Monday, December 2, 2013

CyBeer Monday (Through Friday)


 Give the gift of brewing this Holiday Season with Salt City Brew Supply! This Basic Brewing Kit is a great way to start Homebrewing 5 gallons of beer, and this week you get free ingredients also!
Includes all of the following equipment:
- 6.5 gallon primary fermenting bucket with lid (drilled for airlock)
- Bottling bucket (6.5 gallon) with spigot (3/8" opening)
- Rack and fill kit (auto siphon, siphon hose, bottle filler)
- Air lock
- Adhesive thermometer
- Triple scale hydrometer
- Beer bottle brush
- Twin lever capper
- Oxy-based Cleanser
- True Brew basic brewing handbook
 

Plus, pick one of the following ingredient kits FREE!*

http://www.saltcitybrewsupply.com/store/home-products/beer-making-equipment-ingredient-kit.html  http://www.saltcitybrewsupply.com/store/home-products/beer-making-equipment-ingredient-kit.html  http://www.saltcitybrewsupply.com/store/home-products/beer-making-equipment-ingredient-kit.html  http://www.saltcitybrewsupply.com/store/home-products/beer-making-equipment-ingredient-kit.html

*Available online only. One promotional ingredient kit per equipment kit purchased at full price.
Not valid with other offers. Ends 12/6/13

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Time To Parti-Gyle

Have you ever brewed a large beer, say an Imperial Stout, or Imperial IPA, or maybe even a Barley Wine, and felt a little guilty throwing out that large grain bill when you finished making your beer? Some people compost, some people feed their chickens, some people put it in bread, and while these ideas are all fine and good, I personally make more beer with it.


You may have heard the term “parti-gyle” before, but wasn't sure what it was, or it sounded like some new-fangled process to make all grain brewing more complicated. Well, in fact, it is a very old and traditional way to brew, dating back hundreds of years, and with some math and some practice it is a great way for you to walk away from your brew day with not one, but two beers in the fermenter(s).

Historically brewers would mash and lauter the same grain bill several times producing a batch of wort and subsequent beer with each individual mash. Most likely this is where the Belgians got their terminology for their Trapist ales; Trippel (highest alcohol first runnings), Dubbel (high alcohol second runnings), and Pater or Table Beer (low alcohol third runnings). And, in early American colonies beer was made for sale at taverns, but “small” beer was made from the second runnings which was consumed by workers and even children as to avoid drinking the water which was often considered unfit to drink. Since the total potential of the original grain bill was known as a “gyle”, the process of splitting or partitioning the runnings became known as “parti-gyling”

Today, the homebrewer typically just sparges the grain after the initial mash and combines the first runnings (mash) with the second runnings (sparge) producing a full gyle. So why do it differently? Well, because two beers are better than one, and if you don't think so, you are probably reading the wrong blog... And since you bought all that grain with your hard earned money, why don't you get the most out of it.

Practically speaking, there are a few different ways to use a parti-gyle brew day.
One: you can just keep sparging your grain until your runnings hit a gravity of 1.010 rather than to a specific volume size. Depending on the grain you are using you can maybe pull out double the volume of beer you would have got otherwise. But remember that if your grain bill was built for a 5 gallon batch of 1.060 beer, that will be the gravity of the first 5 gallons. If you run out another 5 gallons at say 1.020, then your combined 10 gallon gyle will yield a 1.040 beer. As you can see, there are lots of gravity readings required. This is impractical for a hydrometer. Get yourself a refractometer.

Two: Make a grain bill for your Imperial Stout/Porter/IPA etc, then continue to sparge until your runnings hit a gravity of 1.010 but make it a true pari-gyle and keep them separate. How you split it will be entirely up to you. Maybe split it in thirds for three similar beers but with varying alcohol, or maybe keep one an imperial, and the other a small session beer.

