The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: beer

  • Science Behind Brewing Beer

    Science Behind Brewing Beer

    Crowded in a warmly lit apartment, I sat huddled over a great big steaming silver pot with my friends, Seamus Begley and Sam Kirby, as we waited in anticipation to brew another batch of beer.

    Since the brewing process takes a few hours, we started early in the evening. Begley had gathered the four basic ingredients: malted barley, hops, yeast and water.

    According to the the Youtube channel It’s Okay to Be Smart, the basic beer is any alcoholic beverage made from fermented cereal grains, usually preserved and flavored with hops. It was a good guide to start, but Begley and Kirby recommend reading books to master the process.

    To begin, we mixed up a batch of wheat and barley, threw it into a giant tea-bag like grain pouch and set it to steep. This is mash. We were activating enzymes in the grain, which turn the grain starches into fermentable sugars. Within a piece of grain, enzymes are proteins which, when activated, accelerate the deconstruction of starch. A starch is a complex molecule which, when divided into its component bits, becomes a sugar called glucose. The glucose will turn into alcohol later.

    beerrrrr

    The product of the steeped (not boiled) mash is a tea-like liquid called wort. Wort is essentially sugar water which will be the home and food for yeast. It also tastes delicious. We rinsed the grain sack to collect any residual glucose, drained the thing into our cooking pot and set it aside. We were left with a pot full of wort.

    Wort, immediately after rinsing the grain pouch, was not as concentrated as we would like it. Ideally a wort is super saturated with sugar, meaning there is a really high ratio of sugar to water. Concentrating the sugars will make the wort tastier and nutritious for the yeast. To achieve this concentration, boil the wort between 15 to 90 minutes. Excess water evaporates and leaves behind concentrated sugar water. Boiling also provides an essential service to the beer making process, sanitation.

    Sanitation is an essential part of brewing. The grain itself is covered in different bacteria and other yeast that eat sugar, but their byproducts taint the flavor of beer. We sanitized everything from the pots to the bottles to the stirring sticks with a chemical called Starsun, but diluted bleach works as well. Beyond that, boiling the wort kills off these other organisms. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize.

    During the boil, we add hops. If you drink beer, you’ve probably heard of hops, and if you drink IPA’s, you’ve definitely tasted hops. They’re the bitter, flowery, citrusy flavors in beer. Hops contribute to the flavor of beer, the shelf life of beer and the scent of beer. We had many options to choose from, but this particular batch of hops was grown by Begley’s grandmother.

    Next, the beer needs cooled as quickly as possible so we could add the yeast without killing them. Yeast is a critical ingredient because it is a fermenter. Fermentation is the process when yeast converts to glucose in the wort to ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas — giving the beer both its alcohol content and its carbonation. When the yeast are first added to the wort, Begley took a sample and measured its specific gravity using a hydrometer. The tool told Begley the density of sugar in the water, and how much alcohol would be created by yeast.

    The yeast and wort mixture is then poured into a sanitized fermenter or carboy. An airlock is attached to the top of the fermenter to allow CO2 to escape from the bottle. The fermenter is then stored in a dark spot where the temperature is desirable for the yeast to do its thing. We left it there for a couple of weeks before bottling.

    Once the fermentation was completely finished, we prepared to bottle. We poured the beer into a second sanitized jug, added a small amount of sugar and yeast for carbonation, and then siphoned the final beer mixture into bottles. The siphon is important because we didn’t want too much air in our beer. Finally, we crimped a sanitized cap on the bottles and let them sit for a couple more weeks.

    After that tediously long wait, we popped them open and enjoyed the sweet, sweet product of our labor. It was definitely worth it.

  • Savage Comedy with a Side of Hops

    Savage Comedy with a Side of Hops

    Savage Henry Comedy Fest fills Blondies with laughter

    Savage Henry’s 8th Annual Comedy Festival attracted 130+ comics from all over the nation to Humboldt County.

