Beer & Brewer 41 Spring 2017 Teaser

PART 1 BREWING EQUIPMENT – SPACE AND BUDGET

see page 44

INCLUDING

ISSUE 42 SPRING 2017 PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

Australia’s

IN HOMEBREW We hear from some of the 2% of female homebrewers

DIY DOG BREWDOG

Shares all of its recipes

BEST BEER VENUES CAN YOU GUESS WHAT TOPPED THE LIST?

BEERS & CIDERS

TASTED WWW.BEERANDBREWER.COM

PLUS! SAISON SEASON | NEW ZEALAND’S CRAFT BEER CAPITAL | HANSON: MMMHOPS

CONTENTS

inside...

Spring 2017

FEATURES 10 IBD – The Craft Beer Capital of New Zealand The Institute of Brewing and Distilling Asia Pacific Convention will be held in Wellington in March 2018

12

HOMEBREWER 58 Welcome 59 Letters 60 Q&A Home brewing legend John Palmer responds to one reader’s query about the new edition of his homebrewing Bible, How To Brew

ACBC What makes ‘craft’? Differing views from the Australian Craft Brewers Conference

46 Recipes We’ve got 10 great homebrew recipes for you to try – including a few from BrewDog!

30 It’s Saison Season!

Originally created as a low-alcohol thirst-quencher for farm workers, Jeremy Sambrooks explores how Saison has been reinvented

66 Women in Homebrew A recent survey from Beer Cartel found that just two per cent of homebrewers are women, so we reached out to a few to hear about their experiences

26 Brewery Startup 101 Luke Robertson has all the tips on how to open a brewery in the final instalment of his three part series

54 Education Homebrewer technical editor Jake Brandish looks at the role and importance of mash temperature and the impact on brewing

32 Australia’s 2017 Best Beer Venues & Brewpubs We have done the hard yards of drinking our way across the country in search of Australia’s finest beer venues and brewpubs.

72

So you’re opening a brewery? I guess you’re going to need some equipment. In the first of his two part series, Luke Robertson talks about space and budget.

74

Homebrewer Club Dr Nevin J Stewart has revolutionised traditional home cider making in his retirement

76

A Cider a Day There are far more options for the discerning drinker in 2017 than mainstream, sugary cider

4

www.beerandbrewer.com

“We want to be creating amazing beer and do great things that have a story. And we want 10 years from now for people to be saying ‘do you know that these guys have a band’” – Taylor Hanson

BrewDog DIY The team at BrewDog love sharing and that’s why they shared every recipe they have ever made

48 Brewing Equipment

98

11

32

REGULARS 3 Editor’s Letter 6 The Brew What’s happening and things to do

7

News The latest in Aus/NZ beer industry

14 Bits & Bobs 16 New Venues 88 Tasting Notes Barrel aged beers, ciders and new releases

94 Directory 98 A Pint With…

We chat with Hanson about growing up in the spotlight and their love of beer

Check out Australia’s Top 65 Beer Venues and Top 50 Brewpubs!

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SPRING 2017

5

STYLE NOTES

18  www.beerandbrewer.com

STYLE NOTES

It’s Saison Season!

ORIGINALLY CREATED AS A LOW-ALCOHOL THIRST-QUENCHER FOR FARM WORKERS, SAISON HAS BEEN REINVENTED AND IS ENJOYING A RESURGENCE AMONG CRAFT BREWERS – DESPITE BEING NOTORIOUSLY FINICKY TO BREW. JEREMY SAMBROOKS REPORTS.

S

aisons have become

considered the classic example of its style

increasingly popular

– but it fails to describe many other beers

in the craft brewing

using the saison name, which are considered

community in recent

‘out of style’ for beer competitions. For a

years and for good

beer with such a broad spectrum of flavours,

reason. They might not

the BA’s definition of saison is certainly

yet have the mass following of IPAs, but

very narrow. For more information on these

are almost universally loved and respected

variants, read ‘Saison Sub Styles’.

by everyone who brews and drinks them.

Saisons can be highly complex yet hugely

FARMERS’ BEER

drinkable and satisfy the most discerning

Also commonly known as farmhouse ale,

beer snob, while remaining approachable

saison is French for ‘season’ and was the

enough for your mate who just discovered

name given to a type of pale ale brewed

James Squire 150 Lashes.

in farmhouses in Wallonia, the French-

The Brewers Association (BA) calls the

speaking region of Belgium. These beers

style, Classic French and Belgian-Style

were brewed in the cooler, less active

Saison, specifying that these beers should

months and stored for drinking in summer.

be gold to light amber in colour, with low

Compared to modern saisons, the original

malt character, low to medium European-

farmhouse ales would have been lower

type hop character and medium to high

in alcohol (thought to be around three to

fermentation character that can include

3.5 per cent ABV on average) as they were

fruitiness, black pepper and sometimes low

served to farm workers who were entitled to

levels of Brettanomyces-derived flavours

up to five litres every working day!

that are fruity, horsey, goaty and leather-

Aside from their low gravity, historical

like. They must be highly carbonated, well

saisons had few defining characteristics

attenuated and have a very low to low body.

