Schell's Nobel Star Collection

If I recall they have 10 or 12 tanks total

 

10 total

 

That's cool! Where did you dig that up from? I wonder how much it would be to replace them now? So once they get the other 8 up and running they'll be at full capacity? sweet!

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what is involved with restoring a tank? do they just clean it or do they plane off a layer of wood? Im just curious for curiosity's sake.

 

This has finally hit Des Moines.

 

Here's one article where he could've pulled that from: http://growlermag.com/sweet-on-sours-schells-expanding-sour-program-with-new-facilty/

Edit: It appears that there are other links in that article about the restoration process.

 

Yup, that's the article :-)

 

Its a pretty long process getting the tanks back into working condition. The doors need to be sand blasted and then epoxied and fitted with new gaskets. The valves need to be removed and custom fitted with new stainless drains and fittings. Then the swelling part can start. We run warm water inside the tank with a whirly bird sprinkler that seems to work pretty well without using a ton of water. That also helps to loosen up the pitch lining inside the tank. As the staves begin to swell back, the hoops on the tank need to be leveled, adjusted and pounded down to get the staves tight. Any leaks need to be stopped and fixed. Once the tank holds water all the way to the top, they are drained and dried out. They we get them dry ice blasted to remove all the pitch, and sterilize the tank. After that's done, the rough spots are sanded down, it gets washed and cleaned, and it's ready to go! Then fingers crossed that it doesn't leak when it gets filled with beer!

 

I think this is so awesome what was done with those tanks. It is almost like we are drinking apart of history, a very tasty party of history!

 

@unterhopft Very cool! Thanks for the explanation, and x2 to drinking a very tasty part of history.

 

Anyone know where I can find the framboise in the twin cities? Thanks in advance

 

I have seen it at West Side Liqours in Albertville. I believe I saw it at Liquor Barrel in St Louis Park and maybe also Berlys in St Louis Park. I also believe I saw it at MGM in Champlain.

It shouldn't be too hard to find, it is still floating around out there.

 

It was still good, but I think Framobise du Nord might be the weakest of the 4 so far. Brünette and Black Forest Cherry have been so refreshingly unique. Can't wait to see what else they do with this series.

 

Sids in Plymouth had these on sale for 11.50. The cashier said that their normal price is around 13 for the series.

 

Finally got my paws on one of these. Extremely tasty.

 

Mendota Liquor in Mendota Heights. The BX on the Air Force Reserve base in Minneapolis, but you'd need to have military ID to get on.

 

The next beer in the Noble Star Collection is going to be called "Cypress Blanc" and is described as a "Dry Hopped Berlin Style American Lager." Apparently the base beer for this is the Schell's Deer Brand lager. Cool to see they are branching out from Berliner Weisse for the series, but I was hoping for more sour beers!

 

Saw some at Haskell's in Minnetonka a few weeks back. $16 though.

 

It's still sour, don't worry! We wanted to brew something unique and pay homage to the history of these tanks, and the fact that they were used to make Deer Brand for so many years. The base isn't Deer Brand specifically, but we brewed an adjunct American lager in the Berliner weisse style and then aged it for 8 months in the wood tanks with lacto and two Brett strains. Then we dry hopped it to accentuate the Brett aroma. It's like a Berliner, but also very different as well.

 

Has anyone told you recently that you guys are awesome? Whether they have or not, it needs to be said. You guys are awesome!

 

Not a bad way to tell Charlie P. to eat a d either...