Brewed Musings

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A pot of Oolong Tea

Some of you may have been wondering where I have gone to these past few weeks. For anyone who knows me I am very introspective and periods of quiet are quite normal for me. And that is where I have been. Plus I have been intrigued and engulfed in reading The People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, a book that has opened my eyes and mobilized me. The following is a quote I read this morning and found it interesting enough to write it down in my journal. So interesting in my opinion that I am going to share it with you. The quote is from Archibald MacLeish on Post World War 2, the U.S., and the peace process:

“As things are now going, the peace we will make, the peace we seem to be making, will be a peace of oil, a peace of gold, a peace of shipping, a peace in brief…without moral purpose or human interest.”

Not too sure how you may view this quote being out of context of the chapter. But like I said it moved me enough to write it down. Perhaps a more moving quote should be the one that I read in a local newspaper which lead me to get Zinn’s book. It came at the very beginning of my introspective period and opened my eyes…or better yet it allowed me the strength to use the voice I have been given.

“People who seem to have no power, whether working people, people of colour, or women - once they organize and protest and create movements - have a voice no government can suppress.” - Howard Zinn

Prost!

a no longer voiceless confucian brewer

Brewed Beverage of Choice: Henry’s IPA in a polished pint glass

Thelonius where the hell have you been? It has been far too long since last we met and I was beginning to worry. Perhaps we just missed each other on the bus, you getting off at 6th and Main as I boarded one block away on 7th. Maybe you were on the 4:53 train dreaming of a new riff whilst I was late finishing my brew riff and had to catch the 5:08. Where have you been?

I have missed hanging out with all the gang. Charlie…Diz…Lester…Bud…Hell, even Mingus and his soulful unevenness. I have missed the beers at night in the bar down the street where Horace went mad on the keys and everyone in the room enjoying the madness even joining in and giving him their madness with him adding it to the mix making a big roomful of inviting madness. I miss the times watching Philly Joe beat the shit out of the drums skillfully and not once having to replace his sticks. You know I still prefer the swingin brushstrokes of Jo, but Philly has his moments. I miss sitting at the table with the gang with beers and wine and coffee listenin to Lady Day entrance the room with her version of the blues. We laughed at the squares at the corner table because they still do not get it and never will. I laugh even though I was one of those at one time and still am at other times.

So you can imagine my surprise this morning as I walk into the cafe, my favourite cafe, and see you solemnly sitting at the counter drinking a cup of joe and reading the newspaper. You looking all regal and at home with the coffee mug at your left hand - always at your left hand or at least that is how I remember it. The sight brought a tear to my eye as if I had just found my long lost brother. I wish I had a camera to capture your saintly serenity but no photo could do the image justice. Instead I stare for a bit like a child who is just about to meet his idol, Lou Gehrig, for the first time…Eyes blinking as if the sight of you, the length of the counter with empty seats while others are filled with the working men and women of the morning, the whole sight is a mirage and I am still lying in bed dreaming. After a moment of silence, I finally walk up, slap you on the back, and ask, “Thelonius, where in the hell have you been, my friend?”

Prost!

the confucian brewer

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A Pot of Green Tea and the return of the Spring Sun

The past few weeks have been chaotic to say the least, something that usually leads my mind to the far-reaches of the cosmos and returns with some ramblings of philosophy and a sense of calm. Alas, that point has not been reached yet and I am still far off in the netherworld taking notes. (Please send some trail mix and another pen.) So I thought I would keep you loyal readers busy with some notes from a conversation I had a while back, sitting with a friend over pints. I will also end it with the one and only thought I had the other day whilst chatting with a very special friend. Enjoy!

Every decision, whether conscious or unconscious, gives birth to a myriad of decisions of conscious and unconscious. Who is to say that nothing is predetermined.

I am destined to die some day. This I know to be pre-determined. All my decisions from birth til now gave rise to our meeting, yet I was not destined to find you.

