Beer Club

[Kiyoodle the Gambrinous]

Let's talk about our favourite beverage, beer...

Just to start the conversation, here's a little link to a beautiful place in Prague: The Beer Gallery.

Just for basic information about the place: Currently, visitors to the Pivni Gallery can choose from between more than 180 brands of beer selected from the portfolios of 34 breweries.

Doesn't that sound tempting?

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

I hesitate to mention it in an open forum (because it's so tiny!  If it gets popular, I won't be able to get a seat!), but but one of my favourite places in Toronto is Smokeless Joe.

Tiny, tiny bar (it seats maybe 20 people, with another 10 on the tiny patio), but it has over 250 beers!

Apparently it's been sold (to another Joe), but under the old ownership, Joe would personally greet each customer as they came in and ask a bit about them.  The second time I went there was about a year after the first time I went there with friends, and as I walked in, Joe said "I'm sorry, I can't remember your name.  But I know you're in school for engineering... civil, right?  How's that going?"  It blew my mind.

And on top of everything, they play great music (over speakers - there's no room for a live performer), and have printed along the top of one wall the words "the blues are when you love someone who don't love you."

Great place.  If you're in Toronto, check it out.

[Kiyoodle the Gambrinous]

I think now I have defnitely a reason to go to Toronto some day...

[Opsa]

I'm a fan of really dark beers. Love Guiness Extra Stout and it's American cousins Black Toad and Rogue Shakespeare Stout. Samuel Adams has a black beer out, but so far I've only seen it available in a variety pack with other styles. Long ago I used to enjoy Sapporo Black (Japanese) around, but I haven't seen it around.

This past weekend I was at a party where some lovely people brought Corsendank, a real nice dark monastery brew  that I hadn't tasted in years. I also love Chimay. Monks really know their ale.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

I think Sam Adams Triple Bock is in season right now, though it's more like a liqueur than a typical beer.

[DaveL]

Seriously addicted to Belgian Bellvue Kriek Cherry Beer. I first had it on tap, but have found it in the larger retailers in medium sized bottles.

Not only is the colour unusal, it goes down a treat. Love the bitter sweet taste...awesome!!

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

On the weekend, I picked up a pack of the Robert Simpson Brewing Company's Confederation Ale.

It's fairly mild (I think it may be classed as a "Mild Ale"), but pretty good - flavourful without being bitter or overpowering.  Probably a good beer to wean your friends off of watery mainstream stuff.

Also, it's got a gadget: a spot on the label turns blue when it's at proper serving temperature.  Unfortunately, they put it in a green bottle, but at least it comes in a fairly lightproof cardboard box.

I doubt it's available outside of Ontario, but try it out if you see it.

[Warlord of Elephants]

I saw a recipe for ancient Egyption beer on the internet once. It has (of course) no hops in it. I want to try to home brew it. Has anyone tried or tasted anything like this? Sincerely The Warlord of Elephants

[Bluenose]

Got some of these cooling to have with dinner tonight.  Can't wait...

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

I just have one question for all of you who have visited the Southwestern US:  Why didn't any of you say anything about Fat Tire before?

I was introduced to it on my recent trip.  I like Fat Tire.  Good beer.   

[Sibling Chatty]

Uhhh, 'cause I can't tolerate alcohol anymore??

I've never met anybody that didn't like Fat Tire. Even me baby bruddah what don't drink will drink one of 'em. (He's a musician, and just got tired of it one day.) I've never been a beer or ale fan, but Fat Tire smells good, even to me!

[Aggie]

'Sat a mountain bike beer?  Sweeeeeet....!


Oh, one of my main favorites, though I rarely line up more than one bottle at a time, is Innis and Gunn.  It's a scottish beer aged in oak barrels:
http://www.innisandgunn.com/discovered.htm

Oohh....  Toluous, you need to snag the 2006 special edition in Ontario!  I can't get it here I don't think.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

'Sat a mountain bike beer?  Sweeeeeet....!

Yup... the brewery web site says that the beer was inspired by the brewmaster's bike tour through Belgium.

BTW - they hold their "Tour de Fat" ("a ballyhoo of bikes and beer", according to the web site) in a couple of locations that are semi-close to you.

Oohh....  Toluous, you need to snag the 2006 special edition in Ontario!  I can't get it here I don't think.

Hmm... I'll keep an eye out for it.  I'm having issues with the LCBO product search engine just this moment, but I'll keep trying.

[Aggie]

Hmm... have to go stateside, but maybe I can get the boys out for an excursion.  Too bad there's no June dates; dad and his cronies always get out for a bike trip in June.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Just an update: for me, New Year's Day will be "New Beer's Day".   I'm getting set to brew a beer. 

I sterilized the carboy this evening, and tomorrow I'll be picking up beer ingredients.  Assuming I can get the stuff I need, I'm going to do a Scottish Ale recipe I came up with myself and last brewed in 1997.  It's dark, malty and murky, especially since I plan on using molasses instead of sugar to carbonate it.  If it turns out, I may bestow the name "Toadfish" on it.



BTW - Aggie, I haven't found the special edition, but I tried the "normal" Innis & Gunn - it's really good!

[Opsa]

How long ya gonna let it sit before you invite us all over?

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Oh, you can come over now... you just need to bring your own beer!   

[Opsa]

Fair enough. What recipe did you use? Can you post it here?

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

It's a recipe for Scottish Ale of my own creation.

Originally, I came up with it based on some tables in the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing (though, sadly, my copy was ruined while I was living in a basement apartment that flooded whenever it rained).

I had to modify the recipe a bit this time, since the home brewing supply shop of my youth has become a shadow of its former self and now only carries a limited number of products.

