Ann Arbor Brewers Guild

Fire-brewed porter

spencer — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:38:49 +0000

Jim Leach writes about his porter, brewed on a wood-fired stove in his backyard, in his blog.

March, 2010 meeting

spencer — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:59:55 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The March meeting will be hosted by Jack Carr, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, March 12.

Read more about the meeting online, including an interactive map to the location, or download the newsletter, which contains information about the meeting and features American Ale, the style of the month.

February, 2010 meeting

spencer — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:17:55 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The February meeting will be hosted by Claudia and Alex Pettit, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, February 12.

Read more about the meeting online, including an interactive map to the location, or download the newsletter, which contains information about the meeting and features English Brown Ale, the style of the month.

Sourdough Starter Instructions

spencer — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:40:21 +0000

Sour dough bread has its origins in the times before reliable commercial yeast was available for leavening. A baker had several options available to leaven bread. The local brewer was a source of yeast that, while rather slow and often bitter, was usually reliable. People away from a brewery could make a starter by capturing wild yeast from the environment, a chancy proposition at best. Because of the ubiquitous presence of Lactobacillus spp., this starter would inevitably become sour. In a true starter, wild yeast and bacteria establish a relatively stable equilibrium. When a particularly good starter was found, it would be prized, and the baker would save a portion of the previous dough or sponge in a covered container to use for the next batch. This starter is a very vigorous one that a friend brought me several years ago from a famous Parisian bakery. It is subtly sour, and as a matter of fact, the French object to calling their naturally fermented bread “sour dough.” They prefer the term “pain au levain.” While it isn’t very sour, it is far more flavorful bread than bread fermented with commercial yeast. You can make more sour bread by letting each stage ferment longer than the minimum.

ACTIVATING THE STARTER (or reactivating a dormant starter): Add the starter sample to one cup of chlorine-free water (this is essential) in a non-reactive bowl and beat it to a froth with an electric mixer, then beat in a cup (5 oz.) of flour. I desired, you could beat it to a froth several times over 30 minutes before adding the flour. The frothiness ensures good aeration for maximum growth of the yeast. This should become active and bubbly and frothy within a few hours. Then proceed to the next stage. If the starter is tired, it may take longer or more “builds” to become active.

KEEPING AND USING A STARTER: I usually save only the equivalent of one cup each of water and flour (13 oz. total weight, volume variable) in the refrigerator in a loosely sealed plastic jar. I refrigerate it at the peak of its activity. The day before I want to bake, I remove two tablespoons and proceed as above, whipping it frothy and adding a cup of flour. When it is fully active, I add another cup of water, beat to a froth, and add another cup of flour. That evening, I add one or two more cups of water, whip it, then add one or two cups of flour. The next morning it is bubbly. If I want especially sour bread, I start it earlier. This is the time to double or triple the starter for a bigger recipe. This first step with equal measures of water and flour is called the sponge stage.

If the starter has been kept long enough for it to become dormant (several weeks or months), follow the previous directions for activating the starter, using two or three tablespoons of starter and discarding the rest.

I like to use rye flour for the starter I keep for maximum vigor, and often use rye for at least part of the first cup when building a starter, even for a white bread. Rye flour makes a vigorous ferment and is a dough improver in small amounts. If I am making wheat or rye breads, I use the whole wheat or rye flour first, in the sponge, since fermentation produces enzymes that break down gluten in time. Since rye doesn’t have much gluten anyway, this results in a better rising loaf than if you let the enzymes work on wheat gluten in the sponge. Besides, I think the flavors are nicer with these flours in the sponge, especially light rye.

USES FOR SOUR DOUGH Rye breads are especially nice made with a sour dough starter. The stickiness of rye flour is largely eliminated by the acidity of the dough, and the flavor of rye bread is best with the sourness. French country loaves, both white and partly or all whole wheat, are also nice. This is essentially what San Francisco sour dough is, although it is made with a different culture.

The gluten in a sour starter is pretty well broken down by the enzymes present, and these enzymes will also weaken the gluten in dough if you use too long a fermentation time. One rise before shaping may be enough. Be sure to use flours that have high levels of strong gluten such as bread, clear, or high gluten flours. I like to make sour dough breads as hearth loaves, that is, baked without pans. You can either let them rise on a baking sheet, or on parchment, or in a basket lined with a floured cloth. For the latter two, bake them on a pizza stone, inverting the basket-risen loaf on a peel first. Slash the tops, or dock (stab) heavy rye loaves. I start them at 425F for ten minutes and then drop the oven to 375F until finished. Use steam for the first 10 minutes (heat an old cast iron skillet and put it in the bottom of the oven and put hot water in it), and if the loaves aren’t floured, spray them.

