CraftPittsburgh Issue #11

CraftPittsburgh CraftBeerMagazine Issue #11 July - September 2013

Growing Hops in Western PA SPRAGUE FARM Release the Firkins

RECAP

plus

• have you tried...

• cooking with beer • home brewing • upcoming beer events CraftPittsburgh.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE

The

Plaoce t Taste

Brewing Renaissance

16 ever-changing American craft beers on tap rotation Weekly beer samplings Beeried Treasures Brewser's Infusions Aletails and craft cocktails Fresh and local homemade food ‘til midnight

bocktown.com/beer Download a QR Code Reader like Neoreader and scan the code with your smart phone.

Robinson Across from Target | 412-788-2333 | @BT_Robinson Monaca Next to Macy’s | 724-728-7200 | @BT_Monaca | bocktown.com

Simply put, hops are the catalyst for the brewing renaissance we enjoy in Pittsburgh today. While malted grain, yeast, water, and even adjuncts bring charm and intricacies to the art and science of good beer, it was the herbaceous plant H. Lupulus (Common Hop) that allowed American craft brewers to create innovative products that broke the Bud/ Miller/ Coors hegemony enjoyed until very recently. In 2012, hoppy India Pale Ales showed a 39 percent increase in bar and restaurant sales, while fifteen of the top twenty-five highest rated brews on Untappd are classified IPA or Imperial IPA. In a recent poll of American Homebrewers Association members, nine out of ten favorite commercial beers are IPAs. I could go on.

In this city, Tom Pastorius’ love of classic German styles and their utilization of “noble hops” led to the founding of Penn Brewery in 1986. An appetite for growlers and pints of Big Hop IPA allowed East End Brewing to graduate from one-man operation to a major expansion on Julius Street. Outside the city limits, Helltown Brewing founder Shawn Gentry jokingly bemoans the massive amount of hops necessary to satiate Pittsburgh’s thirst for his IPAs like Insidious, The Rapture, and especially Idle Hands.

In this issue of Craft Pittsburgh, we examine the way hops are influencing local beer culture. Brian Reed takes a trip to Wexford’s Soergel Orchards, where Noah Petronic is revitalizing the longdormant hop-growing tradition in Western PA, and then shares a recipe for an American Pilsner with a fresh-hopped twist. Next, Michael Pound takes us to Sprague Farms via PA Brew Tours to visit their true grain-to-glass operation. As is tradition, Hart Johnson recommends beers across a range of styles that highlight the different ways hops can be used to add flavor, aroma, and bitterness to great sunmertime beers. And our craft gourmand Mindy Johnson outlines the recipe for her IPA beer bread.

If you’re a fan of good Pittsburgh beer in general, and this publication in particular, you may wonder why Craft Pittsburgh founder Tim Russell isn’t penning his usual introduction. If you haven’t heard, we’re pleased to share that Tim is putting his considerable energy into his passion for craft distilling– and that Maggie’s Farm Spirits will be opening for business soon in the Strip District. Tim will continue to provide knowledge, editorial content, and insight into the burgeoning craft scene while working toward a goal of bringing the finest in craft-distilled rum to Pittsburgh. Help me wish him well with a salud, slainte, or whatever your preferred toast may be.

As for the future of this publication, expect us to continue to cover the latest news in Pittsburgh craft beer: new breweries, exciting new beers, and the best upcoming events. There has never been a better time to be a craft beer drinker in this city. Let’s enjoy and support it together.

- Slouch Sixpack 2

Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS on tap

SPECIALS

THIS ISSUE

Hopes 6 Growing in Western Pa

Reenergizing a long-lost industry

pg. 13

Farm 10 S prague And the beer bus to bierhalla

THE REGULARS

the Firkins 13 R Aelease recap

4 Upcoming Events 5 Unfiltered 18 Beer Review 20 Home Brewing 22 Cooking with Beer

pg. 6

PUBLISHER Craft Media, LLC

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Tim Russell • Tim@CraftPittsburgh.com

MANAGING EDITORS

Slouch Sixpack • Slouch@AleHeads.com Mike Weiss • Mike@CraftPittsburgh.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

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

CraftPittsburgh.com

CraftPittsburgh.com

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Award winning Beer handcrafted for you.

Hope You’re Güden Ready.

Traditional North Ge rman-Style Pilsner brewed with European Pilsner Malt and who le flower Noble Hops for a de licately floral, crisp, clean, refreshing beer.

Deliciously drinkable!

18741 SHELDON ROAD, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO 44130 • FATHEADS.COM 4 Craft Pittsburgh | (216) Issue898.0242 11

check our calendar at

CraftPittsburgh.com for even

more regularly updated events

july 12 1st Firkin at Caliente 13 Voodoo/Saints and Sinners Brew Tour 19 Pittsburgh Brew Tour 20 Voodoo Brew Tour 20 Pittsburgh Beer Fest #1 • Pittsburgh Beer Fest #2 • on the Bay 20 • Beer Full Pint Beer and Cheese Pairing Brew Tour august 2 1st Firkin at Caliente 3 Slippery Rock Brew Fest 9 Pittsburgh Brew Tour Brew Tour 10 •• Voodoo Millvale Brew Fest Coopers Lake Homebrew Fest 24 •• North Coast Brew Tour september 6 1st Firkin at Caliente 7 7th Annual Steel City Big Pour 8 ORTC Gear and Beer 14 Full Pint Beer and Cheese Pairing Brew Tour 20 Pittsburgh Brew Tour 21 Farm to Table Brew Tour

UNFILTERED

EVOLUTION OF A BEER DRINKER

By Melinda Urick

S

ummer is here, and I’m cranky. Not a shocker to most of those who know me personally, but this time of year is an exaggerated version of my personality given the heat index.

