The Journal of New Hampshire`s Brew Free or Die Homebrew Club

The Journal of New
Hampshire’s Brew
Free or Die
Homebrew Club

August 2003
Notes from the Orval Office
It was the middle of July and I
was suffering from extreme
hop withdrawal. I was in
Macon, Georgia for two weeks
on a trip for work. Macon is a
city of 125,000 located about
90 miles south of Atlanta.
125,000 people, but no hops.
Pabst Blue Ribbon. Budweiser.
Hurricane Malt Liquor. Miller
Lite. These are the beers of
choice with an occasional
sighting of a few imports from
Europe (Guinness, Bass, Newcastle) and some regional
Southern beers (Shiner Bock,
Dixie, Abita). Samuel Adams
was a virtual nonentity.
On my second day in Macon, I
headed for the local brewpub
with great hopes for hops. The
Texas Cattle Company Border
Grill and Brewery had an India
Pale Ale on tap, but it failed to
meet my hoppy expectations.
A British pale ale at best, the
“IPA” was warm, flat, and
lacked bitterness. None of the
Brew Free or Die
Volume 13, Number 8
other beers on tap even pretended to have hops, so I
switched to the stout. It was a
foreign extra style with lots of
roasted espresso flavor, although that overpowered any
of the other stout characteristics. At least my steak wasn’t
too bad.
The beer didn’t get any hoppier after the Texas Cattle
Company. I decided to give
up on the concept of the
American Beer Month and
drank Guinness and Boddington’s for the remainder of my
time there. It wasn’t until I
returned to Manchester late
Saturday night that I was able
to taste the sweet hoppy nectar of the Devil and savor its
bitterness. Ah, it’s good to be
home.
Cheers.
What's Inside!
News from the Orval Office ........1
Oktoberfest HBC ........................2
Beer News ...................................3
Technical Challenge ....................4
VT Brewer’s Festival ..................7
Directions to Meeting..................8
The Beauty of Hops ....................9
Matters of Import……………….11
Todd R. Russell
August 2003
Page 1
2nd Annual Oktoberfest Homebrew Competition
Sponsored in part by Crisp Malting, Fermentation
Station & Milly’s Tavern
Date : Sunday October 5th, 2003 in Manchester NH.
Deadline for entries is : September 24th, 2003.
Current Drop Locations: Milly’s Tavern in Manchester, NH; Jasper’s Homebrewing Supplies in Nashua,
NH; Fermentation Station in Meredith, NH; Stout
Billy’s in Portsmouth, NH
Entry Fee : $4 for 1st Entry, $3 for 2nd, $2 for 3rd and
$1 for 4th and subsequent entries.
This is event is registered with the BJCP and will use
the BJCP style guidelines.
Categories are likely to be collapsed into 5-6 major
groupings. 1) Ales 2) Lager & Pilsner 3) Stouts &
Porters 4)Octoberfest/Vienna?marezen 5)Big BeersBarley Wines, Belgians, Imperials, etc. 6) Specialty
beers(there is some latitude given here-could comprise fruit beers, experimental beers, etc.) Note:
judges and organizers reserve the right to adjust categories based on number of entries.
Call for Articles
See your name in print! Brew Free Or Die is
always looking for beer related articles to publish in
this newsletter. Why not become an author?
Articles can be about any beer related topic.
There is no length requirement, so from a short
blurb to a multiple issue story, anything goes!
Pictures are welcome too!
To submit an article, contact any of the club
officers or send email to <[email protected]>.
Articles may also be sent to the club post office
box.
Medals to be awarded to top 3 finishers in each category. Prizes to first place winners & B.O.S.
Any questions please email : [email protected].
Don Merkey, Fred Eckhart and Mike Fairbrother
Fred Eckhart and Phil Sides, Jr.
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 2
Police caught trading information for beer coupons
Fourteen police officers have received nearly 1,000 beer coupons from a consumer loan company official in return for
leaking investigative information, the National Police Agency (NPA) admitted Tuesday.