Just because all things are pre-determined in the cosmos does not mean I will inherit a million dollars. The timing must be 100%. 99.98% and all is naught.

The only place destiny is found is in death.

The previous thoughts came from a conversation a friend and I had a while back about the difference in pre-determined and destiny and whether or not there is such a thing called fate. The point of our conversation was not to debate who is right or wrong, but to get us thinking on a different plane, thinking outside logic. Take it as you will…I hope it stirs something up in your mind. And I will leave you with the following:

Sometimes all it takes to start an avalanche is a whisper.

Prost!

the whispering confucian brewer

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A pot of Green Earl Grey Tea

Got up at 8:15 this morning and after a while of diddlin’ ‘round doing this and that – more of this than of that – I decided to take the dog for a walk while the sun was still shining because it will not last long in Oregon spring so I walk out my back door to see how my hops are doing and smile at one that is almost at 5 feet in height but really only out here to gauge the coolness of the air to see if I need a jacket with the response of, “Yes!” walking back in the apartment grabbing the jacket and the Timber’s Army ‘No Pity’ scarf not because of the chill in the air but because of the excitement in the air for Thursday’s opening night of standing and singing and cheering reminding me of my childlike stubbornness the other night at being reduced, well reduced is not the correct word, to a cheerleader with me pouting saying, “No I am not!” when in reality she speaks the truth and as usual gets me to see a different point of view even though I will outwardly maintain that I am a hoolie although deep down I know hoolie and cheerleader are one-in-the-same and as I am thinking this I grab the dog, the leash, and my mp3 player putting on Andrew Bird’s ‘Simple X’ and sing along because Andrew is the only one I can sing along with in somewhat the same key – O! Andrew! Only thou can make whistling sound so beautiful! – takes me back to Chicago when I saw him do a show and he had this remarkable 4-button suit that I wanted and O! Crap! I have two weddings to go to this August and need a suit because, despite my outward appearance, I do like to look good once in a while – a bit of vanity maybe – and by the time Andrew has finished his whistlin’ and the sun has gone behind the clouds, Tess and I have reached our destination of Stumptown for a spot of tea and me-time so I switch the music to American Analog Set, tie up Tess to a nice spot throwing her a treat because she likes catchin’ ‘em now and step inside the olio of the morning.

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A Pint of Cask Conditioned Stumptown Porter from Lucky Lab

Today as I was riding Tri-Met (Portland’s local PubTrans) to run some errands, I pulled out the Northwest Brewing News from my bag and started reading. I have many guilty pleasures in my life including: Surfing documentaries, Dwell magazine, and reading the Northwest and Great Lakes Brewing News from cover to cover. A thought popped, no leapt into my head while perusing good friend and fellow Timber’s armyman Abe Goldman-Armstong’s article on organic hops and the high demand for such a limited product. The thought is still in its broad jump as I sit here with a late lunch and a pint of Real Porter: With the shortage of hops in the industry, will we see the resurgence of the Mild Ale?

The Mild is one of my favourite brews because, underdog lover that I am, it is completely misunderstood and difficult to find in the hop happy Pacific Northwest. As an historian and a socialist, the Mild also draws me in because of its ties to labour and farmers. In fact, in honour of May Day, the official workingman’s holiday, I brew a Mild ale (called May Day Dark because fickle Americans do not like the term Mild) which I will put into tank this week.

If I have not educated you on the Mild before, let me give you a bit of historical background. The Mild was not originally a style of beer but a whole group of beers. In England in the 17th and 18th centuries, beer was served in two forms: Stock or “stale” and Mild. The term mild was to denote fresh or unaged. These beers were also brewed by country people to be served for their workers. Yep…It is a British Farmhouse of a sort. At least in my opinion. The Mild evolved over the centuries to adapt to public tastes so that by the 20th century we see the Mild as a brown, malty brew with lower alcohol. (It is good to note that brewers often bottle their beer as browns and serve their draught brews as milds.) It is also this beer that found favour with the miners and manual labourers in the West Midlands of England because, as David Sutula notes in his book Mild Ale, they could “quaff great quantities of the low-gravity beers after a hard day in the mine or the factory…” It was a replenisher.

