Monday, January 28, 2008

Trip to Oregon

Well, I'm a little behind here, but I thought I would post a little about my long weekend trip with the family to Oregon. We found some cheap tix on southwest and three weeks ago headed for Eugene via Portland.
Have you ever spent four hours on a plane with a four year old and a two year old??


Well, that part went great thanks to a wife who knows how to pack every toy, book, video, tape and stuffed animal into a backpack.
First stop was Laurelwood Public House in Portland. We met the roadbrewer, Teri Fahrendorf for lunch. Great beer and Great converstation and we were back out into the rain and on down to Eugene.

That's Teri, me, Jenni and Ella sleeping (I guess getting up at 3:30 AM PST wasn't easy on the two year old). Nick is off playing in the kids area. VERY kid freindly at Laurelwood. Thanks!

Once down in Eugene, we had a relaxing weekend with Jenni's sister's family.

Nick and Ella hangin' with cousin Javin at BOUNCE and outside Autzen Stadium. Go Ducks!

I hung out at Willamette brewery, stopped by Ninkasi and enjoyed several stops at the Market of Choice (midwesterners-think of high end grocery store with a Binny's/Sam's type selection of great beers)
After spending five days in beer-vana, it was time to head back to the frigid temps in Chicago.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Tap List 1/27/08

Sheol (8.5% a.b.v.)
Sheol is a deep mahogany colored Barleywine. Sheol is the Hebrew word denoting the "abode of the dead"; the "underworld", "grave" or "pit".

Meg's Bride-Ale (4.0% a.b.v.)
Andrew got married! To celebrate, have a glass of Meg's Bride-ale, a light and crisp Belgian-style wit. Spiced with coriander, and flavored with blood orange juice, this is a very light wit beer that is dry, fruity, and easy to drink.


current barrel aged beer Derailed, a blend of BA wee heavy, BA doppelbock, and stout. Sarge

On Now:
De Zuidentrein, Wooden Lubricator

Still coming: 10, and 11!

Friday, January 25, 2008

More visitors

They just keep on comin'. Wednesday we had two different brewery owners in the house. Firstly the boys from M.T. Barrels in West Dundee came by on their way to the local malt warehouse.



Frank, their owner, and Mike their head brewer (formerly of Prairie Rock Schaumburg) came by for lunch, beers, a tour, and some brewer bullshitting. I still haven't made it out there since they opened this past year but the place is supposed to be beautiful on the inside. So Matt and I entertained them while we were brewing Gandy.

THEN, out of the blue, one of our servers came by and told us that a brewery owner from the UK is in and wanted to say hi to us. It was Jeff from Lovibonds Brewery in Henley-on-Thames.



It turns out they are a small brewery just a little west of London. If the dollar ever recovers and traveling abroad can again become a feasible reality I'd love to check them out. Look at their website, and look at their history section. Sounds like a brewery with a lot of tradition.

In the next few weeks we will start putting up some bottling updates. DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Well, If the internet says it's true...........

Most people my age will acknowledge that everything on the internet is true regardless of the source or how outlandish the claim is.



If information comes out of those tubes and into your eyes, who are you to question it?

With that, I would like to announce that Flossmoor Station is currently winning at the internet and at beer according to RateBeer.com. They just released their 2008 RateBeer Best, and according to them we nearly are.

In the category of Top 100 Beers in the World, we come in at #60 for Wooden Hell and #98 for Sarge.

In the Best Beers in the World by Style, Wooden Hell ranks #5 for Strong Ales (which includes Barley Wine, English Strong Ale, American Strong Ale, and Old Ale.)

In the category of the BEST BREWERS IN THE WORLD we are #24. IN THE WORLD. (RateBeer note* (The total number of brewers in our contest is 5,836. The 100 listed represent the top 1.7% of all brewers -- the creme de la creme or[sic] world brewing; a greater percentage of the population qualifies as genius for comparison.))

And then Finally, but not least we are the #4 best brewpub ever. In North America.

But like I said, you read it on the Internet so it has to be true and 100% accurate. So good job us!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Another Insanely Cold Brewpub Shoot Out

Next year I'm going to make a bet with someone that the coldest, nastiest, worst possible day to leave your house all year, is whatever day the CBS brewpub shootout is being held. It seems to never fail that a crushingly cold January day also falls on shootout day. This year was no exception. I think I heard that we had -30 degree wind chills but it's hard to hear when frostbite claims your important extremities like earlobes.