Three: After one of the partitions add some adjuncts or specialty grain to your mash for a different beer from your second (or third) runnings. Just add some roasted barley and flaked oats to your grain to turn what was an Imperial IPA first runnings into a small stout second runnings.

Pretty awesome right? Are you asking yourself, “why haven't I been doing this since I started brewing?” Well there are a couple of reasons it can be a hassle, and it isn't for everyone. Sorry extract brewers, I don't think your way is inferior, but you just can't play here. The next biggest hurdle is your ability to brew and ferment two beers (or three) at once? Two burners, two kettles, two fermenters. Otherwise you are looking at a tremendously long brew day. Fortunately for me I have my old extract equipment so I usually brew a 3 gallon Imperial on the stove top and my 5 gallons session beer on my regular equipment. The other downside is the math. It isn't rocket science, but once you figure out what you are doing it will still take some practice to get the process down to something you are comfortable with. I will provide some more detail in a subsequent post on the mathematics of a parti-gyle, but don't wait for me. Jump in with both feet and make a couple of beers during your next brew day. Don't worry, it will make beer. We are happy to help you with this in the store also.


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

LE2013 - Oregon Pinot Noir

Oregon Pinot Noir
Order by November 29th for March 2014


REGION
Willamette Valley, Oregon 
Stretching from the Columbia River in the north to Eugene in the south, the Willamette Valley is nestled between the Oregon Coast Range in the West to the Cascade Mountains along the Pacific Coast. The climate is mild with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers, allowing delicate, aromatic grapes to flourish. 
WINE 
Deep ruby with garnet highlights Oregon Pinot Noir as a poet rather than a linebacker, and its character is defined almost as much in the elisions between its delicate scents and ethereal aromas as it is from its rich fruit and finesse. Aromas of red cherry, bright raspberry and strawberry give way to the delicate scent of violets, and the tannins are lustrously smooth and full on the palate. 
The delicacy of this wine allows it to pair with subtle dishes, from the classic Boeuf Bourgignon to game, roast turkey, pan-seared salmon and rich fish such as cod. 
FOOD PAIRING  

 
Sweetness: Dry 
Body: Medium 
Alcohol: 13%
 
 
 

Thursday, October 31, 2013

LE2013 - South African Chenin Blanc Roussanne

South African Chenin Blanc Roussanne 
Order by November 29th for January 2014


REGION 
Paarl, South Africa 
Blessed by the same combination of hot sunshine and moderating ocean breezes that favor Worcester, the Paarl is encompassed by huge granite outcroppings that provide rain shadows to the vineyards and produce the sandy, mineral-laden soils. Low yields in these soils (less than 2 tons per acre) allow the vines to concentrate all of their growth on pristine, intense fruit.  

WINE 
The three grapes make a unique wine of elegance, power and delicacy: crisp, but honeyed, with aromas of apricot, orange blossoms, herbal tea and melons give way to a medium body and a long rich finish of floral notes.  The depth and complexity of this white wine make it an excellent partner with richly flavored foods: curries, Satay, and South-Asian dishes, along with creamy or buttery sauces and soups. 

FOOD PAIRING 
Sweetness: Dry 
Body: Medium 
Alcohol: 13%

 
 
 

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

LE2013 - Red Mountain, Washington Cabernet Merlot

Red Mountain, Washington Cabernet Merlot
Order by November 29th for April 2014
 


REGION 
Red Mountain, Washington 
Red Mountain in Washington State is graced with southwest facing slopes for warmer temperatures and more sunlight hours than any other part of the Columbia Valley. The Yakima River moderates temperature, and the cool air flowing from the north prevents frost from forming, allowing grapes to safely hang for extended periods.

WINE 
A darkly powerful wine with immediate notes of oak and blackcurrants on the nose come to mingle with peppery spice and cedar, supported by a fruit-driven palate of boysenberry, plum, redcurrant and black cherry. The finish is boldly tannic, with a mouth-filling grip of dense, brambly fruit. 
The tannins in this wine call for grilled meat and game: steak with blue cheese butter, saddle of venison, and especially roasted lamb with herbs. 

