Another 6 Kettles

The "Band of Brewers" visited Deja Brew a couple of weeks ago to do another 6 kettles. Our total now (since 2006) is 307 kettles.

We'll bottle to bring home the following:

Goibniu = (blank)	A Great rendition of a true Scottish Ale
Lawnmower Lager = L	A great summer beer, easy to quaff whilst using power tools
Oktoberfest Beir = O	A slight fruity accent with a deep gold color
O'Malley Stout = (flag)	Delicious version of Murphy’s Irish Stout
Stunner = AKA	A creamy British Pub style pale ale “stunning colour”
Whale Tail Ale IPA = WT	Our version of Harpoon’s IPA. A damned fine beer!!

Deja Brew - 6 kettles to take home

The "band of brewers" visited Deja Brew Friday to bottle our most recent set of 6 kettles. The beer listing is shown here. The all important cap codes are listed below.

AKA IPA	Keith's first IPA, and it's a good one! Very tasty, good hop flavor
Harvest Spice	Yummy fall pumkin flavoured beer that everyone craves for the Fall (with pumpkin liquor)
Llevar Porter	If you like Ravell , you’ll love this one. Vanilla accents
Off Kilter Scotch	Full-bodied & malty, a Scottish style strong ale
Red Rider Ale	Similar to Killian’s Red. A mild hop content, and smooth taste
Sammy's Octoberfest	A slightly dark dark even keeled beer leaves a soft malty feeling on your tongue

We now have 293 kettles in our ledger, only 7 more to get to 300!

• A = Aka IPA
• S = Sammy's Octoberfest
• R = Red Rider Ale
• P = Harvest Spice (kicked up with pumpkin liquor)
• O = Off kilter Scotch
• (blank) = Llevar Porter (with vanilla infused Jim Beam)

DejaBrew: ingredients lined up

Cold February Morning (audio)

Recorded Saturday morning but I missed the window to have this posted on Saturday, so it is a 'day late' but still freshly cold!

Spruce Pond, not far from the house is cold this morning

The link for the listing of beers made by the "Band of Brewers" can be found here
http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2016/02/band-of-brewers-6-kettles.html

If you are in eastern MA and can get to Deja Brew, it is a good place to do your brewing!
http://www.deja-brew.com/

(and how cold is it this morning? yowza, coldest real temp I have seen in my lifetime!)

yes, that reads -13.0 degrees F

Band of Brewers - 6 Kettles

With the 6 kettles that the 'Band of Brewers' did on Thursday evening at Deja Brew, we now have a total of 280 kettles, 135 unique beers.

The listing in declining order (and across by year) of our top beers can be seen in the table below.

Scroll across and down to view it all.

the kettle line up at Deja Brew

We return in three weeks to bottle and take home the brew to enjoy it responsibly.

Deja Brew - 6 kettles of goodness

The "Band of Brewers" returned to Deja Brew Wednesday night to bottle the 6 kettles of beer we had made 3 weeks ago. The cap codes for the brews we took home are as follows:

D = Dave's Red
II = Death Star II: Return of the Citra
(blank) = Double Scotch Ale
F = Fuggle Imperial IPA
T = Thoroughbred Red
TD = Top Drop Dopplebock

For those keeping up with the totals, this is 266 kettles since 2006. 130 unique beers.

cases with cap codes

Deja Brew: 6 kettles ready for game time

The "Band of Brewers" returned to Deja Brew to bottle our most recent 6 kettles worth and bring them home to enjoy this weekend. Our tally is now 260 kettles and 130 unique beers since the group did its first 3 kettles back in 2006.

The cap codes for the 6 recents beers are as follows:

Bl = Blueberry Ale 

L = Leftover IPA 

N = Nessie Scotch Ale 

D = Dunrovin Stout

S = Stunner English Cream Ale

(blank) = Bassalope

beer cap codes

The listing of those beers made 3 or more times is shown below:

Beer	Total
Stunner	17
Blueberry Ale	15
Hearty Christmas Ale	9
Lawnmower Lager	7
Llevar Porter	6
Downtown Brown	5
Evil Santa's Ale	5
Pumpkin Ale	5
Sammy's Octoberfest	5
Steel Rail Pale Ale	5
Dunrovin Stout	4
Goibniu	4
Hirschgarden Marzen	4
Light Irish Stout	4
Lobster Claw	4
McTartan’s Scotch Ale	4
Wachusett Pale	4
Bassalope	3
Double Scotch Ale	3
Killer Honey Ale	3
Nessie Scotch Ale	3
Off Kilter Scotch	3
Oktoberfest Beir	3
Rusty Anchor Lager	3
Tim’s Dim Wit Bier	3
Winter Jubilee Barley Wine	3

Deja brew 6 kettles

The 'Band Of Brewers' returned recently to bottle our six kettles. I am late posting the cap codes for the six we made.