    Cher-ae Heights, Eureka and Arcata organize venues for the comedy festival and Savage Henry provides the necessities to get the laughter going and the entertainment rolling.

    This year, one of Arcata’s venues included Blondie’s Food and Drink where a dozen comedians took to the stage to test their material, hopeful of making the audience laugh.

    Peter Nellis, a resident comedian at Savage Henry, hosted for the evening and he was by no means a stranger to the comedic atmosphere.

    First up was Sydney Hupp from Chico, California. Hupp was ecstatic to kick off the Friday show as echoes of laughter followed her relatable humor. Hupp’s material centered around the perks of living in a small town and tips on not succumbing to unhealthy vices.

    After 10 minutes, Hupp thanked the audience and exited the stage, triggering another applause. The next comic to the stage was Tiffany Greyson, a comedian from Portland. Greyson joked about her past relationship dilemmas and distaste towards her son’s girlfriend.

    Challenge arose when not all scheduled comedians showed up to perform. This, however, did not prevent comedians from finishing their sets. Instead, it was an opportunity for comedians to welcome new faces into Blondie’s by including them into their material.

    James Couture pops open a bottle of champagne at the beginning of his set on Oct. 11 at Blondies in Arcata. | Photo Michael Weber

    Comedian Michael Cella endured slight heckling from audience members and patrons, with one audience member distracting Cella as he carried beers to his friends. However, Cella was quick to respond and adapt, joking of making sure to sit down and enjoy the beers. Another audience member asked Cella a question, believing the event to be an open panel, but Cella politely answered the question and reminded them to not interrupt.

    If the audience was testing Cella’s endurance, Cella was victorious and met with applause when he finished his set. After, Nellis took the stage again to give a big thanks to those in attendance and encourage others to attend the other comedy shows happening through the weekend.

    The official Savage Henry venue in Eureka kept its doors open throughout the festive weekend and hosted an additional social gathering for comedy after dark.

    “Tom Brady is not the devil. Bill Belichick is.”

    Andrew Boydston

    Bakersfield comedian Andrew Boydston told stories about his life and a set about substitute teaching quickly changed to sports and more specifically, Boydston’s distaste for the New England Patriots.

    “Tom Brady is not the devil,” Boydston said. “Bill Belichick is.”

    Boydston elaborated on his fantasy league and how Belichick impacted it. Boydston’s entertaining stories garnered positive audience reactions, with people laughing and nodding in agreement.

    “Bill Belichick said ‘screw you’ to the fans by making these trades and then he demolishes our fantasy football teams,” Boydston said. “I hate him.”

    With multiple shows happening around Humboldt County, Nellis and fellow Savage Henry members worked to make sure people enjoyed their time and most importantly, laughed.

    “It’s been busy since it started,” Nellis said. “Moving from different locations and setting up, but everyone is enjoying themselves and that’s all that matters.”

  • A labor of love

    A labor of love

    Humboldt Homebrew Festival

    Kristina Watson served a lot more than just beer at the eighth Humboldt Homebrew Festival on April 7 at the Arcata Community Center.

    Watson was one of seven brewers from Triple Junction Brewing, who were one of 69 groups and individuals who served their best homemade and unique beer, cider and kombucha recipes.

    For Watson’s first time pouring at the festival, she showcased a juniper based Sahti-Graha beer based off a Finnish recipe.

    “Sahti recipes are traditionally passed down from Scandinavian mothers to their daughters,” Watson said. “So this is kind of like a women empowerment beer.”

    Watson said the juniper she used to make this beer came from her grandmother’s tree, who passed away recently. She said being at this festival is always awesome and it’s neat to to get the opportunity to showcase beers and talk with other brewers.

    Brewer Joseph McKinzie brought three beers based off Girl Scout cookies, and he and his crew played the part. Each pourer, including McKinzie himself, was dressed as a Girl Scout at a booth titled “Camp WannaBeer.”