– each farm brewer would make his own

Their bitterness can range from 20 to 38

distinct version using locally available

IBUs and they contain 4.4 to 6.8 per cent

ingredients. Today, most saisons are cloudy

alcohol-by-volume (ABV).

and golden to orange in colour, unfiltered

All the above is true of Saison Dupont – the Belgian-brewed saison that is universally

and bottle conditioned. Pale and/or Pilsner

SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS Saisons are among the most food-friendly beers out there – their spicy, yeast-driven flavour profile makes them bold enough to stand up to full flavoured dishes, while their high carbonation and dry finish make them wonderful palate cleansers.

Low gravity saisons are generally lighter in flavour and can be paired with a simple roasted chicken with garlic and herbs, seafood paella or even a salad with rocket and a vinegary dressing as the beer’s spicy notes complement the peppery greens. Speaking of spice, saisons usually work well with Asian and North African cuisines. Try pairing a spiced saison with Pad Thai or a fruit-added saison with a Moroccan lamb tagine with apricots and prunes. Another good match for saison is a charcuterie board – think beef jerky, chorizo and peppery salami, all go well with a full-flavoured saison.

Because of their low residual sweetness, saisons generally don’t pair well with dessert, but they do go brilliantly well with cheese.

Their high carbonation and moussy texture make them a great match for creamy, soft cheeses, like Brie and Reblochon, while their acidity pairs well with the earthy tang of goat’s cheeses. Funky, wild saisons can stand up to the pungency of washed rind cheeses, and lighter blue cheeses like gorgonzola.

malts generally comprise most of the

SPRING 2017 19

STYLE NOTES

DRINK LOCAL Try these eight local packaged Saisons: 1. La Sirène Urban Pale – hoppy, aromatic pale ale fermented with the brewery’s house saison yeast.

2. Black Dog Estate Hopped Saison – made with Cascade hops grown at the brewery.

3. Nomad Long Trip Saison – brewed with coffee beans, wattle seeds and Tasmanian pepper!

4. Exit Saison – this otherwise traditional farmhouse ale uses Japanese Sorachi Ace hops.

5. La Sirène Wild Saison – fermented with brettanomyces for a funky, complex character.

6. 8 Wired Saison Sauvin – Strong, new world saison heavily hopped with Nelson Sauvin.

“BREWING SAISONS REGULARLY AND CONSISTENTLY TAKES TRUE PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE YEAST YOU’RE USING AND AN ABILITY TO DIRECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEER LIKE LAYERS OF PAINTING ON A CANVAS,” COSTA NIKIAS, LA SIRÈNE which is very unusual in this fast-paced industry,

brewing company focused on making single-batch

with a focus on allowing time for carbonation and

Belgian-inspired ales. “Artisan loves saisons,”

conditioning across all our products.”

says Brian Fitzgerald, Artisan’s Brewer and

La Sirène’s range of bottle conditioned ales

Co-owner. “Our first commercial beer was our

includes their standard (an excellent) Saison, the

Farmhouse Red in 2014 and we’ve since released

lower-alcohol Saisonette, an eight per cent Super

several saisons, including French and Belgian-

Saison, Wild Saison which is fermented with

style saisons, a dry hopped saison, a funky sour

brettanomyces yeast, Farmhouse Red – a maltier

saison and our extremely popular Rockin’ Red Rye

beer brewed with fresh rosebuds, hibiscus and

Saison – an amber saison with rye malt.”

dandelion – and two soured hybrid saisons called

Fitzgerald is also Australia’s first Certified

Sour Red and Paradoxe. Late in 2016, the brewery

Cicerone, (beer’s equivalent of a trained

released Urban Pale – a hop-forward, farmhouse-

sommelier) making him an expert in all

7. Bridge Road – elegant, traditional farmhouse ale available in 750mL Champagne bottles.

style pale ale packaged in cans. La Sirène’s own

things beer, including storing, serving and

tasting notes tell drinkers to ‘expect grapefruit

matching with food. “Because saisons have a

and pine-cone characters with an assertive

wider interpretation of style than other beers,

bitterness that is enveloped seamlessly with

they become very versatile for pairing with

8. Boatrocker Saison Du Bateau – effervescent, fruity ale with a hint of spice and a dry finish.

melon, black pepper and citrus rind’.

food,” notes Brian, “they are dry but fruity and

22 www.beerandbrewer.com

sometimes sweet, they can be silky or spicy,

SANDGROPER SAISON

hoppy or citrusy, earthy or floral. All of these

The small Western Australian country town of

characters can then be used to pair them with

Denmark is home to Artisan Brewing – a small

seafood, poultry or game meats.”

