CraftPittsburgh Issue #3

CraftPittsburgh BIG TAP IN The

Why You Should

Be Brewing

Lagers

CraftBeerMagazine

TRASH

XXI HOMEBREW COMPETITION

Pittsburgh by Bike,

PILSNERS by PALATE

Issue #3 1

CraftPittsburgh.com

The

Place to Beer 16 Craft Beers on Tap Rotation Over 400 Bottle Choices Complimentary Craft Beer Tastings One-of-a-Kind Beeried Treasures Currated by our Beer Librarian Unique Craft Beer Experiences with Brewser the Infuser

Letter from

THE EDITOR

Very recently our Pennsylvania legislature passed House Bill 148. The bill has a few changes to the liquor code which make me believe progress is being made. Of note is the change to “happy hour,” allowing up to four hours of discounted drinks in a day, but still not more than fourteen hours per week. The original two-hour cap per day was designed to curb drunk driving, with the idea in mind that patrons were more likely to do so while the drinks were cut-rate. It seems as if the legislators are putting more trust in the hands of bar owners, but only if they’re willing to be flexible. Extending their happy hour means they’ll have to trim elsewhere to stay within the legal fourteen hour limit. You want happy hour during all of Monday Night Football, then forget about the half-off drafts on Tuesday, or whatever other day an owner may choose to pull.

Though, some bars don’t seem to realize this limit even exists.

Or they just don’t care.

Other changes you’ve probably read about allow businesses with liquor licenses to now sell beer, wine and liquor at events they’re catering and also allow airports in the state to begin selling alcohol as early as 7 a.m.

Just off Robinson Town Centre Exit • Minutes from the Airport Events at bocktown.com • Follow bocktown on Twitter!

One change that seems to be flying under the radar gives wineries more freedom in dispensing their product to the public through farmer’s markets. After acquiring a permit, the holder of a limited winery license may now attend more than one farmer’s market at a time and as often as desired throughout the year to not only offer free samples, but sell wine by the bottle and case. Previously, there was a limit on the number of these markets a winery could attend. The PA liquor code explicitly states this is “In the interest of promoting tourism and recreational development in Pennsylvania.”

I don’t have any issue with the additional freedom being given to our state’s wineries or an argument as to whether or not it’s helping to promote tourism. All I’m asking is what about the breweries? Do they not do the same? Where’s their permit to start selling at all farmer’s markets? They can’t sell beer at any farmer’s market (unless of course they’re fortunate – and savvy – enough to get the LCB lawyers to rule an opinion on their ability to sell beer from an off-premise storage facility – you know who you are). I actually purchased wine as a Christmas gift from a mall kiosk last year! Would it be such a crime to do the same with beer? Well, yes. But besides the criminality, is it really any different? When will beer stop being the bastard step-child?

Other winery support that has existed in the code comes in the form of a provision to allow Pennsylvania brewpubs to sell PA wine without the need of a separate liquor license. You can bet that’s a one-way street.

Even though we’re starting to see what seems like progress with our Commonwealth’s liquor laws, we still have a long way to go to enlighten our legislators. Make sure you keep them informed on how you feel about Pennsylvania’s breweries and what they’re doing for tourism. Given the Pennsylvania pride displayed by local establishments during American Craft Beer week last May, the support is obviously there.

Sláinte,

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

Tim Russell

On Tap

pg.16

THIS ISSUE SPECIALS

You Should 7 WBehyBrewing Lagers

It may just save

your brewing soul

The Big Tap In 9 The Steelers/Browns

pg.9

rivalry isn’t the only thing going on between Pittsburgh and Cleveland

12 TRASH XXI

THE REGULARS

“Beer geeks being extra geeky”

4 Industry News 6 Unfiltered 16 The Drunk Yinzer 18 Cooking with Beer 19 Homebrew

PUBLISHER

Craft Media, LLC

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

pg.12

Tim Russell • Tim@CraftPittsburgh.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Mike Weiss • Mike@CraftPittsburgh.com

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Rob Soltis • SoltisDesign.com For information on contributing editorial content or placing display advertising please contact us at info@CraftPittsburgh.com Craft Pittsburgh is issued quarterly by Craft Media, LLC. All information and materials in this magazine, individually and collectively, are provided for informational purposes. The contents of this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Craft Media, LLC., nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without expressed written permission from the publisher.

Advertisements are subject to the approval of Craft Media, LLC. Craft Media, LLC. reserves the right to reject or omit any advertisement at any time for any reason. Advertiser assume responsibility and complete liability for all content in their ads

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South Side, Pittsburgh www.otbbicyclecafe.com

Phone: 412-381-3698 CraftPittsburgh.com

3

Upcoming

EVENTS

7/23 Beer on the Bay 8/5 Beer Passport Night at PNC Park 8/6 ‘ Burgh Breweries Bike Tour 8/13 Millvale Beer Festival 8/19 Firkin Friday at Fat Head’s Saloon 8/20 State College Microbrewer’s Expo 8/20 ‘ Burgh Breweries Bike Tour 8/26-28 Homebrewer’s Festival at Cooper’s Lake 9/10 5th Annual Steel City Big Pour 9/16 Zoo Brew 10/8 Brewing Up a Cure Check our calendar at CraftPittsburgh.com for even more regularly updated events 4

Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

Industry

NEWS

AMERICA’S TOP

50

BREWING COMPANIES

The Brewers Association recently released its annual list of the top 50 brewing companies (not all brewing companies are breweries) in the United States. The following lists are based on beer sales volume for 2010, the latter covering only the top 50 craft brewing companies, for which the BA defines as “small, independent, and traditional with an annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels.”

