TapWerks offers chance to try ancient Egyptian beer recipe
It’s a big-time beer week at TapWerks this week, with three special pint nights in the offing. Things get rolling tonight with a North Coast Brewing Co. pint night featuring Pranqster, Old Rasputin, Scrimshaw and Acme IPA on draft.
That will be followed up on Thursday night with a side-by-side, or vertical, tasting of the 2011 and 2012 Choc Gose on tap.
And then, to take the cake, on Friday, TapWerks will feature a collaboration brew from COOP Ale Works and homebrewer Ross Harper — a re-creation of an ancient Egyptian ale made with chamomile, bread and dates.
Harper, who goes by the brewing handle Angry Scotsman Brewing, gave me a breakdown of the beer:
The beer is a no-hop, no-boil recipe that’s based on what I could read about Egyptian brews. It’s a long mash of a pseudo-bread, consisting of 2-row, maize and wheat, proofed with bakers yeast, baked until the outside is toasty yet the inside still raw enough that the enzymes aren’t killed. We added chopped dates and chamomile to the mash, and let it go for about 4 hours, then drained, cooled and pitched brewers yeast. My original batch has medaled a few times, and this re-brew with COOP is the same recipe.
Sounds fascinating. Get yourself down to TapWerks on Friday to grab a sample of this award-winning brew.
Daily Pints
-Speaking of TapWerks, the bar was named to DRAFT Magazine’s list of top 100 beer bars for the sixth straight year. Here’s what the magazine wrote:
It’s as fun to explore this three-story Bricktown bar as it is to excavate the whopping 212-tap list. Grab a seat at the bar or seek out a leather chair in a hidden nook, browse books in the upstairs library, shoot pool and darts, or just follow the noise to find live music, which hits the stage three nights a week.
-COOP Ale Works’ fourth anniversary party/charity fundraiser brought in $6,800 for the Central Oklahoma Humane Society.
-New Belgium Brewing became 100 percent employee-owned.
-Beer seasons don’t last long. Proof? I feel like we just got finished with Christmas beers and already there’s this: Choc’s spring seasonal, Spring Pilsner, is set to hit liquor store shelves this week. Word on the street is that consumers burned through Choc’s supply of Winter Stout and the brewery moved up release of its spring seasonal to fill the gap. Also, Choc’s Belgian OPA is expected in February.
-Roughtail Brewing may have come up short in its recent Kickstarter project, but at least it has a kick-ass new website.
-The highly anticipated launch of Brewdog in Oklahoma should happen Feb. 2, according to the well-connected @kylewjohnson621.
Homebrew project: Robust Chili Pepper Porter
Big news brewing — well, fermenting, to be exact — in the homebrew world. OK, so “big news in the homebrew world” may be a slight overstatement, but either way, I’m excited to share details of a recent joint homebrew project I was able to take part in. You see, over the past couple months, my homebrew circle has been trying/experimenting with various pepper beers. I’ve had the following:
-Billy’s Chilies (Twisted Pine Brewing)
-Rio Grande Pancho Verde Chile Cerveza (Rio Grande & Sierra Blanca Brewing)
-Ghost Face Killa (Twisted Pine Brewing)
-Ghost Pepper Amber Ale (Homebrew)
-Ghost Pepper IPA (Homebrew)
-Jalapeno Diablo (Homebrew)
So naturally, why not get together for a group brew session and scheme up a recipe for a pepper beer that pushes the limits a bit?
A couple weeks ago, we did just that, brewing up a robust porter featuring Anaheim, New Mexico, jalapeno and ghost peppers. One of the coolest parts — for me — is that the Anaheim, New Mexico and jalapenos were grown in my own garden over the summer. The pepper garden — it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Anyway, the big preliminary-taste-to-see-if-it’s-hot-enough-session is set for tomorrow. Can’t wait to see what we’ve got. I’ve attached the recipe below, which was devised by homebrewer extraordinaire and Beer Selection Committee member John Elkins and crafted using ingredients from John, Gail White from the Brew Shop, myself and Evan “Ghost Pepper” Lemley.
Robust Chili Pepper Porter
6 Gallon end of boil
70% mash efficiency
75 minute boil
SRM 42.1
IBU 35.8
1.069 OG
1.015 FG
7.1% ABV
10.75 LB American 2 row
3 LB Munich 10L
1 LB Carapils
14 oz Black Patent 500L
12 OZ Chocolate 350L
8 OZ Crystal 80
0.9 OZ Nugget 13% AA @ 60 minutes for 35.8 IBU
Whirlfloc Tablet @ 15 minutes
1.25 OZ Centennial @ 0 minutes ( whirlpool 15 minutes )
1/2 Ghost Pepper @ 0 minutes ( whirlpool 15 minutes )
1/2 New Mexico Pepper @ 0 minutes ( whirlpool 15 minutes )
1 PKG Nottingham Ale yeast with 1 quart starter
Mash Grains for 60 minutes @ 156*F
Raise to mash out and sparge with 170* water ( mine is 7.5 gallons in the kettle for a 75 minute boil )
Boil wort for specified time.