Beer styles and trends are naturally dependent on supplies. Styles such as the Pilsener, the Municher, and English Pale came about partially because of the water that was used in them. The water in those cities creating a specific taste that at the time could not be replicated. We in the Pacific Northwest are hop mad as I have stated earlier because we have hops growing in our backyards…Sometimes literally. So naturally with the shortage of hops on our hands, a style such as Mild should come back from obscurity. And I am taking up the torch by challenging other brewers in the area to brew a batch. It does not have to be a classic Mild. What fun would there be in that? But make a nice, full-flavoured dark session ale. Mild has been ignored for too long! Have a pint!

Prost!

the confucian Mild Ale brewer

Brewed Beverage of Choice:  A Pint of Hopworks Seven Grain Stout
For months I have been contemplating the idea of a beer style that was uniquely Portland.  That is right!  I am advocating adding another beer style to the 140+ styles already out there.  Munich has the Municher lager.  Vienna has the Vienna lager.  Dusseldorf…the Alt.  Cologne (Koln)…the Kolsch.  My dilemma, however, is this.  Can tehre be one unique beer style that can fully complement such a diverse culture as Portland?

In Milwaukee and Chicago, two cities in which I have lived, finding a unique style is simpler because both cities still cherish their European heritages.  One would figure a good lagerr would suit them.  In fact when I go home to Milwaukee, the first beer I get is Lakefront’s Riverwest Stein which is an Amber/Vienna Style lager.

I am not insinuating that Portland does not cherish its heritage.  I am still amazed by how much the citizens love their city.  Believe me.  I am one of them.  But I am also one of the majority of modern Portlanders: a transplant.  Native Portlanders are an endangered species.  At least they are in the fact that they are not as vocal about Portland as the transplants are about where they come from.  As one would suspect, this diversity created by the transplants causes an identity crisis of sorts.  It also makes it difficult to come up with something that says, “Portland!”

As beer styles go, the Northwest Pale Ale is the most common answer I get when I pose the question to other beer geeks.  But I find this style too bland to be Portland.  Of course the Portland beer style would have to be hoppy.  After all, we live in the middle of America’s hop fields.  The Portland style would also have to be organic with all the Sustainability geeks who call Portland home.  Again…Myself included.  But organic and hoppy are all I can come up with.

Maybe the answer is to make the beer style more regional.  The Bavarians have their Weizens.  The Flanders region of Belgium have their Sour Red and Brown ales.  Brussels and the Peyottenland have the Lambic and Gueze.  Maybe the answer is to have a style that says we are from the Willamette Valley or the Columbia River Region.  That way we can include Vancouver, WA, Eugene and Salem.

Perhaps the final answer is not to create a beer style that says, Portland.  Perhaps we should just celebrate the diversity within our brewing culture.  You can walk into a brewpub or brewery within the city limits and the tap lineup is as diverse as the culture living within the same city limits.  We have brewers who are doing their own version of the Sour ales of Flanders.  Brewers who do Alts and Kolsch.  Brewers who are masterful at the ales of Britian.  So what better way to celebrate our diversity of culture with a diverse lineup of great artisinal brews.

My mind can and will chew on this for a bit longer.  If you are a geek from the area who has their own idea, send it my way or come to the Green Dragon on April Fool’s Day and we will hash it out over a pint.  Right now I have to get on my bike and finish the last leg of my commute…in the snow…

Prost!

the confucian brewer

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A Stange of Evolution Altbier

Sometimes my brain likes to take a vacation.  Writing seems to take a back seat on the ride to where ever we are headed.  And in the back seat with writing is rhythm looking all somber and bored.  But this morning on the way to work, rhythm snuck up to the front seat and provided some inspiration.  Without further ado, the gift rhythm gave me…

Hawk and geese fighting
Outside the brewery, while
Inside the mash rests.

