Great article from the Roanoke Times on southwest Virginia's efforts to lure Sierra Nevada:
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/305413
Apparently $13 million in incentives didn't cut it. I'm sure someone will realize how great an area the Roanoke Valley would make for a significant brewing operation.
Hopeful Hokie,
HolzBrew
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Mother's Little Helper
In expectation of the birth of my first niece or nephew, I brewed a batch of sweet stout for the expecting mother, my sister-in-law. She is a huge fan of stouts and I could think of nothing more suiting for a woman who had to endure 9 months without beer. I don't know how she did it.
Baby Juice
| Style: Sweet Stout | |||
| Type: All Grain | Calories: 203 | ||
| Rating: 0.0 | Efficiency: 70 % | ||
| IBU's: 36.39 | Boil Size: 5.85 Gal | ||
| Color: 31.2 SRM | Batch Size: 5.00 Gal | ||
| Boil Time: 75 minutes | |||
| Estimated | Actual | |||
| Brew Date: | - | 02/26/2012 | ||
| OG: | 1.062 | 1.055 | ||
| FG: | 1.016 | 1.016 | ||
| ABV: | 6.03 % | 5.11 % | ||
| Serve Date: | 04/08/2012 | / / |
| Fermentation Steps | |||
| Name | Days / Temp | Estimated | Actual |
| Primary | 7 days @ 68.0°F | 02/26/2012 | 02/26/2012 |
| Secondary | 21 days @ 72.0°F | 03/04/2012 | - |
| Bottle/Keg | 14 days @ 74.0°F | 03/25/2012 | - |
| Grains & Adjuncts | |||||
| Amount | Percentage | Name | Time | Gravity | |
| 9.00 lbs | 72.00 % | Pale Malt (2 Row) US | 60 mins | 1.036 | |
| 0.75 lbs | 6.00 % | Fawcett Pale Chocolate | 60 mins | 1.030 | |
| 0.75 lbs | 6.00 % | Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L | 60 mins | 1.033 | |
| 0.50 lbs | 4.00 % | Roasted Barley | 60 mins | 1.025 | |
| 0.50 lbs | 4.00 % | Oats, Flaked | 60 mins | 1.037 | |
| 1.00 lbs | 8.00 % | Lactose | 60 mins | 1.030 | |
| Hops | |||||
| Amount | IBU's | Name | Time | AA % | |
| 1.50 ozs | 22.66 | Fuggles | 60 mins | 4.50 | |
| 1.50 ozs | 13.73 | Fuggles | 20 mins | 4.50 | |
| Yeasts | ||
| Amount | Name | Laboratory / ID |
| 1.0 pkg | Safale us-05 | (null) |
| Additions | |||
| Amount | Name | Time | Stage |
| 1.00 oz | Whirlfloc Tablet | 15 mins | Boil |
| Mash Profile | ||
| ||
| Add 14.38 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 170.0°F | ||
| ||
| Add 5.75 qt ( 0.50 qt/lb ) water @ 196.0°F | ||
| ||
| Sparge 11.27 qt of 170.0°F water over 60 mins |
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Flanders on my mind
Back in April 2010, I decided to take the plunge and invest my time and condo-space to brewing a flanders red ale. The result is HolzBrew Red Sonja. For those who are not familiar with this style it is a sour ale most often brewed in Belgium (Northern Belgium). Exceptional examples of this style include Rodenbach and Duchesse de Bourgogne (a household favorite). Ahhh to be in Bruges, with the sun shining on your face and a cool Flemish ale in your hand.
For my first attempt at a full-on sour ale, I'll have to say it turned out pretty decent. Not a world beater, but definitely enjoyable. I used the Wyeast Roeselare lambic culture blend. This is a blend of yeast and bacteria strains consisting of a belgian strain, sherry strain, two Brettanomyces strains, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and a partridge in a pear tree. Additionally, I wanted some oak flavor, but not over the top since I knew going into it that this would be sitting on wood for 18 months. I went with .5 ozs of medium roast french oak cubes. Typically these are blended brews. In that, a younger beer is mixed with an older beer to come to a happy median of sweet and sour. I attempted a blend by adding in equal parts 21-month old brew and 12-month old brew, but at the end of the day I liked the 21-month brew alone best, so that's what went into the bottles.
For those interested in attempting a sour ale, the book Wild Brews by Jeff Sparrow is a nice reference. Additionally, Michael Tonsmiere's blog, The Mad Fermentationist is a great site to learn more about brewing sour/wild ales.
Pucker up and brew something sour,
HolzBrew
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Ode to Centennial Hops
As a young brewer I messed around quite a bit. Non-stop brewing around with all sorts of pretty and fanciful hops. Citra, chinook, cascade, summit, amarillo, blah, blah, blah. The list goes on and on, and I fear that I may have even forgotten some of their names. I've come to find that there is just one hop for me and Centennial is her name. For the folks that know me this probably isn't a surprise. She shares the same name as the High School I graduated from. The year she was first released to the public, 1990, was a remarkable year for the young HolzBrew. Grunge music starting to set in and all sorts of alt rock bands hitting the airwaves. It was a match made in Heaven. But seriously folks is there a better hop varietal for an american IPA? Look at some of the bests, Stone IPA, Bells two hearted, and Founders Centennial Ipa, the perfect blend of citrus and floral. Need I say more?
