brewer's blog
 |
Thanks Pitcher's Pub by Errol 'Butch' Chaseposted: Friday, May 30th 09:05:13 am |
| Erin, our RI & MA sales rep asked me to mention our friends at Pitcher's Pub in Cumberland RI. The event on May 22nd was a huge success and we were blown away by all the folks who've been to the Inn and vistited us at the Old New England Days, which are coming up again soon on June 28th! Our Pigs Ear and Pemi Pale is on draft at Pitcher's and the rest of our flavors are sold in bottles. Big thanks to the staff including Heather, Eric, Frank & Mark. Look for another event at Pitcher's later this summer. www.pitcherspub.net">www.pitcherspub.net | |
|
5/8/08 Boston Marathon- Great Response by Errol 'Butch' Chaseposted: Thursday, May 8th 08:05:57 am |
| Hello All, The Official beer of the Boston Marathon Pasta Dinner was a Huge success. With an estimated 5000-8000 runners and their families at the annual pre marathon pasta dinner, we had a tremendous response. Our award winning Pigs Ear Brown Ale was being served and loved by the thousands. It was a fun time had by all. We can't thank the volunteers enough, we made some great new friends and look forward to working with them in the future. Make sure you mark you calenders for Saturday, June 28th. The fourth annual Olde New England Brewfest will be happening from 4-9pm. It will be at a new location this year, main street Lincoln in the village shops parking. There will be live music and great craft beers produced by all your favorite New Hampshire Brewers. If you haven't already booked a room here at the Woodstock Inn, there going fast! Our Raspberry Wheat is back!! Make sure you come in and grab a growler or enjoy a pint here in our pub. It's a great beer for those dog days of summer. Check out our events section of the website to keep up to date on whats going on at the brewery. If we're having a tasting in your area please come in and say Hi. If brewfestivals are up your alley we will post them as soon as we are registered. We hope to see you here at the Brewery and out at our events. Thanks for your support! Cheers, Butch |
|
 |
R.u.i. 1st Offense: Wet Shorts And Socks. by Rik '' Marleyposted: Saturday, April 5th 08:04:04 am |
| The Woodstock Inn Brewery is proud to announce two more awards for our already staggering collection of awards. For the fourth year in a row, Pigs Ear Brown Ale has been chosen by the United States Beer Tasting Championships as the best brown ale in the Northeast. Also, our winter seasonal, Wassail was chosen as the best spiced ale in the Northeast narrowly missing the national title of Grand Champion by a few votes. Wassail isn't a spiced ale but the authorities at the USBTC thought it belonged in this category more than any other. The USBTC conducts a series of blind regional taste tests around the country whereupon, the winners of the regional competitions advance to the national competition to compete against other regional winners in the same category. All testing is done by professionally educated beer judges in a blind tasting fashion. That is to say, they have no idea whose beer they're tasting so as to avoid charges of bribery! Congratulations to us! The Woodstock Inn Brewery and more specifically, Pigs Ear Brown Ale will be the not so official beer of the Boston Marathon! We will be pouring Pigs Ear at the Boston Marathon Pre-Party. The 'Pasta Party' is The Boston Marathon's Pre-Race Dinner, held at Boston City Hall Plaza on Sunday, April 20. Marathon organizers will serve dinner and provide entertainment for the thousands of athletes and athletes' families completing their preparations for the Boston Marathon. We are excited to be a part of the tradition of the Boston Marathon and we'll do our part to get the runners as drunk as possible the night before the race of their lives... Our current seasonal, Kanc Country Maple Porter is a local favorite and as such it's going quickly. So get in here and have a pint before it's all gone! After the Porter, you can look forward to a batch of Cogsman Ale. Cogsman is a light, hoppy, English ale with loads of East Kent Goldings for aroma. We hope to see you here soon...I ran out of things to say! |
|
|
When Spider Monkey's Attack...!!! by Rik '' Marleyposted: Wednesday, March 12th 06:03:33 am |
