Brew Batch #7 Reindeer Ale

I hope this stuff helps me to fly too!! Bottled up 42 Negra Modelo bottle with this stuff alternating between red, green and gold crowns. Also managed a 4 pack of green Grolsch flip-tops. It was a hoot to finally bottle this stuff up. I am excited to try this recipe out and possibly order more. It took quite a while to get this one brewed and bottle, partly because of school. It bottled probably the most clear of any beer yet, but I worry about the activity of the yeast to carbonate the beer. I'll have to post some picks of it all over at my buddy's site. FG 1.002+0.00 @63F to give it around 4.7% alc. cont. I think I am going to look into hand dipping the flip-tops in bright orange wax just to try my hand at that. Cheers and Merry Christmas.

Brew Batch #7 Reindeer Ale

>1748hrs- Started the 1st ever batch of Reindeer Ale.
>2201hrs- Pitched the yeast into this monumental batch!!
This has been by far the most intricate batch I have brewed. Not only is it my recipe but I just hope it turns out decent. It doesn't have to be perfect and I can tell already that unless the fermentation process really darkens it up, I think I will add more black patent. Once I have tasted it, which will be sometime around Christmas (2 month batch), I will post the recipe that I started with but will most likely end up changing it. There was a great showing after the AU vs. UK game. Joe, Jana and Joshie- Semmes chapter, Larry, Sally, Zach, and Bill from the newly enthusiastic Cullman chapter, drop-ins by Keith and Big D- Halcyon East chapter, even made an appearance after doing some big biking on the wolf trail at Tuskegee Nat'l Park. OG 1.034+ 0.001 @ 65F. The temp of the wort came down extremely fast using the ice bath. So when I pitched the yeast it was going into 65F wort, because I had also added 3 Cong of cold H20. A great night in TnDC brewing history. (Forgot to take any pics the process was so exciting)

SweetWater420 Festive Ale Bottling!!

Just got back from the Sweetwater420 Festive Ale 1 liter bottling. All of the usual guys were there and this year was a "by invitation only type event". However, this made the lack of folks that normally show up a little harder on those of us that cranked out a little over 7 palates of brew (40-12 pack 1-liter cases/pallet), which came out to about 3400 of the 5200 bottles they will put out this year. The goal was 9 palates and those that stayed past 4 or so EST probably got it done. Merry "Bighead" helped out and in her usual OCD method couldn't stop even though she ended up with carpal tunnel and extreme fatigue. These will be released on the 18th and they will start bottling the 12oz bottles that day as well. Also next Friday the remainder of the 5200 will be done. We got our fair share of taste tests and I even scored a new brand of stogie I am going to order from JRCIGAR.COM, (La Finca Corona, thanks Fletcher and Jacques "who news wat its 'boot" our resident Canadian transplant rookie). GA lifted the legal bottling limit and the official alc. content on this brew is 8.6%. According to Steve it has always been that high, "but now they can tell the truth". So unlike the greyhound that chases the fluffy mechanical rabbit, this puppy will catch up with you. It was a great time and this year pizza was afforded to everyone there early. I will definitely have to make a trip back over for my annual case and start working on the ones still fermenting from last year. Speaking of which I don't think this stuff was though fermenting when it was bottled, it has already started to slightly bubble out of the wax just around the gasket. HHHmmmmmm...may have to drink these now;)

Our Tastes-- Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat

This is another great session beer by Jim Koch in his BrewMaster's Series. Its made with a great blend of Michigan cherries (used twice, once during the mash and again at finishing), a little honey, malted wheat and Noble hops. Color is a cloudy light brown to red. It first started as a seasonal beer in 1995 and the following became large enough to allow it to be a mainstream beer.
Some characteristics: 180 cal., 5.4%ABV, Tettnang Tettnanger Noble Hops with a top-fermenting yeast

Our Tastes-- Samuel Adams Cream Stout

This is an exceptional session beer (meaning if it is your flavor then you can have several without worrying TOO much about getting the "big head" as my dad calls it). I don't prefer it over Guiness but then again it is a bit different from Guinness any way.
"The style of stout itself has its own mythology and lore dating all the way back to its birth in the 18th Century United Kingdom. Nursing mothers are said to be fortified with stout in Irish hospitals to help them produce milk while in Asia bathing a newborn in stout is thought to have a beneficial effect on the complexion."
Use that one the next time you go beer fowl.
A few characteristics, it's black (meat and taters kind of beer), 190cal, 4.9% abv, grains include two row pale, choc malt, malted wheat and UNMALTED barley, one of the few that pull that trick. Damn, I'm thirsty.