STYLE NOTES

SAISON SUB-STYLES Due to the BA’s narrow description of the style, there are commercials beers that sit outside the guidelines but choose to use the saison name.

Most of these beers can be placed in the following categories:

TABLE SAISON These lower alcohol saisons are truer to the original farmhouse ales on which the style is based than most modern interpretations. Sometimes as low as three per cent alcoholby-volume, table saisons are light, refreshing and far better suited for sating one’s thirst during a day of hard labour on the farm!

SUPER SAISON This is the name given to beers that otherwise fit within the saison style, but are brewed to a higher gravity.

Compared to regular-strength saisons, they are generally sweeter and fuller-bodied with more warming alcohol. The most well-known commercial example is Avec Les Bon Voeux (meaning ‘with the best wishes’), a 9.5 per cent ale that has been made by Brasserie Dupont since 1970. The beer was originally brewed as a gift to the brewery’s best clients, but it is now available to the public.

INDIA SAISON A modern interpretation of the style that couples the fruity, spicy Belgian yeast character of saison, with the aromatic hoppiness of American or New World hops.

RED/DARK SAISON Some brewers are making saisons with more character malts, resulting in a beer that is darker and usually less dry, with a flavour profile balanced between yeast and malt. It could be argued that some of these beers are a better fit for the Biére de Garde style.

WILD SAISON A term used to describe saisons fermented with brettanomyces and those fermented spontaneously with wild yeast. Expect sourness and lots of funk!

SPRING 2017 23

BREWERY STARTUP 101

26  www.beerandbrewer.com

BREWERY STARTUP 101

How to open a brewery part three

IN PARTS ONE AND TWO WE LOOKED AT WRITING A BUSINESS PLAN, OBTAINING FINANCING AND SECURING A LOCATION AND EQUIPMENT. NOW, IN PART THREE OF LUKE ROBERTSON’S SERIES, IT’S TIME TO START PACKAGING AND SELLING YOUR BEER

W

“We’ve seen real horror stories out

to order it from overseas – if you really

there,” Klos says. He believes European

need that part it’s going to cost you. If you

bottling equipment fares better when

do your scheduled maintenance the whole

factoring in cost versus end result. He says

time through, servicing as the supplier

keeping oxygen out is crucial.

says, then you’ll be fine.”

“When we talk about the quality of

He says the rise of cans is seen by some

the beer, the quality of the bottling,

as a bit of a silver bullet to many issues of

the necessity of having extremely low

packaging, such as light strike; however

dissolved oxygen, de-aeration, fobbing and

like everything else, buying cheap can be

so on. That’s where the quality comes out

a problem.

of European machines.”

Klos says one thing that is often

“There are some canning lines that are very dirt cheap… the way they fill and the

elcome to the

overlooked is the amount of oxygen in the

way they purge, some of them just don’t

final class in

water when fobbing and rinsing. A lot of

make sense.” The results, he says, are bad

our brewery

brewers are surprised at just how much

beer on shelves with your name on it.

startup course.

oxygen is picked up during that process,

In part one we

which can be as much as 60 parts per

talked about

billion. That’s the difference between great

SELL YOUR BEER, BUILD YOUR BRAND

beer in the market and oxidized beer.

We met Trina Youchak from 3 Rivers Brewing

business plans and funding. In part two, it was all about finding the right location and getting the right gear to brew with.

If you’ve been building your brewery along at home, you will have done a lot of work, spent a lot of time and effort,

One easy solution he has is to fill a keg

in Mandurah in part one. She was about to

from your hot liquor tank. That’ll remove

stop in to try and sell beer to one of her local

any gasses from the water, which can then

pubs. With her partner Mark Rivers, they

be used during your bottling processes.

pretty much do everything themselves. A

Greg Mace, from FB*Propak, has

fact of life for many startup breweries. The

studied the texts, and invested a lot of

stressed during every part of this series to

stop she was making was her third to the

money. Now the final step is to package up

not buy cheap, and he says packaging is

venue and she had yet to sell them beer.

your beer and sell it. Unfortunately, that’s

absolutely no exception. Like Klos, he has

just as hard as everything else. But again,

seen the horrors that result from cheap

them around the other errands of the

we have you covered in our next class for

packaging and processes and in 2017.

day. I just picked up grain that was close

Brewery Startup 101.

“There’s so many bottled beers that destroy brands,” Mace says.

PACKAGING Horst Klos, from packaging supply company Viniquip, says things can go wrong quickly when it comes to bottling or canning.