| It's been a while since our last Brewers Blog so we thought we should touch base with whats going on here at the Woodstock Inn, Station and Brewery. As of this writing our winter seasonal, 'Wassail' is just about gone. While we're sad to see it go until late next fall, we're pleased to announce the return of our popular spring seasonal, 'Kanc Country Maple Porter'. This dark offering is made with a healthy dose of 'Black Patent' and 'Chocolate' malts and 45 lbs. of pure NH maple syrup in the boil. As far as hops? We added a liberal amount of Mt. Hood, Williamette and East Kent Goldings. With a higher than average starting gravity (1.068), this is a beer you can really sink your teeth into... Currently on cask: Oak Aged Pig's Ear Brown Ale. Our Pig's Ear Brown Ale has twice won the top honor at the United States Beer Tasting Championships. In appreciation of this unprecedented accomplishment, we pulled aside a cask of Pig's Ear and aged it on medium toast oak spirals for over a month. This produces a lightly roasted coffee flavor with hints of vanilla and earthy oak flavors of varying intensity. We think you'll enjoy this rare unfiltered offering. Also on tap are our standard beers Pig's Ear, Old Man Oatmeal Stout, Loon Golden Ale, Red Rack, Pemi Pale Ale and White Mountain Weasel Wheat. We have a HUGE menu at the Woodstock Inn, Station and Brewery so don't worry about finding something to eat while you sample our hand crafted beers... Last but not least: PREPARE FOR A DAY THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER! The all new brewery website will go live sometime in the next week with new features, new menus, new newness and MORE new features! We're really excited about it so keep an eye out for www.woodstockinnbrewery.com">www.woodstockinnbrewery.com coming soon to an internet connection near you! |
|
|
$ave Your Pennie$... by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, January 24th 06:01:43 am |
| Beer prices are going up and may continue to do so for the forseeable future...why? Well, one reason can be directly attributed to a worldwide hops shortage. Hops are the vine-grown flowers that account for the bitterness, aroma and majority of flavor in beer. The hop shortage is caused by poor crops compounded with high demand. The main factors that have contributed to this situation are that Europe's 2006 crop was ruined by early drought followed by late season heavy rains, while Australia's was cut by a severe drought. Canada and Germany's crop was below average. Slovenia lost at least one third and possibly as much as half of their crop to a hailstorm. England is almost out of the hop business due in part to an increased demand for corn based Ethanol. Their acreage of 2,400 in 2006 (down from 17,000 in 1976) represents only 2 percent of the worldwide acreage. The Czech crop was down 25%. These shortfalls caused a price increase of up to 200% in some cases. Some hops such as Amarillo are virtually non existant. Though the U.S. crop was average, a fire in Yakima, Washington destroyed a warehouse full of hops with contents worth between $3.5 million and $4 million or roughly 4% of the 2006 hop yield. While this alone wasn't considered a major loss, combined with the rest of the hop industy's losses, it proved to be substantial. Many brewers have pre-ordered thier entire years worth of hops on a first come first serve basis. We were lucky enough to receive priority at the Woodstock Inn Brewery so as far as our beers go, little, if any change should be expected. Another victim of the increased demand for corn (besides your pint glass) is Barley. For centuries the staple of modern brewing, many barley farmers are now turning thier collective backs on the brewing industry to chase the inflated profits of corn crops. With the world in search of a way to reduce oil dependancy, corn arguably seems to be bridging the gap between fossil fuels and a truly renewable energy solution. In addition, the harvest in Europe diminished by one third due to the long rainless period last summer followed by heavy rains. Normally the industry could compensate by ordering barley from Australia, however, Australia is suffering the worst drought in nearly a century. All this adds up to an increase at the counter and at the tap. Fortunately, while you lament the price increase, you can drown your sorrows at the same time. For the Woodstock Inn and Brewery, this is the brew crew saying "So long and thanks for all the fish." |
|
|
Mash 4077th...hot Lips!!! by Rik '' Marleyposted: Wednesday, January 16th 08:01:17 pm |
| Welcome to another brewers blog. This time around, we're going to discuss the portion of the brewing process that gives us fermentable sugars. Known as the mash or mash-in, this step involves adding a predetermined amount of malted grain to a specific volume of water at differing temperatures, depending on the type of beer being brewed and the type of brewery being used. The grain most commonly used is malted barley although wheat and rye are also fairly common. Some larger domestic brewers substitute rice as a cheap alternative to the more expensive malted grains used by most craft brewers. Malted barley can come in a variety of colors and degrees of roast and is made by allowing a grain to germinate, after which it is then dried in a kiln and sometimes roasted. The germination process creates a number of enzymes which will be used to convert the starch in the grain into sugar. Depending on the amount of roasting, the malt will take on a dark color and strongly influence the color and flavor of the beer. The malt is crushed to break apart the