Our beloved beer engine has sprung a leak. I took it apart this morning and cleaned and replaced the seals and check valve to no avail. We are going to need to get parts shiped in to rebuild it. So keep an eye out here to when we get the engine back up and running so you can enjoy our beers on cask again.
Cheers,
Tyler
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Guest bier, ya!
Hello all,
Everyone loved the Hefewiezen we put out and drank it up faster then we could make the next batch! So we have the Weiss Bier from Moat Mountain up in North Conway on as a guest beer to tide us over until our hefe is finished. This beer is also an unfiltered German style (Bavarian Weiss if you want to get technical) wheat beer giving it the traditional banana and clove esters during fermentation. He uses the old school open fermentations process and has a different malt profile then we do that changes the overall flavor of the beer. So it is similar, kind of like a cousin, of our Hefewiezen. Some on it and give it a whirl.
Cheers,
Tyler
Everyone loved the Hefewiezen we put out and drank it up faster then we could make the next batch! So we have the Weiss Bier from Moat Mountain up in North Conway on as a guest beer to tide us over until our hefe is finished. This beer is also an unfiltered German style (Bavarian Weiss if you want to get technical) wheat beer giving it the traditional banana and clove esters during fermentation. He uses the old school open fermentations process and has a different malt profile then we do that changes the overall flavor of the beer. So it is similar, kind of like a cousin, of our Hefewiezen. Some on it and give it a whirl.
Cheers,
Tyler
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Summer has hit Portsmouth Brewery
The unofficial start of summer is Memorial Day (Thank you to all that are and have served!). Since the town pools are open now we have to get into the summer sprit. Wiezenhiemer is flowing with much rejoice from our sous chef Jon Hebert, because it is his favorite beer on the planet. Wiezenhiemer is an American wheat beer with a similar malt profile to a Hefe BUT we use our house yeast strain. So rather then a banana and clove esters that the German yeast strain give a Wiezenhiemer smells very clean with a hint of the wheat presence in the nose, slightly haziness from the wheat malt rather then the yeast strain, and has a clean ale front that fades to a slightly tart finish. Very, very quaffable! Bring on the 80 degrees weather! We are ready for it here at the Portsmouth Brewery.
Cheers,
Tyler
Cheers,
Tyler
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Overwhelmed in P-brewtown
Greetings all,
I am finally back on track with my brewery operations after a splindid, albeit short, visit to London. Catching up with my daughter and friends Dann Paquette and his wife Martha was great. I already spoke about the Fullers tour, their hospitality and sweet tasting room. We drank some of the beer Dann brews at Daleside Brewery from Yorkshire. A gingered Porter and a pleasent Bitter were among some tasty brews. Dann also indulged us in some Scottish (?) Extreme beers from a company called Brewdog. These were scotch infused ales and some crazy hopped up thing. The day got a little long for me and I lost my tasting notes!!
However, some of the coolest stuff we did in London aside from the Tate Modern, which would fill an entire block of blog and I will get to some day, was hanging at the pubs. Two of which were The Market Porter right across from Boroughs Market( open air market ) and The George an old inn with full gallery courtyard and just sooo olde!! The UK has such an amazing pub culture and you just hang out and imbibe. Not to get drunk but to ponder life,enjoy the setting and communicate with one another. You just enjoy the scene. I wonder why our pub scene here in America is so different. I guess I'll need to spend more serious reserch and development time in the UK pubs figure it out and fill us in on the datails!
Now on another note, the whole Kate the Great issue needs to be resolved asap so I can sleep at night and not be worrying if we've made the right decision. As wonderful as Kate is there is a limited supply of this fine elixir. We can only make about 330 gallons per double batch due to this smallness of the Portsmouth Brewerys brew length. There is just not enough to go around. DRINK IT HERE AND ENJOY IT HERE!!! Take home a bottle or two or a growler share this fine product Do not hoard it or put it on E-Bay for resale!! Just enjoy it, It will be back again in Jan. '09
With my heart in my throat, Todm
I am finally back on track with my brewery operations after a splindid, albeit short, visit to London. Catching up with my daughter and friends Dann Paquette and his wife Martha was great. I already spoke about the Fullers tour, their hospitality and sweet tasting room. We drank some of the beer Dann brews at Daleside Brewery from Yorkshire. A gingered Porter and a pleasent Bitter were among some tasty brews. Dann also indulged us in some Scottish (?) Extreme beers from a company called Brewdog. These were scotch infused ales and some crazy hopped up thing. The day got a little long for me and I lost my tasting notes!!