“I make a lot of phone calls and I do

to this particular bar. So I go in and say ‘remember me, you tasted my beer

Mace explains that getting ahead of

back in October. Then again I talked to

problems is also crucial to your business.

you in November and once right before

“Don’t wait for a breakdown to happen.

If you wait for things to break – and have

Christmas. We are still hoping you might have a tap point for us’.”

SPRING 2017

27

BREWING EQUIPMENT

BREWING EQUIPMENT: PART ONE WHETHER BIG OR SMALL, EVERY BREWERY HAS ONE THING IN COMMON – THE NEED FOR QUALITY BREWING EQUIPMENT. SO IN HIS TWO PART SERIES, LUKE ROBERTSON HAS LOOKED AT ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES INTO MAKING YOUR BEER

48 www.beerandbrewer.com

BREWING EQUIPMENT

N

o matter the size of the brewery, every brewer has their favourite piece of gear. As breweries are slowly upgraded, sometimes piece by piece, all brewers have a handful of things they always want to change, given the time and money. For this two-part series we talked to brewers and

suppliers about the crucial parts of the brewing business. Not only the equipment that goes into making your beer, but also how it leaves your brewery.

Justin Fox, Head of Sales, Products and Development at Bintani Australia, says the first thing people need to think about is space and budget when commissioning and installing new equipment.

Sometimes spending a bit of extra cash at the start will save you stress and money come expansion time. He describes the “foundation” hardware as being critical when breweries grow.

“If you can afford it when you put your brewery in, double the hot liquor tanks. Then it’s in and you can multitask, and you can wash while you’re cleaning and you can brew while you’re CIPing (Cleaning in place).”

Fox says this is a basic tenet for every part of every brewery. A little extra money now can save a lot in the future.

“If you double the size of your glycol tank it means you don’t have to go rip that out when you put in a third row of fermentation tanks.

You should probably (also) oversize your boiler. These are all things that you can spend 10 per cent extra money on and use to double your output further down the track.”

Fox says one thing a lot of people get wrong is estimating space and positioning. Putting a boiler in a back corner against a brick wall, then surrounding it with fermentation tanks may mean it can’t be ripped out to be upgraded. He tells of a nationally distributed, award winning, brewery that is currently stuck with an inadequate boiler because of this exact problem.

East Coast Steam, in Brisbane, manufactures steam boilers, and Sales Manager Rob Fowler echoes Fox’s advice.

“What people miss, especially on the boiler, is the fact that it’s like freeway driving. If the boiler’s running it doesn’t have any losses perse, it’s when the heat turns off and on. That initial cost may be a little bit harder, not majorly, but a little bit harder to include in the budget.”

He also adds that the more people look at control for boilers, the more efficiency they gain, something even more important with rising gas prices. Examples he gives is what he calls the “marry-up” between the boiler and the rest of the brewery, where often hot water is wasted rather than being re-used. The results can mean temperature loss and expensive water treatment as it goes to drain. “As we all know, gas prices will affect the price of my glass of beer,” he says.

Bright Brewery, in Victoria’s high country, has solar at the heart of its future plans. Marketing Manager, James Davidson, says that sustainability is at the core of everything they do. Their current brewery and hospitality venue is able to run completely from solar on sunny days and their upcoming production brewery is destined to be even more reliant on solar power. However, it will begin by using a traditional regular electricity supply to allow them to assess how much power they need, before they look at their options for using alternative power sources. “There’s no technology that’s specifically designed for brewhouses in regards to sustainable power systems at the moment,” Davidson says, adding, “There are a lot of other things

SPRING 2017 49

RECIPES

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.051 FG: 1.006 ABV: 6.6% IBU: 32 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients 1.7kg Thomas Coopers Innkeeper’s Daughter Sparkling Ale 1.5kg Amber Malt Extract 500g Light Dry Malt Extract (LDME) 300g Dark Crystal Malt Grain (cracked) 25g Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets Sachet of Lallemand Belle Saison Yeast

Method 1. The day before brew day, soak the cracked grain in a small mesh bag in a pot with about three litres of cold water. Fit the lid and sit it in the fridge overnight 2. On brew day lift the mesh bag with grains out of the pot and allow the liquid to drain out before discarding the grains 3. Place the strained liquid onto the stovetop and bring to the boil, before removing from the heat 4. Cool the liquid by placing the pot in a bath of cold water for about 15 minutes with the lid on

Ambré Amour

A SAISON IS A BEER THAT WILL DEFINITELY IMPROVE OVER A FEW MONTHS SO IF YOU BREW THIS COOPERS DIY AMBRÉ SAISON NOW IT WILL BE PERFECT COME EARLY DECEMBER, AND OF COURSE CHRISTMAS

A 64 Home Brewer

mbré Saison, a French saison, pours a beautiful amber colour with a spritzy white foam. Saisons traditionally use Styrian Golding hops and in this recipe they are used to dry hop, which will provide a lovely floral bouquet. Expect the classic saison palette of sweet malts with subtle pale ale bitterness and peppery notes, making it an enticing and decidedly interesting beer for summer.

