Time Released Brilliance » beer

Octobeer Fest Begins 10-4-09!!

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:46:25 +0000

Daily this will start with a beer reception from 630-7:15

Dinner starts at 7:30 in David Burkes Primehouse

4 course meal/reception costs $55 per person plus tax and gratuity

Purchase 8 courses (2 separate dinners) for $95

Purchase all 16 courses (all 4 seperate dinners) $175

cal 312-660-6000 for reservations

Chef Ricks Homebrew Dinner

October 4, 2009

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Belgian Blond…snow white head, gold color, spice, malt hops & orange essence

Stoned Wheat…seedling farm peach infused wheat beer, zesty aroma

Dinner

Beet Cured Sturgeon

grilled brioche, butter whipped brie & spiced bacon mustard

Working Man Champagne…whipped cream head, golden body, toasted bread aroma, malt, fruits & spicy hops

Shrimp & Chorizo Cake

charred corn & roasted sweet pepper vinaigrette

I-PAC (India Pale Ale With Chamomile)…malt, toffee, caramel apples and floral hops that finish with chamomile

40 Day Dry Aged Slow Roasted Prime Rib

caramelized onion gratin & grilled lobster mushrooms

2 Wood Ale…reddish brown color, sweet aroma, caramel, toasted malt & velvety mouth feel,

started with birch syrup & finished with african mahogany

Sticky Toffee Pudding

chicory creme brulee & chocolate coffee caramel

Mr. Peabody Porter…rich, full bodied, bittersweet, chocolate & coffee

Two Brothers Brewing Beer Dinner

October 5, 2009

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Cane and Ebel…unique red rye beer, full of hop flavor and aroma. 70 pounds of Thai palm sugar is added to each batch which attributes a vanilla-like flavor. A new hop variety call Summit is really showcased in this beer.

Dinner

Seafood Trio

Lump Crab Cake… roasted jalepeno relish

Fried Oysters… homemade pancetta vinaigrette

Chilled Lobster Taco… grilled onions, watercress, lemon crema

Ebel’s Weiss…traditional German Hefeweizen that is naturally unfiltered. It has wonderful malt sweetness and a soft aroma of clove, vanilla, and banana

Blackened Benton Bacon Raviolis

roasted pumpkin, toasted almonds & tuscan kale
Heavy Handed IPA…fall seasonal brewed with freshly harvested hops. Since these “wet hops” have not been dried before use, they add a wonderful character found in no other beer.

Coffee & Spice Crusted Dry 35 Day Dry Aged Sirloin

potato and onion gratin, fait gras, haricot vert

Red Eye Baltic Porter …starts with a 9.3% ABV Imperial Baltic porter recipe that can easily stand on its own. Then we loaded it up with 100% organic, fair trade coffee beans that were roasted about 3 miles from the brewery. The result is a wonderfully rich chocolate and coffee aroma, with nice coffee and black malt flavor, and a soft clean finish

Apple Tarte Tatin

salted caramel ice cream, caramelized puff pastry

Avalon…A spiced ale brewed with pressed apples grown right here in Illinois. The apples and a special blend of mulling spices are introduced into the mashing process. Champagne yeast is then used to create a highly carbonated beer with fruity undertones and a clean, crisp finish

New Holland Beer Dinner

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Golden Cap…saison soft, golden beer with a subtle peppery fermentation profile.

Dinner

Spicy Salmon Gravlox

preserved bok choy, smoked potato pancake, citrus crème fraiche

Mad Hatter…india pale ale that is well balanced beer in terms of aromatics, bitterness and malty-sweetness.

18 Day Dry Aged Tenderloin Medallions

heirloom tomatoes & roasted garlic risotto with black pepper malt syrup

Sundog…classic representation of amber ale’s feature of caramel malt (barley.)

Braised Benton Bacon

celery root puree, grilled onions, mushroom wontons

Charkoota Rye…smoke-forward body is balanced with tones of deep molasses and caramel, with a crisp, clean lager finish.

Gorgonzola cheesecake

balsamic concord grape jam

Dragon’s Milk…Oak-aged Strong Ale/stout: Bourbon barrels lend their help to this deliciously balanced beer. Oak, bourbon, vanilla, roast, chocolate and coffee tones lurk beneath the surface. Extremely versatile, it can lend an earthy complement for mushrooms, beef, or balsamic, and it can also be a hearty counter to big, rich flavors like bleu cheese.