Basic Recipe

2-1/2 lbs any flour (variable) (including that in starter)

3 c water (including that in starter)

1 to 1-1/2 T salt (more for rye & French, less for Italian)

For maximum lightness and minimum sourness, proceed to next stage when starter is at maximum foaminess. For more sourness (at the expense of lower volume, which may be appropriate anyway), let the starter or sponge sit longer before adding to it.

Sample variations

French: Mild sour, all white bread flour, 1-1/2 T s.

Country French: Use portion whole wheat (try whole wheat pastry flour)

Italian: Very mild sour, 1 – 2 T light malt extract optional, 1 – 2 T olive oil, 1 T s. Good for pizza.

American sour dough: Like French but with stronger sour

Jewish rye: Mild sour, 1 to 1-1/4 lb white rye flour, balance bread flour, 1 – 2 T light malt extract optional, 1-1/4 T s.

Medium Rye: As above with medium sour, 3/4 – 1 lb. medium rye flour, 1 – 3 T any color malt extract, 1 – 2 T caraway seeds optional

Dark rye: Medium to full sour, 3/4 lb. whole rye (or dark rye) flour, 1/4 lb. coarse rye meal or whole rye kernels (be sure to use in the sponge or presoak with some of the water), 1 – 4 T dark malt extract, 1-1/2 T s.

I assume that you know basic bread making techniques. I recommend the newsgroup rec.foods.sourdough FAQ at

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/by-newsgroup/rec/rec.food.sourdough.html. It is an incredible compendium of information.

Have fun!

January, 2010 meeting

spencer — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:28:10 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The January meeting will be hosted by Randy deBeauclair, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, January 8.

Read more about the meeting online, including an interactive map to the location, or download the newsletter, which contains information about the meeting and has a nice article about mashing!

December, 2009 meeting

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:49:17 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The September meeting will be hosted by Rolf Wucherer, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, December 11.

Read more about the meeting online, including an interactive map to the location, or download the newsletter, which contains information about the meeting and features sour ales, the style of the month.

November, 2009 meeting

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:40:03 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The November meeting will be hosted by Chris Frey, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, November 13.

Read more about the meeting online, including an interactive map to the location, or download the newsletter, which contains information about the meeting and features Belgian Strong Ales, the style of the month.

AABG Brewola 2/10

spencer — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:17:09 +0000

What’s a Brewola? It’s a club brewing event of a special kind. Have fun, show off your brewing skills and learn how different beers can be from the same recipe.

This Brewola has an additional purpose: to create an AABG entry for the February, 2010 AHA club-only competition. We are selecting a “Dark Mild” style recipe, and will be providing “kits” so that we are all really brewing from the same recipe and ingredients. There are two recipe options, each of which can be brewed all-grain or extract.

SS Minnow Mild Ale-Dark Mild

The second Big Brew recipe for 2009 started out as a homebrew recipe, then it was scaled up and brewed at a craft brewery and won the brewery’s first medal at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), and now it’s a homebrew recipe again!
Most of the Dry Dock Brewing Co. recipes (including this one) began as homebrew recipes. Because of the strong homebrewing roots of the brewery, Dry Dock publishes all of their recipes in 5 gallon proportions so homebrewers can try to make them if they want. The Dry Dock Brewing Co. was founded in 2005 by the owners of The Brew Hut homebrew supply store and is located next door to the shop.

SS Minnow Mild Ale-English Dark Mild – All Grain Recipe

For a 5 gallon (19 L) yield
O.G.: 1.037
F.G.: 1.012
IBU: 15
Fermentables

5.5 lb (2.5 kg) 2-Row English Pale Malt
11 oz (312 g) English Crystal 55� L
6 oz (170 g) Crystal 120� L
3 oz (85 g) British Chocolate Malt
3 oz (85 g) Brown Malt (if unavailable, substitute Biscuit Malt or Amber Malt)

Hops

0.75 oz (21 g) East Kent Golding, 5.8% Alpha Acid, for 60 minutes (If E.K. Golding is unavailable, substitute Fuggle, or Willamette hops for 15 IBU.)

� tsp (3 g) Irish moss, for 15 minutes

Directions for All-Grain Recipe

Mash grains at 156�F (69�C) and hold for 60 minutes. Sparge with 170�F (76�C) water. Collect enough runoff to end up with 5 gallons after a 60-minute boil (approximately 6.45 gallons, or 24.4 L). Bring to a boil and add the bittering hops. Boil for 45 minutes before adding the Irish moss. Boil 15 minutes. After the 60-minute boil, chill to 67-70�F (19-21�C), transfer to a fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate well. Ferment at 67�F (19�C) for a total of one week. Rack to secondary and age for a week. Rack to keg, or add bottling sugar and bottle.

