Talk Beer Homebrew Club - Inaugural Post

[Beerontwowheels]

Alright TBHC'ers, now that we are a club of certified losers, I suppose it's time we start drinking like one! Since this is an online community of homebrewers, we have some challenges that other clubs don't have and we have some advantages that they wish they had.

Here's what I see going on, feel free to share your comments:

1A) We've got a good group of homebrewers with all levels of experience
1B) ...and then we have stakem

2A) We don't have any membership fees
2B) No one can be accused of embezzling club funds

3A) We won't have monthly meetings (will we?)
3B) We won't have mooching members who come for free beer and never contribute

4A) We don't charge competition fees!
4B) Every competition will require you to ship via FedEx or UPS

5A) We will get to sample each others homebrew during competitions!
5B) We have no prize support, we are broke (see 2A & 4A for details)

Alright, alright, enough ********. Seriously only wanted to announce two things.

1) We are actually certified now with the American Homebrewers Association. So long as you are a member, I would say feel free to list The Talk Beer Homebrew Club as your club for competitions in the future.

2) I would love to get our first competition underway over the next 3 months. To get the maximum number of participants, I think we would want a quick turnaround style beer (determine via Poll). We would need to determine how we plan to judge, shipping arrangements, and time frame. My thoughts on the matter are here.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[Snarf1]

Nothing constructive, but I think TalkBeer is one word and we should be THC rather than TBHC.

 

[quirkzoo1]

Nothing constructive, but I think TalkBeer is one word and we should be THC rather than TBHC.

As the head of our Colorado chapter I will work on my petition to the BJCP regarding Style 29 - Beer with THC added.

 

[Five28 hz]

I can get behind the THC acronym, and in front of it, and to the left to the right, now dip baby dip.

 

[stakem1]

Should I be flattered or infuriated by 1B? Whelp...im out. See bullet point 3B for reasoning for my departure.

Real talk: if our first member competition is berliners or saisons ill stream tears of joy. I cant think of a more amazing box of beer showing up at my door than an assortment of berliners (or saisons.)

I think I just wet myself.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Should I be flattered or infuriated by 1B? Whelp...im out. See bullet point 3B for reasoning for my departure.

Real talk: if our first member competition is berliners or saisons ill stream tears of joy. I cant think of a more amazing box of beer showing up at my door than an assortment of berliners (or saisons.)

I think I just wet myself.

Depending on how soon we want to ship/judge, those are great choices.

 

[Snarf1]

Depending on how soon we want to ship/judge, those are great choices.

Both are beers that only take a couple weeks to brew. If you're berliner takes longer, it's not a berliner / you're doing it wrong.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

If you're berliner takes longer, it's not a berliner / you're doing it traditionally.

FTFY

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I'm going to set up a poll today to determine what style our first competition should revolve around. Berliner/Saison/IIPA/IPA/Pale/Porter will all be options.

Any other suggestions given the quick turnaround we are looking for? Will also have a write in option for folks in the event I didn't list their top choice.

Any issues with having submissions deliver to the hub (volunteer?) by 06/21?

 

[bum732]

American light lager.

 

[Snarf1]

FTFY

Have some reference for that?

 

[stakem1]

Have some reference for that?

Im not a beer historian. And by no means am I saying everything you read on the interwebz is accurate. But on several occasions I have read (what seems like a semi-professional write up) presenting compelling arguments that old world berliners were bottled and stored for extended aging to fully develop tartness.

 

[stakem1]

Im not a beer historian. And by no means am I saying everything you read on the interwebz is accurate. But on several occasions I have read (what seems like a semi-professional write up) presenting compelling arguments that old world berliners were bottled and stored for extended aging to fully develop tartness.

AH HA! Im not a complete moron who totally makes this **** up and only partially recalls vague facts/conversation from drunken ramblings.

The german beer institute has a page about berliner history.
germanbeerinstitute.com/Berliner_Weisse.html
Taking a small snippet here: "Berliners date from a time before glass beer bottles. In thise early days, the effervescent brew was sold in earthenware crocks closed with string-fastened cork stoppers to contain the beer's powerful carbonation. The crocks were often buried in sand during 3 months of conditioning."

This raises some questions for me. Is the 3 months of conditioning simply for carbonation purposes or development of flavor profile?

Regardless I have a raging tomer right now knowing that people in the 1500's were markintiharin berliners from earthenware crocks with ale apothecary style string fastened corks.

 

[Snarf1]

AH HA! Im not a complete moron who totally makes this **** up and only partially recalls vague facts/conversation from drunken ramblings.

