Brewery Visit: Thimble Island Brewing Company

Drinking: Cinnamon Cocoa Drafty Kilt by Monday Night Brewing

Listening To: Star Wars Epic Battles playlist on Spotify

Over Christmas vacation in Connecticut I had the time to stop at a local brewery and check things out. After a quick Google search, I found one about 20 minutes away - Thimble Island. Located in Branford, CT, the story of Thimble Island strikes a chord with me - Just a pair of guys from the tech industry trying to make a beloved hobby into a profession. 

I usually enjoy touring the breweries I visit, to see what equipment they have and how they use it, but unfortunately TIBC was not set up to offer tours of their new facility yet. They did, however, offer flights of beer! They had about 8-12 beers on tap, and also offered bottles and growler fills to go (pay attention Georgia!). I had previously tried and enjoyed their Mutually Assured Destruction Russian Imperial Stout in a bottle from a local package store, so I sampled four other brews: 

The Ghost Island DIPA was a solid beer. Good hop aroma and flavor, but not overpowering, with a nice maltiness to balance. I like hop, so it could have used a bit more in my opinion, but I think this would go over very well for folks that are not a fan of the super hoppy West Coast styles.

The Windjammer Wheat Ale was also very good. Good citrus notes and a bit of a bread or biscuit to it as well. Very clean otherwise.

The Dark Pumpkin Porter was a bit of a disappointment for me. It was by no means bad, but it did not have the depth of spice I am used to getting from a pumpkin. I think this was more a result of expectation than reality. I went in expecting a heavier spice taste, and was disappointed when it was not there. It left me feeling like it was a bit empty, or missing something.

The Coffee Stout was very meh in my book. Again, not a strong flavor with the coffee, which fell short of my expectation. There was also a slight acidity to it that I found unpleasant. It also did not have the mouthfeel that I expected from a stout. A good stout, in my book, coats your mouth a bit to give some lingering flavor. This beer went right down like a pale ale or pilsner might, but without the hop profile to linger behind, again leaving me with the impression that something was missing.

The M.A.D. Russian Imperial Stout was fantastic. Very smooth for an 11%, nice dark flavors, and a great finish. I picked up a 4-pack of Bourbon Barrel aged M.A.D. on my way out of the brewery that I am really looking forward to.

Overall, I would give Thimble Island a thumbs up. A couple of the beers I tried fell short of expectation, but that may be as much my fault as theirs. I also have a penchant for beers that are remarkable in some fashion, be in a strong flavor or a unique ingredient, and while their beers were good, the only one I found remarkable was the M.A.D. Russian.

Cheers to a couple guys living the dream!

I'm back!

As part of my pending resolution to get back to brewing in 2016, I plan to give blogging a go again. My plan is to post not only about my homebrewing, but notable beers I drink, or beer related projects I do.

#readyfor2016 #hashtagswerentevenathingwhenididthislast

Second Draught

4/15/12 - Hoggetowne's Oatmeal Stout

Recipe

• 6.6lbs LME (Dark), used Briess Porter LME
• 8oz flaked oats
• 12oz 55L Crystal malt
• 8oz Chocolate Malt
• 4oz Roasted Barley
• 2oz Willamette Hops
• 1 pack of Coopers yeast
• OG 1.050, 29 IBUs

 Boil

 I decided to go with a full volume boil this go around - all six gallons. On my first brew I did a partial and my wort cooler was half exposed at the end of it, which I was not a fan of. This recipe felt a bit easier, but I think that is at least partially because I have a little experience under my belt now. The malts, barley and oats needed to be steeped at 150 F, similar to my first recipe. With the extra volume though, I was able to more easily manage the water temperature. This time around I also purchased a reusable nylon grain sack, rather than using cheesecloth. The temperature actually ran a little hot on me this time through, staying about 155-160 F for the first 15 minutes of the steeping. I ended up just cutting the gas off completely for the last half of the steeping, and the liquid maintained its temperature just fine.

