[mba] Northern Brewer Retail Newsletter 2/2/2010

*NORTHERN BREWER RETAIL NEWSLETTER* *February 2010* *In this issue... * ** **Pre-order your Hop Rhizomes Today *** **Upper Mississippi Mash Out Results* * *National Homebrewing Competition* * *Our Next Weekly Sale* ** **New Sunday Hours* * *New and Re-released Beer Kits* ** Limited Beer Kits * Wyeast Private Collection Strains* ** White Labs Platinum Strains* *GROW YOUR OWN...HOPS!* ------------------------------------------------ *Would you like a non-stop source of cheap hops? Northern Brewer is taking pre-orders for hop rhizomes from now until late February/early March. We should be getting them in stock In late March/Early April around the time when you'll want to plant them. The vines generally grow very large the first year and will probably start producing in the second year of growth. They need a lot of sun and water and are extremely hardy once established. Check our "Growing Hops"<http://docs.northernbrewer.com/growing_hop_rhizomes.html>i… on our Documentation page for more details: ** This year we've got seven varieties: Cascade, Centennial, Magnum, Mt. Hood, Nugget, Sterling, WIlliamette. The vines can grow very high, so you'll want to train them onto a lattice. The plants themselves are considered to be beautiful and are often grown by non-homebrewers just for their looks. Pre-orders can be taken at the store, or over the phone. They are pre-pay only, and cost $5.99 each. * *UPPER MISSISSIPPI MASH OUT* ------------------------------------------------ *Congratulations to everyone who placed in the Upper Mississippi Mash Out Competition. We firmly believe that no one really loses when homebrew is involved, but we think it's pretty obvious that bragging rights are amplified when judging and prizes enter into the mix. To see a list of the winners, check here <http://mashout.blogspot.com/>: A special thanks to all who helped make this event possible - from the stewards and judges, to the organizers and sponsors. Cheers to another successful competition! * *NATIONAL HOMEBREW COMPETITION* ------------------------------------------------ *If you're regretting not entering the Mississippi Mash Out, relax, don't worry, make a homebrew. The National Homebrew Competition will be accepting entries from March 22nd until April 1st. What's more, The National Homebrewer's Conference is taking place in the Twin Cities this year, so come July you won't even have to leave your state to walk up and collect your gold medals. Home field advantage Baby! That'd be like if the Super Bowl were in New Orleans this year (ouch!). Check the AHA website <http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/> for more details. ** NOTE: Northern Brewer is NOT a drop off location for the National Homebrew Competition. The entries must be shipped to Middleton, WI. Check out this site<http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/competitions/national-h… the details. Also, check out the cool cat showing Charlie Papazian the devil-horns, this fine gentleman can at times be seen perusing the yeast fridge at NB or weighing grains in the NB El Dorado Grain Room.* *WEEKLY SALES* ------------------------------------------------ *Northern Brewer is now featuring weekly sales. Just as in our Weekly Fermenter <http://www.northernbrewer.com/newsletter> e-mail, we will be offering the same sales through our retail store. These promotions will run from Tuesday to Tuesday each week, and will typically feature one wine-related product and one beer-related product. This week, we will offer 10% off Brewing Classic Styles, written by John Palmer and Jamil Zainasheff. We use this book a lot at the retail store--whether we're looking for good recipes to try or we're looking for some ideas to improve our own favorite beers--and we've never come across a stinker in the bunch. It's set-up for extract brewers, but each recipe also has an all-grain version. We're also giving 10% all Winexpert Selection Original wine kits, which is a big hunk of kits. Whether you're looking for a red or a white, you should be able to find something that interests you in this lot. * *Please check back with us next week and the week after (and the week after that...) to see what fabulous deals we have in store for you.* *NEW SUNDAY HOURS! * ------------------------------------------------ *Just a reminder, our Sunday hours have changed. We're now open from 10 AM until 3 PM on Sundays<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/retail-store-st-paul> **. This means that we now open every day at 10 AM (except Holidays and Grand Old Day). Our closing time on the weekdays is 7 PM while we close at 5 PM on Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. * *NEW AND RE-RELEASED BEER KITS* ------------------------------------------------ *Due to their popularity, we've brought a couple of beer kits back from the dead. Some of these kits were Limited releases and have been resurrected with a new yeast strain, while another was discontinued due to insufficient availability of an ingredient. Allow us to present, The Zombie Series:* *Chinook IPA<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q=chinoo… **You know it, you love it. This American IPA has a relatively modest gravity and an immodest hop character derived entirely from a single hop variety.* * Peace Coffee Stout Porter<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q=pea… For those cold winter mornings - the stout porter has notes of black currants, black cherries, and cocoa with mouthfilling bready malt flavors.