(I sat and watched a hawk fighting with these two Canadian geese this morning.  Instantly I knew I should capture the moment…for some reason in haiku.)

After months with grey
clouds and rain reigning,
through the brewery window,
a welcome surprise:
the morning sunrise.

Distant snow peaked mountains
An afterthought.
The geese and pear blossoms:
a sign of springs arrival.
When will you appear?

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A hot cup of Yerba Mate (10 Days since giving up Coffee…)

A while back I decided to streamline the brewery operations in my little roadhouse brewery. What resulted was not a faster, more efficient way of doing things. The brewery and I felt rushed, disjointed, askew. The other morning while on the train to work I had a moment of satori, an epiphany if you will. My streamlining disrupted the natural balance of the brewery.

It may seem strange to some to think that we could have a relationship with something such as a brewery. Many of the East Asian philosophies, Confucianism included, believe that the universe is made up of a plethora of these relationships. If I am not mistaken, this natural order is called Tao. Native Americans have a similar deep relationship between the tribe and the natural world. If you care to read about their relationship pick up a copy of God is Red by Vine Deloria, Jr.

In Confucianism one must rectify these relationships. They must study them. They must respect them. It is through this knowledge and practice of benevolence, or jen, that order and balance in life is maintained. I have always found this practice intriguing and at one time hoped to use it to teach Lindy Hop.

The Lindy Hop is a form of partner swing dancing that at its finest is fun, elegant and natural. Because it is a partner dance I believe it follows these same rules of relationships. The mistake though is to believe it is just a relationship between a lead and a follow. There is also a strong relationship between the dancer and the floor, between the dancer and the music, and between the dancer and the couples around them. Any disruption of these balances can cause chaos. But, when all the balances are in complete harmony a couple doing Lindy are beautiful to watch.

When I did teach, students would ask where I learned a lot of my fundamentals and movement. I found this question humourous because a lot of my dance comes not from the study of swing dancing and swing music. Most of my skills come from playing basketball, baseball, and even bowling. Yep! Bowling! But I also used what I learned as a physics major in regards to basic fundamental principles of fluidity and the laws of motion. Little of my dance is actually the art of dancing. It is more subtle athleticism and the knowledge of the basics.

And now with my eyes re-opened to these relationships, the balance of the brewery has been restored. My day to day operations may not be quick and easy. But they are efficient and in harmony. I respect my brewery more. Thankfully, she has forgiven me for the disruption.

Prost!

the confucian brewer

Brewed Beverage of Choice: A Chalice of Blind Abbot Abbey

For your information, and perhaps you already know this if you happen to read as many beer blogs as I, but there are currently 140 beer styles according to the American Homebrewers Association and the Brewers Association. Believe it…I spent some of the day filing through ‘em all. Of course this revelation set my mind in motion. So as I was walking the White Wonder and subsequently later on as I sipped a pint watching some March Madness, I pondered the question of style.

Sometimes we in the brewing community get too caught up in style. Style serves a purpose in some respects to tell the consumer what to expect from their recently purchased pint of beer. It conveys some history behind the beer and the brewer. But in our culture here in the states we find it necessary to put things in neat little lines. The beers value is based on how close to style it is. Believe me. I am one of the many who at one time or another have stated, “Nice beer but it is not to style.”

This statement reminded me of a conversation I had a couple of weeks ago about a line up of swing bands which played here in town. Someone commented that the bands did not play traditional swing music. Nice music but it is not to style. But the important point brought up, and I cannot take credit for it, was did the musicians swing. Styles even in music can toe a thin line between decent peripheral vision and tunnel vision. Yvan de Baets says in Brew Like a Monk, “Making categories helps the human brain, but it also limits it. Descriptions don’t necessarily take into account complexity.” It is nice to have styles like Extra Strong Bitter or Swing, but there is always something underlying that a style guideline will miss.

