Winter approaches, and with it opportunities

Riverside Park, January 2011

By Steve Siciliano

I have never been someone who slides into a funk because of the weather but as I get older the idea of wintering in a warm climate has become more appealing. When the weather turns colder, a small, heretofore unheard voice in my head begins suggesting that it would be nice not to have to endure the vicissitudes of another West Michigan winter—the seemingly endless stretches of sunless days, the bone-chilling cold, the times when I have to use a broom to brush off the lake effect snow that buried my Chevy Blazer while I was at work; the icy streets, the slush, the breath-sapping, eye-hurting, nostril-freezing north wind that accompanies the occasional artic cold front. Maybe it’s an instinctual thing. Perhaps that annual, resurfacing voice is Nature telling me that sun and warmth is physically better for a sixty-year-old body and psychologically better for an aging mind. Perhaps it’s the same voice that tells the monarch butterflies, the geese and the hummingbirds that it’s time to get out of Dodge. Perhaps animals are, in some ways, more advanced because they are smart enough to listen.

The other night I was sitting on the deck while the mid-September sun slowly slipped behind our backyard’s western stand of trees. There was a chill in the air—not the transitory chill brought on by a passing front but rather a more permanent, portending chill arising from the sun’s steady progression towards the southern horizon. The light from that southward marching sun filtered through the leaves on the drooping branches of the walnut tree; it reflected off the dying hostas and seemed to magnify the fading greenness of the tomato plants and basil. I thought of how in three months the sun would be a low, unseen speck behind a shroud of clouds, how the ground would be covered with a heavy blanket of snow, and how the branches of the walnut tree would be a tangle of black against a slate-grey sky.

But perhaps we benefit from being immersed in and exposed to the seasons. Perhaps it is change itself that makes us more attuned to the rhythms of life. The animals have no choice but to follow their instincts, but unlike an animal I can throw on warm clothes that will protect me from the elements. A cold wind against my face gives me a better appreciation of the sun’s warmth. Exposure to whites, blacks and greys heightens an admiration for blues and greens. Ultimately it may be better to embrace change rather than succumb to a nagging desire to escape from it.

Winter can present some wonderful opportunities if one learns how to accept it—the thrill of watching snowflakes the size of silver dollars drifting slowly down from the heavens, the stark beauty of a bare branch against a vacant sky, a comforting bottle or two of red wine with a meal on a blustery Sunday afternoon, a hearty stout on a cold night, a bone-warming Belgian…

Aging gracefully with Michigan whiskey

By Tim Chilcote

A version this post first appeared Thursday, April 7th, 2011 on The Great Lakes Guru. Tim was good enough to lend it to us so that we might begin remedying the problem of our embarrassing lack of spirit coverage. Thanks Tim!

Cheers to growing up and growing old with Michigan whiskey. New Holland Brewing was one of the first Michigan microbreweries I came to love. Then just when I was ready to test the waters of Michigan’s burgeoning distilling industry, lo and behold, New Holland Artisan Spirits was right there with Zeppelin Bend, a straight-malt whiskey.

Zeppelin Bend, as New Holland explains, “begins with a brewer’s mash coaxing sugars from malted barley into a liquid wash. This wash is twice distilled and aged in new American oak with a heavy char...” for a “... classic American-oak finish.” The whiskey has no age statement, though my guess is that it’s quite young.

I purchased bottle number 112 of 360, from barrel number 7.8. At Siciliano's, the 375ml bottle costs right around $35—the fifth is $65 even—so I’m not likely to make Zeppelin Bend a staple of my liquor cabinet—yet. Zeppelin Bend is well worth it for the novelty or for a Michigan-themed tasting, or simply to nurture the young industry.

Here’s what this whiskey novice thought:

Color: Pale copper, with hints of red almost like a summer sunset.

Nose: Sweet vanilla, faint pine and juniper, and a little bit of oak. There’s also an intimidating alcohol smell.

Palate: Thankfully, the strong alcohol smell dims into a subtle flavor of vanilla, syrup, and oak. Sharp.

Finish: Licorice and mint, and a maple syrup flavor that is light, sweet, and surprisingly refreshing.

Overall: A nice starting point for Michigan whiskey. Zeppelin Bend is a bit “boozy” but not nearly as violent as your nostrils tell you. Good for a rainy fall afternoon spent on a covered porch.

With age, we all learn to relax.

