BOTL Info

BOTL is a club that was founded as a means for our members to educate themselves and others about brewing beer, ciders and meads. We are all in this hobby as like minded individuals that have a thirst for knowledge and an appetite for an enjoyable time. Most of us are from Holland, MI and the surrounding communities.
We are accepting new members at this time.
For more information about our fine organization please email us at brewersonthelake@gmail.com


Styles of each month:
January - Cider, Meads, Barleywine and Strong Ales
February - Belgian & French Ales, Lambics and funky stuff
March - English Ales, Milds and Scottish Ales
April -Alts, Kolsch, Hybrids and Lagers
May - Pale Ale, IPA and Ryes
## BREAK ##
September - Wheat, Weizens and Fest Beers
October - Ambers, Reds, Pumpkin and Spiced Ales
November – Browns, Porters and Stouts
December - Xmas Party Potluck. Your best beers.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Spruce Tips Are Poppin Out!

 It's that time of year again when the spruce tips pop out from the ends of the branches, so make a spruce tip beer.
Spruce tips have been used in the brewing process for hundreds of years. In fact, they were one of the main additions in beer before people learned about brewing with hops! Spruce tips add a fresh, bright aroma. The fresh, tender tips have a mellow pine scent and a crisp flavor.

 Alcoholic spruce beer was common in the colonial United States and eastern Canada. The Daily Order for the Highland Regiment in North America (early to mid 1800’s) stipulated that: "Spruce beer is to be brewed for the health and conveniency of the troops which will be served at prime cost. Each gallon will cost nearly three coppers."
 Harvest some tips soon and give this recipe a try or experiment on your own. Spruce tips work nicely with ambers and browns also. Cheers!

Spruce Tip Pale Ale
(5 Gallons)
8 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
1 lb Munich Malt – 10L (Great Western)
.50 lb Carapils
2 lb Caramel / Crystal Malt – 60L
1 oz New Zealand Hallertauer (8.5% - 60 minutes)
.50 oz Cascade (8.6% - 20 minutes)
4 to 8 oz Spruce Tips (15 minutes - less for subtle flavor, more for strong flavor)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 minutes)
1 oz New Zealand Hallertauer (8.5% - 5 minutes)
American Ale Yeast
 Mash crushed grains at 152 degrees for one hour. Bring to a boil and start hop additions. Cool wort in a fermenter and pitch yeast. Rack to secondary after primary fermentation has slowed (usually 3-5 days). Condition in secondary for two weeks before bottling or kegging.



Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Grand Rapids Wins Beer City Title Outright!

 Again Grand Rapids wins the Beer City title with 27,005 votes!  Kalamazoo was a distant second with 11,150 votes and Asheville NC, last years co-winner, received 10,075.
 Thank you for voting, now have a beer.