heBrewsLeader
heBrewsLeaderUpcoming Events
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The Raffle Still Needs Your Help
The number of prizes for the membership meeting raffle has fallen to dangerously low levels. The raffle is one of our main sources of income to pay for parties and other BJCP expenses. If you have any beer-related stuff taking up space that you no longer need or would be willing to donate as raffle prizes please bring it to the Nov meeting.
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Open Nominations for JRHB Officers at November Meeting
Submitted by Tedd Smith
Remember that the November meeting is the appropriate time to nominate yourself or another member to a club office for the next year. The following positions are available:
Vice President (2 year term): The Vice President serves on the Board of Directors, assists the President as necessary, performs the duties of President in the President's absence, and gathers prizes and conducts the
club raffle.
Secretary (2 year term): The Secretary serves on the Board of Directors, records the minutes of club and Board meetings, publishes the newsletter, and maintains the membership list.
Assistant Competition Coordinator (1 year term): The Assistant Competition Coordinator assists the Competition Coordinator in running all Club competitions. With the approval of the Board, the Assistant Competition Coordinator shall be appointed Competition Coordinator at the end of the 1 year term.
Member-At-Large: The Member-At-Large shall maintain the Club history, and shall take charge of special projects as approved by the Board. The Member-At-Large coordinates the volunteer work of the club.
Director (1 year term): The Director serves on the Board of Directors, attends Board meetings, and votes on club business. Our club can have three to six Directors. (This is a great position to run for if you want to find out how the club's meetings are planned, how the officers work, and how the club business is conducted.)
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Hallofest Party Recap
Rumor was we had one, I have no idea where or who attended.
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Plan On Attending the Big December Club Meeting and Raffle
Just a reminder that the Bob and Jeanne at the Weekend Brewer sponsor the December raffle. It is one that is not to be missed so make sure you attend next month’s meeting.
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Try Serving Well-Crafted Local Beer At The Table, Pilgrim
Lisa Morrison, Staff Writer
With Turkey Day just around the corner, we thought now would be a good time to revisit Lisa Morrison's Liquid Solutions column on serving beer with Thanksgiving Dinner. The column won a national journalism awared by the Brewers Association.
Everywhere I look these days, there's another article about what wine to serve with Thanksgiving dinner.
If I see one more write-up about how chardonnays go with cranberries, or how merlot will make the meal, I think I am going to make like the turkeys and run for cover.
Que syrah, syrah! I am bucking the trend and going traditional this year.
I am serving beer.
After all, when the pilgrims sought a spot for their permanent landing in America, they did so, according to their diaries, because they ran out of beer on the Mayflower: "Our victuals being much spent, especially our beer," one diary read.
Apparently, in addition to finding shelter and food, some enterprising pilgrims set out to refurbish the beer supplies when the group first landed at Plymouth Rock. Perhaps these inventive immigrants used roots or tree bark for this inaugural ale, since the pilgrims obviously hadn't yet started growing grain.
How much more traditional can you get than that?
So, it's with pilgrim pride that I will be guiding my guests through an exploration of beer and turkey with all the trimmings on this most American of holidays.
It's actually not as crazy as it sounds. With all the varieties of craft and imported beer available in this land, beer really offers more tasty options than wine -- from appetizers to that final slice of pumpkin pie.
"One of the most common things people ask a sommelier is 'What wine goes with Thanksgiving dinner?' The answer is beer," says Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery in New York City, and author of "The Brewmaster's Table, Discovering The Pleasures Of Real Beer With Real Food" (Ecco Publishers, $29.95).
The trick to pairing beer with food, says Oliver, is to first "match up the impact on your palate." In other words, pair delicate foods with delicate beers and heftier fare with a beer that's got a little more "oomph" to it. Next, he says, match some of the flavors in the food with similar flavors in the beer.
"I call this the 'flavor hook' -- the part of the beer's flavor that links up directly with the flavor of the food," Garrett told a group of craft brewers earlier this year in New Orleans.
Caramel, coffee and, yes, even chocolate flavors prevail in many seasonal beers this time of year, making it easy to pair with traditional Thanksgiving fare.
