Pilsner Competition
It’s There were some really nice beers presented in the Bohemian Pilsner competition. From the floral and spice aroma of those wonderful Saaz hops through clear golden hues in the glass to the pleasant hop bitterness and a long finish, entries were of a high standard.
Very impressive! The thing about Pilsners is that they are not loaded up with a multitude of different grains, hops and yeast flavours. Pilsner malt, Saaz hops(usually), a lager yeast and water. With Pilsner there is nowhere to hide. Brew a top Pilsner and you can brew anything. The alchemy behind these singular ingredients blend a refreshing golden beer that brings elegance to any occasion. Although, thinking about our club meetings that might be a big ask… However, with a delicate nose, keen eye, a keen palate and an enthusiastic thirst all tempered by a touch of gay abandon, judges were relentless in their efforts to bring order to the entries.
Contestants are listed in the sidebar and the points awarded for the first three places were:
Rusty 284.5 points
Cory 270.5 points
Mike 269.5 points
Thanks Rusty for the use of the brew house and barbeque, obvious that you have been paying attention during Masterchef and thanks Col for the choice and supply of snags.
VicBrew 2012
Vicbrew entries close Sep 16 so unless you have a beer ready to go, it could be a little late to think about brewing up a beer for this year’s competition. But not for Vicbrew 2012.
At the September meeting, an item was raised under General Business (having an item raised under General business was a bit of a shock to some members, particularly those who had only been members for a few years) that the club should make a concerted effort, or even an effort, to enter in Vicbrew 2012 given the level of interest shown in Vicbrew 2011. It was at this point that Col went on to put forward a cunning plan. Members would receive a list of the available categories in the competition and those interested would choose one or more categories to enter. Choice of category would be nominated by the choosee at the club meeting where with some discussion doubling up could be avoided. When a beer has been brewed well before the competition, the possible entry could be brought along to a club meeting where it could be realistically assessed by members and constructive feedback provided to the brewer. This would allow any subsequent batch to be tweaked into a highly competitive entry. Col has already distributed the available categories by Email. It’s your choice!
Water
The major component of our beloved brew is water. In fact water comprises 90 - 94% of most beers. Practically all the dialog and discussion on brewing centers around the hops, grains, yeast and sugars which contribute the majority of flavor elements to the beer. But water also makes an equally important contribution to the flavor profile. Actually, it is the minerals absorbed into the water which benefit your brew. Pure water (distilled water is the only form of pure water) contributes little if anything to the development of the beer. Water needs to contain certain compounds (salts) that are of benefit to the health of the yeast and to enhance certain flavours within the brew. Importantly, the water should not contain other elements than can lead to off flavours in the finished product. For example, Chlorine gas and chloramines in municipal water can flavor a beer to taste like hippy mouthwash.
Also of importance is the acidity of the brewing water. A slightly acidic water is best for yeast growth and for mashing grains. Trace elements in water such as copper and magnesium are a requirement for good yeast health and should be present in the brewing liquor.
Melbourne’s water is basically neutral. The small amount of elements such as iron, aluminum and magnesium can be ignored for practical purposes. Melbourne’s water is also deficient in calcium and generally has a pH around neutral (pH7) or is slightly alkaline. I use a water treatment regime in keeping with the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). For all my brews I always add yeast nutrient to the fermenter to ensure that the trace elements required of good yeast health is included. When I am brewing up a pale coloured ale I add calcium sulphate at a recommended rate of 0.5 gms /litre of brewing water. This will add both calcium and sulphate (acid) to an appropriate level to enhance hop flavours without astringency as is the case with carbonated water.
I am thinking of switching from municipal water to tank water as the chlorine gas levels from my present tap water is quite noticeable. Always I have filtered my water with a charcoal filter which removes both chlorine and chloramines, but I don’t have this facility at my new address. As an alternative, the tap water can be left to stand overnight and the gas will dissipate, but if Chloramines have been added they are not so easy to remove. Yarra Valley Water does use Chloramines in parts of its water reticulation as a disinfectant. Even if there are a few bugs in the tank water, the pH. is lowered as the yeast starts to work making the mix toxic to most bacteria.
You could write a book or two on water treatment for brewing as it is a very complex subject. Being a chemist would help in its understanding. However, the subject is worthy of a bit of research in that quest for a better beer, and to quote one of the brewing experts, “if you do nothing else in terms of water treatment, you should at least filter it”
Presented at the September meeting:
Rusty – Pilsner
John – Pilsner
Charles – Pilsner /Aged Ale
Corey – Pilsner
Andrew - Pilsner./ English Bitter
Mike – Pilsner / Bock
“Asking if computers can think is like asking if submarines can swim”
Happy Brewing
Charles |
