What’s Brewing? – Page 3 – Fieldpointe Brewery

June 2024

Gemütlichkeit

Gemütlichkeit is a German-language word used to convey the idea of a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. (Wikipedia)

This is the second in the lineup for the afore mentioned First Evangelical’s 175 anniversary year festivities (Oktoberfest). It is a Helles Bock and should play nicely with the Märzen brewed last week.

Although the last post did not address it, the Bloody Mary Bar is and has been a staple on brew day for some time. Not to be complacent, Mark is seeking new ways to improve the experience. Vodka has been the go to for about…. forever. Mark has experimented with a few new players to the bar: Tequila and Bacardi Rum. We didn’t think much of the Tequila – I tried it once and went back to the familiar. However, Vodka might be taking a back seat to the Bacardi for some time as we both have taken a liking to it. Here is the BBM spread from last Monday’s session.

Speaking of upgrades, the Man Cave has an additional piece of equipment. Last time it was the brew table and this time the new fermentation chamber was added. Mark has a new place for stickers.

But it is not plugged in! Yes, your observation is correct. In order to get this unit transported in the truck, it needed to be rotated 90°. It also had to be rotated again to mount the casters to the bottom. Rules being rules, we have to wait at least 24 hours before powering it up. There is a Blichmann temperature controller that will regulate the temperatures. The 3 fermenters should have plenty of space and there is a beer shelf (compressor) for Mark to load up. In addition, there might be enough additional space for a couple kegs. We are happy to have this available to brew lager beers in the future as it has been talked about off and on over the past couple years. The First Evan 175 gave us the needed push to pursue this adventure.

Back in May of 2023 Mark and I went to our first DarkLord Day at 3 Floyds Brewing in Munster, IN.

We each received a bottle of DarkLord and 3 variants which we have been saving for special occasions. With the new additions, successful brew / grill sessions, gutter cleaning, hedge trimming and maybe a mortgage payoff, Mark brought out a bottle to celebrate: Marshmallow Handjee (MMXXII).

Can’t tell you enough of how we enjoyed this. Thanks Mark for the share.

In other news: The Dorothy Doors have been seeing action now that warmer longer days are here. The patio furniture has come out of hibernation and Mark’s best friends, the chipmunks, are ruling his back yard once again.

Mark’s wife, Helen, has taken up a unique hobby: bird tease. Now let’s be sure to understand that there is no physical contact with birds – they are for looking at and listening to. Helen has a phone app that mimics bird calls. A cardinal (not from St. Louis) has made the back yard its domain and isn’t interested in sharing the territory. Helen amuses herself by occasionally playing the cardinal call on her phone thus drawing the full attention of the resident cardinal who comes to check things out. It is interesting how the bird will come in close attempting to figure out where the fictitious calling bird is.

What does all this have to do with brewing? Probably not much. The brewing process is pretty much routine now so need some filler material. Thanks Helen for providing! It’s all in a day’s brew.

Gemütlichkeit

Grains

10 lb – Pilsner Malt
1 lb – Acidulated Malt
1 lb – Vienna Malt
1 lb – Crystal 40

Hops

1 oz – Hallertau (60 minutes)
1 oz – Hallertau (15 minutes)
1 oz – Hallertau (5 minutes)

Yeast

German Lager

Projected Analysis

OG – 1.067
FG – 1.017
Color – 11.8 SRM
ABV – 6.7%
Bitterness – 28 IBU

May 2024

Freudenfest

Post author By Jerry
Post date June 4, 2024
No Comments on Freudenfest

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. From 1868 to 1970, it was observed on May 30. Since 1971, it is observed on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day History

On this day we give thanks to God for the service men and women who have given their all for the nation and for us. May God richly bless the families of those who have served and those who are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Secondary to the day’s military commemoration is the opportunity for the Fieldpointe Brew Crew to get together with Mark mastering the grill and me at the brew kettle.

