VOLUME 2, MARCH 2010

KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON THE STATE'S #1 MICROBREWERY

2054 Piedmont Hwy, Greenville, SC 29605  *   (864) 605-1166

info@thomascreekbeer.com    www.thomascreekbeer.com

Top of the hops is coming to Greenville

Craft brewers to invade the bi-lo center 

For years, craft beer lovers in the Upstate have been forced to travel all over the Southeast to enjoy  a festival devoted to beer.   Well, area residents need not worry anymore; gone are the long hours of travel necessary to sample beers from all over the country in a unique festival setting.  Coming this April, Greenville will play host to the inaugural Top of the Hops Beer Festival.

On April 10, breweries from around the world will be proudly serving over 120 different beers to the lucky few who are able to purchase the limited number of tickets.  In addition, local restaurants will be serving a wide selection of food that is sure to compliment the vast array of beer styles.

If you are looking for  a way to pass the time while enjoying your beer, then wander over to the educational tent and check out one of the seminars, such as “Cooking with Beer” or “How-To-Brew Beer.”  If you just can’t bare to stay inside on a Saturday afternoon, pass the time by enjoying one of the regional bands set to perform or games such as corn hole.

As a proud presenting sponsor of the Top of the Hops Beer Fest, all of us at Thomas Creek would like to invite everyone (21 and older, or course) out to spend the afternoon sampling some of the best beers available to the public.  Make sure to stop by our booth to check out a wide variety of Thomas Creek products, including this month’s featured beer, Deep Water Dopplebock, and a few offerings that you won’t find in stores.  While you’re there, check out our new merchandise, leave us some suggestions, or just spend some time talking to the team that helps make Thomas Creek possible.  Tickets are available through the Bi-Lo Center Box Office, or by visiting www.topofthehopsbeerfest.com or www.ticketmaster.com. 

· 7.0% ABV

· 30 IBU

· Chocolate Brown color

The Beer...

A full-bodied German style lager with a rich creamy flavor.  Malty and smooth, with little hop bitterness.  Toasted nut tones and an easy finish with notes of chocolate.  2008 silver medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival.  Check out the features on Deep Water Dopplebock in the new books, The Beer Devotional and 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die.

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tc adds a new style to lineup 

6.5% ABV - 60 IBU

HALFWAY TO HABANA

Halfway to Habana is a unique gem located in the heart of the West End in downtown Greenville.  In addition to the restaurant, H2H also features a cigar and martini bar, which is sure to have something to cater to anyone’s palate.   So, whether you are looking to grab a bite to eat, a single malt Scotch, or one of Thomas Creek’s handcrafted beers, H2H is an experience you will want to have again and again.

If you are looking for something to pair with this month’s featured beer, the Che Burger is an excellent companion to our Dopplebock, along with a Gurkha cigar; also try the fried oysters with Up The Creek Extreme IPA and a Savinelli. The choices are many, the  company is always fun and interesting, the food delicious and the libations ice cold and waiting for you. Be sure to check out the TC Beer Tasting on 3/25!

www.halfwaytohabana.com  *  (864) 232-9224  *  631 S Main St  *  Greenville, SC

As shown: Frosted with chocolate icing & sprinkles

Ingredients

· 1 1/2 cups of AP flour

· 1 1/2 cups of sugar

· 1/2 tsp. baking soda

· 2 tsp. baking powder

· 1/4 tsp. salt

· 1 cup of cocoa powder

· 3 tbsp. butter

· 1 cup of milk

· 2 large eggs

· 6 oz. Deep Water Dopplebock

· 1 tsp. vanilla extract

· 1 cup of nuts (walnut, pecan, or macadamia)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners, or prepare pan with a light layer of grease (butter, cooking spray, oil) and flour.

Begin cupcakes by sifting together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Lightly cover the nuts of your choice with a small of amount of the flour mixture to prevent them from falling to the bottom of the pan while cooking.

In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until it takes on a light, somewhat creamy texture. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is completely incorporated before moving on. Once the eggs are thoroughly incorporated add the Dopplebock and vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture and beat thoroughly, followed by half of the milk. Repeat.

Once the batter is fully mixed, add the nuts to the batter and fold gently. 

Fill cups to between 2/3 and 3/4, as cupcakes will expand during cooking.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Serve as is or frosted with a topping of your choice.