On most days I want to throw away my phone that is endlessly connected to everything and everyone and just drink away all of my responsibilities because that seems like the easy choice.

Skipping out would be reverting back to my 20s, however – an era of drinking. drinking. more drinking. Because, you can (that, and no hangovers). In summer, drinking outdoors is the rule: patio bars for happy hours, al fresco Sunday brunch, boat docks and campsites for all-weekend benders...

And for beer (because this is a beer column, so let’s make it about that), the summer solstice brings its seasonal crop.

About a month ago, I was feeling completely burned out on all the outdoor festivals, tastings, parties; a chaotic summer schedule felt like impending doom. I was Totally. Craft. Out. Beer-exhausted.

Good thing beer week was in April because I can’t even. But then I went out around the city on my bike during the arts festival, wanting to keep this beautiful weather going -- you know, before August completely bums me out with sunburns and 90% humidity. I want to reclaim some of that youthful spirit.

When I was researching events for Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week, I came across several willing volunteers wanting to spread the gospel of the local craft beer community – those with the same spirit. There are still those who can’t fathom that there is a devoted week RIGHT IN THEIR VERY CITY. But therein lies an incredible fan base of craft beer drinkers that do a LOT to promote this movement. And still others who are anticipating the lesson.

This all-inclusive community takes all kinds -- yes, even the socially awkward, cranky ones like me. The week itself was dizzying. The beauty of the experience, I think, is welcoming the craft beer newbie. That infectious need to learn and drink everything (please, pace yourselves... we’ll still be here).

I’m sure at one time I’ve called myself a beer snob. I’ve loosened up my standards. Mostly, because there is no way that I know everything about beer. I’m no home brewer, and I don’t know the proper conditions at which fermentation happens... and I definitely couldn’t pass a blind taste test of IPAs. And that’s what’s so fantastic about craft beer – there is much to learn.

Those who scoff at the drinking preferences of others are doing a great disservice for the industry and its growth – a missed opportunity to educate. I think that every beer has its place. Shit, if you drink to get drunk, there are beers for you, too. But you may as well get high off river water at that point.

That said, my drinking experience has evolved beyond poking fun. Drinking habits change over time for most of us. Call it the maturity of a beer drinker. When someone asks for – or prefers – a mega-brewery, this is an opportunity for an introduction to a new lifestyle. One with much better beer.

That is, if you want it.

South Side, Pittsburgh www.otbbicyclecafe.com

Phone: 412-381-3698 CraftPittsburgh.com

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Growing Hops in Western PA reenergizing a long-lost industry

By Brian Reed

For centuries it was believed that the highest quality hops could only be grown in specific regions of Europe.

Countries such as Germany, England, and (what is the modern day) Czech Republic dominated the industry by touting, and fiercely protecting, their products’ geographic distinctions.

Fast-forward to modern day and you’ll quickly realize that the brewing industry—and subsequently the hop-growing industry— have changed dramatically. No longer are hops grown outside of the traditional continental European growing regions thought to be inferior; in fact, the complete inverse has come to fruition. Areas of the United States (mainly the Pacific Northwest), Australia, and New Zealand are developing and producing some of the more sought-after hop strains known to man. German hop growers are developing strains meant to replicate the oil contents and superhigh alpha acid levels of popular US-grown varieties and, in an interesting role-reversal, more progressive UK craft brewers are building recipes to replicate the unique character of many hopfocused American brews.

Since the relatively recent advent of “craft” brewing in the US, the predominant hop varieties which have helped to differentiate American beers have their origins in the Pacific Northwest—mainly the Yakima Valley (Washington) and Willamette Valley (Oregon); however, these regions have not always dominated the US industry.

Throughout the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, the Northeastern states dominated US hop production—specifically New York.

In 1859, the state of New York was responsible for approximately 80% of US hop production with the vast majority produced in the central counties. The New York hop-growing industry peaked in 1880 at around 21 million lbs. harvested from between 40,00070,000 acres (depending on which source you reference).

The NY hop industry—and subsequently the entire Northeast region’s industry—began to decline rapidly after the turn of the last century. The sharp drop-off can be attributed to a number of factors. The combine effects of aphid infestation and a widespread mildew outbreak paired with higher yields in the Pacific Northwest and ultimately prohibition eventually laid waste to the region’s viability as a prominent hop-growing region.

The recent attention garnered by US hop growers has caused many people in the Northeast to begin reevaluating the viability of the region’s once great industry; people like Noah Petronic.

Noah manages the organic farm and greenhouse at Soergel’s Orchards in Wexford, PA. After quite a bit of research and attending a meeting with the Northeast Hop Alliance, Noah began focusing his interest in sustainable, local agriculture toward hops.

Noah and his counterparts have, so far, planted 220 hop plants on a designated plot of Soergel’s organic farm land about a mile from their market and garden center in Wexford.

Even a relatively small operation like Noah’s can quickly amount to a tremendous amount of work, especially considering the rigorous requirements of a USDA-accredited Pennsylvania Organic Certification. The initial 220 plans—consisting of Centennial, Chinook, Newport, and Cascade varieties—are currently in their second year. As Noah explained, his investment will begin yielding

a significant harvestable return in about year three. At that point the hops will begin to display sufficient size and chemical maturity for brewing.

Hops are typically grown on networks of trellises. These trellises can be arranged in a number of configurations. Hops—being the vigorous, hardy, herbaceous perennials they are—assent, from the root, up a twine suspended from lines of posts. In Noah’s case, the posts are constructed from untreated Larch and the twine from Sri Lankan coconut husks.