Centennial Millennial
Style: American IPA
OG: 1.070
Type: All Grain
FG: 1.018
Rating: 0.0
ABV: 6.81 %
Calories: 229
IBU's: 92.88
Efficiency: 70 %
11.00 lbs 83.02 % Pale Malt (2 Row) US 60 mins 1.036
10.00 ozs. 4.72 % Cara-Pils/Dextrine 60 mins 1.033
10.00 ozs 4.72 % Briess 2-Row Caramel 20L 60 mins 1.034
1.00 lbs 7.55 % Turbinado 60 mins 1.044
Hops Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 31.62 Centennial 60 mins 10.00
2.00 ozs 38.31 Centennial 20 mins 10.00
2.00 ozs 22.94 Centennial 10 mins 10.00
2.00 ozs 0.00 Centennial 0 mins 10.00
1.00 ozs Centennial 21 days 10.00
Yeasts Amount Name Laboratory / ID
2.00 pkg Safale us-05 (null) Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 oz Whirlfloc Tablet 15 mins Boil
Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 60 min @ 154.0°F Add 15.31 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 166.0°F
Sparge Sparge 16.47 qt of 175.0°F water over 45 mins
Carbonation Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols 3.7 psi Force Carbonation 35.0°F 1.90
Get hoppy centennial style,
HolzBrew
Centennial Millennial
Style: American IPA
OG: 1.070
Type: All Grain
FG: 1.018
Rating: 0.0
ABV: 6.81 %
Calories: 229
IBU's: 92.88
Efficiency: 70 %
11.00 lbs 83.02 % Pale Malt (2 Row) US 60 mins 1.036
10.00 ozs. 4.72 % Cara-Pils/Dextrine 60 mins 1.033
10.00 ozs 4.72 % Briess 2-Row Caramel 20L 60 mins 1.034
1.00 lbs 7.55 % Turbinado 60 mins 1.044
Hops Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 31.62 Centennial 60 mins 10.00
2.00 ozs 38.31 Centennial 20 mins 10.00
2.00 ozs 22.94 Centennial 10 mins 10.00
2.00 ozs 0.00 Centennial 0 mins 10.00
1.00 ozs Centennial 21 days 10.00
Yeasts Amount Name Laboratory / ID
2.00 pkg Safale us-05 (null) Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 oz Whirlfloc Tablet 15 mins Boil
Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 60 min @ 154.0°F Add 15.31 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 166.0°F
Sparge Sparge 16.47 qt of 175.0°F water over 45 mins
Carbonation Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols 3.7 psi Force Carbonation 35.0°F 1.90
Get hoppy centennial style,
HolzBrew
Monday, January 2, 2012
All Grain Brewing in Close Quarters
Everyone always asks me how I brew in a condo. The answer is that it isn't all that easy. But a little creativity goes a long way. Below is a video of my sparging setup from this past weekend. Sorry for the sideways video, I shot it on my iPod and I have no idea how to rotate it 90 degrees.
I look forward to having a place where I can spread out and brew outside. But until then, brewing in the kitchen will have to suffice.
Holz
I look forward to having a place where I can spread out and brew outside. But until then, brewing in the kitchen will have to suffice.
Holz
Things to Look Forward to in 2012
As the New Year kicks into first gear and 2011 is in the rear view, its exciting to think about the "beery" things to come in 2012. Here are four things to look forward to in the regional beer scene this year:
1. Spacebar in Falls Church
The owners of Galaxy Hut, in Arlington, plan to open a second location in Falls Church across the street from Mad Fox Brewing by the end of January 2012.
Straight from their Facebook page:
"Spacebar will have 24 rotating "craft" beers on tap, about the same amount of bottled beer, and a few wine options. We do not have plans to serve hard liquor.
The food menu will focus on the grilled cheese sandwich, endless varieties of which will be created behind the bar on a five-foot flat top grill. There will also be galaxy hut staples like tots and veggie chili dogs."
2. 3 Stars Brewing Company in DC opens their own brewery
As reported by the Washington City Paper:
"D.C.-based 3 Stars Brewing Company has been cranking out all sorts of suds this year, including a rye-based pale ale called B.W. Rye and a light, spicy farmhouse ale dubbed Syndicate Saison. None of these libations, however, were actually brewed in the District. The local company has been collaborating with breweries in Baltimore, Delaware and other places while its own 15,000-square-foot facility is under construction in D.C.'s Takoma neighborhood."
3. Hellbender Brewing Company
A new brewery planning to open in mid-2012 will focus largely on supply DC bars with kegs. Their flagship beers will include a Kolsch, a red ale, and an IPA.