The major credit company, Takefuji Corp., gave information on loans it made to police officers in return for criminal records of rightist organizations.
The NPA said Saburo Takeda, 56, former head of the Tsukishima Police Station in Tokyo's Chuo-ku, received a staggering 400 beer coupons from former Takefuji official Kazuhiro Nakagawa between 1993 and 2001 for allegedly supplying
information.
Another senior officer of the NPA's criminal investigation section received 290 coupons, officials said.
Takefuji gave the coupons as seasonal gifts. The NPA sent the case of Takeda, who resigned on Friday, to prosecutors
on charges of leaking official information.
Takeda reportedly handed over a list of some 840 police officers to Nakagawa asking him whether the listed officers were
granted loans from the company, while giving him criminal investigative information. (Compiled from Mainichi and wire
stories, Japan, July 22, 2003)
Bitter beer offers slim hope
Bitter-tasting beer curbs the development of fat inside the body, researchers at Japan's top brewery have found.
A team of researchers led by Keiji Kondo, a vice chief of Kirin Brewery Co.'s development section, reached the conclusion
after feeding a group of mice with high-fat feed containing isohumulones, an important component of hops that creates the
bitter taste, and another group with plain high-fat feed.
After six weeks, the group that was given the isohumulones-free feed grew 22 percent fatter than the other group.
Kondo, however, warned beer lovers against gulping down their drinks to keep themselves in shape.
"You won't get this effect by drinking beer only. You may even end up putting too much stress on your liver so we advise
consumers to not to drink too much," Kondo said.
The team found that the mice that were fed with feed containing isohumulones developed twice the amount of enzymes
that transform fat compared to the other group.
Kirin researchers believe isohumulones help the development of fat-dissolving enzymes.
The discovery was announced during a recent meeting of the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science. (Mainichi
Shimbun, Japan, July 22, 2003)
Don Merkey, Charlie P., Mike Fairbrother and Phil Sides,
Jr. at the National Homebrewer’s Conference
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August 2003
Page 3
Brew Free or Die Technical Challenge
We decided to have a competition where everyone brewed a beer from the same recipe.. This should
highlight the differences in procedures and techniques among the various brewers. To accommodate
all of our members we are providing 3 versions of the recipe, an all grain version, a partial mash version and an extract version.
Phil Sides graciously agreed to concoct a recipe for the contest. After some back and forth it was decided that we would make a Northern English Brown ale. This style is fairly balanced and does not
have a preponderance of maltiness or hoppiness. It was felt that we would be able to see more differences than with a style that was very hoppy and/or very malty.
All BFD members are welcome to participate. We also encourage you to be involved in the judging
of the beers. Not only will you be able to see the differences in the beers, you will learn a little about
judging beers also.
Recipe Notes:
For all grain brewers we have provided percentages of malts. Modify the actual amounts to work with
your system.
Hops have been specified with amounts and alpha acid percentages. Alpha Acid Units (AAU) have
also been specified. There is no guarantee that the hops you buy will have the AA percentages specified in the recipe. The AAU’s are to help you adjust for differing AA levels in hops. One ounce of
8% Challenger is equal to 8 AAU. One half ounce is equal to 4 HBU. If you purchase Challenger
hops with 10% AA, the quantity for 8 AAU or 4 AAU needs to be adjusted. Eight Tenths of an ounce
of 10% AA hops is 8 AAU. In the case of the recipe, four tenths of an ounce would need to be used to
get 4 AAU.
Extract and grain amounts have been calculated to achieve 1.046 as the starting gravity. Anything
near this is fine.
Entries can be dropped at Todd Russell’s or Kenny Donahue’s homes. We will be judging the beers
in October, the exact date will be announced later.
