The Brewsletter

March 2005

 

 

The Official Newsletter of the Hampton Roads Brewing & Tasting Society (HRB & TS)

www.hrbts.org

 

The President’s Podium – Tom Byrnes

 

Well, February, usually characterized as a short and uneventful month, brought the club a successful Belgian ale meeting at Rom Thai.  Several Belgian inspired homebrews were present, accompanied by a delicious Thai buffet served farmhouse-style, and the 60-minute IPA by Dogfish Head.  All who attended has a good time.

 

Having just spent most of the day watching the Matrix Trilogy, I couldn’t help draw a parallel between this series and the consumption of beer in America.  Most beer drinkers are like those plugged into the matrix, their minds having accepted a program that says Light American brews, Lo Carb beers and yes Malternatives are good and represent the standards of the brewing industry.  Most people happily drink these beers never knowing that flavorful craft brews are being produced right in their back yards.  A poignant example of this occurred Friday when a local restaurant I frequent suggested that I try a Negro Modelo over Old Rasputin Imperial Stout thinking they were comparable.  As club members, our jobs, like those of Neal, Morpheous and Trinity, are to free the minds of the local brew quaffing public, exposing them to better alternatives.  The first step to this awakening is to share your homebrew with friends, explaining the style and flavor of the brew.  Step two involves consumer activism and awareness, seeking out those stores that sell craft brews and letting your store of choice know that it is time to stock craft brews.  Personally every time I go to the Farm Fresh stores near my house I fill out the comment cards asking for craft brews.  Also don’t buy the bad beer because that’s all that is available.  A final step could involve suggesting a few beers that your favorite restaurant could stock.

 

Need more information, consult one of the club’s oracles. Personally, I have tried several new beers over the last few weeks at the suggestion of CJ and a few other club members. Also, our club has a libeery with books on beer, brewing and beer styles just dying to be checked out. Spending some of the dark gloomy days of winter brewing and researching beer will ensure a bright sunny spring full of hoppiness, strength and malt flavor. This revolution could bring an endless supply of craft brews for your enjoyment in the days ahead. Remember, “The problem is choice”.

 

Start this journey at our next monthly meeting, which will be held at St. George Brewing Company, the only microbrewer in our immediate area.  This company specializes in English style ales and gathering at their brewery will be an experience that you won’t want to miss.  Also looming on the horizon is National Homebrew Day (May 7) and the AHA Conference in Baltimore (115 days away), two more opportunities to immerse yourself in the hobby that you’ve grown to love.  April will also bring the chance to enter your beers in national and regional contests like the National Homebrew Competition, 2005 US Open and Dominion Cup.  See you soon.

 

Tom

 

“Let’s Re-name our Newsletter” Contest Results– Will Walker

 

Club members, you voted and the results are in.  There were fourteen entries sent to me in the “Re-name the newsletter contest.  We voted on all the names at the February meeting.  The winning entry was  “The Brewsletter”, submitted by Christy at Wine & Cake Hobbies, and now adorns the top of this newsletter.  Congratulations Christy, and I’ll have your six pack of Dale’s Pale Ale at the March meeting.  Second place went to Mellissa Pensinger with “Wort’s Chillin’”  and Richard Pidgeon and Jonna Walker tied for 3rd place with “The Xtract Files” and “Brew News” respectively.  Thanks to all who participated.

 

The Next Meeting Location – Diane Catenzaro

 

            The March 2 meeting of the HRB&TS will be at the St. George Brewing Company in Hampton.  As I am sure all or most HRB&TS members area are aware, St. George is Hampton Road’s very own local brewery and makes excellent beers. Their India Pale Ale won the Silver medal in the 2002 World Beer Competition, and their tasty Golden ale and Pilsners have also won awards. St. George started as the innovative “brew on premises” B. A. Brewmeister in Virginia Beach in the 1990s, where you could brew your own beer using their well-equipped facility. After several years, the owners decided to channel their efforts into a bona fide brewery, and founded the St. George Brewing Company in Hampton. After a fire damaged that facility, St. George moved to a new location in Hampton and built the current modern brewery where they continue to make their fine British style ales. It always amazes me that some locals don’t know about our “hometown brewery” and their great beers. Show your support for St. George by letting your friends know that these terrific beers are on tap at many restaurants (Taphouse, Cogans, Bubba’s, Mahi Mah’s, Marker 20, Bardo, Kincaid’s, and many more….) and at Farm Fresh and Harris Teeter’s.

            St George’s brewer Andy Rathman will be available to show us around and answer any questions you may have about the brewing process at St. George, their beers, etc.  Andy has been a club member and good friend of the HRB&TS, and it’s really great that he is willing to host our group for the March meeting. It would be a thoughtful gesture to bring an extra homebrew for Andy as a way of showing appreciation for his support of the club and hosting our meeting! You may bring homebrews, but no commercial ales, to the meeting. The meeting begins at 7:30.

 

Directions to St George’s Brewing Company:

From Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and other points SOUTH of Hampton,VA:

From Newport News and other points NORTH of Hampton,VA:

From Suffolk and such:

 

 

 

GET FUZZY

Imperial brown ale

 

 

 

Scott E.