The BA notes that 36 of the top 50 brewing companies fall in the “small and independent craft brewers” category.

Top 50 Brewing Companies (Based on 2010 beer sales volume)

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies (Based on 2010 beer sales volume)

Brewing Company

City

State

Brewing Company

1 Anheuser-Busch Inc. 2 MillerCoors Brewing Co. 3 Pabst 4 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. 5 Boston Beer Co. 6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 7 New Belgium Brewing Co. 8 North American Breweries 9 Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. 10 Spoetzl Brewery 11 Deschutes Brewery 12 Independent Brewers United 13 Matt Brewing Co. 14 Minhas Craft Brewery 15 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. 16 Harpoon Brewery 17 Boulevard Brewing Co. 18 Goose Island Beer Co. 19 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery 20 Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co. 21 Long Trail Brewing Co. 22 August Schell Brewing Co. 23 Stone Brewing Co. 24 Abita Brewing Co. 25 Brooklyn Brewery 26 Lagunitas Brewing Co. 27 Full Sail Brewing Co. 28 Shipyard Brewing Co. 29 Summit Brewing Co. 30 New Glarus Brewing Co. 31 Great Lakes Brewing Co. 32 Anchor Brewing Co. 33 Iron City Brewing Co. 34 Kona Brewery LLC 35 Rogue Ales 36 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. 37 Winery Exchange Inc. / World Brews 38 Sweetwater Brewing Co. 39 Mendocino Brewing Co. 40 Flying Dog Brewery 41 Victory Brewing Co. 42 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. 43 BJ’s Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. 44 Stevens Point Brewery Co. 45 Odell Brewing Co. 46 BridgePort Brewing Co. 47 Cold Spring Brewing Co. 48 Rock Bottom Brewery 49 Oskar Blues Brewery 50 Straub Brewery

St. Louis Chicago Woodbridge Pottsville Boston Chico Fort Collins Rochester Portland Shiner Bend Burlington Utica Monroe Galesburg Boston Kansas City Chicago Milton Juneau Bridgewater Corners New Ulm Escondido Abita Springs Brooklyn Petaluma Hood River Portland St Paul New Glarus Cleveland San Francisco Pittsburgh Kailua-Kona Newport Paso Robles Novato Atlanta Ukiah Frederick Downingtown San Jose Huntington Beach Stevens Point Fort Collins Portland Cold Spring Louisville Longmont Saint Marys

MO IL IL PA MA CA CO NY OR TX OR VT NY WI MI MA MO IL DE AK VT MN CA LA NY CA OR ME MN WI OH CA PA HI OR CA CA GA CA MD PA CA CA WI CO OR MN CO CO PA

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

City

State

Boston Beer Co. Boston Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Deschutes Brewery Bend Independent Brewers United (IBU) Burlington Matt Brewing Co. Utica Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg Harpoon Brewery Boston Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co. Juneau Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners Stone Brewing Co. Escondido Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland Summit Brewing Co. St. Paul New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco Kona Brewery LLC Kailua-Kona Rogue Ales Newport Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles Sweetwater Brewing Co. Atlanta Flying Dog Brewery Frederick Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose BJ’s Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. Huntington Beach Stevens Point Brewery Co. Stevens Point Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville Oskar Blues Brewery Longmont Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula North Coast Brewing Co. Inc. Fort Bragg Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. Maplewood Bear Republic Brewing Co. Cloverdale Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego Breckenridge Brewery Denver Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Houston Real Ale Brewing Co. Blanco Ninkasi Brewing Co. Eugene

MA CA CO TX OR VT NY MI MA MO DE AK VT CA LA NY CA OR ME MN WI OH CA HI OR CA GA MD PA CA CA WI CO OR CO CO NY CA MT CA WA MO CA CA CO UT TN TX TX OR

CraftPittsburgh.com

5

Fruit y Beers UNFILTERED:

By Mel Urick

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Before craft beer, there were wine coolers. Not in the historical sense, mind you, but in my chronicle of alcoholic introductions.

Save your condescending glances for another column, sir.

Bartles & Jaymes always signified my start to summer and a loving toast to the warm temperatures that typically accompany May through August. Even today, at the first sign of patio weather, I have the urge to purchase a four-pack of those fruity malted beverages. But thankfully, it’s no longer to get “drunk” before my mom finds the bottles. Let’s just leave it at… nostalgia.

I can’t say that I segued straight to craft brews either. There were plenty of heat waves that I spent staring into a bottomless plastic cup, filled over-and-over with one of those domestic “big beers.”

I’ll also save you the tasting notes from that one summer afternoon spent on a boat that I drank a can of Bud Light with Lime… you know, just to see (how horrible it is).

For the record, you need not try it to know it’s pure crap.