4. West Coast Expansion East
Both Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing are looking to expand on the east coast by building a brewery here. There has been much speculation about the location of these new brewing facilities, but most of it has centered around the Virginia/North Carolina areas. I respect everything that SN brews and I look forward to enjoying it that much fresher.
How about you? Please feel free to comment on new breweries, bars, brews, etc. you look forward to this year.
HolzBrew
1. Spacebar in Falls Church
The owners of Galaxy Hut, in Arlington, plan to open a second location in Falls Church across the street from Mad Fox Brewing by the end of January 2012.
Straight from their Facebook page:
"Spacebar will have 24 rotating "craft" beers on tap, about the same amount of bottled beer, and a few wine options. We do not have plans to serve hard liquor.
The food menu will focus on the grilled cheese sandwich, endless varieties of which will be created behind the bar on a five-foot flat top grill. There will also be galaxy hut staples like tots and veggie chili dogs."
2. 3 Stars Brewing Company in DC opens their own brewery
As reported by the Washington City Paper:
"D.C.-based 3 Stars Brewing Company has been cranking out all sorts of suds this year, including a rye-based pale ale called B.W. Rye and a light, spicy farmhouse ale dubbed Syndicate Saison. None of these libations, however, were actually brewed in the District. The local company has been collaborating with breweries in Baltimore, Delaware and other places while its own 15,000-square-foot facility is under construction in D.C.'s Takoma neighborhood."
3. Hellbender Brewing Company
A new brewery planning to open in mid-2012 will focus largely on supply DC bars with kegs. Their flagship beers will include a Kolsch, a red ale, and an IPA.
4. West Coast Expansion East
Both Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing are looking to expand on the east coast by building a brewery here. There has been much speculation about the location of these new brewing facilities, but most of it has centered around the Virginia/North Carolina areas. I respect everything that SN brews and I look forward to enjoying it that much fresher.
How about you? Please feel free to comment on new breweries, bars, brews, etc. you look forward to this year.
HolzBrew
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Happy Brew Years
Happy Brew Years to you and yours!
Currently brewing up a little something special for the New Year. Something big and brown inspired by a recent recipe contributed by Drew Beechum (http://www.stoutguy.com/) in BeerAdvocate magazine. My recipe is a bit different.
I'm thinking of adding oak cubes soaked in spiced rum. Thoughts?
Recipe:
The End of History
Style: Strong Scotch Ale OG: 1.134
Type: All Grain FG: 1.039
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 12.44 %
Calories: 439 IBU's: 40.40
Efficiency: 75 % Boil Size: 4.89 Gal
Color: 14.9 SRM Batch Size: 4.00 Gal
Boil Time: 120 minutes
Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 7 days @ 65.0°F
Secondary 45 days @ 72.0°F
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
1.00 lbs 5.00 % Briess Caramel 60L 120 mins 1.034
9.00 lbs 45.00 % Simpsons Golden Promise 120 mins 1.034
1.00 lbs 5.00 % Fawcett Flaked Maize 120 mins 1.034
9.00 lbs 45.00 % Crisp Maris Otter 120 mins 1.038
Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 32.16 Northern Brewer 60 mins 8.50
0.50 ozs 8.24 Northern Brewer 30 mins 8.50
Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Scottish Ale Wyeast Labs (null)
Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 oz Whirlfloc Tablet 15 mins Boil
Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 90 min @ 157.0°F
Add 25.00 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 170.0°F
Carbonation
(none)
Notes
Add four ounces of Ghanian Cacao Nibs during secondary
Get creative in the New (Brew) Year,
HolzBrew
Currently brewing up a little something special for the New Year. Something big and brown inspired by a recent recipe contributed by Drew Beechum (http://www.stoutguy.com/) in BeerAdvocate magazine. My recipe is a bit different.
I'm thinking of adding oak cubes soaked in spiced rum. Thoughts?
Recipe:
The End of History
Style: Strong Scotch Ale OG: 1.134
Type: All Grain FG: 1.039
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 12.44 %
Calories: 439 IBU's: 40.40
Efficiency: 75 % Boil Size: 4.89 Gal
Color: 14.9 SRM Batch Size: 4.00 Gal
Boil Time: 120 minutes
Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 7 days @ 65.0°F
Secondary 45 days @ 72.0°F
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
1.00 lbs 5.00 % Briess Caramel 60L 120 mins 1.034
9.00 lbs 45.00 % Simpsons Golden Promise 120 mins 1.034
1.00 lbs 5.00 % Fawcett Flaked Maize 120 mins 1.034
9.00 lbs 45.00 % Crisp Maris Otter 120 mins 1.038
Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 32.16 Northern Brewer 60 mins 8.50
0.50 ozs 8.24 Northern Brewer 30 mins 8.50
Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Scottish Ale Wyeast Labs (null)
Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 oz Whirlfloc Tablet 15 mins Boil
Mash Profile
Medium Body Infusion In 90 min @ 157.0°F
Add 25.00 qt ( 1.25 qt/lb ) water @ 170.0°F
Carbonation
(none)
Notes
Add four ounces of Ghanian Cacao Nibs during secondary
Get creative in the New (Brew) Year,
HolzBrew
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