Mountain Brew Club

Welcome the the Mountain Brew Club!

Our club consists of brand new homebrew enthusiasts, seasoned veterans, and folks who just plain love to drink homebrew.  Our home base of operation is the San Bernardino Mountains, but we welcome any and all who have an interest in Homebrew. 

We will meet generally the 3rd Friday of every month and a tbd location on the mountain.  The meetings start at 7pm and are a great opportuity to exchange brewing tales and ideas.  Each meeting we have the opportunity to sample some good (or bad) homebrew and compare them to some commercially available  products.  To see what we are sampling each month Click Here! 

As a card carrying member of the Mountain Brew Club, members are entitled to participate in any and all club events and functions.  The club meets monthly to enjoy some good food, hopefully good beer and a little "Shop Talk".  Additionally, the great guys down at B3 in Riverside will give all club members a 10% discount on your purchases. 

Club membership is open to anyone over the age of 21.  Annual dues are $20 per member.

Spread the word, we are recruiting new members! To Contact our club click here!

Heads Up... Stone Brewing Co. in Lake Arrowhead

Representatives for Stone Brewing Co. will be in Lake Arrowhead at Vino 100 on Saturday February 27, 2010 from Noon to 5pm to show off some spectacular beers.  We will discuss everybody's plans for hooking up on Saturday at Friday Nights meeting.

Jim Grant on the First Mountain Brew Club Meeting

February 1, 2010 – Jim Grant

 As the first meeting of the Mountain Brew Club convened, it quickly became clear that this was going to be a great group!  Even with three enthusiastic members unable to attend, there were still around a dozen in attendance.

Ryan Gil de Montes from Inland Empire Brewing Company (Riverside, CA) made the drive up the mountain and brought two of their recent brews for us to taste.  Over the course of the evening he shared with the group some history of their company, some successes, hopes for the future, and some great stories about what they have experienced along the way.  Without exposing any trade secrets, I’ll simply mention that part of what he shared illustrated how incredibly cooperative the medium-size brewers are with the smaller, younger operations.  Cooperation like this is something we don’t see in any other industry, and it’s refreshing to know that brewers of all sizes are still out there for the sake of encouraging great brew rather than trying to keep secrets.

 We were also lucky enough to have Christian Sierra, treasurer of the Inland Empire Brewers Club, join us.  Christian brought a wealth of knowledge and experience in the art of home brewing to the meeting, and was generous in sharing.  From suggestions on technique to assistance with conversion of whole-grain recipes, Christian was right there to help out with anything we needed and to extend invitations to his club’s meetings and other upcoming events.  And not least of his contributions was a tray of Scotch eggs… possibly the best food pairing one could ask for with a fine porter.

 For those with appetite to enjoy food pairings with their beer, many of the members of the group brought tasty finger foods to share.  Among the offerings were gingerbread, scotch eggs, spiced beef wrapped in prosciutto, bowls of pretzels & popcorn, and much more.  It quickly became clear that more than a few of the members enjoy cooking as much as they do brewing, as numerous conversations of recipes for pairings and breads using steeped grains began floating around the room.

 The theme for the first meeting was porters and stouts.  Being the first meeting though, many people didn’t have brews that fit into those categories ready.  That didn’t stop us from bringing what we had though.  In addition to the highlights of the evening (IEBC’s Brown Ale, Steve Keefe’s Bourbon Oak Stout), some of the other flavors shared were several assorted stouts, an American Amber, an Irish Red, and some remarkable porters, including one with strong hints of anise.

 This first meeting was kept nice and light, with Steve only briefly discussing the future of the club as he envisions it.  It was clear though, from the number of us present and reports of many more planning on coming to future meetings, that we would need to get a grasp on club and meeting management very quickly.  Some of the topics briefly touched on at this first meeting were the future of the club web site, desire for a logo, shirts and glasses, larger meeting locations, liability and code of responsibility, and possible events to participate in outside of meetings.

 And so came to a close the first meeting of the Mountain Brew Club.  Many brews were tasted, many ideas shared, many friends made.  This is going to be a great group, and I am looking forward to being a part of it.

 Jim Grant
Mountain Brew Club

“Achieving lower gravity at higher elevation”.

Mountain Brew Club January Meeting..... Friday Jan. 29, 2010

This months meeting will be held tomorrow evening at the home of Steve and Jamie Keefe at 26613 Hillcrest in Lake Arrowhead at 7pm.

We will be studying Brown Ales and Stouts.  Please be sure to bring enough for 10-12 people to taste.  Obviously, we prefer homebrew, but if you dont have any to bring, bring your favorite commercial version. 

In addition to the beer, bring some type of snack that goes good with beer that will feed 10 people.