After the 30 minutes was up the grain sack got pulled and I brought it to a boil, then added the 6.6lbs of LME and half (1oz) of the hops, thus starting the timer on the 60 minute boil. At T-30 I added the last of the hops - unlike my last brew, which had hops added once more at T-15. This being an Oatmeal Stout, it should be less bitter. The later hop additions add more bitter.

At T-15 I set in my new and improved wort cooler, so it would have time to sanitize before cooling. I was talking with some of the brew shop folks about brewing outdoors in the summer here in Florida, and they said that I would have trouble getting my wort cooled to 70 F with just hose water, as hose water runs around 80 F in the summer. So I talked to a few other brewers and got some ideas, and ended up getting a second wort cooler which I had connected to the first in a chain. The water hose connected to the first cooler which sat in a bucket of ice water, so water would run through and cool off before it ran into the second cooler which was sitting in the brew kettle. The set up worked very well, with the single caveat that I did not get enough ice, so the wort, true to the word of the brew shop employees, only cooled to about 74 F. The second small disaster was me dropping my thermometer and having it shatter. I ended up using a digital kitchen thermometer, which I have always been leery of, simply because I don't know how exactly they work.

I did not do a yeast starter this go around, I just pitched the dry yeast straight in to the carboy. My temperature was a little high; I could, and maybe should, have waited a bit before pitching the yeast. We'll see how it goes. The OG read a little high again at 1.052, but my volume looked a little low in the carboy so I just added a half gallon more of water.

In the words of Peter Griffin, "Now we play the waiting game..."

Bottling Day

Bottling Day went pretty smooth, I think, but let's see if bottles explode before we make a final decision. I had meant to take some pictures of the process, but once I was cleaning up I realized I hadn't. All said it was about a three hour process, from pulling out equipment to putting it away cleaned. The auto-siphon and racking cane were by far the MVPs of the day - both of those tools made this an extremely easy process. I ended with 24 regular 12oz bottles and 9 liter flip-top bottles.

The Final Gravity (FG) of the brew was 1.017, which means 3.3% ABV. Most beers are 5-6%. Lower than I thought it would turn out - something I will discuss with the brew shop at a later date. I tasted a bit from the draw I tested the FG on - it tasted like a beer! A flat beer, as this has not carbonated yet, but a good sign I think.

Now to plan my next brew...

Fermentation Day 14

I was gone for the weekend, but everything looks to have been fine. 68 F and more stuff settled on the bottom. Bottling one week from today.

Fermentation Day 6

Just a thin layer of foam left. Bubbling appears to have ceased completely. There is no longer any perceptible "activity" in the liquid. Holding steady at 70 F.

Fermentation Day 4

Bubbling has slowed down, and it looks like the foam, or krausen, is beginning to recede. Still about an inch there, but the "action" in the liquid is more of a fall to the bottom and less of a swirl. Temp about 70 F.

Fermentation Day 2

Everything looks good. A steady 70 F, 3/4" of bubbling foam, and steady bubbles coming out of the airlock.

Fermentation Day 1

No real activity yet. Temperature is staying right around 68 F. I did some research into the higher than expected OG reading, and after verifying this solution with the brew shop, just added another gallon of water. It took me a little too low, to an OG of 1.042, but live and learn.

First Brew!

2/26/12 - Cincinnati Pale Ale

Recipe

• 3.3# pale Malt Extract Syrup (MES), unhopped (used Breiss CBW Golden Light)
• 2.5# amber Dry Malt Extract (DME)
• My local brew shop didn't have an amber, so they just gave me a pale DME with some extra grain to steep pre-boil to get what they said would be the same effect.
• 6 AAUs bittering hops (used 0.5oz Horizon 11.3%)
• 5 AAUs finishing hops (used 1.0oz Cascade 6.0%)
• 11.5g Safale US-05 dry yeast
• OG 1.045 (11.2 P), 30 IBUs

Boil

I ended up getting a propane burner as the electric range did not prove to be quite enough in my pre-boil testing - it boiled the water, but just barely and it took a long time.  I heated up three gallons of Publix Drinking Water to 150 F and added the grain in a cheesecloth sack to steep for 30min. I had a little trouble keeping the burner lit, as it had to stay on low to keep the temperature at 150 F and it was windy. As a result the temperature dropped to about 138 F briefly.