Goose Island Beer Dinner

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Sofie…belgian style ale featuring citrus peal, vanilla, tart and dry

Dinner

Baked Lobster & Chestnuts

shallot confit & 3 sisters coarse cornmeal, roasted corn

Matilda…belgian style ale with a slightly fruity aroma, spicy yeast flavor

Chicken Liver and Crispy Rabbit Ears

cavetelli pasta, poached egg, manchego cheese

Juliet…belgian style ale fermented with wild yeasts and blackberries

Braised Dietzler Farm Beef Shank

parsnip puree, curry, haricot vert & red wine celery slaw

Pere Jacques…fruity malty ale, complex flavor

Cherry Bread Pudding

bourbon walnut caramel, vanilla bean ice cream

Imperial Brown Goose…strong bourbon barrel aged ale, this ale is rich and full flavored with

notes of wood, vanilla, and raisin

OctoBeer Fest 4-7, 2009 at David Burke Primehouse

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:55:17 +0000

There is no denying I love beer, so its only natural to celebrate my passion of brewing beer, drinking beer and cooking with all of you. I will kick off OctoBeer Fest at David Burke Primehouse with a homebrew dinner. I know other chefs have helped “make” a beer for a dinner, but I truely have brewed every beer featured at my homebrew dinner. I think that this unique approach of making not only the food but also the beverages will make for a remarkable dinner. The following three days I leave the brewing to the pros and I’ll stay in the kitchen.

Daily beer reception from 630-7:15 pm

Dinner starts at 7:30 pm

4 course meal costs 55 per person plus tax and gratuity Purchase 2 separate dinners for $95 or Purchase all 16 courses (all four seperate dinners) $175

Sunday October 4

Chef Ricks Homebrew Dinner

Reception Beers

Belgian Blond

snow white head, gold color, spice, malt hops & orange essence

Stoned Wheat

seedling farm peach infused wheat beer, zesty aroma

Dinner Beers

Working Man Champagne

whipped cream head, golden body, toasted bread aroma, malt, fruits & spicy hops

I-PAC (India Pale Ale With Chamomile)

malt, toffee, caramel apples and floral hops that finish with chamomile

2 Wood Ale

reddish brown color, sweet aroma, caramel, toasted malt & velvety mouth feel,

started with birch syrup & finished with african mahogany

Mr. Peabody Porter

rich, full bodied, bittersweet, chocolate & coffee

Monday October 5

Two Brothers, Warrenville, Illinois

http://www.twobrosbrew.com/

Tuesday October 6

New Holland Brewery, Holland Michigan

http://www.newhollandbrew.com/

Wednesday October 7

Goose Island, Chicago, Illinois

http://www.gooseisland.com/

Home Brew 101

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:17:34 +0000

I love to brew beer, it’s one of my hobbies that is relaxing and has so many tasty rewards!! There are a few ways to brew – extract partial mash or all grain. I brew mostly all grain, there rarely is a reason for me to use an extract unless I’m making a starter for my yeast, or I want to awaken something in second fermentation, plus all grain is wwwwaaaayyyyyyy cheaper! What’s that, really tasty cheap beer; does such a fabulous thing exist? Yep it’s called homebrew.

Beer is made from 4 basic things grains, water, hops and yeast. The grains have been malted in order to extract the proper sugars and starches needed to brew. This is not the barley found on the shelf of the grocery store! Remember like anything in life; the better the quality ingredients the better your final product will come out! I’m lucky to have a top notch home brew supply store so close to my home and the guys that run Perfect Brewing Supply in Libertyville, Illinois always help point me in the right direction. I think that sometimes they wonder where I come up with my crazy beer ideas, hey I’m a chef!! That translates into crazy, rule breaking, tell me I can’t do that and I will prove you wrong 10 times over. Who makes rhubarb Belgian wit, or angry ale with a blend of yeasts strains that probably shouldn’t go together? Yep that’s me and that’s what home brewers do, we help invent the next great batch of beer!

The basic idea of beer is that you steep grains at certain temperatures for extended periods of time like a tea, drain the liquid off and reduce it to a specified amount along with items to clarify and flavor the ”wort” as it is referred to at this stage in beer making. As you see in the picture the grain is just resting in the liquid, which is drained off and boiled with various flavorings etc…

Boiling the wort with hops and any adjuncts.

The wort just before straining and cooling to 70 degrees in less than 20 minutes.

Before I add the yeast it’s important to boost the oxygen in the wort. Shaking the beer for 3 minutes will only achieve 8 parts per million, but who wants to shake 5 gallons of liquid for 3 minutes, not me! If I use my oxygen tank, stone diffuser and some tubing I infuse 15 parts per million in about 45 seconds.

On the left a package of unactivitaed yeast, the packet on the right is ready to go.

Here the wort/yeast mixture has been sealed, fitted with an airlock so co2 escapes and no oxygen can enter. The wort sits for 5-7 days in temperatures generally between 45-75 degrees where it ferments and becomes beer. After this first fermentation I have the option to put it into second fermentation & add more flavorings or depending on the type of beer bottle or keg immediately.

More to come on second fermentation, bottle or keg conditioning, happy brewing!