Dec 3 2014
A Leap Into The Dark – A Brewday at Quantum Brewing
“She said I’ll throw myself away, they’re just photos after all.
I can’t make you hang around, I can’t wash you off my skin.
Outside the frame, is what we’re leaving out. You won’t remember anyway”
(“Go With The Flow” – Queens Of The Stone Age)
(Clip courtesy of Chanchoconhipo – YouTube)
Nearly 15 years ago, I moved to London due to a promotion. Without my family and with my third child only 10 months old. I was miserable. As sad as I could possibly be, short of being stalked by the black dog. What saved me from the pits of despair was work. And XFM.
At that time, XFM was a determinedly left-field Indie Rock radio station based in London, playing the stuff you simply didn’t get on Radio 1. I spent a lot of time listening to the radio then. A new colleague called Tony introduced me to XFM and also tried to indoctrinate me into a love of Metal. I got as far as Metallica and Queens Of The Stone Age. He introduced me to a song that only contained 8 actual words. Repeated. With the exception of the word “and”, they were all the names of drugs. The song? “Feel Good Hit of the Summer“. I was hooked.
After nearly 18 miserable months, I got my dream move back up North to be with my family and threw myself into work again, but with the added joy of seeing my kids at night.
I returned to Manchester, but the love of Queens Of The Stone Age stuck. I bought the album “Songs For The Deaf” on its release in September 2002. I put it on in the car…and waited. The first track is called “You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire”. It is the first track that PHYSICALLY moved me. It starts with a dialled down bit of power guitar, then, at exactly the 1 minute mark…BANG…my head was thrown back into the headrest!
This album remains in my all-time top 10. “Go With The Flow” was (alongside “No One Knows”) the standout single complete with strange performance video….
The lyric just haunts me and paints a picture of disposability and despair, set against a rollicking rhythm, propelled by the thunderous drumming of Dave Grohl – his best performance for me.
I just love it. OK?
_________________________________
It all started with a Vodka. A very smooth almost creamy textured Vodka by all accounts. Well, when I say “by all accounts”, I actually mean “in the opinion of The Arch Nemesis”!
This was all before The Independent Salford Beer Festival.
The idea was floated by the genius that is Jay Krause and he was up for a Stout made with…..Buckwheat! It seemed to appeal to his particular brand of beery madness! So, plans were made for a special beer for the Festival, only for that old Rabbie Burns phrase to bite us on the ass. Timing wise, it just didn’t quite work out. A damn shame really.
However, that thought stuck with Jay and not long after ISBF, he was back in contact and wondering if we still fancied it……A rhetorical question if ever I heard one!
So, on a cold late November Tuesday, I find myself in Stockport, cold and hoping that The Arch-Nemesis had picked up the hint and bought a coffee at Stockport Station whilst he was waiting……As if…..so having turned up earlier than needed, we hunted down some griddled pig and a hot steamy coffee.
Finally having consumed our steaming coffee and salty piggage, it was back to a previously locked industrial unit on Hempshaw Lane and to where the magic happens with (almost) monotonous regularity…the lair of the Craft Wizard that is Mr Jay Krause and Quantum Brewing!
The idea was rather simple. Brew a Stout. With Buckwheat. However, when Jay started to mention the amount of dry goods that were to go into this mash, something did NOT compute. Well, it did actually, but on a rather bigger scale than the Arch-Nemesis & I had thought. Nearly a QUARTER TON of malt! Then it hit me. This was to be no glugging Stout. Oh no. This was going to be a beastie and no mistake! Pale Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Cara Malt and Buckwheat. With the appearance of Euan (he of Port Street) we cracked on…..
It. Just. Didn’t. Stop.
With the Hot Liquor (that’s water to – post-Mitchell – plebs like you and me!) at the right temperature, in went the first 25kg sack of Maris Pale, with Jay initially mashing then me taking over so that the sadistic streak in him could chuck sack after heavy sack into the mash tun….
Each time that consistency of texture had been achieved, the call went up “ready for some more……?” (Another of them rhetoricals!)
“Ready for more….”
If you can’t see any further capacity in the mash tun….your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This was Full. To. The. Brim.
This was a seriously heavy mash and took a hell of an effort to break up the inevitable clumps of barley and buckwheat, but, with a huge effort, we managed it.
Upon the commencement of the transfer to the copper, bittering hops were added, a mix of Cluster & Bramling Cross at about 2.5 kg and then the sparging could start to help extract all of the malty goodness from this dark and devilishly gloopy mash. And it didn’t matter how much water was added. The wort was impenetrably, almost satanically, BLACK. Oh my! It was THAT black, that the hops turned black.
(Some gratuitous hoppy Copper action)
(“Black Hops”)
It smelled ……beautiful.
It was upon transfer to the FV that something almost instantly magical happened. Jay primed the yeast with some of the coal-black wort. Within minutes, smells of red wine and port just oozed out. The aroma of things to come. Primed, the yeast was pitched in and left to do its lengthy work. The wort had a gravity at between somewhere near 1083, so this should pan out at around 8.5% abv, maybe slightly higher, dependent on fermentation.
This was a fun day, enlivened by a little “rubber band Olympiad” (see below) and finished off with a mini crawl around some excellent Stockport pubs, topped off – for me – with an absolutely stunning pint of Oatmeal Pale by Brass Castle in The Magneta very pleasant surprise find indeed.
The Arch-Nemesis & I are very grateful to Jay and Euan for what was a hugely enjoyable, fun & surprising day (WE had no idea this would become an Impy, honest! And I ached for two days after some SERIOUS mash tun digging!
(Jay & Euan’s rubber fetish reaching new heights!)
(Some of the spent malt – These are gonna be happy local cows!!!)