Freudenfest “Festival of Joy” is the name of this Oktoberfest Marzen being brewed for First Evangelical Lutheran Church’s 175th anniversary of sharing Word & Sacrament to the people of Racine, WI. It will be served at the planned Oktoberfest celebration come September.

Other than the annual Spring Break Miabock, this will be the first somewhat controlled lager fermentation that the Fieldpointe Crew is attempting. The Miabock has been an uncontrolled (temperature) brew due to the lack of proper lager equipment. The ambient temps of the garage or Dorothy Door Steps has sufficed in years past. This is changing however, as a dedicated chest freezer has been ordered. Unfortunately, it won’t arrive before brew day. (I thought it would be available at the local big box store but is a special order item. We needed to go large – 18 cu ft – in order to get three active fermenters into it. A Helles and Dopplebock are also planned.) The electrical service has been run and the Blichmann temp controller for the freezer has arrived.

The end of the school year (this past Friday) has been a busy time for the crew with all the year end activities taking place. There are year end meetings still to come and a week long science training session for this guy so brew day must go on as scheduled.

There is a slight concern of higher than ideal initial fermentation temps for this lager but this new yeast is developed to cover for that. The freezer is set to arrive within the week. We ask God’s blessing upon this endeavor. Until then, we will have to make do with Mark’s Man Cave ambient temperature. The yeast being used for this brew is a newer player on the market (so it was explained to me) and claims to have a clean fermentation range from 50° to 68° F. Hope this proves to be true and yields positive results come September.

Another aspect of this brew is the first attempt at a decoction mash. This is where a portion of the mash is removed, boiled and returned. Why a decoction? Good question. Here is a link to all you may want to know concerning Decoction Mashing provided by MoreBeer.

A recent addition to the brewery is this two shelve stainless table. It fits in nicely and is a great place to keep the brewing related gear. (And coffee)

Speaking of tables – what did Mark bring to the brew session “table”? Just this: an 8 lb pork shoulder that he smoked / grilled to perfection. This, with Mark-B-Q Sauce, was fantastic! Earlier in the day, Helen put together a chicken pot pie that was also right up there. The Blauerts eat well.

Greg, a long time friend who travels between his place in Racine and his new castle in Nebraska, assisted the cause by loaning us 3 new never been used fermenters. Greg is constructing his brewery at his NB location and got an early start on equipment. His generosity helped the brew crew meet fermenter needs. I have been happy with the single unit that has been meeting fermentation vessel needs and I am sure the Greg will not be disappointed with his purchase. That is once we give them back. Sure hope they don’t get “misplaced”!

The back to back brew day went well. We were blessed with good weather, fantastic food, fine beer and friendship.

With God’s blessings – Freudenfest will be a “Festival of Joy” at First Evan’s 175 Oktoberfest this Fall.

Grains

4 lb – Pilsner Malt
3 lb – Munich Malt
3 lb – Vienna Malt
1 lb – Aromatic Malt
0.5 lb – Belgian Caravienne Malt

Hops

1 oz – Tettnanger @ 60 minutes
1 oz – Tettnanger @ 20 minutes

Yeast

Lallemand Novalager (starter)

Adjunct

1 Whirlfloc Tablet at 15 minutes

Anticipated Analysis

OG: 1.059
FG: 1.015
Color: 12.8 SRM
ABV: 5.8%
Bitterness: 26 IBU

Notes:

Decoction: 40% for 20 minutes
Initial Fermentation: Mid 60s until the freezer arrives
Mid Fermentation: 3 weeks at 52° F
Diacetyl Rest: 4 days at 62° F
Final Fermentation: 1 week at 40° F
Lager: Remainder of time at 33° F

May 2024

Aruba-Derci

Post author By Jerry
Post date May 13, 2024
No Comments on Aruba-Derci

As you can see, May 4th was the AHA “Big Brew” of 2024. This gave the occasion for the WSBC crew (most of us) to get together for beer, food, fellowship and comradery.

