A New Beer Thread

My "Wee Bit" Scotch Ale won its category at the local county fair and my "What's Left?" Oatmeal Stout placed 3rd.
Yeah me!
3 more county fairs in the area to go along with the state-wide Beer Cup. I'm such a sucker for competition.

 

Awesome, man. Congratulations. I haven't been much for comps. My only entry thus far was an American Stout. Made mini BOS with a 36, but got smashed by the big Russians.

Brewing 10-gallons of the Northern English to split with a friend on Friday. This will make 10 of 25 gallons for the wedding.

Marzen is still fermenting away, but is slowing. Nervous, I bumped it up to 52 to get me to the diacetyl rest.

 

When we lived in Jacksonville, my wife did a story on home brewing. As part of her story for the T-U, she — with help, of course — made a batch of Amelia Ale, named after our then only daughter. It made about a case. I was going to save some unopened bottles as keepsakes, but desperate, beer-less times called for a bottle opener. I still have the empties, though.

 

Haha, been there. I always try to save a few. Especially bigger beers..but then I realize I gave them away or drank them all!

 

Brewed my Northern English Amber today. This was the first batch I was able to use my new Barley Crusher on. I ground it pretty fine and wound up with 92% efficiency and completely overshot everything. Looking for a 1.046 pre-boil gravity, but wound up at 1.064. I boiled the shit out of it to get below my target volume and then added two gallons. Starting gravity if 1.064.

Ugh.

Looking like about 7.1%.

 

Damn efficiency! haha

I know we have overtaken this thread with homebrew talk...but I wanted to mention that I tried New Glarus' Raspberry Tart last night. Pretty tasty. I only took a few pulls since my wife wanted most of it...but it was a good sipper.

OK, back to homebrew talk: I opened a few bottles of my tripel and HOLY CRAP! BOTTLE BOMBS! I looked back at my notes and forgot to downsize the priming sugar from a 10-gal recipe to 6 gals. Ooops, put in 7 oz of priming sugar instead of 4. DERP!

 

Agreed on Jasper Ridge. Had Vierling over Ore Dock on my last trip to Marquette mainly because I was with my family, and Vierling serves food. (Though Ore Dock lets you order in from other places.) Porter at Vierling was very good. Had Shooter's last year when I was up, and it was pretty good. Shooter's is basically a shot-and-a-beer bar that happened to have a guy who did homebrewing. That guy (my distant cousin) just got married and moved to Montana, so I don't know how Shooter's is now -- I didn't stop while I was up on the Fourth of July. It still advertises it has its own beer, but with the brewmaster gone I didn't want to chance it.

I am kicking myself for at least not stopping into Lake Superior Brewing when I was in Grand Marais, although I was on a tight time schedule, and the place is notorious for taking for-freaking-ever to get your food out, and the place was pretty full. I've seen somewhat mixed reviews on its beers, however, so my regret isn't that great.

 

I've been in Minneapolis for ASG since Saturday and have been enjoying the Summit EPA from St. Paul.

 

I love walking around Grand Marais, especially when the wind is up and the waves are crashing in late evening/early morning, but trust me when I say you missed absolutely NOTHING by not stopping at Lake Superior Brewing.

 

Town Hall and Surly are, for me, the MSP gold standards, with Indeed, Steel Toe and (stretching boundaries a bit) Dave's Brewfarm joining the fray.

Old-timer Summit has upped its game recently and it's great to see. Saga is a great brew.

 

I have not been to Lake Superior Brewing since about 2008ish, so I will take your word.
Shooters? Is that in Munising? Sounds familiar, but not a bar I have been to.
My buddy just informed me that Ore Dock beers are now bottled and in stores. Going to grab some when I get home in a few weeks.

 

Yep, Shooters is in Munising. Have never been so can't comment but see Bob Cook's post above.

Need to make another sojurn to the Keewenaw one of these days. Heard solid things about the new place in Copper Harbor (Brickside) and have never made it to Fitzgerald's in Eagle River, either despite having been through Eagle River numerous times. Supposed to have great BBQ and a ridiculous beer list (both draft and bottle).