tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70521008658442583512024-03-13T11:30:14.459-07:00Chertsey Beer & Pie Challenge 2019Any idiot can drink a beer. It takes a legend to make one.Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-3418608694893245072019-10-12T13:19:00.001-07:002019-10-12T13:19:10.955-07:00Beer, steers and cheers: The 11th Annual Chertsey Beer, Pie and Infusion Challenge<div class="" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday 14 December 2018, 1pm</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like donning a pair of backless chaps, it's time to get out of your comfort zone and expose yourself to some competition. Yes, it's the 11th Annual Chertsey Beer, Pie and Infusion Challenge and I'll be danged if it doesn't have a cheeky hint of the Wild West about it this year. Feel free to</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">break out the cactus beers, cow pies and tequila infusions, people. Or not. The theme is entirely voluntary, so you could always make something lovely and not cowboy related instead if that's the fancy that took you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's the low down.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/10/beers-steers-and-cheers-everything-you.html">- <b>Everything you need to know to enter</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-competition-recipe-midnight-cowboy.html">- <b>The 2019 competition recipe for the beer category</b></a><span id="goog_1348438135"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1348438136"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-principles-of-brewing-ingredients.html">- A general introduction to brewing</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you can't be bothered to read all that (TLDR) here's the executive summary:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>BEERS</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Make a beer, either to the recipe (for the Grand Prix) or Freestyle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Give it a name and put that name on a label</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Bring it to the Swan on 14 December for 1pm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AND/OR</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>PIES</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Make a pie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Remember what you put in it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bring it to the Swan on 14 December for 1pm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AND/OR</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>INFUSION<span style="color: red;">*</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Make a flavoured spirit (or dig an old one out of the cupboard)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Remember what you put in it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bring it to the Swan on 14 December for 1pm</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="color: red; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">*NO NUTS. </b><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of our infusion judges is allergic and killing a judge is definitely going to get you marked down.</span></span></div>
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Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-79371612148063394812019-10-12T12:48:00.001-07:002019-10-12T13:32:29.440-07:00Everything you need to know about entering the 2019 Beer, Pie and Infusion Challenge<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's a distinctly Wild West flavour to this year's Beer, Pie and Infusion Challenge, so don your chaps, saddle up your Cayuse and tip yer ten gallon hat at a jaunty angle, cuz there's silverware in thum thar hills, yessir.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>When and where</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The final will be held at 1pm on Saturday 14 December at THE SWAN, Chertsey. This is confirmed. Write it in blood somewhere so you don't forget it. The judging will all be done and dusted by 630pm, so plenty of time to head off to Christmas parties, work-dos and the like, should the need be.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Prize categories</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are two competitions for the beer. One for craft and one for creativity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>GRAND PRIX BEER 2019 (Craft)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All entries in this category must be the <b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-competition-recipe-midnight-cowboy.html">Competition Recipe: Midnight Cowboy</a></b>. With everyone brewing roughly the same thing, it creates a level playing field and ensures this is a challenge based on brewing skill rather than who has the most toys and/or can throw together the fanciest recipe. Myles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>FREESTYLE BEER 2019 (Creativity)</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Entries in this category can be whatever you damn well please. It's your chance to express yourself creatively through any form of grain-based, undistilled alcoholic beverage. Go at it, you <i>loco muchacho</i>. Fill your boots.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>BEST LABEL 2019</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This may be of any format or size, so long as it fits on the bottle. The name of the beer must be clearly legible. Competitors must declare (honestly) who created the artwork for their label and must describe the creative journey that led them to it. Additional merit for flair in presentation. This category also incorporates Best Name, which as of 2018 is no longer a category in its own right.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>GRAND PRIX BEST PIE 2019</b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D9NUAhboabbvZS4Jzxw7B2z0ixBQWHnnrNdc02b2-QQ4fY_nnxD2n3-T56p4P59k9HkTrkzqThcGr8ia8PZibtU1Gz943Gn3p9I4_N6L0N5TYn-AeKEY52fF0Zg84QcvwBJT0ML87y8/s1600/dog.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D9NUAhboabbvZS4Jzxw7B2z0ixBQWHnnrNdc02b2-QQ4fY_nnxD2n3-T56p4P59k9HkTrkzqThcGr8ia8PZibtU1Gz943Gn3p9I4_N6L0N5TYn-AeKEY52fF0Zg84QcvwBJT0ML87y8/s320/dog.gif" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This will be the seventh year the piemakers join the brewers at the bleeding edge of the human imagination. The pie may be of the style, size and recipe of your choosing. A pie is defined as any foodstuff elevated to greatness by being </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">enclosed</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in pastry. </span>This must include the base, but not necessarily a lid. A pastry lid on its own is basically stew and a dodge for those who fear the soggy bottom. Don't do it. The categories are:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- <b>BEST SAVOURY PIE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- <b>BEST SWEET PIE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An overall winner is awarded the Grand Prix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>BEST INFUSION 2019</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the fifth year for the exciting, multi-coloured, expansively flavoured category we have previously called Oddka until getting called for copyright infringement. It's any spirit plus any flavour you see fit to marry together in a single bottle. The categories are:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- <b>SWEET INFUSION</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- <b>SAVOURY INFUSION</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An overall winner is awarded the Grand Prix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: red;">PLEASE ENSURE NO NUTS. </b><span style="color: red;">One of our infusion judges is allergic and killing a judge is definitely going to get you marked down.