Chill to 66* transfer to Carboy, aerate and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 69*F for 6 days and transfer to secondary.
Add 1 New Mexico and 1 Anaheim with a 1″ slit in the side of each.
On day 12 add 1 Ghost Pepper and 1 Jalapeno with 1″ slit in the side of each.
Looks good, right? I hope to be sharing at an upcoming homebrew meeting near you.
Daily Pints
-Nice video about craft beer styles here, passed along by Marshall Brewing.
-Here’s a video that takes you inside the beer-brewing process at the White House. Pretty cool.
-Check the label for Prairie Artisan Ales’ latest offering, Prairie Okie, an imperial brown ale aged in oak whiskey barrels. Expect to see this in March.
-The pint night at McNellie’s OKC and McNellie’s Tulsa tonight features Sam Smith Winter Welcome. The pint night at McNellie’s Norman features Young’s Double Chocolate Stout.
-Direct from the Biergarten in Jenks, here are your latest new beer postings (people are super-pumped for Green Flash Brewing, and I hear the Tallgrass Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat is excellent):
1. Heelch O’Hops – Anderson Valley (Imperial IPA 4-packs)
2. Tallgrass Brewing Vanilla Buffalo Sweat (Vanilla oatmeal stout)
3. Green Flash Hophead Red (Bombers and 4-packs)
4. Green Flash Imperial IPA (Bombers)
5. Green Flash Trippel (Bombers)
6. Green Flash West Coast IPA (Kegs, bombers and 4-packs)
7. Mustang Imperial Court (Raspberry Russian imperial stout)
8. Petrus Red Ale (Bomber)
9. St. Peter’s Sorgham Beer
10. Dieu Du Ciel Solstice D’hiver (American-style barleywine)
11. Widmer Columbia Common (Calif. common)
Kickstarter beer project update No. 2
Earlier this week I wrote about a Kickstarter project by Roughtail Brewing to fund a new canning line. It looks like Roughtail is not the only new/newish brewer to get in on the act.
Black Mesa Brewing has also started a Kickstarter drive. Black Mesa’s goal is to raise $17,990 in order “to secure the time and space needed to brew at OKCity Brewing Co. (a brewing cooperative) for 8 months.”
With 16 days to go, they have 35 backers pledging $3,945.
If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter, it’s a fundraising tool that offers swag in exchange for your pledge. If the project doesn’t receive enough pledges to meet its goal, no money is taken.
Black Mesa is hoping to ride the wave produced by the release of its newest beer — ESB, or Endless Skyway Bitter — to reach its goal.
Daily Pints
-Props once again to Freddy at the BierGarten in Jenks for keeping beer fans posted on potential new offerings coming into Oklahoma. I lifted the latest list of postings from the BierGarten FB page; some interesting selections on here, although as Freddy says, it’s not officially in the state until it appears on the shelves:
1. Blanch de Namur (Belgian witbier)
2. Brew Dog 5 a.m. Saint (American amber)
3. Brew Dog Dogma (Herb/spiced beer)
4. Brew Dog Hardcore (Double American IPA)
5. Brew Dog Punk (American IPA)
6. Brew Dog Tokyo (Big Russian imperial stout – 18.2% ABV)
7. Bridgeport Smooth Ryde Ale (Rye specialty ale)
8. Choc Belgian Style OPA
9. Czechvar Dark
10. Hacker Pschorr Munich Gold (Munich Helles lager)
11. Great Divide Orabell Belgian Tripple
12. Leinenkugel Canoe Paddler (Kölsch)
13. Mustang Dopplehopper IPA
14. Prairie Cherry Funk (Details to come)
15. Prairie Croquet (Details to come)
16. Prairie Fire (Details to come)
17. Prairie Funky Galaxy (Spelt saison w/galaxy hops and prairie yeast strain)
18. Prairie Pirate Noir (Appleton Estate Jamaican rum barrels)
19. Prairie Red (Details to come)
20. Prairie Rose (Details to come)
21. Prairie Pineapple Funk (Details to come)
22. Prairie Voussoirs (Details to come)
23. Prairie Gold (Sour Golden Ale)
24. Prairie Somewhere Saison (Collab between Prairie and St. Somewhere in Florida brewed with 400 lbs. of oranges)
25. Prairie Legend (Barrel-aged gold)
26. Prairie ‘Merica (Single-malt, single-hop saison)
27. Redhook Mudslinger (English brown ale)
28. Samuel Adams Double Agent IPA
29. Samuel Adams Tasman Red
30. Samuel Adams Third Voyage
31. Schneider Weisse Tap X Mein Nelson Sauvin (Weizenbock)
32. Shipyard Melonhead
33. Shipyard Monkeyfist
34. Boulevard Smokestack Grainstorm Black Rye IPA
35. Tallgrass Ethos IPA
Thoughts? I think it’s safe to Prairie Artisan Ales is going bonkers with the new brews … You’ll notice Choc’s Belgian OPA is one of the seasonal OPA’s they’ve promised … Brew Dog was confirmed last year for Oklahoma — I’m sure that will be highly sought after … I’ll bet the Mustang IPA will be part of the Saddlebag Series … keep your eyes open for the Boulevard Grainstorm — I hear this will be awesome … am I the only one who can’t keep track of all the beer Sam Adams has now?