But on the plus side, we won 1st place for beer with Kind Ale IPA. Last year we tied Three Floyds for second, but this year seem to have bested them, despite the fact that they brought their collaboratively brewed beer with Mikkeller "Hvedegoop" (Wheat goop.) It was a big tasty wheat wine that I think should be available soon.

We didn't win anything with our food or our pairing, which kind of sucks, because we had these great little carnitas sandwiches. But Floyds had brisket made on their new Ole Hickory smoker and it didn't win either. Matt and I got to check our their smoker when we were over there recently. I got a little boner from looking at it. But BBQ just kind of does that to me.





Check out the CBS recap for full winner details.

Tap List 1/21/08


Sheol
(8.5% a.b.v.)
Sheol is a deep mahogany colored Barleywine. Sheol is the Hebrew word denoting the "abode of the dead"; the "underworld", "grave" or "pit".

Meg's Bride-Ale (4.0% a.b.v.) [Almost Gone!]
Andrew got married! To celebrate, have a glass of Meg's Bride-ale, a light and crisp Belgian-style wit. Spiced with coriander, and flavored with blood orange juice, this is a very light wit beer that is dry, fruity, and easy to drink.

current barrel aged beer:

Derailed, a blend of BA wee heavy, BA doppelbock, and stout.

Sarge will out by Tuesday.

De Zuidentrein Frambozenbier is on now.

Still coming: Wooden Lubricator, 10, and 11!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Over Analysis Syndrome



Over at Brewvana (what, you haven't seen this blog yet?-you should put it on your regular beer reading agenda-it's insightful, perceptive and aimed in the right direction), J. Wilson taps into a HUGE theme which I see running rampant in the craft beer community, that of over analyzing beer, breweries, and the craft beer world. His post was prompted by one of his past posts entitled, Arm Chair brewer (make sure you read to the bottom where you are supposed to contact a brewer and tell them thanks ;) )and also a thread on beermapping.com roughly about the same thing. I certainly can't state it as eloquently as he, but I will touch on a few points.

First of all, we, the craft beer community, have started this crazy snowball rolling and it's hard to slow it down. (So don't get all crazy thinkin' I'm hatin' on all those we lovingly refer to as beer geeks-I'm one too! and I just blamed myself here). What I mean is that craft beer makers and fans alike have asked new converts to the wonders of beer to actually taste the beer, and smell the beer, and experience the beer. And then asked them to talk about the beer and discuss the beer. This is a major juxtaposition to normal behavior found in most swill beer drinking people. No, in many a beer drinking circle, people aren't ASKED what they THINK of the beer. They just ask about the funny commercial where the horse farts right at the crusty proper people in the buggy (that was funny though). So, going back to those who we DO ask their opinions on the beer, just talking got boring and beer websites with ratings and forums started popping up and what began as a little critiques, discussions, ratings and rants turned in to a whole new monster of it's own(BTW, IMO this monster of a beer rating sites is great in many ways-free marketing for one and a great exchange of thoughts ideas and experiences.) Suddenly, with the help of the exploding craft beer thing, people want more, expect more, and seem to be getting more. But the question is, are we over analyzing it all? Are we taking beer drinking, which is supposed to be a release and and relaxed pastime, too seriously. In the end, will it lead to stress, anxiety, and a possible deep seeded hatred of all things beer? Well, maybe not that far, but here's your little quiz that might help you diagnose your own symptoms:

1) Do you get angry if a beer tastes different than the first time you had it? (remember,it's diversity that turned you on to craft beer in the first place)

2) Do you exceed the speed limit to get home to rate the beer you drank at a pub because your laptop battery died?

3) Do you stay up late at night agonizing over how to make a homebrew clone the latest Award Winning small craft brewery X's beer?

4) Did you lose a friend this year because you said SNPA was so yesterday?

5) Do you only drink a beer once and then move on to the next one?

6) Have you considered picketing your local distributer because they won't carry your favorite craft beer?

7) Did you consider boycotting that brewer who won't make the Imperial Double Mocha Triple Stout a year round offering?

8) Did you spend more money traveling this year for beer than with your family?

9) Do you read beer websites and blogs before you pick up the daily paper? (whoops, guilty)

10) Do you REALLY fantasize about dropping that CPA from your name and becoming a brewer? (ok, that one's not SO bad)

If you said yes to most of these questions, I'll bet you are suffering from what J. Wilson has light heartedly dubbed "Over Analysis Syndrome". And the cure, in which we've learned so long ago from Charlie P.-Don't worry and relax and have a beer. It is just beer you know. I'm lucky I get to make it for you, but I make it to help enhance your life, not turn you into a twisted mess.