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SUBMITTING YOUR BEERS, PIES AND INFUSIONS</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All competitors must submit the following on competition day:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Beers</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Two unmarked bottles of your competition beer for the blind taste test.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- One bottle of your competition beer bearing your beer's label and name.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pies</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- One unmarked pie for the blind taste test, bearing a card with a brief description of the ingredients. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Infusions</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- One unmarked (small) bottle of infusion for the blind taste test. Please write somewhere on the bottle what the spirit and flavour combination is, i.e. vodka and Werther's Originals. Operation Yew Tree has been notified.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>JUDGING</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Best Recipe Beer 2019</b> will be judged by Hugo Anderson, a professional brewer who is also an all-round smashing bloke and sainted individual. Despite having, in previous years, been catastrophically hung over, Hugo never fails to be a model of professionalism in the face of some fairly 'challenging' ales, many of which I have personally brewed. Each beer will be 'blind tasted' according to a randomised list (so no possibility of favouritism) and will be scored on points given for Taste, Head and Clarity. In the event of a tiebreak, the judge will have the casting vote. Hugo may be joined by a second, yet-to-be-revealed judge this year. Which is exciting.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBckb8i_lDstEoYPr_-vXNb1AHamcLiouyicHz1SHM24XctWvXX7YD7xAJWh0aWqmXlh8dg132tnLq8_JwKztRJxMMrDa86RTXLRqdShqj0uSD7Q-oA_jSiBERet9T56VLtk7FmQEgkg/s1600/duke.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBckb8i_lDstEoYPr_-vXNb1AHamcLiouyicHz1SHM24XctWvXX7YD7xAJWh0aWqmXlh8dg132tnLq8_JwKztRJxMMrDa86RTXLRqdShqj0uSD7Q-oA_jSiBERet9T56VLtk7FmQEgkg/s320/duke.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Best Label</b> will be voted for by the brewers and their supporters on a one-person-one-vote basis, not the one pound for one vote free for all we had last year. Mind you, that free for all made £150 for Sam Beare so we might do it that way again.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best Pie</b> will be judged by Rob Betteridge, a pie man of the highest order, ably abetted by Assistant Judge Phil 'The Assassin' Bachelor if he isn't off putting a cap in the ass of some Middle Eastern dictator. This is a blind tasting, although if Rob and Phil like it, don't expect too much to be left over. The pies are typically judged on Flavour, Appearance and Soggy Bottom. </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the event of a tiebreak, the chief judge will have the casting vote.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Best Infusion</b> will be judged by a recklessly heroic pairing, probably consisting of one or more of Colin Carter, Rachel Harris and Denise Cassar, all of whom have the (required) constitution of a concrete elephant. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Each infusion will be 'blind tasted' according to a randomised list (so, again, no possibility of favouritism) and will be scored on Taste and Appearance. In the event of a tiebreak, the judges</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> will have the casting vote.</span>Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-90415910711820229702019-10-12T12:24:00.000-07:002019-11-02T09:33:48.528-07:00The Competition Recipe: Midnight Cowboy<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year's competition recipe is a heavy homage to Siren's Broken Dream Breakfast Stout, the Camra Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2018, which was described by the judges as "dangerously drinkable". And it is <i>astonishingly</i> good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tasting notes are often bollocks, but this tall, dark, handsome stranger lives up to its billing, delivering smoke, coffee, chocolate, milk and oat aromas wrapped in a velvety, thick and smooth finish that is positively indecent. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The competition 'clone' recipe was devised by the sainted Mr Hugo A</span>nderson - our longstanding beer judge and a man soon to be elevated to the peerage for services to brewing - who went to all the trouble of making a batch to ensure it's more Joe-Buck-night-with-a-hot-New-York-socialiate than Ratso-the-oily-pimp-dead-on-a-bus-to-Florida.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Without further a-do, here's Midnight Cowboy for your delectation and pleasure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">INGREDIENTS</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are two versions of this recipe. The Extract Version for beginners and the All Grain Version for those who like that sort of thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To make 18 litres.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>MALTS, OATS and SUGARS (ALL GRAIN VERSION)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pale Malt 3.41kg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Roast Barley 260g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chocolate Malt </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">260g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Flaked Oats 640g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dark Crystal Malt 130g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Carapils/Dextrin Malt 260g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lactose 400g</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">White cane sugar 1.75g per litre in the fermenter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>MALTS and SUGARS (EXTRACT VERSION)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Light Malt Extract 3.32kg (Muntons)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Roast Barley (crushed) 290g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chocolate Malt (crushed) 290</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dark Crystal Malt (crushed) 70g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Demerara sugar 130g</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lactose 340g</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">White cane sugar 1.75g </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">per litre in the fermenter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>HOPS</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Magnum 8.9g</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>YEAST (ALL GRAIN VERSION)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">US05 - Safeale 1 (half sachet)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Safeale 4 (half sachet) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>YEAST (EXTRACT VERSION)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Safeale 4 (sachet) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>OTHER THINGS</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Espresso coffee (liquid) 450ml (using 45g of ground espresso)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Calcium chloride (mash salt) 4g</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Irish Moss 1/2 tsp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Salt 2g</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>METHOD</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>The method below is all quite 'top level'. For help with the general stuff of brewing, read: <a href="https://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-principles-of-brewing-ingredients.html"><b>The Principles of Brewing: Ingredients, Kit and Method</b></a> first.