This post is going to be in “picture book” style which will make it more enjoyable for certain reader / viewership. Enjoy!

Grains

50 lb – Pale Malt (6 Row)
5 lb – Cara Pils (Dextrine)
5 lb – Flaked Rice
2 lb – Caramel Malt (10 L)
4.5 oz – Dark Crystal

Hops

5 oz – Cascade Leaf (60 min)
2 oz – Amarillo Pellet (60 min)

Adjunct

7 lb – Blue agave Syrup (15 min)

Yeast

Wyeast 1968 London ESB (Starter)

Analytics

OG – 1.060 (hydrometer)
FG – TBD

April 2024

Flex Coconut Porter

Monday, April 29 found Mark, Greg and myself at Fieldpointe South to brew Flex Coconut Porter. Summer Break already? Playing hooky? What gives brewing on a Monday?

Now don’t get your knickers in a twist. This was a scheduled “flex” day inserted to accommodate too many winter weather event days – should that sad situation had come to fruition. Thankfully, that was not necessary so the Brew Crew could gather to keep the streak of brewing at least once per month this year going strong.

Greg and I were punctual and arrived almost simultaneously. Not sure when Mark arrived as he was already in the house when we got there. He must have been the early bird but instead of a tasty worm, Mark was working on his drink from the Bloody Mary Bar. That was kinda awkward as that put Greg and me in a position of having to play catchup. (Greg did a much better job of this than I did – but I eventually got there.) My job was to “clean up” the remnants of the pickle, olive and asparagus jars. Even though I clearly communicated to Mark the situation of the previously stated, I bet he still put them back into the fridge. So guess what he will be complaining about the next time?

The first order of brewing related business was to keg the Maibock from Spring Break. This is the annual brew that sits quietly on the Dorothy Door steps in an uncontrolled thermal environment. It always survives and this year was no different. It tasted a little sweet and probably would have benefitted from a longer, cooler lager but things being what they are, it is what it is and we are who we are. Pretty profound, isn’t it.

With that out of the way, FCP got underway. Here you can see the mash recirculating and the Maibock fermenter relaxing and soaking in the background after a long workout.

Frequent readers of the post will note that Greg brought some Empyrean Brewing Co goodies to share at the last session. Winter Wisdom is what it was – if my memory isn’t playing tricks on me. This time it was Riding Red Ale. Thanks Greg for the share! Don’t think it is a surprise that Mark’s PBR remained in the fridge. Some people just know how to be classy and others – not so much.

Eventually the spent grains needed to find their way out of the Man Cave to the back 40 to feed the wildlife – especially the chipmunks. Dedicated readers know that Mark gives them a good battle during the summer months so I want to do my part in giving them (chipmunks) a good start so the fight can be somewhat fair later on.

Before I got the grain basket out, Mark grabbed a share of the spent grain for some Becky Homecky barefoot in the kitchen pizza making. Yes, it has been some time since he has attempted this. You will remember the towel in the stove incident? That must have rattled his cage for some time. Despite the bucking bronco, he got back on his horse, eventually, and did a fine job (with Helen’s guidance) to produce two very tasty pies. This porter grain bill worked out very nicely for the pizza crust – so much so that I think we might have to brew porter more often. Good Stuff!

Back to the grain removal brings me to the always anticipated and appreciated Dorothy Door Report. To my surprise, the DDs were not opened until I requested the gesture. I think you can tell that the conditions outside were certainly in the range of at least consideration for opening prior to my request.

It was time to give a view from the reverse end of the DD steps. The sun was shining through the goalpost trees beckoning us to venture up and out. But alas, as you can see in the photo on the right, the chair remained empty. But that isn’t all. The sadness and disappointment saturated the entire patio – except for me being wise enough to accept the invitation. Even the grill was ignored. Oh the humanity!