Another trick: contrast the food with the beer. I find this works especially well with cloyingly rich foods laden with fat. A slightly bitter beer (thanks to an extra dose of hops) will cut right through that fat, letting you enjoy some of the other flavors that might have gotten "lost" on your palate thanks to all that richness.
Of course, beer pairing, like wine pairing, is a bit subjective. But here are some course-by-course suggestions:
Salads and appetizers: Look for local, regional or imported wheat beers. Some words to search for include weissbier, witbier, hefeweizen and "American wheat beer." A German-style Kolsch or a crisp pilsner would also be a good choice. If you add blue cheese or nuts, try a locally or regionally brewed doppelbock. Another good "all-around" choice is an American pale ale or amber ale.
Turkey and trimmings: Roasting that turkey has created some interesting caramel and smoky flavors along with the nice herbal notes from the seasonings and stuffing. When enjoying beer with the bird, you have choices. Try a beer that matches those caramel notes, like an American amber ale, a dubbel or tripel (Belgian-style beers) or an Oktoberfest (there's a reason why they serve roasted chickens at the Oktoberfest in Munich). Or you can go for something that more closely supports the actual light meat and herbal seasonings of the turkey -- and might even contrast with some of the fattier fare. Look for a locally brewed biere de garde, a Belgian-style tripel (many local and regional brewers make one) or a Belgian-style saison.
Dessert: Pumpkin pie, of course, is a natural. Try a local winter warmer or "spiced ale" as an accompaniment, or head over to "the dark side" of beer for a stout or porter. Oatmeal stouts, imperial stouts and roasty porters all provide enough chocolate and/or coffee goodness to support your dessert. Pecan pie? Same thing. Or add a Baltic porter, which is the rich cousin in the porter family. Cheesecake? Try the above or add a Belgian-style fruity lambic like a framboise (raspberry flavored) or a kriek (cherry). Both are very good companions with chocolate, too.
One final note: I know many of these beer terms might not mean a lot to you right now, but remember when you didn't know how to say "gewürztraminer"? Maybe you still don't. (I had to look up how to spell it to write this article.) It didn't stop you from picking up a bottle or two of wine for special meals. Don't let it stop you from exploring beer.
It might be a bit scary, yet exciting, embarking into this new realm. But like the pilgrims who first settled here on this fine land, you, too can enter a brave new world this Thanksgiving by serving finely crafted domestic and imported beers at your table.
And what about those testy dinner guests who whine for wine?
Tell 'em to put a cork in it.
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FuelCell Energy Helps Sierra Nevada Harness 'Beer Power' to Reduce its Energy Costs by 25 to 40%
(Submitted by Mike Lang)
FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean electric power plants for commercial, industrial and government customers, announced the upgrade of its 1 megawatt (MW) Direct Fuel Cell® (DFC®) power plant at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to use fuel created from a waste by-product of the brewing process. With this enhancement, Sierra Nevada furthers its sustainability and energy efficiency goals, while realizing substantial cost savings by offsetting its purchase of natural gas.
The brewery's fuel cell power plant, which began running last summer and was dedicated by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, initially ran on natural gas. To boost the brewery's energy efficiency and ecologically friendly profile, Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman sought to convert the ultra-clean fuel cells from operating solely on natural gas to a gas mixture that the brewery produced as a by-product, methane.
Sierra Nevada installed a compressor and filtration system to purify methane gas that is generated during the brewery's water treatment process, and then feed it to the power plant for fuel. As a result, two of the plant's four fuel cell stacks can now operate in dual fuel mode -- using any combination of natural gas and anaerobic digester gas (ADG). As Sierra Nevada increases its production and the amount of methane it generates, it also can operate the other two fuel cells on ADG. Gas produced in the digester reduces the amount of fuel used in the power plant. The system is now capable of producing 250 to 400 kilowatts (kW) of electricity from biogas, reducing the company's fuel costs by 25 to 40 percent. Regardless of the fuel blend used, the high efficiency of DFC power plants require less fuel than conventional power plants, resulting in lower operating costs and an overall reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere per unit of power output.