    The festival serves as a benefit for the North Coast Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders organization in the Humboldt area. They also work directly with the Humboldt State University EWB chapter and sometimes hire students.

    EWB’s mission is to partner with developing communities to try and improve their way of life. EWB volunteer Patrick Sullivan said the festival came about as a result of a lot engineers who are also brewers combining their passions.

    “I like to tell my friends that we are turning beer into water,” Sullivan said.

    Sullivan said he is grateful for the support of the brewers and volunteers who make the benefit possible.

    Meanwhile, brewers and attendees alike enjoy the variety found at the Humboldt Homebrew Festival. Brewer Pete Carlson said the festival showcases rare beers that you’ll never find again.

    “This is my favorite festival in the area,” Carlson said. “Period.”

    Attendees like Britney Newby and Shannon Mondor dubbed this their favorite festival respectively.

    “It is a real privilege to try a homebrewer’s labor of love,” Newby said.

    Every attendee receives a meal ticket, a tasting glass and bottle caps for voting at the door. Brewers received playing cards to vote with as well. At the festival’s close, three recipes were named Best Damn Beer, Brewer’s Choice and Best Damn Cider.

    Brewer Dave Breyer and the Oh My Goodness Rye Whiskey Brown Ale won Brewer’s Choice. Brewer Ira Salmon with a Mango Sticky Rice won Best Damn Beer and Joshua Holland and John Tremblay and their New Pilgrim Pineapple Cider won Best Damn Cider.

    You can find more information about the Humboldt Homebrew Festival at http://www.humboldthomebrewfest.com.

  • A drinking place with a crafting problem

    A drinking place with a crafting problem

    New beer, wine and craft bar Arts and Drafts opens their doors in Old Town Eureka on Feb. 17.

    An improv acoustic guitar solo and noises of lively voices filled the rooms of the E. Janssen Building in Old Town Eureka on Feb. 17.

    The once hardware store became home to Arts and Drafts, a “drinking place with a crafting problem.”

    The venue is divided into two spacious sections. Couches and large wooden tables geared with puzzles, sketchbooks and watercolor pencils surround the bar. Guests are encouraged to leave an art piece in the sketchbook, similar to a visual guest book.

    A bright mural of purple, psychedelic cats and a four-foot wine glass filled with colorful yarn make up the Kitty Corner of the room. The ambiance of the space is relaxed, open and gives the impression of a cozy living room.

    Through the bar, in a separate room, is an art workshop space filled with supplies and art-lined walls. Here, patrons can purchase pre-made DIY art projects, from paintable stone coasters to string art or bring in their own supplies to craft up while hanging out.

    Owner of Arts and Drafts, Tracy Dorgan, said she wanted her dream to come true in Old Town Eureka. After extensive searching for the best possible venue, Dorgan said she fell in love with this one.

    “When I walked into this building,” Dorgan said, “my entire vision changed and expanded.”

    The space is much bigger than her original plan, which ended up doubling Dorgan’s budget.

    The grand opening of the new bar brought a steady flow of people throughout the day.

    Greggory Allbright, Humboldt State University alumnus, high school teacher and artist, says he often enjoys drinking a cold beer while creating.

    “Sitting down and doing art is a lot harder than sitting and drinking,” Allbright said.

    Allbright is setting up for a surrealist art show at the Wine Stop and sketched at Arts and Drafts on the day of the grand opening.

    Brooks Heaslet from Maple Creek, a bartender at Arts and Drafts, said the crowd was a mixture of locals and tourists.

    For Heaslet, the art and beer bar combined two of his passions. Heaslet said he not only works the bar, but also helped build it with his father at Maple Creek Woodworks.

    “Woodwork and beer are definitely my mediums.” Heaslet said.

    The bar offers 12 different taps, including local beers, ciders, kombucha and nitro coffee, as well as an extensive wine list.