After the 30 minutes was up the grain sack was removed and the DME was added, then everything was brought to a boil. T-60 the bittering hops were added, T-30 the first half of the finishing hops were added, and the last half of the finishing hops were added at T-15. The copper wort cooler was also added at T-15 to let it sanitize. The LME was added at T-5. It was rather viscous so I soaked the can in warm water so it would flow easier, which helped rather nicely.

The copper wort cooler gave us our first disaster of the brew, and it wasn't that bad. I tested the copper cooler before boiling to make sure that everything flowed okay, and it worked fine. The addition of hot water must have been the tipping point, however, as the drain tube exploded out at the first bend. I did not see any hose water get into the wort, and the copper cooler still worked just fine, we just had to aim it properly.

After cooling to 70 F I took the water from the pre-boil last night and added it to get to the full volume. I then took my OG sample and carefully poured the wort into the carboy for fermenting, pitched the yeast, and sealed it up. I read the OG with my hydrometer and get a reading of 1.055, about 0.010 higher than the recipe stated. Which means, I think, that there are more sugars than the recipe called for vs water volume. 

My guess is that my water is a little short and my extract a little high - I guesstimated on the 2.5# of DME; it was a 3# bag and I eyeballed 5/6 of it. The volume could be off because of how long the water I pre-boiled took to boil completely, and perhaps it lost more than it should have to steam.  Regardless, it just means I should probably ferment a little longer. That works out well, because I won't have a weekend free for bottling for three weeks anyway. We'll test the FG in three weeks and see where we sit. In the mean time, I will be trying to post fermentation notes via the mobile app, so they will be short posts.

Happy Brew Year!

Tonight I drink a Magic Hat Demo Black IPA. It's a very interesting composition with the full flavor of a stout and the bite of an IPA. It's so dark you can't see through it with a nice caramel colored head. You can taste the malt characteristics of both styles that it blends. I enjoy how Magic Hat brings something different to the table.

After much time pondering and planning, I will finally begin brewing this weekend! My first attempt will be a brewing book's recommended first recipe of a Cincinnati Pale Ale. I plan to post pictures and info about the process and how I feel it went after the fact, and then continue to log the fermentation in some small daily posts.

I attended an all-grain brewing class this past weekend that was great. The guys (and gal) at Hoggetowne Ale Works put on a great seminar on the process and were really helpful in answering questions and educating everyone on the process. Not just the whats and whens but the whys of doing what you do in a brew. I hope/plan to move on to all-grain brewing at some point, but for now I will start with the junior version - malt extract brewing.

One of the best things about the class was that a lot of their customers brought over brews of different variety for people to try out and give feedback on. The things I tasted on Sunday were as good a quality of beer as I have tasted from a brewing company's bottle. I am real excited to start my adventure and share it with all of you.

Unhappy Valley

Samuel Adams Boston Lager remains one of my favorite beers. "Our original beer, brewed with Bavarian Noble hops. The balance of malty sweetness and hop spiciness in this brew sets the standard for all Samuel Adams beers." This American classic is a nice amber color, not too light or too dark. It poured with about two fingers of a cream colored head and has a nice hoppy smell to it. Not too sharp, but enough to notice. Sweet on the front and bitter on the back, but not overpowering with either. It is truly a good compliment to a variety of foods and occasions.

I wanted to talk about Penn State and the scandal late last week, but I was out of town and couldn't find a convenient time to write. It has maybe become a little stale already, so please forgive me if you are already tired of hearing about this. Let's first state that this is an absolutely horrible situation. That being said, I want to look at it from a few different angles.

Mike McQueary - Let's get a perspective at his life first. He was born in State College, where Penn State is located. I think it safe to assume he grew up a Nittany Lion. He played QB there from '94-'97 and set a couple school records. He couldn't make it in the NFL so he returned to Penn State as Graduate Assistant in 2000, and has been the Wide Receivers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator since 2004. I think it safe to say that Penn State was a huge part of his life. In 2002, McQueary reportedly witnessed former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky sodomizing a ten-year-old boy. Let that sink in for a moment.