Now, enjoy your treats with a cool glass of milk or the other half of the Deep Water Dopplebock (if you were able to refrain from finishing it during the baking). 

Bocks are a strong lager beer that was first brewed in Einbeck, Germany (also “Einbock”).  Originally brewed with high-color malts, these beers were typically darker in color; however, modern versions may even be pale in color.

Doppelbock, or double bock, variations were first brewed by Bavarian monks from the Minim order.  These versions were dark in color and generally considered a sweet bread substitute.  Doppelbocks tend to have a creamy head; although higher levels of alcohol can affect the head retention.  While rich, toasty malt aromas take center stage in doppelbocks, darker versions such as our Deep Water Dopplebock, will often have a noticeable chocolate finish.  Little to no hop flavor also creates an apparent sweetness that accompanies the toasted malt and chocolate character. 

Many modern, crafted brewed versions have adopted the spelling “dopplebock” to distinguish themselves from traditional German brands.

Carbonater caps will help you grab a little beer to try without sacrificing the quality of your whole brew.

Do you want to pull some beer from a batch to try? Want to make sparkling wine, soda, or water at home?  Whatever the reason, carbonator caps can make it possible.  These caps will fit virtually any commercially used PET bottle (ex. soda, juice, etc.) from 16 oz. up to 3 liters, and are reusable.

If you already have a keg setup, then filling bottles using the carbonator cap is a breeze.  Simply fill the bottle directly from your keg, stopping 1-2 ounces short for headspace.  Next, compress the extra air out of the plastic bottle and attach the carbonator cap.  Pressurize the bottle between 20-30 psi and shake the contents so that the CO₂ will dissolve into solution.  Now comes the hard part, if your beer started off flat you will need to wait 16-24 hours before consumption.  Enjoy.

Need a lot of homebrew supplies? Beer production is our number one responsibility, and as such we may not always be able to help homebrewers as quickly as we'd like. We can prepare your order ahead of time to make things more convenient. Call the brewery at 864-605-1166 or email info@thomascreekbeer.com to pre-order supplies. Homebrew Shop hours are 8-6 M-F and 10-2 on Saturday.

Ever had a question about beer, homebrewing or anything else to ask a professional brewer? Now's your chance!

HELP, MY FERMENTATION IS STUCK. WHAT DO I DO?  

-Joe M., Greer, SC

Having a beer finish with too many residual sugars, also known as a stuck fermentation, is a common problem.  There are two main factors  that cause a beer to stop fermenting:

· Not enough fermentable sugars (too many beta-glucans)

· Lack of yeast viability

If you have a fermentation that is stuck, there are only a few options that you have, all of which may only be marginally effective.  Adding more yeast may jumpstart fermentation, but adding yeast that is already active (say, from a yeast starter) is best.  If you have a high gravity beer, or low attenuating yeast, it may be a good idea to try a more highly attenuating yeast.  At the end of fermentation, a new yeast strain will not considerably alter flavor.  Getting the yeast back in suspension can also be effective, but shaking is not advised.  Siphon from one container to another while picking up some (but not too much) of the yeast off the bottom.  Certain yeast strains are naturally slow to finish, and will finish at warmer temperatures; this is especially true of Belgian yeast strains.  A sure way to lower your final gravity is by adding Brettanomyces or Lactobacillus.  These microbes can digest sugars that traditional yeast of the genus Saccharomyces  cannot.  However, they will introduce a sour and somewhat funky  Belgian-type character to a beer, which may be desirable for certain styles, but horrible in others.  Brettanomyces will require extra time to completely finish, and produces what some consider to be a horse-blanket flavor. 

Next time, be proactive instead of reactive.  If brewing with all grain, ensure that your saccharification rest temperature is appropriate for the grain bill, and that your water is free of chlorine.  Pitch plenty of viable yeast with aeration, and ferment at the appropriate temperature for the yeast.  Using a yeast nutrient is also a good idea, especially with higher gravity beers.    

Do you have a homebrew or other beer question you want answered by a professional brewer? Send your questions to Matt Manthe, Assistant Brewer @ Thomas Creek at brewermanthe@gmail.com with subject title "Ask a Brewer."

2054 Piedmont Hwy, Greenville, SC 29605   *   (864) 605-1166   *    info@thomascreekbeer.com   *    www.thomascreekbeer.com