Brew Batch #6

Extra Pale Ale went to bottle last night and with the good help of phatboy we were able to get 48 12oz brown long-necks in gold crowns with 1 clear for settling. I tasted the brew and I'm afraid it may be the best batch yet. It cleared out very well and looks almost as thought this batch will be the first one that we'll be able to enjoy straight from the bottle!! FG 1.002+0.001 @73F to give 4.86%alc. v/v. Not too shabby. I may have to brew this batch again soon to see if I can get the same consistency in product. So this summer with everyone's help I was able to brew a total of 5 (+1 from the spring) batches for a whopping 300 brews of varying flavor. I will have to admit other than just snekaing a bottle of the Dunkel, I haven't had any to drink per say. So this winter should be nice and toasty;) I have also enjoyed doing business with Northern Brewer and will drink my first batch of brews to the demise of Marietta HomeBrew and their sorry-ass customer service.
Now it's time to do some winter flavors and new brewing techniques!!!

Yet Another Date Change..

RX school is proving more and more challenging this semester and has not only bitten into my brew time but the festivities that should follow after normal exams, so we will be moving to StnDC (Saturday Night Drinking Club) to coincide with off days of fellow members and watch some football. However, as a side note I will be bottling batch #6 from this summer (Pale Ale), or did you forget it was still in the secondary?

Our Tastes-- Smirnoff Twisted Asst. IVAN EDITION

Piotr Arsenyevich Smirnov was the Russkie that at 20 years old in 1860 Moscow (back when they really hopped - no pun intended) accidentally left a chunk of charcoal next to some alcohol over night and realized in the morning that it had adsorbed the fumes, leading him to the development of the charcoal filtered vodka we have all come to love. How this led the company to introduce Smirnoff Ice (2000), Triple Black (2002) and Twisted V (2004) I'll never know. The Madarin Orange is okay, a little like a light Sunkist; Green Apple is a bit more sour than I would have thought, Raspberry is alright and the last one left such a small impression that I can't even remember its flavor. I went through this phase when I was younger (right after the Zima year) and it seems to me that this beer is made for young women and my parents, go figure. Bottom line is this stuff is sweet and will keep you from enjoying almost anything else after you have had a few.

Our Tastes-- Purple Haze IVAN EDITION

Located 30 miles north of Nawlins, LA; Abita makes a line of microbrews using the artesian waters of Abita Springs. Purple Haze is a very nicely flavored beer. I went through a phase where "sweet" beers like Smirnov and Zima were good to me but as my tastes have evolved I try to steer clear of beers like this. However, this one was a pleasant surprise that Merry Bighead picked up. It is a crisp, wheat beer with a slightly purple hue to it. This comes the fact that raspberry puree is added to the beer after filtration to give it a slight after taste odd color. I enjoyed this beer enough and Merry has begged enough that as soon as I have some bottles I will probable try a new recipe that incorporates the raspberry flavor just to see how I do on a post-fermented flavored beer (definitely after this semester). The raspberries provide the lager with a haze, a fruity aroma, and a tartly sweet taste. So try one the next tie you are cooped up during a hurricane. Another plus to this is that when Merry has a favorite beer, I become her favorite "bed bug". Hallelujah!!

Our Tastes-- Modelo Especial IVAN EDITION

This beer is the second in popularity in the Grupo Modelo. Modelo Especial is a Pilsner type beer and is just as good as its dark counterpart (Negra Modelo) when a lime is dunked in for good measure. It has a crisp flavor (not bitter at all) and light color. Though I am not a big fan of mexican beers, save a few, this one has really grown on me (especially since the local Bruno's has it on sale for $9.99 a 12!!). Joe J. and I both agree this beer is top notch and definitely worthy of a beach or deepsea fishing trip. It will also serve as a nice refill in homebrewing with its odd shape.

Our Tastes-- Negra Modelo IVAN EDITION

Now this is a premium Mexican beer!! The bottle are an awesome shape for the winter brew that I will be trying in a few weeks. This bad-boy has been around since and was first brewed in 1926 as a draft beer. It is Mexico's #1 dark beer and 1 of the top 5 export brands. It is a Munich-style beer that is great with or without the customary lime.

A few nuances about this beer is that:
1)The wort is cooled and simultaneously saturated with sterile air to inoculate the yeast and begin fermentation (giving little to no chance that bacteria can colonize)
2)Cervecería Modelo, S.A. makes its beers with the finest hops from Bohemia and Saaz as well as buying malt from the leading growers in Germany and the USA
3)Because of the public's preference for clear glass, it dropped its plan to use dark bottles, which would have helped conserve the essential oils in the hops.
In 1931, Negra Modelo was put on the market in half and quarter bottles.

