heBrewsLeader
heBrewsLeaderUpcoming Events
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Big Big Big December Raffle presented by the Weekend Brewer
Everyone remember that this month’s meeting is completely devoted to the annual December raffle hosted by the Weekend Brewer. If you have never been to one of Bob and Jean’s raffles to really have to plan to attend. They pull out all the stops and raffle off some incredible prizes.
Bob let slip at the last meeting that the theme of this years raffle is “All Grain Brewing” so if you ever wanted to try all grain this might be an excellent opportunity to have a chance at winning some useful gear.
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JRHB annual Holiday Party
November Meeting Recap
The slate of officers from the board of directors was presented to the membership and the floor was opened for nominations. There were no nominations from the floor so the slate was accepted by the membership by general consent.
The new officers are (sorry if I messed up the spelling folks):
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Denise Pierce
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Tedd Smith then led our November program on winter warmers. Winter warmers are generally dark, high alcohol sipping beers meant to be consumed slowly around the fire on those dark winter evenings.
He brought in, in his own words “six great beer and one lousy one”. The six beers were:
7. AB winters bourbon cask ale (The bad one).
After the tasting the meeting adjourned.
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The Raffle Still Needs Your Help
The new year will hopefully bring the regular monthly raffle back to the JRHB meetings. Please keep bringing in those potential prizes so we can have a good selection to choose from in 2007.
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Ho? Ho? Ho? Maine says no to Santa label
PORTLAND, Maine - A beer distributor says Maine is being a Scrooge by barring it from selling a beer with a label depicting Santa Claus enjoying a pint of brew.
In a complaint filed in federal court, Shelton Brothers accuses the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement of censorship for denying applications for labels for Santa's Butt Winter Porter and two other beers it wants to sell in Maine.
The dispute recalls a similar squabble last year when Connecticut told Shelton Brothers it had problems with its Seriously Bad Elf ale.
"Last year it was elves. This year it's Santa. Maybe next year it'll be reindeer," said Daniel Shelton, owner of the company in Belchertown, Mass.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday, contends the state's action violates the First Amendment by censoring artistic expression.
But the state says it's within its rights. The label with Santa might appeal to children, said Maine State Police Lt. Patrick Fleming. The other two labels are considered inappropriate because they show bare-breasted women.
"We stand by our decision and at some point it'll go through the court system and somebody will make the decision on whether we are right or wrong," he said.
The lawsuit was brought by the Maine Civil Liberties Union, which says the beer labels are entitled to First Amendment protection.
"There is no good reason for the state to censor art, even art found on a beer label," said Zachary Heiden, staff attorney for the MCLU.
The label for the English-made Santa's Butt Winter Porter features a rear view of a beer-drinking Santa Claus sitting atop a barrel. The beer's name refers not only to Santa's ample backside, but also to the barrel. In England, brewers once used a large barrel called a "butt" to store beer.
Maine also denied label applications for Les Sans Culottes, a French ale, and Rose de Gambrinus, a Belgian fruit beer.
Les Sans Culottes' label is illustrated with detail from Eugene Delacroix's 1830 painting "Liberty Leading the People," which hangs in the Louvre and once appeared on the 100-franc bill. Rose de Gambrinus shows a bare-breasted woman in a watercolor painting commissioned by the brewery.
In a letter to Shelton Brothers, the state denied the applications for the labels because they contained "undignified or improper illustration."
The state reviews between 10,000 and 12,000 applications a year for beer and wine labels. It typically denies about a dozen a year because they contain inappropriate language or nudity, or might appeal to children, Fleming said.
"Basically, the standard we use is what are people going to see walking up and down a store aisle," he said.
Shelton said his company filed a lawsuit against the New York State Liquor Authority last month after it denied his applications for six holiday-themed beer labels, including Santa's Butt Winter Porter. The state changed its mind but the lawsuit is going forward, he said.
In years past, the company has had labels challenged in a few states, including Ohio, North Carolina and Missouri, he said.
States have the power to regulate alcohol through the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition in 1933. "But I don't know where they get the idea they can ignore the rest of the Constitution," Shelton said.
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Nativity Jesus replaced with beer can
A homeowner said Friday that whoever stole the baby Jesus from his manger scene was disrespectful by replacing it with an empty beer can. Bob Chooljain said that the Jesus figure was stolen from the manger scene on Wednesday night.
Chooljain said that he made the nativity scene more than three decades ago with his children.
"It's something we kind of did together," he said.
"You just wonder, what was in the person's mind that actually did that? What was the reason for it? Why leave the beer can? What's the connection?" said Chooljain, doesn't want to press charges.
