Looks like it has been a while since there has been any action on this site – and for good reason.
#1 COVID-19 screwed up the 4th quarter of last school year. (Has it been that long?) We went on spring break for a week and never went back to the classroom for the remainder of the school year. I’ve been in the classroom since 1988 (Been an 8th grader for way too long.) and that was a whole new way of conducting classes, for sure. Didn’t like it one bit. Virtual school pulls big time.
#2 School started in Fall for another fun filled year of instruction. In fact, we just finished the first quarter: in building – 5 days / week. It went well in most respects thanks to David and his wife Nancy putting together a safety plan that the city approved. No major C-19 related issues and I can tell the kids prefer to be back in the classroom – being social beings and all. School priorities have cut down on all other activities – hobbies included. (Biking & Brewing)
#3 My keezer decided to retire on me two weeks into the C-19 hype. By then there wasn’t a chest freezer to be had in the Union. They were back ordered until the beginning of July (China) as I was told. That estimate was close as I was able to pick up a 10 cu ft unit by chance as I noticed one arriving at the store while I was there about the middle of the month. “Put my name on that one – I’m going to pay for it right now.”
The unit is in use but is a different setup than the prior 7 cu ft unit. That unit had a custom built collar on it for taps – 4 of them. I attempted to create a new collar for the newly acquired 10 cu ft unit and spent Labor Day constructing it only to find that I messed up by not accounting for the under lid design. A waste of time and $$. Time I could / should have been brewing. I tossed the collar and am using picnic taps – which are working just fine. I don’t know if I will try again in the future. The taps and handles are being stored in the time being just in case I become motivated to try again.
I was, however, able to relocate my beer stickers to the new unit just fine. (See prior post on this discussion.) Putting those things on magnets did serve the purpose after all. I’ll be laughing at (making fun of) Mark when his dear beer fridge bites it. He put his stickers directly on the unit. He claims he is more dedicated to his unit than I am to mine by implementing direct adhesion. Whatever…. I have a fully decorated unit. No hint of being a rookie with a naked unit.
Well, today I was able to address one of those items: brewing. Yesterday and today were supposed to be state teachers’ conference. I used yesterday as an in school work day – equivalent to a teacher’s in school suspension, I guess. And, I was able to purchase brewing supplies for today where half were used. (I bought enough for 2 brews. More on this in a bit.)
What was brewed? Good question! A poll was taken at this past Wednesday’s Mug Club session at Racine Brewing Co. Those in attendance got a chance to vote (tis the season – thank goodness it will finally be over in a few days) on the beer style. Since just one of the membership decided to take this seriously (Mark), he got top priority. No whining Jeff, you had equal opportunity to be there as well and vote.
I must digress as Jeff has taken our (Mark, David and myself) companionship seriously. He recently had a garage heater installed so that we can all hang out in his man-cave-garage. It is cool (I mean hot) that he has done this for us and we thank him for his thoughtfulness and generosity as the weather has taken a turn towards the cooler side of things here in Wisconsin.
By the way, Big Ten football just got underway and the Badgers won big over the Flat Landers to the south. The Badgers were to play Mark’s Nebraska Corn Suckers (I mean Pullers / Pushers) but WI knew it would be a cake walk so they canceled the meeting – in keeping with C-19 protocol. That is what you do during a pandemic – you cancel things and put a mask on anything that moves. Oh yes, you also go to a city that isn’t connected with you whatsoever to loot, pillage and plunder. Then you burn it down because it isn’t your town, people have insurance, and it is payback time. That makes it all OK.
Where was I? Oh yes – trying to rile up Jeff but yet commending him on his (and wife’s) generosity. Jeff and Angie are great people to know and hang with. I wonder when the big screen TV is being installed in the garage?
What? The beer? I guess that is what I originally started out writing about. After all the votes were counted (there were no hanging chads) the tally was: Belgian Quad = 1 vote. All other = 0 votes. (I wonder if the presidential election will be this easy?)
Settle down Jefferson, I also picked up supplies for an IPA. I will attempt to get that one done a week from Sunday. Yes, Mark’s came first – he showed up for Mug Club Wednesday. You decided to hang with David in your comfy heated garage. Go figure. Did you install a big screen and not tell us?
The Belgian Quad is in category 26 (Trappist Ale), subcategory D (Belgian Dark Strong Ale). Mark is going to take ownership of this brew for his Thanksgiving festivities – of which I won’t be invited, I’m sure. It should be good to go by then. He is venturing into the keg dispensing part of the hobby. I have enough equipment to make this happen so he will be good to go. I wonder if Jeff is ready to make the leap? He could keep his keg ‘o IPA in the man-cave-garage during these colder months. Mark has a full sized beer fridge and Jeff has a much, much smaller man-cave-garage beer fridge. BUT – Jeff has the Fieldpointe Brewery sticker in top position (1st place) on his unit. Thanks for showing the love, Jeff. I think Mark put my sticker on the backside of his unit – or underneath it.
According to the brewing software, the OG will measure in at 1.101 and the FG will be 1.024 for an ABV of 11.21% at 76% attenuation. I don’t take measurements but I believe these numbers will be accurate. Don’t think this one is child’s play, Marky Mark and your Funky Bunch.
So what’s in this bad boy? Here you go:
Mash:
- 9 lb Belgian Pils
- 7 lb Belgian Pale
Hops:
- 1 oz Brewers Gold (60 minutes)
- 1 oz Hallertau (30 minutes)
- 1 oz Styrian Goldings (15 minutes)
Adjuncts:
- 2 lb Dark Candi Sugar
Yeast:
- Wyeast 3787 – Trappist High Gravity
Not a complicated beer by any means. Many times keeping it simple is better in the end. It should keep him and his family / friends (not me) jovial and warm this Thanksgiving!