Oktoberfest Bier = O
Sammies Octoberfest = SO
Harvest Spice (and pumpkin liquor) = P
Bassalope = B
Harry's Brown IPA = IPA
Olde English Strong Ale = SE 

6 kettles at Deja Brew

http://www.deja-brew.com/

Deja Brew: 'Band of Brewers' return for 6 kettles

Friday night, summer time, and a good time to make some beer. The 'Band of Brewers' gathered at Deja Brew for a set of six kettles. A good mix of some favorites and some new ones.

Blueberry Ale = A delicious ale. It smells good, tastes good and finishes clean
Death Star II: Return of the Citra = A new IPA, so new it isn't listed on the DejaBrew webpage
Lobster Claw = A highly aromatic barley wine. Very Potent.
Nessie Scotch Ale = So new, it isn't listed on the DejaBrew webpage
Sammy's Summer = Modeled after a popular summer ale from Boston
Stunner = A creamy British Pub style pale ale “stunning colour”

We'll be back in three weeks to bottle and bring home to enjoy!

part of the ingredients for Sammy's Summer

Cap Codes for 6 Kettles

The "Band of Brewers" went to Deja Brew on Monday to bottle and take home the 6 kettles we made two weeks ago. The all important cap codes are as follows:

K = Kick Ass Pale Ale	Our Own Award winning recipe Developed By Chuckaroo!!
D = Der Racecar Red	A nice light red ale. Our own recipe, easy to drink
N = Nessie Scotch Ale	So new, it isn't listed on the DejaBrew webpage
G = Gnomey's Pilz	Our own recipe by our own Gnome. A really excellent Pilsner
(blank) = Oak Island Bitter	Dave’s rendition of an easy drinking English Bitter. Very smooth
B = Blueberry Ale	A delicious ale. It smells good, tastes good and finishes clean

What is the cap code? The letter on the cap indicates the contents of the bottle.

cap codes

Deja Brew - 6 kettles after a long absence

The 'Band of Brewers' went to Deja Brew on Monday. And yes, if you were keeping track, it was the longest time between brewing night that this group has had. We were last there November 2013 to brew, Dec to bottle. It was good to get back and good to get 6 wonderful kettles.

Kick Ass Pale Ale	Our Own Award winning recipe Developed By Chuckaroo!!
Der Racecar Red	A nice light red ale. Our own recipe, easy to drink
Nessie Scotch Ale	So new, it isn't listed on the DejaBrew webpage
Gnomey's Pilz	Our own recipe by our own Gnome. A really excellent Pilsner
Oak Island Bitter	Dave’s rendition of an easy drinking English Bitter. Very smooth
Blueberry Ale	A delicious ale. It smells good, tastes good and finishes clean

5 of the six are new, only the Blueberry Ale is one we have done before.

Der Racecar Red with the start of the rolling boil

Deja Brewed - bottled in time

The 'Band of Brewers' got to Deja Brew on Monday evening to bottle our holiday beers. A good batch of good tasty hearty brews for the winter weather.

H is the Hearty Christmas

L is the Llevar Porter enhanced

W is the Winter

F is the Fuggles Ambrosia

G is the Gobnui

Evil Santa will be the blank cap

2 cases of the recent batch

Deja Brew is located in Shrewsbury, MA   http://www.deja-brew.com/

Deja Brew: Band of Brewers at it again

Another 6 kettles were lined up for the 'Band of Brewers' on Monday evening. The winter and holiday beer selection was as follows:

Evil Santa's Ale	High in alcohol and hoppiness! A new type of hop for us
Fuggle Ambrosia	Nothing but Fuggle hops! Light, sweet, potent.
Goibniu	A Great rendition of a true Scottish Ale
Hearty Christmas Ale	A hearty Ale, spicy, flavorful and inviting!
Llevar Porter	If you like Ravell , you’ll love this one. Vanilla accents
Winter Jubilee Barley Wine	A nice, smooth easy to drink year round Barley Wine

This batch puts us at 236 kettles overall with 121 unique beers brewed.

12 pounds of grain draining for the Goibniu

For more about Deja Brew you can visit their webpage  http://www.deja-brew.com/

or check the archives here for the exploits of the 'Band of Brewers'
http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/search?q=deja+brew&max-results=20&by-date=true

The beers are home!