Our Tastes-- Budweiser/Bud Lite IVAN EDITION

I had plenty of Budweiser/Bud Lite, thanks to Joe J. I have slowly started preferring Bud to Miller Lite in recent years. Maybe its true your tastebuds do change as you get older. It is a refreshingly nice beer with a color and tastes that needs not be expounded upon due to its universal appeal, hell even the Japanese like it. Couple of tidbits on Budweiser: It was founded in 1876 and is a Lager beer (bottom fermenting yeast that takes a little while longer and is temperature sensitive, they also produce 100 million barrels/year, they have some of the best draught beer out there (especially the "party ball" that seems to be making a comeback, DRAUGHT is unpasteurized and that is why is must stay cold (allowing it to warm causes "flat" or skunked beer, or even worse contaminated beer) they also have a 110 day guarantee of freshness from the born on date, which is a neat ad move for your fresh beer drinker, but so far the neatest campaign ploy is Day Old Beer Tasting at your local pub or tavern (this stuff was "born" yesterday!!)
Got an old beer ball you don't know what to do with? How about a keg and an old school fridge?

Quite a Nail-Biter

Well the AU vs. LSU (10-9 victory for those of you just emerging from your cave) game was enough to cause Joe J.-Mobile chapter to leave the game about 3&1/2 minutes before it was over just to pace in the coridor leading to the stadium. However this entire weekend has lead to plenty of beer tasting and stogie smoking (which is probably why I am now sick). It was nice to have refugees from Mobile in AU for the hurricane (though we only faired slightly better) and Joshie- new addition to the TnDC Mobile chapter (see earlier post) yet not able to enjoy hopped and malty beverages made do with his "big boy" cereal and milk and finishing it all down to the last spoonful/nippleful.

And the Storm Rages On....

Just had our 3rd tornado, but they have all been east of here closer to Opelika. Winds are a bit heavy like my head (from having too much beer with the news) and I have officially lost power, but the ole laptop is fully charged and I have phone still. I can here transformers exploding all over the place, but I have plenty of beer and propane. Let TnDC continue..

Ivan was not invited to TnDC!!

Ivan just made landfall and is beating Gulf Shores to death (98mi/hr sustained), but I still have power and phone. So we will be doing a little _nDC all weekend and hopefully the LSU game will still be on. I hope to be able to do some blogging at least some "Our Tastes" stuff. Everyone hang in there and let's do some WnDC, TnDC, FnDC, etc...

Brew Batch #6

Extra Pale Ale was created tonight. It started out having an awfully light color but then again I have been brewing a lot of darker beers. As it boiled for a while it did darken up. This is the last batch of the unofficial summer so I will probably be brewing exclusively in AU for the remainder of the semester. Since we only have 2 weeks break this Christmas, I doubt I will have time to kick up a batch during the holidays BUT the "Winter Warmer" recipe is looking pretty good. Going to have to look into aeration and yeast starters to do that one.
OG 1.034+0.003@80F ( a little low, 1.045 is the usual but if it ferments down well should yield a nice brew)

The 1st Taste-Off

Tried some Sam Adams Pale Ale BrewMaster's Collection against some TnDC Orange & BREW American Pale Ale that I found hiding at my place this weekend and it was phenomenal. I picked up the SA Pale Ale at Dirk's Filet and Vine. I had never had any of the SA Pale Ale and since they use Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops I thought I would put'em in a little competition with each other. Boston Brewery first started brewing their Pale Ale in 1999 but my APA was ca. 9/19/2003, so it had almost aged for a year when I found it. I'll have to say with as little bias as possible that I would take my PA over theirs any day. Take a look for yourself

Temporary Schedule Change

Until further notice TnDC will become FnDC (FridayNightDrinkingClub), for probably the remainder of the semester. However, you can still count on the same festive nature and level of activities (if not more) as usual. Crazy thing about Pharmacy school, it keeps going on Friday mornings whether you are hung over or not. See hangover remedies I personally try to remember to take a B Complex before I go to bed. Cheers!

Brew Batch #5

And Irish Red Ale hit the bottles tonight!! Did them all in 12oz "Red Stripe" bottles with red caps. Got 48 of those with several mutts. I blue flip-top that Guantanamo Nate wanted me to try, naturally a clear one to watch how it settles, 2 12oz long-neck brown and a short-neck green. FG 1.002+0.002@ 75F to give it 4.2% alc. v/v. So all in all it has been a summer of 5 batches with 25 gallons (or Cong) of homebrew. I also suspended the Russian Imperial Stout until next June when I really have it down pat. This stuff has to condition for 6 months, I would hate to screw it up.

Almost Forgot...

On a completely different yet totally worth mentioning note, Star Wars III has been named Revenge of the Sith. Many will remember that the original ROTJ (Episode 6) was supposed to be named Revenge of the Jedi. But Lucas held on the violence. Was it all planned? The truth revealed it is. Anway don't forget to pick up your copy of the Original Trilogy due out sometime in Sept. So head on over to www.clockdown.com and download your egg-timer for Episode III.