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 4
From the BJCP Style Guidelines
10 B Northern English Brown
Aroma :
Restrained fruitiness; little or 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
lot 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 than 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, Adnam’s Nut Brown Ale
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 5
All Grain Recipe
7 lb Pale Ale Malt
½ lb Biscuit Malt
¾ lb Crystal 120L
The all grain recipe calls for :
85% Pale Malt
6% Biscuit Malt
9% Crystal 120L
½ oz Wye Challenger 8% AA (4 AAU)
¼ oz Fuggles 5 % AA (1.25 AAU)
Wyeast 1318 London Ale III Yeast
Mash @ 152 degrees 1 hour. Assumes 75% efficiency.
Boil 60-75 minutes. Add Challenger with 60 minutes
Remaining. Add Fuggles with 30 minutes remaining.
Partial Mash Recipe
3 lb Pale Ale Malt
2 ¼ lb Light DME or 3 lb Light Liquid Malt Extract
½ lb Biscuit Malt
¾ lb Crystal 120L
½ oz Wye Challenger 8% AA (4 AAU)
¼ oz Fuggles 5 % AA (1.25 AAU)
Wyeast 1318 London Ale III Yeast
Mash @ 152 degrees 1 hour. Assumes 75% efficiency.
Boil 60-75 minutes. Add Challenger with 60 minutes
Remaining. Add Fuggles with 30 minutes remaining.
Extract Recipe
4 ¼ Lb Light DME or 5 ½ Lb Light Liquid Malt Extract
½ lb Biscuit Malt
¾ lb Crystal 120L
½ oz Wye Challenger 8% AA (4 AAU)
¼ oz Fuggles 5 % AA (1.25 AAU)
Wyeast 1318 London Ale III Yeast
Steep grains in 150 degree water 30 minutes. Add
Extract and boil 60-75 minutes. Add Challenger with 60
Minutes remaining. Add Fuggles with 30 minutes remaining.
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 6
The Vermont Brewer’s Festival
By Don Merkey
While Todd was enjoying some southern
hospitality, Brian Rousseau and I headed
north to Burlington, VT with his family.
Next to Lake Champlain we found the
Vermont Brewer’s Festival and a wide selection of beers from Vermont, New York,
New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I
made it my job to try as many IPA’s as
possible, in search of an IPA with hops.
Long Trail, Portsmouth Brewery, Smuttynose, 7 Barrel and Rock Art all had enjoyable brews that did not lack for bitterness or hop character. Other IPA’s from
Magic Hat(HiPA), Shed, Concorde Brewery, Berkshire Brewing and later from Vermont Pub & Brewery were also sampled.
Moat Mountain was present with Hoffman
Weiss(a personal favorite) and Lake
Placid Pub & Brewery had a very enjoyable hefeweizen. Lake Placid also had a
pale ale named Frostbite Pale Ale, listed at
6.8% with a ton of left coast character. I
suppose this could be called an IPA in
New Hampshire. LPB features their flagship brew UBU Ale as an English strong
ale weighing in at 7% abv. A very enjoyable beer. If I get to their neck of the
woods, I will be sure to stop at the pub.
Redhook, Harpoon, Otter Creeek, Boston
Beer, Magic Hat and Tuckerman’s were all
present and accounted for. The Concorde
Brewery brought their IPA, Rapscallion
and Blessing(a big hit among the Vermonters). The Vermont Pub & Brewery
had Forbidden Fruit(sourmashed and fermented with 500 lbs of raspberries).
(Editors note: This is almost as much as
Bert puts in a five gallon batch.) They also
had a very dangerous Trippel which was
far too drinkable. At the brewpub VPB had
a 1996 keg of Wee Heavy, a true treat, as
well as Bombay Grab IPA.
Brew Free or Die
Other beers of interest included, Long Trail Double
Bag, Concord Grape Ale(think fizzies), Rock Art’s
Ridge Runner, Boneyard Barleywine from Trout River
(Not Paul Davis, that’s Trout Brook) and an enjoyable
stout from Rock Art.
