Greetings to all MHbA members and mead lovers.
Saturday is the 3rd Annual Mead Day. This is a day to celebrate and make
mead together. Last year we sampled dozens of meads and made 32 gallons (6
batches) of mead.
This year's club festivities will take place at Steve Piatz's house,
starting Saturday August 7th at noon.
Please let Steve know if you plan to attend (Piatz(a)cray.com
<mailto:Piatz@cray.com> ) so he has a rough count.
Steve house is located at:
3631 Woodland Trail
Eagan, MN 55123-2400
651-452-2444
The driveway for the house immediately to our south lines up with
Arbor Court as a reference point when you come down Woodland Trail.
Here is a link to a map:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US
<http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=US&addtohistory=&
searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=3631+Woodland+Trail&city=Eagan&
state=MN&zipcode=55123-2400&search=++Search++>
&countryid=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=address&searchtype=address&address=363
1+Woodland+Trail&city=Eagan&state=MN&zipcode=55123-2400&search=++Search++
Steve will have:
propane burner in the garage for those that want to boil per the AHA recipe
natural gas available in the basement brewery
grill
plates and utensils
water and filter as needed
sanitizer solution
beverages - beer and meads
Please bring a dish to share and anything (like brats) you'd like to grill.
Those who will be making mead, please bring your mead making equipment and
ingredients.
You can make the official AHA Mead Day recipe or any recipe you choose.
For those of you who haven't seen the official recipe:
Official 2004 Mead Day Recipe from three-time AHA National Homebrew
Competition Mead maker of the Year, Byron Burch
"Epiphanaic Exspearmint" Mead with Fresh Spearmint
2001 AHA National Homebrew Competition Best of Show Mead Recipe
Ingredients for 5 U.S. gal (19 L)
18 lb clover honey
4 gal. water (or enough to make 5 gal of mead)
4 Tbs tartaric acid
1 Tbs malic acid
8 oz bruised spearmint leaves
2 oz The Beverage People yeast nutrient for mead (or 2 tsp each of yeast
energizer and yeast nutrient)
4 tsp acid blend
10 g dry Prise de Mousse wine yeast
6 g Sparkalloid
5 tsp stock Sodium Metabisulfite solution (after fermentation)
O.G.: 26o Brix (Approx. 1.110 SG)
Total Acid 6-6.5%
Instructions
Heat water until warm, turn off stove and stir in the honey until it is
dissolved. Boil five minutes, skimming, and add nutrient and acid. Cool to
room temperature and transfer to a sanitized fermenter. Sprinkle yeast on
the surface. Stir in after 12 hours. Ferment two to three weeks. Place
spearmint leaves in a mesh bag in another fermenter and rack mead onto the
leaves. Age one week, then fine with Sparkalloid (boil in 1-2 cups of water
for 15 minutes, then stir into mead) and add Sodium Metabisulfite. Age four
more weeks, rack off the lees, then bottle.
See you Saturday!
Jonathan
Hi Steve and fellow fermentation fanatics,
Steve, if you and Janice would please host tomorrow that would be really
great. I am sorry for offering my house and backing out at the last minute.
This was so unexpected with my Mom. Last Friday is when she really took a
turn for the worse and was admitted to the ER at North Memorial Hospital.
Mom has already made the two doctors I met "eat their words" by surviving
past Tuesday of this week. But she is much worse now..... as Tom Petty
sings "the waiting is the hardest part".
If Mom is still alive tomorrow, I will stop by and bring some mead. Don't
know if I will make my batch of mead or not....but I have mead to share with
all.
If for some reason Steve you cannot host tomorrow, my wife said she would
stick around the house and let people use our facilities, but she is a
little nervous about that.
Please let me know if you can host Mead Day. Thanks very much!!