grain kernels, increase their surface area, and separate the smaller pieces from the husks. The resulting grist is mixed with heated water in a vat called a mash tun. During this process, enzymes within the malt break down much of the starch into sugars which play a vital part in the fermentation process. Mashing usually takes 1 to 2 hours. The activity of these enzymes convert the starches of the grains to dextrins and then to fermentable sugars such as maltose. The mash tun generally contains a slotted false bottom which acts as a strainer allowing for the separation of the liquid from the grain. At this point the liquid is known as wort. The wort is moved into a large tank known as a copper or kettle where it is boiled with hops and sometimes other ingredients. Stop into the Woodstock Inn and Brewery on Main Street in North Woodstock for a closer look at the brewing process but, come early...brewers keep strange hours...Cheers! |
|
|
Glasses For The Masses!!! by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, December 6th 07:12:34 am |
| It's been a while since our last installment of the Brewers blog so for our triumphant return we bring you a chat on beer glassware. Choosing the correct beer glass is just as important to beer as serving temperature and food pairings. Probably the most well known beer glass would be the Tumbler, Nonic or conical pint glass. This glass is the utility player of the beer world...good for just about every type of beer and are better known for their durability than for any particularly beneficial properties. A pilsner glass is a glass used to serve many types of light beers, but is intended for its namesake, the pilsner. They are tall, slender and tapered. Wheat beer glasses are often mistakenly referred to as pilsner glasses, but a true pilsner glass has an even taper without curvature. Pilsner glasses are made to showcase the color, effervescence, and clarity of the pilsner, as well as to maintain a nice head. The classic German wheat beer glass or Weizen (pronounced VITE-ZEN) glass is tall, narrow and flared at the top. This design accentuates both the hazy appearance of a classic hefeweizen, but also allows for abundant head formation. Another popular glass style is the chalice which is used primarily for big, strong belgian beers. This glass is wide mouthed with a short stem and is designed to accentuate the head and to accomodate deep sips of the beer. A snifter is usually associated with Brandy or Cognac but is also a fine choice for stronger belgian beers, american imperial ales, Barleywines or beers with a wild yeast strain such as Geuze or Lambics. This glass is designed to provide room to swirl the beer which captures and enhances volatiles, bringing forth aroma. There are many other styles of serving apparatus but we've covered the basics so you can go away armed with the knowledge to properly serve most beers...see you next time and hopefully it won't be so long until our next...BREWERS BLOG!! |
|
|
Hearty Holidaze... by Rik '' Marleyposted: Wednesday, October 31st 11:10:26 am |
| A hearty hello to all beer fans out there in New England! Up here in the White Mtns. we're pleased to announce the release of 'Wassail', our winter warmer style ale. This holiday favorite will not only be released to the public here at the Woodtock Inn Brewery but will also make it's debut in a four pack of 12 oz. bottles. Weighing in at 8.1% abv, this malty, dark ruby colored brew is an unspiced English style winter warmer with a moderate alcohol warmth and low hop bitterness. Wassail makes a great pairing with poultry or wild game meat and is best served between 40-45 degrees Farenheit from a Becker, Nonic or Tumbler type of pint glass. Look for it starting mid November. On cask as of November 2nd ; 'Toasted Autumn'. An oak infused Autumn Brew drawn off the fermenter before the addition of apples and spices...we're interested to see what this one tastes like. In related news, we have cellared two casks of Wassail for a year and are ready to serve them on our beer engine. One cask, aged with 6 oz. of bourbon infused hickory chips, will make it's debut in mid November. We haven't decided what to do with the second one so stay tuned for more info... If you haven't heard of our Brewers weekends, heres a little tutorial; 5 meals, 2 nights stay, brew a batch of beer and all beer included from Friday to Saturday night. Upcoming dates include January 4th-5th, November 9th and 10th and March 28th-29th. Interested? For reservations call 1.800.321.3985 or visit www.woodstockinnnh.com">www.woodstockinnnh.com for more information. Not to pat ourselves on the back (but who else will) we are proud to have won Best in the Northeast in the United States Beer Tasting Championships for our Pemi Pale Ale and our Loon Golden Ale and honorable mention for our Red Rack Ale...Congratulations team! As always...look for our beers in 12 oz. bottles in 12 packs and six packs wherever fine beers are sold. |