The VT Brewer’s Festival is an enjoyable time at a
great location and features quite a number of beers that
are not available in NH. The entry fee was $20 which
included a commemorative 3 oz sampling glass and 10
beer coupons. Additional beer coupons were for sale
on the site.
August 2003
Page 7
Directions to the August (8/8/03) Meeting
To be held at Bert’s
Bert J. Bingel 154 Head St Manchester, NH
603.644.8231
Exit 4 (Queen City Bridge exit) from I-293
1. Go past Applebee's and Blockbuster on left
(Second St.)
2. Turn left at Nault's Honda (West Hancock St)
3. Turn right at end of West Hancock onto
South Main (Walgreen's right in front of you)
4. Take IMMEDIATE left onto Varney St.
towards the Pinardville section of Goffstown
(Walgreen's is the corner of S. Main and
Varney)
5. 3/10 of a mile up, take first right onto Head
Street
My house is the first after the park on the left.
Green Ranch with tan trim.
Upcoming Events
National Mead Day
August 2nd
www.beertown.org
Great British Beer Festival
August 5-9 London Olympia
Season Ticket 17.50 Pounds
www.gbbf.org
Topsfield Fair HBC
September 13th
Art of Beer Festival
Cyclorama
9/13/2003
$20 for entry food and 2
pints
http://beeradvocate.com/aobf
The Castle at Park Plaza
9/20/2003 Noon – 10PM
www.beersummit.com
Harpoon Brewery Windor VT
10/11/2003-10/12/2003
www.harpoonbrewery.com
Great American Beer Festival
Denver CO
9/25/2003 – 9/27/2003
www.beertown.org
Maine Brewer’s Festival
Portland Expo
11/1/2003
www.mainebrew.com
Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon Brewery – Boston
10/3/2003- 10/4/2003
www.harpoonbrewery.com
Teach a Friend to HomeBrew Day
11/1/2003
www.beertown.org
Manchester Oktoberfest
Manchester NH
Milly’s Tavern
Homebrew competition
10/05/2003
Great International Beer Festival
Rhode Island Convention Center,
Providence RI
11/8/2003
Two shows 1-4:30
6:30-10:00
www.beerfestamerica.com
Harpoon Vt Octoberfest
Beer Summit Octoberfest
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 8
WINNERS 2003
THE BEAUTY OF HOPS COMPETITION
The eighth annual Beauty of Hops awards, sponsored as usual by the National Hop Association
of England and Horticulture Research International (HRI) and for the first time by the British
Cheese Board, saw a record number of entries for this year’s three categories, with over 70
beers competing for honours, an increase of 25% on last year’s entries. The winners of the competition held at the White Horse on Parson’s Green, London on 4th June were as follows:
Single Varietal Pilgrim Hop beer: Sponsored by Horticulture Research International
1st
2nd
3rd
Beecham’s Bar & Brewery of Merseyside’s beer ‘Beecham’s Pilgrim’ at 4.5% abv
(Mike Hitchen 01744 623420)
Cameron’s Brewery Co. of Hartlepool’s beer ‘Mirglip Ale’ at 4.7% abv (Martin
Dutoy 01429 266666)
Cottage Brewing Co. of Somerset’s beer ‘Cottage Pilgrimage’ at 4.5% abv (Darren
Godfrey 01693 240551)
Brewed by students at the microbrewery at St Helen’s College, judges remarked on the winning
brew’s "orange & grapefruit aromas" and "striking lemon-yellow colour".
Ultimate Beer for a Ploughman’s Lunch: Sponsored by the British Cheese Board
1st
George Gale & Co. of Hampshire’s ‘GB’ beer at 4% abv using Fuggles and Challenger
(Derek Lowe 02392 571212)
2nd
George Gale & Co.’s ‘Crowning Glory’ at 4.5% abv using Goldings, Fuggles and Challenger (Derek Lowe 02392 571212)
3rd
McMullen & Sons of Hertford’s ‘Country Best Bitter’ at 4.3% abv using Progress and
Bramling Cross (Chris Evans 01992 584 911)Judges commented on the "hop domination"
and the "spritzy citrus zest" of the ‘GB’ brew.
