I almost always get a little sumpin' sumpin' to try on a brew day. In this case it is a Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye ale. Purty darn good if I say so myself. Lotsa hops and a spicy rye flavor. Not a BW even though it weighs in at 8 ABV.

Any new or tasty brews tonight?

I was going to get some Ommegang Abbey but I couldn't spring for a whole case. Sniffle, sniffle.

They make you buy a whole case of 750ml?! You have to order it in? Too bad...

Whole case. Can't mail order beer in PA.

Well no wonder. Hell, you can brew probably 5 great batches at least for the price of a case.

Nothing new tonight, but the last few weeks I've been sipping on the occasional Rodenbach and Rodenbach Grand Cru and I must say that they're very addictive and very interesting beers.

FWIW I've found most of the Ommegang beers I've tried to be a bit fat/underattenuated, or at least that's what I think it is. They're tasty, but completely lack the drinkability I got from the other Belgians and Unibroue that I've tried. But, the Three Philosophers and Abbey did have dark fruits in spades, which was pretty interesting to me.

hop rod rye is very good. kinda reminds me of denny's rye ipa ...

Hop Rod is damn close to my Rye IPA with a bit of dark malt added.

So that is what all the fuss is about! I want to make it but I can't get my hands on the CL-50. This is the yeast needed if I recall...

Just give it a few weeks, Radtek. Wyeast is coming out with the CL-50 as their Spring VSS.

Awesome (tenor) I'll be sure to get a few smacks and start up a bank.

WY2450 "Denny's Favorite" is what you need....

Denny, WY2450= CL-50 now? Do you think it will become a regular product or stay seasonal?

denny, please tell me they're not calling it "Denny's Favorite" ...

That's what I thought,, snappy. I'm certain having that on the package will sour the contents, in turn infecting the beer, and not in a good way, I might add.

You should see the advert for the stuff, it's got Denny's moon shining bright jumping to a pool of water.
It burned my eyes, I tell ya!!

N8, say it isn't so.

well, at least it's not named after a shakespeare line.

Yes, they ARE calling it Denny's Favorite...I had noting to say about it. And that's definitely NOT me in the pic on the poster!!!! That would make people go blind, as well as brewing infected beer!

here's the description ...

Wyeast 2450PC Denny?s Favorite 50
This terrific all-round yeast can be used for almost any style beer and is a mainstay of one of our local homebrewers, Mr. Denny Conn. It is unique in that it produces a big mouthfeel and helps accentuate the malt, caramel, or fruit character of a beer without being sweet or under-attenuating. A great yeast for extract brewers and for fruit beers.

Attenuation 74-76% Alc Tolerance 10%
Flocculation low Temperature Range 60-70F

... fruit beers, denny?

only if it's a wheat beer, right?

Hey, THEY said it, I didn't! I sent them my description, but their marketing guy said he'd grabbed stuff off the internet.

i'm going to use this yeast for a strawberry wheat. denny, do you have a good recipe?

Gee... That's encouraging. Shouldn't the marketing guy at least know better than that?! Probably doesn't even brew beer or drink it.

Actually, he does brew....

snappy, yeah, take a lb. of strawberries and shove 'em up yer a**

That's a good one, Denny.

Would you pitch the yeast before or after the shoving?

Before, so the strawberries make sure it stays in there.....

I think all those innocent inmates call that 'tossing a strawberry salad' . . . then again, they make wine in their toilets.

Can't wait to try the DC yeast! So, when do the royalty checks start rolling in Denny?

Yeah, that ought to be worth at least free yeast for life.

Yeah, right....I haven't even gotten any yet! N8 did, though!!!!

Really? no freebies from that, Denny? Ouch

That's because N8 is one Happenin' Dude!!

Wyeast give out freebies, yeah right, they are nothing like White Labs who is generous with the clubs. Oh wait a second, they do give out freebies, N8 just doesn't share.

Hop Rod is one of my regular favorites.

One of my new favorites is Port Brewing's Hop 15 which I just tried yesterday. It is a "San Diego IPA" (aka Double IPA) at 10% abv and loaded with delicious hops. Good stuff! I can't think of too many beers in that style that I haven't liked a lot, but Hop 15 is a standout for sure.

Mine arrived a few minutes ago. Right before my wife came in with a local rag with a story about "Happenin' People" N8....

For the record, Wyeast has donated tons of stuff, both to our club and Hop Madness.

Don't share!?!?!?!!?

How long have I had this yeast bank going??

N8 shares, that's what make him one of those "Happening People".

I am looking for coupons for free smack packs (shoot I have bought enough over the years, I should be a spokes person by now), I don't have the time (more like I don't plan in advance) or patience to step up from a tiny vial. By the way, when is someone going to post in the tips, how to make different funny faces, all I know is one?

Where's all the club stuff gone??? I have been at all the raffles and all that's been in the prizes is white labs coupons. Maybe it's just that White Labs gives away so much more and I just don't notice the one or two Wyeast coupons, actually have not seen one so not sure what they look like. Denny, by the way, I have your Zeus rhizome if you want it. Mine in yours in a small pot with potting soil and that way it can grow and you can plant at your leisure.

I can make a few but I'm not tellin!

Kaz, they were prizes for Iron Brewer and stuff like that, so that's why you weren't aware. Are you coming to the meeting Mon. night? If so, could you bring the rhizome?