Sunday, March 30, 2008

On the seventh day, He rested...



Life has been awfully hectic lately, personally and at the brewery. Sometimes it's tough to balance everything and as you can see from our last post, April's schedule it's only going to get tighter. But, such is the life of we in this fast paced suburban world where we must do anything and everything and we must do it at a hectic pace. Am I yearning for the lazy days by the river in Iowa? not really. I just had a couple of minutes to sit down today, and reflect on a 5 part series (6 actually if you count the The Preface) that was blogged over at brewvana. It was titled, The Gospel According to St. Arnold and has some great and interesting thoughts about the role of beer in Christian history, monks who were brewers, society's view of drinking and the whole neo-prohibitionist thing, beer in the bible, and most importantly, how on earth could you call yourself a Christian if you drink (or, gasp, brew) alcohol? I've linked Part five, because from here you can access all parts.

I've been meaning since December of last year to at least comment on J. Wilson's insightful work on this topic. I have a lot of personal interest in this as a brewer, but also changing from a teaching career to a brewing career did not make the abstaining grandmother real proud. Wading through those thoughts and feelings have made his series quite insightful. Also, realize that his assessment is fair and balanced and not just another "crazy Christian" or equally a "crazy neo-prohibitionist" or equally a "crazy drunk" defending what some would call a huge sin. If you get the chance, please read it through and check out some of the links he references(there is a surprising amount on the ol' www about Christianity and drinking). I wanted (last year) to write a few posts that related to this, and now partly because I may never stop if I start now, but mostly because he did it justice in that series and I'll simply reiterate much of what was said, I'll just link it, tell you it is a must read, and hope that you make time.

There is so much good stuff in there for everyone. If you are a believer who has pondered the need to explain your beery habits, if you are a non-believer who wishes people would leave you alone, if you are uncertain but worried that your beery life won't fit into what "those guys over there are doing on Sunday morning", or if you are believer planted firmly in moderation and the pleasures that beer alone can bring to a balanced life- you'll find some great thoughts to ponder. Look, what I can tell you here is, I brew and I drink (no surprise there). But I also went to church today and I am leaving in a few hours to meet up with a group from church that meets together every other Sunday night-and believe it or not, we've drank beer together. God is more concerned with relationships of the heart and the relationships we have with each other than what we choose to drink (caveat: on matters of moderation, responsibility, and abuse of your wife and/or family I will not delve into- I think it's quite clear that if drinking leads you to other problems, then that should be addressed first) . But, if it takes meeting over a beer, or a couple of guys homebrewing in the garage, or hanging with friends at a beer festival to build strong meaningful relationships, I have a feeling that the beer becomes of secondary importance. I have a feeling that some of the regular readers (or first timers stumbling to our blog) might be wondering why I am veering down this side road and you might even look at me differently next time you are in the pub. I'm not real worried about that, but if my thoughts, and more importantly J.'s, struck a chord and you want to discuss this more over a pint, just buy me one and we'll talk.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Stupid Smarch.

The 5th of April is rapidly approaching if you haven't had the chance to notice yet. This March has certainly been a blur for me, and I know that April is only going to be worst. Let me run down the calender of things coming up to fill you in on our plans.

March 31st - Timeout Chicago's Best of Awards. Maybe we will win best Chicago Brewery.

April 5th - Repeal of Prohibition party and debut of our Bottled Beer.

April 16th-20th Craft Brewer's Conference/World Beer Cup in San Diego, Ca. Matt and I will be out of town catching up on the latest in the world of brewing and sitting in on seminars to learn more about how to do our jobs. Hopefully we will be coming home with some awards.

April 23rd - We haven't quite announced it yet, but Fiddlehead Cafe in Lincoln Square will be doing a joint event with us at their place. We are trying to organize a train trip via Metra and CTA to their place from Flossmoor for those who would rather not drive. But there is talk of a whole roasted pig, and we will be bringing the beer. Like I said, more details to follow.