-Heard a report on the Sports Animal this morning that was promoted as “American beers that may be pulled off the shelves.” I know you’ll be devastated to know the complete line of Milwaukee’s Best may not survive.
COOP’s 4th anniversary beer line-up: Awe. Some.
To put it in simple terms, the line-up of beers you’ll be able to sample on Saturday at the COOP Ale Works fourth anniversary party/charity fundraiser will just about blow your socks off. I repeat. Blow your socks off. Seriously.
The party is split into three sessions: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 3 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m.; and will be split into five stations with a variety of offerings.
I’ve secured a complete list from COOP brewmaster Blake Jarolim. Behold:
Station 1
- Hoboken Coffee Infused Gran Sport Porter
- 2012 Sanchez Pro-Am (Belgian pale)
Station 2
-Gran Sport Porter
-Native Amber
-F5 (hourly)
-DNR (hourly)
Station 3
Anniversary Brown
Anniversary Pale Ale
Zeppelin
Horny Toad
Station 4 (1 oz. samples, selection changes every half-hour)
-2012 Barleywine
-2011 TROAIS
-2012 TROAIS
-Wild Wheat Wine
-2011 COOP Farmhouse
Station 5 (1 oz. samples)
First half of session:
-A dry-hopped tasting of Amarillo, Columbus, Falconers Flight, and Golding (same base beer w/a single hop variety added to each 5 gal. batch)
Second half of session:
-Very Merry Brett-mas (Sour winter warmer)
-Hoppy New Year (Imperial IPA)
-Keenly Peach (Peach sour beer)
-Joe’s Saison
-Zach’s Saison
I think the correct word is “wow.”
Daily Pints
-OSU basketball kicks off its home non-conference slate Wednesday night with a match-up against a TCU squad that will not enjoy the same level of success as its football counterparts. That’s good, because OSU could use a win after two close losses against Gonzaga and Kansas State. As far as OSU goes, I’m loving the play of Marcus Smart and Markel Brown, but like others, I’m starting to wonder about Le’Bryan Nash. It just doesn’t look like he’s trying to make plays. In fact, it looks like he’s just out there on the court. Just kinda going up and down the court and running around a little. Just a passenger in the caboose of the Marcus Smart locomotive. Everyone says Nash is an NBA lottery pick, but I just don’t see it. I think Smart and Brown (plus Phil Forte) can get OSU into the NCAA tourney, but without a boost from Nash, I don’t think they can really make it that far once they get there.
-I’m taking ideas on what my next homebrew should be. I’m leaning toward a dry-hopped American brown ale. But I can be swayed. Throw me a suggestion in the comments.
-This week’s Thursday pint night at TapWerks will feature Sierra Nevada Torpedo. Hop to it!
COOP Ale Works plans 4th anniversary fundraiser
Hard to believe how fast time flies, but COOP Ale Works is getting ready to commemorate its fourth anniversary. A celebration and fundraiser is slated for Saturday, Jan. 12, at the brewery, to benefit the Central Oklahoma Humane Society.
The celebration will consist of three tasting sessions at the brewery, 1124 NW 51. They are: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 3 to 6 p.m.; and 7 to 10 p.m.
I’m told there will be plenty of special offerings worked up by brewmaster Blake Jarolim.
COOP is encouraging a $5 donation at the door.
