Falcons, prepare yourselves for a very special Club Brew Session! This month, Co-Vice President and past President and the Falcons' unofficial lager Emperor John Aitchison will lead the crew in brewing a rare and delicious authentic Czech dark lager at his shop, Tavern Services, on Saturday, March 19. John has a smaller system than the club's system at the Home Beer Wine and Cheese Making Shop, so there are 5 slots open.
Czech dark lager, AKA Bohemian Dunkel
In 1295 King Wenceslas II of Bohemia convinced Pope Boniface VIII in Rome to revoke a papal ban on secular beer brewing in Wenceslas’ kingdom. The king wasted no time granting 260 burgher families in Pilsen the right to make their own beer — a progressive homebrewing act that was to have momentous consequences for the evolution of beer world wide. By 1307, they had their first commercial brewery in operation and formed their own brewers guild to compete with monastery-run breweries. In gratitude, Czech brewers named King Wenceslas II their patron saint. Although blond Pilsner became the king of beers in the 19th Century, the original dark Czech brew did not die out entirely, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Bohemian Dunkel is a rich, dark brew made, like its blond Pilsner cousin, with plenty of very malty base malt as well as aromatic Saaz hops. The brew’s slight residual sweetness is offset by some roastiness from a good addition of chocolate-flavored caramel malt. The authentic Bohemian Dunkel relies on the maltiest of malts, grown exclusively in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic, which Maester John has procured! You'll be doing full de-coction, so you'll be learning this very traditional technique in producing the distinctly delicious melanoidin flavors!
Saturday, March 19
8:00 am
Tavern Services
18228 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91325
Everyone participates, from start to end of clean-up
The brew session will use the Falcons' 40-gallon all-grain brew system at the shop. There are 6 spots on the brew crew, including the crew leader, and we need one crew member to step forward to ferment the Falcon's Share at home which will be poured at club events. All Brew Crew members will participate in all aspects of the brewing process from measuring and crushing the grain to clean up and fermentation. Yeast will be provided, unless otherwise announced.
Economical & educational
John will be supplying yeast for participants, but you may also choose to use your own lager yeast. (Highly recommended to do exactly as John prescribes, he is the Kung Fu Lagermaster). Each participant will pitch in for the cost of ingredients (usually $10-$15 cash), and take 5 gallons of wort to ferment at home. So it's very economical and a great opportunity to get some hands-on brewing experience on a larger, more sophisticated brewing system than most homebrewers have access to, learn new recipes, and, of course, a chance to hang out with your fellow Falcons and share brews and snacks. Bring a carboy, bucket or keg for your wort, or buy one in the shop.
You must be a dues-paid Maltose Falcons member
Your membership status will be verified prior to your spot being confirmed on the brew crew. You must sign up here by clicking the "Sign up for March Club Shop Brew" link below. Please email me your FULL NAME and CELL PHONE NUMBER at publicity@maltosefalcons.com so that your membership can be confirmed and you can be reached if there are any problems with your membership or with the brew day itself. No exceptions.
One Club Shop Brew Session every three months
No experience is necessary. We welcome new members, or members who have never been on a Brew Crew, to sign up for this event. If you have been on a Brew Crew within the past 3 months, you can still be on the waiting list if slots are left empty by brew day. Signups are at the end of this event posting. No sign ups will be accepted via the yahoogroups or email to the crew leader or the Publicity Director.
First-come, first-served basis. Sign up online only
Once the crew is filled, members can be on a waiting list. Email publicity@maltosefalcons.com to inquire. You are expected to arrive on time and stay until all equipment is cleaned and stowed and the work area and clubhouse are cleaned up. That is often after 4:00 PM. The Leader of the Brew Crew is responsible overall for making sure that the equipment is properly handled and cleaned up, although the whole process is participatory and everything is up for discussion and debate. The Brew Crew Leader MUST provide a write-up and a few photos for the newsletter, and have all participants sign a liability waiver and submit them to the Board.
All are welcome to hang out & observe!
Anyone, non-members included, is welcome to observe and learn the all-grain brewing process, hang out and chat with the Crew. Beer and snacks to share are always welcome.
For questions, please email me.
Proost!
Matt Myerhoff
Publicity Director, Maltose Falcons
Publicity@maltosefalcons.com