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5t992seZfJrbWgk-S5uZpUOspJQ_GaUjAMT2ckxzD9L8k5UsCXi1JM8ovXzlu1g178eNL3WClDU_TakfabTvE6jz8jmkaLAq5Qs39lvwhd4WlYoToV8AqSSzFEl4GLTwoO5wD5hod7M/s1600/clint.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="500" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5t992seZfJrbWgk-S5uZpUOspJQ_GaUjAMT2ckxzD9L8k5UsCXi1JM8ovXzlu1g178eNL3WClDU_TakfabTvE6jz8jmkaLAq5Qs39lvwhd4WlYoToV8AqSSzFEl4GLTwoO5wD5hod7M/s640/clint.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Do the mash.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(If you're brewing the <span style="color: blue;"><b>Extract Version</b></span>, skip this stage.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heat your 11 litres of strike water to </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">76-77C (this will allow for heat loss when adding the water to the grains.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add 4g calcium chloride. This will "</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">promote palate fullness, sweetness, or mellowness within the flavour profile of your beer" apparently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mash your malts and oats</span> at 69-70C for 60 mins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Do the sparge.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(If you're brewing the <span style="color: blue;"><b>Extract Version</b></span>, skip this stage.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">need 26 litres of sparge water at 70-80C with a little salt (2g) added.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sparge that sucker good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Do the boil. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You're going to boil for an hour. At the start of the boil (once it's actually bubbling) add your 8.9g of Magnum hops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">45 mins into the boil, add your 400g of lactose and your half teaspoon of Irish Moss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">In the </span><span style="color: blue;"><b>Extract Version</b></span><span style="color: #454545;">, you should add your </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">grains (put them in a hop bag first) at the start of the boil along with your hops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">45 mins into the boil, add your 340g of lactose and your half teaspoon of Irish Moss. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Do the yeast.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This recipe calls for two types of yeast, detailed in the ingredients. Use a half sachet of each. You can 'pitch' your yeast in any number of ways. Here are two.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Just bang it on top of the <i>cooled</i> wort (the hoppy malty pre-beer stuff you have after the boil), whack on the lid and walk away. Low effort, but will give you mixed results.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Rehydrate the yeast by adding it to room temperature sterile water in a sterile jug. Leave for 15 mins to do its thing, then vigorously stir into the wort using a sterile spoon to get a good mix with lots of oxygen in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Recommended fermentation temperature is a steady 19-20C.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For those who understand this sort of thing, your fermenter specific gravity is 1072. Your end fermentation specific gravity should be 1025-1030.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;">If you're brewing the </span><span style="color: blue;"><b>Extract Version</b></span><span style="color: #454545;">, you add your demerara sugar to the fermenter at this stage also.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>5. </b></span><b style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Do the bottling.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For bottle priming, the best instructions I could find were these:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Use 1.75g of white sugar per litre of wort.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Add your sugar to 250 ml of water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Bring to a simmer for 5 mins (this sterilises the sugar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Add to your wort and stir in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You'll also need to add your espresso to the wort and stir in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is preferable to adding a quantity of sugar to each bottle because a) it's easier and b) it ensures an even distribution across the batch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Crown cap those mothers and stash them somewhere relatively warm (min 19C) for two to three weeks, or until they are as clear as a completely black drink can be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>5. </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Do the drinking.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You don't need my help with this bit, but I'm obviously happy to oblige.</span></div>
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Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-23015235960696369442019-10-12T11:05:00.000-07:002019-10-12T11:05:37.146-07:00The Principles of Brewing: Ingredients, Kit and Method<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQL4bHLKWP1pyV_M1DFH-PStFsBD_ZNFek60vOKfyDk5ABf6ZlQL-8bL2Q6D0g5b2z8fDPMunFr12fvf_W_GQ7OAdNx1eJlmb3s561YXoMh-wNPqoMjjvr0A0dWC3LfwZSx72m7ZHhw_Y/s1600/cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's an idiot's guide to the ingredients, kit and method that broadly underpin every pint of beer ever brewed. And true to the Campaign for Real Ale's insistence on complete authenticity, this guide was written by an actual idiot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You need them. These are the one ones you need. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are plenty of other things you can add, so don't feel restricted. It's your beer. Own it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Malt </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Malt is the bedrock o</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">f your brew and in addition to providing the sugars you need, it also brings body and flavour to your beer. </span>Malt is the germinated grain of cereal crops - typically barley. Why germinated? Because germinated grains have the enzymes needed for you to extract various sugars essential to the brewing process. Malting is the process by which the grains are encouraged to germinate by soaking them in warm water before they are ruthlessly air dried to halt the process at precisely the right moment for them to be of maximum use. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You'll need to decide if you want to brew from the grain, which is a bit more involved but surprisingly rewarding, or if you're going to use extract. Extract is where the sugars have already been extracted for you, hence the name. If you're a beginner, probably best to go for the extract. There are many different types of extract, the main ones being light, medium and dark, each affecting flavour and colour, with darker generally meaning stronger. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It comes either as gloopy brown liquid malt extract (LME) in a big can or as powdered dried malt extract (DME or spraymalt) in a bag. The advantage of dried is that it's cheaper and doesn't give you that 'homebrew taste' that Sean always complains about.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Sugar</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like malt extract, the main purpose of this sugar is fermentation, with some responsibility for body and flavour. Some sugars are 100% fermentable and your yeast will eat the lot, leaving no trace in your final beer. Other sugars are non-fermentable, or contain flavours that are non-fermentable, and these hang around in your beer adding specific notes to the taste, like making it sweeter, more caramelly, more cidery, more milky (as per this year's recipe) etc. