The latest release in the Brewer’s Select Series is India. 

Thus far we have not tried our hands at a standard style in the Brewer’s Select Series; we’ve focused more on hybrid styles, different yeasts, or odd combinations of malts.  This one will change that.  It will be a west-coast-style IPA.  The decision to do an IPA was based in large part to a growing number of employees that were becoming tired of Belgian beers, wheat beers, and malt in general.  We had to stop it immediately or we might have a riot!

I think that we are still pushing our boundaries anyway.  It might be a “standard” style, but it is not the kind beer we usually make.  We tend to balance our hoppy beers with a good malt base.  This one is going to be hop-dominant with an assertive bitterness and an aroma that you can smell from across the room.  We have used a massive amount of classic American hops–Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial, and Cascade–to impart intense flavors of grapefruit, citrus, and pine.

 Please let us know what you think.

8 tsp Brown sugar
3 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Salt free lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp Olive oil
2 lbs Beef brisket
1 ea Medium onion
1 ea Tomato
2 ea Jalapeno peppers, halved, stem and seeds removed
6 ea Cloves garlic
2 T Olive oil
½ tsp Kosher salt
12 oz Fifteen Smoked Imperial Stout
1 T Cider vinegar, maybe more it depends on how sweet your onion and tomato are

Method

1. Mix the first 4 ingredients together and set aside.
2. Preheat a broiler (you can use a grill). Rub the oil onto the brisket, then rub the seasoning mixture onto the brisket. Let sit for a few minutes.
3. Place the brisket in an oven proof pan. Toss the vegetables in olive oil and season with salt. Place the vegetables around the beef.
4. Broil each side of the beef, stirring the vegetables as well until nicely brown on all sides.
5. Turn your oven to 325 while you deglaze the pan with the beer. Bring to a simmer and loosely cover, you want some of the liquid to reduce. I use a piece of parchment cut to the size of the pan with a whole cut out in the middle.
6. Allow to braise for at least 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender (much like the short rib recipe).
7. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes until you slice. While you wait puree the braising liquid and add the vinegar. Adjust seasoning as you see fit.
8. Slice the meat thinly against the grain and coat liberally with the sauce.
9. Serve on you favorite rolls with the slaw and a slice of cheddar cheese.

Sweet and Sour Jalapeno Slaw

10 oz Cabbage, thinly shredded
2 T Red Onion, finely diced
1 ea Jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 T Olive oil
¼ c Cider vinegar
¼ c Granulated sugar
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper

Method

1. Mix all ingredients and allow to sit at least an hour before service.

24 oz Russet potatoes, cut into ½” x ½” x the length of the potato
2-3 Quarts Vegetable oil
Good Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Method

1. Allow the potatoes to soak in cold water in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, or overnight.
2. Add the oil to a heavy 5 quart, dutch oven with a candy thermometer in the oil. Bring up to 300 degrees over medium heat.
3. While the oil heats up; drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. DO NOT LEAVE THE OIL UNATTENDED.
4. When the oil is 300 degrees add some of the potatoes (you will need to do at least 3 batches). Stir the potatoes so they don’t stick together and cook for about 3 minutes or until the potatoes are bendable but not too soft. Remove and allow to drain on a cake cooling rack set over a sheet tray. Continue until all the potatoes are “blanched.”
5. This can be done in advance and the blanched frites can be stored for 2-3 days. If you are doing this in advance, filter your oil through a fine sieve and store in a sealed container.
6. When you are ready to serve; heat your oil to 360 degrees over medium high heat. DO NOT LEAVE THE OIL UNATTENDED.
7. When the oil is ready, fry the frites in batches until golden brown and crispy. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
8. Serve with Merry Monks Aioli, plenty of Merry Monks, and some Mussels wouldn’t hurt either! What could be more Belgium!

Merry Monks Aioli

6 ea Garlic cloves
3 oz Merry Monks
1 T Smooth Dijon mustard
1 T Whole grain mustard
1 c Good quality mayonnaise
¼ c Chives, snipped
To Taste Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Toss the garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil and roast in a 350 oven until golden brown and soft.
2. Allow the garlic to cool to room temperature.
3. Puree the garlic in a food processor, then add all the ingredients except the chives and puree until smooth.
4. Stir in the chives and serve.

1 ea 4.5 to 5 pound chicken, free range is best, all natural is great
2 T Unsalted butter, softened
2 T Kosher salt
2 t Ground black pepper
2 T Good olive oil
9-10 ea Sprigs fresh tarragon
1 # Peeled pearl or cippoline onions
1 # Baby potatoes, (any variety) cut in half the long way, kept submerged in cold water
3 T Good olive oil
2 t Kosher salt
3/4 t Ground black pepper
1 c Good low sodium chicken broth
4 T Reserved fat after roasting
4 T All purpose flour
1 c Weyerbacher’s Verboten
1 T Whole grain mustard
1 T Fresh tarragon, chopped fine
1 # Green beans, trimmed