Best regards to you,
Steve
By the way....replies to your reply follow:
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Piatz <piatz(a)cray.com>
To: Steve Weiland <sweiland(a)usfamily.net>
Cc: Rick Oftel <Rick.Oftel(a)toro.com>; cristj(a)bsci.com <cristj(a)bsci.com>;
Paul_Dienhart(a)cargill.com <Paul_Dienhart(a)cargill.com>; fletty(a)UMN.EDU
<fletty(a)UMN.EDU>; cstock(a)barr.com <cstock(a)barr.com>; jdcotton(a)mmm.com
<jdcotton(a)mmm.com>; jason.kalenborn(a)target.com <jason.kalenborn(a)target.com>;
allan.boyce(a)usbank.com <allan.boyce(a)usbank.com>; adamback(a)yahoo.com
<adamback(a)yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 10:21 AM
Subject: Re: Yeast recommendation
>On Tue, Aug 03, 2004 at 03:26:20PM -0500, Steve Weiland wrote:
>> Hi Rick and all,
>>
>> For an English-style brown or robust porter I like Whitbread yeast.
.....
>> Wyeast 1086 that is. I don't have a preference for a Red ale yeast
since
>> I don't make that style beer.
>>
>> By the way, who is coming to mead day on Sat.?? My Mom is in the
hospital
>> and is terminal....moved to the Hospice Care center on Sunday. I still
>> will host mead day, I hope. Her prognosis is not good, possibly another
48
>> hours or so....
>
>
>I am planning to be there.
>
>Sorry to hear about your mother. Do you want an alternative site, we
>could do it at my place.
Thanks Steve. Yes, it would be best to use your home. Thanks so much for
offering.
>
>>
>> By the way, I vote for a Bourbon Barrel Belgian Dubble style ale.....
>> maybe I need to get my own barrel??
>
>Yeah, a really malty but slightly dry dubbel. Make it with mostly
>Munich, some cara malts to boast the dark ripe fruit notes - almost a
>Bock except we add 15% sugar and use a good Belgian yeast strain.
>Something like Rochfort 8 aged in the barrel would be interesting.
>That makes another beer I have to try with a few drops of JD in.
Glad you like the idea of a barrel-aged dubbel. Getting a really tasty
dubbel is not easy in my opinion....maybe the bourbon barrel would give it
that extra "something" that we all hope to get in our beers.
I defer to you for the type of yeast strain to use. Just leave out the
Brettanomyces, ok? :)
>
>>
>> And Steve Piatz....."Germanium" is a rare earth element. The flower is
a
>> Geranium. :)
>
>I said I wasn't sure about the flowers :-)
I know.... :) I was just teasing you. :)
>
>I do know about Ge (which frequently goes with As in electronics). The
>last machines from Cray Computer Corporation (not Cray Research Inc or
>Cray Inc) were based on GeAs technology. Turned out to be a little too
>exotic to fabricate cheaply and reliably for digital electronics but it
>was very fast for the time.
GeAs technology is/was used in the fancy police radar devices....you
know...the ones that measure stationary trees as travelling at 75 mph.
;)P
Steve
>
>>
>> Best regards to all in the clubs,
>>
>> Steve Weiland
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Rick Oftel <Rick.Oftel(a)toro.com>
>> To: mba(a)thebarn.com <mba(a)thebarn.com>
>> Date: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 8:30 AM
>> Subject: Yeast recommendation
>>
>>
>> >What yeast does the collective recommend for a Porter and a Red? I plan
on
>> starting up the brewhaus in a couple of weeks and would like to use a
single
>> culture for both. This way, I brew on Friday and Sunday and drop the
porter
>> onto the dregs of the red.
>> >
>> >Rick Oftel
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> ------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From
$8.99/mo! ------
>
>--
>Steve Piatz piatz(a)cray.com
>Cray Inc. 651-605-9049
>1340 Mendota Heights Road cell: 651-428-1417
>Mendota Heights, MN 55120
------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------
Big congratulations to homebrewer Steve Mikutowski of Stillwater for winning
both the Grand Champion (IPA) ribbon and the Reserve Champion (dark ale)
ribbon in the WQashington County Fair competition. Both ales were delicious!
Thanks to all others who entered. We had more entries this year than any
other year.
Karl Bremer, judge
FYI - 4th contest in the "High Plains Brewer of the Year" contest...
