Hey folks!
A couple big things:
1) Our JAB wine barrel is coming in ahead of schedule! We should have it this week, which means we need to get brewing in order to fill it before it gets nasty and dried out. Andrew has organized this and will take charge of keeping the barrel in shape. We need
volunteers to help us brew this beer. We'll need about 50 gallons of beer. I'm brewing 10 gallons today, and I think Andrew is brewing today as well. Please respond to this or send me an e-mail if you can help out! We will try all the beers before adding them to the barrel to make sure none are infected. Next time we try a sour!
The recipe is based on a Bier de Garde.
For 5 gallons
9.5# Pilsner
3# Munich
0.5# Aromatic
0.5# Biscuit
6 oz Special B
1.5 oz Fuggles (goal 20-25 IBU) at 60 minutes
0.5 oz Strisselpalt hops at 20 min
Mash at 150 for 60 minutes
Ferment with American Ale yeast of whatever type you want at around 66-68
2) Club only competition barleywine deadline is March 1. So far I only have my 3 barleywines in the running. I think Keith and Steven have one for me. If anyone else has any American or English BW (not oaked or messed with!) please get them to me by this Saturday (call or e-mail me so I know!) A small group will get together and do a quick taste off. The Club will pay for this entry and there is no shipping since the Primary Fermenters are organizing the judging here in MN.
3) Next meeting
is at Tim's house in Chaska on March 8th! Tim will do a quick talk on Meads. We will be doing a taste off/mash paddle to see which beer will go on to a regional Lagunitas competition where the winner has a chance to brew that beer at Lagunitas!! Ben Ducklow stepped up and is organizing this--good man! They want American Ale yeasts, no spices or wood: something easy to drink. We will also need a whole 6 pack of the beer to enter into the official comp, so make sure you have enough stored up!
Please contact me with any questions or if you can take part in the barrel or barleywine
stuff!!!!
--Eric