FOOD PAIRING 

Sweetness: Dry 
Body: Medium-Full 
Alcohol: 13.5%

 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

LE2013 - Pacific Quartet

Pacific Quartet
Order by November 29th for February 2014



REGIONS 
The Pacific Rim, encompassed by North and South America on one side and Australia on the other, has micro-climates that match those from all over the world, from the blazing sunshine to crisp mountain air, and soils ranging from sandy loam, stony red clay, nearly pure limestone and everything in between. The range and variety provide perfect terroir for almost any grape, and Winexpert has searched out the best for this blend, reaching all the way from one side of the Pacific to the other.

WINE 
The four grapes showcase a host of brilliant flavors of bright fruit, excellent structure and a long finish. Viognier from Chile gives apricots, blossoms and stone fruit. Chenin Blanc from California gives a wonderful melony-honeyed aroma with hints of apple. Gewürztraminer from Washington contributes lychee, rose petals and floral notes, and Muscat from Australia's Murray-Darling Valley gives wonderful grapey notes with dried fruit and hints of orange peel. 
Full-bodied yet supple, this wine has a range of fruit character and  enough acidity to stand up to a wide range of foods, particularly spicy and savory dishes, including Thai cuisine, grilled fish, herbed roast chicken or salmon, but is delicious enough for sipping by itself on a golden afternoon on a patio or deck.

FOOD PAIRING 
 
Sweetness: Off-Dry 
Body: Medium-Full 
Alcohol: 11.5%

Thursday, October 24, 2013

LE2013 - South African Shiraz Cabernet with Grape Skins

South African Shiraz Cabernet with Grape Skins
Order by November 29th for January 2014

 
REGION
Worcester Vineyards, South Africa
The sunny southern tip of Africa bathes Worcester vineyards, located north of Capetown, with immense sunshine hours and heat. Luckily the proximity of the Indian and Atlantic oceans not only brings much needed rain, but also the perfect Mediterranean climate to grow extremely ripe, rich grapes. 

 

WINE
This classic blend showcases the depth and ripeness of these intense grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon's classic character of blackberry, currants, black cherry and cedar blend seamlessly with the densely packed berry, chocolate, espresso and pepper characters of Shiraz, with a hint of earthiness. As it ages it will show ever more blackberry along with plum and a hint of tobacco leading to rich vanilla and toasty-smoky notes. Definitely a carnivore's wine, this will complement grilled meat, roasts and game, but will also work extremely well with mushroom risotto.


 
Sweetness: Dry
Body: Full
Alcohol: 14.5%
 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Gluten Free Beer

We get a lot of people that ask whether or not we have a gluten free beer recipe, so I thought that we should try and tackle this in a post, but there are a couple of things to clarify.

Gluten is a mixture of gliadin and glutenin proteins that are found in wheat, barley and rye, and from the research that I have done, oats are excluded since oats only carry one of these proteins.

Beer is an alcoholic beverage made from malted cereal grain (wheat, barley, rye), flavored with hops and fermented. Now while there are root beers (sarsaparilla, and birch), the word Beer is a newer classification most commonly used to group together Ales and Lagers into one category.

So with these definitions working as a baseline for what we are talking about, I think it is pretty easy to see that there is no such thing as Gluten Free Beer, by definition. So until recently the question really was, “do you have a recipe for a gluten free alcoholic beverage that is fermented without the sugars from fruit or honey that has a similar body and flavor to ales or lagers?” Well, that is a mouthful, but we know what you mean, and yes we do. Here is our “house recipe”.