In addition to the obvious purpose of harvesting and selling the hops for use in beer production, Noah explains that his real focus is the educational value that the farm brings to the region. Apart from a few other small operations, hop production in PA is (as expected) virtually nonexistent. By promoting community involvement and hopefully piquing the interest of the local beer/brewing and agricultural communities, Noah hopes to ultimately raise awareness for the viability of hop growing in the region and contribute to revitalizing this long-lost industry.

Besides adding to the biodiversity of the local environment, growing hops in this very hands-on, small-format fashion will undoubtedly allow Noah and his small crew of volunteers to better understand the specific subtleties of growing hops in Western PA. “The Chinooks did the best last year,” Noah noted. “Cascades are traditionally very hardy, so they do well. The Centennials struggled, but they’re doing better.”

He goes on to explain that otherwise minor differences in soil makeup and climate can drastically affect the success of a particular variety. For example ‘Noble’ hop varieties—traditionally grown in specific regions of Germany and the Czech Republic—do not typically flourish in the northeastern United States. On a similar note, even if a specific variety or strain grown particularly well in

multiple regions, it is likely that the hops produced in each region will vary significantly.

“A Cascade grown here will develop different characters specific to Western PA,” Noah said. “It’s all climate-based.”

There are plans for a similar sized expansion adjacent to the current plot. Noah hopes to be up to approximately 500 plants after the addon. Varieties will include more Cascades and Chinook, as well as Mt. Hood and another lower alpha acid option (alpha acids are the chemical component of the plant that most closely associate with the hop’s bittering potential during brewing).

As you would expect, with growth comes new challenges; many of which involve maintaining a state organic certification. Noah explained that dealing with weeds, mildew, and insects can be a daunting task without the aid of chemical insecticides and herbicides.

Although organic insecticides do exist, he would rather not run the risk of killing off the population of ladybugs which he relies upon to keep the mite and aphids in check.

Another methods Noah plans to employ involves investing in several sheep, which are allowed to graze among the plants. The sheep will help to keep weeds under control as well as defoliate the lower parts of the plants without hurting the vines (a task that would normally be done manually), helping to lower the risk of mildew and insect infestation.

“Plus they’ll save my back,” Noah said.

Oddly enough, Noah set out on his hop-growing journey before he took a significant interest in craft beer or brewing.

“Actually I wasn’t much in to beer,” he admits. “Now it seems like drinking beer is about all I do besides growing hops.”

In addition to his efforts with Soergel’s, Noah (along with a team of dedicated local contributors including nonprofit GTECH Strategies,

Garfield Community Farms, and East End Brewing Company) has expanded his efforts in to a more urban environment. With the help of a generous $10k grant from The Sprout Fund (sproutfund.org), the Garfield Hop Project facilitated the planting of 66 new hop plants on repurposed, previously vacant lots in the Garfield neighborhood— with more plants to come.

Noah isn’t the only one to recognize the educational value of humulus lupulus. Elisa Loeser, a graduate student at Chatham University pursuing her Masters of Arts in Food Studies, conducted a comprehensive study this spring entitled Growing Hops: Urban v.

Suburban. Her research centered on studying the effects of soil and setting on hop growth; specifically in urban gardens and suburban settings. The project involved monitoring four plots (one of which is on Soergel’s Farm) around the region, noting environmental variables, and monitoring crop performance. Besides concluding (among other points) that hops can effectively thrive in urban environments, she also stresses the importance of biodiversity in said settings.

Elisa’s involvement in the hop-growing efforts at Soergel’s and with The Hop Project has grown considerably since her initial research project as she regularly volunteers her time.

Much like Noah, Elisa’s primary focus is to raise awareness through education and establish an environment meant to develop the potential for a hop-growing industry in the northeast. In addition to her exploits with Soergel’s, Elisa is currently working in an internship capacity with Chatham University to create a five year growing plan for a hop farm project coming to fruition in the near future. Chatham’s soon-to-be Eden Hall Campus will house an organic university garden where students will facilitate a roughly

¼ - ½ acre hop farm. Although the large green/sustainable area is not slated to open until October and the hop farm (will most likely) not be up and running until next year, Elisa already has eleven plants in an experimental garden on the premises.

Thanks to a duel-internship program, Elisa will also be spending three weeks this summer at The University of Vermont studying hopgrowing with the nationally-renowned UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team.

Soergel’s Farm recently hosted the May meeting of the Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers (TRASH)—a local home brewing club. Members were invited to tour the hop farm and were treated to a discussion and Q&A session with both Noah and Elisa, whom both provided a wealth of knowledge and were enthusiastic about the club members’ interest in hop-growing.

“This is the type of thing we want to do,” Elisa explained of the meeting. “The goal is to raise awareness and to build a collaborative effort to harbor an industry in the region.”

Although the main by-product of Noah and Elisa’s efforts will initially be education and awareness, don’t be surprised to see locally fresh-hopped beers (and ciders) from the likes of East End Brewing Company, Full Pint Brewing, Penn Brewery, and Arsenal Cider House in the not-so-distant future.

With the help of innovative, curious, entrepreneurially-minded individuals, and the collective beer and agricultural communities, the once-great hop-growing industry of the Northeast may once again rise to prominence.

For more information on local hop-growing efforts visit thehopproject.com.

RECAP

By Slouch Sixpack (used with permission from Aleheads.com) I’m usually not a big “Beer Fest” guy. While the chance to taste rare beers and rub elbows with brewery personnel always sounds enticing, in practice the typical Beer Fest experience often doesn’t live up to the hype for reasons we’ve laid out before. Given the choice, I’ll take a bottle-sharing session and conversation with good friends, or a trip to my favorite pub, over the bustle and stress of the typical festival. However, there was nowhere in the beerconsuming universe I would rather have been the first Saturday of Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week than Release the Firkins, Pittsburgh’s first cask ale festival.