|
|
Why Not The Other Michael Jackson...? by Rik '' Marleyposted: Wednesday, October 10th 02:10:03 pm |
| Welcome to another installment of the brewers blog. This week we'd like to pay tribute to a giant in the beer industry; Michael Jackson. No, not that Michael Jackson... Born March 27 1942 in Wetherby, Yorkshire, England, Jackson went to King James's School in Almondbury and became a journalist. He became famous in beer circles in 1977 when his book 'The World Guide To Beer' was published. This book is still considered to be one of the fundamental books on the subject. The modern theory of beer is largely based on work done by Jackson to categorize the different types of beers worldwide in local style groups suggested by local customs and names. He coined the phrases 'top fermenting' and 'bottom fermenting' yeasts. Jacksons work had a particularly huge impact on the North American Brewing movement and as such, he hosted a variety of U.S. television shows, most notably 'the Beer Hunter'. During his career as a beer critic, he penned hundreds of articles in newspapers, magazines and websites around the world as well as several books on the subject. Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 65 on August 30th 2007 of a heart attack in his home in England. It was revealed in December of 2006 that he had been battling with Parkinsons disease for at least a decade. Suggested reading of his work would include the New World Guide to Beer (1988) and Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium (1991). |
|
|
Don't You Want To Know What The *@&% We're Doing Up Here??? by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, September 20th 05:09:09 pm |
| Hello and welcome to this weeks installment of the brewers and blog. We now offer fully smoke free dining thanks to recently passed state legislation. Currently pouring on tap at the brewery, inn and restaurant, our mainstay beers Pigs Ear Brown Ale, Red Rack Ale, Loon Golden Ale, Old Man Oatmeal Stout, Pemi Pale Ale and White Mountain Weasel Wheat. Just in time for the Highland Games, our current seasonal is Clan Scottish Style Ale which is a deep brown, nutty, full bodied ale with a huge malt presence and a slightly smoky finish. Cask conditioned Pemi Pale Ale will be pouring on the handpump for at least another week followed by an oak infused and dry hopped Pigs Ear Brown Ale. We had another great brewers weekend this past week with a total of 18 brewers from up and down the eastern seaboard assisting in brewing a batch of Red Rack Ale and culminating in a fine dining experience in the Clement Room of the Woodstock Inn Station. If you or someone you know would like to be a part of the fun, we still have availability for Nov. 2nd & 3rd, Nov. 9th & 10th and Nov. 16th & 17th brewers weekends. For more information, please call 1-800-321-3985. Coming in October will be the old fall favorite: Autumn Brew! Autumn is a great time to celebrate the bounty of New Hampshire’s harvest with our Autumn Ale. This nut-brown ale is brewed with apples, cinnamon and nutmeg and is described as a slice of apple pie turned into beer. Come on in and say hi to the brewers, sit down for a great meal and have a pint of the White Mountains favorite handmade craft brew from the Woodstock Inn Brewery. |
|
|
Everything You Ever Wanted To Forget About Hops... by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, September 6th 07:09:51 pm |
| Hops are an important part of the brewing process...they are not only used as a stabilizing agent but hops are the ingredient in beer responsible for bitterness, hop flavor and aroma. Hops come from the flowers of Humulus lupulus and they can contribute aromas that are flowery, citrus, fruity or herbal. Hops have an antibiotic effect in the brewing process in that they have characteristics that favor the activity of brewers yeast over less desirable spoilage bacteria and micro-organisms. There is no other major commercial use for hops other than in beer. Hops are grown all over the world as well as on Mars. Just checking to see if you were paying attention. In America, such popular domestic varieties as Cascade, Columbus, Chinook, Williamette and Mt. Hood are grown in the Northwest states of Oregon and Washington. The 'Noble Hop' varieties of Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger, Spalt, and Saaz are grown exclusively in Europe. Pride of Ringwood is an infamous hop grown in Australia. All told, there are over fifty varieties of hops grown worldwide. Hops consist of the hop oil humulene and low amounts of alpha acids cohumulone and adhumulone, as well as lower amounts of the harsher-tasting beta acids lupulone, colupulone, and adlupulone. The flavor imparted by hops varies by type and use. Hops boiled with the beer for the entire boil produce bitterness. Hops added to beer later impart some degree of hop flavor or hop aroma and a lesser degree of bitterness. Adding hops after the wort has cooled and the beer has fermented is known as 'dry hopping' and adds hop aroma, but no bitterness. The degree of bitterness imparted by hops depends on the percentage of alpha acids in the hop and the total time allowed to boil. The longer the boil and the higher the Alpha Acid percentage, the more bitterness imparted to the beer. The impact of a given amount of hops is specified in International Bitterness Units. For example, in our Pemi Pale Ale, we bitter with Fuggles (England), flavor with Cascade (USA) and add aroma with Kent Goldings (England) and Cascade. We also dry hop with Cascade. Well, there you have it...everything you need to know about hops that you can learn in five minutes of reading. |