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can use pretty much anything as a source of sugar - glucose, brown sugar, demarara, honey, molasses, etc., with varying effects. Most home brewers use bog standard cane sugar (but not beet - apparently it can make your beer ropey, as I have since discovered after using it a few years ago). I still make ropey beer, but at least the sugar isn't to blame.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Crystal Malt</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The main function of your crystal malt, which looks like a hybrid of muesli and fine gravel, is flavour. Basically, it's a malt that they've frigged about with to convert its sugars into stuff that can't be fermented, so it hangs around in your beer imparting flavour. That flavour is the toffee/caramel that you get in virtually all ales. It also brings sweetness. Again, there are heaps of different kinds of crystal malt, broadly ranging from light to dark, with darker being stronger/nuttier.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>4. Hops</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These supply bitterness, aroma and preservative properties and usually come in tight, vacuum-packed blocks that look a bit like something you might try and hide in your luggage after a long weekend in Amsterdam. It's an indigenous English hardy perennial climber that grows like a weed pretty much wherever you let it. You can pick and dry your own wild hops, but for the sake of consistency and because brewing beer for many is onerous enough, let's stick to cultivated hops. Hops contain acids, that are mainly responsible for bittering, and essential oils which add aroma. Because the essential oils are fragile and don't like being boiled to buggery, hops are usually added in stages, with bittering (or 'coppering') hops going in first and late hops going in right at the end of the boil so their oils survive. You can even dry hop a beer by adding them to the bucket during fermentation. I don't know about you, but I'm learning <i>a lot</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>5. Yeast</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This tiny fungus is your active ingredient and usually comes in either an air-tight tub or a little foil packet. This is the party starter without which there is no party - it </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is the single ingredient that will do most to define the success of your beer -</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> so it's really important to get the right one. Any old yeast <i>will not do. </i>There's an entire industry dedicated to cultivating specific yeasts for specific jobs and happily, ale yeast is high on their list of priorities. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>6. Water</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Water is water, right? Wrong. Water has two or three variables you need to consider. First, tap water has additives, like halogens, that can affect the taste of your beer. Second, water varies in hardness. Traditional British 'Burton' Ales call for special water, so you may need to add gypsum (calcium sulphate) to your brew. Finally, I said you're going to make 40 pints, but if you use less water (say enough for 32 pints) you'll get stronger alcohol and more intense flavour.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>You will also need:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Beer finings, which clear your beer during its first fermentation (in the bucket) by dragging all those fugging fogging particles down to the bottom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- More sugar, which you'll use to get second fermentation started when you bottle this bad boy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">General guidelines on quantities</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Malt extract: </b>Between 2.25kg and 3.4kg of the dry stuff. The more you use, the stronger your beer. Add 20% to the weight if you're using liquid extract.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sugar: </b>This should be in proportion to your malt extract. Go for roughly 15% of the weight of your dry extract. So if you're using 2.25kg of dry malt extract, use 340g of sugar. If you're using liquid malt extract, roughly 12.5% should do it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Crystal malt:</b> Somewhere between 250g and 400g, depending on how caramelly you want it. It's usual to go for more crystal in a stronger beer, but, hey, whose beer is this?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Bittering hops: </b>These are the ones you're going to boil to buggery. They add the bitter taste, hence the name. Bullion, Brewer's Gold, Target and Challenger are a good bittering hops. Somewhere between 70 - 100g should do it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Late hops:</b> These are the ones you want for your delicate essential oils. You probably need less - somewhere between 30 - 80g - but again, it's up to you. Fuggles, Pilgrim and East Kent Goldings are, I'm told, very popular.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Dry hops: </b>These are essentially really really late hopes, added after the wort has cooled and left to infuse for 3-5 days</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Yeast:</b> Safale do a good batch of ale yeasts. We've used their No 4 in the past, but I'm sure the others in the series also do a fine job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Brewing Equipment</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />You can beg, borrow or share a lot of this stuff with your friends. Or you can buy an off-the-shelf kit for about £20.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Stockpot or similarly large saucepan (3 gallon - for extract brew only)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Brewing kettle (for grain brew only)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Mash tun </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(for grain brew only)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Immersion wort chiller </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(for grain brew only)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Fermenting bucket with lid (</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5 gallon)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Brewing thermometer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Long handled spoon (stainless steel or heatproof plastic)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 4 x Brewing bags for hops and crystal malt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Large colander or strainer (metal not plastic)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Siphon tube (if your fermenting bucket doesn't have a tap)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Funnel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Chlorine-based sterilising powder</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bottling</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You will need bottles sufficient to hold 36 to 40 pints. Equipment listed is for glass bottles with crown caps, because they look great and your beer just tastes better coming out of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 40 x One Pint Bottles (you can either buy these new or recycle commercial ale bottles - these should be the robust, heavy duty type, i.e. Bombardier, not flimsy lager bottles that will blow up during fermentation)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x 100 Crown Caps (cheapest to buy in bags of 100)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 1 x Crown Capper (a device that crimps the crown caps onto the bottles)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Alternatively, you can buy Grolsch-style homebrew bottles (don't use actual Grolsch bottles - they will blow up as well), or put them in plastic with screwtop lids. Don't, if you can avoid it. It's just wrong.