The brewing effort of a couple of weeks ago are now home for enjoyment

V = Vollbeir Wheat = A popular wheat beer. Nice flavor that is not overwhelming
S = Stunner = A creamy British Pub style pale ale “stunning colour”
R = Red Eye Ale  = *** description not on the webpage
L = Light Irish Stout = This recipe is lighter than the dry, intense stouts of Ireland
E = Eye of the Chicken Hawk = *** description not on the webpage
C = Castle Brown Ale  = Similar to Newcastle, a mild Brown Ale

6 kettles at Deja Brew

Prior posts on Deja Brew can be found here

Band of Brewers: 6 kettles

The Band of Brewers were out to Deja Brew on Tuesday to put together 6 kettles of beer. I had miscalculated the totals as the spreadsheet I was referring to had not been updated with our session in Jun/Jul. The total kettles to date is 227 and total unique beers is 121.

What we did this time:

Vollbeir Wheat	A popular wheat beer. Nice flavor that is not overwhelming
Stunner	A creamy British Pub style pale ale “stunning colour”
Red Eye Ale	*** description not on the webpage
Light Irish Stout	This recipe is lighter than the dry, intense stouts of Ireland
Eye of the Chicken Hawk	*** description not on the webpage
Castle Brown Ale	Similar to Newcastle, a mild Brown Ale

Light Irish Stout wort

Our most frequently made beer

Beer	Total
Stunner	15
Blueberry Ale	12
Hearty Christmas Ale	8
Lawnmower Lager	7
Downtown Brown	5
Llevar Porter	5
Evil Santa's Ale	4
Hirschgarden Marzen	4
Light Irish Stout	4
McTartan’s Scotch Ale	4
Pumpkin Ale	4
Steel Rail Pale Ale	4
Wachusett Pale	4

Deja Brew: 6 kettles

Just in time for the holiday weekend, the Band of Brewers bottled our most recent 6 kettles.

12 x 22 oz bottles, 1/3 share

The cap codes and beers are as follows:

B = Blueberry Ale; A delicious ale. It smells good, tastes good and finishes clean
G = German Dry;  A medium bodied German lager. Well hopped for a clean finish
L = Lawnmower Lager; A great summer beer, easy to quaff whilst using power tools
M = McTartan’s Scotch Ale;  McEwan’s Clone – Amber and slightly sweet, some smoke
T = Tim’s Dim Wit Bier; Spicy and flavorful. Similar to Blue Moon Belgian White
(blank) = Howling Honey Ale; Good honey flavor, not overbearing

Enjoy!

Deja Brew: April Brewsletter

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510-B Boston Turnpike Rd. Shrewsbury MA 01545 508.842.8991

Deja Brew Brewsletter April 2013  Greetings! Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my monthly brewsletter. It's greatly appreciated! I like hearing back from you all so please keep it up! Beer is an idea as much as it is a beverage. - Jack Curtain  If you'd like to forward the Brewsletter to a friend, just click on the "Forward to a Friend" button below.    My apologies for missing a couple of Brewsletters.. Time has gotten away from me.  In this issue :: Free Beer or Wine? :: What's New @ Deja Brew? :: Summer Hours - Coming Soon! :: Winefest :: Half Batch Variety Night :: Cooking with Beer! Free Beer or Wine?  You Bet! As many of you know, I'm working as a mortgage consultant for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Westborough MA. If you're looking to purchase a home or refinance, give me a call @ 508-616-1019, or drop me an email @ Ray Schavone . I'll let you know what I can do to help you move forward. If we chose to work together, you'll get a free batch of beer or wine as a closing gift.    Thanks to the folks who reached out to me regarding a refinance or purchase. It looks like we'll be giving away some closing gifts soon. WooHoo! What's New at Deja Brew??? - Keith's got a few new IPAs in process. Stop by & check them out. - IPA's have their own recipe book now! You think we do IPA's?     Summer Hours Soon! Closed Sundays Effective the end of April, we will be closed Sundays until September 15th. So if Sundays are your day, make the best of it this month. Brew early and brew often! Winefest! Wednesday April 24th 2013 @ 6:00 P.M.    White Wines!     Oh yes, in time for the warmer months. There'e nothing like a cool, crisp white wine! Moscato (NEW!), Symphony, Washington Riesling, Greenapple Riesling, Cranberry Pinot Gris, Kiwi Pear Sauvignon Blanc. How's that for a great line up?!?!?! $50 gets you 1 bottle each of 6 different types of wine, with your own label. This event fills up fast! Just give us a call to reserve your spot, 508.842.8991.    Half Batch Variety Night - Monday April 29, 2013 @ 6:PM AKA IPA, Bohemian Pilsner, DAB Dark, Light Irish Stout, Salzburg Dunkelweiss, Bubba Jugs!  A great line up of good beers as we head into Spring!     $80 gets you 6 bottles of each type of beer. Bottle price not included.  Give us a call at 508-842-8991 to get in on the action. It ought to be a fun night! Cooking with Beer Beer Braised Short Ribs - in the Crockpot Ingredients: 3                  Medium Onions - cut into wedges 3 - 3.5 lbs     bone in beef short ribs 1                  bay leaf 12 oz.           Beer - I like darker beers for cooking 2 Tbsp          Brown Sugar 2 Tbsp          Dijon Mustard 2 Tbsp          Tomato paste 2 tsp             Dried Thyme 2 tsp            Beef bullion granules 1 tsp            Salt 1/4 tsp         Pepper 3 Tbsp         All purpose flour 1/2 cup        Cold Water Place onions in a 5 qt slow cooker, add ribs & bay leaf.  In a bowl, combine the beer, brown sugar, mustard, tomato paste, thyme, bullion, salt & pepper. Stir well, pour over meat.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, high 4-5 hours until meat is tender. Remove meat and vegetables to a serving platter, keep warm. Discard bay leaf. Skim fat from cooking juices. transfer juices to a small sauce pan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine flour & water in a bowl until smooth. Gradually stir into pan ( NO lumps!) Bring to a boil, stir until thickened. Serve with your favorite carbs and vegetables. Thanks for reading this far. I hope you'll enjoy the future Brewsletters.  Please feel free to forward this Brewsletter to your friends, just click on this link, and type in their email;  Forward to a Friend Thanks again, and we hope to be brewing with you soon. Be well, Ray Schavone and the Deja Brew Crew; Donna, Nick, Keith, Joe, Greg and Dave