Email:

sed777@yahoo.com

Beer:

Imperial brown ale

Style:

American Brown

Type:

All grain

Size:

5 gallons

Color:

29 HCU (~15 SRM)

 

Bitterness:

65 IBU

OG:

1.061

FG:

1.010

Alcohol:

6.6% v/v (5.2% w/w)

Grain:

8 lb. American 2-row
.5 lb. American crystal 10L
.5 lb. Belgian CaraMunich
.5 lb. Belgian CaraVienne
3.5 oz. American chocolate

Mash:

80% efficiency

Add all grains to 3 gal at 153 for 60min untill conversion complete.
Sparge with 2.5 gallons at 170.

Boil:

65 minutes

SG 1.061

5 gallons

8 oz. Belgian candi sugar

Add belgian candi sugar at start of boil.Add irsh moss 15 min from end. Add 1tsp vanilla extract 5 min from end.

Hops:

.5 oz. Cascade (6% AA, 60 min.)
.5 oz. Willamette (5% AA, 60 min.)
.75 oz. Chinook (12% AA, 60 min.)
.5 oz. Cascade (6% AA, 30 min.)
.5 oz. Willamette (5% AA, 30 min.)
.5 oz. Saaz (3.75% AA, 15 min.)
.5 oz. Willamette (5% AA, 15 min.)

Yeast:

wlp002 yeast

 

GET FUZZY

Today's Comic

2005 HRB & TS Beer of the Month Schedule – C.J. Jones

 

Cut this out and tape it to your refrigerator along with those pictures drawn by your children! 

 

Month (2005 unless stated otherwise)

Beer style name & 2004 BJCP beer style category number

Beer judging date ; usually two weeks before Club meeting)

Winner goes to an AHA Club Only Contest?

January

Spiced Beers (21)

15 December 2004

 

February

Strong Belgian ales (18)

26 January 2005

 

March

Brown ales (10C & 11)

16 February 2005

 

April

Fruit (20) & Cider (27 & 28)

23 March 2005

 

May

Extract (all)

20 April 2005

Yes

June

Mead (24-26)

18 May 2005

 

July

Dale’s Pale Ale clone (n/a)

22 June 2005

 

August

Belgian/French ale (16)

20 July 2005

Yes

September

Lagers (all)

24 August 2005

Yes, for European Amber Lagers (3)

October

Stouts (13 A-E, not F)

21 September 2005

 

November

Porter (12)

19 October 2005

Yes, for Baltic Porter (12C)

December

Holiday ales (21B)

23 November 2005

 

January 2006

Imperial Stout (13F) & Imperial Pale Ale (14C)

21 December 2005

 

February 2006

Doppelbock (5C) and Barleywine (19B & 19C)

18 January 2006

 

 

 

Competition Connection- Chris Jones

 

There was a big battle at Rob Sisson’s place on Wednesday, 16 February 2005, for the title of HRBTS Brown Ale King or Queen.  Six judges (four of them credentialed by the BJCP) had six Brown ales to sip and thoughtfully discuss.  Beers were tasted, palates were challenged, feedback was given, and here’s how things ended up:

 

First Place – Tom Byrnes – 31.4 point average score;

Second Place  - the OVBC – 29.7 point average score; and

Third Place – C.J. & Diane Catanzaro – 29.4 point average score.

 

I’ll have the score sheets for the contestants at the next meeting.  If you haven’t attended a judging session, consider doing so, they’re pretty fun.  If you haven’t entered a contest yet, consider doing that too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005 HRB & TS Cup Standings (as of 18 February 2005)

 

Name of Brewer(s)

Total Points Accumulated

 

C.J. & Diane Catanzaro

9

Tom Byrnes

4

Victor Perrotti

3

The OVBC

2

Cory Pettiford

1

You could be here ….

GET BREWING

 

 

House Ale

Brewer:

Fieldpointe Brewery©

Email:

-

Beer:

House Ale

Style:

American Brown

Type:

Extract w/grain

Size:

5 gallons

Color:

47 HCU (~21 SRM)

 

Bitterness:

52 IBU

OG:

1.046

FG:

1.011

Alcohol:

4.6% v/v (3.6% w/w)

Water:

Add a teaspoon or so of gypsum if you like.

Grain:

0.5 lb. British Crystal 135-165L
0.25 lb. Roasted Barley

Steep:

Steep grains for the typical 45 minutes @ 155° F.

Boil:

60 minutes

SG 1.046

5 gallons

6 lb. Light LME

Add 1 teaspoon of flaked Irish Moss the last 15 minutes of the boil.

Hops:

1.5 oz. Kent Goldings (5% AA, 60 min.)
1.5 oz. Kent Goldings (5% AA, 30 min.)

Yeast:

Wyeast #1728 Scottish Ale

Carbonation:

Bottle using corn sugar or force carbonate in kegs.

 

About the HRB & TS

 

The Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society is dedicated to promoting the enjoyment of home brewing.  The annual dues are $15 per individual and $20 per family.  Members are encouraged to support the reasonable enjoyment of beer and observe the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Federal government, and the Golden Rule.  Persons attending HRB & TS meetings and events are solely liable for actions attendant to their participation.   HRB & TS maintains a NO SMOKING policy during all meetings so that members may better enjoy fine beers.  Smoking is permitted in meetings held in restaurants in the facility’s designated smoking areas.

Visit the HRB & TS online at www.hrbts.org.