The Mc Attack

Home Smoked Malts

2010-07-21T02:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a primer on how to smoke malts. This process worked well for me but like skinning a cat it's far from the only way to do it properly. The most important aspects of the process are simple as is the whole process.

Important Items:
• Moisten/soak the malts in cool water.
• Build a small smoke source as avoiding cooking the malt is very important.
• Smoke according to your tastes. If you enjoy heavily smoked foods, go heavy, if not smoke lightly.

The Process:
• Measure out the desired weight of base malt. There will be no weight loss/gain during this process.
• Soak the malt for 15-30 mins in cool water.
• While grains are soaking start a small fire in your grill using 8-10 charcoal briquettes. If at all possible do not use lighter fluid to start the briquettes.
• Scoop grain out of water and place in aluminum pan. I used brownie pans which were great.
• Place chunks of your favorite wood onto the small mound of charcoal and place pans on grill, close lid.
• Keep a careful watch on the grill to ensure it is smoking.
• Open the lid on the grill every 15-25 minutes to stir the grain, stir well.
• Any time the grill stops smoking, adjust the wood/fire to produce smoke. This is an important step to keep your time to a minimum and gauge the correct amount of smoke you want.
• Once the malt has reached a level of smokiness, 20 mins to 2+ hours, remove the grains from the grill.
• Spread the moist grains out on cookie sheets and place in the oven on lowest setting, under 200 F.
• Stir the grains every 10-25 minutes, more frequently as the grains get drier.
• Once dry, allow to cool and place in a good quality storage bag.
• It's VERY important to allow the malts to rest before using for at least 2 weeks, preferably a little more. This allows the smoke character to mellow avoiding harshness.

That's the whole process. It looks like a lot, but it's SUPER simple as the most work is building a tiny fire & stirring grain.

Pictures of the process
Sorry for the poor pic quality - my fault and sorry for pics being the wrong size - photobucket glitch.

Grains being moved from the soaking to brownie pans for smoking.

The small fire/smoke source.

Grains on the grill.

Smokem if ya got'em!

Smoked malts drying in the oven.

Illudium PU-36 Smoked Porter

2010-07-21T01:37:00.000-07:00

Having never done a porter recipe before I wasn't sure what I'd get out of this. I got my original inspiration from a Bert Grant's Porter clone recipe posted in the recipe section at homebrewtalk.com. I changed it slightly to fit my taste and malts available. It's still young, but this bier is a homerun. What makes it so good is the quality of the base bier. It's not fully carbonated yet and I can't pass final judgement for a while, but early on it's certainly among my best efforts. It has the perfect balance of rich maltiness, Schlenkerla like smokiness with a touch of hickory flavor, and bitterness. It's possibly the best balanced bier I've ever brewed. The smoke isn't near as strong as Schlenkerla and is derived from homemade smoked malts. As it turns out it's a very easy process. I'll post an entry on that later.

Stats

OG 1.057
FG 1.016
SRM 28
IBU 25 (taste more like 35, used Rager formula)
BU:GU .44
ABV 5.5%
189 Calories per 12 oz.
Mash Efficiency 85%

Malt and Fermentables

% LBs OZ Malt
61% 6 4 British Pale (Maris Otter)
19% 2 0 Smoked Malt (homemade)
7% 0 12 American Crystal 80L (homemade)
5% 0 8 American Chocolate
3% 0 5 Flaked Wheat
2% 0 4 Black Patent Malt
2% 0 4 Pale Chocolate Malt

Hops

boil 60 mins 1.0 Willamette pellet 4.8AAU
boil 15 mins 0.5 Willamette pellet 4.8AAU

1st Yeast - Edinburugh (which started slow)
2nd Yeast - Nottingham Dry

Bigfoot 2010 'Finally' Captured

2010-07-03T19:59:00.001-07:00

In most places and to most people Bigfoot is an afterthought, not so for me and thousands more like me who live in states with laws repressing the selection certain higher alcohol biers. I only began 'getting into' craft bier in 2007 or so. Sure I had always sought out more flavorful offerings even 15 years ago during college when I'd most often opt for Killians Red, Rolling Rock, or plain ole Budweiser rather than going in for the 'light' biers that dominated the coolers of my classmates.

I believe it was actually 2007 when I first had Bigfoot, a bier the likes of which had never tasted before. It was a 'one hit hook' of sorts and now I annually either pick up a couple sixers or have a friend do it from a neighboring state where the bier is available. In my meager cellar (aka a box or 2 in the closet) I now have 2008 - 2010 Bigfoot editions. When I get the 2012 edition I'll probably host a 5 Year vertical tasting of this classic American Barleywine.

Here's a pic or 2 and a brief review of this year's installment of Bigfoot.

A heavenly aura surrounds this sainted bottle o'ale!

I found the 2010 Bigfoot seems a bit larger than in years past. What I mean is that it's quite hoppy & bitter but also seems to push more malt backbone forward. It seems quite similar to last years version but I would say more bitter hop centered than 2009 Bigfoot which had more flavor/aroma hopping. Since I've been drinking Bigfoot for 4 years now and have had 4 or 5 editions I'd put the 2010 version at the bottom of that list. However it's still a VERY fine bier with tons of upside, complexity, & definitely a must have every year. I'm sure it will age very nicely and I look forward to having it in the coming years as it improves. Note the lacing was exceptional in this years version.

Move over Rolling Stones because Bigfoot is 'Satisfaction' in a bottle!

The making of 1314 Strong Scotch Ale

2010-04-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I created showing some of the unique processes used to make 1314 or any Strong Scotch Ale. Things to look for in the video are the late addition of the roast malt to the mash-tun, super long mash length at elevated temps, and caramelization of 1 gallon of the first runnings. Schlante and hope you enjoy!