Looking forward to seeing you all... if you wouldn't mind confirm with Steve at steve@cbskyridge.com if you are coming and how many you will have with you.  Guests are welcome.

Steve's cell is 909.744.7690 if you need it.

January Meeting Date Changed

Unfortunately due to inclement weather, the January 22 meeting of the Mountain Brew Club has been postponed due to weather.  The new meeting will be scheduled for Friday January 29th at 7pm at Steve and Jamie Keefe's house.  Please confirm via email to steve@cbskyridge.com if you will be attending the meeting so he can give you the details.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but we don't control the weather.

Jim Grant Bottles His First Batch

Saturday January 9, 2010, Jim Grant was hard at work bottling his first batch of beer:

 When I arrived, Jim had everything set up nicely.

Looks Like it is ready!

Me (Steve Keefe) and Bob Parkinson preparing to rack the beer....

Bottling and Capping...

Nothing left but the drinking....  Nice Job Jim... Can't wait to taste it!
 
 
 

 

"Skunked" Beer

“Whoa! This beer is skunked!” is probably something you've heard before, uttered by someone who was probably drinking a green-bottled Heineken. And from the guy who thinks he knows something about beer: “That's because it's in a green bottle, dude.”

Not quite, junior beer guru. That so-called “skunked” character has nothing to do with green bottles, or any color bottles. True, some beer bottle colors are more susceptible to being what's called “light-struck,” however, the whole idea that the color is the cause is completely wrong.

What does light-struck mean?
This is when the beer has been exposed to ultraviolet light for a period of time. Hop-derived molecules, called isohumulones, are basically ripped apart. Some of these parts bind with sulfur atoms to create that “skunk” character, which is similar in character to a skunk's natural defense and is such a potent compound that parts-per-trillion can be detected and even ruin a beer. Although brown bottles aid in protecting beer from being light-struck, it hardly makes the beer invincible. Green or clear bottles provide little to no protection. And it's been said that bottled beer can become light-struck in less than one minute in bright sun, after a few hours in diffuse daylight, and in a few days under normal fluorescent lighting.

This light-struck condition is often to blame for a skunked beer. Many popular imports are distributed in green bottles. Pair the two, mix with misinformation and an inexperienced palate, and the common belief becomes that if beer is in a green bottle, it has to be skunked.

Yeah, but everything I drink from (a green bottled, imported beer) tastes skunked.
Well, it's not like there's an international conspiracy by the brewery to expose all of its beer to being light-struck before being sold. Breweries are not in the business to sell spoiled beer. And did you ever consider that that's the how the beer was intended to smell and taste? The natural and often times wanted sulfur character produced by certain strains of lager yeast, under certain beer style brewing conditions, does not make a skunked beer. Nor does a pungent hop character that you might not be used to. Don't confuse these characteristics with being skunked, as it's not always the case.

Yeah, but it's always skunky in the bottle and not the keg.
Drinking from the bottle is a more concentrated experience. Drinking from a glass allows the beer's characters to become more volatile, thus a less concentrated experience. It doesn't necessarily mean that the beer in the bottle is skunked.

How can I avoid skunked beers?
Simple. Don't buy beer on display, don't buy beer in a cooler that is brightly lit and don't leave your beer exposed to light.

So there you have it. Just remember that before you give up on a beer and write it off as being skunked, keep in mind that there's a lot more that could be going on, and that perception of characters is highly subjective. What you might call skunked due to lack of knowledge could be a tasty German-style Pils to another.

Discovering Bocks

The origins of Bock beer are quite uncharted. Back in medieval days German monasteries would brew a strong beer for sustenance during their Lenten fasts. Some believe the name Bock came from the shortening of Einbeck thus "beck" to "bock." Others believe it is more of a pagan or old world influence that the beer was only to be brewed during the sign of the Capricorn goat and that "bock" means goat in German. Illustrations of the goats related with Bock beer would produce some of the most whimsical and lively beer art ever fashioned. In Europe pictures of Knights fighting in wars or goats ready to ram would portray the strength of the beer. Before Prohibition in America many of the breweries turned out colorful poster art showing beer-drinking goats doing everything from bellying up to the bar to floating in a hot air balloon. Basically this beer was a symbol of better times to come and moving away from winter.