I know you have been wondering where Branden was through all this. Sorry to keep you in eager anticipation all this time. You see, recently the child, Branden, had a child. Actually, it was his wife that did all the work and of course, Branden takes the credit. This may be a priority thing but he decided to be home with his wife and newborn. It is still being debated whether this was a commendation or a lack of dedication. Whatever the case, we ask God’s blessing on him and his young family.

So far we’ve covered the porter bit but not the coconut part. This is going to be totally in Mark’s hands so hold your breath. He will need to secure and toast the coconut to add to the keg at the proper time. Let’s hope he doesn’t put something else besides the coconut into the oven when the toasting time comes.

Here are the makings of Flex Coconut Porter. If you don’t like the beer (unlikely) then make it and use the spent grains to make pizza. It’s that good!

Grains

10 lb – 2 Row
0.5 lb – Crystal 60° L
0.5 lb – Chocolate Malt
0.5 # – Carafa I
0.5# – Black Patent Malt

Hops

0.5 oz – Chinook @ 60 min
0.5 oz – Willamette @ 40 min
0.5 oz – Willamette @ 20 min

Adjunct

14 oz – Toasted Coconut Flakes (keg)

Yeast

Safale US-05

Anticipated Analysis (Almost Never Measured)

OG – 1.061
FG – 1.015
Color – 30 SRM
ABV – 6%
IBU – 37

Here’s to longer, warmer days and Summer Break! (15 more school days remaining.) Cheers!

March 2024

Maibock Monday

Last week was Spring Break around here. With winter weather arriving just in time for Spring (today), I am thankful that the brew crew had off last week and not this week. The warmer weather of yesterweek allowed us to do summerish things such as brewing, grilling and bike riding – and some not so summerish things such as tax prep. Some of the privileged also got to do some traveling to visit recent additions to the extended family: grand-babies. All in all, even considering the taxes, it was nice to get a bit of down time from the school setting and routine.

Keeping priorities, the first official day of Spring Break – a Monday – found the brew crew at Fieldpointe South. In attendance were: Mark, Branden, Greg and myself. “Who is Greg?” you ask. A better question would be, “Who is Branden?” We are still trying to figure that one out. Greg is an older acquaintance (much older than Branden) who brings wisdom to the group. To this particular gathering he brought Winter Wisdom!

Greg recently built a palace in Nebraska (go figure) and is in the process of constructing his own version of Fieldpointe Brewery – although I gather he will call his establishment something more appropriate to his environment. Anyway, this Nebraska beer is pretty good! Too bad the same can’t be said of the football there but both Mark and Greg a diehard Huskers.

Keeping in the Spring Break tradition, the beer to be brewed, without question, was the annual Maibock. As if warmer than usual weather wasn’t enough to “shake things up,” a new Maibock recipe was given a go – not that Maibock 1 or 2 were not worthy, it just seemed to be time to give another variation a try. Time will tell whether this was a wise move or not. That and Mark not bumping the fermenter off his Dorothy Door steps creating the catastrophe of the relatively young year.

Speaking of Dorothy Doors – God blessed us with a warm day filled with abundant sunshine. Enough so that the DDs were in full open status for the first time this calendar year. It also was the first time Mark’s charcoal grill (Weber) graced the mostly empty patio space and was put to good use. Mark made a run to Danny’s to secure some sausage delecacies which he grilled to perfection despite being “out of practice” for the somewhat cold / cooler / warmer months of winter – as I think they were to be. To be cautious and have a backup plan, Mark also included some good old franks. Not that the franks were old – just the concept of grilling and serving them – especially at baseball games – which are soon to commence as spring training is concluding and the regular season is about to get under way. Yea Summer! NCAA tournament be damned!

Like the groundhog, Mark saw his shadow and is heading back down to the man cave for another 6 weeks.