|
|
History Of Beer: Part I I by Rik '' Marleyposted: Monday, August 27th 06:08:38 pm |
| The last installment of the Brewers Blog saw a brief history of beer ending with the Reinheitsgebot or German Beer Purity Law. Lets pick up where we left off. Beer became a major export in Europe in the 1500s and later. In Hamburg alone, over 600 breweries existed and were necessary to handle the export of beer to places as far away as India. In fact, breweries were one of the most important financial contributors to the local economy. In the beginning of the 19th century, two extremely important inventions revolutionized beer brewing. The first was James Watt's steam engine and the second invention was artificial cooling by Carl von Linde. At that time it had already been scientifically proven that the making of good beer required certain temperatures. Some of these temperatures occurred naturally only in winter. From the time of von Linde's invention on, brewing could take place in summer too. The first breweries to use steam power called themselves Steam Beer Breweries. Today, one brewery in Germany still uses the name steam beer. Another, Anchor Steam Brewery located in San Francisco uses the moniker to describe a style of brewing. That is, fermenting with a Lager yeast at Ale temperatures. Louis Pasteurs' knowledge of microorganisms became an indispensable guide to brewers who previously thought that beer spoilage was the work of 'beer witches'. From this point forward brewers could rest assured, if a batch of beer suffered from spoilage, it was due to unsanitary work procedures and sloppy brewing practice. Another major trend in the brewing industry took hold in the 1960s. In 1964, metal barrels or kegs were introduced in Germany to much fanfare. Cleaning and filling kegs was much simpler and tapping and closing off was much easier for the bar personnel. This was a big hit with pub and restaurant owners. Kegs are cylindrical, made of stainless steel or aluminum and contain an extractor tube. Some compressed carbon dioxide remains in the keg after closing off to prevent the beer residue from drying out. In the mid 80s and early 90s, another major transformation took place in the beer landscape, that of the microbrewery. The boom happened nearly overnight and the downfall happened nearly as quickly. Thankfully though, now that the industry has had time to find its own identity and weed out the bad seeds, the small sub sector of the brewing industry known as microbrewing is on it's way back. With large domestic breweries copying the trends of microbreweries, it lends credence to the notion that the discerning beer drinker is no longer a small portion of the populace. Till next time, "War! Huh! Good god! What is it good for? Absolutely nothin." |
|
|
History Of Beer: Part I by Rik '' Marleyposted: Friday, July 13th 11:07:58 am |
| Beer is the worlds oldest alcoholic beverage and its' most popular. In addition, it is one of the oldest man-made beverages dating to the 7th Millennium B.C. by way of written history. There is suggestive chemical evidence of beer dating to approximately 3500-3100 B.C. Early cultures often drank beer through straws to avoid grain hulls left in the beverage. For a time, beer was considered nourishment for the working class, the lowly and the downtrodden. Referred to as 'liquid bread', you may read in ancient texts of a man drinking his bread. For the Romans, who almost exclusively drank wine, beer was a horrible barbarian drink. The ancient Germans (about 800BC) regarded beer not only as a sacrifice to the gods but also brewed beer, as in Egypt, for their own enjoyment and it played an important role in their daily lives. In medieval times, monks were intensively concerned with making beer because they wanted a pleasant tasting, nutritious drink to serve with their meals, which were frugal at best, especially during the fasting periods. As the consumption of liquids was not considered to break the fast, beer was always permitted. In 1516 in order to guarantee a high level of reliability, quality and consistency, the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm IV, proclaimed the German Beer Purity Law also known as the Reinheitsgebot. This decree established for the first time that only barley (later malted barley), hops and pure water could be used to brew beer. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time. The success of the fermentation process was left to chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast particles in the air also known as spontaneous fermentation. In the next installment, we'll continue where we have left off. |