--------------------------------
Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 10:15:01 -0500
From: "philosophersstone" <philosophersstone at gbronline.com>
Subject: FOAM Cup Entry Window Sep 10-17
Fellow Homebrewers,
The Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers (FOAM) invites you to
enter, to judge, and to participate in FOAM Cup 2004. The
entry window for this BJCP-certified competition is
September 10-17, with judging set for September 24 and 25 in
Tulsa, Oklahoma. Once again, FOAM Cup is part of the High
Plains Brewer Competition. It is the fourth of six High
Plains events this year. Individual and club points earned
at FOAM Cup will count toward the 2004 High Plains Brewer of
the Year, and Club of the Year awards. Please ship or
deliver your entries to the Mecca Coffee Company in Tulsa,
OK to arrive between September 10 and 17, 2004. The fee for
everybody is $6 per entry. Get all of the details, rules,
and entry forms at the FOAM web site, www.alemakers.com.
Potential judges and stewards please contact the FOAM Cup
2004 Judging Director at rogueale at earthlink.net.
Robert Gulley, Competition Organizer
okierat at alemakers.com
Jeff Pursley, FOAM President
philosopher at alemakers.com
FYI
Original Message:
-----------------
From: David H Berg bergbrew(a)juno.com
Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 09:02:23 -0500
To: mcbg(a)mncraftbrew.org
Subject: ABR Participating Breweries
The participating breweries list for the ABR has been updated on the
website
http://www.mncraftbrew.org/page3.html
Cheers!
David Berg
Head Brewer, Bandana Brewery
President, Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild
________________________________________________________________
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .
Just got word from my California wine grape and grape juice supplier.
Word is the harvest will be early this year. Maybe in 2-3 weeks.
If you're interested in red grapes, or red or white grape juice, email me
personally.
I don't have variety info yet, but want to compile a list of people who are
interested.
I'll compile the order and forward it.
You have to pick up your juice or grapes yourself. The pickup site last year
was a warehouse near just off 280 between 94 and 36.
Last year prices for a 6 gallon bucker of juice was around $30.
For red grapes, you need about 100 lbs for 5 gallons, about $30 per lug, a
lug is about 30 lbs.
--
Steve Fletty
fletty(a)umn.edu
FYI - Beer Judge Certification Class starting on Sept 2!
- Al
----- Original Message -----
From: Kristen England
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 11:12 AM
Subject: [SPHBC Public] Fall BJCP Class Details
Where: Minneapolis, 214 W 15th St (right next to Loring Park)
When: Thurs 6pm - J
Details:
The course will start Thursday Sept 2nd and the test will be Dec 12th. There is no fee for the course but you will need to pay up front for your test costs. Its $50 for first time test takers and $15 for the written or tasting portion separately. The course will be divided into 13 weeks coinciding with all of the club only competitions. This class, as with the last one I ran, is promised to be filled with fun and a little debauchery. You will learn a ton of new stuff, in addition to a plethora of new colorful new words and phrases. However, we are serious when we are teaching and you will all be well prepared for the exam in December. This class will focus much more on actual judging than the previous ones have so novices and masters alike will be able to hone their skills.
NOTE:
My place is much smaller than places we have had in the past. The space is limited so its on a first come, rather email basis. Let me know if you are interested or have any more questions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Sphbc mailing list
Sphbc(a)sphbc.org
http://sphbc.org/mailman/listinfo/sphbc_sphbc.org
Hi Steve,
OK, thanks for the offer of a "plan B"..... You and Janice are very kind and supportive to all in the club....
Steve, I will let you know ASAP if I cannot host. For everyone else, Steve and Janice Piatz's place is VERY nice indeed, and not that far from where we live in Burnsville....so looks like Mead Day will be held south of the river for sure.
I will keep the postings short....not easy for me! :)
Thanks to everyone for their good wishes and support.
Steve Weiland
>On Tue, Aug 03, 2004 at 03:26:20PM -0500, Steve Weiland wrote:
>> Hi Rick and all,
>>
>> For an English-style brown or robust porter I like Whitbread yeast. .....
>> Wyeast 1086 that is. I don't have a preference for a Red ale yeast since
>> I don't make that style beer.
>>
>> By the way, who is coming to mead day on Sat.?? My Mom is in the hospital
>> and is terminal....moved to the Hospice Care center on Sunday. I still
>> will host mead day, I hope. Her prognosis is not good, possibly another 48
>> hours or so....
>
>
>I am planning to be there.
>
>Sorry to hear about your mother. Do you want an alternative site, we
>could do it at my place.