Here's the recipe:

yield

- makes about 40 standard 341 ml bottles

ingredients

1 kg amber dry malt extract
500 g carastan malt
125 g roasted barley
1 oz Fuggles hops (bittering)
0.5 oz Fuggles hops (finishing)
your favourite ale yeast

1 cup molasses (for bottling)

directions

- let 20 gallons of water sit for several days (I find this gets rid of some residual chlorine and generally makes it taste better)
- crack (don't crush) the carastan and roasted barley in a grain mill (if available)
- place cracked carastan and roasted barley in a grain bag (if available)
- bring water to a boil in a large brewpot
- add dry malt extract, bittering hops and place grain bag in water (if no grain bag, add grains directly to water)
- boil for one hour.  15 minutes before the end of the boil, add the finishing hops
- during boil, prepare yeast according to directions on packet
- remove from heat and let cool (use a wort chiller if you have one - if not, cover to keep any stray bacteria out)
- when cool to 35 degrees C or so, siphon into a sterilized carboy (leaving as much hop and grain munge behind as you can) and pitch the yeast.
- seal the carboy with an airlock and place at room temperature out of the light (I've got a cardboard box that I use as a light shield)
- leave the carboy alone for several weeks

- once fermentation is complete, divide 1 cup of molasses equally between 40 bottles, rack beer into bottles and cap.

- after a few weeks, the beer will be carbonated (but molasses-y)

- after 1-2 months, the beer will (hopefully) be a good Scottish ale.

- drink to taste!

[Aggie]

Any Pixies fans in the house?  Here's a beer-filk of "Caribou" (original at bottom):

"Unibroue"

I drink lager
I hate this sh*t
Give ale to me
Double ferment
This Molson piss
Which I won't miss
I now repent

Unibroue [3x]

Repent
Re-pe-ent

Give me white
Blanche de Chambly
And Maudite
Beer on lees
Drunk me gets
I will drink
What I like

Unibroue [3x]

Repent
Rep-pent

Original:

"Caribou"

I live cement
I hate this street
Give dirt to me
I bite lament
This human form
Where I was born
I now repent

Caribou [3x]

Repent
Re-pe-ent

Give me white
Ground to run
And foregone
Lets me knife
Knife me lets
I will get
What I like

Caribou [3x]

Repent
Rep-pent

[Opsa]

I used to be in a band called "The Flying Shards" in the 80's (post-punk) and we had a song called "War Bonds" that had this chorus:

"Booze, booze, booze
Against bombs, against bombs
Alcohol against Armageddon
Drink, drink, drink
for disarmament
Until you puke for peace-
This is a drink-a-thon!"


Given Bush's last speech, I will be having a tiny drink-a-thon for peace this weekend.  I just got something called Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout that I'm going to try.

[Aggie]

Hah!  I think you might just get Kiyo to start an anti-war protest club with that one!

Mmmm... oaked beers might just be the next big thing.  Still love that Innis & Gunn. Let me know how that beer turns out. 

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Beer update:

Looks like my yeast was dead - three weeks and no fermentation at all, so I finally went out and got another packet.

Just pitched it and already it's bubbling merrily.   We're three weeks late, but moving fast.

[Opsa]

Let us have a moment of silence for Lambi's yeast. Oh yeast, we hardly knew ye.

We'd like to get to know the bubbly yeast, though.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

It's probably for the best.  I got a bit suspicious when they handed me a packet that only said "yeast" - no words like "ale" anywhere to be found.

And the good news is that I found a new excellent source of ingredients, and much closer than my old homebrew shop!  The place I bought yeast #2 is like the one near me in university: it's mainly a brew-on-premises place, so they've got lots of fresh ingredients in bulk.  Need exactly 2.5 kg of liquid malt extract?  Just grab a tub, open the spigot and fill to suit.   

It was also nice that the clerk reacted oddly when he found out I needed yeast for a batch that was "only" five gallons.   

[Bluenose]

Just found this on another sire, and thought I had to share it here:

Our Lager
Which art in barrels
Hallowed be thy drink
Thy will be drunk ( I will be drunk )
At home as if in tavern
Give us this day our foamy head
And forgive us our spillage's
As we forgive those who spill
against us
And lead us not to incarceration
But deliver us from hangovers
For thine is the beer, the bitter, the lager
For ever and ever....
Barmen

[Aggie]

ZOMG....  best chocolate-vanilla stout EVER (not too sweet, but very cacao):


(not my photo)

http://micro.dieuduciel.com/en/beers.php



_{for the record, it's totally worth the $20 for a six-pack}

[Bluenose]

Time for a bit of thread necromancy.

My new favourite beer: Two Birds Sunset Ale - it's scrumptious!



See a review here ^{(just close the subscription pop-up)}

[Opsa]

What do you like about it?


Some friends gave us a big bottle of Hardywood Hoperation Pink IPA for xmas. Grapefruit ale? We haven't tried it yet. We have a friend who is growing hops and want to wait for him to come over and sample it with us.

[Aggie]

Here's a beer that I found a while ago... IMHO there are better IPAs out there, but the inscription on the label caught my attention:

Here's to Daniel Lapp, Oliver Schroer, ELH, and all great fiddlers. Libation and music, like the tumultuous marriage of malt and hops, stand waiting with us at the crossroads. And look: here comes the Devil, whistling past the graveyard, singing in the midnight choir, bottle in one hand, a fiddle in the other, and that crazy smile...

Here's the fiddler I gave it to, and got a crazy smile out of:  
[youtube=425,350]VArfQ5v_krc[/youtube]