The german beer institute has a page about berliner history.
germanbeerinstitute.com/Berliner_Weisse.html
Taking a small snippet here: "Berliners date from a time before glass beer bottles. In thise early days, the effervescent brew was sold in earthenware crocks closed with string-fastened cork stoppers to contain the beer's powerful carbonation. The crocks were often buried in sand during 3 months of conditioning."

This raises some questions for me. Is the 3 months of conditioning simply for carbonation purposes or development of flavor profile?

Regardless I have a raging tomer right now knowing that people in the 1500's were markintiharin berliners from earthenware crocks with ale apothecary style string fastened corks.

I've heard that berliners were stored for years, not always low abv, etc, but my point was that I think the beer was usually packaged within days or weeks and often consumed young.

I was trying to find a presentation from CBC (??) a few years back that has some great info, but apparently I am a complete moron who doesn't bookmark things or at least can't find them when I do.

Maybe when I'm drunk I'll rant about pseudo-historical beer style recreations, but the short version is that anything brewed these days has little resemblance to the beers of centuries past.

 

[stakem1]

I've heard that berliners were stored for years, not always low abv, etc, but my point was that I think the beer was usually packaged within days or weeks and often consumed young.

I was trying to find a presentation from CBC (??) a few years back that has some great info, but apparently I am a complete moron who doesn't bookmark things or at least can't find them when I do.

Maybe when I'm drunk I'll rant about pseudo-historical beer style recreations, but the short version is that anything brewed these days has little resemblance to the beers of centuries past.

I agree. I too have even read claims that some berliners didnt even have a sour profile (because they were consumed young or because of inconsistency in brewing??) Not meant to be a question directed at you... just thinking outloud.

I know exactly what you are talking about...at least I think. Was it a power point presentation that someone saved as a pdf? I have it saved on my laptop at home.

I think this is gonna be the year I break away from my normal berliner brewing practice and make a solid 3rd attempt at trying to brew a historically accurate one with brevis (if i can get it) and then bottle with brux and krausening the bottles.

 

[Zapy1]

I second the saison/berliner, pretty much the only short turnaround styles I brew anymore. I'd also be glad to help with the distribution, love to see the face of the fedex guy

 

[Snarf1]

I agree. I too have even read claims that some berliners didnt even have a sour profile (because they were consumed young or because of inconsistency in brewing??) Not meant to be a question directed at you... just thinking outloud.

I know exactly what you are talking about...at least I think. Was it a power point presentation that someone saved as a pdf? I have it saved on my laptop at home.

I think this is gonna be the year I break away from my normal berliner brewing practice and make a solid 3rd attempt at trying to brew a historically accurate one with brevis (if i can get it) and then bottle with brux and krausening the bottles.

That sounds like what I'm talking about. Would be great if you can post or email.

 

[Thorpe]

That sounds like what I'm talking about. Would be great if you can post or email.

Yes, I'd love to see that as well. I normally let my berliners go for a while, but that's usually because I get antsy and start brewing them while it's still quite cold. I need a shorter turnaround this year as I've been busy, so hopefully quicker works as well, though I do like to have a little bit of fruity Brett character in mine. I'm thinking of doing at least one "Berliner" variant this year that would be a sour mash followed by 100% Brett C fermentation.

 

[Indytruks1381]

I think this is at least the recap of what you are talking about:

http://sourbrewster.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/berliner-weisse-the-old-time-kettle-souring-technique/

 

[Snarf1]

I think this is at least the recap of what you are talking about:

http://sourbrewster.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/berliner-weisse-the-old-time-kettle-souring-technique/

You sir are a scholar and a gentleman.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Have some reference for that?

A little late in replying, but to answer your question, nope.

Just giving you **** because the two batches of berliner that I have done have taken 3-5 months to get properly tart (using White Labs Berliner Blend) and one batch required a dose of lactic acid. I'm interested in learning to sour the wort or mash, but I just haven't messed with that yet.

Putting the poll up now. Any thing not already mentioned in this thread can be a write-in. Votes or write-ins from people not in 'da club' will be ignored.

 

[Snarf1]

A little late in replying, but to answer your question, nope.

Just giving you **** because the two batches of berliner that I have done have taken 3-5 months to get properly tart (using White Labs Berliner Blend) and one batch required a dose of lactic acid. I'm interested in learning to sour the wort or mash, but I just haven't messed with that yet.

Putting the poll up now. Any thing not already mentioned in this thread can be a write-in. Votes or write-ins from people not in 'da club' will be ignored.