For those of you getting your knickers in a twist – relax, don’t worry, have a homebrew – I haven’t forgotten. Yes, the BMB was open per usual. Branden, being young and still working on brain development, committed a social blunder by opening a new bottle of Clamato before the “in use” bottle was empty. These young kids these days. Personally, I don’t think he has cleared the hurdle of being a full fledged member of the Fieldpointe Brewing Society. Pretty sure he doesn’t have a Fieldpointe T as confirmation / affirmation so we will have to monitor this one and see how he matures.

Per usual, I try not to reinvent the wheel – just try to make it, well, more wheelier. Being a member of the prestigious American Homebrewers’ Association (AHA), I nabbed a Maibock recipe from the site and tweaked it to make it uniquely Fieldpointe.

The brew session went well. Nothing was forgotten and there was no “Hey! I wonder what would happen if …” Provided that Mark keeps his mitts off it, Maibock Monday should turn out swell. (They still use that word these days? Kinda makes me think of Leave it to Beaver.)

With all that, here is the makings of this year’s Spring Break special: Maibock Monday!

Grain

10 lb – Pilsner Malt
1 lb – Acidulated Malt
1 lb – Vienna Malt
1 lb – Crystal 40° L

Hops

1 oz – Hallertau @ 60 minutes
1 oz – Hallertau @ 15 minutes
1 oz – Hallertau @ Flameout

Yeast

1 packet – Lallemand Lager Yeast (Diamond)

Anticipated Analysis

OG – 1.067
FG – 1.017
Color – 12 SRM
IBU – 28
ABV – 6.7%

Happy Maibock Monday!

February 2024

Super Brew Sunday

Another year has cycled which means another glorious NFL football season has commenced with the San Francisco 49ers playing the Kansas City Chiefs in the “Big Game” played in Las Vegas, NV. More importantly, it was an opportunity for the Brew Crew to gather to enjoy the game and to brew Red Zeppelin at Fieldpointe South. In attendance were Mark and myself.

Following one of the special festival worship services at First Evangelical – celebrating 175 years: est. 1849 (there are a number of them planned throughout this year – 2024), the group: 3 minus 1 – apparently Branden had something more important to do than watch football and brew with the best Fieldpointe has to offer. That’s his loss – he missed out on the fellowship, snacks – including second half shrimp*, and of course – beer.

Time Out! Was there no Bloody Mary bar? Of course there was. One round and then on with the show. The BMB has become part of the routine and would be amiss if not available. Consider it commonplace going forward.

I arrived to hear Alexa dutifully enlivening the Man Cave with Led Zeppelin hits. It has been a long while since I’v listened to a batch of Zepp and lost track of the number of good songs out there. Once Alexa ran her hit playlist dry there was a real treat – a double header if you will: an airing of Super Bowl XLV featuring the home state Green Bay Packers taking on the Pittsburg Steelers. Who knew this was on the agenda? Once again, the Pack pulled it off and came out on top. Fantastic! Not the best game played but the Pack did bring the Lombardy Trophy home – although briefly because there was another game to be played.

With the first game of the double header out of the way, attention was directed to Super Bowl LVIII. Apparently it is OK to skip a few and go from XLV directly to LVIII. I have to admit that this year’s game was very entertaining to watch – including overtime – which very seldom happens. What made it more enjoyable is that Helen and I took Mark down in our Top 10 predictions for the game. Hard to believe but there is someone out there who is a worse guesser than I am.

During the first game the second half shrimp* disappeared and during game 2 so did the chips and dip – but not the beer. (Mark was attempting to kick a keg but failed in his valiant effort. Perhaps he needs more practice.) To the rescue came Mark’s wife, Helen, with beef and bean chili followed by strawberry cake with fresh strawberries. This sustained us through the remainder of the event. Thanks Helen!

This year’s Super Brew Sunday featured a lighter beer – a red ale – different from past SBS brews. Mark was interested in a Red Ale so I pinged the AHA forum for a recipe which was slightly modified to make it uniquely Fieldpointe.