Sweet Stickerage

Got my order in from www.stickorama.com and it is sweet. Going to put these bad boys on the Rubbermaid Endurance cooler, which by the way works very well. Took it to the beach, filled it up and slightly drianed it once only to top it off with new ice and it still had ice in it 5 days later while in my garage and it gets to above 110F in there during the day. Here are just a few I picked up: (to follow)

Brew Batch #5

IRA hit the lautertun tonight. Haven't done Irish Red Ale in a long time and managed to muck it up every way I knew how by trying to do too many things at once. Even had a boil over before I added the liquid malt extract. Regardless though the process was smooth and the ice bath has definitely proven itself as a worthy brewing technique. It dropped the wort from 185F to 91F in only 40 minutes. OG 1.032+0.002 @77F. This is a lower number than I expected but taste is what I am after.

Brew Batch #4

Well Dunkelweizen hit the bottles tonight and we got a nice batch of 48 12oz brown longnecks with red caps and 3 "mutty" bottles. Looks and smells like it is going to be a good batch especially since this is the batch that I had to recover the rubber grommet from the bottom of. Should be ready to try in about 2 weeks. I let the batch really ferment well and am going to let it condition for at least 2 weeks before I try it just so I give it enough time to really get nice (or not). FG 1.007+0.001 @74F to give it 5.6%alc. cont. Going to try to come up with a label that incorporates "DunkelVee" in it, if it turns out okay.

Brew Batch #3

The Nut Brown Ale went to bottle tonight and made 48 12oz green long-neck with green cap maximum. I also got a "mutty" 6 pack of various bottles for gifts to friends. This batch racked off nicely and bottled even better. I would guess that 80% or more of these bottles will be poured to perfection without ANY sediment!! FG 1.004+0.002 @76F giving it 4.4 alc. cont.

Brew Batch #4

Started a little "Dunkel Vee" tonight. This batch was smooth sailing all the way through. The smack pack rose nicely, the brewing process went well and the ice bath dropped it to 90F in 30 minutes. So it was a bit of a shock when I pushed the rubber grommet through the lid. Thanks to Merry and some ingenuity, we replaced the lid with the one from #3 (which is going to be bottled this week and is done fermenting) and just left the grommet in the wort because we didn't have anything long enough to get it out, plus I had already pitched. However, it is bubbling away in the brew room so it must be okay for now.
Dunkelweizen OG 1.046+0.001@66F.

Our Tastes-- Miller Lite

Not the classiest of beers but definitely one of my summer favorites. However, now that they are owned by South African Brewing Co. I am not sure how to take it. I may try a Budweiser switch, but it makes me gassy, like the fermenting wort;)On a brighter note you are able to crush your cans and get $13 for 50lbs at Al Recycling Center on the N. Blvd

Our Tastes-- Beck's Oktoberfest

Now this has been quite a treat! A case of these is only $15 at Dirk's Filet and Vine, thanks Ted. At this rate I may stock up and make this my Augustfest, Septemberfest, etc. for some time to come. It has a great deep amber color with a heavy head. But then again even if it were a mediocre import, I would still pay $15 a case just for the bottles, which by the way will house some lovely NBA!! Pick up a case and share at your next TnDC.

Update on #2 & #3

Tried the American Amber finally after a long week of studying and an exam on the very animal that can turn my precious meade into vinegar instead of ethanol..BACTERIA. It was awesome. It had a bit of a hard taste to begin with then mellowed nicely on the palate. The bottles have little to now sediment in them so my racking technique is getting better. It has a nice even "true" beer brown and a great smell. And as for #3 it exploded into fermentation sometime overnight, so I hope to rack maybe next Thursday.

Brew Batch #3

NBA & TnDC!! This time we dive into the Nut Brown Ale from Northern Brewer's collection of recipes. It was extremely simple to brew this batch and I hope that it turns out well. This is I did a partial boil using only 2 gallons of H2O for the entire boil. Then I used the ice-bath idea I had come up with and it dropped the wort from about 200F to 86F in only 40 minutes!! Then when I poured it over ice I actually had to wait to allow the wort "warm" up a bit because it was about 62F. Needless to say it was a great idea if I must say so myself.
OG 1.036+0.001@67F

Conecuh Ridge

Broke down and finally tried Alabama's State Spirit (this is the best article I have read on it yet) Conecuh Ridge and I will have to admit it is smooooth! It took a while to identify the actual aroma that wafts into your nares as you sip it but it was narrowed down by J.J. as being pretty close to that of vanilla extract used to make chocolate chip cookies. I laid out $38 for this 750ml and will have to say that it was worth it just give mom, dad, Merry, and Keith a try. So pick up a bottle. Oh and by the way, we found out the hard way that the 750ml size is the only one left in the State right this moment.

Our Tastes-- EXCLUSIVE Governator Ale

Had some Governator Ale tonight and I must say that it is probably the best pale ale I have ever had. They definitely did it right at Portland Brewing Co. I bought a case of this stuff, some to try and some to sell it will be hard to part with on Ebay;)Here's some history on it:
"Governator Ale" by Portland Brewing Co. is a craft-brewed ESB. The Governator was only available in California through the end of spring 2004 and is all gone!! At the request of Governor Schwarznegger, production and distribution has been stopped as of March 31st.