|
|
What's Goin On...? by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, June 28th 04:06:39 pm |
| As I write this, it's 90 degrees and MUGGY. Perfect weather for a refreshing dip in your local swimming hole and an ice cold White Mountain Raspberry Weasel Wheat. This tasty wheat brew is sold between the months of May and August and is sure to go down easy on these dog days of summer. Available in 12 ounce bottles and on draft in NH, MA, RI, and VT. Thanks to all the breweries and beer lovers who attended this years' Olde New England Days Beerfest in N. Woodstock. The event was a huge success and we can see it growing even bigger and better next year and beyond. Hopefully in the works for next year? A new location in Lincoln or Woodstock with more room for attendees, more breweries and double the porta-pots!!! In other news, we'd like to welcome aboard the newest member of our sales team, Erin Marley. Erin is a long time resident of the Boston area and her knowledge of the local drinking establishments is the stuff of legend. To contact our sales team, visit woodstockinnbrewery.com or call 1 (800) 321-3985. Currently pouring on cask is Pemi Pale Ale, cellared for a month and dry-hopped with Cascade flowers. HOLY HOPS!!! Next up? Loon Golden aged on oak and dry hopped with hops harvested last season from our own vines. Look for it mid July. Also on tap, Red Rack, Pemi Pale, Pigs Ear Brown, Weasel Wheat, Raspberry Weasel Wheat, Loon Golden and Old Man Oatmeal Stout. Drink up! Come visit our booth at the Vermont Brewers Festival July 20 & 21, 2007 Waterfront Park, Burlington, Vermont. Always a crowd pleaser, have your picture taken with one or both of our brewers or feed them grain RIGHT FROM THE PALM OF YOUR HAND! They wont bite (OK, Butch will) The first person to tell us what the following references are from wins some prizes...Bye for now...143 emotional friend...OH MY. |
|
|
Save The Cows! And Deer! by Rik '' Marleyposted: Friday, June 15th 10:06:00 am |
| Hello and welcome to another brewers blog entry. So you know how barley and wheat are a part of the brewing process? If you don't, refer to previous entries. Well, the uses of these grains don't stop there. After the starch in the grains converts to sugar, what remains is called 'spent grains. 'Spent' because the enzymes in the grain have helped to convert the starch in the grains to fermentable sugar. No more enzyme, no more starch and after sparging, no more sugar. Hence, spent. These so-called spent grains have many uses. Here at the brewery, we use them in the breads made by our very own baker, Harry. We also use spent grains in our pizza crust and in a few other on premise foods. We set some of the grains aside for a local deer farmer who feeds them to his herd of farm raised whitetail. In addition to the uses described here, some brewers report spent grain as an excellent source of nutrients for growing mushrooms, especially Shiitake. Dairy farmers have found that the feeding of spent grains to dairy cattle presents an uptick in milk production. Spent grains have also been found to be a great composting material. At Woodstock Inn Brewery, we're committed to promoting a healthy and earth conscious alternative to grain usage and disposal. |
|
|
Seasonal Sippin' by Rik '' Marleyposted: Monday, May 21st 09:05:19 pm |
| As seasons change, so too, do beer styles. Many beer styles are named after or brewed for particular seasons or times of year. Maibock, for instance is a strong, pale-colored lager traditionally brewed for consumption in the springtime. Marzen is a medium-strong (5.5% or greater) malty, lager beer brewed in March for consumption in the summer months culminating in the annual autumn celebrations known as Octoberfest or Oktoberfest. Octoberfest 'style' beers are actually varying styles of Marzen. A Saison, or farmhouse ale is a highly hopped belgian beer of varying strength (5%-8%) traditionally brewed in the late autumn or early winter months for consumption during the late summer harvest. In America, wheat beers are usually brewed for light, crisp sipping during the hot summer months. In a few short days at the Woodstock Inn Brewery, you'll find the re-emergence of White Mountain Raspberry Weasel Wheat. This is our own unique take on beer brewed for the summer season. PROST! | |
|
Yeasty!!! by Rik '' Marleyposted: Wednesday, April 25th 07:04:36 am |