Carbonation

Force carbonate at approximately 1.75 to 2.0 volumes of CO2. or Bottle condition using 2.5 to 3 oz by weight (70 to 85 g) corn sugar
�The all-grain recipes assume 75% efficiency unless otherwise stated. Adjust the grain bill to match your system.

SS Minnow Mild Ale-Dark Mild – Extract With Specialty Grains

5 gallons (19 L) yield with a 3.5-gallon (13.2 L) boil
O.G.: 1.037
F.G.: 1.012
IBU: 15
Fermentables

3.5 lb (1.6 kg) Light Dry Malt Extract, or 4.5 lb (2.0 kg) Light Liquid Malt Extract
11 oz (312 g) English Crystal 55� L
6 oz (170 g) Crystal 120� L
3 oz (85 g) British Chocolate Malt
3 oz (85 g) Brown Malt (if unavailable, substitute Biscuit Malt or Amber Malt)

Hops

0.75 oz (21 g) East Kent Golding, 5.8% Alpha Acid, for 60 minutes (If E.K. Golding is unavailable, substitute Fuggle, or Willamette hops for 15 IBU.)

� tsp (3 g) Irish moss, added at 15 minutes

Directions for Extract Recipe

Steep grains in 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of water at 150�F (66�C) for 30 minutes, raise temperature to 170�F (77�C) then strain and sparge with 2 quarts (1.9 L) of hot water. Stir in extract for a total boil volume of 3.5 gallons (13.2 L), and bring to a boil. At the beginning of the boil, add the bittering hops. Boil for 45 minutes then add the Irish moss. Boil for 15 more minutes. After the 60-minute boil, cool the wort to 67�-70�F (19�-21�C). Transfer wort to fermenter and top-up to 5 gallons with pre-boiled and cooled water. When the wort temperature is down to 67�F (19�C), pitch the yeast and aerate well. Ferment at 67�F (19�C) for one week. Rack to secondary and age for one week. Rack to keg, or add the bottling sugar and bottle.

Carbonation

Force carbonate at approximately 1.75 to 2.0 volumes of CO2. or Bottle condition using 2.5 to 3 oz by weight (70 to 85 g) corn sugar. After the beer is carbonated, store for 2 or 3 weeks at the ideal serving temperature of 50-54�F (10-12�C) before serving.

RECIPE: NUTTY MAN BROWN ALE

OG: 1:041
FG: 1.013
ADF: 69%
IBU: 17
Color: 26 SRM
Alcohol: 3.8%
Boil: 60
Pre-boil volume: 7 gallons
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1:035

Extract:

English Pale Ale LME (3.5oL) 5 pounds 64.5%

Steeping Grains:

Crystal (80oL) 1 lb. 12.9%
Crystal (120oL) 10.0oz. 8.1%
Special; Roast 0.5lb. 6.5%
Pale Chocolate (200oL) 6.0 oz. 4.8
Carafa Special 0.25lb. 3.2

Hops

Kent Goldings 5%aa, 60min 0.85 oz. 17.4 IBU

Fermentation and Conditioning

Ferment at 68o F. When finished, carbonate the beer to approximately 1 to
1.5 volumes.

All Grain Option

Replace the English pale ale extract with 6.9 lbs. British pale ale malt.
Mash at 153o F.

Keys to brewing Southern English Brown

Another rare beer style, Southern English Brown is a dark, rich, smooth malty-sweet beer with plenty of caramel and dark fruit. This beer has little in the way of hop character and just enough hop bitterness to keep the malt sweetness from being cloying. It is similar in many ways to mild, but it is bigger and sweeter.

Just like brewing a great mild, you want to brew this beer leaving enough dextrins and other residual sugars to give it plenty of mouthfeel. Using lots of specialty malts and a good base English pale ale malt creates a nice broad malt backbone and plenty of malt character. Keep the hops simple, with just a bittering addition, and ferment with English yeast that has a low level of attenuation.

NOTE: For either of these recipes, we will be substituting 18 grams of the Mauribrew Ale yeast – more than enough for a 5 gallon batch.

October, 2009 meeting

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:52:40 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The October meeting will be hosted by John Rathmell, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, October 9. This months meeting is being hosted at the house of John’s friend Matt Frech. There is a long drive up to his house and he requests that cars be parked along the edge of the long drive, starting at the house, lining up to the road.

Read more about the meeting online, including an interactive map to the location, or download the newsletter, which contains information about the meeting and features European Amber Lager beers, the style of the month.

September, 2009 meeting

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:20:47 +0000

Please note: you must be at least 21 years old to attend AABG meetings.

The September meeting will be hosted by Bob Scholl, starting at 7:30PM on Friday, September 11.