5. Add all the fermentable ingredients and the cooled liquid to your fermenter then stir to dissolve. Don’t worry if lumps of Light Dry Malt Extract remain as they will dissolve over the course of several hours 6. Top up with cold water to 20 litres and stir thoroughly with your sanitised brewing spoon 7. Check the temperature and top up to 23 litres with warm or cool water (refrigerated if necessary) to start the brew at 22°C 8. Sprinkle the Belle Saison yeast into the fermenter and stir gently with your sanitised brewing spoon 9. Ferment out of direct sunlight at 22-24°C 10. Ferment for seven days before adding Styrian Goldings hops in a sanitised hop bag 11. Check gravity on day 10 and again on day 11 – if the gravity is consistent for consecutive days and is between 1.0041.008 then your beer is ready to bottle 12. Bottle or keg as normal then allow to condition at about 18-22°C for 10-12 weeks. You can drink them after about two weeks if you’re really thirsty, but they will be better for more conditioning time

RECIPES

Chocolate Fish Milk Stout IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK. THIS BEER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FISH. WELL SORT OF, BUT NOT LIKE YOU’RE THINKING! ANDREW CHILDS, FOUNDER OF BEHEMOTH BREWING (CHUR IN AUSTRALIA) TOOK OUT THE BEER & BREWER PEOPLE’S CHOICE AT GABS AUCKLAND THIS YEAR WITH HIS CHOCOLATE FISH MILK STOUT

W

e produced this beer for

sweetness. I have also found that Dutch cocoa

GABS 2017 and we were

powder gives an awesome chocolate taste that is

pumped that it took out

bitter (like dark chocolate) and balances out some of

the Auckland GABS Beer

the sweetness. The raspberries will contribute to the

& Brewer People’s Choice

alcohol but only slightly. The result should be a beer

award. A Chocolate Fish

that you would want to have for dessert.

is an iconic New Zealand candy – it is raspberry marshmallow covered in chocolate.

PS. Thanks to everyone who voted for us at GABS Auckland. Good times!

The trick with a good milk stout is to make sure

NB: Remember the lactose doesn’t ferment out

it does not attenuate too much, it should be sweet

so your Final Gravity (FG) will be higher than your

but not too sweet, about 25 IBU to balance out that

regular brews.

Extract with Specialty Malts Recipe Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.073 FG: 1.023 ABV: 6.6% IBU: 25 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients 3.6kg Pale Malt Extract of your choice 400g Bairds Chocolate Malt 350g Bairds Pale Crystal 200g Bairds Brown Malt 200g Barids Dark Crystal 200g of Malted Oats 500gm Lactose 22g Pacific Jade 500gm Dutch Cocoa Powder 1kg Fresh or Frozen Raspberries 0.3g Copperfloc 2 Sachets of Mangrove Jack’s M44 West Coast Ale Yeast

Method 1. Bring six litres of water to 70C in a large pot 2. In a muslin bag, add all grain (cracked) for 30 minutes, after which remove bag with grains 3. Bring to the boil and add malt extracts. Stir to dissolve and

reduce foaming as it returns to the boil 4. Boil Pacific Jade hops for 90 minutes 5. Add 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go 6. At the end of the boil add the Lactose and Cocoa powder and whirlpool for 15 minutes

All-Grain Recipe Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.073 FG: 1.023 ABV: 6.6% IBU: 25 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients 4.7kg Bairds Pale Malt 500g Weyermann Munich 2

7. Add cool water to make up to 23 litres or OG of 1.073

500g Bairds Medium Crystal

8. Cool to 20°C and pitch both sachets of Mangrove Jacks M44 West Coast Ale Yeast

200g Bairds Roasted Barley

9. Ferment at 18°C

150g Malted Oats

10. At 80 per cent through fermentation add the crushed raspberries in a muslin bag.

Make sure the raspberries are sterilised – frozen raspberries are already sterilised so are an easier option

500g Lactose

11. Do a diacetyl rest at 22°C towards end of fermentation 12. Fermentation is complete when gravity is at or near 1.023 and is consistent over consecutive days 13. Bottle or keg as usual then enjoy with mates or your partner!