Sorghum Syrup 3.3lb @ 60min
Rice Syrup Solids 2.0lb @ 15min

Light Candi Sugar 1.0lb @ 15min
Malto-Dextrin 8.0oz @ 15min

Cascade Hops 1oz @ 60min
Cascade Hops .5oz @ 30min
Cascade Hops .25oz @ 15min
Cascade Hops .25oz @ 0min

Nottingham Ale Yeast

...But, like many other commercial gluten free products, this is absolutely Gluten Free, but is not what most would think of as Beer. Sorghum is a great base for alcoholic beverages, but it has a fundamentally different taste than barley or wheat, so we add other sugars to mask that flavor a bit and the Malto-Dextrin to simulate the body of an ale. And, until recently this is how Gluten Free beers were built; trying to mix different kinds/amounts of other gluten free sugars to simulate traditional beer. But, for brewers, this landscape has change dramatically over the last couple years.

Clarity-Ferm was originally designed for brewers to fight chill haze, which is a “precipitation of complexed polyphenols and protiens”, that appear while storing your beer cold, but will disappear when the temperature increases. This is just a visual defect of beer, but many people like the look of a nice clear beer, so Clarity-Ferm was designed to fight this unsightly cloudiness. Clarity-Ferm is an enzyme that essentially breaks down proteins, and it just so happens that these same proteins include gliadin and glutenin. The gluten levels of a beer can be lowered to under 20 ppm, which is under the international standards for “Gluten Free”. This means that you can add Clarity-Ferm to ANY homebrew at the start of fermentation (as long as there is no rye) for a drink that is absolutely Beer, but not exactly totally Free of Gluten.

What does this mean for the consumer? What is the best option for a Gluten Free Beer? Well, if you are fundamentally opposed to gluten for dietary reasons that have to do with loose interpretations of what a small portion of ancient homosapiens consumed for survival, then you may have a small inner battle on your hands on what “gluten free” means. However, if you are gluten intolerant, or have Coeliac Disease you are most likely free to drink either the barley based beer or the non-barley based beer without any complications. But with that said, if you are highly allergic to any amount of gluten or maybe even one of the two proteins that make up gluten, which some people are, I would hesitantly try the Clarity-Ferm beer with an EpiPen on hand for any allergic reactions that may occur... along with a ambulance at standby, and a doctor close by, and your Will filled out, and well, you get the point. Try a small sample and be very careful.








Thursday, October 10, 2013

Get to know your beer – Belgian Dark Strong

New beer styles can be too different to truly enjoy the first time you try them, and Belgian beer are pretty out there, now make it dark and high alcohol and you can intimidate many who are just wading into the craft brew scene. The Belgian Dark Strong is a big beer with big flavors.



The BJCP style guide describes this beer as “Complex, with a rich malty sweetness, significant esters
and alcohol, and an optional light to moderate spiciness. The malt is rich and strong, and can have a Munich-type quality often with a caramel, toast and/or bready aroma. The fruity esters are strong to moderately low, and can contain raisin, plum, dried cherry, fig or prune notes. Spicy phenols may be present, but usually have a peppery quality not clovelike. Alcohols are soft, spicy, perfumy and/or rose-like, and are low to moderate in intensity. Hops are not usually present (but a very low noble hop aroma is acceptable)”... and that is just the aroma.

While this is a lot to take in, it is a great beer for those cold months. It will certainly warm you up on those long winter nights, and despite all of what is going on in the aroma and flavor, it should be a fairly dry and light bodied beer.

By the numbers:
OG: 1.075 – 1.110
IBUs: 20 – 35
FG: 1.010 – 1.024
SRM: 12 – 22
ABV: 8 – 11%

Aromatic Malt 8 oz
Biscuit Malt 8 oz
Special B Malt 8 oz
Candi Sugar Dark 2 lb
Light Liquid Malt (LME) 9 lb
Northern Brewer @ 60 1 oz
Hallertau @ 30 1 oz

Yeast: Wyeast 1762,
Wyeast 1214 or
Safbrew T-58

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Preserve your Jack-o'-lantern

Want to preserve your Jack O'lantern this Halloween? Good news, since you are a brewer, you already have access to a solution that is quick, easy and works wonders.
 