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Making the Beer</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Right, you've got all that stuff. Here's how to bring it all together into beer, glorious beer. Happily, it's dead easy. These instructions are for those using extract. Anyone brewing from grain presumably knows what they're doing already and won't be reading this. The big nerds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Step One</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Clear the decks. You need a fair amount of space to do this.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Sterilise all your equipment (fermenting bucket, thermometer, spoon, etc) according to the instructions on your sterilising powder. Make sure all steriliser is washed off, or it will kill your beer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Fill your 3 gallon stockpot about two-thirds full of tap water (2 gallons or 7.5 litres).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Put stockpot full of water on stove.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Tie your crystal malt and your <i>bittering hops </i>into a brewing bag. Divide your <i>late hops </i>roughly in two and tie into separate bags, giving you three bags in total. Ensure the tops are tight or the ingredients will escape and float about in your beer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. When the stockpot is just starting bubble (NOT boil), slowly stir in your <i>malt extract</i>. If you're using liquid malt extract, warm the can in warm water first to make it runnier. Expect it to foam a lot. Don't panic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. Stir. Don't let anything stick to the bottom of the pot. And whatever you do DON'T LET IT BOIL OVER. It's a bugger to get off the stove.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8. As it comes to the boil, add your bag of crystal malt and bittering hops. Keep stirring to hold down the foaming.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">9. Boil as hard as you can for 30 mins. Don't put a lid on it - it will only encourage the blighter to foam and boil over. Stir occasionally.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">10. At the end of 30 mins, add the first bag of late hops. This will add essential oils.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">11. Boil for another 15 minutes, then add the second bag of late hops.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">12. After 5 minutes turn off the heat and leave the liquid to stand. Don't be tempted to go for longer. It will destroy all the magic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">13. Boil the kettle. This is to rinse out the bag full of hops and malts.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">14. Strain the liquid stockpot mixture </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(the wort) </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">into your sparklingly clean fermenting bucket, using the colander. Be really careful - hot sugary water burns like nothing else.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">15. Rinse the bag of hops and crystal into the fermenting bucket, using the kettle of boiling water.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">16. Top the fermenting bucket up to just below the 5 gallon mark with cold tap water and stir with your long-handled spoon.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">17. You can now add your sugar, although some people think it's best to let your yeast have a pop at the chewier maltose for a couple of days before adding the much more readily digestible dextrose or sucrose to the mix. This may be nonsense, but if you don't think it is, see step 23.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">18. When the temperature of the mix has dropped below 23°C, sprinkle the yeast onto the surface.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">19. If you're using an air pump, now is the time. Place in fermenting bucket and let is bubble for about 4 hours, then put the lid on.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">20. If you're not using an air pump, put the lid on.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">21. Store in a place where the temperature can be maintained steadily somewhere between 17°C and 23°C. You can wrap your bucket in towels to insulate. Check the temperature daily.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">22. The brew should start to foam/bubble and ferment after 12 to 18 hours.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">23. If you didn't add your sugar at step 17, add it two or three days after the beer went in the bucket. If it's dextrose, be prepared for it to foam like a bastard and possibly attempt to escape. Thus speaks the voice of experience.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Note: Keep the lid on at all times to prevent infection by bacteria, other yeasts that will make your beer go off.</span></span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Step 2</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. After 3 to 7 days, fermentation will cease and your beer will stop foaming/bubbling, and go flat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. When you're sure fermentation is over, you may want to add finings. These help clear the beer and should be added - and the beer left to stand - according to the instructions on the packet. Once that's done, your beer is ready to bottle.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Sterilise your bottles, funnel, syphon and crown caps. Make sure the sterilising solution is washed off completely, or it will kill your beer!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Being careful not to stir up the yeast sediment at the bottom, move your fermenting bin back to the kitchen.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Pour a half teaspoon of sugar into each bottle. Use the funnel.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. Siphon your beer into the bottles, being careful to leave 1.5 to 2 inches of air in the top of each.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. Crown cap your bottles and leave for a minimum of three weeks. Bottles should be stored where the temperature is between 17°C and 23°C.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8. Don't open until the beer has cleared. You can usually tell when this has happened, even with the dark brown bottles, by holding up against the light. If it's clear and you can hear angels singing, it's ready to drink.</span></span>Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-88864756127655971712014-10-05T10:42:00.000-07:002014-10-06T05:09:12.014-07:00Winners and photos from the 2013 Beer and Pie ChallengeSo the 2014 Beer and Pie Challenge is upon us and, as per tradition, I have left it until now to post the results for last year's competition. In keeping with previous years, I have attempted to reconstruct events from memories, photographs and fragmentary documentary evidence - an exercise that this year is so bereft it has led me to question whether or not the 2013 Beer and Pie Challenge happened at all.<br />