Brew Batch #2

"Amber waves of grain"... is the only way describe this batch. This could turn out to be the TnDC/Orange&Brew favorite. It has a super color with a little hop and AUsome taste. Can't give it the full "thumbs up" until it conditions but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Along with the camaraderie and experience. We got 49 beautiful bottles of short-necked golden capped meade. FG 1.000+0.002@75 for a nice 6%alc cont./vol. Have already promised out a few bottles but I feel confident about the brew. Oh, did mention the Dunkelweizen and Nut Brown Ale came in today? More to come...

On A Great and Stormy Night....

We cleaned a bunch of beer bottles, for come Tuesday we're bottling the 1st batch of the summer! Talked to Wayne H. and he is doing well. We are still working on a new site for the TnDC/Orange&Brew home. But as of right now all looks good.

Ronnie

I salute you..

though I was fishing on Lake Martin with good friends I scrutinized all of those that either had not lowered or gotten others to lower their flags in respect for YOU.

Brew Batch #2 cont'd

"Racked the trub" tonight. This promises to be a great batch! The trub (or sediment at the bottom of the fermenter) stayed at the bottom and later "made the turds high". I'll have to admit, while showing off my expertise in starting and controlling a siphon it stopped on me twice but was quickly started again with the aid of Merry and PhatBoy. So as of next Tuesday it goes to bottle. This time I have chosen the short-neck 12 with a golden cap. Currently working on some labels.

Triple Crown Winner?

There have been over 1 million foals born in America since the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed in 1978, but today may be the 10th Triple Crown winner in history. Aleady nicknamed "Little Red" after the immortalized Secretariat "Big Red" whose statue stands in front of Belmont Park, Smarty Jones is still my pick for today. Slop, how about a monsoon? Distance, his Jockey holds him back until the 3rd turn anyway... This could mean the most paid out for a horse ever, over $10 million.

Hootie and Train

Got to see a little Hootie and the Blowfish as well as Train this weekend and Jubilee Cityfest in Montgomery. Saturday night Hootie was okay. My favorite part of the concert is when Darius (lead singer) said that "I Go Blind" was about a guy who when he broke up with his girlfriend couldn't even stand the sight of her;) and all this time everyone thought it was a love song. See lyrics. The beer flowed like H2O and the entertainment and company were great.

Ever Wonder If..

Vermillion was just "A bright red mercuric sulfide used as a pigment"? Well it isn't. This was another beauty pulled up by Caleb D. and the only one able to be kept of its kind. So someone got a bag of specialty meat to themselves;(

Another Species From The Trip

The Gag Grouper was a huge beast pulled aboard weighing out at about 12-14lbs, the fishing hole was so hot at the time we couldn't stop to weigh it!! Poor Rusty had one that may have gone about 30 or so pounds snag his Pogy and back right back into the wreck he shot out from.

Brew Batch #2

How about some nice American Amber?? Well that's what was brewed tonight without a hitch or single hint of a boil-over. Since I finally got that lb. of Amber DME in from ass-head at mariettahomebrew, I have been itching to use it and finally cut ties with that dry, impatient prick. So here's to you, Chris, and your limited means of communication and 3 failures at getting things right on only 8 orders!! Tried allowing the wort to cool over night so that I would have that perfect pitch (actually pitched on 5/26/04). It was sealed by the 3-piece airlock anyway and worked very well. Will also try the ice-batch for the lautertun next time to see if it cuts the cooling time and then pour over an ice batch/ice alone.
OG 1.042+0.002@74F

What's Red, Slimy When Dead and Great to Eat?

It was a great time this year on the trip. We caught a nice load of fish and have all been officially named into the Mozambique Mafia. We stayed at a hotel close to the marina this year and it was awesome for only $20 a peep. With the inlet just behind in the backyard and the Gazelles running through the common area (where we wore a $3.50 frisbee from Old Navy out, nice buy Rusty), we were more than entertained. Looked a bit "ghetto" from the outside but I felt a little embarrassed about saying anything to the woman at the desk when we actually got inside. For the next few posts I'll try to highlight the fish we caught because we really raked in the species this year. And of course the Red Snapper were plentiful..

T minus 40 hours and counting..