The 1 MW power plant, one of three FuelCell Energy megawatt-class sites now running in the state, is classified as an ultra-clean technology under California law and provides virtually 100 percent of Sierra Nevada's base load power requirements. The fuel cells operate in co-generation mode, so their 650 degree thermal output is utilized to create steam that further offsets the natural gas needs of their existing boilers providing an additional reduction in operating costs and increase in system efficiency. The facility was named one of 12 "Top Plants" worldwide by Power Magazine in 2006.
"By converting the DFC plants to operate on ADG, we have further advanced our company's sustainability goals and reduced our energy and waste disposal costs," said Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman. "The fuel cell power plant provides us with reliable, 24-7 electricity and helps make our energy self-sufficiency a reality."
Sierra Nevada's installation of ultra-clean onsite power generation has also enhanced the company's reputation of being a good neighbor by helping to reduce demand on the local power grid for the production of its award-winning craft beer. The company benefits by ensuring that its critical business operations have access to reliable power and neighbors have access to more power that would otherwise be consumed by the brewery. "The installation at Sierra Nevada is a great example of the fuel flexibility of our DFC power plants," said Bruce Ludemann, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, FuelCell Energy. "Because fuel cells generate energy by chemical conversion rather than combustion, they can convert virtually any biomass- or hydrocarbon-power source into ultra-clean electricity. Sierra Nevada is reducing its energy costs and eliminating a manufacturing by-product that would otherwise add to its disposal and waste water expenditures."
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Oxford council wants a lid on drinking games
By Anne Schroeder
Staff Writer
OXFORD — On any given night — and especially during the weekends — Miami students enjoy the fall weather with outdoor games like football, Frisbee and, for now, beer pong.
But city council could leave players high and dry with a proposed ban of outdoor drinking games.
Mixed reactions have surfaced on Miami's campus and within the Oxford community itself to the proposed ordinance. While supported by some Oxford residents who want to cut down on noise and rowdiness in residential neighborhoods, there is considerable opposition to it among Miami students.
City Councilwoman Alysia Fischer said the ordinance is intended to have a number of impacts, including changing the kind of culture that people see when they visit Oxford.
"Will we stop binge drinking by stopping drinking games in front yards? No," Fischer said. "It will help the huge noise and litter problems."
Beer pong is a group activity involving the use of a table, ping pong balls and cups usually filled with beer.
Under the proposed ordinance, the first violation will be a fine of $100. Second and third offenses will carry fines of $250 and $500 respectively.
Lauren Hammond, a junior at Miami, said she believes the ordinance violates the privacy of students who live off-campus.
"I think that if people are drinking on private property, it's their own decision, and they can do what they want to do," Hammond said. "Many people have landlords that regulate the lawns. If it gets out of hand, you can be fined, but that's only if it looks trashed and isn't picked up."
Miami senior Morgan Salsbury said it would make the problem worse.
"I would say it's unfair and discriminatory toward the students who are Oxford residents. I think such an ordinance is going to cause an adverse reaction among the students and result in alternative drinking methods in even larger quantities."
Council is expected to study the issue before making a decision over the next several months.
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Germans, Czechs battle EU beer tax
November 3, 2006 BERLIN, Germany (Reuters)
The finance ministers of the beer-drinking nations of Germany and the Czech Republic announced on Friday they would join forces to block the European Commission's plans to raise minimum duties on beer.
"The position of the German government is that we will not approve it. We don't want any increase in beer duties. We don't want beer to become more expensive," German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck told reporters after a meeting with his Czech counterpart.
"Given that they have such excellent pilsner beer it is perhaps understandable that the Czechs have the same position as Germany," he added.
Last month, the European Union's executive arm proposed a 31 percent increase in the minimum EU duty on beer and spirits to reflect inflation since the tax was last set 14 years ago.
The rise, which needs the unanimous approval of the EU's 25 member states, would add a euro cent (about 1.3 U.S. cents) to the price of a half liter of beer.
Czech Finance Minister Vlastimil Tlusty said Prague was prepared to veto the alcohol duty rise. He also rejected the argument that the Commission's move was necessary to combat alcoholism across the EU.
"This argument would be true if the proposal had been to raise consumption tax on all alcoholic beverages. But since it doesn't cover wine, this argument doesn't hold up," Tlusty said.
"In fact, I would go so far as to say that the point of this proposal is to give wine a favorable market position and that is precisely what we don't support," he said.