Now lets examine who Jerry Sandusky was to him. In 1975 when McQueary was born Sandusky was a former Penn State Defensive Lineman who was now a coach. During McQueary's playing days from '94-'97 Sandusky was the Defensive Coordinator for the Nittany Lions, and is considered one of the most notable Assistant Coaches to never become a head coach.

So, back to 2002, a man McQueary probably respected a great deal, who worked for a program I am sure McQueary worshiped, was in front of him performing a vile act. It had to be a huge shock. Many people, myself included, wonder how he could have walked away without removing the child from that situation. He reported it up his chain of command as Pennsylvania law required and left it at that. It may have sounded like I was preparing to defend Mike McQueary, and I am not. I do, however, think that the emotional impact of the situation needs to be taken into account when judging him.  While McQeary may currently be safe from criminal prosecution, I can easily see some civil penalties of negligence on his part. More should have been done by McQueary, however I think it very plausible that McQueary was lied to about proceedings. Perhaps he was told that he could not speak of it publicly until an investigation was completed. Maybe he was even threatened if he spoke. Such thing are hopefully taken into account when and if he faces criminal or civil punishment.

Joe Paterno - I try really hard to see a silver lining with Joe Pa. Maybe McQueary was not clear on what he exactly saw when he reported it to Paterno. Maybe Paterno misunderstood the severity of it. Maybe Paterno did not realize the extent or the depth of the abuse. I try to rationalize it any way possible, because I find it unfathomable that Paterno knew the truth and did so little. Yet that becomes more and more undeniable the more we hear. I am not going to try and organize the facts at this point - there are plenty of articles that do that already - but there was not just a single incident with Sandusky, He is being charged with 40(!) counts of sexual abuse over a 15-year period. It feels to me like a good-ole-boy favor to try and keep Sandusky's dark secret for, and I hate to say this, the good of the football program. I am a huge college football fan, but the thought of something like this being swept under the rug for the sake of a program sickens me. As huge as Paterno was for Penn State, I find his negligence to be gross. Again, Paterno may be currently safe from criminal prosecution, but I think he may get lambasted in civil court.

Penn State - The institution of Penn State should be ashamed of itself. That the administration let something like this go on under their noses is beyond reprehensible. Their negligence is beyond gross. They willfully ignored a bad situation and let it fester on their campus. The only way they could have not known is because they didn't want to. If I could pump more venom into my words I would. It is a true shame to see such a proud program, which everyone believed was the last bastion of Things Done Right in the money grab that has become college football, immolate. A head coach that was loyal. Players that acted right. High graduation rate for their athletes. Players that became coaches at their old school. All burnt up in the fire and destruction of this story.

I leave you with a few things:
This article from the NY Times - the last sentence is powerful.
Jerry Sandusky's Autobiography is titled "Touched". I'm sorry, but that's horribly funny.

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

Magic Hat #9 "A beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it." It really describes itself well. A golden amber color, it unfortunately poured without much head and what was there was a simple white in color. MH9 carries a complex smell to it - slightly hoppy, slightly fruity, slightly sweet. There is a distinct sharpness at the front of the tongue that finishes off in a really smooth fruity note that is perfectly balanced by what I first thought of as bitterness, but after reflection is better described, as by the brewer, as a dryness. I am typically not a fan of fruity beers, but this one is a different breed and is one of my favorites. I can't really say what fruit might be in it, if any, and I think that adds to the flavor and mystique of the drink.

So, I don't know if any of you follow technology outside of the consumer realm, but I have come across a few videos that are absolutely amazing.

So, that is Big Dog. A quadrupedal robot that can balance and move through rough terrain. That doesn't read near as amazing as it sounds in my head. Blows my mind. Ready for more?

Enter PETMAN. A self-balancing, freely-moving robot.

Holy.

Shit.

Currently under development for the testing of chemical protective clothing, but it does not take a genius to think of giving it some AI, hands, and eyes. Be prepared, my friends. The minute this guy meets Watson, it's Game Over.

So, where DO we go from here?