However, some of the coolest stuff we did in London aside from the Tate Modern, which would fill an entire block of blog and I will get to some day, was hanging at the pubs. Two of which were The Market Porter right across from Boroughs Market( open air market ) and The George an old inn with full gallery courtyard and just sooo olde!! The UK has such an amazing pub culture and you just hang out and imbibe. Not to get drunk but to ponder life,enjoy the setting and communicate with one another. You just enjoy the scene. I wonder why our pub scene here in America is so different. I guess I'll need to spend more serious reserch and development time in the UK pubs figure it out and fill us in on the datails!
Now on another note, the whole Kate the Great issue needs to be resolved asap so I can sleep at night and not be worrying if we've made the right decision. As wonderful as Kate is there is a limited supply of this fine elixir. We can only make about 330 gallons per double batch due to this smallness of the Portsmouth Brewerys brew length. There is just not enough to go around. DRINK IT HERE AND ENJOY IT HERE!!! Take home a bottle or two or a growler share this fine product Do not hoard it or put it on E-Bay for resale!! Just enjoy it, It will be back again in Jan. '09
With my heart in my throat, Todm
Kate the Great - Tulipomania Redux? Vote for you fav!!!
This was copied from the Newsletter that Peter Egleston put out for smutty and the portsmouth Brewery.
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Ever since Tod's Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout was named Best Beer in America (and Second Best on Planet Earth) in December's Beer Advocate Magazine, we been in turns thrilled, perplexed and appalled by the response. The enthusiasm reached tulippy new heights with the news of bottles trading for hundreds of dollars on e-Bay. And now we've really stepped in it by announcing the exact date and even time when the next batch will be released - Tuesday, June 24th at 2:27pm, for those of you keeping score at home.
So here's our dilemma, which we're hoping that you, kind readers, will help us resolve: We've only got ten barrels of the ebony elixir to go around. Five will be put on tap on the aforementioned date. Two will be racked off into half barrels and squirreled away in an undisclosed location for some future festive occasion. And three will be put into 22-ounce bottles, to be sold in our retail shoppe. That's forty-five cases, or five hundred and forty bottles.
We've not figured out exactly how this will work. We've been told to prepare ourselves for thirsty hordes camping out overnight on our front stoop. Some have warned us to place limits to discourage e-Bay speculators. However, Peter is philosophically opposed to placing arbitrary limits on how much each individual can buy. (Don't ask him about the pie policy at a certain famous diner in central-coast Maine.) He is convinced, however, that whatever he decides, he's going to end up looking like a jerk. Besides, he's convinced that Tod makes other beers that are every bit as tasty as Kate, so perhaps he shouldn't have a say in the matter anyway.
So this is where you come in. If you wish to weigh in, send us an email with one of these options. (Putting the Option number in the subject line will be enough):
-Option One: Let 'er rip. Make Milton Friedman proud - don't place any limits at all. Greed is good. Put all forty-five cases in the store on the first day and let the free market reign.
-Option Two: Make this a regulated market, but don't overdo it. Maximum purchase of six bottles per person per day till the beer is all gone, even if it runs out on the very first day.
-Option Three: A little more regulation, please. Put ten cases in the store on each of the first two days, then five a day thereafter. Limit purchases to six bottles apiece, or the equivalent of two growlers.
-Option Four: The Famous Diner Pie Policy. Two Bottles Per Person Per Day, and don't think you can get your friends to sneak in and buy more pie - I mean beer - on your behalf. We know who you are and you'll never get away with it.
So there you have it. Send us a note with your choice to news@smuttynose.com- Option One, Two, Three or Four in the subject line. We'll tally the votes and go with the popular choice. And if you want to send this along to friends to encourage them to vote, please feel free.
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Ever since Tod's Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout was named Best Beer in America (and Second Best on Planet Earth) in December's Beer Advocate Magazine, we been in turns thrilled, perplexed and appalled by the response. The enthusiasm reached tulippy new heights with the news of bottles trading for hundreds of dollars on e-Bay. And now we've really stepped in it by announcing the exact date and even time when the next batch will be released - Tuesday, June 24th at 2:27pm, for those of you keeping score at home.