Tlusty said he and Steinbrueck would express their views at next week's regular meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels.
Czechs are the world's top consumers of beer, drinking nearly 160 liters per person per year. The countries with next highest beer consumption are Ireland and Germany.
Germany, a country of 82.4 million, is also the world's third largest beer producer after the United States and China.
Europe's brewing industry employs 2.6 million people directly or indirectly in 3,000 breweries. Over a third of the breweries are in Germany, where they already face a 3 percentage point rise in value-added sales tax (VAT) from next year.
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AHA Club-Only Competitions
From time to time, the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) sponsors competitions based on a particular style. These competitions are open only to AHA-affiliated homebrew clubs. Each club holds a competition on the particular style. The winner’s brew is sent off to be judged with the winners from other homebrew clubs around the country. Bring in five bottles – two for the local competition and three to send off if you win. Note that all competitions will use the new BJCP Guidelines – go to www.bjcp.org for complete descriptions.
When the entry dates are set, we will include the competitions in the Upcoming Events listing. Winners earn Homebrew Club of the Year points for their club.
January 2007 – Low Gravity/ Session Beers (OG <1.045)
March 2007 – Scottish Ale
April 2007 – Extract Beers
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BJCP Style of the Month
Each month the BrewsLeader will be featuring one beer from the new BJCP style guidelines. This months selection is a good one to look over before the Winter Warmer discussion at the club meeting.
13F. Russian Imperial Stout
Aroma: Rich and complex, with variable amounts of roasted grains, maltiness, fruity esters, hops, and alcohol. The roasted malt character can take on coffee, dark chocolate, or slightly burnt tones and can be light to moderately strong. The malt aroma can be subtle to rich and barleywine-like, depending on the gravity and grain bill. May optionally show a slight specialty malt character (e.g., caramel), but this should only add complexity and not dominate. Fruity esters may be low to moderately strong, and may take on a complex, dark fruit (e.g., plums, prunes, raisins) character. Hop aroma can be very low to quite aggressive, and may contain any hop variety. An alcohol character may be present, but shouldn’t be sharp, hot or solventy. Aged versions may have a slight vinous or port-like quality, but shouldn’t be sour. No diacetyl. The balance can vary with any of the aroma elements taking center stage. Not all possible aromas described need be present; many interpretations are possible. Aging affects the intensity, balance and smoothness of aromatics.
Appearance: Color may range from very dark reddish-brown to jet black. Opaque. Deep tan to dark brown head. Generally has a well-formed head, although head retention may be low to moderate. High alcohol and viscosity may be visible in “legs” when beer is swirled in a glass.
Flavor: Rich, deep, complex and frequently quite intense, with variable amounts of roasted malt/grains, maltiness, fruity esters, hop bitterness and flavor, and alcohol. Medium to aggressively high bitterness. Medium-low to high hop flavor (any variety). Moderate to aggressively high roasted malt/grain flavors can suggest bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate, cocoa, and/or strong coffee. A slightly burnt grain, burnt currant or tarry character may be evident. Fruity esters may be low to intense, and can take on a dark fruit character (raisins, plums, or prunes). Malt backbone can be balanced and supportive to rich and barleywine-like, and may optionally show some supporting caramel, bready or toasty flavors. Alcohol strength should be evident, but not hot, sharp, or solventy. No diacetyl. The palate and finish can vary from relatively dry to moderately sweet, usually with some lingering roastiness, hop bitterness and warming character. The balance and intensity of flavors can be affected by aging, with some flavors becoming more subdued over time and some aged, vinous or port-like qualities developing.
Mouthfeel: Full to very full-bodied and chewy, with a velvety, luscious texture (although the body may decline with long conditioning). Gentle smooth warmth from alcohol should be present and noticeable. Should not be syrupy and under-attenuated. Carbonation may be low to moderate, depending on age and conditioning.
Overall Impression: An intensely flavored, big, dark ale. Roasty, fruity, and bittersweet, with a noticeable alcohol presence. Dark fruit flavors meld with roasty, burnt, or almost tar-like sensations. Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play.
History: Brewed to high gravity and hopping level in England for export to the Baltic States and Russia. Said to be popular with the Russian Imperial Court. Today is even more popular with American craft brewers, who have extended the style with unique American characteristics.
