary: Howard Klix, Jr.
Treasurer: Chris Frey

Other positions:
Newsletter Editor: Tony Tantillo
Librarian: Mike Arend
Webmaster: Gabby
Beer Mooch: Sue Merritt, Marla Klix
Beer Wench (new category): Kathy Loftus
Equipment Manager: Tyler Barber

Tyler: the club has asked for a list of the equipment we have to store. Please get this info to Tony for the next newsletter.

DUES ARE DUE! Please get your membership dues to Chris Frey by the time I start printing out next year's membership cards (approx Jan. 15, 2001). Crispy - if you need them sooner, let us all know.

The next (November's actually -ed.)beer competition will be "Historical Beer".

Howard Klix
EDS SMC Server/Client Support; NA Region
(248) 524-8205, (8-224)


Beer News
The first contribution is courtesy of Bob Barrett

OIL DRINK TO THAT

Tesco buys ex-car worker's home brew for pounds 1m

A FORMER car worker who took up home brewing as a hobby has won a pounds 1million deal for one of his beers. Ken Brooker's special stout - appropriately called Old Engine Oil - is to be sold in Tesco supermarkets. The store chain is expecting massive sales and says they will make Ken a millionaire. The 53-year-old, who worked for Ford for 24 years, quit in 1988 to run his own tiny brewery. Yesterday he and his staff were stepping up production of Old Engine Oil in his Harviestoun brewery at Dollar in Clackmannanshire. He said: "It's fantastic news, a dream come true for someone who started out as a home brewer," he said. "I never imagined I'd get this far although I did know my beer was special. "And because it's so dark and I'd worked so long for Ford, there was only one name for it." Dagenham-born Ken started work with the motor giant in 1964 as an apprentice model maker, using wood to create miniatures of prototype cars. He rose to become the company's service manager in Scotland. But, on the way, he developed a serious passion for home brew. Starting with shop-bought kits, he made batches of 40 pints of what he now describes as "pretty dreadful" ale. He speedily realized he could buy his own ingredients and follow recipes to make better brews. Eventually, he developed his own, tested them out on his Ford colleagues. "I kept four barrels in my garage and used to hold tasting sessions," he said. "On one memorable occasion, 42 people squeezed in. Then someone told me my beers were really good and I should consider selling them commercially." The idea took root, and Ken set up business in a semi-derelict building which he slowly transformed into a brewery. Money was tight, and he adapted bits and pieces to furnish vital equipment. While still working for Ford, he took on a fellow home brew fanatic to work full-time on developing new beers. In October 1985, they sold their first pint to a pub in nearby Stirling. Three years later, Ken left Ford to go into the business full-time. Today he has a staff of six, sells six types of beer and a monthly special, and has an annual turnover of pounds 750,000. The firm is still very small, so Ken is astonished to have won the Tesco contract against fierce opposition. Old Engine Oil is brewed to a recipe adapted from Irish-style barley wine. It's black, smooth, rich and strong at six per cent alcohol by volume. Tesco beer expert Andy Gale said: "We were overwhelmed by its quality and consistency. "The flavor just burst upon our taste buds the moment we drank it. It's everything a British beer should be. "It's a fantastic story because of the way Ken came into brewing. We're delighted for him."

The next contribution is from Kevin Mueller.

Miller shuts taps on Austin's Celis Brewery

Big brewer to close Austin operation and try to sell it and Celis trademark. http://www.localbusiness.com/eStory/0,1533,AUS_522153,00.html


Annual Dues
This article is reprinted from last month's newsletter. -- The Editor
Chris Frey

OK, it's that time of year where I beg, grovel and otherwise get down on bended knee to ask for your 2001 dues. And to make it easier, I will not confuse you with options. What usually happens each year is that I get a flood of cash at a meeting, write down who has paid on a piece of paper, deposit the money and pass the info on to the card maker (Howard Klix, Jr.). Then, as we distribute the cards I get a couple of people telling me they paid, where is their card? As I usually have had a few at the meeting, I probably forgot to add them to the list, spent the money, and then pull it out of my pocket to get their dues in.

Soooo, this year, kindly send me your check, made out to me, to my home address. I am going to try to avoid all cash this year. Renewals are $15, family renewals $20. I make copies of the checks before deposit, so there is no arguments as to who paid and who didn't. My address is:

Chris P. Frey
275 South Ann Arbor St.
Saline, Mi. 48176

Your membership cards are good until 1/31/2001 for the discounts. If I can get everyone to send their checks in by 12/31/00, we can ensure that you will get your card by the 1/01 meeting, or, if you do not make this meeting, I will mail them to you after the meeting. Thanks for your support on this and I will see you at the December meeting (I will be in FLA in November).

Chris Frey
Credit Insurance Product Management
313-390-2339
cfrey@ford.com


AHA Club Competition 3

I thought it would be good to reprint this from October's newsletter. After the listing the BJCP guide for Dunkel and Schwarzbeer (January's Competition) is given. -- The Editor

Jim Racine
AHA Competitions
January Dunkel and Schwarzbier Early February due date
February Stout Late March due date
April Bockanalia Late May Due Date
June Wit Late August due date
July Lawnmower Late August due date
August California common Due Early October
October Mild Due early December

13. EUROPEAN DARK LAGER


13A. Munich Dunkel

Aroma: Munich malt aroma, with sweetish notes or hints of chocolate and toffee also acceptable. No fruity esters or diacetyl should be detected, but slight hop aroma is acceptable.