Wooden cutouts of sheep and cows remain; only two of the three wise men stand on either side of the manger. Chooljain said the third was stolen eight years ago.
Chooljain said he will replace the illuminated figure with another doll for the time being.
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137-year-old brew tastes "absolutely amazing".
A recently discovered cache of 1869 ale should have been undrinkable, but liquor and beer connoisseurs are claiming that the brew tastes "absolutely amazing".
The Victorian beer was part of a cache of 250 vintage bottles found in the vaults of Worthington's White Shield brewery in Burton-on-Trent.
The bottles will not be sold and have yet to be valued. According to The Telegraph, the 137-year-old ale has the flavor of raisins and sultanas, baked apple and honey.
The 1869 Ratcliff Ale is bright and luminous like an ancient Amontillado sherry and has a meaty character like smoked partridge with hints of molasses.
One of a handful of people to have tasted the 137-year-old beer is Mark Dorber, a beer connoisseur and publican at the award-winning White Horse in Parson's Green, London, who has the largest range of bottled beers in Britain. "It's amazing that beers this antique can still taste so delicious," he said.
The Ratcliff ale commemorates the birth of Harry Ratcliff into the brewing family, which became part of the Bass, Ratcliff and Gretton Empire.
All the beers were bottle conditioned, which means they were allowed to develop and mature after they were corked, like a wine. They were also strong - around 10 per cent proof. The high alcohol content, similar to barley wine, stopped them from deteriorating.
The beers will be recorked to preserve them and displayed at the Museum of Brewing at Coors Visitor Centre in Burton. (ANI)
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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)
This competition covers BJCP beer styles with original gravities less than or equal to 1.045. Categories accepted for this competition include: 1. A, B, D (Light Lagers); 2. A, B, C (Pilsners); 4. A (Dark American Lager); 6. A, B, C, D (Light Hybrid Beers); 8. A, B (English Pale Ales); 9. A, B, C, D (Scottish and Irish Ales); 10. A, B, C (American Ale); 11. A, B, C (English Brown Ale); 12. A (Porter); 13. A, B (Stout); 15. A, B (German Wheat and Rye); 16. A (Belgian and French Ale); 17. A, C, D, E, F (Sour Ale); 20. (Fruit Beer); 21. A, B (Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer); 22. B, C (Smoke-Flavored & Wood Aged Beers). Please refer to the BJCP Guidelines for a complete description of the styles listed.
Only entries from this list of categories with a starting gravity at or below 1.045 will be judged in this competition.
Since they are due on the 8th the competition will have to be at the January meeting.
Upcoming competitions
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 for those long winter nights.
5B. Traditional Bock
Aroma: Strong malt aroma, often with moderate amounts of rich melanoidins and/or toasty overtones. Virtually no hop aroma. Some alcohol may be noticeable. Clean. No diacetyl. Low to no fruity esters.
Appearance: Light copper to brown color, often with attractive garnet highlights. Lagering should provide good clarity despite the dark color. Large, creamy, persistent, off-white head.
Flavor: Complex maltiness is dominated by the rich flavors of Munich and Vienna malts, which contribute melanoidins and toasty flavors. Some caramel notes may be present from decoction mashing and a long boil. Hop bitterness is generally only high enough to support the malt flavors, allowing a bit of sweetness to linger into the finish. Well-attenuated, not cloying. Clean, with no esters or diacetyl. No hop flavor. No roasted or burnt character.
Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full bodied. Moderate to moderately low carbonation. Some alcohol warmth may be found, but should never be hot. Smooth, without harshness or astringency.
Overall Impression: A dark, strong, malty lager beer.
History: Originated in the Northern German city of Einbeck, which was a brewing center and popular exporter in the days of the Hanseatic League (14th to 17th century). Recreated in Munich starting in the 17th century. The name “bock” is based on a corruption of the name “Einbeck” in the Bavarian dialect, and was thus only used after the beer came to Munich. “Bock” also means “billy-goat” in German, and is often used in logos and advertisements.
Comments: Decoction mashing and long boiling plays an important part of flavor development, as it enhances the caramel and melanoidin flavor aspects of the malt. Any fruitiness is due to Munich and other specialty malts, not yeast-derived esters developed during fermentation.
Ingredients: Munich and Vienna malts, rarely a tiny bit of dark roasted malts for color adjustment, never any non-malt adjuncts. Continental European hop varieties are used. Clean lager yeast. Water hardness can vary, although moderately carbonate water is typical of Munich.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.064-1.072
IBUs: 20-27
FG: 1.013-1.019
SRM: 14-22
ABV: 6.3-2.3
Commercial Examples: Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel, Aass Bock, Great Lakes Rockefeller Bock
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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