It’s even worse when it’s warm.

But between (ahem, non-alcoholic) ubiquitous drinks for summer like root beer floats and bottles of “hard lemonade,” my want for an appropriate beer for the season grew. And with maturation and the blessing of moderation, comes a special appreciation for that (as most of us have learned), and for me, fruit brews.

And by “fruit” I don’t mean “here, have a Blue Moon and kindly toss an orange in it.”

We all turn to a specific type of drink to pair with the season – and its BBQ counterparts – and summertime has its hands full with honey beers, fruit beers, lambics, lights, wheats and pale ales. In the heat, we need proper refreshment (and the low alcohol content); and as lovers of the craft, we crave variety.

Fruit beers can be challenging for some, so I don’t attempt to compare their styles to others. Some things are better left unsaid – meant only to imbibe and enjoy for their intended purpose (to delight and stimulate).

During the dog days, you’ll find me sipping one of these bottles: Sam Adams Cherry Wheat – it’s like cherry pie in a bottle, and pie is synonymous with summer, right?

And for those who love fruit-filled tasty treats, Ithaca Apricot Wheat and Dogfish Festina Peche also make nice summer complements. The latter, a little more tart of the two, but both smack of fresh juicy fruit.

Both are equally refreshing.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

W

hen a person makes that faithful commitment to try their hand at homebrewing, the first styles they tend to gravitate toward are the ones that are most readily available in extract kits and, in many cases, the ones that are least complex. A tendency that’s understandable for obvious reasons.

Beyond that, many homebrewers follow the same progression pattern from rather timid, fledgling attempts at ambers, brown ales and porters to more involved recipes. Understandably we are attempting to hone our abilities and increase our knowledge of this maddening and addictive hobby.

BREWING

My concern lies at the point when novice brewers, such as myself, feel as if they’ve rifled through the normal laundry list of day-to-day styles and recipes and begin experiencing a craving for something different; a deep seeded desire to break out and expand one’s horizons. We’re possessed with the urge to throw some creativity in to the fold. At this point in our progression, we tend to shift our interests toward variations on familiar styles (A smoked porter you say?) or adjunct additions to familiar styles (lemon peel and coriander in our American pale wheat sound appetizing) but beyond that, potential for disaster lays ahead.

Why You Should Be

LAGERS

Inevitably, monotony will set in. One can only produce so many flavor variations before things get…precarious. Before we know it, our creative aspirations have spiraled out of control: Dill Pale Ale, PB&J Saison, Kölsch Cordon Bleu, etc.

All of the sudden your home tap list or cellar sounds more like a reject list for potential Doritos flavors than respectable renditions of styles. What’s happened to you? Those once proud aspirations have mutated in to mangled monstrosities and hodge-podges of mismatched flavor combinations and overpowering adjuncts. The answer to your misled woes…lagers!

Let us cut to the heart of the issue. You are bored, pure and simple. What happens to a bored child in class? He or she acts out and misbehaves, not because they are ‘bad apples’ necessarily, but because they do not feel challenged by the material. Lagers are that challenge you, as a brewer, are yearning for. Yes, they require a bit of specialty equipment and/or the temperature-control provisioning that ales do not, but the juice is worth the squeeze in this case. Lager yeast strains require lower fermentation temperatures and, in many cases, cold conditioning of some kind. Not only does learning to be patient and how to better control your fermentation temperatures help you to evolve in all facets of brewing, but procuring the necessary conditions for lagering opens up doors to an entirely new world of stylistic challenges.

By Brian Reed

By Brian Reed

Let’s say we brew a brown ale, your run-of-the-mill English-style brown ale.

Then let’s say we rack it off the yeast too fast or we don’t control the fermentation temperature as well as we had hoped, resulting in some mild to moderate off flavors. Without any major follies, the average joe would probably consider it a solid, drinkable rendition. Make those same mistakes in a Munich Helles and we may not be as likely to squeak by. Many of the lighter, more delicate lager styles don’t provide that same veil of forgiveness.

Crafting a clean, flavorful lager is one of the most rewarding and, often times, challenging accomplishments a homebrewer can meet. By making the leap toward lagering, one can expand their horizons, hone their techniques, and keep themselves entertained (and out of trouble) in one fell swoop.

As I’ve stated, I’m mostly speaking to the moderately experienced brewer.

Many would agree that beginners are better suited getting their feet wet with less involved recipes. Inversely, advanced homebrew gurus have already graduated beyond our level years ago. But for those who are teetering on the edge, do yourself a favor and take that leap of faith. Buy a chest freezer, fashion some sort of acceptable contraption (as only homebrewers can) or otherwise make provisions and begin the long and rewarding trek toward lager bliss. When you experience the sensation of pouring your first crystal clear, clean, hoppy lager, you’ll look back and say to yourself, “Thank you lagers, you may have saved my brewing soul.”