So here's our dilemma, which we're hoping that you, kind readers, will help us resolve: We've only got ten barrels of the ebony elixir to go around. Five will be put on tap on the aforementioned date. Two will be racked off into half barrels and squirreled away in an undisclosed location for some future festive occasion. And three will be put into 22-ounce bottles, to be sold in our retail shoppe. That's forty-five cases, or five hundred and forty bottles.
We've not figured out exactly how this will work. We've been told to prepare ourselves for thirsty hordes camping out overnight on our front stoop. Some have warned us to place limits to discourage e-Bay speculators. However, Peter is philosophically opposed to placing arbitrary limits on how much each individual can buy. (Don't ask him about the pie policy at a certain famous diner in central-coast Maine.) He is convinced, however, that whatever he decides, he's going to end up looking like a jerk. Besides, he's convinced that Tod makes other beers that are every bit as tasty as Kate, so perhaps he shouldn't have a say in the matter anyway.
So this is where you come in. If you wish to weigh in, send us an email with one of these options. (Putting the Option number in the subject line will be enough):
-Option One: Let 'er rip. Make Milton Friedman proud - don't place any limits at all. Greed is good. Put all forty-five cases in the store on the first day and let the free market reign.
-Option Two: Make this a regulated market, but don't overdo it. Maximum purchase of six bottles per person per day till the beer is all gone, even if it runs out on the very first day.
-Option Three: A little more regulation, please. Put ten cases in the store on each of the first two days, then five a day thereafter. Limit purchases to six bottles apiece, or the equivalent of two growlers.
-Option Four: The Famous Diner Pie Policy. Two Bottles Per Person Per Day, and don't think you can get your friends to sneak in and buy more pie - I mean beer - on your behalf. We know who you are and you'll never get away with it.
So there you have it. Send us a note with your choice to news@smuttynose.com- Option One, Two, Three or Four in the subject line. We'll tally the votes and go with the popular choice. And if you want to send this along to friends to encourage them to vote, please feel free.
Hefe goes on tap.
Well you wheat beer lovers out there we have heard your cry. The Portsmouth Brewery's Hefewiezen has been put on tap. And don’t worry we have decided to have a wheat beer on all summer long. If might not be hefe, could be wiezenhiemer or thaizenhiemer, you will just have to keep your eyes on the blog for the updates.
Cheers,
Tyler
Cheers,
Tyler
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Shilling Scale
I thought that the Shilling Scale for the rating of Scotch Ales was based on how much you had to pay for a pint. the Higher the alcohol the more you have to pay, assuming 10 shillings per ABV (70 shilling= 7abv etc.)
But after doing some research it was how much they had to pay per barrel of beer. in 1488 the first recorded sale of scotch ale went for 12 schillings/bbl. Plus there is a difference between Scottish and Scotch ales. Scottish ales called 60 (light), 70 (heavy), or 80 (export) shilling are in the range of 2.5 percent to 5.0 percent ABV. Scotch ale, or wee heavy, starts at 90 shilling and usually measures at least 6.5 percent ABV, with an original gravity of about 1.070. Some historical Scotch ales might be as high as 140 shilling, with a starting gravity of 1.125, although the scale has slid downward some over the last 150 years. Today's 80 shilling might be equivalent to a 60 shilling of 1850.
This information was taken from the following website if you want to read up on it fully.
http://www.allaboutbeer.com/style/24.5-scotchale.html
Our Scotch Ale is 8-9% abv so we are calling it 80 Shilling this year. Looking over the history maybe if should be more of a 120 Shilling but hey we are in America not Scotland.
Cheers,
Tyler
But after doing some research it was how much they had to pay per barrel of beer. in 1488 the first recorded sale of scotch ale went for 12 schillings/bbl. Plus there is a difference between Scottish and Scotch ales. Scottish ales called 60 (light), 70 (heavy), or 80 (export) shilling are in the range of 2.5 percent to 5.0 percent ABV. Scotch ale, or wee heavy, starts at 90 shilling and usually measures at least 6.5 percent ABV, with an original gravity of about 1.070. Some historical Scotch ales might be as high as 140 shilling, with a starting gravity of 1.125, although the scale has slid downward some over the last 150 years. Today's 80 shilling might be equivalent to a 60 shilling of 1850.
This information was taken from the following website if you want to read up on it fully.
http://www.allaboutbeer.com/style/24.5-scotchale.html
Our Scotch Ale is 8-9% abv so we are calling it 80 Shilling this year. Looking over the history maybe if should be more of a 120 Shilling but hey we are in America not Scotland.