* *Petite Saison D'eté<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q… * *This session-strength Saison of summer pours tawny-gold and perfumes the air with tangy yeast and pungent hop aromas*. --- *And now to present a handful of brand new concoctions. The only theme: delicious. Advantageous Weizenbock<http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q… Doppelbock brewed with a Dunkelweizen grist and yeast, or a Dunkelweizen brewed to Doppelbock strength: however you want to think of it, this potent Bavarian concoction is luxuriously rich, devastatingly strong, and complex with malt, fruit, and spice character. A base of Munich and wheat malts lays a foundation of sweet maltiness with overtones of toast and bread dough; saturated red color and notes of burnt caramel come from a small percentage of dark crystal malt. A traditional yeast strain gives fruitcake and spice character with cloves and dried plum aroma in abundance. This is a wheat beer for winter! For best results, prepare a yeast starter and cold condition for a few weeks before packaging. * * John Q Adams Marblehead Lager<http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=adva… **Brewers, patriots, countrymen: lend us your tankards. This golden-amber beer sports balanced hops and malt, noble aromas, and a clean finish. A complex but approachable mix of spicy German hops and ripe-fruit-sweet caramel malt interweave across your nose and palate from the first whiff to the last sip. An excellent session beer that still has enough going on in the glass for contemplative sipping if the mood should take you. It's technically not an ale, but we use Wyeast's California Lager yeast in this recipe so you can ferment it at ale temps and still achieve a clean, lager-like result. * *Sierra Madre Pale Ale<http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=advant… * *All of you out there currently enjoying that chocolate Bourbon barrel Brettanomyces continuously wet-hopped Imperial black IPA, take a moment and say a silent “thank you” to the humble West Coast American Pale Ale. Sure, it might seem tame to your 21st century craft beer sensibilities and sensory-overloaded palate, but back when Northern Brewer was four dudes and a 20-foot storefront, this style was the “extreme” beer – and it's still going strong. More than any other, this widely-imitated ale is responsible for bringing craft beer into the national consciousness and re-introducing America to real beer. Now it's a classic. * *Decidedly clean, firmly hoppy, and drinkably bitter, this isn't an ale that feels the need to jump up and down and scream for your attention. From Chico, California to all points of the compass, whether you're pairing it with Mexican, burgers and fries, or just conversation, there's always a good time and a place for a good, basic pale ale. * * Old Luddite<http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=ad… So you're a mid-level quill pusher whose employer doesn't think your comfort is worth the price of coal; or maybe you're a plucky young lad with crutches and a bleak orthodontical future by virtue of your British citizenship. But you can still enjoy a Dickensian holiday (at any time of year) with a big mug of Old Luddite - a tawny, malty strong ale in the English tradition. With its full, malty body and flavors of chocolate, toffee, dried fruit, and floral hops, a beer like this keeps the cold and damp at bay whether you're in Bristol or Bemidji. * * * *NEW LIMITED EDITION BEER KITS * ------------------------------------------------ *This quarter, we've released four new beers designed specifically for quaffing. For the months of January, February, and March: THE SESSION SERIES<http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=adv… Technically a session beer is a low-gravity beer of immense gluggability, but the parameters might be different depending on where you are: Oxfordshire, Antwerp, or Oregon. This round of Limited Edition kits is a collection of ales – some stronger, some lighter – that all taste like “one more.”* *Broken Spear Bitter<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q=bro… * *The bitters of the River Thames stand on the fault line between the more malt-forward, fruity interpretations of Anglia and the drier, more firmly bitter bitters of London and the hop country of Kent. Fusing the complex of biscuit/caramel/dried citrus derived from British pale and crystal malt with the pungent floweriness that comes via the exuberant use of English hops, then transmuting the whole with a rich, estery yeast strain -- the draught ales of the rural Thames Valley are truly exemplary. Unfortunately, low gravity beers like these don't travel well, if they travel at all; if you want to experience an ale like this as the brewer meant it to taste, you'll have to fire up your kettle! * *With a bantamweight ABV of only 3.4%, Broken Spear is modeled on a world-class standard bitter from the town of Oxfordshire in the Thames Valley. It arrives in the pint glass with a tawny color and fine, short-lived bead (because we don't want to waste that volume on foam, now, do we?). A true session beer that showcases fat, juicy malt ahead of snappy bitterness, and subtle tropical fruit behind a blend of fragrant, resiny hops. Dry hopping adds layers of earth and new-mown hay to the restrained fruitiness of the nose. Low alcohol? Yes. Bland? Oh heavens no. Serve at cellar temperature with fish and chips or a nice chunk of Stilton or Cheddar. * *DK Belgian Pale Ale<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q=dk+bel… * *Denmark? De Kooning? Discovery Kids? Donkey Kong? Not even close. Dead Kennedys? Never mind the bollekes. Somewhere stylistically and geographically between English pale ale and German Altbier you will find a russet-colored, standard gravity, top-fermented beer: Belgian pale ale. This is the standard lunchtime tipple in the cafes and pubs of Antwerp. Our inspiration for this recipe is a paragon of the style, the flagship beer of its brewery's portfolio. * *DK is copper colored with a rocky white stand of froth and, at 5% abv, it's engagingly drinkable. Lucid levels of bright malt supported by kettle additions of nothing but Saaz hops and overlaid with yeast-derived complexity. Fruity with spicy overtones, hopped to balance, finishing malty but dry with a hint of toast and hop bitterness, entirely accessible but packed with intriguing layers of flavor. This everyday ale is just enough like other styles you've had to make it seem a little familiar, but at the same time it's like nothing else, either. This is a beer you could get lost in. * *Serve at cellar temp in a stemmed goblet and pair with freshwater fish, shellfish, or sausages.