CCHBS News for December 2003
- December Recipe Specials
- Bonus Recipe Special
- Kegs Are In! (Finally)
- New Bulk Cards for the Holidays
- Don't Forget Gift Certificates
- Spotlight on Hops - Cluster
December Recipe Specials
We're featuring Belgian ales this month, so you can be ready to show off your beer as Pacific Gravity's February style of the month. The two recipes on special are Evil Monk Belgian Pale Ale and Double Trouble Abbey Ale.
Hosting two world wars over a 30 year span brings a lot of unwilling tourists who are thirsty for beer, and Belgian Pale Ales are the result of that thirst. They're the Belgian version of the classic English Pale Ales, something visiting British soldiers could relate to. Of course, being Belgian, they're lower in hop bitterness, and usually feature those unique Belgian yeasts. Ordinarily selling for $26, Evil Monk Belgian Pale Ale is on sale for $22.00 to all you closet frite eaters out there.
Double Trouble Abbey Ale is an example of the Belgian Dubbel style. Originally brewed in Trappist monasteries, it's moved out into the secular world. These are strong, dark amber, rich beers which will warm the heart - and the soul. Regularly $34.00, on sale for $30.00
Bonus Recipe Special
To celebrate Pacific Gravity's selection as Anchor 2003 Homebrew Club of the Year, we're renaming our popular Sepulveda Steamer recipe. The name? Anchor 2003 Homebrew Club of the Year Steam Beer! This special will run through February, or until Anchor's lawyers find out about it. This is the perfect time of year to brew this style, and it's only $22.
Kegs Are In! (Finally)
We've been promising these for a while now, and they finally came in. There are 40 5 gallon kegs and 6 of the rare 3 gallon kegs. While they're cleaner than the ones we usually get, not all of them are delabeled, so we're selling the 5 gallons for $25.95 and the 3 gallons for $44.95.
New Bulk Cards for the Holidays
The people who've tried the bulk card program seem to really like it, so we've printed up new cards that make it easier to track your purchases. This is absolutely the cheapest way for you to brew, so start hinting to your loved ones that this is what you want from Santa!
Don't Forget Gift Certificates!
If you're not sure what to ask Santa to bring, ask for a CCHBS gift certificate. With one of these, you can get whatever you want - ingredients, bottles, a new brew pot, kegging equipment - anything!
Spotlight on Hops - Cluster
Cluster (sometimes called Clusters) is the oldest hop variety of U.S. origin. During the first 85 years of the 20th Century, it was widely used for bittering, with the more expensive imported hops being reserved for flavor and aroma additions. There was even an export market and brands like Guiness and Pilsner Urquell were rumored to use Cluster for bittering! While newer varieties have largely replaced it, Cluster has been cultivated in the U.S. for roughly 200 years and is closely related to the hops used in colonial breweries. If you wish to make a Colonial Porter, or Classic American Pilsner, this would be the hop to use. It's been difficult to obtain lately, but we were able to score a couple of pounds so it's back in stock.