The beer was uniformly excellent. One strength of the cask festival concept is that even familiar beers become new experiences when served from a firkin in the proper manner. I’ve had Bell’s Two Hearted Ale hundreds of times, perhaps thousands; on Saturday I got to taste as it does essentially straight from the fermenter. Another advantage compared to kegs is that breweries can use the vessels almost as “randalls,” dry-hopping or adding other ingredients right in the cask, making each firkin a potential one-off. Sure, you’ve had Founder’s Centennial, but the classic IPA served fresh off a doubledry hop is a different animal altogether. You’ve had Weyerbacher Merry Monks Trippel, but what about “Mojito-style” served on lime and mint? Some of the experimentation worked better than others, but it was all interesting and made every tap worth trying.

For me, unsurprisingly, the hoppy beers were the star of the show.

I’ve stated my love for Fat Head’s Head Hunter at length, but as the brewery continues an expansion process, it can be difficult to find at the height of freshness around town. The double-dryhopped version at RtF was a perfect distillation of the complexity of this fruity, piney hop- with just a touch of that distinctive cat pee zest from the Simcoe hop that people love or hate. I love it, and along with many others returned multiple times to the busy Fat Head’s tap.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

If hops aren’t your thing, there were options to suit every taste. The first cask upon entering the festival hall was New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk, which was extremely popular. I heard multiple festival-goers state they’d “never tried anything like it”. I love to witness craft beer conversions, and the New Holland table was a force for evangelism on Saturday. Other highlights from the darker side of the malty spectrum included Flying Dog’s Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout dry-hopped with CTZ and East End’s Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout. Smoked beer lovers had Fat Head’s Up in Smoke, and Pittsburgh’s own Arsenal brought a Centennial Hopped Cider that was absolutely delicious, and their Picket Bone Dry Cider that served as a nice palate-cleanser to the barrage of flavorful cask ales.

The real star of RtF was Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh’s brandnew soccer specific stadium. The event was held in the large social space and veranda running along the visitor’s end of the field. It was basically one big skybox offering stunning views of the city skyline, river, and verdant green pitch.

The intimate size of the event meant basically no lines for anything.

There was no VIP tent of prestige brews, just unique options pretty much everywhere you looked. Although very crowded inside, the room flowed naturally and I never had any trouble getting to a beer I wanted to try. Event planners nailed the details we often gripe about not having during festivals.

Other than a small firkin of East End’s Gratitude Barleywine, most of the other brews topped out in the 7 to 8% range, keeping everyone in good spirits without that hammer-to-the-head effect that several hours of Imperial Stouts and DIPA’s can have on a gathering of beer lovers.

Serving temperamental cask ale the right way is a time-consuming and messy proposition- like craft beer itself, it’s a labor of love. But cask is truly becoming part of the Steel City’s beer identity thanks to the leadership of those at Piper’s Pub. They took the knowledge accrued in the development of a first-class cask program at the pub and used it to create a signature event for Pittsburgh Beer Week going forward.

Release the Firkins was more than the chance to tick a few new beers

off your list- it was the culmination of years of work for craft beer lovers in the city, and the start of an exciting new chapter in Pittsburgh beer. It’s no Portland, Denver, or San Francisco.

Not yet, anyway. But there are some truly exciting things happening here, with more on the horizon.

CraftPittsburgh.com

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

Written By Michael Pound Photography by Josh Greenburg

This is two stories

One is about a small brewery in rural Crawford County, whose owners use just about everything they produce on their 65acre farm for their beer.

The other is about what is perhaps the best way to get there. “This is my office,” says Luke Steadman, the brewer at Sprague Farm and Brew Works, as he leads a group into the small, glass-walled brewhouse. That room is a nearly perfect representation of the entire Sprague property -- a quirky assortment of copper, wood, steel, and a tangle of hoses. It has been cobbled together over the last several years, after Minnie and Brian Sprague opened the brewery in 2006.

That’s how the rest of the property has been assembled as well.

Buildings have been re-purposed. Materials have been scrounged and re-assembled. A collection of brewing memorabilia hangs, well, everywhere. The property is dotted inside and out with chainsawcarved sculpture, all done by Brian Sprague.

There are rough edges -- take a look down at your feet while you stand in the Bierhalla, the old dairy barn that serves as Sprague’s pub,

and you’ll be able to see through the cracks between the floorboards into the barn’s basement -- but that adds to the charm.

The property feels organic. Handmade. Homespun. And that, Brian Sprague said, has been the intention all along.

“We wanted very much to be different, to be sustainable, to use and re-use whatever we could get our hands on,” Sprague said. “We wanted to make good beer, and do it in a place that we could be proud of.”

Sprague farm was a working farm for decades before Brian and Minnie Sprague began their resurrection of the property in 1997, when they bought it for $75,000.

“This was my dream,” Minnie Sprague said. “This kind of acreage, the old buildings -- it was what I had imagined in my head for years.

We were fortunate to get it, because the previous owners had better offers. But I think we were all comfortable with each other, so we found ourselves as owners of a farm.”

The Spragues spent several years preparing: tracking down equipment, saving money, weaving through the licensing process. In 2006, they were ready to go, opening the brewery for the first time; they kegged those initial batches, and sold draft beer by the growler initially, taking time off only to spread the word by attending beer festivals in a rolling brewpub they had fashioned from old fire truck.

