Club Business
1. Reminder of upcoming events & meetings:
* Big thanks to everyone that came out for the Brewsquitos & Friends Chili Cookoff and congrats to the champs!
* March 14th (7:00pm) – Monthly Meeting at Harmony Hall
* April 10th (6:30pm) – April Meeting at Bier Distillery
2. Dates to save:
* May 5th – Siciliano’s Big Brew Day at Trail Point (see Tim G. for details on after-party)
* July 21st – Summer Party at Uzarski’s
3. Brewsquitos Quarterly Club Competition – more details to follow
* Will consist of 4 total competitions, one every 3 months, starting in June 2018
* Each competition will focus on a different core ingredient (Hops, Malt, Yeast, Water Adjunct)
* Judging will be to specified BJCP style (with modification based on description by entrant)
* Prizes for 1st-3rd place in each competition, as well as Grand Prize and two Runner Up Prizes based on cumulative points
4. Basic brewing tool calibration discussion led by Paul C.
A. Thermometers
* If you make ice bath incorrectly, you’re better off not calibrating.
* A typical glass of ice water is not an ice bath. For example, a glass filled half way with ice and then filled with water will be near 40F.
* For correct ice-to-water ratio, fill glass completely with ice before adding water. After adding water, ice should still touch bottom of glass.
* Thermometer probe should be stirred in center of ice slurry (i.e. sides or bottom could be slightly warmer).
* If your reading is within the manufacturer’s accuracy specification then DON’T ADJUST CALIBRATION. Doing so could through off measurements at warmer temperatures. Typical accuracy specs are +/- 1.0F or +/- 0.7F.
* Various thermometers brought to the meeting measured between 31.0F and 35.1F in our ice bath.
B. Hydrometers
* Forgot to take notes, but some info here – https://byo.com/article/calibrate-your-hydrometer-and-fermenter-techniques/
Beers & Perry Sampled
Jim M. – WTF Is It? Ale, 67% Schill Kolsch Malt, 33% Castle Munich, small aroma charge of Hallertau Blanc, Safale K-97 @ 60F, 1.060->1.009. Descriptors were “like an ale fermented Festbier”, “malty Pale Ale”, “Kolsch-ish”. Regardless of style, it was tasty and drinkable.
Jeff C. – Kolsch, 91% Pils, 4.5% Vienna, 4.5% Wheat, bittered w/ Perle, WLP029 German Ale/Kölsch Yeast @ 64F, 1.050->1.008. Excellent.
Andrew B. – Sweet Potato Vienna Lager, inspired by recipe in The Homebrewer’s Almanac, 4 lb. oven roasted sweet potato added to mash, 60% Vienna, 20% Pils, 20% Munich, WLP838 Southern German Lager Yeast, 1.047->1.009. Sweet potato gave nice orange hue, flavor contribution was subtle, but added nice complexity to base beer.
Nick R. – Mandarina Pils, Warrior for bittering, 1 oz. Mandarina @ 15, 1 oz. @ 5, 1 oz. whirlpool, Saflager W-34/70, split batch w/ Paul A. who used Saflager S-189 (Nick stated beers were very similar). Delicious beer.
Chad K. – Coffee Blonde, coarse crushed Rowster coffee added to secondary, awesome fresh coffee character.
Paul C. – Oatmeal Stout, 66% Maris Otter, 10% Flaked Oats (toasted in oven at 300F), 7% Golden Naked Oats, 5% Victory, 5% Chocolate (Briess), 3.5% C80, 3.5% Black Barley, 1.050 OG, Safale S-04. Small refinements suggested (including switching to Safale US-05), but otherwise a very good Oatmeal Stout.
Craig F. – Oatmeal Stout, 1.053 OG, some acetaldehyde present, 1L starter of WY1469 West Yorkshire, ferm slowly ramped from 64F->66F->68F, approx. 14 days in primary then cold crashed. Practices seemed sound, unsure what caused off flavor.
Chad K. – Peanut Butter Porter, peanut butter was bumpin’!, Pilot Malt House PB Toast malt, Peanut Butter Cup flavored coffee from CoffeeAM, peanut butter flavoring extract. Suggestions to increase body and perhaps abv of base beer, but peanut butter character was very impressive.
Phil P. – IPA w/ S05J hops (experimental variety being trialed in MI), notes of orange cream, orange rind, citrus, and light pineapple and dank character.
Craig F. – Equinox Wheat IPA, 50% 2 Row, 50% Wheat, Equinox hops.
Jeff C. – Perry, Vivace white wine yeast, finished at 1.002, backsweetened to 1.006.
Nick R. – Tart Cherry Gose, lacto plantarum, US-05, 1.041->1.010, 4.5 g/gal salt.