    “The only shot glasses we have are the ones you can paint,” Dorgan said.

    The small kitchen offers diverse snacks, such as cheesy jalapeno bread and local vegetarian Sushi Agogo.

    Dorgan said she worked to make the space welcoming to students.

    “You can come hang out, drink a beer and do a mini project for under $10.”

    In the back of the bar, Mark Talbert and wife Laurie of Eureka, sipped ales while weaving a burgundy string through nails in the shape of a wine glass.

    “She convinced me into it!” Talbert said. “I’m generally anti-social, but I feel totally comfortable walking and nailing nails onto a board.”

    Not only are the employees of Arts and Drafts brew buffs, they are craft connoisseurs as well.

    Amanda Anderson painted a wooden wine caddy in a deep, nut brown to demonstrate one of the crafts available for purchase at the venue.

    Anderson, a wildlife conservation major at Humboldt State University, scored a job at Arts and Drafts thanks to her experience with crafting and teaching. As a statistics tutor at HSU, she felt confident in her ability to guide creatively.

    “The goal here is to spread creativity,” Anderson said. “People are going to love this. It’s Arcata, people love their art.”

    Dorgan said that in the future, she plans to extend the working hours and the kitchen, as well as work on an option to divide the space in order to accommodate kids.

    Arts and Drafts is located on 422 1st Street in Old Town Eureka.

  • Hoppy at Hoptoberfest

    Hoppy at Hoptoberfest

    By | Juan Herrera

    Drinking beer in any setting always causes for a great time, but doing it as a fundraiser causes for an even better time.

    On Saturday, Oct. 14 the Blue Lake Foundation board put on the 17th annual Hoptoberfest where over 15 local breweries were sampling their finest beer. The event cost $35 for unlimited samples from any brewery and also $5 for underage people or designated drivers. All of the proceeds that come from Hoptoberfest go to the Blue Lake Foundation to help provide music and art programs for their schools. Live music, good company, good beer, and the smell of BBQ filled Perigot Park in Blue Lake, CA at the 17th annual Hoptoberfest.

  • I like my water with barley and hops

    I like my water with barley and hops

    HSU alums sustainable farmhouse brewery

    By Carlos Olloqui

    The tap tilts forward. Fresh alcoholic refreshment begins to flow out. Twelve ounces later, you have yourself a glass of Humboldt Regeneration’s Red Jay craft beer.

    Pressey is the owner and brewmaster of Humboldt Regeneration Brewery and Farm, a sustainable farmhouse brewery.

    Humboldt Regeneration Brewery off Central Avenue in McKinleyville, California. Follow the “Beer to Go” sign | Carlos Olloqui

    “The concept built overtime,” Pressey said. “We are one of the first breweries in the country, and the first in California, to grow and malt our own grains since prohibition.”

    The wheat and barley they grow is floor-malted on site at their brew house located at the north end of McKinleyville, California. Humboldt Regeneration Brewery and Farm also grows their own grains and hops. They produce everything from seed to sip.

    “This was something that was pretty normal in the old days,” Pressey said. “But nowadays, the reason it’s not as normal is because a lot of the agriculture industries got scaled up after the Green Revolution. Everything became really mechanized.”

    Pressey grew up in Napa one of the biggest wine counties in California.

    “I worked in the wine industry during high school,” Pressey said. “During the summer time I’d bottle. My friends family owned the winery so, after I graduated, they ask me to stay on for crush. That’s when you actually make the wine.”

    He then moved to Humboldt County to attend College of the Redwoods before he transferred to Humboldt State University.

    “I was always interested in plants and sustainable agriculture,” Pressey said. “When I got to college I knew I needed a job to pay rent, so I basically just started applying at all the breweries here.”

    Humboldt Regeneration’s Red Jay craft beer | Carlos Olloqui

    In 2001, Pressey was hired on at Eel River Brewery as an assistant brewer.