CraftPittsburgh.com

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In 2009, the Spragues took another step forward, opening Bierhalla to the public. It took years to portion off about half of the old dairy barn, build a bar and a kitchen, add a stage, and install the insulation and heating necessary to make sure a century-old barn would be comfortable in the middle of a frigid Crawford County winter.

And that, as Minnie Sprague said, is when the fun really began.

“We love people, and we love this space,” she said, leaning on one of the bars built on the outer walls of Bierhalla. ”And we’ve managed to make a space that really feels like home, to us and to our friends and customers.”

The people shuffling in to Carson Street Deli on a crisp Saturday morning in late March may be a little bleary eyed, but Jake Voelker, holding a clipboard and wearing a big smile, is ready to wake up everyone.

“If you want to pick up some beer for the trip or hit the rest room before we leave, now is the time,” Voelker announces to each person who checks in at the deli’s front table. “We want to get going so we can have as much time up there as we can.”

Voelker is the founder of Pennsylvania Brewery Tours, and he’s rounding up the group that will make his company’s first-ever trip from Pittsburgh to Sprague. Voelker has already successfully escorted trips to the north, to North Country Brewing in Slippery Rock and Voodoo Brewing in Meadville, but this trip, billed as the “Farm to Table Tour,” is the first to Sprague.

“I’ve really been looking forward to this one, because I think we’re going to get a look at something that’s pretty unique,” Voelker said as the bus began to roll down Carson Street. “We sold it out too, so that’s promising for future trips.”

Voelker is enthusiastic and friendly, but there is a precision in his manner -- not to mention his schedule – that reveals what he presumably learned from his previous employer. After going through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, Voelker earned a commission as an officer in the Army and served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq before returning to Pitt to study for an MBA and make plans to open Pennsylvania Brewery Tours. And his military experience did more than influence his demeanor; it also was a part of his business plan. Voelker donates a portion of his profits to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The idea for the business was born from simple frustration, Voelker said. If a craft beer fan wanted to visit some of the state’s best best breweries, he had to either figure out a plan to get home safely or find a place to spend the night.

Voelker thought there was a better way.

“It was one of those ‘Wouldn’t it be cool ...’ things,” he said. “You joke about having a driver to get you to Voodoo in Meadville and back. And then you start to think, ‘Well, why not?’”

The groundwork for establishing Pennsylvania Brewery Tours included contacting the breweries that would serve as destinations and working with the Pittsburgh craft beer businesses that would serve as meeting points for the trips. In both cases, the business owners Voelker worked with thought the plan would work well.

“Everyone was excited about the exposure,” he said. “The breweries know we’re bringing people to them, and those people could go home and tell their friends about the experiences they’ve had. That works the same for the businesses we’re working with here; just about everyone on the bus today grabbed a couple beers for the trips up and back. It works for everyone.”

The March trip to Sprague came just two months after Pennsylvania Brewery Tours made its first ever tour, a two-stop ride to Voodoo and North Country, the Yinz Goin’ Up North? Tour. Voelker has since added the Saints and Sinners Tour, visiting All Saints in Greensburg and Helltown in Mount Pleasant; the Pittsburgh Breweries Tour, including Church Brew Works and Penn Brewery, and, starting this summer, the North Coast Brew Tour, the company’s first overnight tour to Erie Brewing and Lavery Brewing.

“The response has been solid so far,” Voelker said on the ride north.

“I hope we can keep it growing.”

Although most of the passengers have cracked open bottles on the ride to Sprague, the conversation is still subdued. Friends Mary Lou Klem and Nora Cline, both of Regent Square, were willing to discuss their anticipation about visiting the brewery.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

“The beer scene has changed so much in Pennsylvania recently,” Klem said. “In Pittsburgh, it’s been amazing -- breweries, craft distillers, all in the past few years. That’s why we’re looking forward to visiting Sprague. We’ve heard such good things, and we’re really looking to tasting their beer for the first time.”

“The idea that Sprague is a sustainable farm and a sustainable brewery makes this a great trip,” Cline said, opening beer with an opener from her keychain. “I want to see how they do what they do.

And I want to taste it as well.

The bus arrives at Sprague after the two-hour drive, and the group files in the cream-colored barn that doubles as the brewery and Bierhalla. And, to the delight of Cline and everyone else, the tasting begins. Brian Sprague and Luke Steadman are already behind the bar, handing out samples, pouring pints for those who want a more in-depth examination of the Sprague lineup, and answering questions from the thirsty Pittsburghers.

Eventually Steadman gathers everyone and begins a tour that winds through the brewhouse, a lagering space, storage for grains and kegs – every step of the process -- and ending in the property’s pavilion, where the imposing bar has been crafted from the masts of the US Brig Niagara.

And although the Crawford County growing season is still months away -- there are still several inches of snow blanketing the property – the group hears plenty of details about just how local the operation is. Some hops are grown on the property, a process the Spragues learned from Joel Hunter, a friend who also happens to be a Penn State Extension agronomist; the remainder comes from a grower in North East, Pa. And the Spragues grow -- and malt -- their own barley, a process that became a necessity when they learned commercial suppliers weren’t keen on filling the small orders the startup brewery required.

Even the help is homegrown. Steadman, who said the Spragues are an unofficial aunt and uncle, slid into the role as primary brewer just by offering to help Minnie, who held that job for the first few years of the brewery’s existence.

“It’s a lot of heavy lifting, and I just kind of jumped in,” he said. “I hadn’t even done any homebrewing, but they took a chance on me, and it’s worked out.”

HAPPINESS IS JUST A BREWERY AWAY.

Go online to find our tour calendar, tickets, and all the ways we craft the best tour experience for you.

