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Friday, April 18, 2014

New Beer Friday, Thank Greg Johnson Edition (April 18)

Greg Johnson is one stand-up dude
By Steve Siciliano

Yesterday former Siciliano’s staffer Greg Johnson helped Barb and I sort, catalog and label the entries in this year’s Siciliano’s Homebrew Competition.

Tomorrow we’ll carefully transport the twenty plus cases of 12-ounce amber bottles to the judging venue where the homebrewed ales and lagers will be evaluated according to BJCP style guidelines by certified judges, professional brewers, experienced homebrewers and industry professionals.

Before Greg left Siciliano’s to take a position with Virtue Cider he was in charge of running our annual competitions. Barb and I would like to thank him for teaching us how to use the Beers to Fear online competition center and for acting a consultant while we take over the organizational reins. We would also like to thank Dan Frechette of the Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers for once again allowing us to use the Beers to Fear resources.

While we drove home from the store last night Barb and I talked about how the competition has evolved and grown over the last ten years. Tomorrow over fifty judges from around the Midwest will be evaluating over two hundred entries in a rented hall. In the competition’s first year, four judges appraised twenty homebrews while sitting around our dining room table.

There’s a lot of work that goes into organizing and running a sizable homebrew competition. I was reminded of that this year. The time and effort, however, are well worth it, and I know I’ll be reminded of that at the homebrew party on May 17 each time I drape a medal around the neck of a beaming homebrewer.

New and Returning Beers

  • Red Hook Keep Calm and Chive On Black Lager, $1.69/12oz - "KCCO Black Lager is deep charcoal in color, with mild notes of coffee and dark chocolate, a hint of smoke, and a clean, dry finish. At just 5.2% ABV and 22 IBU, KCCO Black lager features big flavor without the high alcohol punch" (source).
  • Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom Cream Ale, $1.69/12oz - "Cream Ale brewed with honey and orange peel, with orange flower extract added" (source).
  • Greenbush Sunspot Hefeweizen, $1.99/12oz - "A hot way to cool down Hot. Drenched. Delightfully blinding. Right. We’re not talking about that ball of fire in the sky, but our refreshing hefewiezen. Skip the shade and down a glass or two and be cool" (source).
  • Great Lakes Rye of the Tiger, $1.69/12oz - "India Pale Ale brewed with rye malt and loaded with hops" (source).
  • Epic Big Bad Baptist, $12.09/22oz (1/person) - "It’s big, it’s bad, bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, with coffee and cocoa nibs" (source).

Video of the Week | "Brew Day" by Colin Ragan

Another great submission to Founders "Show us Your Session" contest.

Cheers!

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