* *Grateful Dead Guy<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q=gratef… * *While it's possible that drinking too much of this golden-red riff on the Maibock theme would lead to an itinerant life of tie dye, dangerous brownies, and electric kool aid acid tests, it's really not necessary to follow this ale around the country – you can brew it at home. * *Pouring a burnished pale copper with white lacing, the aroma of Greatful Dead Guy is an extended jam of earthy, spicy hop and a malt character that expresses bread crust, toast, and caramelized sugar. The flavor brings more of the same, with clean malt and prominent hop leading to a hop-bitter finish cut with rich malt sweetness. * *For best results prepare a yeast starter, oxygenate the wort, and keep the fermentation temps on the cool side. Afficionados and the little dancing bears will tell you that this ale is fantastic all by itself (and it is), but it's also a great partner for brined pork chops on the grill and Mexican with lots of hot sauce. * * **Twelfth Night Stout<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/catalogsearch/result/?q=twel… * *This above all: to thine own self brew. Now is the winter of our ferment! And those now a-bed shall think themselves accurs'd and hold their manhood cheap while we drink of this ale without them on this Brew-day. Whoa, sorry ... beer is often credited with a general loosening of the tongue, and with enough of this beautifully-balanced American stout around, you might turn into a bard or something. * *Jet black with a dense tan head (supported in part by flaked oats in the all-grain version), this ebony ale suffuses the senses with suggestions of citrus, chocolate, roasting coffee, burnt sugar, and dried fruit. An intense 70 IBUs of bitterness is offset by a full mouthfeel and a balancing final gravity. Your palate comes to wondering what just happened. * *For best results prepare a yeast starter, oxygenate the wort, and keep the fermentation temps on the cool side. Drink this stout by itself or with some loquacious conversation, or match it up with some grass-fed steak. ** * * WYEAST PRIVATE COLLECTION STRAINS * ------------------------------------------------ *Just a reminder, these are our current line of VSS strains from Wyeast: 1764 - Rogue Pacman<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/recipe-kits/limited-edition… A versatile yeast strain from one of Oregon’s leading craft breweries. Pacman is alcohol tolerant, flocculent, attenuates well and will produce beers with little to no diacetyl. Very mild fruit complements a dry, mineral finish making this a fairly neutral strain. Pacman’s flavor profile and performance makes it a great choice for use in many different beer styles.* * **Wyeast 1882-PC Thames Valley II<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/recipe-kits/limited-edition-bee… * *This strain was originally sourced from a now defunct brewery on the banks of the river Thames outside of Oxford, England. Thames Valley II produces crisp, dry beers with a rich malt profile and moderate stone fruit esters. This attenuative strain is also highly flocculent resulting in bright beers not requiring filtration. A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete.* *Wyeast 3655-PC Belgian Schelde<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/recipe-kits/limited-editio… * *From the East Flanders - Antwerpen region of Belgium, this unique top fermenting yeast produces complex, classic Belgian aromas and flavors that meld well with premium quality pale and crystal malts. Well rounded and smooth textures are exhibited with a full bodied malty profile and mouthfeel.* *NEW WHITE LABS PLATINUM STRAINS * ------------------------------------------------ *Here are White Labs' latest release of three yeasts (be sure to ask at the counter if you're having any kind of trouble finding these):* *022 - Essex Ale<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-ingredients/yeast/wl-e… **Flavorful British style yeast. Drier finish than many British ale yeast. Produces slightly fruity and bready character. Good top fermenting yeast strain, is well suited for top cropping (collecting). This yeast is well suited for classic British milds, pale ales, bitters, and stouts.* *038 - Machester Ale<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-ingredients/yeast/whit… Top-fermenting strain that is traditionally good for top-cropping. Moderately flocculent with a clean, dry finish. Low ester profile, producing a highly balanced English-style beer.* *850 - Copenhagen Lager<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-ingredients/yeast/wl… **Clean, crisp north European lager yeast. Not as malty as the southern European lager yeast strains. Great for European style pilsners, European style dark lagers, Vienna, and American style lagers. * * Lastly, White Labs has decided to release it's popular Dusseldorf Altbier strain year-round. 036 - Dusseldorf Alt<http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-ingredients/yeast/wl-d… Traditional Alt yeast from Dusseldorf, Germany. Produces clean, slightly sweet alt beers. Does not accentuate hop flavor as well as WLP029 does.* * ** We'll see you next time you're in the store, Cheers! * *Northern Brewer 1150 Grand Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55105 651-789-0189* -- Ilya Soroka Ilya(a)northernbrewer.com