CraftPittsburgh.com

7

BIG

Vecenie Distributing Company 140 North Avenue Millvale, PA 15209

412- 821-4618 www.beersince1933.com

Western Pennsylvania’s Premier Wholesaler of Regional, Craft and Imported Beers and Specialty Sodas

info@craftpittsburgh.com

8

Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

THE

TAP IN

CraftPittsburgh.com

By Mike Gillen9

M

ost people would agree that the best thing between Pittsburgh and Cleveland is the long-standing (though often one-sided) Steelers/Browns rivalry. On Saturday, April 30, however, more than 2,500 craft beer enthusiasts argued that the best thing between the two cities was the Shepherd Event Center in Boardman, Ohio, site of the second annual The Big Tap In Real Craft Beer Festival. From craft beer heavyweights like Samuel Adams, Sierra Nevada, and Pyramid to regional micros from our own backyard—with a few notable global brands thrown in for good measure— attendees had access to more than 200 brews during the sold-out VIP pre-session and threehour general tasting session.

Vintage Estates Wine and Beer, title sponsor of The Big Tap In and the #1 beer retailer in the world for 2010 according to ratebeer.com, once again partnered with HandsOn Volunteer Network to raise money for their Center for Nonprofit Innovation and Leadership. Over the past two years, The Big Tap In has raised more than $40,000 for the Center, which assists non-profits in the Mahoning Valley with building their own capacity to serve the community by providing them with training and technical assistance to implement their missions and programming more effectively.

A promising signal of success for a craft beer event aimed at raising money for a volunteer organization is a gaggle of volunteers setting up, tearing down, directing foot traffic, and pouring samples. Of the 100 bright orange-shirted volunteers at The Big Tap In, the largest craft beer event between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, approximately 50 assisted with pouring samples. Many of these volunteers were home brewers or have attended and graduated from Vintage Estate’s beer school, demonstrating event coordinator (and Vintage Estate coowner) Sandy Reda’s commitment to craft beer.

Maureen Drummond, Executive Director of HandsOn Volunteer Network, echoes the importance of this passion: “As a major sponsor, [Vintage Estates owners] Phill and Sandy lend their expertise in selecting beers and developing relationships with distributors. We could not do this without their passion and knowledge of craft beer!”

The venue’s cavernous interior was packed but not crowded, save tight bunches around specific kegs: Bell’s Oberon, the wildly popular seasonal wheat, and a firkin of Hoppin’ Frog’s boozy and malty Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout, B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher, drew multitudes.

None of Pittsburgh’s craft breweries were pouring samples, though regional breweries were well represented. Friends to the East, Intercourse Brewing and Stoudt’s, brought Pennsylvania flavor while no fewer than 5 breweries within 50 miles of Boardman kept things local. Ohio Brewing’s Steel Valley Stout was like an afternoon coffee pick-me-up; look for theirbeers locally, as they’ll soon begin distribution in the Pittsburgh market.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

Another local brewer, Main Street Grille & Brewing poured a Heather Ale—a style recently brewed by Pittsburgh’s East End Brewing—a culturally appropriate earthy brew to enjoy while a Scottish pipe band twice blew through the Shepherd Event Center to raucous cheers. Their English Brown Ale, brewed less than an hour away from Boardman and briefly aged in a five-gallon bourbon barrel, wouldn’t approve of the banned Scottish pipes, but it met the approval of Pittsburgh’s own Father Spoon and Sickpuppy from Should I Drink That. They served the remains of the barrel from the early afternoon VIP session to anyone who stopped by to chat during breaks from their on-site podcast recording.

And while the enjoyment of craft beer was center stage, local musicians, food vendors, and crafters played around the periphery, providing attendees with a breather from imbibing and a chance to cleanse their palates.

The post-party at Vintage Estates kicked off just minutes after the curtain closed on The Big Tap In. Amidst shelves packed with upwards of 850 craft beer labels and two bars pouring craft beer from 12 taps, local bands kept the party going until the wee hours of May Day. A tapped cask of Heavy Seas Holy Sheet Uber Abbey Ale closed down a day of amazing craft beer in sweet fashion.

“The Big Tap In is the most unique event in the Mahoning Valley,” says Drummond, who—along with the entire HandsOn Volunteer Network board and staff—works at the event. After a post-Tap In debrief the week after the event, Reda and the rest of the volunteers are already looking forward to next year’s event with some tweaks to keep it as fresh as a newly tapped keg of craft beer.

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21st amendment. samuel smiths. long trail. avery. hitachino nest. lindemans. fruili. harpoon brewery. blanche de bruxelles. harvey & son. north coast. youngs. penn brewery. wynchwood. la rulles. woodchuck ciders. maredshous. north coast. hanssens. weihenstephan. st. bernardus. kwak. rodenbach. lagunitas. kronenbourg. fullers. de dolle brouwers. mad river brewers. la trappe. wells. youngs. old speckled hen. sea dog. triple karmeliet.

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We do not have 3100 beers, but we do have Western PA’s largest selection of craft & imported beer, from the obscure to the widely known.

CraftPittsburgh.com CraftPittsburgh.com 11 11

TRASH XXI

12

Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

By Jacob Quinn Sanders

T

hese do not look like people excited about beer. Sitting at tables talking, pens and sheets of paper in front of them, they could be playing Dungeons & Dragons or getting ready for a fantasy football draft.