Potassium Metabisulfite, also know as campden, works well as a preservative. It used to be used to keep lettuce and other vegetables looking their best at the salad bar, but when it was over used and people put their vinegary salad dressing on the veggies it would produce an unpleasant gas, that would make you choke… so it’s use was limited.

The good news is you don’t normally put dressing on your Jack O’lantern, so you shouldn’t run into any issues. Just make up a solution of water and Campden (I did one tablet per gallon of water. Either spray it all over the finished carving with a spray bottle, or fill your sink with the solution and roll your JO’L around in it. You want to get the inside and outside rinsed off.

The campden will kill any of the bacteria and wild yeast on the pumpkin and help it look healthier for several days longer than if you did nothing.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

We Still Have Hops

Hard to find hops can be found at SCBS!

Not sure what kind of beer to do next? Base it off of a hop you haven't used very much or at all. We have them in stock... at least for now.


Check out Citra, Mosaic, Motueka, Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, Palisade, Progress, Zythos, and Topaz online or in the store. 

We have a new addition as well: Australian Summer. It has a unique melon and apricot character. Limit 4 per customer.

Pedigree
Open pollination of a tetraploid Czech Saaz

Brewing Usage
Aroma

Aroma
Balanced citrus, melon and light apricot tones

Alpha Acids
5.6 - 6.4%

Beta Acids
4.8 - 6.1%

Friday, September 13, 2013

Fruit Wine Basics

Fruit wine is a popular alternative to the home winemaker since varietal grapes such as Merlot and Riesling are not usually grown in peoples backyards, And while wine grapes have been bred over thousands of yeast to have the right amount of sugar, bitterness, acidity, and flavor to make a full bodied and complex glass of wine, don't think that fruit wine is for hillbillies and prisoners. You can make incredibly good wine out of fruit with the right adjustments and time that rival the complexity of fancy bottle of chardonnay, or your favorite Merlot. The steps for fermenting fruit wine are the same as it is with grape wine, but there are some additional adjustments that are needed.

The main things to consider while making your wine are as follows: 
  • How much you want to make
  • How much fruit and sugar you want to use
  • How long do you want to wait
  • Adjusting bitterness and acidity levels

None of these Items are hard to do, and some refinement will probably be needed after your first batch, but be sure that great wine is possible at home.

How Much
You need to weigh the amount of fruit that is available to you with the amount of work you want to put into it, the equipment you have, and of course the amount you think you can drink.

Fruit and Sugar
Some fruits yield bigger flavor than others, but 2-4 lbs of fruit per gallon of water is a good base line. There is no “right” amount. The less fruit you use the lighter your wine will be, both in body and in depth. If you like deep, heavy dessert style wine, the more fruit you will want to use.

Again, there is no “right” amount of sugar to add to your fruit. The amount of sugar used determines the amount of alcohol in your finished wine, plain and simple. Some fruit has enough convertible sugar to make a good alcoholic drink. Apple juice for example will yield about a 5% alcohol by volume cider all on its own, but that is not wine. Adding additional sugar will boost the alcohol level above 9% which would be considered wine. What kind of sugar is up to you, but Cane sugar or Corn sugar gives consistent results without adding much to the flavor, and one pound of either will give you approximately 5%ABV in a one gallon batch.

The Wait
The addition of sugar increases the amount of alcohol, but the increase of alcohol also extends the amount of time needed to wait for the finished product to be “drinkable”. Much of the bathroom hooch style of home wine is a result of wine that has not had proper time to age. This is a result of the sharp solvent flavor of Ethanol produced by yeast that has not had a chance to blend and meld with the juice. The more Ethanol produced, the more time it needs to mellow out.