Ultimate Beer for an After Dinner Cheese: Sponsored by the British Cheese Board.
1st
Youngs, Wandsworth, London’s ‘Old Nick’ at 7.2% abv , Fuggles & Goldings (Derek Prentice 020 8875 7000)
2nd
Hog’s Back Brewery of Surrey’s ‘A over T’ (Aromas over Tongham) at 9% abv using Goldings (Peter Arguile, 01252 783 000)
3rd
Fuller Smith & Turner of Chiswick, London’s ‘Golden Pride’ at 8.5% abv using Target,
Northdown & Challenger (John Keeling 020 8996 2000)Winning features of’ Old Nick’
noted by judges included: "Startlingly bright rosewood and ruby colour." "Pronounced
and long-lasting juicy hop bitterness".
The annual Beauty of Hops Competition provides an understanding of the flavours and brewing
(Continued on page 10)
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 9
characteristics of hop varieties while showcasing new and existing English hop varieties and giving brewers an opportunity to publicise their winning brews. This years categories follow attempts in recent years to open up new commercial opportunities for Britain’s brewers, for example through the creation of food based competitions to find the Ultimate Curry, Pizza, Barbecue
and Fish & Chip beers or lifestyle competitions like the Ultimate Fem’ale, Wedding and Fruit/
Spiced beers.
In a change from last year’s format, the National Hop Association decided to hold a separate
Awards Dinner for winning breweries, a week after the judging took place on the 4th June. This
approach was taken to maximise the publicity opportunities of the winning breweries, and also
in line with raising the profile of the competition, marking it as a more formal occasion.
Speaking at the Awards Dinner last night, The National Hop Association’s septuagenarian Chairman of publicity, Peter Davies MBE, commented:
"We are very grateful to all the breweries who entered the competition, to our many journalists
and brewer judges and to the White Horse Pub for their exceptional hospitality yet again. The
Competition continues to attract entries from the smallest to the largest breweries throughout
Britain, and we are pleased that the huge wealth of hop flavours in beer continue to be explored
and developed."
Mark Dorber, Beer and Cheese aficionado and Landlord at The White Horse pub, the venue for
both the Judging and the Awards Dinner, said:
"Farmhouse Cheddar is without doubt one of the most profoundly beautiful cheeses in the world.
At its mature best, it is partnered perfectly by British beer styles. The combination of rich, nutty
and fragrantly fruity flavours in cheddar allows our native pale ales, IPAs, Old Ales and Barley
Wines full rein. Where a number of English hops are used in the grist then the breadth of textures and aromas ranging from the earthy Fuggle (which works well with the slightly dusty character of the rind and the granular nature of mature cheddar) to the fine orange zest perfume of
an East Kent Golding offsets the richness of the butterfat and points-up a cobnut-like richness,
the hallmark of maturity. In addition the inherent apple and pear-like fruitiness of our top fermented beers intermingle particularly well with the fruitiness of cheese made from milk collected
from cows munching on late Spring or Summer pasture.
The firm, fine and graceful bitterness imparted by English hops help to cut through the richness
of cheese without overriding the subtleties of flavour; whilst the gentle carbonation imparted by
cask-conditioning continues to refresh the palate. A ploughman’s lunch with a quart of cool, aromatic and well-hopped ale is an enduring classic of Britain."
Editors’ Notes:
Single Varietal Pilgrim hop: Beers had to use 100% Pilgrim hop, presented in cask, keg or bottle of any ABV or style. The
winning beer had to show maximum hop varietal character in a balanced beer. This category was sponsored by Horticulture Research International who released the Pilgrim Hop for planting in 2001.
The Ultimate Beer for a Ploughman’s Lunch: This challenged brewers to brew beers below 5% abv. to complement the
earthy, nutty flavours of West Country Farmhouse Cheddar found in a typical ‘ploughman’s lunch’.