They came prepared – studied and experienced. They keep 51-page books of categories and guidelines and rules in front of them to resolve questions or disputes. But they’re not talking comparative values of tight ends and not a single 20-sided die is in the room.

They are beer judges. Some are two to a table, while other tables seat five or six. There is some laughing and joking and cussing but also a deep, contemplative seriousness. The busy room is mostly quiet. Any raucousness is almost invariably in inverse proportion to the quality of the beer in front of them.

This is the annual competition for the Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers – TRASH – held on a Saturday in early April at the Sharp Edge Brasserie in Peters Township. In all, 101 brewers entered 334 beers. The 38 judges taste and make notes on each.

There are real prizes at stake beyond bragging rights. East End Brewing Co. promised to brew and market the best beer under five percent alcohol. The Rock Bottom brewery in Homestead committed to making and selling the best beer that fit with the three types of yeast it uses.

“People wanted to know if there were going to be tickets to this so they could come watch and I was like, ‘Um, why?’” says Mindy Heisler, culinary director for the Sharp Edge restaurants. “It’s beer geeks being extra geeky. It’s not a party.”

The judging is intensive. The competition attracts Gordon Strong, president of the Beer Judge Certification Program which sanctioned the TRASH competition and a judge with the rank of grand master, to judge several categories, as well as best in show.

He was chairman of the committee that most recently revised the beer-judging guidelines, in 2008. Brewers Publications published his most recent book, Brewing Better Beer: Master Lessons for Advanced Homebrewers, in May. “I like to think we’re analytical without being pompous,” Strong says.

It’s a hard distinction to make in a setting like this. They use titles like grand master. They check for light and plunge their noses deep into glasses for aroma. They swirl. Within that 51-page book – it lists six separate kinds of stouts – are guidelines on mouthfeel and appearance and aroma. The judges check and recheck previous scores, trying to be consistent. Ice water and slices of Italian bread keep their palates clean.

Walk around the room as the beer arrives and the judges begin to taste and listen.

“It’s a German style but it’s got a lot of American hops,” one says.

“It’s a really nice beer, I just don’t know that it’s an American pale ale is all,” another says.

“I want the ale yeast in it, I want the esters,” a third judge says.

CraftPittsburgh.com

13

“Very, very maple-y,” says another judge.

“That’s the description – it’s like gargling with gym socks,” says another.

“Oh my god, there is so much crap in there,” a fifth judge says.

The more they drink – 334 beers is a lot for 38 people to taste, even separated into narrow categories – the more it seems the judges would also prefer a small dispenser of complex B vitamins and a place for naps.

The attention – even such criticism – is part of the point.

“Gordon Strong judged my category,” says Tom Bosak, 50, a plant manager who lives in Rosslyn Farms. “Feedback like that is how you get better in brewing.”

Bosak started out making wine, switching to beer after tasting some of his brother-in-law’s Baltimore homebrew. His beers placed in four categories in this competition: first for dark strong Belgian, second for export and third for both Scotch ale and strong brown.

“Brewing beer is far more complicated, which makes it more fun, than making wine,” he says.

“Inherent in judging is trying to help people make better beer,” he says.

Worst-case is smart people who love beer still taste what he makes. At this competition, leftover bottles from those beers that did not win their categories get served to other TRASH brewers at a banquet where the winners get announced.

He started judging within a year of starting to brew his own beer, initially to understand and eliminate flaws in what he made at home.

Beer-world prominence like Strong’s doesn’t necessarily mean avocation has become vocation. He remains an IT consultant for software and systems near his home in Ohio. But beer doesn’t have to be a full-time job for him to devote himself to it as if it were.

“I’m almost reverse-engineering the recipe when I’m tasting it,” he says. “You know what can happen in what part of the process and trace what works and what doesn’t back to its source.”

And while judging means opening himself to rather nasty beer from time to time, the worst homebrew is still better to him than the empty tastelessness of Miller Light or Budweiser or Pabst Blue Ribbon.

“It’s a way to opt out of that beer economy,” Strong says. “It’s the ultimate defense: Screw you, I’ll make my own.”

And then there is Scott Smith. Founder of East End Brewing, he was a member of TRASH and brewed beer at home until he gave up a career as a product engineer to brew full time in 2004. He looked around Pittsburgh and saw Penn Brewing making tradition German styles of beer but nothing local and in more modern, American styles.

To do that – to quit a job to brew beer because you like what you make at home more than a lot of what you can buy – takes a bit of arrogance. Smith doesn’t like that word.

“Beer is also a way to give back,” he says. “To put something of quality into the world that makes people happy.”

It also makes Smith happy.

“On my worst day, I still make beer for a living,” he says.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

Had he not started brewing at home, he says, he can see himself still stuck in a job he didn’t much like – and that’s if he’d been lucky enough to avoid layoffs.

“When I got started, I used to look at my friends and their stable jobs and normal hours and feel a little doubt, a little concern about the choice I made,” he says. “Y’know, did I do the right thing listening to my little voice that said ‘Hey, you can do this for a job.’

Then they all started losing their jobs. I’d like to tell you I was smart and saw it coming, but I didn’t. I just decided I would be happiest and better off making beer even if I failed at it.”