New Beer Friday - September 9 Edition

Considering the large number of new beers arriving in-store in recent weeks, it's no surprise that we'd eventually see a week where relatively few new labels hit the shelves. Such is the case with this edition of New Beer Friday. No matter. There's plenty of other exciting things happening these days at Siciliano's. For instance...

• Voting has begun in the first-ever Siciliano's DIY Kegerator Contest. We're already very pleased with voter turnout, but if you haven't locked in your vote, be sure to visit this page to read all about the finalists. Winners will be announced on next week's edition of New Beer Friday (September 16). You can only vote once, so choose your favorite kegerator wisely!
• Speaking of next week (Sept 12-18), you know it's our big sale week, right? There's no better time to pull the trigger on that mash tun you've been eying.
• Speaking of mash tuns, the next/first time yours is full, and you and your buds are standing around it, admiring the glory within, you should take a picture of the scene and and post it on Siciliano's Facebook page. Who knows, you might just see it re-featured on the next edition of New Beer Friday (no guarantees).

New (and Returning) Beers

• Thirsty Dog Barktoberfest, $1.99/12oz - Thirsty Dog Brewing offers up this very pragmatic description of their autumn seasonal: "A traditional old world German Oktoberfest made with German grains, yeast and hops" (source). We always appreciate the "just the facts, ma'am" approach, but here's a couple of good reviews (here and here) to shed a little more light on the merits of this beer. A word of caution for you office folk: the second link is to a YouTube video; you might want to turn the sound down so your boss can't hear.
• Ayinger Oktoberfest, $3.79/550ml - One of the most anticipated of all Oktoberfest beers, it boasts a B+ (very good) rating at Beer Advocate, and a score of 96 at Ratebeer. An excellent addition to any seasonally themed six pack.
• Vander Mill Cider Masala, $11.49/750ml - "This cider was specially made for an English/Indian restaurant and bar in Grand Rapids, MI. Using a local spice merchant, we decided on a blend of Chai black tea spices and whole cut vanilla beans to create [this cider]." Our guess is that the bar in question is Graydon's Crossing. Can anybody confirm our theory?
• Vander Mill Apple Raspberry Cider, $11.49/750ml - Michigan apples. Michigan raspberries. Michigan deliciousness.

Picture of the Week

Still Life with Russ

This week's featured pic comes from longtime customers/friends Russ and Karin Chudy, who spent their Labor Day Weekend camping in an old apple orchard near Empire, MI. Pictured next to Russ are the self-same hops so many of us have lately driven by while exploring the back-country near Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan. Man. Just think of all the beer you could make.

Siciliano's Kegerator Contest - Vote Now!

Update: Voting is now closed. Okay, folks, here's how to vote. First, study the five kegerators below. Second, choose the one you feel is the most creative, best designed, and most technically impressive. Third, vote for your favorite by clicking the corresponding bubble in the Buzz poll located in the upper right-hand corner of this blog. Fourth, celebrate your vote by drinking a tasty homebrew. Fifth, continue the celebration. Remember, voting closes Friday, September 16, at 12pm sharp. Good luck to all finalists!

Kegerator #1
David Butler's Chest Freezer

Greetings, I am submitting my entry for your DIY Kegerator Contest. I got my inspiration from my friend and brew mentor Eric Mis. I started with a 20 cubic foot freezer and purchased a Johnson Digital Thermostat Control #A419. I took the cover off of the freezer, glued 2x4’s down on top of the freezer and put the cover back on. I caulked both inside and outside the 2x4’s to save energy. I received a lot of technical assistance from Siciliano’s as well as various parts and pieces and several kegs.

My mother-in-law also gave me several kegs and the CO2 cylinder. I purchased a twin body CO2 regulator and 2 four valve distributors, this way I can regulate two pressures and have a keg charged and ready to go if needed. I had the luxury of building a new house and the ability to set up my home bar. I have two towers, each with three taps mounted on the bar. The tubing runs from the Kegerator in the mechanical room to the taps, about 4’. I have a 19” recessed drain tray that is connected to a floor drain.

Currently on tap I have four of my home brews (watermelon ale, mocha-java porter, very berry ale, Belgian triple with vanilla bean), two kegs of hard cider (Blueberry and Cherry) from Vander Mill that I alternate depending on my wife’s taste. I subscribe to the happy wife happy life theory. I also have a keg of Berghoff’s root beer, family and friends love the old A & W style root beer floats (you have to keep lots of vanilla ice cream on hand). I have been a “kit” brewer but with the help of my mentor I am going to move up to whole grain.