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Listen, I've done the best I can. I <i>think </i>these are the results, but if I've arsed it up, do let me know. I have included Hugo's beer-soaked palimpsest and some other notes that were found tucked in a brew box in the attic. Oh, and I've drawn the following artistic impression of the award ceremony, which I have a vague recollection was terribly moving. If you have anything better, do share.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8GwKxL-FBbxKJW9ii-nV594pMGLPoe7Mcr4V22GLDyR8ZkmMxzz2-9c5FoENGRfwBhABLdQUjDCuMZ99qJ_2rsHfsvdDPh7Q-g8BLe7teE-aJmhH_Pe0Cr6etB90zwsXrmndNhy8IpE/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8GwKxL-FBbxKJW9ii-nV594pMGLPoe7Mcr4V22GLDyR8ZkmMxzz2-9c5FoENGRfwBhABLdQUjDCuMZ99qJ_2rsHfsvdDPh7Q-g8BLe7teE-aJmhH_Pe0Cr6etB90zwsXrmndNhy8IpE/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best beer (<i>grand prix</i>)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Blind tasting letter included as key to the accompanying image.</i></span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTErgBzch4EHn7_S8VtexOC47OBnH5XGclzaAkgZf-Dnqlb3weu6CwzqrR6ayRdjZXF4oTLLBgt_hmcWJ3tWJSBKM7yNrd8-JN-n2aim_e9098XscxxyCn0It1TE1ruu2zImV5nXocWc/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTErgBzch4EHn7_S8VtexOC47OBnH5XGclzaAkgZf-Dnqlb3weu6CwzqrR6ayRdjZXF4oTLLBgt_hmcWJ3tWJSBKM7yNrd8-JN-n2aim_e9098XscxxyCn0It1TE1ruu2zImV5nXocWc/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's all the paperwork that survived and made it back to<br />
ours. Hugo's scores, plus rankings for pie, label, name.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
1. Dirty Harry (Sean Parry) <b>J</b><br />
2. Black Cat Milf Stout (Myles Willingale) <b>J</b><br />
3. Erkenwald 666 (Richard Jones) <b>M</b><br />
= 4. Headpuncher (Richard Cable) <b>L</b><br />
= 4. Peter Brew (Myles Willingale) <b>D</b><br />
= 4. Chertsey Gold (Colette Kitterhing) <b>K</b><br />
<b>= </b>5. Islay Malt (Al Davis) <b>F</b><br />
= 5. Hoppy Christmas Vintage (Al Davis) <b>G</b><br />
= 5. Sibling Rivalry (Rod Hardcastle) <b>A</b><br />
= 6. Maiden Voyage (Gary Weber) <b>E</b><br />
= 6. Try Ale (Yuki Lindstrup) <b>B</b><br />
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7.<b> </b>No Name Beer (Phil Boast) <b>M</b><br />
8. Killer with Vanilla (Richard Cable) <b>I</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best pie</span></span><br />
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1. Three Nations Surprise (Tamie Inoue)<br />
2. Game (Rod Hardcastle)<br />
3. Black Bird Pie (Emma Willingale)<br />
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Also listed in the Blessed Company of Pie Makers:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Pork Pie Not Halaal (Mikakshi Bharal) SPECIAL MERIT</li>
<li>Sausage and Egg Picnic Pie (Nicky Penn)</li>
<li>Plumage to Catalonia (Lucy, Gabriel and Steve Wood)</li>
<li>Mini-me (Rod Hardcastle)</li>
<li>Delicious Kent (Tim and Barry Nunan)</li>
<li>Chertsey Fidget (Kayte Cable)</li>
<li>Not Your Average Pork Pie (Can Hewetson)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best name</span></span><br />
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1. Erkenwald 666 (Richard Jones)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best label</span></span><br />
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1. Chertsey Gold (Colette Kitterhing)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/winners-and-photos-from-2012-beer-and.html"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Prize winners and photos from the 2012 Beer and Pie Challenge [LINK]</span></b></a><br />
<b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/prize-winners-and-photos-from-2011-beer.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Prize winners and photos from the 2011 Beer and Pie Challenge [LINK]</span></a></b><br />
<b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/05/results.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Prize winners and photos from the 2010 Beer Challenge [LINK]</span></a></b><br />
<b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/02/prize-winners-and-photos-from-last.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Prize winners and photos from the 2009 Beer Challenge [LINK] </span></a></b>Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-26727034167881556322013-09-16T00:25:00.000-07:002013-09-16T15:14:49.146-07:00Winners and photos from the 2012 Beer and Pie Challenge<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLdpzTQlHDMy3fQOI70pvvRImW9T-iqQB3NrLsdvC1GwyyW6CKdGhrwxQ5rNXsJpWC9rq10vX1z8AiBCptoM3i_j-27ABvn74TLvY5EKv6SkVj3s0v4l0Nz7jI96I8JDDLkRvUEw_ByM/s1600/photo+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLdpzTQlHDMy3fQOI70pvvRImW9T-iqQB3NrLsdvC1GwyyW6CKdGhrwxQ5rNXsJpWC9rq10vX1z8AiBCptoM3i_j-27ABvn74TLvY5EKv6SkVj3s0v4l0Nz7jI96I8JDDLkRvUEw_ByM/s320/photo+(2).jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate salutes her own victory in emphatic style<br />
as Ham minesweeps the dregs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We knew it was a potentially explosive mix: the union of beer and pie in a single, festive competition, but sometimes you just have to roll the dice. In the ensuing mushroom cloud of shortcrust pastry and ale suds, all record of the event was strangely lost. Only now has it been reconstructed from old photos, graphic flashbacks and through a series of secret meetings with a shady insider known only as 'Deep Throat'.<br />
<br />
Despite losing a fair few of the regular brewers to Christmas engagements, we still racked up a cracking 11 beers in two categories and a wildly impressive array of 12 pies fit to make a Frenchman choke on his <i>petit fours</i>. You are all a credit to the sterling traditions of Beer & Pie and towering examples of can-do spirit.<br />
<br />
In addition we raised <b>£50 for the RNLI</b>. Every year we're one step closer to that crucial Chertsey lifeboat. You never know when the big one's coming.<br />
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Belated but heartfelt thanks go to our inestimable and often halfway sober beer judge <b>Hugo Anderson</b>; to the happiest man in Chertsey whose cherubic grin said all that needs to be said about the relationship between earthly bliss and a decent slice of pie, our pie judge, <b>Rob Betteridge</b>;<b> </b>and to <b>Tony</b>, the landlord of the Crown, who has apparently spent most of the year in renovations entirely based on the fallout from the Challenge. We salute you.<br />
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Pics will shortly be on Flickr and the full results are listed below!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLezcfHxBjCM6aKFSt9YIDW6TYLRsCOB-NX3gDkrDZuJDHlAdlIAX-8awLodnqNHpSuweXFliC4ujTTr8dQU6tbmpYRJcsfqPE9291sNm6jIhbvFoIR3MrF03AL_w_qsctFvbdxbTi7EE/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLezcfHxBjCM6aKFSt9YIDW6TYLRsCOB-NX3gDkrDZuJDHlAdlIAX-8awLodnqNHpSuweXFliC4ujTTr8dQU6tbmpYRJcsfqPE9291sNm6jIhbvFoIR3MrF03AL_w_qsctFvbdxbTi7EE/s640/photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: Rt Hon Hugo 'Pamela' Anderson (Beer Judge); Richard 'Ale Whale' Cable (Best Vintage - award assistant Jessame); Jaego 'Thor's Hammer' Cable (Best Label); Kate 'Arse, Drink, Feck, Cake' Smyth-Davys (Best Beer - award held by Hamilton); Richard 'Special Projects' Jones (Best Name), Rod 'Six To Win' Hardcastle (Best Pie); Rob ' Paul Hollywood' Betteridge (Pie Judge)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
(If you have any pics to share, send them to me and I'll add them to the gallery)<br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best beer (<i>grand prix</i>)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Blind tasting letter included as key to the accompanying image.</i></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI2ITcRHm7wv7aRS9a-Bu7CCicOK0KKmLw3vtDDFsMX9Tnuq3VEwTNgTwbRf5hEradqPN05FcYjXT76CTqwy3mt3zpyvu3d9kJbGR0_evIJsrpzEaO6bY_HuzsoKGk4_HfXraWO78v_k/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI2ITcRHm7wv7aRS9a-Bu7CCicOK0KKmLw3vtDDFsMX9Tnuq3VEwTNgTwbRf5hEradqPN05FcYjXT76CTqwy3mt3zpyvu3d9kJbGR0_evIJsrpzEaO6bY_HuzsoKGk4_HfXraWO78v_k/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on the image to enlarge. Couldn't sort<br />
the orientation - bloody Blogspot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
1. The Happy Beer (Kate Smyth-Davys) <b>S</b><br />
2. Hoppy Christmas (Big Gay Al) <b>R</b><br />
3. Santa Booze (Emma Willingale) <b>M</b><br />
= 4. Bunga Bunga Beer (Pippo Ajroldi) <b>J</b><br />
= 4. John Barleycorn's Blood (Paul Joyce) <b>E</b><br />
5. The Grinch (Richard Cable) <b>G</b><br />
6. Ruck Over (Myles Willingale) <b>P</b><br />
