Walter's Brewing Adventures with Jarrod S.

By Walter Martin

On March 6, 2010 I had to opportunity to observe a brewing session with ALES Club member Jarrod Schoenau, who was brewing a Pilsner style beer. Jarrod had borrowed the use of my Valley Mill the day before, and I managed to get myself invited to observe.

When I arrived Jarrod already had the mash underway in an insulated plastic bucket equipped with a false bottom purchased from Phil's. While mashing on his kitchen counter Jarrod was heating sparge water on his kitchen stove. After a set length of time he did a combination of batch sparge and sprinkle with 175^o F water while siphoning wort into his boil pot. Although Jarrod tested his runoff gravity, he ended his sparge when the correct volume was collected in the boil pot.

Jarrod siphons from his insulated mashtun during his sparge

The boil pot was then carried into his backyard and set upon a 100 BTU propane turkey fryer burner. Boil was achieved in short order and the first hop addition was made 10 minutes into the boil, Northern Brewer, if I recall correctly. The second hop addition, Hallertau, was made with 15 minutes of boil left, and the final hop addition, Hallertau again, was made just as the boil ended.

A Backyard Boil & Good Times Brewing

While waiting for the boil Jarrod emptied his spent grain into his compost and got a lot of his clean up done, making an efficient use of time. As the boil progressed Jarrod was kind enough to treat me to some beers, including a homebrewed stout of his, which exhibited wonderful body and a nice roast character, as well as some Sellout Stout. Sellout Stout is a product of Half Pints Brewing Company, for which Jarrod works as a Sales Representative. Jarrod assured me that this was one of the last bottles in Saskatchewan of that particular brew. The Sellout Stout was aged in oak whiskey barrels and exhibits roast character, but also plum and figgy notes. It is a very suitable beer to be enjoyed in a brandy snifter. Jarrod also provided samples of some Bushwakker brew, namely Harvest Wheat and Bombay IPA, which were both much appreciated as well.

Chilling the wort is accomplished by placing the boil pot in the snow

It was a very pleasant way to spend a morning, and I find it is always an enjoyable learning experience to observer others brewing.

Jarrod the homebrewer

Ale & Lager Enthusiasts of Saskatchewan (ALES)

Walter's Brewing Adventures with Jarrod S.