Mac’s Brew News – May 1, 2016

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My last news letter was rather lengthy, but did not address what’s happening at Mac’s Brew Pub.  Here’s all the Brew News about Mac’s beer that’s fit to print.  Please read responsibly.

SmackDown: Brewed 01-22-2016; 7.3% ABV.
SmackDown turned out wonderful this time. I significantly changed the hopping rate and protocol to create a citrus forward hop bomb imperial IPA. It really is excellent, although next time I will lower the percentage of the crystal malts in the recipe. I brewed 10 gallons, so I should be serving this one for some time to come. When I suggested to Mike Matulich that I was going to change up the recipe a little, he became despondent and threatened me with bodily harm. Don’t worry, Mike, I won’t change the hops at all, so it should have all the same aromas, but with just a slightly lower caramel flavor.

Mac hard at work in the brewery mashing in  SmackDown.

Mac hard at work in the brewery mashing in SmackDown.

Nutcase: Brewed 02-02-2016; 9.5% ABV.
Nutcase is my guilty pleasure – a chocolate hazelnut imperial oatmeal stout. The chocolate leads, and the hazelnut is quite noticeable, but subtle (unlike Belching Beaver’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout, where the peanut flavor is very much “in your face”). I think the blending of the chocolate with subtle notes of hazelnut makes for a much more complex and rewarding tasting experience. The alcohol level is high and is noticeable in the taste, but is not hot or unpleasant. This beer has a velvety smooth mouthfeel and so much body that you almost need a spatula to get it out of your glass.

Goldihops (and the Free Beers): Brewed 02-20-2016; 5.2% ABV.
In a previous newsletter (02-14-2016), I mentioned that I was going to brew my honey blonde ale again. I brewed the recipe again, without alteration, with Mike and Chris Boblit on February 20, 2016. I used store-bought honey this time as I did not have access to Scott’s outstanding homegrown honey. That was unfortunate (no homegrown honey), but the batch turned out VERY GOOD anyway. It’s crystal clear, light, refreshing and very drinkable. This is a great summertime beer, but I have a feeling it won’t even last until 4th of July.

Mac’s PAPA (Paper Ass Pale Ale) and Mac’s WAD (Wide Awake Drunk) are also still on tap although I think WAD is just about gone. That makes five draught beers currently being offered at Mac’s Brew Pub. You should make an excuse to come by for a pint or two of delicious beer. Up next is a red IPA I plan to brew with Dave Hollandbeck on May 7, 2016. Dave is a fine young man who came to Mac’s Brew Pub about a year ago to do some work. We became friends due to our shared interest in brewing beer and decided to collaborate on an IPA.

After the IPA, I will likely brew a hefeweizen to have on tap for the summer, then probably a Marzen (Oktoberfest) so It will be ready for September.  Sometime soon, I want to brew a schwarzbier . . . gotta find more time and more kegerator space!

That’s about all I have to enlighten you with today.  Stop by for a pint or two – enjoy some good beer and good company.

Slainte!