Time Out! Is there going to be no Dorothy Door Report? Of course there is. It’s still winter, although mild, but not mild enough to consider DD use other than to transfer spent grain from the Man Cave to the back 40 to feed the wildlife. Since it is still too cold for patio commiseration, the DDs are not needed at this time and primarily remain dormant – but soon it will be warm enough to give them a good workout.

Not sure how Red or Zeppelin this will be – haven’t brewed too many to get a handle on the style – especially the Zeppelin part. Nonetheless, it should be a lighter easy drinking beer which will be a nice offset to the darker heavier beers of winter – reminding us that Spring is just around the corner – or maybe not in Wisconsin. The Dorothy Doors may need to wait.

Red Zeppelin

Grains

8 lb – 2 Row
8 oz – Crystal 120
4 oz – Carafa I

Hops

1.5 oz – East Kent Goldings @ 60 minutes

Yeast

Wyeast 1084 – Irish Ale

Anticipated Analysis

OG – 1.045
FG – 1.011
Color – 17 SRM
ABV – 4.5%
Bitterness – 28 IBU

*Shrimp that was recently purchased and still frozen – needing until the second half of the game to thaw.

January 2024

WSBC APA

After some time, the newly named Waubesa Shores Brewing Club (WSBC) gathered on a Sunday afternoon to engage in brewing and fellowship. This is the “30 Gallon” club previously referred to as the “McFarland Mashers” in previous posts due to the lack of an official name and logo at the time. This is the new look for the club:

This is the work of John who hosts the brewing events. In addition to the sign design, he had WSBC coasters and stickers available for the membership. Well done!

Paul has been designated as official brewmaster and produces the recipes for the brew sessions. For this event he engineered the makings of an American Pale Ale to accommodate the club’s 30 gallon brewhouse system kept and used in John’s garage.

Present for the session were: John, Paul, Todd and myself. Mark had principal responsibilities and couldn’t make it. John’s friend Jacob stopped in to temporarily supervise in Mark’s absence.

40 pounds of 6 Row Pale Malt along with 6 pounds of Flaked Oats were mashed in two coolers (warmers). Here Todd is working the electrified mash paddle in one of the coolers.

Once conversion has taken place in the coolers, the mash is transferred by the “arm strong” method into the Lauter Tun for sparging.

John has a pump to transfer the hot liquor to the tun. The float keeps the proper amount of liquid above the grain bed. This pict was taken after the sparge – a pretty even grain bed.

The wort is then transferred again by the “strong arm” method to the boil kettle.

John can work stainless (press in background) and fabricated the agitator / copper chiller combo device in the kettle. (I should have taken a pict of it before it was in the kettle – or before wort was added.)

While the boil was on, we enjoyed the chili that Paul graciously brought for the gang. There is a debate as to whether noodles should be included in chili or not. Paul brought them as a side as to not set the stage for too much hostility and harassment. For the record, I think noodles work fine in chili.

To enhance the already flavorful chili, Paul also brought these as additional sides along with shredded cheese.

I went with the “Hot Chili Peppers” over the Jalapeños in my two bowls. Tasty!

Hot peppers appears to be a common thread among the group. During the late summer months, Todd puts together jars of sliced Jalapeños which he graciously shares with the membership.

Eventually, the cooled wort is transferred via pump to the barrel fermenter as seen here:

Following primary fermentation, the beer will be transferred via gravity to the lower barrel for the secondary before being racked into kegs for club distribution.

It was great to get together and see everyone again while enjoying good beer and company. It isn’t the easiest to get everyone’s schedules to line up but we will see if it can be done again sometime soon.

WSBC APA

Grains

40 lbs – Pale Malt (6-Row)
12 lbs – Carahell
6 lbs – Flaked Oats
5 lbs – Cara-Pils/Dextrine

Hops

4 oz – Columbus @ 60 minutes
1 oz – Centennial @ 30 minutes
1 oz – Cascade @ flameout
1 oz – Centennial: whirlpool
4 oz – Centennial: dry hop
2 oz – Cascade: dry hop

Yeast

California Ale (White Labs WLP001): 1 gallon starter

This was a fun day spent with the WSBC. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers!