PABREWTOURS.COM

412.400.7837 • info@pabrewtours.com CraftPittsburgh.com

15

Steadman said he’s learned to consistently nail Sprague’s staples; he also enjoys the opportunity to experiment.

“They’re pretty open to trying something different,” he said. “I could dump a box of Clif bars in the mash tun, something like that.

And we love maple syrup here.”

“I’m 54 and he’s 25,” Minnie Sprague said, laughing. “He’s better suited to that kind of work than I am, and he’s really doing well.”

After wrapping up the tour, the group returns to Bierhalla for a late lunch -- the day’s special is a bratwurst smothered in mustard and sauerkraut -- and another pint or two before heading south. Some of the pub’s regulars are starting to filter in and Brian and Minnie Sprague are both busy preparing for the expected Saturday night crowd.

“This is why we did this,” Minnie Sprague said, casting a glance around the slowly filling Bierhalla. “We can do something we enjoy, and we can do it the right way, the way we wanted to. And this is the payoff -- a room full of friends having good food and drinking good beer.”

The bus squeezes up South 16th Street late that Saturday afternoon, pulling to a stop at Carson Street long enough for the travelers to disembark. On the trip back, the group reached consensus on a couple things. First, the trip to Sprague was an eye-opener, proof that good beer can be made in a sustainable fashion.

“That was definitely not a disappointment,” Voelker said. “We got a great look at how Sprague does what it does, and the beer was spectacular. I can’t wait to go back.”

And second: being driven to Crawford County and back was the right way to go.

“It was a great trip, and it’s so nice to not have to worry about doing any of the driving,” Klem said. “The brewery tour idea is really smart, and really well done. I expect we’ll do another soon.”

ASK FOR US WHERE YOU BUY BEER. all Six varietieS now available.

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IT’s just your t ype.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

@rivertownebeer

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Beer Express

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Beerfest

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Beer Nutz

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Blue Dust

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Bocktown Beer and Grill

690 Chauvet Drive, Pittsburgh 15275 (412) 788-2333 500 Beaver Valley Mall Blvd Monaca 15061 (724) 728-7200 bocktown.com

Brews Brothers

315 Mt. Lebanon Blvd., Pittsburgh 15234 (412) 561-2075 brewsbro.com

Cain’s Saloon

OTB Bicycle Café

2518 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, 15203 (412) 381-3698 otbbicyclecafe.com

PA Brew Tours

3239 W Liberty Ave Pittsburgh 15216 (412) 561-7444 cainssaloon.com

(412) 400-7837 pabrewtours.com

Caliente Pizza & Draft House

5514 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh 15206 (412) 361-0915

D’s SixPax & Dogz

5578 Old William Penn Hwy., Export 15632 (724) 519-2145 myrivertowne.com

Fat Head’s Saloon

19-29 Shingiss St., McKees Rocks 15136 (412) 331-1222 TonySavatt.com

Galli Beer

140 North Ave., Pittsburgh 15209 (412) 821-4618 beersince1933.com

Lavery Brewing Company

85 36th St., Pittsburgh 15201 (412) 621-4420 wilsonmcginley.com

4624 Liberty Ave Bloomfield 15224 (412) 682-1414 pizzadrafthouse.com 1118 S Braddock Ave, Pittsbugh 15218 (412) 241-4666 ds6pax.com 1805 East Carson St., Pittsburgh 15203 (412) 431-7433 fatheads.com 800 Anderson St., New Kensington 15068 (724) 337-3581 gallibeercorp.com Laverybrewing.com

Giant Eagle

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Pistella Beer Distributors Rivertowne Brewing Tony Savatt, Inc.

Vecenie Distributing Company Wilson-McGinley

Zoe’s Beer Distributor

4102 Clairton Blvd., Brentwood 15227 (412) 881-4002 zoesbeer.com

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BEER REVIEW

?

Have d e i r T u Yo

By Hart Johnson

OMMEGANG | hennepin

7.7% Belgian Style Saison from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY. ommegang.com Hennepin is an old school favorite from one of the original Belgian style-focused breweries in America. Hazy straw gold, tremendous rocky white foam with lasting power. Aromas of fresh cut grass, lemon rind, orange juice, and a slight hint of plantains. Fruity maltiness, ripe peaches, rock candy, candied ginger, and more of those plantains. Rich bittersweet finish.

Recommended if you like: Saison Dupont, Sly Fox Saison Vos, Yard’s Saison

OSKAR BLUES | g’knight

8.7% Imperial Red IPA from Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard, NC. oskarblues.com This is the Imperial Red IPA Formerly Known As Gordon. Bright copper red with some sticky looking off white foam. Sticky pine aroma wrapped around red licorice. Flavor is decidedly malt forward for an IPA, with big chewy malt notes reminiscent of an Old Ale balanced with pineapple and pine hop notes. Slight sharp pine bitterness in the finish. Colorado born, but North Carolina brewed.

Recommended if you like: Great Lakes Nosferatu, Ithaca Cascazilla, Founder’s Red’s Rye

GREEN FLASH | rayon vert

7% Belgian style Pale Ale from Green Flash Brewing Co. in San Diego, CA. greenflashbrew.com French for Green Flash, Rayon Vert is an homage to the magical beer of the Wallonia region of Belgium. Have a large glass ready to go; carbonation levels are high in this guy. Large pile of cotton candy-like foam atop deep orange liquid. Sharp aromas of lemon juice, black pepper, stale hay, cured leather, and just a hint of medicinal phenols. Sharp note of lemon peel and spice from the Brettanomyces yeast up front on the palate fading to toasted sourdough bread and marmalade. It finishes spritzy, bitter, and just slightly acidic. A worthy salute to the Walloons.

