Wit Willie Tasting Notes

Just so you know, Satan* is a damn good brewer.  The last time he was this far east, he dropped off some of his beers. He left me a couple bottles of his latest cider, two bombers of Brother Spuds Oatmeal Stout, and three bottles of Wit Willie, a witbier.

Now Satan is not a particularly bashful fellow. He knows he makes good beer, but he likes to pretend he doesn't.  So whenever he brings me something, he always warns me it isn't his best and makes me promise to tell him if I like it.

So I got around to the Wit Willie recently.

Phaqr.

It pours up a cloudy pale yellow with a nice head that slowly falls to a thin cap of bubbles. Plenty of orange in the aroma (I hope he's quit using D-Limonene.). Take a sip. . .ambrosia! Some orange flavor, notes of honey from the chamomile, a fleeting flavor of Fruit Loops, and a tiny bit of spice.

I hate him.  Mainly because he won't brew a whole batch for me. He only doles out a few bottles.

Bastige.

I want a phaqn case of this!

_________
* My cousin. Not Old Scratch. He has been accused of being the Prince of Evil, though.

New Aroma Descriptor

One of the free beers we got at NHC was a Cascadian black ale, Black IPA, whatever you want to call it.  Satan and I poured up a bottle and took a deep whiff.

Satan rolled his eyes heavenward in thought.

Then he took another sniff.

He looked at me and asked, "Do you get 'minnow bucket'?"

I took a sniff.  "Yes, damn you.  At first I thought it was pine, now all I can smell is a minnow bucket!"

It didn't taste like a minnow bucket, though.

A dream or an Omen?

Satan has been thinking about opening a brewery in a couple of years, when we both turn 50.  I showed him the article in Forbes about Brock Wagner and Saint Arnold, and he whined something about needing money.  I suppose I was thinking about that the other night when I had a dream that he was brewing his first commercial batch of Wit Willie.  It was in some auto garage, and there were about 30 people there watching and helping.  I don't know why he was making a roux, but Satan was stirring the flour and oil together something fierce.  I was explaining the process to some n00b and called it a decoction.  Then I went off looking for corny kegs to put the beer in.

See?  Satan will have a brewery!  He'll just make gumbo beer.

Another Email conversation

Me: I can tell you that extract brewing is a hell of a lot simpler. I hit my numbers square on the nose: OG=1.105!

Satan: Where would be the challenge it that, though???

Christmas Eve Gift!

This is for the Holt family everywhere! HA! I win!

This one, stolen from EHOWA, is for Satan.

Betty Faulker Bock III

On August 25, I went to Midland to brew beer with my cousin, known here as Satan. Satan started brewing about 12 years ago with his best friend, Buddy Harry. Buddy had a way with names, and they came up with some doozies: Penche Madre Peach Wheat, Alimony Ale--Bitter as Hell, Brother Spud's Oatmeal Stout, and Betty Faulker Bock.

Betty Faulker Bock III

1 lb pale malt
10 lbs Munich Malt
8 oz 2°L white wheat
8 oz Crystal 120°L Crystal
2 oz chocolate malt
1 0z Hallertauer 3.25% 60 minutes
1 oz Hallertauer 3.25% 30 minutes
1 oz Hallertauer 3.25% 5 minutes
Alt yeast

Bring 7 gallons of water to 170°F, and add to grains, striking in at 96° for 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 of the thick mash and bring to 122° over 15 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Raise to 1497deg; over 15 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Raise to boiling over 15 minutes and boil for 30 minutes. Stir to prevent scorching. Return small mash to the main mash and adjust temperature to 122°, and hold for 110 minutes.

Remove 1/4 of the thick mash and bring to a boil over 15 minutes. Boil for 30 minutes. Stir to prevent scorching. Return small mash to the main mash and adjust temperature to 146-151° and hold for 30 minutes.

Remove 1/3 of the thin mash, and heat to boiling over 15 minutes. Boil for 15 minutes and return to main mash. Sparge with 170° water and collect about 7.5 gallons.

Boil for 90 minutes.
OG 1.062

Satan woke me up at 7 am on Saturday morning and we drove to the lab where he works. We set about prepping and by 9 am we were mashing. At 3 pm, we had sparged, and had the mash liquor in the boiling kettle. After a quick lunch at Micheal's Charcoal Grill, home of the King Kong Burger (great place with really good burgers) we returned to the lab to boil for 90 minutes. At 6 pm, we had finished the boil and started cleaning up. We got back to Satan's Lair at 7:30 pm to rest our weary feet.