= 7. Fishpond Ale (Richard Jones) <b>K</b><br />
= 7. Beer-trude and Gris-ale-da (Rod Hardcastle) <b>Q</b><br />
= 7. Furback (Ewan Forrest) <b>O</b><br />
<div>
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best pie</span></span><br />
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1. Rod Hardcastle<br />
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best vintage</span></span><br />
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1. Second Coming (Richard Cable)<br />
<i style="font-size: small;">Also placed equal 4th in the main compeition. Also only entrant in the Vintage category.</i><br />
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best name</span></span><br />
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1. Fishpond Ale (Richard Jones)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 29px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best label</span></span><br />
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1. The Grinch (Jaego Cable)<br />
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<a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/prize-winners-and-photos-from-2011-beer.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Prize winners and photos from the 2011 Beer Challenge [LINK]</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/05/results.html">Prize winners and photos from the 2010 Beer Challenge [LINK]</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/02/prize-winners-and-photos-from-last.html">Prize winners and photos from the 2009 Beer Challenge [LINK] </a></b></span>Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-49153435652053879612011-06-13T14:08:00.000-07:002011-06-13T15:29:24.620-07:00Prize winners and photos from the 2011 Beer ChallengeAnother splendid day and another terrific turnout, with 15 beers in five different categories. I really hope you enjoyed it and many thanks to you all for yet another tremendous effort. You are a credit to the fine traditions of brewing and a towering example of can-do spirit.<br />
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Not only that, but we collectively raised <b>£146 for disaster relief in Japan</b>. That might not seem a lot when your country is ankle deep in radioactive seawater, but every little helps and thanks for your support.<br />
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Extra special thanks go to <b>Hugo</b>, our beer judge, a towering colossus of a man; <b>Tony</b>, the landlord of the Crown, a towering colossus of a Welshman; and <b>Kate H</b>, who narrowly escaped death in judging the ginger beer. She is neither towering, nor, according to our best intelligence, a man.<br />
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Happily we have full results this year, because although we did all get titanically drunk, someone less drunk than me remembered to pick them up. As usual, pics from the event are on Flickr (see link) and the placings are listed below. Cheers!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAg_WdPj453Se2dxfqgYXLX95nYxamKKASyKawrRBsJLQrpsxi8ZCoeIL4V4eVw3w0uUjv9B5Dpkl7GC5GqrbHcwmtj8dWay0en3qQkN7kTyZEO7Opdfs5rwnHay_y7thDtaWznjPBoQ/s1600/winners_enclosure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAg_WdPj453Se2dxfqgYXLX95nYxamKKASyKawrRBsJLQrpsxi8ZCoeIL4V4eVw3w0uUjv9B5Dpkl7GC5GqrbHcwmtj8dWay0en3qQkN7kTyZEO7Opdfs5rwnHay_y7thDtaWznjPBoQ/s640/winners_enclosure.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: Kate, Molly, Craig and Jen Hazledine (grand prix, label), Jaego, Richard and Jessame Cable (ginger beer, vintage), Hugo Anderson (judge), Oliver and Ben Smith (naturalised Brits) and Myles Willingale (freestyle, name)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37893203@N08/sets/72157626955595802/">Click here for the Flickrstream (photo gallery) of the event [LINK]</a></span><br />
<ul style="color: red;"></ul>(If you have any pics to share, send them to me and I'll add them to the gallery)<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best beer (<i>grand prix</i>)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Blind tasting letter included as key to the accompanying image.</i></span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0tOFvIYEQFu1XlBaQ8PcOz3KhfPh0vawhxroX4SoPoVMv7L3LrUAqzkFdIAKH6mMEo-d2Jr8ca532jojUmSg6D2S1khE4vdOJsnx3ndSaTI3GGQNqZkwim03n3PemE5tXulR5vbLRI4/s1600/hugo_notes2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0tOFvIYEQFu1XlBaQ8PcOz3KhfPh0vawhxroX4SoPoVMv7L3LrUAqzkFdIAKH6mMEo-d2Jr8ca532jojUmSg6D2S1khE4vdOJsnx3ndSaTI3GGQNqZkwim03n3PemE5tXulR5vbLRI4/s320/hugo_notes2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugo's notes: click to enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>1. Supporter (Craig Hazledine) <b>D</b><br />
2. Swing Low (Chris Greenwood) <b>C</b><br />
3. Penthouse Porter (Steve Dobson) <b>J</b><br />
= 4. Standard (Richard Cable) <b>E</b><br />
= 4. Sith Pith (Richard Cable) <b>F</b><br />
= 5. Bridge Over Troubled Porter (Richard Cable) <b>G</b><br />
= 5. Tastes Like Cole (Sean Parry) <b>O</b><br />
= 5. Coal (Big Gay Al Davis) <b>H</b><br />
6. Pebbledasher (Chris Mesney) <b>B</b><br />
7. Hugo Is (Not) Smashing (Kayte Cable) <b>I</b><br />
8. Will's Morning Glory (Myles Willingale) <b>A</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best ginger beer</span></span><br />
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1. Mack the Nipper (Jaego and Jessame Cable)<br />
= 2. Lillybell (Isabelle Willingale)<br />
= 2. Giner (Tom Willingale)*<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Narrowly avoided disqualification for taking the judge's head off</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best vintage</span></span><br />
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1. Nutkin's Finger (Richard Cable)<br />
2. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Beer (Kayte Cable)<br />
3. Beer (Sean Parry)<br />
4. No Thanks I'm Driving (Richard Cable)<br />
5. Romp of Runnymede (Big Gay Al Davis)*<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Notably last year's Grand Prix winner</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best name</span></span><br />
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1. Will's Morning Glory (Myles Willingale)<br />
2. Bridge Over Troubled Porter (Richard Cable)<br />
3. Sith Pith (Richard Cable)<br />
= 4. Hugo Is (Not) Smashing (Kayte Cable)<br />
= 4. Supporter (Craig Hazledine)<br />
= 5. Tastes Like Cole (Sean Parry) <br />
= 5. Coal (Big Gay Al Davis)<br />
= 5. Swing Low (Chris Greenwood)<br />
6. Penthouse Porter (Steve Dobson)<br />
Unplaced: Standard (Richard Cable), Pebbledasher (Chris Mesney) <br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best label</span></span><br />
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1. Supporter (Craig Hazledine)<br />
2. Sith Pith (Richard Cable)<br />
3. Bridge Over Troubled Porter (Richard Cable)<br />
4. Will's Morning Glory (Myles Willingale)<br />
= 5. Hugo Is (Not) Smashing (Kayte Cable)<br />
= 5. Penthouse Porter (Steve Dobson)<br />
= 5. Standard (Richard Cable) <br />
= 5. Coal (Big Gay Al Davis)<br />
Unplaced: Swing Low (Chris Greenwood), Tastes Like Cole (Sean Parry), Pebbledasher (Chris Mesney)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best freestyle</span></span><br />
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1. Will's Morning Glory (Myles Willingale)<br />
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<a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/05/results.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Prize winners and photos from the 2010 Beer Challenge [LINK]</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/02/prize-winners-and-photos-from-last.html">Prize winners and photos from the 2009 Beer Challenge [LINK] </a></b></span>Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-21254120092895686592010-05-04T07:35:00.000-07:002011-01-17T12:08:36.467-08:00Prize winners and photos from the 2010 Beer ChallengeThe results are a bit late and a bit incomplete, on account of the fact that I was a quite drunk by the end of the day and<span style="font-style: italic;"> very probably</span> threw away the deranged daubings that counted as score sheets for the labels and names. My bad. Happily, I still have Hugo's immaculate and complete score sheet for best beer, so I've listed first to third for labels/names, but included full results for best beer.<br />