Ingredients: Well-modified pale malt, with generous quantities of roasted malts and/or grain. May have a complex grain bill using virtually any variety of malt. Any type of hops may be used. Alkaline water balances the abundance of acidic roasted grain in the grist. American or English ale yeast.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.075-1.095+
IBUs: 50-90+
FG: 1.018-1.030+
SRM: 30-40+
ABV: 8-12+%
Commercial Examples: Samuel Smith Imperial Stout, Courage Imperial Stout, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Rogue Imperial Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, Victory Storm King, Bell’s Expedition Stout, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Thirsty Dog Siberian Night, Stone Imperial Stout, Avery The Czar, Founders Imperial Stout, Newport Beach John Wayne Imperial Stout, Great Lakes Blackout Stout
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The WeekEnd Brewer
Homebrew & Wine Supplies
4205 West Hundred Road
Chester, VA 23831
(804) 796-9760
www.weekendbrewer.com
We are now building brewing equipment to order
15 Gallon Convert Beer Kegs with
1/2" Stainless steel full drain nipple.
25, 45 and 65 Gallon Stainless Steel kettles, Mash tuns.
Also Full Stainless Steel false bottom.
Call for more information on in-stock items
New Items
1)Wyeast ‘Rogue Pacman’ activator in stock
2) “Dog Fish Brewing Co. – The Book” save $1 per copy in November.
3) Extreme Brewing
Extreme Brewing is a recipe-driven resource for aspiring home brewers who are interested in recreating these specialty beers at home, but don't have the time to learn the in-depth science and lore behind home-brewing. As such, all recipes are malt-syrup based (the simplest brewing method) with variations for partial-grain brewing. While recipes are included for classic beer styles -- ales and lagers -- Extreme Brewing has a unique emphasis on hybrid styles that use fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices to create unique flavor combinations. Once their brew is complete, readers can turn to section three, The Rewards of Your Labor, to receive guidance on presentation, including corking, bottle selection and labeling as well as detailed information on food pairings, including recipes for beer infused dishes and fun ideas for themed dinners that tallow the reader to share their creations with family and friends.
4) 150 Classic Clone Recipes ‘The best of Brew Magazine’ 150 clone recipes in one great special issue! Now you can replicate your favorite commercial beers at home featuring the best clone recipes collected from the last ten years of Brew Your Own issues. This special issue includes 150 recipes provided for both extract and all-grain brewers plus an introduction on how to clone commercial beers at home. Recipes are cross-indexed by brewery, style, and country so you can easily find your favorite.
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River City Cellars
Beer, Wine and Gourmet Foods
2931 West Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 355-1375
www.rivercitycellars.com
10% Discount to Members of
James River Homebrewers
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The BrewsLeader is the official e-publication of
James River Homebrewers
PO Box 486
Richmond, Virginia 23218-0486
Monthly Meetings
All meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at The Legend Brewery, 321 West 7th Street, Richmond, Virginia. Homebrew tasting at 6:30, meeting at 7:00. We are grateful to Tom Martin and the rest of the Legend staff for their gracious hospitality.
Officers and Board of Directors
President: George Hatchell xxx-xxxx
Vice President: Jules Letellier xxx-xxxx
Treasurer: Mike Hinkle xxx-xxxx
Secretary: Keith Shelton xxx-xxxx
Member @ Large: Denise Pierce xxx-xxxx
Competition Coordinator: Tony Brock
Directors
Glenn Edwards
Bob Henderson
Dan Mouer
Ted Warren
Web Site
www.jrhomebrewers.org
Submit Articles
Articles or other items of interest from the membership are welcome and should be submitted to the Secretary. Email to xxx@xxx.xxx.
Dues
Membership dues are $20 per calendar year. Dues will be prorated on a quarterly basis.
Inclement Weather Policy
If the Richmond city Schools are closed due to inclement weather on the day of a regularly scheduled Club meeting, the meeting will be cancelled, and re-scheduled for the following Wednesday – this will be confirmed by e-mail.
Remember
Drink Responsibly -
Don’t Drink and Drive!
Members and guests at James River Homebrewers meetings and events are individually and solely liable for any and all actions attendant to or resulting from their participatio