Daily Pints
-Well, Notre Dame did not answer my prayers to the 7-pound 8-ounce, tiny, infant baby Jesus on Monday night and pull off a win against Alabama. It’s not clear if Notre Dame even attended the game in the first half, actually. Alas, the SEC-ESPN hype machine will only continue to grow. Here’s my early look at what will probably be the ESPN preseason top 10 next season:
1. Alabama
T-2. Texas A&M
T-2. Georgia
T-2. LSU
T-2. South Carolina
T-2. Florida
T-2. Mississippi State
8. Boise State
9. Ohio State
10. Texas
-Arriving in liquor stores soon, if not already: Boulevard’s 2013 Rye-on-Rye.
-Arriving in liquor stores soon, if not already: Left Hand Wake Up Dead Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.
-Arriving in liquor stores soon: Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA (Shout out to BierGarten in Jenks for the new beer postings).
-Red Coyote at Classen Curve is hosting a Pack Pint Run from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. It’s a 3-mile, out-and-back run that features COOP Ale Works beer at the end for those of drinking age.
Kickstarter beer project update No. 1
Happy 2013, y’all!
Let’s get the year kicked off with an update on a recent blog post about Roughtail Brewing. Plenty of news surrounding Roughtail these days. First, the fledgling brewery’s Kickstarter project to fund a canning line is winding down. There are seven days left in the funding drive. To this point, Roughtail has secured pledges from 48 backers totaling $4,060. Not chump change, for sure, but still quite a ways away from the $30,000 goal. You have until 5 p.m. Jan. 14 to get involved.
In other Roughtail news, the brewery recently announced a change of location, from an old-school warehouse-style building just north of downtown to the bustling metropolis of Midwest City. Probably the first commercial brewing operation in Midwest City, no? Why the move? Best to let Roughtail fill you in. Here’s a re-post from the Roughtail blog:
As many of you know our brewery was located in Oklahoma City just north of downtown in an old 1930’s warehouse built by the Santa Fe Railroad. The short story is that we were unable to get the city to sign off on our brewery without major changes to the entire building that would have cost somewhere north of $100,000. This was not the first hurdle we had run into with the building and the city plan review department, but really the last nail in the coffin for the brewery in that place. We will post a blog entry soon about all the hurdles involved in the process of changing the permitted use of an old building, as we feel it is an important lesson to anyone wanting to open up a new business. We tried desperately to make it work, but were stopped at every turn.
With that said we have a new location. We will now be located just outside Oklahoma City at 1279 N Air Depot Blvd. Although this building lacks the cool factor, it makes up for it with ADA compliant features, multiple exits, parking, heating and most importantly a permitted use of manufacturing. For anyone severely depressed about this change you can contact your local OKC councilperson. In the meantime, MWC has been really great so far, and we are still going to be making kick-ass beer.
So there you go. Roughtail had earlier planned to have kegs to market this month; this may push things back a bit.
Daily Pints
-The BCS National Championship game is tonight, and please, for the love of sweet, 7-pound, 8-ounce, tiny infant baby Jesus, let Notre Dame win. I don’t care for Notre Dame, per se, but I am so sick to death of the ESPN-SEC love fest that I may quit watching TV for six months if Alabama wins. Seriously, on the College GameDay Facebook feed last week, they posted this:
Louisville upends the Gators in the Sugar Bowl 33-23 and pulls off the biggest upset in BCS history.
The biggest upset in BCS history??!! What happened to Boise State-OU? As far as Louisville-Florida goes, I know the Big East sucks, but we’re talking about a Florida team that needed a blocked punt returned for a touchdown as the clock expired to avoid overtime against Louisiana-Lafayette. The same Louisiana-Lafayette team that lost by 41 points to an OSU team that was using a freshman back-up quarterback. News flash: SEC greatness is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The teams are all “great” because they only ever beat or lose to other “great” teams. Then they all float around the top of the polls all year and they can’t get knocked down if they lose because, after all, they lost to a “great” team. And I’m sorry, but bowl season didn’t prove anything to me. The SEC’s marquee teams beat a couple mediocre Big 10 teams (they’re all mediocre in the Big 10) and lost to the Big East champ and the ACC runner up. But the SEC is so great!! You can’t escape it!!! OK, tirade over — for today.
-The pint night at McNellie’s OKC tonight is Sam Adams Winter Lager.
-McNellie’s announced late last week it will open a new Tulsa location near 71st and Yale.
-Marshall Brewing provides a wrap on 2012 — did you know 2013 will mark Marshall’s fifth anniversary? In other Marshall news, the brewery recently released a new smartphone app.
-Prairie Artisan Ales recently shared some new label art. Look for Pirate Noir, their Jamaican rum barrel-aged imperial stout, in March, with limited availability in Oklahoma.