This beer is likely to debut at The Manchester Beer & Cider Festival at The Velodrome at the end of January. As with the Allgates Sloe Stout last year, this beer will be first on MY dance card! I can’t wait to taste it (but am going to have to!)
On that note…til next time…(new bar Wigan Central write-up!)
Slainte!
Jan 14 2015
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival 2015 – My “Dance Card” Dozen
Next week is the Manchester Beer & Cider Festival 2015 – Are you going? If it’s anything like last year, it’s going to be special!
The Velodrome is a simply iconic venue, allied to great beers. LOTS OF GREAT BEERS! An almost overwhelming choice with beers from all over the UK and a huge selection of quality beers just from the North for little old me to amuse myself with!
From nearly 450 casks alone (Not to mention Ciders and the “foreign” beer bar), picking my personal “Dance Card” is going to be really difficult, but I’m going to give it a shot. Here goes…..
Imperial Buckwheat Stout – Quantum (Stockport) – 8.5% abv – Imperial Stout. At 8.5% abv, this is going to be a gentle waltz rather than a furious Can Can, but I just have to try it. A dark as sin Imperial Stout with all of the creamyness of Buckwheat. Fermented using Boddingtons yeast and inoculated with Brettanomyces, this is a beer I have looked forward to since we finished stirring the mash. A mash that was even THICKER than Katie Hopkins! This will be the first time that it is served in public. I can’t wait!
Coconut, Macadamia & Lime Porter – Allgates (Wigan) 4.6% abv – Porter – One of Allgates “Limited Edition” beers that I’m yet to try on cask and inspired by a cake enjoyed in a Kirkby Lonsdale tea shop! I had a mini-cask of this at Xmas and it was beautiful , smooth & nutty from the toasted coconut and creamy macadamia. The lime element is very subtle and provides a tint of lightness in the dark.
Experimental Citranell – Mallinsons (Huddersfield) – 4.2% abv – Pale Ale – For me, Mallinsons just nail low to mid strength Pale Ales. In this regard they have few equals. With Exp 366, Citra & Centennial hops, this already has my mouth watering!
Psychedelic – Hebden Bridge (Er…Hebden Bridge!) – 5% abv – Pale Ale – An American style Pale ale just LOADED with 5 Citrus fruits. AND, because it was the first firkin to sell out at ISBF and I didn’t get NEARLY enough of it! It got rave reviews at St Sebastians, so I’m hugely looking forward to this!
Sorachi Wicked – Five Oh Brew Co (Prestwich) – 6% abv – Stout – The first beer to sell out at ISBF and another one that garnered rave reviews. I tried a 1/3rd. It was bloody LUSH!!!! Then, just when I wanted another? It had gone. I was just TOO damned kind to you drinkers! Only the second time that Jamie has casked. You NEED this in your life!
Jester – North Riding Brewpub (Scarborough) – 4.2% abv – Pale Ale – Stuart Neilson just makes superb Pale Ales. Fresh and bursting with hops. This is with a new hop variety (Jester) and – if I know Stuart – he won’t have held back on the quantities! A rare appearance over here.
Sprocket Wort Orange – Bridestones (Hebden Bridge) / Offbeat (Crewe) – 4.6% abv – Special Dark Ale – This one is one of the collaboration brews especially for the festival. Chocolate, Orange, Juniper & Sorachi Ace hops? Oh my! I feel another Beergasm coming on!
Cheshire Set – Cheshire Brewhouse (Congleton) – 4% abv – Pale Ale – A crisp blonde ale from Shane Swindells with loads of late-added Keyworth Early hops? Sounds like an early doors beer that is too good to miss, from a brewery whose beers I drink whenever I find them. Because they are THAT good.
Annexation – Brass Castle (Malton, North Yorks) – 8.4% abv – Imperial Stout – Inspired by the renewed expansionism of Putin, this looks one NOT to miss! “Smooth like the Volga and as bonkers as Putin”….Works for me! Brass Castle made one of the Beers of the Festival at ISBF and this is another I’ll be reaching for.
Fang – Black Flag Brewery (Goonhavern, Cornwall) – 4.5% abv – Pale Ale – Had this in bottle whilst in Cornwall in August and it is an absolute fruity belter. Smooth with a piney kick in the finish. Have never seen them up here. If it’s on, I’ll be damned if I miss this!
Disfunctional Functional IPA – Offbeat (Crewe) – 4.8% – IPA – This San Diego inspired IPA is one I’m yet to have from one of my favourite breweries. And from what I’ve heard from some trusted drinkers, is not to be missed. And it won’t be. By me at least!!!
Workhouse Rat – Rat (Huddersfield) – 4.8% – Smoked Porter – Whenever I see a Rat, I just have to. Because they are just SUCH good beers.
Well, I make that a round Dirty Dozen. Should be enough to keep me entertained next week! If there are any that you particularly fancy, bang it in the comments. Who knows, I might try one or two!
By • Uncategorized • 4 • Tags: Allgates Brewery, Annexation, Black Flag Brewery, Brass Castle Brewery, Bridestones Brewing, Cheshire Brewhouse, Cheshire Set, Coconut Macadamia & Lime Porter, Disfunctional Functional IPA, Experimental Citranell, Fang, Five-Oh Brew Co, Hebden Bridge Brewing, Imperial Buckwheat Stout, Imperial Stout, IPA, Jester, Mallinsons Brewery, Manchester Beer & Cider Festival, North Riding Brewpub, Offbeat Brewery, Pale Ale, Porter, Psychedelic, Quantum Brewing, Rat Brewery, Smoked Porter, Sorachi Wicked, Sprocket Wort Orange, Stout, Workhouse Rat