| Yeast is the sole factor responsible for the creation of alcohol. The process by which alcohol is created is called fermentation. Fermentation is defined as the anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast. The two main by-products of fermentation are alcohol and CO2. In addition to fermenting the beer, yeast largely influences the flavors in beer. There are two dominant types of yeast used to make beer. Ale yeast or Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a top fermenting species of budding yeast. Ale yeast is considered a top fermenting type of yeast because during the fermentation process it rises to top of the fermentation vessel. It is probably the most important of the yeasts owing to its use since ancient times in baking and brewing. There are many different strains of ale yeast. Lager yeast or Saccharomyces Uvarum is a bottom fermenting species of yeast that is believed to originate as a hybrid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces Monacensis. Lager yeast is considered a bottom-fermenting yeast because it does not form the foam on top of the wort that top-fermenting yeast does. There are many different strains of Lager yeast. Additionally, there are several so called wild species of yeast such as Brettanomyces, of which there are several variations including Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and Brettanomyces Lambicus. Ales are generally fermented at warmer temperatures (60-75 degrees F) than Lagers (45-55 degrees F). In addition, Lagers often undergo a secondary fermentation process at much colder temperatures (32-40 degrees F) known as lagering, however there are always exceptions to the rule. A type of beer invented and produced in California called 'steam beer' uses a lager strain fermented at ale temperatures. Here at the Woodstock Inn Brewery we use an ale yeast, finding it's origins in the Ringwood Brewery in England, aptly named Ringwood Ale Yeast. | |
|
Beer And Food Pairings... by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, April 5th 07:04:08 pm |
| Let's talk beer and food pairings. Much like wine and champagne, each beer has it's place as an accompaniment to a food dish. Take for example shellfish. For centuries in Britian and Ireland, dark porters and stouts have been the main companion for oysters, clams, mussels and crustaceans. For a salad or vegetable hors d'oeuvre, try the classic pairing of a strong brown ale common to the US and England. A delicate Pilsner such as Hallertau Auer Pils or Bitburger Premium Pils, both made in Germany will highlight the flavors of fish without dominating them. Vienna-Style lagers, Marzen and Oktoberfest style beers are traditionally paired with dishes consisting of roasted, fried or baked chicken. For a pork dish, a likely pairing would be an Irish Red Ale. The assertive Pale Ales of the US would be the perfect beers to serve with roast beef, prime rib or a steak. And finally, cheese. BEHOLD! THE POWER OF CHEESE! Many Trappist Monasteries in Belgium make both beer and cheese. The perfect mating for cheese is an Abbey-style ale. Westvleteren, Leffe and Chimay are prime examples of this style of beer. Of course, you're welcome to pair any beer you like with any dish in front of you. After all, it is a matter of personal taste, however these guidelines are followed relatively closely for beer dinners and at fine restaurants the world over. | |
|
Adjuncts In Brewing by Rik '' Marleyposted: Tuesday, March 13th 10:03:52 pm |
| This week we're going to talk about adjuncts in brewing. An adjunct is basically any unmalted grain, sugar or spice used in the brewing process as a suplement to the main mash ingredients, including but not limited to rice, oatmeal, wheat, maple syrup and rye. Adjuncts may be used by the brewer to affect the flavor of beer, to lighten the body and the mouthfeel, increase alcohol content, or add a little sweetness. Originally, Adjuncts in the brewing process were used mainly as a cost cutting technique but with the advent of the craft beer movement the focus has shifted away from money saving and more toward adding a unique and distinct touch to a specific style of beer or to simply experiment with different flavors. Examples of the latter can be found in vanilla bean porters, coffee or chocolate stouts, spiced seasonal beers and fruit flavored wheat beers (including our own upcoming Raspberry Weasel Wheat). Some grains, such as rye, add to head retention and others, like wheat are a required adjunct when brewing certain styles, ie. Wit, Hefeweizen, American Wheat or German Wheat beer. Well that's all the time we have for this week, gotta go taste the beer. Join us next week for our special 'scratch and sniff and taste' blog entry... |
|
|
Almost Time For Kanc Country Maple Porter... by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, February 22nd 08:02:04 pm |
