Ritual Summons

In mid-October, the wife and I took a short vacation with a couple of friends to sunny Palm Springs, CA.  The wife suggested that we hit up a brewery on the way down (I'm a great influence) and found a couple that were on the way.  After a small amount of deliberation, we decided that we would make just one beer related stop as we certainly were not going to pass up stopping to see the Cabazon Dinosaurs.

Au revoir Pee-Wee

In an industrial park in Redlands, CA is a warehouse brewery that summons beer lovers to enjoy a pint or two, or in my case a sampler or two.  Ritual Brewing Company opened its taproom in November of 2012.  The cavernous space is fitted with the brew house on one side, a long bar and tables to the right of that and a couple of Cornhole Courts near the two large roll-up doors.  The long bar and communal tables are made from reclaimed bowling lanes and fill the space near a wall of barrels; barrels full of delicious beer I might add.

The brew house...shiny!

Barrels and t-shirts and beer! Oh my!

 We arrived shortly after they opened that day and found an empty brewery, which accentuated the spaciousness of the brewery/taproom.  This gave me free reign to geek out on the shiny stuff and snap a few photos prior to ordering our beers.  Our being possibly the first customers of the day allowed us the opportunity to chat with the well-informed beertender about the beers that we would sample.  We were able to do this without feeling as if we were holding up a line.  This was fortunate for me as I can be a bit indecisive when choosing beer.  They had a few pre-selected flights which made the delicious decision a little easier.

Beer Here, indeed!

I choose the 'Big Flavors' sampler which consisted of
 Hellion, Barrel Aged Hop-O-Matic, Fat Hog and Big Deluxe

 Tasting Notes:

-Hellion is a Belgian Golden Ale with an aroma reminiscent of peach preserves spread thinly on a cracker.  This paired with a subtle spicy hop character make for an inviting aroma.  It is a golden, straw color with a bone white head that is thin in the sample but leaves a patchwork of lace on the glass.  The flavor emphasizes the cracker like sweetness noted in the aroma and is balanced against the peach flavors and subtle spicy hop bitterness.  Hellion's effervescence aids in carrying the aromas to my nose and palate.  The medium body and spritzy carbonation make for a refreshing beverage that I would love to drink much more of.  If only I had bought more than the one bottle to take home with me. 

-Barrel Aged Hop-O-Matic is a barrel aged IPA.  The bready, sweet malt aroma plays well against the citrusy hop character and the vanillin from the oak barrel.  It is a deep copper, bordering on brown with a thin crown of white foam that is persistent.  I notice a faint phenolic flavor (slightly solvent like) that, though noticeable, was not distracting.  The flavor of the bready, sweet malts and grapefruit like hop flavors are balanced well with the oak character.  The medium body and moderately low carbonation make for a smooth mouthfeel that gives way to a slight astringency that lingers with the hop bitterness. 

-Fat Hog is an awesome American Barleywine.  This is where the flavors get big in my opinion.  The aroma of this barleywine reminds me of cherry pie and plum.  Its brick red hue is topped with an off-white head that dissipated quickly.  The sweetness and fruit character noted in the aroma come through beautifully in the flavor and are balanced with a mild hop bitterness and subtle, nearly smoky quality.  This beer warmed my chest and that warmth made its way back to my cheeks after a few sips.  I'd love to sip on this beer fire side, maybe while roasting marshmallows.

-Big Deluxe is Ritual's take on a Russian Imperial Stout.  This beer is certainly big, as the name implies, and is most deserving of the 'Big Flavor' sampler.  The aroma is reminiscent of a hearty bowl of oatmeal paired with a strong mocha.  The dark, opaque brown color of this beer is similar to a cup of rich coffee and has a thin beige head formed of fine bubbles.  The flavor follows the aroma with coffee and chocolate being prevalent and as the sample warms I am reminded of a cherry cordial, delicious.  The low carbonation and velvety texture of this beer paired with the high alcohol content are warming and comforting.  I often find that I want to pair beers like this with a good vanilla ice cream and this is no exception.

Photo Credit: The Wife

If I make my way down to Redlands, CA again I will certainly stop off to try more of Ritual's offerings and will definitely bring home more Hellion and will pick up some Big Deluxe as well (stout floats are amazing).  The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the long communal tables invite conversation.  This is a place I would like to come back to and spend more time enjoying the beer and company of good friends.

Cheers!

  

Week 12 at Beers in Sacramento

Week 12, the last of my journey to become a BJCP certified judge is up at Beers in Sacramento.  The tasting exam is done!

