The Beers:

Strong Sam Mark I Bottled March 1, 1997  John Bull Porter Malt Extract Mix Stuff  Alcohol~3.4%  14-day fermentation  Best-tasting beverage on earth  (back to top)
Strong Sam Tough Love Hale-Bopp Boiled around 4/3, finished fermenting about 2 weeks later  1/2 Lb. Toasted Klages Malt (American 2 row: 1.5 lovibond)  1 Lb. Crystal Malt (American 6 row: 40L)  1/2 teasp. Whole Cloves  2 oz. Northern Brewer Boiling Hops 8.8% Alpha Acid  6 Lb. Spray Dried Malt Extract, Plain Amber  1 Teasp. Irish Moss  1 Oz. Cascade Finishing Hops  Initial S.G. 1.052  Final S.G. 1.013  First Drink May 1, 1997  (back to top)
The important defining characteristic of this beer, it must be noted, is that the Thames Valley Yeast was not pitched until the next morning, about 6 or seven hours later. Now we could say that we did this on purpose, but in actuality it was because we didn't read the directions on the yeast packet that said you had to "start" the yeast and let it grow to an inch thick before pitching. We are honest here at Strong Sam. Don't ever let anyone else tell you otherwise. By the way, this turned out even better than the original Strong Sam.
Strong Sam III - Leg of The Worker Bee 1/2 Lb. Toasted Klages Malt (American 2 row: 1.5 lovibond)  1 can John Bull Light Unhopped Malt Extract  4 Oz. Ginger - Peeled & Sliced  1 Oz. Hallertau Pelleted Hops 4.2% Alpha Acid  5 Lb. Honey...Sunnyside Bee Farm, Gibsonburg, Ohio  Brewed 5/1/97  ISG 1.058  Racked to secondary fermenter @ SG 1.034 5/4/97 8:50 p.m.  Bottled 5/26/97 @ FSG 1.000  (back to top)
You will notice that we are getting a little bit better at keeping track of things this time. It's all part of our growth as brewmasters. The S.G. from 1.058 to 1.000 gives us an alcohol percentage of around 8%! And we tasted it, too, without the carbonation, and it's not the best beer in the world, but it's definitely drinkable. And at 8% alcohol, you'll be less apt to care. We'll let you know the final results in a couple weeks. I know you're waiting anxiously.  Update- Well the waiting is over and... really the only thing to say is Eeeeww! We admit it, we screwed up. This stuff is awful. The wife of one of the brewmasters said it tasted like "bile". And she's a nurse. The other brewmaster thinks it might be good in like 6 months, so we're keeping some just in case. But don't get up your hopes. Update- Well, as of 11/16/97, this stuff tastes good!! I'm serious. I had no faith, while Moss kept saying he thought it's be good in six months or so. Here we are, 6+ months later, and this is a very drinkable beverage! The "beer" is a beautifully clear light amber...not "yellow" like those mass produced "beers" but very pretty. It is lightly carbonated (!) and glistens with little bubbles, feels just right on the tongue. The flavor is very strong with ginger and an undefined sweetness. Almost reminds me of roses, Really! There is a faint and pleasant aftertaste of smoke as well. I tried it warm, I can't wait to chill a bottle and try more! Update- Rather than doing the traditional and cliche champagne on New Years' Eve...I had a Leg of the Worker Bee. It was much more festive!! And it tastes GREAT chilled!!
Strong Sam IV - Indirect Quixotic Xenon 3.3 lb Edme Dark Unhopped Malt Extract  2 lbs Plain Dark Spray Dried Malt Extract  ~4 oz Various Young Spruce Growth, yes Spruce Growth  1 oz Dried Licorice Root  1/4 oz Fennel Seeds  2 oz Hallertau Hops @ 4.2% acid = 8.4 HBU  45 minute boil, last 15 minutes for 1 tsp Irish Moss  11.5 g Edme active dried yeast  Started 6/01/97  Initial S.G. 1.040  Bottled 6/22/97 Final S.G. = 1.012  (back to top)
This beer was another adventure like our Tough Love. After we racked it to the secondary fermenter, one of the brewmasters noted there was mold(!) growing on the top of it. But after various consultations with high-level beer-producing authorities, we decided to bottle it anyway, ensuring that none of it got transferred. It seems to taste pretty good and we anticipate a lot of carbonation. It has a very good porter color, and it there is no cloudiness. This time we remembered the finings and we also strained the wort with double-thick cheesecloth. We first tasted it around the fourth of July, and you could really taste the licorice, especially in the aftertaste. After a couple of weeks, the spruce flavor has started to come out, giving a bolder taste. You can still taste the licorice in the aftertaste. I would say this is the best after-tasting beer ever. It continues to improve with age, hopefully it doesn't all go away down our esophagi too quickly for us to see how good it can get!
Strong Sam V - Thread: Strawberry Shock Treatment ~ Rattlesnake Islånd Started 7/03/97  Put 5 quarts of fresh strawberries in food processor on low yielding 4 quarts of chopped strawberries  1 lb cracked Klages malt (American 2 row: 1.5 Lovibond) as adjunct  3.3 Lb. Munton's Wheat Malt Extract Syrup  3 Lb. Munton's spray-dried malt extract Plain Extra Light  1 Oz. Saaz hops (Alpha Acid 3.6%) boiling hops  Broad-cast 1 Tbsp oriental 5-spice powder just before wort came to boil  1 Oz. Fuggle hops (Alpha Acid 4.0%) finishing hops  60 minute boil, last 15 minutes for 1 tsp Irish Moss  11.5 g Edme active dried yeast  Initial S.G. 1.042  Transferred to secondary fermenter 7/7/97 S.G.=1.020  Bottled 7/14/97 Final S.G. = 1.012  (back to top)
We decided to make a beer with the wonderful fresh strawberries that you can get here in Ohio this time of year. We were lucky to get some, though because of the short season (floods, you know.) This beer was not at all based on any recipe, and so far it has worked out fantastic. The strawberries gave us a dilemma: should we boil them (which produces a lot of pectin, making problems, according to some sources) or not cook them at all, foregoing pasteurization. We decided to put the strawberries in the wort after the boil, with the heat turned off, the residual heat providing pasteurization. This has worked very well. Racking from primary to secondary was no problem, we just strained the stuff through a cheesecloth. When we bottled it, you could really taste the strawberries. I've got a good feeling about this stuff. So does the other brewmaster. Update- This beer was featured in the first cybertasting!
Special Brew - World's first Transcontinental Beer - IPA Jaipa I-80 (Resurrection) 7 lbs light plain dried malt extract 1 lb crystal malt 1/2 lb toasted malted barley 2 tsp gypsum 1 1/2 oz Northern Brewer hops (boiling) 3/4 oz Cascade hops (finishing) (back to top)
This is the very first collaboration between Strong Sam brewed at the original brewery, in Melnose Place, OH, and the spinoff, Moss Ölgerð, at Glen Park in San Francisco. We both used the exact same recipe, as you see above. And we started the ovens to toast our malt at exactly 2200 GMT on March 18, 1998. During the boiling of the wort, Moss in California called the local Toledo, Ohio radio station, and we even got a little media coverage. Pretty cool. Of course, due to differing environmental conditions beyond our control, they didn't finish at exactly the same time. But both turned out superbly with their own unique flavor. The East Coast version is definitely more India Pale Ale tasting and looking, and the West Coast version is a little darker and sweeter. Each brewmaster sent each other their version of the beer, and another cybertasting was done on May 18, 1998. This is a very fun way to brew beer, you all should try it!