| Although the snow has just begun to fly up here in the north country, it's once again time to turn our thoughts to the spring. While we still have precious few barrels of Wassail remaining, next week we will begin brewing our spring seasonal favorite, Kanc Country Maple Porter. We add about five gallons of pure New Hampshire maple syrup directly to the boil to give this obsidian-colored porter a bittersweet maple flavor while adding a dose of much appreciated fermentable sugar. The term 'Porter' took its name from its popularity with the thousands of street, market and river porters (a person employed to carry luggage and supplies) of London, who drank it to refresh themselves as they carried goods and parcels on and off ships in the Thames and around the streets of England's capital. Early porters were intended to be strong, dark ales brewed with 100% brown malt. The strongest versions of Porter were known as Stout Porter, reduced over the years to simply Stout. Guinness Extra Stout was originally called "Extra Superior Porter" and was only given the name Extra Stout in the mid 1800s. Taxation on malt during the Napoleonic Wars (1805–1815) temporarily lowered the alcohol percentages dramatically. With the advent of the hydrometer, brewers noticed that Brown Malt, though cheaper than Pale Malt, only produced about two thirds as much fermentable sugar. When the malt tax was increased to help pay for the Napoleonic War, brewers had an incentive to use less malt. With the invention of 'black patent malt' (a very dark roasted barley used to add color and a roasty or smoky flavor) in 1817, it was now possible to brew Porter from 95% Pale Malt and 5% black patent malt, though most London brewers continued to use some Brown Malt for flavor. This is essentially the blueprint for a basic porter recipe today. That's all the time we have for this week. Join us next week as we attempt to cross the time-space continuum in a 1982 De Lorean. And if time permits, explain a bit about fermentable sugars and the use of fermentable adjuncts in brewing. |
|
|
Whats Brewin'...? by Rik '' Marleyposted: Thursday, January 25th 03:01:01 pm |
| Come down to the brewpub beginning January 24th and enjoy a pint of cask conditioned Wassail on the beer engine. This latest offering is dry-hopped in the cask with Cascade flowers from the Northwest U.S. for a more profound aromatic quality. The brew team is proud to announce Pigs Ear Brown Ale as the Grand Champion in the brown ale category for the second time at the United States Beer Tasting Championships !!! This is a great honor for us as literally hundreds of beers from all over the country are judged in a blind tasting. More awards are sure to come our way but this is the only CONFIRMED win so far... Come join The Woodstock Inn Brewery at the Boston Beer Summit Winter Jubilee on Saturday January 27th at the Castle at Park Plaza, 64 Arlington Street, Boston, MA. Two tastings and 50+ breweries will provide more than enough weekend entertainment for you now that the Patriots' season is over. For more information click here ---> http://beersummit.com/customer/home.php and here ---> http://www.patriots.com/homepage/ Make sure you brush your teeth and floss 3 times a day to keep the cavities away...and use ADA approved toothpaste, floss and mouthwash. Just because you have dental insurance doesn't mean you want to use it... |
|
|
The Return Of Wassail Ale! by Errol 'Butch' Chaseposted: Wednesday, December 20th 12:12:16 pm |
| It's the holiday season and with that brings one of my favorite brews. It's our Wassail Ale. This brew is over 9% abv(alcohol by volume)and is sure to warm you on those cold, hopefully snowy nights. This offering is deep ruby in color, with toasted malt flavor and hop assertiveness with warming alcohol finish. The name "Wassail" is steeped in tradition. Wassailing is very ancient, the word itself comes from the Anglo Saxon Wass Hael, meaning to your health. On the twelfth night celebrations, a bowl known as the wassailing bowl would be filled with a drink known as lambs wool, each person present would drink from the bowl and wish good health to others. There are many other traditions and customs concerning wassailing, which shows how popular and deeply entrenched in English society the custom of wassailing was and is. Poor people and families would go from house to house with an empty wassail cup singing wassail carols asking for food and drink. They would also carry sticks and branches known as wassail sticks, these wassail sticks like the wassail bowl would be decorated with greenery and ribbons. Another wassail tradition is that of wassailing trees, especially that of apple trees. At dusk, the people wassailing the trees would sing songs and pour cider upon the roots of the trees, pieces of toast would be hung from the branches. Noises would be made with horns to scare away evil spirits. There are other versions of this ancient tradition. Thats what this time of year is about, tradition and family. The family at the Woodstock Inn and Brewery would like to wish your family a safe and healthy holiday season. Cheers and Happy Holidays from all of us, Butch |
|