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Cheers! 

Week 11 at Beers in Sacramento

Week 11 of my journey to become a BJCP certified judge is up at Beers in Sacramento.  This week's focus was on the brewing process and how it influences a beer.  The journey is almost over.

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Cheers! 

Week 10 at Beers in Sacramento

Week 10 of my journey to become a BJCP certified judge is up at Beers in Sacramento.  This week's focus was on the feed back that I good judge will give the the brewer on a score sheet.  These recipe adjustments are often a main reason that brewers enter competitions.

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Cheers! 

Hoppy Beerthday

Yesterday, 11/1/14, was the American Homebrewers Association's Learn to Homebrew Day.  It was also my 2nd beerthday (I brewed my first batch on Learn to Homebrew Day).  I met up with a few UnderGroundBrewSquad (my homebrew club) members and had a day of demonstration brewing at BFD.  We brewed 36 gallons as a club and had many local people stop by the shop to learn a bit and enjoy a brew or two.  I brewed the trial run of Holy MALTrimony, an Imperial IPA that I will ferment with Belgian Strong Ale yeast.  I plan to brew this beer multiple times to ensure that it is just right for the shindig celebrating the marriage of my good friends Janie and Nikki.

When I first started brewing, it was on a simple stove top set up.  At that point I was using extract, could only boil a little over 3 gallons, and had to top off (add water) to end up with 5 gallons of beer. My current set up is capable of producing 10 gallons (no need to top off) and I am using all-grain (no extract unless I want to).  The next step up in my set up will be kegging.  Check back in the future for a how-to post on turning a refrigerator into a kegerator.

My initial set up using a camp stove.
I still use the same assistant though.

My current set up at AHA Learn to Homebrew Day at BFD.

Photo credit: Calvin Crawford
Note the difference in light, I got started later than planned.

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Cheers!

Week 9 at Beers In Sacramento

The journey to my becoming a BJCP judge is in its 9th week at Beers In Sacramento.  This week I passed the entrance exam!

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Cheers!

Week 8 at Beers in Sacramento

Photo credit: The Wife

Week 8 of my journey to become a BJCP judge is up at Beers in Sacramento.  This week we discussed grain and its contributions to the beautiful beverage that we call beer.

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Cheers!

Tiny

William Edgar Fowler III was born on October 10, 1937 and passed almost three years ago.  He was a man of large stature both in size and of heart.  Friends of his called him Tiny and I called him Dad.  My love of music and food and drink most certainly come from being reared by this man.  In his honor, this October 10, 2014, I brewed a Wee Heavy (Strong Scotch Ale) that I have dubbed Tiny.  If you would care to try a Wee Heavy, I'd recommend AleSmith Wee Heavy.  I have seen it in bottles around the Sacramento area on occasion.  If you can't find that, another good option would be Belhaven Wee Heavy.  Here's to Tiny!

Cheers!

Tiny dressed as Santa, my sister and myself circa the late 80's

Week 7 at Beers in Sacramento

Week 7 of my journey is up.  This week's focus was on yeast's role in beer styles.  Travel yeastward with me over at Beers in Sacramento.

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Cheers!

Cafe Au Ale

Amanda Branahm of From House Parties to Housewife wrote up an article for Beers in Sacramento about the competition that I brewed Coffee Nap for.  She interviewed me and Deb of Rebel Confectionery & Jams.  Check out the article at the following: Cafe Au Ale


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Cheers!

Coffee Nap

My passion for beer doesn't end at visiting breweries and tasting great beers.  I have been interested in brewing beer since well before my being able to purchase it legally.  Even though my good friend Ryan and I dreamed of brewing beer back then, I didn't get started until Learn to Homebrew Day, 2012.  I have another good couple of friends, Janie & Nikki, to thank for the gift of Charlie Papazian’s book, “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing”.  Papazian's book tapped my appreciation and seeking of beer knowledge and lead me to John Palmer’s, "How to Brew".  The fact that Palmer has his whole book online for free, makes me want to hug the man.  He really makes brewing easy to understand and goes into the scientific details of the art of brewing.

Since beginning to brew in 2012, I have brewed many batches of beer and have started entering my homebrews into competitions.  One such competition that I will be entering is Café Au Ale, a coffee beer competition that is being held at a local coffee shop during Sacramento Specialty Coffee Week.  I brewed a Robust Porter to which I added a cold brew of Old Soul's Whiskey Dreams.  I have dubbed that beer Coffee Nap, follow the link for the recipe.  To help me with documenting the process, the wife took periodic pictures throughout the brew day.