250g Bairds Pale Chocolate

150g Barids Dark Chocolate

22g Pacific Jade 500g Dutch Cocoa Powder 1Kg Fresh or frozen Raspberries 0.3g Copperfloc 2 Sachets of Mangrove Jack’s M44 West Coast Ale Yeast

Method 1. Mash all malts at 69°C 2. Sparge and bring to a boil

4. Add 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go 5. At the end of the boil add the Lactose and Cocoa powder and whirlpool for 15 minutes 6. Cool to 20°C and pitch both sachets of Mangrove Jacks M44 West Coast Ale Yeast 7. Ferment at 18°C 8. At 80 per cent through fermentation add the crushed raspberries in a muslin bag. Make sure the raspberries are sterilised – frozen raspberries are already sterilised so are an easier option 9. Do a diacetyl rest at 22°C towards end of fermentation 10. Fermentation is complete when gravity is at or near 1.023 and is consistent over consecutive days 11. Bottle or keg as usual then enjoy with mates or your partner!

3. Boil for 90 minutes – add Pacific Jade at the beginning of the boil

SPRING 2017 65

HOMEBREW PROFILE

Juice & Strain – DR NEVIN J STEWART THE PROFILE IN THIS ISSUE OF HOMEBREWER DIFFERS FROM MOST OF THESE FEATURES, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT CIDER. DR NEVIN J STEWART HAS REVOLUTIONISED TRADITIONAL HOME CIDER MAKING IN HIS RETIREMENT

F

rom the outset it’s pretty clear that Dr Nevin J Stewart is a pretty switched on bloke.

He was an industrial chemist with British Petroleum (BP) after all. But come

retirement, Stewart wasn’t satisfied with cups of tea while doing the crossword in the local paper; instead he was drawn to cider making and in doing so reconsidered the whole process for the home.

What attracted Stewart to making cider wasn’t a love affair with the drink and a desire to have a fridge full at the ready.

Rather, it was the truckload of apples grown by his neighbours that piqued his interest.

“In 2011, we retired neighbours and friends in Scillonian Road, Guildford, Surrey found ourselves with an abundance of surplus garden

Dr Nevin J Stewart (centre) and friends collecting apples

Photo credit: Helen Stewart

apples, approximately 500kg,” begins Stewart.

“And this was after making apple jelly,

domestic juicer, which would accept

whole fruit juicer on the shelf. To our delight

apple sauce, apple pies, tarts and turnovers

seedless apple slices and off we went. Three

we discovered that our productivity was

and giving away apples to family and friends!

hours later three of us had generated just

transformed with a tenfold increase in

“To use our surplus fruit productively,

three demi johns full of juice and a horrible

efficiency. In that first cider making season

I suggested to Nick, across the road from

mess in the kitchen. Worse, we’d managed

we produced, after straining, 300 litres of

us, that we could perhaps try making cider.

to take only a small bite out of our bumper

clear apple juice, most of which we fermented

Neither of us had done this before. But what

crop of apples.

out to golden crystal clear cider.”

did we have to lose?

“My daughter offered us her little

74

Home Brewer

“By chance, Nick was in a charity shop a few days later and spotted a 450W centrifugal

The seed for Juice & Strain was well and truly planted.

SO WHAT IS JUICE & STRAIN (J&S)?

SO WILL MY JUICER AT HOME DO THE JOB?

For centuries apple juice has been obtained

Maybe. The J&S method recommends a

by a pulp and press two step method. Apples

high performance centrifugal kitchen

are fed into a shredder and the resulting

juicer with a spout. A hose is attached

pomace is pressed. Homemade or mass

to this, which is held in place by a grip

manufactured, the required kit is large, heavy

clamp. The hose directs raw juice into a

and expensive.

fine mesh nylon straining bag (not a grain

Stewart’s career at BP taught him about

bag). This is contained within a bucket

streamlining processes to achieve the greatest

that has multiple holes drilled in its

efficiency at the lowest cost – skills that

base. In turn, this sits in the top part of

have been applied in his cider making and

your fermenter. The nylon straining bag

development of the Juice & Strain (J&S) process.

prevents the pulp fines getting through

While the intricacies of the J&S method may seem trivial to our beer brewing audience, the

and clouding your cider.

“Provided that your juicer has a spout

change in process is quite significant and the

to which a hose can be attached and

required kit is low cost and clean.

clamped in place then no modifications

“Overall, modern process-thinking coupled with recent advances in centrifugal

are required.

“J&S was developed as an outcome of

The Cider Recipe There are so many variables in making cider from apples that the expected brew figures have a significant range.

While cider can be made from any apples, the general recommendation is to mix cookers and dessert fruit at a ratio of 1:4 to arrive at a balance of acidity.

An easily accessible mix could be 25 per cent Granny Smith and 75 per cent Pink Lady. But if you have an apple tree or two in the backyard experimenting is worth a go.

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.040-1.060 FG: 1.000 (or lower) ABV: 5-8% IBU: n/a Volume: 18 litres

juicer performance, reduce a two-step pulp

‘a full and frank exchange of views’ with

and then press technology to one that has

my wife in relation to the sticky mess

a single synchronous step. Whole apples

that juice and then strain was making in

are fed in at one end and clear apple juice

our small kitchen. Apple juice was going

is drawn off, by the gallon, at the other,”

everywhere including the kitchen walls

explains Stewart.

and the stains are still visible today.

