Menu Icon


Looking for homebrewing gift ideas? Check out our previous gift guides here or here!
Also, if you enjoy BrewUnited, please consider doing your Amazon shopping via our affiliate link!



You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Beer Pics Here! --> Technically Brewery Pics...

Jump to:    1   
mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


Spent the day at Jester King with the Zealots on their barrel projects. Was a great time... 

For the record, I am not a huge fan of JK, although there are a few of their tap beers that were very very good. I like elegantly made sours, not peel enamel off your teeth sours.

And as a bonus, some guest taps from Prairie Artisan and Jolly Pumkin.


Description in post below...




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by mchrispen

uberg33k
Charter Member
The Internet
314 Posts


Interesting pics.  I wish there was a little more story to go with it though.



Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


Brewing right now - I can write up something in a bit.

I was along as a guest... so none of my beer went into the barrels.




Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


Sunday was the first real break in rainy and overcast weather in a few weeks. If you live in Central Texas, you can play golf on Christmas day in shorts and the next day have to wear a sweater. It can be a bit unpredictable. Still yesterday was stunning. Great day for a trip across town to Dripping Springs to hit Jester King.

I have been a Zealot for about 4 years, but living so far out of town, I don't make a lot of the meetings. Zealots are extremely loosely organized - no dues, nothing formal, so getting to know the guys has been a long stretch. I have become very good friends with Neil from scottishbrewing.com and he was asked to brew some mild for this year's JK Barrel project. I was there for his brew day, and neither of us has spent any real time out there, so good opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. The Zealots are really spread out from way south of town, to north - about a 115 mile radius, and there were a few long timers that I hadn't had the opportunity to meet.

We got there early - as is both Neil and my penchant. So it was fun to see folks coordinating in the cellar to figure out where the barrels were, and how to get them down. About 3 years ago, the Zealots and Jordon (now on his own) and Garrett (head brewers and former Zealots) got their heads together to do a barrel and a second was added the following year. The barrels are hosted in the cellar, right along with all of the spontaneous fermented beers. So yesterday was the day to empty and distribute the 50+ gallons of beer (these get topped off every quarter with something random) to those that contributed and refill with the new cadre (and many old ones) of brewers. 

The saison barrel (to the left in the photo) was filled with a moderate gravity standard saison. All primary fermented with sac, and then innoculated with barrel dregs from one of the JK barrels. The result was a fairly robust saison, lots of spicy funkiness. Clearly it had taken on the softer pedio character and less brett. The barrel character was a bit overwhelming and the dump revealed a very good portion of charcoal that had fallen off the barrel sides. This barrel was refilled with a Belgian Golden Blonde ale (8 brewers) and pino grigio concentrate and wineskins added. This will sit for at least a year.

The old ale (to the right) was a fairly high gravity old stock ale recipe, but simply racked onto the old cake. This was a much more sour beer, and a good deal of acetic acid in it - not to mention smelled like wet oak barrel. I think blended, it will shine up really nice, but as it sits, just very difficult to drink. Compared to the saison, this was way more acidic. In terms of character, definitely more bretty funk and a strong lacto character with some vinegar notes. This barrel got a very hot rinse after dumping and 55 gallons of english mild went in. Again - they are planning on a year, but with the low gravity, they are checking in it 3 months for sourness.

Because we were using homebrew gear (cornys and carboys), we couldn't adapt the big pumps at JK. So it took about 3 hours to fill everyone's corny kegs, and about 10 lbs of CO2 to push everyone's beers back into the barrels. 

Beer flowed freely, and the weather encouraged it. Just a slight chill with the wind kept the sun from overheating folks. I took the chance to sample about 6 different pours (4 ounces for $2.50 each into a wine glass or tulip). I started with a Jolly Pumkin Saison - which was wildly aromatic and strangely phenolic and bitter. A good drink but just odd. My favorites of the day was Gotslandstricka and Snorkel (smoked malt with mushrooms) - but I drank a few Das Wunderkinds which is a good gateway sour. My stomach was a wreck at this point - while that was only a total of about 2 'real' beers, the acidity was a bit much.

Day ended with a lovely pizza in Dripping Springs at pieous, and then home to watch Walking Dead. 




Posted 34 days ago.

blur_yo_face
Houston, Tx
161 Posts


Very cool !! I actually toured the Karbach brewery for the ~1,000th time this weekend (slightly exaggerated).. same here in Houston, beautiful weather to be outside and hang out with friends.. a few pictures from their canning room/cellar..



i.imgur.com/HWt8WYq.jpg

They are whiskey barrel aging their BBH (Bourban Barrel Hellfighter).. I also got to try their seasonal Saison "Barn Burner", and they had Sample Testing of different Kolsch.. 




Posted 34 days ago.

Jump to:    1