Water in the kettle coming up to temperature.  The cooler is my mash tun (it's where the grain gets wet).  The paper bag is my grain and the little bags are my hops.

A layer of grain is being infused with 162° F water.

Another layer, this process is called "doughing-in".

More water, then more grain, etc...

After a few minutes the temperature is taken,
I was shooting for 154° F.  Not bad!

Three very important things are going on in this picture.  In no particular order of importance: calibration beer poured and tasted, enzymes are converting the grain to fermentable sugars (mashing) and notes are being taken.

After an hour of mashing I start the recirculation process know as the vorlauf.  A couple of quarts of the liquid, known as wort (pronounced wert), are pulled off and then carefully added back to the mash tun.  This helps to settle the grain bed and keep grain particles out of the kettle. The vorlauf is repeated several times until there are no particles in the wort.

Here begins the collection of the first runnings.
  Notice that the valve handle is only partially open.

The wort is poured over the back of a spoon
so as to not disturb the grain bed. 

The collection of the wort should go slowly
in order to avoid splashing which
would lead to oxidation of the wort
 and ultimately off flavors.

Every brewer needs an assistant, this is Brutus.
He was keeping an eye on the collection of the
 2nd runnings.  After the mash tun has been
drained the first time, another batch of hot water
 is added (167° F) and allowed to settle; this is
 known as batch sparging.  The vorlauf  is done
 again and the wort is collected in the same way
 as the first runnings.  Here I have the mash tun
 tilted in order to get all of the wort out.  I did not
 tilt until it was near empty.

Approximately one week later the yeast have
done their work of digesting the sugars and
producing alcohol.  Above you see a
hydrometer which measures the apparent
attenuation of the beer.  To put that simply,
as the yeast eat up the sugar the beer gets
thinner, the hydrometer drops farther.
At this point the fermentation is complete
and I added the strong, cold brewed coffee.
After a couple days the wife and I bottled
the beer.  

During the boil, hops were added.  The wort
was then cooled via my Immersion Chiller.
Notice that is is now dark outside, this brew
day took about 6 hours from set up to clean
up.  Here I am transferring the wort to my
fermentation vessel.  I move the hose around
and up and down in order to introduce a fair
amount of oxygen to the wort.  This gives
the yeast the oxygen that they need.  The yeast
will be added after the fermenter is filled.

The carbonation of my beer is done in the bottles by adding a little more fermentable sugar (known as priming sugar) to the beer just before bottling.  Then after a few weeks, the remaining yeast digest that sugar and produce the carbonation.  This picture was taken just ten days after bottling, note that there is very little head.  There is very little carbonation at this point, but I still have another couple weeks until Coffee Nap will be judged.

I am pretty happy with this beer and look forward to tasting it again in another couple weeks.  By that point it should be fully carbonated and the coffee flavor should have mellowed a bit.  I am also eager to have it judged, receive my score sheets and learn the outcome of the competition.  As of now it is an opaque black with burgundy edges.  The aroma is of a dark roasted coffee, bittersweet chocolate and dark dried fruits (i.e. raisins, prunes).  The flavor follows the aroma and in the same order but is paired with a subtle earthy hop presence that lingers in the finish along with rich coffee.  The mouthfeel is not quite ready to judge due to not being fully carbonated, but my initial tasting was pleasing.  It is creamy and has a medium-full body.  There is a soft warming in the chest from the, slightly higher than I was going for, ABV of 7.11%.  I am proud of my first attempt at a coffee beer and will most certainly brew it again.

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Cheers!

Week 6 at Beers in Sacramento

Practice makes pourfect.

Check out Week 6 of my journey to becoming a BJCP certified judge at Beers in Sacramento. There was no class this week, so I did a little practicing.  

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Cheers!

Week 5 at Beers in Sacramento

Manresa State Beach

Check out Week 5 of my journey to becoming a BJCP certified judge at Beers in Sacramento. This week, we dove head first into the subject of water and its importance in beer.

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Cheers!

Press In Case of Raid

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, in an industrial area of San Francisco, as the wife and I made our way to Speakeasy Ales & Lagers.  This area of town doesn't quite feel like the San Francisco that you are used to.  First off, there was little to no traffic and there was parking, easy parking that was free of charge.  The taproom has a decidedly prohibition era drinking establishment vibe.  Although one walks up a few stairs from the parking lot to enter the joint, it feels as if you are in a dark basement or backroom that has been turned into a bar.  You'd almost expect to be greeted by a well dressed gangster asking for the password.  No password is required, though be sure to keep an eye out for any coppers and remember to press the button in case of a raid. See?