Champagne yeast (Saccharomyces bayanus)

The ideas leading to the J&S kit were

Method

In an afternoon, Stewart and his partner in cider Nick, can wash and juice about 92kg of

borrowed from well-known process

apples for 60 litres of juice.

engineering practices.”

The bucket with the holes that the nylon mesh bag sits inside

Ingredients 32kg of apples 5 Campden tablets Yeast nutrient

1. Prepare your juicer according to the Juice & Strain method outlined in the article (see YouTube videos for more information if required) 2. Set up the nylon straining bag and bucket with holes above your sanitised fermenter 3. Wash and then juice 32kg of apples, cleaning the juicer and removing scraps regularly 4. Add campden tablets 5. Pitch yeast with yeast nutrient and stir in with your sanitised big plastic spoon 6. Ferment at 18°C or lower. You may have a lag of a couple of days so don’t worry if you don’t see immediate yeast action 7. When the gravity is stable for consecutive days and is at or below 1.000 then the cider is ready to bottle 8. Bottle or keg as normal then allow to condition at about 18-22°C for 10-12 weeks. You can drink them earlier but the cider will improve with more conditioning time.

For more information see Nevin’s Juice & Strain videos on YouTube.

Dr Nevin J Stewart is also working with Vigo Presses, a UK supplier for fruit processing equipment to make the Juice & Strain kit available all in one.

Photo credit: Helen Stewart

SPRING 2017 75

ENTERTAINING – FOOD

SMOKIN’

HOT

SPRING HAS SPRUNG SO IT’S TIME TO FIRE UP THE BARBEQUE! AND IF YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT RACK OF RIBS THEN ADAM ROBERTS HAS YOU COVERED WITH THESE FINGER LICKING RECIPES

Ribs is a culmination of the very best tips,

techniques and secret

recipes compiled by Adam Roberts throughout his more than 20 years in the kitchen.

Roberts is the General Manager and Co-founder of the Australasian Barbecue Alliance. He has been responsible for co-ordinating dozens of wood-fired barbecue competitions across Australia and New Zealand.

Be taken on a journey of simple recipes, revealing complex flavours and amazing textures, and introduced to a range of cooking techniques that can be used in both indoor and outdoor kitchens using a range of common fuels such as charcoal, direct heat and frying oil.

The recipes found in Ribs will “sharply improve your rib cooking skills and social standing amongst your friends, family and guests,” says Roberts.

It is your ‘go-to’ book for not only flavours and textures but also charcoal and wood pairings for superior dishes.

The book has been designed to help beginners master a range of barbecue and grilling techniques and uses modern kitchen appliances, giving a budding ‘Rib King’ a fighting chance in case of a rainy day or restricted cooking space.

Roberts has included some finger lickin’ hot and fast rib recipes to make watching your next footy game so much more tasty.

Ribs contains recipes for all skill levels and easy-tofollow instructions, so you’ll have plenty of fun learning new ways to wow your friends and family with the perfect ribs for any occasion.

So what are you waiting for? Get smoking!

84

www.beerandbrewer.com www.beerandbrewer.com

This is an edited extract from Ribs by Adam Roberts and published by New Holland Publishers. It is available from all good bookstores or online www.newhollandpublishers.com at RRP $45

ENTERTAINING – FOOD

PISTACHIO CRUSTED STICKY PORK RIBS Serves: 4

Method

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours Cooker: Barbeque smoker Skill Level: Medium

1. Combine all of the rub ingredients in a bowl.

Ingredients 2 racks pork ribs 100ml (31⁄2 fl oz) honey 2 tablespoons brown sugar 100g (31⁄2 oz) unsalted butter 250g (9 oz) crushed pistachio nuts

Rub 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon celery powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, finely ground 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Slaw 2 green apples ½ white cabbage 1 red onion 2 carrots 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon white sugar ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2. Remove the membrane from the underside of the pork ribs and apply a liberal coating of rub to completely cover all sides of the ribs.

3. Indirectly hot smoke the ribs for 1 hour inside a barbecue smoker at 130°C (250°F).

4. Remove the ribs from the smoker and drizzle with the honey, brown sugar and butter. Double wrap each rack of ribs in foil and return to the smoker for a further 1.5 hours at 130°C (250°F).

5. Remove the ribs from the smoker, unwrap and sprinkle the crushed pistachio nuts over rib racks. Slice the ribs to serve.

6. Serve with fresh apple slaw.

7. To make the apple slaw, finely slice the apples, cabbage, onion and carrots and mix with the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar and chill until ready to serve.