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Really hope you enjoyed the day. For me, this picture of Big Gay Al winning best beer really captures the spirit of the occasion.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnCdq6PapGFe6BIKl0Nbz_fh7xJmOXjCJiNMMUwM9VY0sE5O80eM9qAv1PZqgyiyFn2hBUsGqsoh0jOFxzS1AnVNsYALL8_-xmHbbt-3gUVhKaCR8sOb0aU9peUka9BZT2QvHAR6y6ho/s1600/beerCh019.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467454407234417346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnCdq6PapGFe6BIKl0Nbz_fh7xJmOXjCJiNMMUwM9VY0sE5O80eM9qAv1PZqgyiyFn2hBUsGqsoh0jOFxzS1AnVNsYALL8_-xmHbbt-3gUVhKaCR8sOb0aU9peUka9BZT2QvHAR6y6ho/s400/beerCh019.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 266px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<ul><li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37893203@N08/sets/72157623991438086/">Click here for the Flickrstream (photo gallery) of the event [LINK]</a></li>
</ul>(If you have any pics to share, send them to me and I'll add them to the gallery)<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best beer</span></span><br />
1. Romp of Runnymede (Big Gay Al Davis)<br />
2. Tom Bell (Myles Willingale)<br />
3. Goodhead (Kate Hazledine)<br />
3. Raspbeery (Steve Dobson)<br />
3. Beer (Sean Parry)<br />
4. Frazzled Monkey (Max Parry Woodwhammer)<br />
5. Hopocalyse (Craig Hazledine)<br />
6. Tipsy Monkey (Max Parry Woodwhammer)<br />
7. Rotund Yorkshire Sailor (Uzi)<br />
7. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Beer (Kayte Cable)<br />
7. Yellow and Blue (Anna Rosell)<br />
7. Haaneken (Nicole de Haan)<br />
8. I Bit Off Terry Nutkins' Finger Mwah-ha-ha (Richard Cable)<br />
8. Flyer's Folly (Phil Boast)<br />
9. George's Best (Chris Greenwood)<br />
9. Grumpy Monkey (Uli Kleinsteuber)<br />
9. Ragged Rabbit (David John, Dan Crowley)<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best name</span></span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span>1. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Beer (Kayte Cable)<br />
2. Beer (Sean Parry)<br />
3. Goodhead (Kate Hazledine)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best label</span></span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span>1. Yellow and Blue (Anna Rosell)<br />
2. Beer (Sean Parry, Ben Gilbey)<br />
3. Ragged Rabbit (David John, Dan Crowley)<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
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</span></span></span>If you enjoyed the day, drop a comment in the comments section below. It only takes a minute!<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
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<ul><li><a href="http://chertseybeerchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/04/final-sunday-21-april-2-5pm.html">Click here for Thank You message [LINK]</a></li>
</ul>Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-11666235474354479912010-02-13T06:58:00.000-08:002011-01-17T16:30:59.308-08:00Origins of the Chertsey Beer ChallengeThe inaugural Chertsey Beer Challenge was held in 2009 and organised by the <a href="http://chertseyotters.blogspot.com/">Chertsey Otters RFC</a>, whose members came up with the idea during the dire England vs Ireland Six Nations match last year.<br />
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Having drunk a lot of beer, we r<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNTOGI7-xEovg0kimBeydNvxvO4e0y3HPpyNjL4_XYeFFvoplodycJu_JLR2mhB-AtCDjk3nSiqpfwL-7IEXGiQhXR7ZoAqxn8RvdLfFwqFcxhHH2Y5jMvObN-uYEC4uwWI_wSLoDAs8/s1600-h/3481566662_6c70763b51.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437749930575777842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNTOGI7-xEovg0kimBeydNvxvO4e0y3HPpyNjL4_XYeFFvoplodycJu_JLR2mhB-AtCDjk3nSiqpfwL-7IEXGiQhXR7ZoAqxn8RvdLfFwqFcxhHH2Y5jMvObN-uYEC4uwWI_wSLoDAs8/s320/3481566662_6c70763b51.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 213px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>easoned: <span style="font-style: italic;">how difficult can it be to make your own? </span>Not difficult at all, as it happens.<br />
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The idea behind the Challenge is for amateur/rank-beginner brewers to have a crack at making their own beer, and for that beer to be judged by a professional brewer who actually knows what he's talking about.<br />
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We expanded the competition to include 'Best name' and 'Best label' categories, because a decent beer always has a cracking name and a label to match. Plus, it encourages our brewers to make their beers a team effort and express the full range of their creativity. Or something.<br />
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In a fit of patriotism we decided it should be held annually on the nearest weekend to St George's Day.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Beer Challenge is about having a go.</span> All-comers - especially the under-represented female brewers among you - are welcome. And it's <span style="font-style: italic;">definitely </span>the taking part that counts!Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7052100865844258351.post-60958633958671204332010-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:002010-03-04T07:16:02.739-08:00Prize winners and photos from the 2009 Beer ChallengeThe final of the inaugural Chertsey St George's Day Beer Challenge was held on Sunday 26 February 2009. The standard of the entries, which included a Tudor butter beer and a late entry all the way from Argentina, was absolutely outstanding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfxtiuR_1kGdWmmVm7KKLj6okPnTqlcJLCpZrfy-Gxa9vdGaPUYrLYm7wa41_VPS6Hi9Kbs5KCBBBfYt_Dpm_ICfp0Srb-VLMj-6-yVsLaXVQFqNTKyfR2OKFP5VJx7DBn01uJ_q7NI4/s1600-h/3481629496_f9616b2026.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfxtiuR_1kGdWmmVm7KKLj6okPnTqlcJLCpZrfy-Gxa9vdGaPUYrLYm7wa41_VPS6Hi9Kbs5KCBBBfYt_Dpm_ICfp0Srb-VLMj-6-yVsLaXVQFqNTKyfR2OKFP5VJx7DBn01uJ_q7NI4/s320/3481629496_f9616b2026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437740974463393410" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37893203@N08/sets/72157617404517676/">Photos from the day: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37893203@N08/sets/72157617404517676/ [LINK]</a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br />The Results</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best name</span><br /><br />1. Floozing Flax Wench (Kayte Cable)<br />2. The Otterman Empire (Uli Kleinsteuber)<br />3. Blind Lynesman (Craig Hazledine)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best label</span><br /><br />1. Woodwammer (Ben Gilbey)<br />2. Dragon Slayer (Debbie Greenwood)<br />3. The Otterman Empire (Kate Lumsden)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best beer</span><br /><br />1. Willingale's Willing Ale (Myles Willingale) - 12 points (of 14 possible)<br />2. No Thanks I'm Driving (Richard Cable) - 12 points<br />3. B'George (Steve Dobson) - 11 points<br />4. Woodwammer (Sean Parry) - 11 points<br />5. Patricio's Beer (Patricio Zapata) - 10 points<br />6. Queen B (Big Gay Al Davis) - 9 points<br />7. The Otterman Empire (Uli Kleinsteuber) - 7 points<br />8. Blind Lynesman (Craig Hazeldine) - 7 points<br />9. Dragon Slayer (Chris Greenwood) - 6 points<br />10. The Unknown Soldier (Patrick Martin) - 5 points<br />11. Floozing Flax Wench (Kayte Cable) - Ungraded<br /><br />Congratulations to everyone who took part. A fantastic day and a great standard all round!Chertsey Otterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220138670491713684noreply@blogger.com0