January 2024

Black Is Beautiful

MLK Jr Day, Monday, January 15, found the Fieldpointe Brew Crew at the southern location for the traditional / annual MLK Brew Day.

This year it was decided to brew this recipe originally published by the American Homebrewers’ Association (AHA) during the BLM movement.

Black is Beautiful is along the lines of an Imperial Oatmeal Stout. A brief synopsis can be found here.

Mark, Branden (the newbie) and myself met on the frigid Monday (temp near zero F) to warm up the Man Cave at Fieldpointe South. The usual routine was followed: Bloody Mary Bar, snacks and beer followed with a slow cooker full of Ugly German Stew with Beer Bread. Thanks Helen! It was fantastic.

Being near zero on the thermometer certainly meant that the Dorothy Doors were closed. However, one door was briefly opened to dispose of the spent grain in Mark’s back 40. Bare hands on frosty steel could have been a problem. Good thing there was no moisture involved or I may still be attached to the door until today when the temp finally rose to the freezing point. It will be good to get rid of slop that froze solid from the winter weather event that occurred about a week or so ago. However, more snow is in the forecast for tomorrow but the temps are to be in the mid 30s the rest of the week.

While the brew session was underway, the guys played some three handed Sheephead. It had been a while since the cards had seen any action and it was good to get back into the rhythm of the game. Branden should be about ready to go high stakes with nickels next time.

RoboBrew doing its thing with mash recirculation.

To step it up a notch, the senior officials at Fieldpointe decided to go with oak to the finished beer. A couple sticks of medium toast oak soaked in rum will be added to the keg when the time comes.

Fieldpointe Brewery should be set on the stouts for the remainder of the cold winter months. Soon to be on tap is a Vanilla Stout. Soon to be put into a keg is a Milk Stout currently in the fermenter at Fieldpointe HQ. And of course, this number at Fieldpointe South – once it is ready for the keg.

As I reflect on the day, all went well and there were no amusing things to report – at least that I don’t remember, so onto the workings of AHA’s Black Is Beautiful.

Grains

10 lb. Pale malt (2 Row)
2 lb Oat, flaked
1 lb Chocolate malt
12 oz Barley, flaked
12 oz Crystal 120 malt
12 oz Roasted barley
8 oz Chocolate rye malt
4 oz Black (Patent) malt

Hops

1 oz Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus (CTZ) hops, 15.5% a.a. (60 min)
2 oz Cascade hops, 5.5% a.a. (20 min)
2 oz Cascade hops, 5.5% (10 min)

Adjuncts

1 lb Corn sugar (dextrose)
Oak – Medium Toast (2 sticks)
Silver Rum

Yeast

1 package California Ale Yeast (White Labs WLP001)

Projected Analysis (Not Measured)

Original Gravity: 1.081
Final Gravity: 1.016
ABV: 8.70%
IBU: 65
SRM: 46

Black Is Beautiful – especially when it is a stout in a pint glass.

Cheers!

January 2024

Flynn’s Milk Stout

May God bless you abundantly with good brew in 2024.

The final day of Christmas break is the perfect time for the first brew of the new year. This is a recipe from Mark Flynn at Littleport Brewery in Racine, WI. Fieldpointe Brewery thanks him for sharing.

Today’s endeavor is a solo event as the sickness bug has been going around and hitting people pretty hard. Mark and his wife have been wrestling with the garbage over break. This has shut down brewing at Fieldpointe South.Thankfully the Good Lord blessed me with good health this break. In fact, with the mild winter weather so far, I was able to get on the bike and record 175 miles during break. I’d have a few more miles logged but the first ride of 2024 on January 1 netted me the first flat of the new year. How ironic! A new tire / tube has been ordered so I should be back in business soon. The problem is that the school stuff gets in the way of getting rides in – that and the early afternoon darkness that is still present – although it will slowly recede as the month progresses.