The judging began about 10 a.m. Late into the afternoon, the winners in each category come before five judges, Smith and Strong included, to determine best in show and the winners of the East End and Rock Bottom prizes.

Some beers get bounced at the first sip.

“I can’t drink that,” Strong says of the American pale ale.

Arriving at the table with the Belgian blonde are Arnold Schwarzenegger accents, some better than they have any right to be. The judges keep the accents going for a good five minutes. But, then, it’s been a long day.

All five judges share a puzzled chuckle out of one beer brewed with chamomile, rose hips and wood chips soaked in absinthe.

“Kind of light on the rose hips,” Smith says with a smile.

The beer he keeps coming back to is the winner in the category for Scottish and Irish ales, the Tartanic 60 shilling brewed by Calvin Perilloux. It’s also in the running for best in show.

“This is just great beer,” Smith says. “I’d happily drink a whole pint of this with no complaints.”

He gives it the East End award. It went on sale at Smith’s brewery and at his growler shop in the Pittsburgh Public Market at the end of May. A saison from brewer Brody Nasse is the other best-in-show candidate. It receives the Rock Bottom award. Rock Bottom tapped its first batch in May. “I like them both,” Strong says. “But we have to choose one.”

They vote. The saison wins.

“May I have the honor of buying you a beer?” one of the brewers asks Strong after most everyone has left.

“Sure,” Strong says. “I think I’d rather have a glass of water and go to sleep at this point, but sure. What the hell.”

CraftPittsburgh.com

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THEDrunkYINZER

By The Drunken Yinzers

Pittsburgh by Bike,

Pilsners by Palate

The pilsner style of beer is a clash of mainstream “Lite” America and traditional Czech recipes. Obnoxious, macho marketing versus a quiet, simple history. At least it was. Much maligned with the rise of Budweiser, Miller and Coors, the pilsner was seemingly forgotten by many American craft brewers. While the “Big Three” products may share the light golden color with true pilsners, the similarities halt there. We needed our craft brewmasters to defend the pilsner on our behalf. Fortunately, they’ve answered the call with a recent surge in the creation of craft beer pilsners.

But what made the pilsner worth drinking in the first place?

Contrasting greatly with the traditional ale styles brewed at the time, the pilsner’s crisp, refreshing taste made the style immensely popular. The pilsner is essentially a new kid in class when it comes to beer styles, with the first batch originally tapped on November 11, 1842 in the Czech town of Pilsen.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

This beer is still available today under the widely recognized name Pilsner Urquell.

Two major differences caused the pilsner to be such a sensation: the light color and crisp taste. Most beers at the time were copper/amber in color or darker. The lighter and clearer Pilsner beers were introduced just as glass drinking containers became popular. Suddenly, people could see right through their beer!

Much like true Champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France, a true Pilsner can only come from the area around Pilsen. Here, the kilning of the pilsner malt occurs at a much lower temperature and the water used is also very soft. It’s both of these factors that contribute to the light color and flavor of the beer. The slight dryness and spiciness evident in any really good pilsner is a product of the noble Czech Saaz hop.

While Pilsen may produce the original pilsner, American craft brewers have put own their spin on the classic style. To explore these efforts, we decided to pair one of our favorite summer time activities, cycling, with one of the quintessential summer beers, the pilsner.

Our journey began after we picked up six pilsners for the ride around town. There we found Sly Fox Pikeland Pils, Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner, Troegs Sunshine Pils, Victory Prima Pils, Oskar Blues Little Yella Pils and Pilsner Urquell. We also

with. The initial flavor said German pilsner, but was quickly muddied by a German lager yeast taste and bitterness that lingered along with a slight pungent note.

From the Strip we biked up Smallman Street and crossed over the 31st Street Bridge with our eyes set on Washington’s Landing. Again we were parched and needed some liquid refreshment. We found a cool spot at the north end of the island looking toward the 40th Street Bridge. Here we cracked open a bottle of Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner. A rye pilsner with eight different hops and five malts, the aroma was predictably not that of a typical pilsner. A malty nose with a hint of rye gave way to classic style pilsner taste. After a few more sips it was obvious Mermaid Pilsner was a tad hoppier and spicier, both good things. The rye flavor was more subtle then most rye ales or rye IPAs. The Mermaid was also brewed with Amarillo hops in place of the traditional Saaz hops giving it a more citrusy characteristic.

With more beer to sample, we hopped back on the bikes and headed toward town. Along the North Side trail, we stopped across the river from the DLCC. It was a great photo op and time to drink Troegs Sunshine Pils. The aroma was fresh and grassy with a hint of hops.

Initially the tongue picks up a slight hop bitterness that mixes in with the semisweet malt. The mouth feel was very light and crisp. Thanks to the typical Pittsburgh clouds, Sunshine Pils was as close to sunshine as we got that day.

We didn’t ride much farther till we reached again into our packs for something cold. Among the Pirates and Red Sox fans outside PNC Park we enjoyed a Voodoo Pilzilla. Enticing hop aromas of citrus, floral and even grass or pine hit the nose right away followed by some lager malt. Past the first sip, the hops begin to balance more into the taste than in the aroma. With lager yeast characteristics present, there are some lemony citrus, earthy, floral, somewhat spicy hop flavors. Pilzilla is mostly hop forward and finishes with a decent amount of lingering bitterness. A nice and crisp summer beer.