Cheers,
Tyler
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Scotch is on!
We were sick of waiting. The Belgain Tripple kicked so we decied that it was time for the Scotch Ale to go on. Oh man, you need to come on in and try it. Sooooooooooo good.
Cheers,
Tyler
Cheers,
Tyler
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Kate the great bottle availiablity
Here is the scoop. We are going to have 10 Cases of 22oz bombers of Kate available for the 24th and 25th of June. After that we will have the store stocked in the morning with a max of 5 cases per day until the bottles are gone. After that happens there will be no more bottles available. Kate will be on draft and available in growlers as of the 24th of June at 2:27pm. We feel that this give everyone a fair chance to get here for some bottled Kate, in case people have to work on a Tuesday.
Cheers,
Tyler
Cheers,
Tyler
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Greetings from London
Arrived in London May 1st (my birthday, by the way) to fabulous weather. We spent the day walking and landed in a few pubs to drink a few pints of local cask conditioned ales. Of special note was Hole Hearted and Timothy Taylor's Landlord. Leigh, my daughter, suggested we visit the Queen's Arms, her local, for dinner and of course a few more pints. London Pride, Duvel, and Aventinus were the libations of the evening. Friday, we awoke to another spectacular day and made our way to the Tate Modern, which was overwhelming. So we needed another pint. Fortunately, we had a private tour at Fuller's in Chiswick with their Head Brewer, John Keeling, who greeted us with English civility. After an in-depth tour, John realized we needed another pint. We presented John with some presents: a Portsmouth Brewery hat, t-shirts, and a bottle of 2006 Kate the Great. He returned the favor by opening the bar to us and gave us a bottle of 2003 Vintage Ale. I'll let you know how it tasted after dinner tonight. We're meeting with Dann Paquette, another New England brewing legend, and his wife and friend. Richard, Dann's friend toured us to Borough's Market and Southwark Cathedral, both of which were incredible. We went to the Market Porter pub and The George. Both of which were purveyors of fine ales and the George was around in Chaucer's time, so of course, we had a couple pints. Are you guys getting a theme here? We've loved England and are sad to be leaving in another day and a half. We'll fill you in on the rest of the details when we get home.
Cheers,
Tod
Cheers,
Tod
Friday, May 2, 2008
NERAX/Oatmeal stout
Hey All,
I am getting all my transfers and cleaning done early today so I can head down to Somerville to the New England Real Ale Expo (NERAX). We sent down a firkin of our American Mild dry hopped with Sorachi Ace. It is a great festival where you can try a lot of different styles of beer on cask. Beer is sent from all over New England as well as shipped across the pond from England. All the people working the event are true cellerman and treat the casks like they do in the old country. The tap them and fine them (adding fining agents to help with the flocculation of the yeast) ahead of time making the beers beautifully bright. the beers are served either from a beer engine or just a gravity fed tap. If you have a time you should try to get tickets. They might be sold out, but try anyway.
Now about the Oatmeal stout that went on yesterday. We used flaked and malted oats in this batch and the beer turned out wonderful. I feel like the malted oats added almost a caramel note to the stout that I don’t remember from the last batch we made. Served off our Nitro tap giving the beer a big fluffy white head and making the beer very easy drinking with out being to mouth coating. Great dessert beer, and yes I drink beer for dessert!
Cheers,
Tyler
I am getting all my transfers and cleaning done early today so I can head down to Somerville to the New England Real Ale Expo (NERAX). We sent down a firkin of our American Mild dry hopped with Sorachi Ace. It is a great festival where you can try a lot of different styles of beer on cask. Beer is sent from all over New England as well as shipped across the pond from England. All the people working the event are true cellerman and treat the casks like they do in the old country. The tap them and fine them (adding fining agents to help with the flocculation of the yeast) ahead of time making the beers beautifully bright. the beers are served either from a beer engine or just a gravity fed tap. If you have a time you should try to get tickets. They might be sold out, but try anyway.
Now about the Oatmeal stout that went on yesterday. We used flaked and malted oats in this batch and the beer turned out wonderful. I feel like the malted oats added almost a caramel note to the stout that I don’t remember from the last batch we made. Served off our Nitro tap giving the beer a big fluffy white head and making the beer very easy drinking with out being to mouth coating. Great dessert beer, and yes I drink beer for dessert!
Cheers,
Tyler
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