A new addition to the propane system of Fieldpointe HQ (North) is a pump. I’ve grown accustomed to the built in pump of the electric system used at Fieldpointe South. Here it is in action for the first time.

It will basically serve two purposes: 1) Recirculate the mash (as seen above) and 2) Transfer the wort to the conical fermenter once it cools overnight. (I still use the no-chill method at Fieldpointe North. No negative outcomes yet and it saves time and water use.) This pump is super quiet! I have to listen intently to hear if it is running. This model comes with an on / off switch and the stainless steal connectors for the pump – including a ball valve to regulate flow. Since it is quick connect / disconnect, I had to upgrade the hardware on the kettles to match. It appears that I got it all correct (the ordering) on the first attempt! This is a great investment. I am appreciating it already.

Milk Stout Heating Up – New Connector On Kettle

Everything went well today. This is good – especially since it has been a while since propane brewing has taken place at Fieldpointe HQ. Still remember the procedure. Happy Day!

Here are the makings of Flynn’s Milk Stout:

Grains

6 lb 8 oz – 2 Row
8.6 oz – Amber Malt
8.6 oz – Brown Malt
8.6 oz – Kiln Coffee Malt
8.6 oz – Pale Chocolate Malt
8.6 oz – Roasted Barley
7.4 oz (not 8.6 ?) – Dark Crystal

Hops

1 oz – Northern Brewer @ 30 minutes

Yeast

Fermentis – SafAle K-97

Adjuncts

8 oz – Malto-Dextrine @ 15 minutes
10 oz – Lactose (Milk Sugar) @ 15 minutes

Here’s to a Happy & Healthy 2024.

Cheers!

November 2023

Joy To The World

by Branden M (Guest Contributor)

‘Tis the season for brewing! Among the lastest beers crafted by Field Point Brewery in 2023 is the inaugural creation by our newest Brew Crew member, Branden. Beer, the golden elixir, is a source of joy for people everywhere. As we eagerly anticipate the happiness a baby boy has brought to the world this time of year, let’s celebrate both occasions together. Cheers!

After the morning teachers’ conferences concluded, we headed to Field Point Brewery’s South location. Before diving into the brewing process, we decided to recharge from the morning activities at the Bloody Mary bar.

To infuse some Christmas spirit, Mark commanded Alexa to play festive tunes. As the Christmas music filled the air, Jerry diligently ensured there were no dough balls in the mash.

Around Christmas, many families get together and play games. While the beer was brewing, the Field Point family spent that time playing sheep’s head. Just like many other things, sheep’s head was a first for our new brew boy. He continued to learn through failure. (Editorial Note: Branden did pretty well for a first timer.)

Get ready to amplify your Christmas spirit with “Joy to the World” amber ale! Our brew captures the season’s essence, blending the warmth of Christmas traditions with the rich, toasty notes of a well-crafted amber ale. Picture sipping on a glass of this festive brew, its amber hue mirroring the cozy glow of holiday lights. Whether you’re pairing it with your favorite Christmas feast or sharing a toast with loved ones, “Joy to the World” adds a flavorful touch to your celebrations. Embrace the holiday spirit and savor the craft —nothing says “Cheers to Christmas” like a perfectly chilled glass of our signature amber ale. Let the joy flow with every sip!

Grains

9 lb- Pale Ale Malt
1 lb – Munich
9 oz Carmel Malt
7 oz Biscuit

Hops

0.5 oz Warrior @ 30 minutes
0.5 oz Amarillo @ 15 minutes
0.5 oz Centennial @ 15 minutes
1 oz Amarillo @ 10 minutes
1 oz Centennial @ 10 minutes

Yeast

Marks liquid yeast