Appearance: Medium amber to dark brown, often with a red or garnet tint. Creamy light tan head, clear.

Flavor: Dominated by the rich and complex flavor of Munich malt. May be slightly sweet from residual extract, but should not have a pronounced crystal or caramel malt flavor. Burnt or bitter flavors from roasted malts should not be perceived. Hop bitterness is low but perceptible, with the balance tipped firmly towards maltiness. Hop flavor should be at the very edge of perception if perceived at all. Aftertaste remains malty, although the hop bitterness may become more apparent in this last phase of flavor perception.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full mouthfeel, providing a firm body without being heavy.

Overall Impression: Characterized by depth and complexity of Munich malt and the accompanying melanoidins.

History: The classic lager style of Munich which developed as a malt-accented beer in part due to the moderately carbonate water.

Comments: Versions from the Kulmbach region of Franconia are brewed from a bit higher gravity with a more intense flavor profile.

Ingredients: Grist is primarily made up of German Munich malts, up to 100% in some cases or supplemented with German Pilsner malt. Small amounts of crystal malt can add to the malt complexity but should not compete with the Munich malt. Very slight additions of roasted malts may be used to improve color but should not add any flavor. Noble German hop varieties and German lager yeast strains should be used. Moderately carbonate water. Often decoction mashed to showcase the malt flavors.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.046-1.058

IBUs: 20-28 FG: 1.012-1.017

SRM: 12-28 ABV: 4.3-5.6%

Commercial Examples: Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, Hacker-Pschorr Alt Munich Dark, Paulaner Alt Muenchner Dunkel, Tabernash Munich Dark, Weeping Radish Dunkel.


13B. Schwarzbier (Black Beer)

Aroma: Primarily malty, with low aromatic sweetness and/or hints of roast malt often apparent. Low hop aroma may be perceived. No fruity esters or diacetyl.

Flavor: Rich, full malt flavor balanced by moderate bitterness from both hops and roasted malt, providing a bitter-chocolate palate without being particularly dry. Low hop flavor and some residual sweetness are acceptable. Aftertaste tends to dry out slowly and linger, featuring hop bitterness with a complementary subtle roastiness in the background. No fruity esters or diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Low to medium body.

Overall Impression: A beer that balances rich dark malt flavors with a perceptible bitterness from hops and roasted malts.

History: In previous centuries in Germany, drinkers sometimes sweetened the initial product with sugar, and for some time, the Koestritzer brewery produced two versions, an original, dryer product and another version with added sucrose. The current Ur-Koestritzer product splits the difference between the two previous versions.

Comments: In comparison with a Munich Dunkel, usually darker in color, drier on the palate and with a noticeable (but not high) roasted malt edge to balance the malt base.

Ingredients: German Munich malt and Pilsner malts for the base, supplemented by a small amount of roasted malts for the dark color and subtle roast flavors. Noble-type German hop varieties and a clean (preferably German) lager yeast are preferred.

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.044-1.054

IBUs 25-35 FG: 1.010-1.016

SRM 20-40+ ABV: 4.2-5.4%

Commercial Examples: Kulmbacher Moenchschof Kloster Schwarz-Bier, Ur-Koestritzer Schwarzbier.



Beer Events, Meetings & Competitions
Gabrielle Palmer

Fermental Funny

David Peters submitted an animation for last month's newsletter. Although I can't reproduce the music of the animation in the newsletter, I was able to capture the pictures used in this funny. -The Editor

Turkey Funny Picture 1 Turkey Funny Picture 2
Turkey Funny Picture 3 Turkey Funny Picture 4

This one was submitted by Howard Klix, Jr. from Pete's Wicked Website.

Time, once again, for your Thursday history lesson. Legend has it that when President Roosevelt completed signing The New Deal, he said, "I think this would be a good time for a beer," thus paving the way for the repeal of Prohibition. That's wisdom from the Book of Wicked.

Cheers, Pete's Wicked. http://www.peteswicked.com

Bob Barrett submitted a joke which I managed to delete before including it in the newsletter. -- The Editor


Ye Olde Brew News
published by the F.O.R.D. Homebrew Club
Editor:
Tony Tantillo

Contributors:
Gabrielle Palmer
Jim Racine
Tony Tantillo
Kevin Mueller
Howard Klix, Jr.
David Peters
Chris Frey

Club Officers:
Al Czajkowski, President
Jim Racine, Vice President
Howard Klix Jr., Secretary
Chris Frey, Treasurer
Tony Tantillo, Newsletter Editor
Gabrielle Palmer, Webmaster
Sue Merritt, Photographer/Historian/Beer Mooch
Mike Arend, Librarian
Jim Rice & Tyler Barber, Special Events Coordinators
Tyler Barber, Equipment Manager
Rich Byrnes, Business Manager

F.O.R.D. is a private, non-profit organization of homebrewers. The main goal of this club is to promote awareness and appreciation of the quality and variety of beer; to share information regarding technique, equipment and skill required to brew quality homemade beer; and to encourage responsible use of beer as an alcohol-containing beverage.

Correspondence should be directed to:
Howard Klix Jr.
24737 Cushing Ave
Eastpointe, MI 48021

Phone: 810-779-1445
Email: raistlin01@home.com

Visit our website at: http://www.be.ford.com/brewers/
or external to Ford at: http://hbd.org/ford/

current circulation... 125