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Kegerator #2 

Jackson Payer's 1952 Philco Kegerator

Built on the same premises as the ale it was designed to contain, my kegerator is not about size, production, or mass consumption. It proudly stands for the principles for quality, passion, craft, beauty and hard work.

Touting two Perlick Perl faucets, CO2 manifold, and a custom stainless steel drip tray; my kegerator project did not always have such high aspirations. The spring of 2008 I had decided to start brewing all grain batches and kegging, no more bottling for me. But with a total budget of around $160.00, I was looking for a cheap fridge and minimal setup. I picked up a ‘vintage’ GE fridge on Craigslist for a mere $15.00. Shortly thereafter my buddy acquired a small Philco refrigerator, which I soon convinced him to part with. Having the same internal dimensions as the large GE, but much smaller external dimensions, it had potential for a great kegerator.

Since winter was fast approaching, the Philco sat till the spring of 2009 before the start of its restoration journey. In the meantime the GE fridge took on its current role of cellaring homebrew and countless ales from Siciliano’s.

When spring arrived, I dismantled the fridge and started sanding. The chrome was sent off to George Iverson, an automotive trim restoration specialist in Minnesota. Tired of the way typical drip trays looked with their crooked drains, exposed screws, and non-conforming shape, I set off to design my own. With a curve to match the shape of the fridge, an internal drain, hidden studs and bullnose corners, it’s one of a kind. It has an internal sprayer to rinse the tray clean on each use. The refrigerator was completely restored from the ground up with all original parts, and high R-Value insulation. I settled on a 1956 Chevy color scheme of Adobe White and Sierra Gold. The summer of 2010 my buddy Russ over at Kenowa Body Shop painted it up for me.

The only thing left was to top it off with homebrew, which I did for the first time this spring. I eventually intend to create some custom chrome tap handles, but in the meantime my homebrewed, all-grain IPA tastes just fine on tap.

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Kegerator #3

Joe Burdick's Port-O-Party

I had just completed my converted freezer kegerator and I wanted an easier way to bring my libation creations to the masses (family, friends, neighbors, etc.). Bottling became a pain in the ass and it was difficult to ask my hosts to clear out half their family fridge for a keg and CO2 tank for the evening. Upon much online research, the “Port-O-Party” idea started to form. I wanted something portable, flexible (i.e. more than one tap), and relatively easy to build and set up. I looked at other “trash can” set-ups and also jockey boxes, but this general design I found while browsing the HomeBrewTalk forums.

I especially liked the idea of having a smaller portable CO2 dispensing system and not having to buy a new 5lb tank or keep switching mine out. That was going to be the deal breaker for me. So I set out online to purchase a portable CO2 “system” at a good price. I finally found a JacPac CO2 regulator kit for a pneumatic nail gun that used a 9oz canister on eBay. And as it turned out the seller was local here in GR.

Now came time to assemble the apparatus. Three 5gal corny kegs fit very snugly in the can so I knew that 3 taps would be the limit. I also wanted to make it family friendly, a selling point to my wife and kids, so one of the taps was going to be for soda. I drilled the holes for the taps and decided that a facing would help stabilize the shanks, so I found an old cabinet facing from our kitchen and used that. To insulate the can I wrapped 1/4inch foam insulation in plastic and cut to fit the inside area. The tubing and ball locks came next. I used a stainless cross to distribute the CO2 to all three kegs and used a piece of PVC pipe to hold the CO2 canister and balance the regulator.

After getting the canister filled at a paintball facility I was ready to roll. Now I needed something to display what was in each tap. I usually make up some kind of label just for kicks for each beer so I decided to use baseball card sleeves attached to the lid with Velcro tape. This way I can easily slip the label in for each new creation. The maiden voyage of the “Port-O-Party” was a tremendous success with a Friday evening neighborhood happy hour. I next decided that I needed a drip tray so I added that. It is attached to brackets by Velcro tape so it is easily removed for cleaning. I chose to decorate the can with all the different labels I have created in a “ring of fame” around the top. I am thrilled with how this turned out and plan to use it as often as I “can.”