I didn't push the button, but I wanted to.

I have had a few of Speakeasy's beers and enjoy them often.  Big Daddy IPA and Double Daddy IPA are a couple of my go to beers.  I had not, however, visited the brewery before.  The wife and I walked up to the bar, decided on a few samples and then found ourselves a comfortable spot to imbibe.  We decided on The Suspect (Belgian Golden Ale), The Informant (Elder Flower Saison), Blind Tiger (Imperial IPA) and Harvey Milk (Milk Stout).

From left to right is, The Suspect, The Informant, Blind Tiger and Harvey Milk

Delicious decisions don't disappoint

Tasting Notes:

-The Suspect is a Belgian Golden Ale whose aroma is reminiscent of lemon drops and its appearance like that of lemonade.  The flavor is dominated by spicy hops and citrus rind that subdue the grainy sweetness.  The effervescence in this light bodied beer, paired with the citrus make for a refreshing brew.

-The Informant is an Elderflower Saison, in which the floral aroma is most prominent. This is followed by the aroma of a dense grainy cracker.  It has a nearly clear, golden hue that is crowned by a persistent, fine bubbled head. The elderflower is the star of the aroma as well as the flavor.  This is paired with a lingering flavor of a ruby red grapefruit.  The fine bubbles on the tongue create a delicate, silken texture that beg for another sip.

-Blind Tiger, an Imperial IPA, compensates for its lack of sight with a powerful aroma of mandarin orange and passion fruit.  As the bold hops fade, you are greeted by the smell of freshly cut grass and graham crackers.  The color of this beer is remarkably similar to the aforementioned saison, the only real difference is a slight haze and less bubbles.  The flavor reminds me of a pineapple upside down cake.  This gives way to a subtle grass flavor and a lingering resinous hop character.   The hops coat your tongue and are not washed away by the medium bodied beer that warms your chest on the way down.

-Harvey Milk is a luscious, sweet stout.  The aroma is that of a dark chocolate mocha and sweet black cherry.  It is an impenetrable black with a faint edge of a dark red wine.  The flavor is similar to a black forest cake paired with a cup of strong roasted coffee.  This beer is velvety smooth on the pallet and literally screams for ice cream.

Photo Credit: The wife

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers is a short trip from Sacramento and is well worth the visit.  The beer is excellent, and the taproom is dimly lit and comfortable.  The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and the parking is free.  I will certainly return and plan to bring friends along next time. While the wife and I were visiting, a party bus showed up carrying the guests of a birthday celebration for someone named Joey.  The group of people had a few extra pours of Big Daddy IPA, which two kind ladies from the group offered to the wife and I, as well as a couple other people in the taproom.  I'm sure that this is a slogan of another brewery, but it holds true; good people drink good beer.  Here's to Joey, Happy Birthday!

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Cheers!

Week 4 at Beers in Sacramento

David Teckam's White Board

Check out Week 4 of my journey to become a BJCP certified judge at Beers in Sacramento.  This week we took a look at filling out score sheets and were given tips to be better beer judges.

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Cheers!

Week 3 at Beers in Sacramento

Guest blogging at Beers in Sac again.  Check out week 3 of my journey to become a BJCP judge. This week took an intensive look at off flavors and aromas.  Also, I brewed a batch of Robust Porter today, check back for a detailed look at my brew day.

Cheers!

Keep Portland Upright

Early August 2014, the wife and I took another trip to the Pacific Northwest.  While there, I made sure to include many stops at breweries, including Upright Brewing. Upright sits in the basement of a brick building on North Broadway in Portland, Oregon.  I was excited to visit this small scale brewery, as the others that we visited on that trip were larger in scale and more brewpub than brewery.  The focus of Upright Brewing is on French and Belgian styles of beer with a Pacific Northwest twist of using local ingredients and slightly more hops in some of the beers than is traditional to the styles brewed.

The only signage visible from the road.

The wife and I walked up to a seemingly closed building, but were assured by the sandwich board that they were in fact open.  We made our way to the basement and down a hallway to discover this gem of a brewery.  When we walked in, we were right in the middle of the small brewing facilities and surrounded by barrels of aging beer.  I gazed in awe at the barrels and shiny stainless steel and thought to myself that something this size could just about work in the garage of a certain homebrewer... wishful thinking on my behalf.

Ooh, shiny!  Ah, barrels!

