Compliments to the Beer Chef

With summer in full swing, full-time daddy duties have been logging overtime hours. With a little bit of planning, and some tag team help from the Yard Dog Mrs, a special beer-food menu for a hot Sunday supper was able to be cooked up. The inspiration for a beer infused menu started by binging on some YouTube "Sip Clips", when I came across a video from the DFH BrewPub that steamed mussels in a beer reduction. The recipe called for 1 cup of a light-medium bodied, malt forward, lightly hopped ale. Well, thank you Junk and Red for your contribution to my birthday. A Picnic Ale from Blackstone Brewery, fit the bill perfectly. The beer's backbone along with the sauteed peppers and leeks created a sauce that complemented the tender, meaty mussels superbly. With everything poured over a bed of Spanish rice, a complete meal was to be had. Well, almost complete. What about dessert?  What's that tucked away at the bottom of the scroll on the Terrapin webpage, a Liquid Bliss Chocolate Cake/Peanut Butter Cheesecake cupcake? Mmm,you had me at Liquid Bliss. The simple shortbread recipe used the peanut butter porter in the chocolate cake portion, but most of the beer's flavor seemed overpowered by the cocoa and coffee. But, what, me complain? I'm eating dessert! Bon Appetit, to me. But before I indulge, here's the food porn money shot pic.

Brew Batch #59 Quadruple Wheatwine

Knocked this batch out today on some hard to obtain yeast Andy Mc procured for me. Wyeast 3864. OG 1.080+ 0.001 @73F gives along way to fall. Right on par with the last batch of this I did in 09' but with a pound of Honey malt. Give it 3 or so weeks on primary and we'll go from there.

Brew Batch #58 Extra Special Bitter

Kegged it tonight after having it cold drop in the new soon-to-be keezer. FG 1.002 +0.001@ 72F to yield 5.25%abv. Tastes is a bit more yeasty than I'd like but we'll see how gad treats, using the new Red method. This was a play batch to brew and try line transfer on. Stay Tuned.

Our Tastes-- Swamp Head DarkWater

On a recent trip to pick up my brother, my dad and I stopped in a Swamp Head Brewery. That day (4/2) DarkWater went on tap and into 750ml bombers. I've waited until now to sample it up, but the bottle is just as good as the tap. Considered a black IPA, but with lighter hues of brown in my opinion. A nice off tan/khaki head that boasts a nose of heavy citrus lemon/grapefruit as opposed to floral/grassy. Mouthfeel is full with bitterness that gnaws away at you. It seems that the malt bill just barely holds up the Northern Brewer, Columbus, Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe hop additions. 65 IBUs and 6.8%abv. One of only a few beers I have had from Swamp Head but their love of the hoppy brews is definitely present.

Our Tastes-- 12th Round Ale

Part of the Junk's Junk series, Andy Mc and I partake of this brew from a city that has a special place in my heart, Midwest City, OK (where my dad grew up and I spent a lot of tornado ravaged summers!) Rough Tail Brewing Co. lays out 12th Round Ale pouring a chewy medium brown. Touted as a strong ale with a heavy malt backbone, this is my first encounter that I know of with Apollo hops and it's a great well balanced hop brew. At 7.6%abv and recyclable cans for the keezer fund, I'd buy this on a regular basis.

Our Tastes-- Beard Beer

Look this was a marketing ploy population campaign by John Maier and I bought it. Beard Beer is exactly what it sounds to be. Since John has had the same beard since 1983 they were able to isolate a wild yeast and ferment a wild ale with it. Pouring a medium straw color and nose of absolutely nothing, possibly a slight yeast. The front end is beer, the backside may have a touch of sourness. Other than that boys and girls, you'll spend $5.99 on bomber (whereas Arto would tell you the glass, crown and screen printed label costed the most) and Rogue will reap the financial gain. I love it. Marketing and name recognition got me to try this one. At 5.6%abv it's an angry wild yeast, but then again what's the alcohol tolerance on those strains? Does it very with the length and thickness of the beard? Idunno, but I'll die with a molecule of it in me.

Our Tastes-- Spencer Trappist Ale

Well Andy Mc's family apparently has a contagious virus, bootleg-itis. It appears to have a genetic component to it, as seen with patriarch Bootleg Chuck and we here at Beat-12 Brewing/Yard Dog Brewing encourage it's healthy spread like Bubonic. (without the gangrene, seizures and the groin knot). Our newest sheep to the flock, (we'll call her Ang?) open heartedly recycled her shipper of Wee Hefty and sent it back with the newest and ONLY Trappists brewery in the US, Spencer. So we poured up our tulips and a golden, orange hue with a thin white head sat there at 45F. At first the pour is a sharp coldness, with only a slight appreciable yeast backbone. Then we let it sit and raise to 61F. This is the temp at which this beer reveals itself (>50F). When swirled a heavier fruity pebbles and slight yeast with more complex ester and phenol nose and palate come forward. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to get a 6er if this every 90 days. With the way fire treats these guys, I may need to beg for more soon. Read the history and you'll get it.