Next stop was Heinz Field, where we reminded all picture-taking Boston fans of our six Super Bowls while we enjoyed a cold Victory Prima. The Prima is a damn good beer with a great aroma. The nose picks up on hay with some lemon, spice and citrus. The flavor is not far off from what the nose picked up. It has a great clean finish with some spicy hoppiness and still very crisp. brought from home Voodoo Pilzilla and Czechvar. With our samples tucked safely away in our packs, we headed out to explore Pittsburgh’s great riverfront trails.

We first ventured to Station Square, a flat, easy ride, with lots of people as well as gnats to help cleanse our palate. Stopping along the Mon, we tried the Oskar Blues Little Yella palate.

Like all other Oskar Blues’ brews this one was canned. The aroma was tough to gauge with the can interfering with my nose and I wish we had a glass to pour it into. The flavor profile was that of a sweet, slightly hopped, malty pilsner. The mouth feel had a decent amount of carbonation, but was easy to drink.

We knew this wasn’t going to be our favorite pilsner and it didn’t surprise us.

From there we crossed the Smithfield Street Bridge riding through Point State Park and on to the David Lawrence Convention Center to check out the newly opened bike trails. This area along the Allegheny exemplifies Pittsburgh’s commitment to biking. A path surrounded by waterfalls meanders down from Penn Avenue to the river then connects to the riverfront trail.

Next, we headed north and stopped for a quick beer behind the Cork Factory. Our thirst called for the Sly Fox Pilsner, another canned offering, which is perfect for the active life style. The beer had a very dry finish, the last impression you were left

As the first pitch approached, we left the bustling baseball fans and pedaled over the pedestrian bridge to Point State Park. Relaxing next to the Allegheny, we watched fish jump and boats pass. It was the perfect time to drink the mother of all pilsners, Pilsner Urquell. This beer embodies all that is a pilsner. The aroma, taste and finish are just as good as advertised. A clean, crisp, balanced hop beer. The Czechvar was also enjoyed at this location and mirrors Pilsner Urquell, though with a little less flavor.

Comparing the American craft pilsners to the original European style, it’s evident the American offerings are generally hoppier. None could match the smooth, crisp taste of Pilsner Urquell. Within our sampling, the Voodoo Pilzilla, Coney Island Mermaid and Victory Prima stood out among the rest.

Eight pilsners and over eight miles later, our biking and beer adventure came to a close. We had a great time pairing Pittsburgh’s scenic trails with some excellent brews. Hop on your bike to your local bottle shop and give the pilsner a try. We recommend starting out with Pilsner Urquell, especially if you are new to the style. This will provide a standard by which you can compare your other options. Relax, have fun with it and enjoy!

Until next time, cheers!

The Drunk Yinzer is a grassroots movement devoted to enjoying and enhancing the craft beer scene in Pittsburgh. We are avid home brewers that eat, sleep, and dream about beer.

Follow us at TheDrunkYinzer.com or on Twitter @TheDrunkYinzer.

CraftPittsburgh.com

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COOKING with

BEER G

rillin’ season is one of my favorites.

Whether you use a good old charcoal Weber or a top of the line stainless steel beast, barbecue smells and tastes like summer. And what goes better with smoky barbecue and stunning sunshine than a fresh poured beer? Nothing! So with a quick run to the Strip for some treats and a look in the husband’s beer fridge, a gluttonous Sunday Beer-B-Q meal became a thing. My neighbors probably love and hate me for making them smell my experiments on the grill all summer long.

The menu: a pale ale and herb-brined organic chicken and the side dishes I made were heirloom tomato and basil salad, crimini mushroom bacon roasted potatoes and a green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and shaved parmesan. We grilled on the Weber, over hard wood charcoal with apple wood chips.

By Mindy Heisler-Johnson

The brined chicken is best devoured with a cold summer ale and more of both of my husband’s homebrews – the pale ale and smoked wheat beer (I know, sounds weird, but it’s quite delicious). Our BeerBQ ended with a tremendous feast as the sun set, the stereo played and the cribbage board came out. Summer porch sitting season was game on for another year.

homebrewed pale ale. It’s golden in color, has grassy hops, and a lighttoasty malt character. Put 6 cups of hot water in a deep pot. Add your sugar, salt, bay leaves, corns, Herbes de Provence, thyme and bring to a boil. When the sugar and salt have dissolved, remove the pot from the stove and add enough ice cubes to bring volume up to 8 cups. Stir to dissolve ice. Add 32oz of your pale ale and mix to combine.

And we all lived happily ever after because the dishes FINALLY learned to do themselves. What?

It could happen!

Rinse the chicken and remove the gizzards. Place it in the brine and keep in the refrigerator overnight. If it won’t fit in the fridge, store it in a cooler of ice, just as long as it stays cold.