Bison Organic Chocolate Stout is the drink of the evening. Label description: "A richly textured and roasty stout with a boost of bitter and charismatic flavor from the addition of cocoa powder in the mash." Too dark to see through, as a stout should be. Poured with a good two fingers of a cream colored head. I find the smell to be a bit difficult to describe, given my lack of experience as a beer sommelier, other than to call it "roasty" and nutty. It has an even bitterness throughout the taste, slightly sharp at the front with the cocoa really coming out in the aftertaste. I had thought to lead with a more patriotic beer, like a Sam Adams Boston Lager, but had a few of these left over from the weekend and couldn't pass up the opportunity to share it. Sam is a regular in this household and I will have plenty of opportunity to talk about him.

Isn't the top 1% just the unavoidable end result of Capitalism? Don't get me wrong, I think Capitalism is the way to go, but isn't this where it eventually leads? The more money you have the easier it is to make more of it. I think a change in the tax structure is definitely over due, though I am not sure what the answer is. I think the wealthy should pay more, though I do not believe their contribution needs to necessarily be equal by percent to the middle class. I like the idea of a consumption tax, and there are ways to offset its burden on the poor. I am also a strong supporter of campaign finance reform, though I am less educated (see: not at all) on its finer points and how it can be changed. I also think politicians should be limited to a single term per position. That should allow greater access for more people to become involved in our government, and maybe disrupt the cycle of Old Washington.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is in its second month and doesn't appear to be going anywhere - and I mean that in more than one way. I support them, while not financially or personally, as I have not donated or attended, but spiritually. I get what they are saying. I just don't see it getting fixed through any means currently being employed. The peaceful protests and what it has inspired across the globe is phenomenal. But now what? Our politicians aren't going to regulate Wall Street because Wall Street is too big of a campaign contributor. Washington and Wall Street will just ignore the protests until they dissipate, which they will once winter really starts kicking in. Once winter ends we are full steam ahead into an election year with the only candidates having a chance being the ones with the big contributors and deep pockets. The Occupy movement is decentralized and politely refuses to have demands. They expect our politicians to notice them and begin the change, but as previously stated, our politicians are bought and paid for already. I don't know what it takes to make this happen, but maybe it is time for the Occupy movement to select speakers and leaders and become a real political party.


This is an important time in our American history. I encourage everyone, as I sit here in my chair and drink, to get involved. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to go Occupy. Just have an intelligent conversation about it. Talk with people that have differing views on the problems and solutions. Argue about it (non-violently). Discuss. Then when it comes time - vote.

Welcome. Here is my blog.

Tonight I sip on a Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale. Label Discription: "This copper-colored ale is crafted with roasted malts, Belgian sugar and a touch of wheat for a rich caramel flavor and a smooth toffee finish." It is a nice dark amber and poured with about two-fingers of head that quickly dissolved, which is unfortunate, as the head of a beer can further add to the smell and taste. You can smell the sweetness and a slight hoppiness. The tastes of caramel and toffee are blended nicely with a slight bitterness on the back of the tongue that balances it all. The Fall and Winter brews are my favorites and this one is nice, despite the disappointing head.

I like beer. Not in a drink-until-I-pass-out kinda way, but in a stimulate-the-senses kinda way. Good beers have great depth in their color, smell, and taste. I have a small collection of bottles and would like to start collecting tap handles too. Why blog about it? Well, I have a desire to begin home brewing my own concoctions. If I want them to improve and begin refining my skill, I need to keep a log of what I do and how it comes out. I have no desire to keep a "beer diary" as such, but I have found inspiration from two friends.

Brave New Food  is a blog detailing my friend Ginny's adventures in cooking. Her recipes are often new and different and it is fun to hear about her inspirations and anecdotes.

Reprehensible Harm is an opinion blog by my friend Cory. He shares his opinions and "humble commentary" on current events.

I see myself borrowing (see: stealing) from each: giving an account of my creations while offering my opinion on a random topic. My creations may be a bit delayed, as I have yet to start any actual home brewing, but there are plenty of beers currently in existence that I enjoy and would love to share. That should appropriately fill the time until I start and the gaps in between brews.

My only hope is that you all enjoy the adventure as much as I do.