Recommended if you like: Orval, leather bound books and rich mahogany, Lavery Imperial French Ale, Victory Helios

LAVERY | dúlachán ipa

5.6% American IPA from Lavery Brewing in Erie, PA. laverybrewing.com It is always nice to see lower alcohol, hop-forward beers. This is hopped and dry-hopped with Simcoe, Citra, Amarillo, and Columbus. Bright orange pour with thin whispy white foam.

Aroma is hops and lots of hops, tropical fruit, orange peel, pine, and just a hint of crackery malt. Flavor is big and brash with a fair share of hop bitterness up front fading into ripe melon and orange pithe. Finishes with fair bitterness, but not nearly as much as was expected. Bonus points for the beach/boat/camp/trail-ability of the can.

Recommended if you like: Lagunitas Daytime IPA, Founder’s All Day IPA, East End Pedal Pale Ale

NEW HOLLAND | white hatter

5.5% American style Witbier from New Holland Brewing Co. in Holland, MI. newhollandbrew.com This is a Belgian Witbier/Pale Ale crossover using New Zealand hops, Belgian Witbier yeast, and eight different spices. Hazy golden amber with tight, dense, white foam. Bright citrus, stone fruits and white pepper on the nose. Slightly tart with candied orange, a touch of toasty malt. Soft and spicy on the palate with a slightly bitter finish. It’s an impressive addition to the Mad Hatter family.

Recommended if you like: Blue Point White IPA, Ommegang BPA, East End Witte 18

Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

CraftPittsburgh.com

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HOME BREWING

BREWING WITH FRESH, HOME-GROWN HOPS

By Brian Reed

O

ur country’s most recent beer revival has spawned the popularity of a number of hobbies and home activities that would otherwise seem counterintuitive or downright silly to the uninitiated; homebrewing being one of them. I can’t recall how many times I’ve been asked a question akin to “Why bother making your own beer when there are umpteen-thousand perfectly qualified brewers out there who are more than willing to allow you to drink their beer in exchange of money?”

Candidly, I have not put a great deal of thought in to why one would brew their own. I suppose the answer is similar to that of a question like “Why would you grow your own vegetables, or bake your own bread?” There is a certain type of person who takes pride and comfort in knowing exactly where his or her food products come from. Homebrewing is also like any other hobby; one must have (or at least feign) an interest in the activity, process, or subject matter. Most would agree that for an individual who possesses these traits brewing one’s own beer at home could certainly be an enjoyable and worthwhile endeavor; however, once the DIY-gloves go on, the proverbial practicality and/or sanity-gloves often come off.

As many of my fellow Beanie Baby collectors can attest to, a hobby can quickly—and without warning—spiral out of control. One day you’re a casual collector of simple Happy Meal toys, next thing you know you’re cashing savings bonds and hocking family heirlooms to pay for an impulsive eBay purchase of a 1st Edition MINT Princess Diana bear. I mean, come on. The whole thing was like ten years ago and you’re still holding this against me?! Let it go! What?

I’m not ruining Christmas, you’re ruining Christmas! (long silence) Homebrewing can lead you down a similar path; a few buckets and a turkey fryer can quickly explode into a fully developed brew-sculpture, conical fermentors, a walk-in keg cooler, and a second garage which houses the malt house. One easy way to help curb these destructive desires without breaking the bank: grow your own hops.

Growing hops at home is relatively cheap, easy, and allows you to deepen the connection you have with your beer without creating a scenario which could possibly result in complete ostracism from loved ones. Now I’m certainly not an expert on growing hops, and frankly there are dozens of how-to websites and books out there on the topic that would undoubtedly do a better job of teaching the process, so for the sake of this time we have together we will focus on brewing with home-grown, fresh hops.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

We should first establish that brewing with fresh hops is very different than brewing with commercial hops. 99.99999% of the time, the commercial hops you would buy online or from your local homebrew shop are dried. Drying obviously removes the majority of the moisture from the cones. The lower moisture content combined with modern commercial packaging results in an impressive shelf-life for such a naturally unstable crop. Fresh or “wet” hops are not dried; therefore their shelf-life is incredibly short. Due to the fact that we, as brewers, are particularly interested in the extremely volatile chemical compounds rapidly dissipating in our little green friends, most hop folks would argue that you have less than 24 hours to use the fresh hops once they’ve been picked. Add this to the fact that home-growers often have a short window to harvest, and you’ve may have a bit of a scheduling challenge on your hands. Local hop authority Noah Petronic (see “TITLE OF ARTICLE”) suggests keeping your

eyes peeled for the point in time when some of the tips of the cones just barely begin to turn brown and their texture turns from lush and moist to slightly papery. They won’t stay at this optimal stage for long, so pick fast and ideally they should go straight in to the kettle.

Another factor to consider when brewing with fresh hops is that, because of drastically higher moisture content, you’ll require approximately 5-7 times more hops by weight when using fresh.

As far as the contributions of hops that brewers most readily think about—bittering and flavor/ aroma—there are variables abound when turning to the fresh variety. Unfortunately it will be nearly impossible to estimate even your approximate IBU level. Most formulas homebrewers use to calculate IBUs are based upon the weight of the hop addition(s); our fresh hops throw a wrench in those. Also, let’s not forget, that unless you plan on sending crop samples off to a lab somewhere you likely have only a very broad range of what your alpha acid levels are. Hate to say it, but when brewing with 100% home-grown hops there’s bound to be a good deal of guess work.

Deal with it Professor Nerd Jerk. In the flavor department, know that less of the identity of the individual hop variety to shine through.

Expect fresher, grassier, greener (possibly even slightly vegetal) flavors when using fresh/wet hops.