I think I know what your problem was. White Labs mixed cultures are terrible.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I think I know what your problem was. White Labs mixed cultures are terrible.

That...and I didn't even attempt to keep the temps up in the range necessary. Chilled to 65° or so, pitched and kept it right in that range. neorunner mentioned to me a while back that he's had success with the berliner blend but that it required a higher temp to get the tartness.

 

[Snarf1]

That...and I didn't even attempt to keep the temps up in the range necessary. Chilled to 65° or so, pitched and kept it right in that range. neorunner mentioned to me a while back that he's had success with the berliner blend but that it required a higher temp to get the tartness.

I've never heard anything good about WL lacto.

 

[TheGordianKnot]

I've never heard anything good about WL lacto.

677? I haven't heard much negative about it, care to elaborate?

630 OTOH, which is what was referenced I've heard things from its the biggest waste ever to it worked pretty well... I've done sour mashing in the past, but wanted to try something new, so I have a berliner about a month in with 630 pitched that I figured I'd just test out myself since there doesn't appear to be a consensus in any online forum about it..

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Poll is up

 

[Snarf1]

677? I haven't heard much negative about it, care to elaborate?

630 OTOH, which is what was referenced I've heard things from its the biggest waste ever to it worked pretty well... I've done sour mashing in the past, but wanted to try something new, so I have a berliner about a month in with 630 pitched that I figured I'd just test out myself since there doesn't appear to be a consensus in any online forum about it..

I've never used it, but I've read multiple reports along the lines of 'I pitched White Labs lacto, nothing happened.'

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I second the saison/berliner, pretty much the only short turnaround styles I brew anymore. I'd also be glad to help with the distribution, love to see the face of the fedex guy

Thanks for Volunteering, Patrick. I'll be in touch with you once we nail down some specifics.

 

[neorunner]

That...and I didn't even attempt to keep the temps up in the range necessary. Chilled to 65° or so, pitched and kept it right in that range. neorunner mentioned to me a while back that he's had success with the berliner blend but that it required a higher temp to get the tartness.

I have not had success with the berliner blend. I had success by accidentally milling grain next to an open fermenter . Just made a berlinner and tried an experiment of milling raw grain right into the fermenter then adding wort on top and pitching yeast cake. Should keg this weekend. Will report how it turned out.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I have not had success with the berliner blend. I had success by accidentally milling grain next to an open fermenter . Just made a berlinner and tried an experiment of milling raw grain right into the fermenter then adding wort on top and pitching yeast cake. Should keg this weekend. Will report how it turned out.

My mistake. Perhaps you simply recommended I up the temp to help achieve more tartness.

 

[Indytruks1381]

The brewer from Saint Arnolds actually posted that link about a month back on that other site when talking about how they kettle sour their berliner.

 

[ncaudle]

saisons are short turn around? oh, you mean non-sour saisons.
who the hell drinks non-soured saisons?!



pffft, you guys...

 

[stakem1]

saisons are short turn around? oh, you mean non-sour saisons.
who the hell drinks non-soured saisons?!



pffft, you guys...

i like your style

but admittedly i prefer nonsoured or only tart saisons over saisons that are full blow wild ale/sour offshoots

 

[Thorpe]

i like your style

but admittedly i prefer nonsoured or only tart saisons over saisons that are full blow wild ale/sour offshoots

Agree. Love tart and funky saisons, don't like when they get too far over the edge.

 

[Snarf1]

saisons are short turn around? oh, you mean non-sour saisons.
who the hell drinks non-soured saisons?!



pffft, you guys...

My best efforts have been in the jp mold where the acidity slowly builds in the bottle.

 

[axeman91821]

Any room for a member with dual membership? I already belong to a homebrew club in NYC, but I'd love to get in on this as well.

 

[Snarf1]

Any room for a member with dual membership? I already belong to a homebrew club in NYC, but I'd love to get in on this as well.

Join up! This is my 3rd club.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Any room for a member with dual membership? I already belong to a homebrew club in NYC, but I'd love to get in on this as well.

Send me a PM and include your email address. Will get you the app pronto. In the mean time, check out the competition style poll and vote for berliner!

 

[axeman91821]

Send me a PM and include your email address. Will get you the app pronto. In the mean time, check out the competition style poll and vote for berliner!

The former's done, can't bring myself to do the latter.

 

[jmarsh123]

I've never used it, but I've read multiple reports along the lines of 'I pitched White Labs lacto, nothing happened.'

White Labs berliner blend sucked. I let mine go 6 months with still little tartness so I added blackberries.

Wyeast Berliner blend also took a while, but produced some fantastic results.