The Ultimate Beer for After Dinner Cheese: This challenged brewers to create beers of over 5% abv that could, like port, be
a fine complement to the more ripe and ‘aromatic’ cheeses such as British Brie, Mature Stilton or the tangy flavours of Extra Mature/Vintage English Cheddar.
Article lifted from the National Hop Association of England
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
Page 10
Matters of Import
By Phil Sides
SABMiller, PLC has
acquired a majority stake in the
Italy’s second largest brewer,
Birra Peroni SA, brewers of
both the Peroni and Nastro
Azzurro brands . The successful
bid is believed to have staved
off potential suitors Carlsberg
AS and Interbrew SA. As a
result, two new doors of opportunity have opened for SABMiller. The opportunity now
exists to sell the company’s
two leading brands Pilsner
Urquell and Miller Draft in the
growing Italian market. Domestically, SABMiller hopes to
seize market share with the
Peroni brand in the so-called
middle-market currently dominated by Corona.
old. Singha is the flagship brand
of the Boon Rawd Brewery
Company, Ltd. and has been
brewed by the family run brewery since 1933. The brand has
been sold in the United States for
thirty years and is served in over
4,000 Thai restaurants domestically today, making the U.S. Singha’s second largest market, second only to Thailand.
Czech brewers intend to
aggressively market their wares
in the United States. Budejovicky Budvar, which brews
Czechvar, intends to double exports over the next few years to a
level of 1.5 million liters. SABMiller has also stepped up marketing efforts with a major advertising campaign in larger U.S.
cities touting its Pilsner Urquell
as the original lager. Other
brands such as Rebel and Staropramen from the Czech Republic
Thailand’s premium are enjoying increased sales and
beer Singha is now 70 years brand awareness in the U.S. as
Brew Free or Die
August 2003
well.
The United Kingdom
based HP Bulmer has sold its U.
S. based subsidiary, Bulmers
USA. Several Bulmers USA employees with the support of individual investors purchased the
company now called Green
Mountain Beverages. Included
in the acquisition were the Middlebury, Vermont cider plant and
the domestic brands Cider Jack
and Woodchuck. Additionally,
Green Mountain Beverages has
garnered distribution rights to
HP Bulmer brands Bulmers
Original, Strongbow and Woodpecker for a period of five years.
Page 11
The BFD is a publication of the Brew Free or Die homebrew club
of New Hampshire, a society dedicated to good beer and the art of
homebrewing.
The opinions expressed are those of the editor, secretary and
contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of Brew Free Or
Die.
Membership in Brew Free or Die is $20.00 (US) per year for an
individual membership or $22.00 (US) per year for couples with a
single newsletter subscription.
Meetings are held in member's homes, typically on the second
Friday of the month at 7 PM. Check within this publication for
location and directions.
All articles contained herein (except those taken from other
sources) can be republished without approval provided proper
credit be given to the author and Brew Free or Die and a copy of
the publication containing the reprinting is sent to our P.O. Box.
Brew Free or Die welcomes letters, opinions, suggestions, articles,
beers, etc. from our members and our readers. Correspondence
should be addressed to Brew Free or Die, P.O. Box 1092,
Hudson, NH 03051-1092. Check us out on the internet at
Club Officers
President
Todd Russell
Vice President
Kenny Donahue
Treasurer
Janet DiPalma
Yeast Rancher
Jim DiPalma
Competition Coordinator
Ken Donahue
Paraphernalia Person
Melissa Abato
Publisher, Editor
Don Merkey
Webmaster
Michael Fairbrother
Newsletter Authors & Contributors
Don Merkey, Todd Russell, Mike Fairbrother
Phil Sides, Jr, Steve Friedman
http://www.bfd.org.
®
Brew Free Or Die
P.O. Box 1092
Hudson, NH 03051-1092
Brew Free or Die
First Class Mail
August 2003
Page 12