Pro tip Experiment with different flavoured smoking chips or wood chunks such as apple wood or peach wood or try wood-infused charcoal briquettes to your preferred flavour profile.

SPRING 2017

85

SAISON PROMOTION

It’s Saison Time!

1. Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison

A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings centuries-old monastery brewing traditions to life.

Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative but also refreshingly dry and drinkable.

FOOD MATCH A sweet dessert like strawberry tart ABV: 7.5% RRP: $15 per bottle (375ml) Sierranevada.com

2. BrewDog Black Jacques Saison

An imperial black Saison brewed with oats and wheat for a silky mouthfeel, spicy hops, and Carafa malt for colour, Black Jacques has been aged in red wine barrels for no less than 268 days. On the nose there are endless and complex interactions between cola, chocolate, coffee, mint humbug, warming oak, and spice.

There’s banana, espresso, brandy and a clean herbal warmth there too, against a red wine robustness. It’s smooth and light yet dark and strange all at once.

3. Brasserie Dupont Saison Dupont

The Saison Dupont is widely regarded as the best classic example of a true Belgian Saison. Coppery blond, the finest aromas and a strong bitterness transform this beer into a thirstquencher with no equal, just the way it was created. Straw and apricot on the nose, discernable bitterness on the palate with a well-balanced level of yeastiness.

A real refermentation in the bottle, which will continue for a long time in your cellar, result into this complex and particularly aromatic beer.

FOOD MATCH: A charcuterie board ABV: 11.1% RRP: $14.99 per bottle (330ml) Brewdog.com

FOOD MATCH: Roast chicken with garlic and herbs ABV: 6.5% RRP: $7.50 Brasserie-dupont.com

4. Bellerose Bière Blonde Extra

Bellerose Blonde is characterised by particularly intense hopping: a unique cocktail of three hops are used while the beer is simmering and a generous amount of raw hops are added towards to end of the brewing process. This results in a taste that is more aromatic than bitter. Bellerose has a fine aroma of litchis and citrus fruits which beautifully complement the combined flavours of the IPA style and the traditional ‘bières de Garde’ from northern France.

FOOD PAIRING: Washed rind cheeses or spicy foods ABV: 6.5% RRP: $7.50 per bottle (330ml) Bidbeer.com/products bellerose-blonde

5. Morrison Brewery Saison This Belgian Farmhouse Ale has moderate bitterness, mild acidity and a smooth silky body. The unique Saison yeast strain produces an extremely dry finish while also creating spicy, citrusy phenolic esters.

Noble hops add floral notes to a naturally hazy beer.

FOOD MATCH: Funky cheese ABV: 6.2% RRP: $16 per bottle (750ml) Morrisonbrewery.com.au

6. Bridge Road Brewers Chevalier Saison Bridge Road Brewers crafted their own take on this classic style in their original garage brewery in 2005, making it Australia’s longest established Saison. This beer is unique, light straw in colour, with a tight bright white head. Aromas are dominated by esters and phenolic characters, owing to the Saison yeast strain, which also gives the beer its characteristic tart, dry and acidic profile. This citrus character combined with grassy hop flavours make this a great food beer.

FOOD MATCH:

7. La Sirène Saison Our Classic Saison is our interpretation of this iconic style and true mixed fermentation beer. Straw coloured & build upon on premium malt backbone, our Saison exhibits upfront tropical fruit notes mixed with wet hay characters and has a long textured midpalate that finishes dry and refreshing with a lingering subtle bitterness and high effervescence.

FOOD MATCH: Oysters with a red wine vinaigrette ABV: 6.5% RRP: $9.00 per bottle (375ml) Lasirene.com.au

8. Black Heart Brewery Saison The Black Heart Saison is a golden orange farmhouse ale exhibiting the features from its French/Belgian origin in the 1700’s. It is a refreshing fruity and spicy ale with citrusy flavours and a quenching acidity. This beer finishes dry on the palate along with a soft tart sourness.

FOOD MATCH: Rib Eye Steak or Thai & Vietnamese Food or Pork Sausages ABV: 6.2% RRP: $8.95 per bottle (500ml) Blackheartbrewery.com.au

Anything from seafood to blue cheese ABV: 6% RRP: $6 per bottle (330ml) Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

PART 1 BREWING EQUIPMENT – SPACE AND BUDGET

see page 44

INCLUDING

ISSUE 42 SPRING 2017 PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

PART 1 BREWING EQUIPMENT – SPACE AND BUDGET

Australia’s

see page 44

INCLUDING

IN HOMEBREW ISSUE 42 SPRING 2017 PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

Australia’s

DIY DOG

IN HOMEBREW

BREWDOG

We hear from some of the 2% of female homebrewers

DIY DOG BREWDOG

Shares all of its recipes

We hear from some of the 2% of female homebrewers

Shares all of its recipes

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