April 25th - Night Before Dark Lord Day - You're already making the trek to Munster, IN from whereversville U.S.A. Come to Flossmoor the night before. Special Beers, new merchandise, good times.

April 29th - Spring Brewmaster's Dinner. Again, more details to follow such as price etc. Seven Courses from Chef Eduardo paired with our beers. Tickets will probably go on sale next week


Every date in there that you don't see something specifically noted for will most likely be filled with us bottling. We have made a new IPA this week that I'm pretty sure will turn out really well. Pretty Big I.P.A. coming soon.....

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Tap List 3/20/08

X-IPA (7.0% abv)
Our doubly delicious double I.P.A. made with 100% Amarillo hops. Dry hopped at a generous pound/bbl, X-IPA is a citrus bomb that will send you to grapefruit heaven.

*Special Note* Milky Way will be off until A.PA. runs out.
Milky Way Stout
(4.1% a.b.v.)
A sweet stout made with lactose that stays behind in the beer because yeast can't ferment it. Creamy with lots of caramel and stouty flavors. And at only 4.1% it's an easy drinker.

Killer Kowalski Baltic Porter
(8.0% a.b.v.)
The reigning best Baltic Porter in the country. Our deep, dark, full-bodied lager. A slightly bittersweet chocolate aroma with a malty body that hints at dark fruits. It's complex and very enjoyable with a touch of roast finish.

Black Wolf Schwarz bier
(4.8% a.b.v.)
The best schwarz bier in the U.S. according to the 2006 Great American Beer Festival. Lager body and finish with a touch of roasty aroma and body. A distinct but not overpowering black beer that just may change your idea about what a "dark beer" is.

Bitter Harvest APA
(5.7 % a.b.v.)
A crisp and bitter American Pale Ale that has all of the hops you love but less of the alcoholic strength of our Big IPAs. This of this as an IPA Junior. Full of Summit, Amarillo, and Centennial hops.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Tap List 3/14/08

For this St. Pat's weekend, we have 3 stouts on. Iron Horse, Milky Way, and Great Lake's Blackout stout.

Milky Way Stout
(4.1% a.b.v.)
A sweet stout made with lactose that stays behind in the beer because yeast can't ferment it. Creamy with lots of caramel and stouty flavors. And at only 4.1% it's an easy drinker.

Killer Kowalski Baltic Porter
(8.0% a.b.v.) on @ 8 p.m.
The reigning best Baltic Porter in the country. Our deep, dark, full-bodied lager. A slightly bittersweet chocolate aroma with a malty body that hints at dark fruits. It's complex and very enjoyable with a touch of roast finish.

Black Wolf Schwarz bier
(4.8% a.b.v.)
The best schwarz bier in the U.S. according to the 2006 Great American Beer Festival. Lager body and finish with a touch of roasty aroma and body. A distinct but not overpowering black beer that just may change your idea about what a "dark beer" is.

Bitter Harvest APA
(5.7 % a.b.v.)
A crisp and bitter American Pale Ale that has all of the hops you love but less of the alcoholic strength of our Big IPAs. This of this as an IPA Junior. Full of Summit, Amarillo, and Centennial hops.

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".



Current Guest Tap: Two Bros' Hop Juice Great Lake's Blackout Stout

Monday, March 10, 2008

Taplist 3/10/08

Killer Kowalski Baltic Porter (8.0% a.b.v.) on @ 8 p.m.
The reigning best Baltic Porter in the country. Our deep, dark, full-bodied lager. A slightly bittersweet chocolate aroma with a malty body that hints at dark fruits. It's complex and very enjoyable with a touch of roast finish.

Black Wolf Schwarz bier
(4.8% a.b.v.)
The best schwarz bier in the U.S. according to the 2006 Great American Beer Festival. Lager body and finish with a touch of roasty aroma and body. A distinct but not overpowering black beer that just may change your idea about what a "dark beer" is.

