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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Brouwerij de Isser, Enter the Tiger



This beer was probably most impulsive to date.  After reading about Georges Clemenceau, I was quickly motivated to both grow a mustache and brew this beer.  To tell the truth, I'm not really a fan of Saisons, so perhaps I shouldn't be making them.  However, this beer was such a perfect fit for the moment that I felt like it was a match made in heaven.  Here's the recipe:

Grain Bill
1lb Cara-Munich 15

6.6 lbs light liquid malt extract
1 lb light dry malt extract

Hopping
60 min - 1.5oz Hallertau
15 min - 1 lb light Belgian Candi Sugar
10 min - .5oz Hallertau
10 min - 1 whirfloc tablet
5 min - .5oz Styrian Golding
0 min - 2oz crystallized ginger

WLP568 Belgian Saison yeast




This the crystalized ginger.



First time using Belgian Candi Syrup.





As you can see the mustache was in full effect and a very important part of making this beer.





Mustaches make your funny faces look even that much funnier.

Cleanup is always the worst part.

Pitching the yeast.



Enter the Tiger momentarily sits beside Cossack's Wisecrack.  The only photo of these two great powers taken together.

Process went pretty smoothly on this one, the only problem I encountered you can see below.  About a month in I started noticing these little circles forming on the top of the beer.  At first I was convinced it was mold, however, after doing some research and examining the closely, I discovered that they were simply tiny bubbles packed tightly together on the surface of the beer.


I have to say, reviews have been possibly my best beer to date.  Ironic, given that this really isn't my style of beer.  Once again I did have some trouble with carbonation, however, instead of being too flat, each bottle seems to explode upon opening.


Finally, here's the label and the beer.
The taste on these is fairly traditional Saison.  The ginger bites through with just a hint to give the beer some spice and uniqueness.