Pale Ale Herb Brined Organic Chicken

The next day, get your grill ready – charcoal or gas. Preheat it to around 350F over steady low-medium heat. I use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature. Get an aluminum can, like a soup can. Remove the label and rinse it out. Remove the chicken from the brin, rinse and dry. Fill the soup can half way with brine and place the chicken over the can so it’s standing all by itself. I know it’s twisted, but trust me, makes a damn good chicken. Spray the outside with olive oil, then dust with thyme and Herbes de Provence. Place in a grill-friendly pan and roast to an internal temperature of 155-160F. Remove it from the grill and let stand on the can in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove your chicken from can and cut as desired.

• whole chicken

• ½ cup sugar

• ½ cup salt

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence

• 1 tbsp thyme

I use a whole organic chicken. You don’t have to use a whole chicken. You don’t have to use organic chicken. But, in my opinion, the whole organic is best. The beer I used for this was my husband’s 18

Impromptu Beer-B-Q

Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 3

You can serve your chicken family style on a platter garnished with fresh herbs beside your tomato and basil salad, and roasted potatoes. I also tossed together a quick key lime pie topped with whipped cream for dessert – a perfect tart and cool finish to a show-stopping dinner.

TRASH XXI Homebrew Competition

WINNING RECIPES SaisonSHINE

By Brian Reed

Brewer: Brody Nasse Style: Saison (16C) Winner: Best of Show & ‘Rock Bottom Award’

Miscellaneous/Finings

5 gal. All-Grain Batch

Yeast

(Original Recipe 10 gal. Converted to 5 gal.)

Original Gravity: 1.053 Final Gravity: 1.006 IBU: 24.7 ABV: 6.3%

Grain Bill/Fermentables

10 lbs. Belgian Pils (Dingeman’s)

Hops

1.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (3.4% a.a.) – 60 min.

0.75 oz. East Kent Goldings (4.5% a.a.) – 60 min.

0.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (3.4% a.a.) – 20 min.

0.25 oz. East Kent Goldings (4.5% a.a.) – 20 min.

0.5 tsp. Super Moss – 10 min. (boil) 1.0 Tbsp. Superferment (yeast nutrient/ energizer) –10 min. (boil) White Labs WLP565 – Belgian Saison Ale I

Mash Procedure

Single Infusion: 60 min. Mash @ 151 degrees

Fermentation

Pitch @ 75 degrees Primary Fermentation – 2 Weeks (Ambient temperature reached 91 degrees – 1st Week) (Lowered temperature to 66 degrees – 2nd Week) As we observed the ‘Best of Show’ judges’ panel methodically wading through the myriad of candidates for their coveted prizes—the title itself as well as an opportunity to have their beer commercially

brewed—it quickly became evident that they were repeatedly revisiting one entry again and again. As more and more beers crossed the judges’ palates and eventually fell to the wayside, it became clear that there was a short list of prominent front-runners. Ultimately, it came to a vote. This classically simple rendition of a Belgian Farmhouse Ale—artfully concocted by Monroeville native, Brody Nasse—is a testament to the principle that a recipe can only take one so far and that technically sound brewing know-how is what brings out the best from one’s ingredients. Despite the challenge of having to work within the parameters of their house yeast strains, the good folks at Rock Bottom did a fantastic job of recreating the winning entry.

Tartan-ic SIXTY Shilling Scottish Ale

Brewer: Calvin Perilloux Style: Scottish 60/- (9A) Winner: ‘East End Award’

5.5 gal. Extract Batch with Partial Mash Original Gravity: 1.036 Final Gravity: 1.010 IBU: 16 ABV: 3.38%

Grain Bill/Fermentables

3.3 lbs. Extra Light LME (Munton’s) 1.0 lb. Dark DME (Munton’s) 10 oz. Rauch Malt (Weyermann Smoked) 8 oz. Special B (Special Roast) 4 oz. Pils (UK)

Hops

1.25 oz. Fuggles (3.0 % a.a.) – 60 min.

Miscellaneous/Finings

0.5 tsp. pH Stabilizer in Partial Mash 1 tablet Whirlfloc – 15 min. (boil)

Yeast

Wyeast 1728 – Scottish Ale

Mash Procedure

Partial Mash: Steep grain bag with specialty malts in approximately 1 gallon of water for 45 minutes at 155 degrees. After 45 minutes, remove the grain bag, add liquid to your boil kettle and proceed with the extract process.

*Calvin suggests varying the amount of smoked malt depending on freshness. If you have fresher, more pungent smoked malt, you may want to reduce the amount to less than the 10 oz. the recipe suggests.

Fermentation

Pitch @ 62 degrees.

Primary Fermentation: 12 days @ 62 degrees (or until reaching desired final gravity: 1.010-1.009) The winner of the ‘East End Award’ was presented to the best overall entry that fell below the 4.5% ABV mark. Not only did this session brew fall within said specification, but it ended up as a contentious runner-up for the ‘Best of Show’ crown.

With his Scottish 60 Shilling Ale, Calvin Perilloux—BJCP Master Judge—proved once again that, with a sufficient level of expertise, award-winning beers can be made using an extract or partial-mash process. The depth of malt character achieved in this entry was unsurpassed and doing so with such a modest ABV—East End’s commercial version weighed in at 3.2%— is downright impressive!

Congratulations to all the winning entries of the TRASH XXI Homebrew Competition.

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