>
>>
>> By the way, I vote for a Bourbon Barrel Belgian Dubble style ale.....
>> maybe I need to get my own barrel??
>
>Yeah, a really malty but slightly dry dubbel. Make it with mostly
>Munich, some cara malts to boast the dark ripe fruit notes - almost a
>Bock except we add 15% sugar and use a good Belgian yeast strain.
>Something like Rochfort 8 aged in the barrel would be interesting.
>That makes another beer I have to try with a few drops of JD in.
>
>>
>> And Steve Piatz....."Germanium" is a rare earth element. The flower is a
>> Geranium. :)
>
>I said I wasn't sure about the flowers :-)
>
>I do know about Ge (which frequently goes with As in electronics). The
>last machines from Cray Computer Corporation (not Cray Research Inc or
>Cray Inc) were based on GeAs technology. Turned out to be a little too
>exotic to fabricate cheaply and reliably for digital electronics but it
>was very fast for the time.
>
>>
>> Best regards to all in the clubs,
>>
>> Steve Weiland
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Rick Oftel <Rick.Oftel(a)toro.com>
>> To: mba(a)thebarn.com <mba(a)thebarn.com>
>> Date: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 8:30 AM
>> Subject: Yeast recommendation
>>
>>
>> >What yeast does the collective recommend for a Porter and a Red? I plan on
>> starting up the brewhaus in a couple of weeks and would like to use a single
>> culture for both. This way, I brew on Friday and Sunday and drop the porter
>> onto the dregs of the red.
>> >
>> >Rick Oftel
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> ------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------
>
>--
>Steve Piatz piatz(a)cray.com
>Cray Inc. 651-605-9049
>1340 Mendota Heights Road cell: 651-428-1417
>Mendota Heights, MN 55120
------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------
Traditional Beer Claims Comeback as Tastes Change
Aug 4, 9:37 am ET
By Jeremy Lovell
LONDON (Reuters) - Traditional beer drinkers are changing in substance,
style and shape.
Disappearing fast are the hairy, heavy-bellied beer-swillers of yesteryear,
their place being taken by young urban professional men and women more
normally associated with wine and working out.
One-third of the 45,000 real ale enthusiasts expected to attend this year's
annual Great British Beer Festival at London's Olympia run by the beer
purists Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) are likely to be women.
"CAMRA is often seen as sandals, beer-bellies and beards. But that is not
true today," the organization's chief executive Mike Benner told Reuters on
the opening night. "The truth has changed. The image, unfortunately, has
not."
That does not mean they will hold back. Over the five days of the event,
people will sink some 200,000 pints of beer.
And it is not just in Britain, that sees itself as the guardian of
traditional brewing, that real ales are making a comeback against
mass-produced lagers.
Even in the United States, where a handful of giant brewers like
Anheuser-Busch have dominated the beer market for decades, the taste for
distinctive real ales is rising.
"Demand for cask-conditioned beer is small but it is growing," Jonathan
Tuttle, U.S. representative of the Bieres Sans Frontieres (BSF) organization
told Reuters.
"I guess the demand is mainly from young professionals and it is the micro
brewers that are driving the change," he added.
BSF groups small brewers from the United States, Africa, Asia and Australia
as they move from one beer festival to another touting their wares and
sampling the competition.
Tuttle said he too had noticed a distinct slimming down of the classic beer
drinkers' profile -- including his own -- and attributed the change in part
to maturity and in part to a greater health consciousness among consumers of
all ages.
Across Europe too the demand for beers with a traditional taste is growing
even as the overall market for beer stagnates.
The European Beer Consumers Union (EBCU) boasts members in Britain, the
Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Poland,
Austria and Italy, and anticipates that the Czech Republic and Latvia will
also soon sign up.
"Our membership is growing -- mainly among people in their early 20s," EBCU
representative Richard Larkin said. "But these are not binge drinkers. These
are people who know what they want -- and that is good food and drink."
I bought one of those nifty pumps. When do people start the
recirculation? Right from dough-in or when you are stepping up the temp
to sparge.
When you run the wort back into the grain bed, do you run it straight
from the hose or is there some best way to let the wort in without
drilling a hole into the grain bed.
John