TnDC DeepSea 2004 is almost upon us and final preparations are being made. Got a great deal at The Gulf Breeze/Harbor Lights Hotels for all of us. Talks are still in the works for another trip for the end of August. Guess we could make some TnDC 2.5 t-shirts up;)And for those of us who want to buff up on their salt water fishing identification check this out: BIG FISHES

Our Tastes-- Amstel Light

This is a great light Lager but not necessarily my forte. The first brick for the brewery was laid on June 11, 1870, in Amsterdam. Even though there were 559 other breweries in Holland at the time this was one of only 2 that did things Bavarian-style. By 1886, the Amstel brewery was the city's largest brewer of lager beer. In 1883 Amstel started exporting beer to the U.K. and to the Dutch colonies in the Far East. Many years later, in 1980, Amstel Light was born. It is now the #1 imported light beer in the United States. Characteristic of this beer is a unique selection of raw materials and an intensive fermenting process. The result is a special light beer containing only 3.5% alcohol and approximately 35% fewer calories than regular lager beer. Which means Amstel Light is a lot like drinking spring water with a kick. I do however enjoy being able to empty the bottles for use in the upcoming American Amber batch.
To my enlightenment they also make these types of beers:Lager, Light, 1870, Gold, Malt, Lente Bock, Oud Bruin, Bock, Herfst Bock

Preakness Stakes

Well I thought Rock Hard Ten was going to pull it out, but alas Smarty Jones ruled the day. The only other to do it has been Seattle Slew and he went on to win the Triple Crown. I would have won money by picking Rock Hard Ten and Smarty Jones but I love how that big black demon started in almost dead last, didn't want to go in the gate and kicked for a couple of minutes, his jockey had to dismount and closed in on Smarty for the easy 2nd place finish. Can't help but wonder what he'll do at Belmont. However, as personalities go let us not forget Tapit, who fed daily on a honey, oats, and Guinness enriched diet!!

Smarty Jones' Prize

The Woodburn Vase is 2nd only to The Stanley Cup in value and is the 2nd oldest prize at 143 years old in the world with The America's Cup being first at 153 years old. The Woodburn Vase was buried during The Civil War to prevent it from being melted down. It was later dug up at the end of the war in 1876. Quite a prize!

1st TnDC of the Summer

Celebrated in true-TnDC-style with a ballgame, a brat and a lot of beer tonight! The Biscuits lost one of their finest a couple of days ago, B.J. Upton short-stop to the Durham Bulls AAA, with an almost promise of MLB action by the end of the year. But have a new shining star in the form of a Sooner Jace Brewer (coincidence?) from Norman, OK. (A bit jittery at the bat). I missed brewing but have fixed that problem with better prices, results and skills!! Yahhhhoooo!

Our Tastes-- Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Had some Sam Adams Boston Lager and even after trying it several times on separate occasions is still not for me (nor my dogs Barnie and Indiana). It had a heavy brown color and carbonation-injection head with a monstrous after taste. However, the price was right for the case (thanks mom) and these bottles may soon house some of the most anticipated TnDc homebrew yet --The Russian Imperial Stout (more to come). So it wasn't an entire waste;)

Special Announcements

We are closing in on TnDC Deepsea 2004 and have narrowed down the accommodations. Also the blog is getting a new home hopefully real soon with loads of options and easy-to-use pic posting abilities!!

2 Minutes That Could Last A Lifetime

Rock Hard Ten was scratched from today's 130th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but Imperialism and The Cliff's Edge made a run for it. Lionheart led for the most of the race but The Cliff's Edge and Smarty Jones (6 for 6 going in) who stay tied for 16th and 17th place brought up the rear. Finally Smarty Jones finished it with the big win from behind and goes down in history as being one of only 2 undefeated horses to go into The Derby. The other was Seattle Slew and he won the Triple Crown. Here are the dates for the following races:
Kentucky Derby - May 1, Churchill Downs Lexington, KY 1mi
Preakness Stakes - May 15, Pimlico Downs Baltimore, MD 1&1/4mi
Belmont Stakes - June 5, Belmont Park Elmont, NY 1&1/2mi

Big Brew 2004!!!

Today is National Homebrew Day and happens every 1st Saturday of May as dedicated by Congress. I chose a Sooner State site to link to. However, due to a slight scheduling conflict (final exams) we will celebrate by brewing a batch on the 8th. I am sure Congress will understand and its the spirit of things that matters. Until then Cheers and hug a homebrewer.

Our Tastes-- Dutch Windmill

Been drinking Dutch Windmill beer lately. A Pilsener colored on the dark side of straw, starting with a pure white head that fizzles quickly leaving little to no Belgian lattice. It is relatively easy to drink and has that "European" smell such as that of Grolsch (or any other Dutch beer). But its most redeeming quality is that it comes in one fantastic short-necked green 12oz. bottle perfect for filling with EPA:) Have a few of these and tell the next girl you meet in wooden shoes ik houd van u

Don't Forget the Derby

This Saturday is the Kentucky Derby (which holds a special place in my heart for many reasons). So if you are in the mood for a great Derby drink head over to www.makersmark.com and download the Mint Julep, it is absolutely wonderful even if your horse doesn't place. My pick-- Rock Hard Ten if he's allowed in, if not I'll go with Action Hard This Day or even Imperialism but probably The Cliff's Edge

TnDC Deepsea Fishing Trip 2004!!