As for the beer itself in modern day, it is a bottom fermenting lager that generally takes extra months of lagering (cold storage) to smooth out such a strong brew. There are several different styles of bock beer; Bock, Maibock or Helles Bock, Double Bock and Eisbock. Bock beer in general is stronger than your typical lager, more of a robust malt character and higher alcohol somewhere between 6-7% alcohol by volume with an amber hue. The Maibock style of beer tends to be lighter in color than other Bock beers and often has a significant hop character with a noticeable alcohol around the same as a traditional Bock. Maibocks are customarily served in the spring and are oftentimes interrelated with spring festivals and celebrations more often in the month of May. Double Bocks or Doppelbocks are huge beers with enough malt packed in them to consider them a meal in its self. Generally having a very full-bodied flavour and darker than other bocks with a higher level of alcohol also, 6.5-8.5%. Eisbocks are basically a form of a Bock or a Double Bock that is concentrated to boost flavour and alcohol by freezing off some of the water. Some Eisbocks in Europe have been know to be in excess of 12% alcohol by volume.

The Brewing Process Explained

1. Malted barley is soaked in hot water to create fermentable sugars.
2. The malt sugar solution is boiled with hops for seasoning. 
3. The solution is cooled and yeast is addede to begin fermentation.
4. The yeast ferments the sugars, releasing carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol.
5. When the main fermentation is complete, the beer is bottled with a little bit of added sugar to provide the carbonation.
6. The beer is enjoyed...

Spent Hops Can Kill Your Dog!

Recently I heard a story about a guy who had a couple of bags of hops he threw out in his garden to let cool after he had finished his brew.  He had noticed that his dog had eaten one of the bags of hops.  In a panic, he called his vet who said it should be ok.  He then called the local brew supply store who confirmed what the vet said.  Later that day he logged on to one of the bulletin boards and started asking some questions where one of the guys said... "get your dog to the vet NOW!".  The guy online had posted a few articles discussing how hops coul be dangerous for dogs.  The article discussed 8 case studies which 6 of the dogs that had ingested hops died.  The guy took the dog in and the vet made him vomit and gave him charcol IV fluids.  The dog survived thankfully, but the vet said it was only because the dog had been seen eating the hops and he had been treated before he got sick from them. 

Hops cause "malignant hypothermia" which is a sudden and almost irreversible increase in a dogs body temperature  that basically fries their brain and organs.

There is clearly a potential danger for pet owners who might discard their spent hops in their yard or allow to get to the hops.  Spent hops are more dangerous than fresh ones, but pet owners should keep their animals away from either variation. 

Is Beer Food?

Hell yes, beer is food! In fact, it should be considered one of the major food groups. Here are some reasons why: 

Yes beer is a beverage, as the majority of its composition is water; however, given that it's also made with cereal grains, hops and yeast, all of this combined goodness is oftentimes a meal in itself. Ever have a rich, luscious beer that just about fills you up on its own? Tha is what I am talkin' about.

Monasteries and beer have a long history, and to this day many orders of monks still brew their own beer in order to have a tasty and nutritious drink to accompany their meals and to sell to the public but most importantly to sustain them during periods of fasting. Fortunately, drinking beer is not considered breaking the fast. Um ... break the fast, breakfast, monks drinking beer, we often drink beer for breakfast ... coincidence?

The definition of food doesn't say anything about "chewing."

Beer is food for the soul and mind. There's a reason why you feel good after you drink a delicious beer. The hops act as a mild sedative (hops can also be found in teas), the carbonation refreshes and livens the palate, the alcohol loosens the brain from the grip of daily life; and you relax. You feel good. And it only takes one beer to achieve this, if you allow it to. Pair beer with life!

Many beers, especially those that are unfiltered and/or conditioned in the bottle, will contain yeast cells, which are living, single-celled organisms that are responsible for creating carbonation and alcohol in beer. And oftentimes they are still alive in your beer, providing rich amounts of Vitamin B. It's like having food within food!

Pairing beer with food is always fun, but you should also consider beer to be the sauce of life, as it both complements and enhances flavors and your overall enjoyment of food.

Not only can you pair beer with food, but you can also cook with beer: Add it to sauces, marinades and dressings; create a hearty stock for soups and stews; give flavorful moisture to grilled and roasted meats; use it to steam seafood and veggies or drizzle over fruits and desserts. The possibilities are literally endless, and the use of beer as an ingredient will without a doubt bring depth to your food and a new outlook on cooking. 

"The Beer Diet" is something you and your friends might have joked about, but there are actual books on the market that focus on cutting carbs to lose weight and then slowly increasing the carb intake. As beer contains carbs (from the grains) - low levels in comparison to other foods and beverages - some suggest that you can enjoy full-flavored and full-bodied beers by making them a part of your diet. So screw lite beers! And for the record, beer is not fattening. We Americans think it's fattening by association with our endless gorging on food and washing it down with beer. "Oh, I just ate a large pizza and some wings by myself and two pints of beer ... that's why I have a beer belly!" No ... it's because of the pizza and wings, you pig.