Keeping in the spirit of homegrown and indigenous hops, I think it would be just lovely to stick with a recipe that not only celebrates local, indigenous hops but has a historical/stylistic connection to them. The Classic American Pilsner is an interesting and widely ignored BJCP style. The style’s roots are firmly set in classic German brewing tradition, but the beer’s points of differentiation stem from adaptation. Essentially the style is a German immigrant-brewed rendition of their home-country’s famed Pilsner beer utilizing indigenous ingredients and adapted brewing practices. What can be more American than that?

Consistent with a great many Americanbrewed beers of the period, the style shifted from being a slightly higher gravity beer (1.050-1.060 OG) pre-prohibition with around 30-40 IBUs, to a somewhat more sessionable and delicate version of itself (1.044-1.048 OG, 25-30 IBU) after prohibition. Considering the timeframe we’re focusing on during the proverbial heyday of the Northeast hop industry, we’ll stick with the more substantial pre-pro version.

The grain bill is rather simple and certainly fundamentally American; 80% domestic 6-Row barley and 20% flaked maize (feel free to use as much as 30%). The maize adds a significant

level of cornbread-like sweetness which softens the hop bitterness and helps to differentiate the style from its European cousins. Although imported, continental European hops would have been a fairly regular site in a recipe such as this (when available), it’s more likely that domestic-grown indigenous hops would have been used; most likely Cluster—especially in the Northeast. Considering we intend to use 100% home-grown, fresh hops in our recipe— and that Cluster typically does well in our region—we will be employing one hop for the purposes of our exercise.

Fresh-Hopped Classic American Pilsner Batch Size – 6 gallon Boil Time – 90 min.

OG – 1.053 FG – 1.010 ABV – 5.6% IBU – 40

*Assuming 72% efficiency

GRAINBILL

10 lbs. US 6-Row barley 2.5 lbs. Flaked Maize

*Extract Brewers: use 7 lbs. Briess Pilsen Light LME, and 2 lbs. brewers’ corn syrup

HOPS

10 oz. fresh/wet Cluster (estimated 7% AA) – 90 min.

6 oz. fresh/wet Cluster (estimated 7% AA) – 15 min.

6 oz. fresh/wet Cluster (estimated 7% AA) – 0 min. *Remember: fresh, undried hops weigh 4-7x more due to higher moisture content Hop (5-7 days)

MASH

Single Infusion @ 152 degrees for 60 min.

YEAST/ FERMENTATION

White Labs WLP830- German Lager Yeast or WLP800 Pilsner Lager Yeast Primary Fermentation: 14 days @ 48-52 degrees Lager/cold condition for 8-12 weeks CraftPittsburgh.com

21

COOKING WITH BEER

IPA

BEER BREAD

By Mindy Heisler-Johnson

M

any, many moons ago a friend of mine invited me to one of those food parties, you know the kind - where a bunch of folks, usually women, get together and eat all sorts of dips and things made with enough mayo/sour cream/cream cheese to kill a small island nation? One of those. It was fun, mainly because you will never hear me complain about beer/wine food parties with friends, but rarely do I buy or find anything of real interest at any of these; I’m a chef, so I don’t really do premade anything. But there was this beer bread. It was delicious. And then I looked at the price - $7 for a loaf of beer bread. Uh, no. I don’t care how good it is. And the ingredient list was mostly absurd. It was good, no doubt, but a definite value-for-dollar issue there.

But it is good. There is just no way that there’s $7 worth of anything in that box. So, I started playing around. The husband has a home-brewed IPA on tap – a fairly aggressive West coast-style one – absolutely perfect for making multiple batches of beer bread until the recipe, consisting of 5 ingredients, was perfected. Recipe development, it’s a torturous process of eating delicious beer bread!

The bread is moist and dense. I always use big-flavored beers when making it so the taste and aroma is pronounced in the baked loaf, but you can make this with any kind of beer. I’ve made a sweeter loaf with oatmeal stout, a fruit loaf with a raspberry lambic, and even used Straub, but my go-to is usually an IPA, preferably one with some tropical fruit and floral notes. I think that gives the bread the best overall flavor for use with savory dips and spreads like beer cheese dip, hummus, or artichoke dip just to name a few of my favorites.

The recipe couldn’t be any easier. You need a standard loaf pan, a mixing bowl, and a couple utensils. The recipe makes one loaf. Adjust accordingly to make more.

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11

IPA BEER BREAD

• 2 cups self-rising flour (available in the baking isle at any grocery store) • 1 cup all purpose flour • 2 Tbsp sugar • 6 Tbsp melted butter divided (2 go in the pan, 2 go in the dough, 2 go on top) • 12oz West coast IPA or other beere

Heat your oven to 425F. Melt the butter in the pan. Then, take a 5-minute break. It takes longer to heat the oven than to mix the dough.

You can’t throw it in early and it’s best to get it directly into the oven once it’s mixed.

Welcome back! Whisk together the two flours and sugar until combined. Add the beer and two Tbsp butter and fold together until mostly combined. You don’t want to really work the dough a lot, about 24 turns and it should be all combined with not big dry spots.

Pour two Tbsp of butter into the bottom of the loaf pan, spread the dough evenly across the bottom, drizzle the top with the remaining two Tbsp of butter, and pop it in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The loaf will be just golden and spring back when pressed in the center. Place it on a rack and wait until it’s cool enough to slice.

I’ve been known to cover it with shredded sharp cheddar while baking to give it a crispy cheese crust. Or you can brush it with melted garlic butter as soon as it gets out of the oven. Feel free to add some fresh chopped herbs into the batter. What I’m getting at is how versatile this recipe can be. Enjoy!

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Craft Pittsburgh | Issue 11