In the hopes of snagging a fat Ling TnDC will be holding its 2nd annual deepsea fishing event off of Dauphin Island again with Charlie Beach and Sneaky Pete on May 24th. Charlie said the Kings and Amberjacks should also be there and the Red Snapper plentiful!! T-shirts are in the works and as soon as the final design is done I will try to post them. We will miss Jello this year but have talked about making another run towards the end of the summer. Baby Jeli is keeping him sleep deprived;)

Montgomery Biscuits AA ball

Was able to attend the home opener of the Montgomery Biscuits this weekend as well as the 2nd game. Some highlights included the landing of a BlackHawk in the middle of centerfield and a couple of F-16s ripping away at the sky for the lines waiting to get in. The biscuits are the 2nd minor league team in line behind the Durham Bulls (AAA) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Wasn't able to get a ball cap either night but the beers were priced rather well. Enjoyed a burger and a pitcher before the game with John McJohnson-- Old Creek chapter and a pitcher after the game at the Montgomery Brewing Co. with him and some strange girl I met (and I do mean strange;). I'll have to admit the Old Montgomery Blonde was better than I remembered. Blanked the Stars 8-0, then lost to'em 3-2 in 11.

Product testing cont'd

We tried the Guardian Angel strips out last night they work fairly well. These strips were "donated" and seem to be a little old so the results I think were a bit slow, BUT accurate. Wayne managed to slip his way up to a BAC of about 0.4 and Steph was well within the normal range (must be b/c she got here about midnight). The results were easily confirmed by the color chart.

Brew Batch #1

This one has been the best batch I have ever brewed and/or bottled. It racked off wonderfully and almost every bottle was clear by the end of the night. I miss counted the number of bottles initially and was scrambling for some "short-fatties" and the usual long necks, so I am going to have to go back and drink some more Old Dutch Windmill (yea). Wayne & Caleb-- from the Valley chapter, showed up and helped with a massive bottling operation that yielded 54 full bottles!! Enjoyed a couple of stoagies and listened to the Donald say, "You're hired" to Bill. See people that smoke cigars do go far in life;) E-train and Steph eventually showed up but I am still contemplating whether or not this newbie and seasoned vet should get a nostalgia bottle. (probably so) Played some hellacious darts where the 12 did us in every time. All in all this may the be the best one yet. Used the colored crowns from www.baderbrewing.com So the EPA batches to follow will be green-on-green using the short-necked 12oz.
FG 1.006+0.001@68.6F bringing the percentage to 6.86% which is right in line with Chris and our new buddy at 205-657-5029 knows The Marines and 5-0 are coming for ray ray and eddie g. Hope that deal with Gustavo went well.

R.M.S. TITANIC

On this date in 1912 at 11:40pm the R.M.S. Titanic (Royal Mail Steamer) struck an iceberg, by 2:20am on the morning of the 15th it had sank to its final resting place at a depth of 12,500ft. However, 20,000 bottles of Bass and Guinness were on board.

Paul Martin to give Ozzy the Keys!!

Quote of the night-- "You look like someone who sits around the pub with a beer in your hand and a fag in your trap" -Sharon
By far one of the funniest episodes where someone spoofs Ozzy via letter and phone call into thinking he is getting the keys to Montreal. I think it actually hurt Oz's feelings. Can't wait to buy this season on DVD. And he still wants to know if someone wants to go to the cake store for him to pick up 6 of these creamy delights:)

Product testing

This Thursday we will officially be unofficially testing the Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Test. This handy-dandy item estimates your blood alcohol content, so at least when you think you are Superman (or woman) that you will have semi-concrete evidence before you to aid you in making those "special" decisions at the end of the night. (ie. should I take her home, have that next drink, drive 30 miles home passing through 6 small towns where the PO-PO hides in the bushes frothing at the mouth while waiting to tag you for drunk driving)

Seattle Slew

Found this great pick of jockey Jean Cruguet and Seattle Slew in action. He was the last surviving Triple Crown winner with an absolute undefeated record. He died in May of 2002 at the age of 28, which is the human equivalent of about 90-100. He also sired almost 1100 foals (he was busy wasn't he)?

Maker's Fun Facts!!

^They have put up about 280,000 barrels this year with 53 Cong/barrel, only white oak charred barrels may be used and they have been charred for about 57 seconds, the majority of the barrels are then sent to Scotland and Canada to make scotch and whiskeys (remember all bourbons are whiskeys but not all whiskeys can be bourbon), In a small warehouse there are about 4000 barrels housed which is considered a small batch, 20,000 are in the large bldgs.
^Star Hills Farm is where it is made and Bill Samuels, Jr. is the 4th generation.
^There are 6 federal guidelines to be a bourbon (remebered by ABCDEF):
Aged at least 2 years, Barrels must be white oak and used once, Corn is the primary ingedient, Distilled at no more than 130 proof, Emptied barrels are at no more than 120 proof and Filtered through charcoal but nothing else must be allowed to affect color OR taste,
^Small batch distilleries are considered to be 120 barrels or less when barrelled and Maker's is done at 119, they also hold the Guinness Book in being the world's oldest bourbon distillery, 1805 (I think, I took a pic and will post them later), the vats are 12 feet deep (and they'll let you stick your finger in it!!) which the steam that is introduced into the mash kills anything that comes in contact with it, and only ladies may dip on the bottling line (they seem top have the most nimble and elicate fingers)

Back from Loretto!!