Bitterness and Acidity
Wine grapes have the advantage of having the right amount of bitterness and acidity built in for the most part, but you may want to adjust both of these for a fruit wine to attain the right mouth feel. Bitterness in wine comes from the tannin in the grape skin, other fruits have this too, but in most cases you will be removing the skin, so adding tannin back in will help balance the sweetness of the wine. Similarly, the lack of acidity in your fruit wine can give it a watered down, and flat taste. There are some fruits that don't need much additional acid, if any, like blueberries and cranberries, but adding a blend of tartaric and malic acids is good practice for most other fruits. This can be adjusted through trial and error, or by using an acid test kit.

The fermentation process will be the same from here on out. Just make your juice, add your sugar, add your tannin, and acid blend then your yeast. Ferment it for several weeks and you will be ready to bottle. Age for another several months and you will be ready to drink your wine.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

A Yeast By Any Other Name

People always have their own preference of yeast. In a previous post, we went over the differences (or the lack there of) between the American Chico strain (Wyeast 1056, While Labs 001, and Safale US-05), but what happens when there is no dry equivalent and your recipe calls for 1968 London ESB Yeast, but you are not a fan of Wyeast. Or conversely, the recipe calls for 002 English Ale, but you don't like White Labs... well, good news, They are the same. You see, the same Brewer has allowed each company to package the same yeast under their own brand, and they often get named something different. So, if you have a Stout recipe and your local home brew supply store is fresh out of your 004 because St Patricks day is 2 months out, have no fear, they probably still have 1084 and since they are both from Guinness you can expect the same results with your beer. You can pour the 1084 into an old While Labs vial first if you would like (just remember to sanitize it first).

Here is a quick reference guide to the strains that, for the extensive research we have done, come from the same breweries packaged by the different manufacturers:
  
Wyeast White Labs Brewery
1007 German Ale   WLP036  Düsseldorf Alt Düsseldorf (Zum Uerige)
1028 London Ale   WLP013 London Ale   Worthington White Shield
1056 American Ale   WLP001 California Ale   Sierra Nevada
1084 Irish Ale   WLP004 Irish Ale   Guinness
1098 British Ale   WLP007 English Dry Whitbred – dry
1187 Ringwood Ale WLP005 British Ale Ringwood
1214 Belgian Ale   WLP500 Trappist ale Chimay
1272 American Ale II  WLP051 California V Ale   Anchor Liberty
1275 Thames Valley Ale   WLP023 Burton Ale   Henley of Thames
1335 British Ale II  WLP025 Southwold Ale Adnam's?
1338 European Ale   WLP011 European Ale   Wisenschaftliche Station
1388 Belgian Strong Ale WLP570 Belgian Golden Ale   Duvel (Moortgart) via McEwans
1728 Scottish Ale WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish Ale McEwan's
1762 Belgian Abbey II  WLP540 Abbey IV Ale Rochefort
1968 London ESB Ale   WLP002 English Ale Fullers
2001 Urquell Lager   WLP800 Pilsner Lager   Pilsner Urquell
2007 Pilsen Lager   WLP840 American Pilsner Lager Budweiser
2112 California Lager   WLP810 San Francisco Lager   Anchor Steam
2124 Bohemian Lager   WLP830 German Lager   Weihenstephan 34/70
2206 Bavarian Lager   WLP820 Oktoberfest Lager   Weihenstephan 206
2308 Munich Lager   WLP838 South German Lager Wisenschaftliche
2487 Hella-Bock WLP833 German Bock Ayinger Brewery
2575PC Kolsch II   WLP003 German Ale II Weihenstephan W165
3068 Weihenstephan Weizen WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale Weihenstephan 68
3333 GermanWheat   WLP380 Hefeweizen IV Ale   Weihenstephan 66?
3522 Belgian Ardennes   WLP550 Belgian Ale   Achouffe
3638 Bavarian Wheat   WLP351 Bavarian Weizen Weihenstephan 175
3724 Belgian Saison WLP565 Saison Ale Brasserie Dupont
3787 Trappist High Gravity WLP530 Abbey Ale Westmalle
3944 Belgian Witbier   WLP400 BelgianWit Ale   Hoegaarden/Celis