In my opinion the underlying factor in beer styles is the brewer. One of the particular reasons I like the farmhouse styles of Northern France and Belgium, as well as Alts and Kolschs, is that while they follow a guideline to some degree they do not let that limit them. In the book Farmhouse Ales Phil Markowski says, “While style geeks insist that beers fall in line, most Belgian and French brewers prefer them to fall just outside the line, provided they taste good and are made by honest methods.” This is what I strive for when I brew up a new beer. The final product regardless of style should at least taste good and will have my own stamp on it.

It would be hypocritical of me to say I have never been one of those style geeks or the type of brewer that brewed specifically to style. Brewing to style is one of the first building blocks in brewing. It is the basics. It is that around which the beer molds itself. Ron Jeffries of Jolly Pumpkin Ales stated it best in Brew Like A Monk when he said the following:

“I brew to the taste. To the vision. Not to the guidelines. This was not always so for me. For years I followed the guidelines, trying to perfectly match any given style. Like the aspiring artist practicing year after year, painting a solitary stick of bamboo, exactingly replicating the master’s work. Only after years of painstaking perfection is the student allowed to add a leaf here, a sprig there. Such can be brewing. After years of pale ale, English versus American, porter, stout, robust, brown and the like, I began to brew differently. Asking not just how should it taste, but how I want it to taste.”

I like that quote because I have studied Chinese Brush Painting and it is just that precise. You spend days, months, years practicing the stroke to perfection. No pictures made. Just one stroke after another. I took what I learned from that experience and practiced it my brewing. Making batch after batch. Conducting one mash after another. Getting the style just right. And now I am to the point where I feel I can add my own spin on that style.

So style does serve a purpose, but too often in this culture it is blurred by competition and taken far too literal. Beers should be awarded on their own merit, a philosophy shared by my friend, Jason, co-owner of Roots Brewing who would rather have praise from customers than medals. So the next time you take a sip of a new brew, ask yourself not is this to style, but does this beer swing.

Cheers,

the confucian brewer

Local brewers take on the whole style issue 

Brewed Beverage of Choice:  Bridgeport Beer Town Brown preferably on Cask…

When I set up this blog I had hoped to remain anonymous for the sake of the people who knew me.  I did not think it necessary to have them recognized, which was in all likelihood not going to happen.  You as a reading public did not need to know who was whom in this play, so naming them by name was useless…AND it still is.  But we all knew the day would come when I would have to come out of my comfort of the shadows.  And apparently, the spirits picked the past 7 days.

But for me this is a good thing because I am all about promoting our little, local brewing community in a different light.  After the Falconer Foundation was gracious enough to award me with a scholarship, the need for anonymity was lost.  How could I honestly promote the Foundation from the confines of the shadows?  Sometimes the sidelines are a good place, but in order to play one must put up and shut up!  For those of you who may know me, shutting me up can be difficult when it comes to something I am passionate about, such as brewing, community, and music.

The reason of my departure from the shadows, and some of you may have seen it on OregonLive.com or in Saturday’s Living Section in the Oregonian, was the article written about the Falconer Memorial Brew.  In fact all day Saturday, I was approached by many people to congratulate me and basically talk.  It actually felt good to be recognized.  I usually let my work do the talking, but that can only go so far.  The shyness still shines through and my ability to take a compliment needs work, but I am trying to welcome the recognition with open brewers arms.

This does not mean I will not take time out to muse on other stuff other than beer and brewing.  Fear not, when my mind is ready to devour some philosophical or historical musing, you will be the first to read about.  It does mean that I will be using the blog more to promote events I may be at, or tell the lucky Oregonians where to get my beer.  Also, as I stated earlier, I will still refrain from using other people’s names without their consent.  At least the sun is shining on the day I emerge.

Prost!

the confucian brewer of lost anonymity

PS:  I am also planning on changing the picture at the top when I learn how to do such trivial things.