Forward email Deja Brew | 508-842-8991 | 510-B Boston Turnpike Rd. | Shrewsbury | MA | 01545

Deja Brew: Uncle Jemima Maple Barley Wine

Instead of filling the kettle with water, we started with some fresh maple sap this time.

maple sap siphoning into the kettle

"Uncle Jemima Maple Barley Wine" is reported to be a good beer when done this way. My first in person try at it was last night and other than getting the sap into the kettle, the steps were just like other brewing nights.

What will come out of the kettle when we return to bottle in three weeks should be goodness!


From the DejaBrew beer listing

Uncle Jemima Maple BW: Created by Mike & Nick for your sipping pleasure. Very smooth, light maple flavor

Deja Brew: cap codes

When I posted about our bottling efforts, I neglected to include the all important cap codes. Yes, we save money on fancy labels and use a marker to code the cap with the bottle contents. A quick and easy way to know what you have to drink and helps to ensure that each case has the proper number of each (depending upon how we do the bottling).

beer cap codes

Anyway, the cap codes for our recent batch are as follows:

G = Goibniu = A Great rendition of a true Scottish Ale 

LB = Ludwig Brau = Nice and smooth Octoberfest style beer… Yep, ACBBD 

SN = SN Robust Porter = A dark porter with a creamy head, and malty smooth finish 

SR = Steel Rail Pale Ale = Knock off of BBC's flagship beer. An excellent brew 

blank = Saranick's Black & Tan = It defies description. A knockoff of Saranac's black & tan. Stout & lager hybrid

There was no cap code for Ron’s Redhook ESB = Our version of the Redhook ESB. This is the kettle we had the problem with that will be remade sometime (and we did have a cap code designated but ended up not using it).


note: the empty bottles are stored bottoms up! This helps to keep them clean for reuse next time.

Prior posts about "the Band of Brewers" and Deja Brew can be found here
http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/search?q=deja+brew&max-results=20&by-date=true

bringing home the beer

Another night at DejaBrew to bottle what we brewed a couple of weeks ago. Some technical difficulty this time with one of the bottling stations through our bottling rhythm into a tizzy. Was the one keg really not good or was the delay the real contributor to the problem? Not sure. First time this occurred. We did leave with 5 of the 6 beers. The other kettle will get remade sometime soon.

Deja Brew - finished beer to take home

Related posts on our Deja Brew experiences through the years can be found here

Holiday beer

The 'Band of Brewers' were at Deja Brew Tuesday night to bottle our most recent 6 kettles just in time for the holidays.

The cap codes for the beer this time around:

• E for Evil Santa
• G for the Gingerbread Stout
• W for the Winter Warmer
• O for the Old Time Winter
• 'blank' cap codes will be for the Hearty Christmas Ales

In the back room at Deja Brew, there are lots of containers with beer fermenting

For other posts on my trips to Deja Brew, check here