Bitter Harvest APA
(5.7 % a.b.v.)
A crisp and bitter American Pale Ale that has all of the hops you love but less of the alcoholic strength of our Big IPAs. This of this as an IPA Junior. Full of Summit, Amarillo, and Centennial hops.

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".


Current Guest Tap: Founder's Devil Dancer Two Bros' Hop Juice

Stout Fest Coming Sunday the 16th



Who: Goose(s), M.T.barrels, Blue Cat, Mickey Finn's, Lunar, RB downtown/Lombard/O.P./Warrenville, Flossmoor, Piece, America's, Harrison's, 3Floyd's.

What: 25-30+ stouts


Where: Goose Islan
d 1800 n. Clybourn

When: 1 pm-5 pm

Cost: 30 Bones

Raffle of breweriana

Call Goose to get on the ticket list. 312.915.0071

Sunday, March 02, 2008

How Old is Beer?

A little while back I said that once I got a few minutes I would tell you about my extracurricular field trip to the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. My dad had suggested we check it out because he and my mom had gone before and found it to be very cool. More or less, the O.I. is one of the best collections of fertile crescent, ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Middle East, etc, artifacts in the US and I would venture to say the world as well.

From their website:

The Foundation of the Institute

The University of Chicago has been a center of ancient Near Eastern studies ever since its founding in 1891. The first president of the university, William Rainey Harper, was a Professor of Semitic Languages and his brother, Robert Francis, was an Assyriologist. Both taught in the Department of Semitic Languages at the new university.

In 1896, the Department moved into the Haskell Oriental Museum where galleries devoted to the ancient Near East were established. Initially the collection was composed of a few plaster-cast reproductions and a small group of exhibition cases containing the little collection of antiquities. However, the collection grew rapidly as a result of both private donations and the university’s contributions to British field expeditions working in Egypt. In 1904, the University of Chicago Oriental Exploration Fund sent its first field expedition to Bismaya in Iraq. Two years later, an ambitious photographic and epigraphic survey of the temples in Nubia and Egypt was undertaken as a part of an overall project to publish all the ancient inscriptions in the Nile Valley.

I'll show you the photos I took and do my best to explain their significance. (click on any photo to see a larger version)



That blue, tarnished tube in the middle of the photo is a copper straw that was used to drink beer.



The two figures on the right are shown drinking beer out of a jug or pot through straws. The beer was unfiltered, unpasteurized, and unrefrigerated, so there would be stuff floating on top and trub on the bottom. In order to get to the good beer in the middle, you would drink out of the straw.





How little things change....



These are stamp seals that would be used to leave your personal imprint on an item for security purposes or to "sign" your name. This particular seal showed people drinking beer. Maybe it was from a bar owner.



A winged man-bull. Everyone should have one of these in their house.





These are ancient Egyptian figures showing the production of beer and bread.





This is pretty much the same process that we use today but our version is much cleaner, and Matt only occasionally brews naked.





So the long and the short of it is that beer is just about as old as civilization itself. These Egyptian artifacts are appx. four to five thousand years old. The Mesopotamian artifacts are even older. I would highly recommend visiting the museum, it's definitely one of the lesser known gems in the Chicago Museum stable.

Taplist 3/2/08

Black Wolf Schwarz bier (4.8% a.b.v.)
The best schwarz bier in the U.S. according to the 2006 Great American Beer Festival. Lager body and finish with a touch of roasty aroma and body. A distinct but not overpowering black beer that just may change your idea about what a "dark beer" is.

Bitter Harvest APA
(5.7 % a.b.v.)
A crisp and bitter American Pale Ale that has all of the hops you love but less of the alcoholic strength of our Big IPAs. This of this as an IPA Junior. Full of Summit, Amarillo, and Centennial hops.

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".

current barrel aged beer

On Now:
11 ,De Zuidentrein,

Still coming: 10

Current Guest Tap: Racer 5 Founder's Devil Dancer