Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

I plan to brew a Belgian Triple using only maple sap in place of all brewing water on Saturday. Not sure on timing yet. I will post more details as we get closer to Saturday. Depends on my wife getting healthy by then. She is really damn sick today and won't want a bunch of people over if she still feels like crap.

If the weather is good It may be an opportunity to have others brew too. I have a back patio by my bar under a deck with a water spigot that is where I use to brew outside on nice days. The area is about 18' x 14'. If it rains I can put up my camping tarp that covers a 15' x 15' area and can keep you dry if you want to brew. More to follow.

Interesting idea! What's the gravity of maple sap? I suppose that it also will be much less dark than maple syrup (even adjusted for volume/concentration), as it hasn't been boiled and darkened / caramelized ?

Maple sap looks like water. All the color comes from like you said during the reduction. Typical maple syrup ratio of sap to final syrup is 40 to 1. Takes a lot of evaporation to make syrup. You put sap next to water and you cannot tell the difference by sight. I seem to recall it has around 3% sugar. I will have to review my info before brew day. Lucky me one of the recent BYOs had multiple articles about using sap.

I plan to brew something similar to Lawson's Finest Liquids Maple Tripple. http://www.lawsonsfinest.com/beers/maple-tripple/

12 gallons of maple sap ready to go. All this was collected on Sunday and Monday.

Seriously cool. Can't wait to try it!

Wish I was going to be in town, I would haul my gear over to brew and see this go down. Never heard of anyone doing this before. Very cool.

Bummer. I am hoping to do more of these as it would be fun to get a few people together to brew like some club members have mentioned they would like to do more of. My system does not travel well so hosting was one way for me to participate.

I did the sap once before for a porter several years ago. Only difference on brew day is you dump in sap instead of water. Otherwise proceed as normal. I am curious to see what flavors come through in a Triple.

DETAILS

Plan for Saturday is I will try to mash in around 10 am. Everything is an estimate as my wife is out of town most of Saturday and I have my four kids to watch. I have to run one kid to a babysitting job at 5:30 but it is nearby. People can stay later than that but I do not intend for this to run late in to the night. Probably close up shop before 9 pm.

Come hang out and feel free to bring your gear over and brew some beer. Your friends are welcome too. I will have my back patio covered as rain looks likely. There is a spigot by the patio for a water source. I have no formal plans for food so bring something to eat if you like and of course any beers you want to share. I have a mill available if anyone wants to use it. I will also have some basketball games on the TV too.

You can find directions here in the Members Only section.
http://www.crbeernuts.org/phpBB3/viewto ... 895#p24895

PM me if the link does not work for you.

Your kids gonna be around?

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Yeah, my kids will be around. They usually do their own thing upstairs during brew day.

I was thinking about coming over but I have my kids...

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I am not against bringing your kids over. It is a brew session so you can make the call. I have two 7 year olds, a 10 year old that will be in and out, and a 12 year old until 5pm. Please no sick kids though. Influenza A has been making its way around their elementary school lately and so far mine are healthy. I am hoping they stay that way in to Spring Break next week. I took that week off work and we have plans for some fun.

Yeah, plan doing some fun stuff next week too with the kids since I have no job right now

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I wish I could make it. I have a dog competition on Sat. Was planning to brew Sunday though. If for some reason your schedule changes let me know and I'll try to pack up my Z.

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Definitely will be Saturday. Getting ready Sunday to go to Wisconsin Dells on Monday. The kids don't know. We will wake them up and surprise them day of.