Method

1. Remove chicken from packaging. Remove any giblets and excess liquid. Put on half sheet pan, on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and allow to air dry in the refrigerator for one hour.
2. After that hour remove chicken from refrigerator. Insert you finger between the skin and the breast to create enough space for the butter. Put one tablespoon of butter between the skin and each breast. Once it is under the skin you can smooth it out by pressing on the skin.
3. Rub the chicken with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then season with salt and pepper. Season the back and the cavity. This will seem like a lot of salt, but it is not. Stuff the springs of tarragon inside the cavity of the chicken. If you have butcher’s twine, tie the two legs together.
4. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for at least half and hour, but no more than one hour. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Drain potatoes in a colander. In a large bowl add the potatoes, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper and toss to coat evenly.
6. Arrange the potatoes and onions around the chicken on the sheet tray. Make sure all the potatoes are cut side down. The onions can be on top of the potatoes if necessary.
7. After letting the chicken sit at room temperature put the chicken in the oven for about an hour and fifteen minutes. The only way to be sure the chicken is done is to use a thermometer. It should read 165 degree or above.
8. When the chicken is done, turn the oven down to warm (150 degrees), and transfer the chicken to a heat-safe container along with the potatoes and onions. Put the container back in the oven to rest. Put roughly one gallon of water into a soup pot with one tablespoon of salt on high heat.
9. Add the chicken broth to the pan you cooked the chicken on. Try to scrape up all the caramelized bits, while avoiding anything that may be black. Put this liquid into a heat proof measuring cup. Carefully take 4 tablespoons of the fat off the top and add to a sauce pot. Remove any excess fat and discard, saving the broth.
10. Put the sauce pot over medium heat and add the flour. Stir with a whisk and cook for couple of minutes. Do not let the roux take on any caramel colors.
11. Remove from the heat and add the beer, broth, and mustard. Bring up to a simmer and let cook until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Leave covered, over low heat until ready to serve.
12. By now your water should be boiling. Add the green beans and cook until al dente.
13. Add the chopped tarragon to the sauce.
14. When the green beans are done, remove them from the water and toss them with a ½ cup of the sauce.
15. Carve your chicken and serve family style with plenty of cool Verboten…for the adults only, please.

Happy New Year

Latest Release: Fireside Ale We started shipping to our distributors today.  Fireside is an intricate dark ale with a touch of smokiness. The rich malt flavor, crisp bitterness and smoke reach perfect equilibrium in this brew. 

Next Scheduled Release: Heresy and Insanity will come out during the month of February.  Heresy is our outstanding Old Heathen aged in Bourbon Barrels.  Insanity is our Blithering Idiot aged in Bourbon Barrels.  Both take on complex and unique characteristics from the time spent in the bourbon barrels

Still in the stores: There might be a small amount of Winter Ale in stores and Quad might still be available.  There are a couple of distributors who have not yet asked for their pre order so some states may not have theirs yet.  You should also be able to find Double Simcoe 750s  and Merry Monks 750s(champagne style) in outlets catering to craft styles.

Recipes: The Lampe family prepared the Rib Roast with Caramelized Onion Winter Ale au jus, the Creamed Spinach with Gorgonzola and the Baked Potatoes (both of these included in the Rib Roast recipe) for Christmas Dinner.  For dessert we made the Baba au Quad (recipe now on the web site).  Everything was delicious!!  We can’t wait for the Fireside recipe.  Mark’s recipes and cooking techniques are wonderful.

Comments from both Chris (es):  Chris Wilson, Head Brewer: Happy New Year!  I started the New Year with a Riserva.  It just seemed to be more fitting, and flavorful, than champagne.   I hope you started this year with a nice beer as well.  Fireside is in the bottle (and keg)!  This beer is just so satisfyingly balanced and that smokiness is just captivating.  It is the perfect beer for a cold January day by the fireplace. Check out YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zZrg85cjl

We are busy planning our next beer in the Brewer’s Select Series, India.  We are going to do a West Coast Style IPA.  I am thinking 7 to 7.5% ABV and 70ish IBUs with a massive hop aroma.  We will probably release this one in mid-February.   Our plans are to brew a few more beers in the Brewer’s Select Series this year so keep your eyes on the website for what’s coming next.

Chris Lampe, Production Manager: We bottled a batch of the Merry Monks Ale Cork ‘n Cage earlier this month that I have now tested and deemed ready for release!  Look for it in the stores soon.  I’d like also to welcome Sean Anderson onto the cellarmen team as a full time employee.  If you see him out and about at Tap and Table or next week at Crocodile Rock with his band Exrtanean say hello!

Visitor Center:  The VC is open every Saturday 12 – 3 for tasting and tours.

Other News: A new web site is under construction – it will be exciting, easy to use and full of information.  Expect it in the next 6 weeks or so. Check us out on Facebook.  Become a friend!

12 oz Double Simcoe
12 ea Cloves Garlic, smashed
1 t Fresh thyme, chopped
2 T Fresh parsley, chopped
¼ c Honey
1 ea Lemon, zested and juiced
1 t Black pepper
¼ t Ground cumin
1 ½ lbs Lamb, preferably leg, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 T Olive oil
1 t Kosher Salt

Method

1. Mix first eight ingredients until honey is dissolved.
2. Add the lamb and let marinate overnight.
3. The next day soak the skewers in water for a few hours.
4. Remove the lamb from the marinade and skewer. About 5 pieces to a skewer.
5. Grill over high heat until nicely seared and the internal temperature is about 130 degrees (medium rare). If you want your lamb more well done, move to a upper rack or to a section on low heat.
6. Serve with yogurt sauce and warm flat bread.
7. Goes great with more Double Simcoe and Tabbouleh.

Yogurt Sauce

½ c Greek yogurt
1 T Honey
2 ea Cloves garlic, finely minced
1 ea Lemon, juiced
1 t Fresh mint, chiffonade
¼ t Salt
¼ t Black Pepper
2 T Extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Mix all ingredients except the oil.
2. Slowly drizzle the oil while whisking to emulsify the two.
3. Check seasoning, it may need more honey or salt depending on the yogurt.