We got ourselves a sampler and sat at one of the few communal tables and enjoyed each and every taste.  I did not take any notes that day, all I have is a fond recollection of very tasty saisons.  We did, however, adopt a couple bottles of their brew to bring home and love and care for and call George.  I opened one of these bottles recently and shared it with the wife, my fond recollections were justified.  A very tasty saison indeed.

Behold, beautiful beer

Tasting Notes:

- Five is a beautiful beer that you may fall in love with at first whiff.  Its aroma brings to the imagination a nectarine cobbler.  This aroma is balanced with a subtle spiciness that is quite alluring.  The appearance of Five is like apricot preserves topped with a thick, bright white cream.  The head was sticky and formed a patch work of lace down the glass as I slowly sipped.  The aroma carried in the luscious flavors of nectarine and passion fruit to the pallet, this was offset by a lingering, spicy hop characteristic.  It has a smoothness that fills your mouth and then breaks into an effervescence that is tongue coating and mouth watering.

I was impressed by the beers from Upright Brewing and I'm very glad that I adopted a couple bottles.  I'd be more glad if only I had purchased more.  The brewery was comfortable, with light music fading into mixed conversations; this is the kind of place I could sit for hours and would love to the next time I visit Portland.


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Cheers!

Week 2 at Beers in Sacramento

I am guest blogging at Beers In Sacramento again, check out this weeks journey with hops. http://beersinsac.com/studying-for-the-beer-judge-certification-program-bjcp-with-mike-ungerbuhler/2014/8/31/week-2 Also, I'm heading to Speakeasy Ales & Lagers today, check back soon for a brewery review and tasting notes.

Cheers!

Guest blogging over at Beers In Sacramento

I am guest blogging over at Beers In Sacramento today and every Sunday for the next few months.  Please check out the post and their site/app.
http://beersinsac.com/studying-for-the-beer-judge-certification-program-bjcp-with-mike-ungerbuhler/

100% Sacramento Beer

In the basement of a nondescript building, next to the falling rubble that was once the K street mall, is Ruhstaller Beer.  To enter said basement, one must ring a bell and then you'll be greeted, and lead into the taproom by one of their friendly staff.  Though I had tried two of Ruhstaller's offerings in the past, this was my first visit to the brewery.  As I walked down the stairs, I was welcomed by a long communal table and lots of comfortable seating in a lounge area behind a wall of bottles.  The wife and I walked over to the bar and asked for a sampler.  We let the beertender decide which four beers we would taste today.  

Communal Table

Cozy Lounge area.

The four beers that we ended up with are all delicious and  a good representation of the brewery.  From left to right we have a black version of 1881, Gilt Edge Lager, Santos Saison and Brown Pelican.

mmm...beer

Tasting Notes:

-Black 1881 is a one off beer and is similar to what I remember of their standard 1881 Red Ale, but with a richer and slightly roasted malt character.  It has an aroma of sweet baked goods and browned toast and an opaque black appearance with soft ruby edges.  The rich malt character is also present in the flavor and contributes to the flavor of a sweetened dark roasted coffee; this is well balanced with a citrus hop bite that lingers on the pallet and leaves a subtle resinous mouthfeel. 

-Gilt Edge Lager is made with ingredients sourced 100% from the Sacramento region.  It's aroma is of muted sulfur and a whiff of cigar ash.  This beer is crystal clear and straw colored.  The slightly floral, soft grain flavors give way to a lingering hop bitterness that is similar to cannabis.  The crisp mouthfeel of this beer is refreshing and left me wanting another.

-Santos Saison has an aroma of tropical fruits and yeast.  Lots of bubbles in this bright amber colored, medium bodied beer.  It is a complex beer with dominate flavors of banana, clove and ripe stone fruits.  The effervescence of this saison makes for a fragrant and very drinkable beer.

-Brown Pelican is an experimental beer that was served on nitro.  This brown ale has an inviting aroma that is similar to the Black 1881.  It has the appearance of root beer with a lush head from the nitro.  The flavor follows the aroma and gives way to a mild, dark, dried fruit character.  The nitro gives this beer a velvety, smooth mouthfeel that I  just can't help but imagine making an ice cream float with.  Nitro brown ale float, yes please. 

Photo Credit: The Wife

Ruhstaller Beer is a comfortable beer oasis in a currently hectic construction zone and will remain to be a great place to meet for a couple beers in the downtown area of Sacramento.  I will most certainly be returning for more beer and great service from the friendly and knowledgeable staff, maybe I'll bring a half pint of vanilla ice cream.


Cheers!