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Kegerator #4

Josh Chilcote & Ryan Hanna's Converted Chest Freezer

A winter project that my friend and brewing partner undertook to better show case our hard work. We rescued a small chest freezer from and friends garage and quickly began research on how to construct the kegerator. We removed the lid and a made a collar out of 2X8's and then we use a 1X12 to create an over hang around the perimeter of the 2X8 collar. We then put tape foam insulation on both the chest freezer and the collar. Thus began the search for a manifold, taps, shanks, tubing, and thermostat overrides. We also included a small computer fan and an indoor/outdoor thermometer to monitor and even out the temperature in the kegerator. The entire collar is removable to allow for adding and removing half barrel sanke kegs and for ease of cleaning. The 2x8 collar also allows for the soda kegs to stand comfortably on the ledge inside the freezer, because of this we were able to fit six soda kegs and one half barrel sanke keg totaling about 45 gallons and 7 different beers being available! There is currently 4 taps on the collar now with plans to add 2 more since there is a six spot manifold. There is also a quick disconnect for the CO2 line.

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Kegerator #5

Jason Locascio's 1948 Leonard Refrigerator

Here are a few pics of my vintage kegerator. I made this myself using a 1948 Leonard refrigerator that was made right here in Grand Rapids! Hope you like it!

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Siciliano's DIY Kegerator Contest - The Finalists

Thanks to everyone who entered Siciliano's "Did It Yourself" Kegerator Contest. Let's just say, there were a lot of great entries; narrowing it down to just five was no easy task! But here they are, in no particular order, the finalists:

• David Butler
• Jackson Payer
• Jason Locascio
• Ryan Hanna & Josh Chilote
• Joe Burdick

Special thanks to our honorable mentions:

• Drew Zimmerman
• Elliot Zinderman
• Greg Masck
• Phat Phux Brew Club
• Sean & Laura Miller
• Todd Huizingh
• Matt DeVries

Voting will begin this Thursday (9/8) at 12pm sharp, at which time the five finalists' kegerator pictures & descriptions will be posted right here on The Buzz. Voting will continue for one week, ending next Friday (9/16), again at 12pm sharp. Winners will be announced on the September 16th Edition of New Beer Friday.

First- and second-place winners may collect their awards ($50 & $20 gift cards, respectively) from Siciliano's anytime starting Saturday, September 17. All contestants and voters are encouraged to stop in that same day to take advantage of the excellent sale prices offered during Siciliano's Annual Customer Appreciation Week.

Please direct all questions regarding voting and/or finalist selection to Kati Spayde. And remember, voting starts tomorrow!

Even in heaven they got the blues

In which the holiest--and most crotchety--of all Buzz contributors upends further mistruths about his kind (angels), but first accuses The Buzz managing editor of being a 'tyrant with a god complex'. Yup, it's a pretty standard Tuesday around here.

Yogi

By Sagnessagiel

Lately the esteemed editor of The Buzz, a person who I have the upmost respect for despite our frequent spats over syntax, grammar and punctuation, someone who, I’m sure, is very nice outside the office and who, I’m willing to admit, I might have wrongly accused of being a tyrant with a god complex, has been demanding that I provide some details as to what we typical, rank and file, overworked and underappreciated worker bee angels look like. The editor feels that since I had no qualms about busting his eighty-year-old grandmother’s belief that angels have wings, that I should be equally unhesitant to let it be known that I and the vast majority of my compadres bear no resemblance to strapping young men with broad shoulders and flowing manes of curly golden hair. 

If it makes him happy, I have no problem admitting that I wish I had a case of Two Hearted for every time I was told that I’m the spitting image of Yogi Berra, that my buddy Cameal bears an uncanny resemblance to Don Mossi and that Manakel is a carbon copy of Gates Brown. I could give more examples but I think you get the picture. Obviously back when the Old Man was designing His angelic legions, he didn’t feel that we common angels, the ones who get dirty in the trenches, the ones who draw all the crummy assignments and who tirelessly perform their duties without ever getting so much as an atta-boy or a thank you, needed to be blessed with good looks. The archangels on the other hand…well, I’m sure you‘ve seen those shirtless, taut-muscled, dreamy young lads with bedroom eyes and pouting lips who grace the pages of Calvin Klein magazine advertisements. 

I realize I’m being a bit snarky but I just got back from music practice where I was again berated in front of the entire choir for my “lack of enthusiasm” and for my “ghastly, stone-fingered” harp playing. While I’ve never been a virtuoso on the concert harp, (it’s hard to hit the right notes when you have fingers the size and general thickness of sausages), my inherent honesty forces me to admit that my enthusiasm for playing that horrid instrument has indeed been on the wane ever since Sonny Boy Williamson began teaching me how to play the blues harp.