Just got back from Maker's Mark and it was fantastic. Got 2 Secretariat bottles, 2 Seattle Slew and 4 of the 50th Anniversary pints that me and Merry dipped ourselves.
>We started the day at a crisp 600am CST due to a slight error, but that error ended up going in our favor as we were allowed to be one of the first to purchase these bottles. And the booty (pirate-talk) doesn't stop there!!
>We then returned to the bottling line and hand-dipped our own ambassador bottles in the well-known Maker's firetruck red plastic and wax mix. Merry had beginner's luck with her 1st bottle as it came out amazingly perfect but as the lady "tried to adjust her swing" a bubble or 2 appeared in what I refer to as the "fat roll" bottle, in other words it looks a little uncircumcised.
>On to the mash distillery where we were able to dip our fingers into the "ferment" and taste it. By the end of it all I could have taken the circa 1980s hand-held PA system and given the tour myself.
>Then on to warehouse bldg D that held about 4000 (a small aging batch compared to the 20,000 that my barrel is sitting in) where we learned on the entire barreling process.
>Next on to the 2 year tasting out of the same batch of barrels that carries my name on one of its kin's placards. With 75-80% of its color and between 112-114 proof, it kicked you in the pants at the noon event. Just like it said on the admission ticket "strong and assertive with a slight sour taste on the sides of the tongue". I'm glad that they dilute it down a little.
>Next we met the great Bill Samuels, Jr himself and got 2 of the ambassador bottles signed. (With nothing personal against me and being the Chairman of the Board at UofL, he wasn't keen on me being from AU but realized that I shared his regards in the firing of everyone that took place in what is now known as Tubberville-gate).
>Then it was on to the gift shop for a "t" for the lady and 6 hours later we are home.

Brew Batch #1

Dry-hopped #1 this morning with 1/2 oz of Kent Goldings and it is looking good, lots of good film on the side of the fermenter. Ordering some "special" crowns today for this batch.

#1 has "The Gas"

We are bubbling right along in the dart/beer fermenting room. The temp remains at a constant 72F which should nuture some nice meade. Then in 7-10 days we'll dry-hop it for the last phase. I am personally excited about the path our new brewing is taking and will fill in the crowd about the labels and caps that I have found.

Brew Batch #1

Numero Uno went off without a hitch. It was a helluva crowd too. Wayne- Naval chapter (or the Seaman as I like to call him), Rusty- AU chapter co-founder, Merry- of the self-proclaimed "I want to be one of the 'original' members that has weathered through the storm and made it to the new TnDC sect" but would like all of her fans from this evening to know that she will not be able to make all of the TnDCs due to scheduling conflicts and 130mi. that separate her from the rest of the flock, E-train- Eutaw chapter (an no she's not Mormon), Krystal- Alexander City chapter, Emily- Vulcan (where Spock is from) chapter, Steph- somewhere from the backwoods of GA (but we don't hold that against her). I am sure I am leaving someone out, just email me.
EPA will be the starter batch to this group
>2030hrs- broke in the new equipment
>0200hrs- 26th pitched the yeast and have come up with some great quick chill methods to use later
OG was 1.057+0.002@75F
Thanks to everyone who came out and yes you may have a bottle and an invitation for the next batch!

A New Generation of TnDCer

At 206am today, Joshua Daniel Jelich (JD to his homies in the natal room) was brought into this world. He weighed in at a svelte 6 pounds 15 ounces 19 1/4 " with a full head of black hair and an undetermined nose;) Pictures to for posting soon, I hope. JD we'll drink to you tomorrow night.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Means "Ireland Forever" The tradition of St. Patrick's Day was first brought to Boston in 1737 to commemorate the death of this man. Followers wore shamrocks on feast day because Maewyn (St. Patrick) used them to explain the Holy Trinity and as far as the tale about him giving a sermon on a hilltop that drove out all of the snakes in Ireland, well... there have never been any snakes native to Ireland. But Guinness is made there:)

and we're back!!!

After a long hiatus, the original TnDC blog is back. Sorry to the true fans, but we were temporarily under the thumb of an egotistical, hypocritical, two-faced little man who tried to keep us down and ride our coat-tails to fame. (We'll call him Nobalz-for short;). Hopefully I will be able to get this blog up and running with as much fan base as the last. Thanks for the support and maybe we will have a new home with more web-space soon too!
Cheers