Zuvaruvi

The 2009 American Homebrewers Association national conference in Oakland is sure to be memorable. I wrote a few weeks ago about one of the commemorative beers, Brother Levonian Saison. It will be available through the conference and the Michael Jackson rare beer club in 750’s. The other commemorative beer will be “Sippin on the Dock of the Bay IPA.” This beer will be in 22 oz. bottles and was brewed by Harold Gulbransen and Pat McIllhenny the owner of Alpine Beer Company.

In all honesty, it was my idea to approach Pat to brew this beer. Harold was afraid it would be a stretch for this MICRO-brewing artist. He is a Fireman by day and brewer by off days…very small scale and already stretched too thin. But we knew in our guts, with beers like “Nelson” and “Duet,” there was just no one else for the job. He is a homebrewer who let his passion get the best of him…haven’t we all!?!

Pat & Harold’s recipe can be found at the AHA website.

The Golden Promise base malt is often used in malty Scottish Ales. This provides a superb backbone to the signature Alpine Beer Co. hop presence. This isn’t just any IPA. It’s an in your face, “Welcome to California IPA.” We hope you have an opportunity to enjoy it in Oakland!

Chad

Dave was my best friend. He liked to drink and brew Saison’s. After several attempts on my own, he got me going on the right path. This is a recipe he helped me with on August 31, 2005. It took a second and first in America’s Finest City Homebrew Competition and first round Nationals 2006.

7 lbs. Franco Belge Pils
3.5 lbs. Franco Belge Vienna
8 oz. Best Malz Munich
1 lb. Hard Red Winter Wheat
8 oz. Feed Oats
12 oz. Sugar – start of boil
8 oz. Honey – end of boil

135f for 20 min, add boiling adjuncts = 151f for 75 min. Juice from one lime in 170f sparge water.

1.5 oz. Saaz 4.0% 60 min
.6 oz. Glacier 5.8% 30 min
1 oz. Cascade 5.5% 5 min
1 oz. Saaz 4.0% KO
.5 oz. Styrian Goldings 1.3% Dry Hop

¼ oz. Algerian Tangerine Peel KO
¼ tsp. Pepper KO
¼ tsp. Turmeric KO

WLP 566 Saison II Yeast, 75-80f fermentation. The astute will note that WLP 566 didn’t exist in 2005. I cultured the yeast from a 25 cl. bottle Dave brought back from Belgium, gave the yeast to Lisa White, they liked it, Stone Brewing liked it in 07/07/07….

6 gallons RO water
5 gallons carbon filtered tap water
7.5 gallons in the fermentor
1.055 OG
1.004 FG
3.2 SRM
26.2 IBU’s
.476 BU/GU

Took a trip to Plattsburg, NY a few years back. Stayed in a hotel with a brewpub. Didn’t know it was there, just lucked out…one of those zuvaruvi coincidences. The owner let me help tinker with a couple recipes. Their “Three Nut Brown” was pretty tasty; I didn’t do much to change it. Didn’t get around to brewing it on a homebrew scale until years later when the beer goddess asked me to make her an American Brown. I dusted off the recipe, and what appears below turned out nice; quite nice actually. I can’t claim any higher knowledge; you just stumble into a good beer every now and then.

A note about the homegrown hops in this recipe. My buddy Harold has a buddy Hal who lives in Oregon. He has too much time, money, and land on his hands so he grows hops…for fun! He was nice enough to give me a few bags. Some went into this recipe; some went into a randalizer for another beer. Both uses were wonderful!

9 lbs. Halcyon 2.2L
8 oz. Paul’s Malt 42L Crystal
8 oz. Munich II 9.7L
8 oz. Wheat Malt
6 oz British Chocolate

154f for 60 min.

90 minute boil.
0.5 oz Mt. Hood homegrown 60 min.
1.0 oz. 5.2% Mt. Hood 40 min.
1.0 oz. 5.2% Mt. Hood 20 min.
1.0 oz 5.2 % Mt. Hood 2 min.
0.5 oz Mt. Hood homegrown KO.

Safale US-05 American Ale Yeast, 64f fermentation.

5 gallons tap water
4 gallons rain water
5.5 gallons in the fermentor
1.053 OG
1.008 FG
16.3 SRM
34.4 IBU’s
.653 BU/GU