The process begins by selecting the specific grains for the day's brew.
The malted grains are cracked in our malt mill, and then augured to
the mash tun. The cracked malt or grist is then mixed with hot water,
and a natural enzymatic reaction occurs converting starches to sugars.
Next, water is run through the grain in the mash tun creating a sweet
liquid called wort. This wort is collected in the brew kettle where
it is brought to a rolling boil. During this boil, hops are added which
impart on the brew a special taste and aroma.
The brew is
then pumped through the wort chiller where it is cooled and transferred
to the fermenter.Yeast is added and naturally converts the sugars in
the wort into carbon dioxide and alcohol. after primary fermentation
occurs, the temperature is lowered and the beer is allowed to age. The
beer is then filtered and served to you fresh from the serving tanks-Cheers!
The foundation
of any batch of beer is the grain. This batch of Wine Country Wheat
calls for nearly 900 pounds of wheat malt to produce a finished batch
of 16 barrels (that's a technical measurement which means a very large
amount of wonderful beer!)
Like most good
things, a batch of great beer requires planning and hard work. In the
quiet of the early morning, long before the city of Healdsburg wakes
up, Head Brewer, Joel Johnson checks his notes and recipes to plan for
today's brew. Instead of a batch of IPA, as originally planned, Joel
and Master Brewer Richard Norgrove have switched to Wine Country Wheat,
a lighter beer that's been extra-popular during recent warm weather.
What does "Cask
Conditioned" mean?
Cask Conditioning
is the process of the secondary fermentation the ale undergoes before
it reaches your glass. You know -- just a little before you go "Oo-o-oh!
This is really good!"
The young ale
continues to ferment to its final gravity in the vessel (or cask) from
which it will be dispensed. Since we generally have both the cask conditioned
ale and its more familiar Yankee version, you can try them side by side
to fully appreciate the difference. You'll find the cask ale's texture,
looks, and taste will be noticeably different from its Yankee cousin
-- the malt and hops characters will be distinctly different.
Some people think the difference is quite subtle. Others find it very
pronounced. You'll just have to try them yourself and decide (that's
the fun part!).
Here's a brief
explanation to help you understand the differences. A clean and prepared
firkin (cask) is filled with fermenting ale. At this point,the brewer
adds gyle (unfermented wort or sugars), dry hops, and any auxilliary
finings to the cask. The cask is then set aside for a while to complete
the secondary fermentation.
Then the brewer
preps the cask for dispensing. He broaches the cask with a tap and hammer,
venting any excess pressure. All this is managed at cellar temperatures
of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The secondary fermentation process changes
the flavors and look of this ale.
But don't be taken aback
by its unique qualities. It's all natural. CHEERS!
