This is the HOTV Brewsletter
VOLUME XXII, NUMBER 5
May 2002
PRESIDENT:
Royal Willard
(541) 752-1314
VICE PRESIDENT:
Scott Leonard
(541) 752-0780
NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Kendall Staggs
(541) 753-6538
CLUB TREASURER:
Lee Smith
(541) 926-2286
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR:
Joel Rea
(541) 758-1674
THIS MONTH'S MEETING
The Heart of the Valley Homebrew Club meets on the third Wednesday of
every month, alternating between Corvallis and Albany. We will not have
a club meeting this month because our energies will be focused on the
Oregon Homebrew Festival, Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18, at the
Benton County Fairgrounds.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Last month we had a great time at the home of Royal Willard in
Corvallis. According to the host, a splendid time was had by all.
Thanks again to Royal.
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
by Royal Willard
This is your fearless leader calling to say that beer is your friend
(and mine). The meeting at my house seemed to go well and a lot of
issues were brought up. First, thanks to everybody for coming and
listening while the meeting was going.
We wrapped up Pub Crawl business and brought up some new ideas for next
year. Next year Derek will stay on the bus and make sure the beer does
not go bad. Anybody who would care to join in this endeavor can. Other
suggestions were a trip to the coast or multiple city tours, such as
Salem (Ram) and Mcminville (Golden Valley).
This year's T-shirts have been ordered and will be available about May
15th.
Big Brew Day is May 4th. So brew if you can. See Joel for details.
The Oregon Homebrew Festival is coming up soon and will need all the
help we can get. So please try to lend a hand anywhere along the way.
Donations are going well for the raffle and there is already a lot of
good beer for the Festival.
On a sad note we lost a great brewer and person on April 23rd. Glen
Faulkner, the head brewer at Wild Duck in Eugene, died in a accident.
So next time you sit down and have a beer take a moment to remember him
as a brewer and a good guy. I'm sure he would have liked it that way.
Finally, a quote, "Anybody who thinks life is complicated, please raise
your hand." This question was asked by a 4-year-old girl to her
classmates.
Cheers,
Royal
COMMERCIAL BEER REVIEWS
by Kendall Staggs
PROPERLY AGED BELGIAN BEERS
Here are some brief reviews of some of exceptional imported brews
available at Belmont Station in Portland.
Saison de Pipaix
[750 ml, 6 percent abv]
Light amber color, fluffy white head, lots of brown yeast sediment from
the last of the bottle. Tart, citrusy aroma. Flavors reminiscent of
lemon zest with earthy yeast notes. Modest hop bitterness is evident.
The ingredients include Munich malt, Hallertauer hops, ginger, black
pepper, coriander, and Curaao oranges. It makes a great accompaniment
to fine hors d'oeuvres. From the Brasserie Vapeur (Steam Brewery) in
Pipaix, Belgium. (The bottle says this beer was brewed in October 1996
and bottled six weeks later, and then stored in the brewery's cellar.)
Vapeur d'Antan Ale (Bottled in 1995)
[750 ml, 8 percent abv]
Golden color, thick white head, lots of sediment from the bottom of the
bottle. Another fruity, citrusy beer from the Steam Brewery in Pipaix.
This one is stronger with more assertive aromas and flavors, though not
quite as tart. Another fascinating beer, great with gourmet food.
N'Ice Chouffe (Bottled in 1996, #778)
[750 ml, 10 percent abv]
Wonderful bottle featuring two gnomes wearing snowshoes, warming their
hands over a little fire. A squirrel and a deer look on and there's a
quaint, snow-covered church in the background. The first thing I
noticed about this Belgian brew is that it has almost no carbonation,
from the time I opened it through an aggressive pour. Dark amber in
color, it immediately reminded me of Samichlaus. Sweet malt, cherry,
caramel, and warm alcohol notes dominate the aroma and the flavor. It
was very tasty, and I drank it at a leisurely pace, sometimes recooling
the bottle but consuming most of it at cellar temperature. This is an
excellent dessert beer, to be savored like fine brandy-I highly
recommend this one.
Guldenberg Belgian Abbey Beer (Bottled in June 2000) [750 ml, 8 percent
abv]
This beer comes in a plain green bottle with an elegant paper wrapper.
It pours with a huge, fluffy white head. Its color is hazy golden. The
aroma is dominated by fruity esters reminiscent of ripe peaches. The
flavor is dominated by fruity notes, warm alcohol, and a spicy hoppiness
found only in a few other Belgian beers (Orval comes to mind). Hop
bitterness is also evident-not like an IPA but more than most Belgian
beers-and this does a nice job of balancing the fruity sweetness.
According the label Hallertauer and Brewers Gold are used. The high
carbonation also gives the beer a playful mouthfeel. The Brewery De
Ranke is owned and operated by two friends, Nino Bacelle and Guido
Devos, who brew their beers in small batches on weekends in a
turn-of-the-century brewery in Wevelgem, West Flanders. This beer is
outstanding.