    “I pretty much just got lucky with the timing, they needed someone,” Pressey said. “I started off just doing cellar work and night brewing, but I got trained up pretty fast.”

    Pressey graduated HSU in 2010 with a degree in environmental science, focusing on soils and alternative agriculture.

    He worked at Eel River Brewery for over seven years before trying to brew his own.

    “I just wondered why aren’t there truly local breweries anymore,” Pressey said. “Why aren’t people using local ingredients?”

    That was when he realized that it was because of the malting process. In comparison to some of these other beverages such as wine or cider, beer requires an intermediate step.

    “For wines and ciders you are just growing the raw ingredient, such as the grapes or the pear and apples,” Pressey said. “With beer, your growing barley and other grapes – but you can’t just make beer out of that.”

    Pressey began to put his degree to work and Humboldt Regeneration Brewery and Farm was born.

    Upon arrival at his brew house, after you take a left at the “Beer to Go” sign off Central Avenue, you’ll notice the some of the “sustainable” aspect of the operation. A barbecue grill turned into a roaster, solar panels on the side of the building, and a malting table which he built himself.

    Jacob Pressey speaking to a customer about his newest brew | Carlos Olloqui

    “We dry farm all our grains,” Pressey said. “This means you plant in the Spring and use the Spring rains. There’s no irrigation.”

    Humboldt Regeneration Brewery has been up and running since 2012. The operation is currently a two man team that consists of Pressey and his partner Matt Kruskamp.

    “I was a customer here, I used to come around here regularly when he first opened,” Kruskamp said. “I asked him if he needed an intern, I told him he wouldn’t have to pay anything since it was through HSU.”

    Kruskamp was hired on full time after he graduated in 2014.

    “It’s great to be such a big part of this and to be able to say I contributed so much of the ideas and effort towards it,” Kruskamp said.

    You can find over 100 different house recipes being filtered through the brewery Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.. A new flavor comes out every week.

    Pressey transforms his labor into alcoholic beverages and serves it to a growing clientele. Sean von Devlin is one of the many fans of Humboldt Regeneration Brewery. He is amazed by Pressey’s passion for the product.

    “The beer is great, I used to live just across the street. It truly epitomizes the local handmade blue collar mindset,” von Devlin said. “I have spoken with Jacob only a few times and he always is excited to share his story. It amazes me to see how everything operates.”

    Humboldt Regeneration’s weekly beers on tap | Carlos Olloqui

    Humboldt Regeneration is not only Humboldt’s first locally grown beer, they also offer a community supported brewery program. This program gives community members the opportunity to purchase shares that will allow them to a free weekly growler fill-up.

    “I have a new beer come out every week, you can miss weeks and not lose your credit,” Pressey said. “We fill our growlers on a bottling machine. They are fully carbonated, just like a store-bought beer.”

    The principle is simple, sustainability.

    “Right now we are just on tap at a handful of spots in Northern Humboldt,” Pressey said. “But no distribution and no bottling, the whole concept is to reduce waste.”

    With a brewery, your main waste products are water and spent grains.

    “After you’ve extracted all your sugars and proteins from the grain you got all the wet solid grains left over,” Pressey said. “Most breweries will give that to a rancher as feed in exchange for them taking it off site.”

    Unlike other breweries, Pressey grows a mixture of bacteria and mixes his spent grain in with it. This ferments into a soil amendment.

    “There’s a similar process called Bokashi, I call it Beerkashi,” Pressey said. “We spray that [soil amendment] pretty heavy twice a year in the fields, this basically makes the soil extra healthy.”

    From seed in the field, to the malt floor, to the brewing process, and then back out to the fields, an entire lifecycle of a foamy pint of beer is what you can expect at Humboldt Regeneration Brewery and Farm.

    “In the future I hope to establish a larger brewery and have the farm all in the same location,” Pressey said. “We could give tours and have a full beer garden.”