I ran into Sonny Boy quite by accident. I was on my way to get some pointers from Mozart when I took a wrong turn and instead of arriving in the eighth hall of the twelfth heaven, the residence of the classical composers, I ended up in eighth/thirteenth, the section of heaven where all the great blues and jazz legends are spending eternity. The eighth/thirteenth is unlike any other section of heaven. It might best be described as a cross between the World Showcase section of Disney World and a Hollywood back lot. One minute you’re walking down an exact replica of Beal Street in Memphis and the next you’re hanging out with Charlie Parker on a street corner in Old Chicago. There’s even a reconstruction of the famous crossroads of Routes 61 and 49, the place where, legend has it, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the ability to play the blues. (Robert plays in a juke joint up here every third Sunday so that’s another myth can finally be put to rest. Hopefully the editor’s grandmother won’t have an issue with that.)

Lately I’ve been going to the eighth/thirteenth whenever my ungodly busy schedule permits and I’ve been fortunate to have met and jammed with a number of the great ones. When I’m blowing hot on that blues harp I forget all about my cares and woes. My problems with editors and music instructors magically disappear, and I couldn’t care less that I look more like a Notre Dame gargoyle than a Reuben’s cherub, or that the Old Man rarely calls me by the right name.

Come to think of it I think it would probably do me a world of good right now if I pulled that harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna.

Play the blues, Sagnessagiel. Play the blues.

New Beer Friday - September 2 Edition

From Michigan's Little Bavaria

It's Labor Day Weekend, folks, the official close of summer. We at Siciliano's hope you had a good one, and we hope too that you're looking forward to fall just as much as we are. Wine and cider season is just around the corner, and every brewer knows that the best days to brew outside are those wonderful, mild Saturdays in September & October. Orange leaves against a bright blue sky, the sweet smell of malt in the air, the gentle whir of your brand new 72,000-BTU Blichmann Top Tier Burner, purchased for a song at Siciliano's Annual Homebrew Sale--what could be more pleasing? To help get you into the autumnal spirit, here's a list of this week's new arrivals. Enjoy!

New (and Returning) Beers

• Short's Autumn Ale, $1.99/12oz - "This beer exhibits a wonderful balance of initial malty sweetness with subtle lingering floral hop bitterness, resulting in an ideal bridge between malty and hoppy beer styles. It is a silver medal winner at the 2006 GABF" (source).
• Frankenmuth Oktoberfest, $1.79/12oz - "An authentic German Oktoberfest beer. Its trademarked copper color is achieved by 4 different malts thus giving it its barley flavor. Adding German noble hops brews the perfect balance and tops with a nice finish" (source). Apparently colors are trademarkable. I call ochre!
• Shiner Oktoberfest, $1.49/12oz - "Made with the highest quality Two-Row Barley, Munich and Caramel malts, along with German-grown Hallertau Tradition and Hersbrucker hops. Best when served with meaty dishes like sausage and roasted chicken, fresh, creamy cheeses, pasta with white sauces and seafood" (source).
• Schmohz Octoberfest, $1.69/12oz - "Dark ale brewed for harvest festivals from dark wheat and pilsner malts. Lightly hopped and left sweet but never too sweet. Just in time for the fall colors" (source).
• Southern Tier Harvest Ale, $1.69/12oz - Tell me this doesn't sound good: "We usher in the fall with a classic English style Extra Special Bitter of the highest order. Deep ruby in color with an even deeper hop flavor… in fact, we throw fresh English hops into every brewing vessel, then dry hop after fermentation to impart a zesty kick. This beer has real hop character that mingles with fresh malted barley for an experience that will make you wish it were fall year ‘round" (source).
• Shipyard Pumpkinhead, $1.79/12oz - A pumpkin beer from Maine. We're waiting on them to come up with a Lobster beer. That's right. Lobster.
• Michigan Brewing Company Screamin' Pumpkin, $1.89/12oz - One of the highest rated pumpkin beers you're going to find this season. A solid offering from MBC.
• Bells Oracle DIPA, $2.99/12oz - A case arrived today unexpectedly. Even with a 2-bottle limit, it won't last long. Better get here quick!

Pic of the Week

Amarillo Gold, Brewery Vivant

Have a safe & happy holiday, everyone!