Relax and raise a glass. Now, do you feel any better?

Sarge

Sarge is on. And Derailed. We have an open line so we are pouring two barrel aged beers at a time for right now.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Tap List 1/14/08

Hoppy Little O (10% a.b.v.)
We found a quarter barrel stashed away and decided to put it on. Get it while it lasts because it certainly won't be here by wednesday.

Sheol
(8.5% a.b.v.)
Sheol is a deep mahogany colored Barleywine. Sheol is the Hebrew word denoting the "abode of the dead"; the "underworld", "grave" or "pit".

Kind Ale IPA (7.6% a.b.v.)[almost gone!]
Peace, Love, and IPA. We added just a touch of Lemon grass and Wheat Grass along with buckets full of Amarillo, Centennial, and Summit hops to create a really good American IPA.


Meg's Bride-Ale (4.0% a.b.v.)
Andrew got married! To celebrate, have a glass of Meg's Bride-ale, a light and crisp Belgian-style wit. Spiced with coriander, and flavored with blood orange juice, this is a very light wit beer that is dry, fruity, and easy to drink.

current barrel aged beer Derailed, a blend of BA wee heavy, BA doppelbock, and stout.

Sarge will be on later this week

Still coming: De Zuidentrein, Wooden Lubricator, 10, and 11!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Celebrator Beer News says: "We're Notable"

Celebrator Beer News' online manifestation lists us as a notable beer blog along with many others that are definitely worth reading. I had never checked their online version out before, (we used to get the paper version here but I haven't seen it in a long time,) but it's a very polished site with some of the best names in the business writing for them. What I think is really cool, with them including us, is that we are basically the only blog listed that is written and or maintained by brewers. Must mean we have too much time on our hands. Check it out for yourself.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Tap List 1/7/08

Sheol (8.5% a.b.v.)
Sheol is a deep mahogany colored Barleywine. Sheol is the Hebrew word denoting the "abode of the dead"; the "underworld", "grave" or "pit".

Naughty Elf Stout (5.0% a.b.v.)
We made an oatmeal stout and one of Santa's little minions dumped in tart cherries before we could serve it.


Kind Ale IPA (7.6% a.b.v.)[almost gone!]
Peace, Love, and IPA. We added just a touch of Lemon grass and Wheat Grass along with buckets full of Amarillo, Centennial, and Summit hops to create a really good American IPA.

Pumpkin 3.14 (5% a.b.v.)
Our Fall special spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, maple syrup, and vanilla. Not to mention 78 lbs of whole roasted pumpkin in the mash and 60lbs of prepared pumpkin in the kettle. Pumpkin Pie in drinkable beer form.Meg's Bride-Ale (4.0% a.b.v.)Andrew got married! To celebrate, have a glass of Meg's Bride-ale, a light and crisp Belgian-style wit. Spiced with coriander, and flavored with blood orange juice, this is a very light wit beer that is dry, fruity, and easy to drink.


Meg's Bride-Ale (4.0% a.b.v.)
Andrew got married! To celebrate, have a glass of Meg's Bride-ale, a light and crisp Belgian-style wit. Spiced with coriander, and flavored with blood orange juice, this is a very light wit beer that is dry, fruity, and easy to drink.

current barrel aged beer Derailed, a blend of BA wee heavy, BA doppelbock, and stout. Still coming, Sarge, De Zuidentrein, Wooden Lubricator, 10, and 11!

Friday, January 04, 2008

Field Trip to The Livery

The wife and I decided that we didn't want to do the normal stuff for New Year's Eve this year so instead we took off to Benton Harbor, Michigan to check out the Livery.



The Livery is a very cool brewpub located in an old horse livery. It has three stories and an old freight elevator in the middle of it that they used to move horses and other heavy things between the former stables (basement level with bar), Main level (bar and music stage), and top level (more music viewing area.) When we showed up, Mikey, their outstanding bartender, directed us to say hi to Steve before he took off for the evening. The brewhouse is separate from the bar and cafe, which from a brewer's perspective is very nice. Very loud music greeted us at the door and Steve showed us around while he was cooling in the day's batch.


Kettle and Hot Liquor Tank


Mash Tun


Steve


Tax Determination Tanks


Modified Fermenters


Carbonating Kegs

They had their regular open mike night bands play all night which was an eclectic mix of rock, bluegrass, and blues. We had good beers and a good time despite the crazy amounts of snowfall. Definitely check out the Livery if you find yourself in Southwestern Michigan.