1314 Strong Scotch Ale

2010-04-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I brewed up a 4.5 gallon batch of Strong Scotch Ale. I boiled this stuff like nothing before. Took the first gallon and reduced it down to about a quart on the stove top. The full boil was 10 minutes shy of 2 hours. The wort had strong molasses and honey notes, never experienced anything like it before. The fermentation started very early after pitching my huge yeast starter but has been more slow and steady than robust. Quite curious considering the amount of yeast I pitched. Even at a gravity of 1.089 I thought it would rip through it. However I suppose it could be due to the more complex sugars created from higher mash temps and caramelized wort. Below is my label which along with the name celebrates Scottish Independence.

Results from 17th Annual Peach State Brew Off

2010-04-09T20:52:00.001-07:00

I got the scores and judging sheets back from the PSBO a while back. A surprising thing is that only one bier was noted as having a flaw which was a mild astringency in the 3.2% abv super hoppy specialty ale. Generally the comments were the wood aged bier and weizen were good but not 'enough' to style. The specialty bier was judged as being out of balance and received the lowest score. The results and a few comments are as follows:

Wood Aged Northern English Brown - Score 28 - This bier was 13-14 months old, about 6 months beyond it's prime but still a fine bier. Judges commented the bier was good or very good but the wood and bourbon which were fairly well done over-powered the base bier. Plus my bier was first in the flight which might have effected this perception. All in all I couldn't disagree with their assertions.

Weissbier/Weizenbier - Score 26.5 - This score was to be expected. I did learn the bier is a bit too bitter for style which I hadn't previously realized. Otherwise the judges properly dinged me for excessive fruitiness, slight bubblegum, and low spice. I agree with all except the spice as I get an almost perfect amount of clove spice up front and a hint in the finish.

Specialty Bier Americanized Ordinary Bitter hopped to IPA levels - Score 24 - A big thing which hurt this bier is judging from the judges notes which didn't mention IPA hopping levels I believe this information didn't make it to the judges table. Otherwise they are correct that the bier is a bit thin but dinged me for it being hop centric or out of balance which was much of the point to the bier. I'll be making an updated version of this with a darker crystal malt, higher mash temp, & adjusting the hopping.

Conclusion... I entered a bunch of biers made for flavor not bjcp events and the judging showed. I don't have a big gripe with any of the judges conclusions though I do differ on a few points. All in all they did a great job judging, I see the biers 90% or so as they do. Now to brew more and enter another event! I'm currently mixing up many BIG biers and session ales. For instance I've got a RIS aging, am brewing a Scotch Strong, and will follow that up with a smoked porter. Next the redo of the Specialty bier from above, then I'll be putting a 1.100 Barleywine on the yeast cake before returning to another session brew! Finally I've got to get around to that Imperial IPA!

Peach State Brew Off Results

2010-03-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

Checked online this morning as I have the past couple of days, I'm so impatient, and the results for the 17th Annual PSBO are in. As expected none of my entries placed. I can't wait to get the results back to see what the judges feedback looks like.

I'll venture a guess at where my 3 biers fell short.

1-Hefeweizen - Only 30 something percent wheat, too high ferm. temps, too estery. This was an attempted clone so I knew these were flaws/potential flaws.

2-Wood Aged Brown Ale - Overcarbed, otherwise a very nice bier, we'll see what the judges say.

3-Specialty OB/APA/IPA - Fine bier, but not a brew that'll pull off a good showing in a category with all types of over the top style interpretations.

Froo Froo Beer Drink

2010-03-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Bier appreciation can be about accepting things as they are and judging them as such. It can also be about thinking totally different when it comes to bier. For instance most people have never thought of bier mixed drinks with the exception of bier with liquor as in an Irish Car Bomb. Yet bier is a great medium to explore as you would a punch or lighter summer styled drinks. After all one of the advantages the average bier has is it's relatively low alcohol. By taking something hovering around 4-5% abv and thinning it with a non-alcoholic liquid such as juice in an amount of 10-25% or more it becomes easier to imbibe without overdoing. Plus when working with an already fairly un-bitter and quite fruity ale like a Bavarian Hefe or Belgian Wit it's a natural fit to make mixed fruit drinks. The video below was done on a whim while I was trying to RDWHAHB during a recent brew day. The application of such a method would seem to be quite extensive with the use of watermelon, strawberries, berry medleys, etc.

I hope you enjoy the rather simple video below and are motivated to try a mixed bier of a different kind soon!

Competition Update & More

2010-03-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

I received a mass email from the organizer of the Peach State Brew Off today. Seems this competition is a good bit larger than I first thought. Through earlier emails I had learned the competition was expecting 400-430 entries. Well they saw a big jump in entries this year. 582 entries was the final count, 582! I aint got a prayer! Apparently this makes this year's edition of the PSBO the 75th largest homebrew competition ever in the US, the 45th largest regional competition.

I'm currently working on a short video of a fruit drink I made using the Explication wheat ale. Also I've got baby chicks hatching and will probably post up a few pics on them and perhaps an article on farm life. Might be nice to catalog my little homestead!

Small Batch Parti-gyle

2010-03-24T03:25:00.000-07:00

So all-grain brewing is a mystery... too complicated... takes to much equipment or perhaps you're confused about how a parti-gyle brew session works. Not so fast my friend! In the video I demonstrate just how easy counter top all-grain brewing can be. I purposefully skipped being too detailed in the how and exactly why of what is going on in the video because that information is available in spades across the net.

Also this is intended as entertainment as much as it is informative. Hopefully it's at least a minor success in both regards.

What you need to know, this is my first parti-gyle brew of any size. I read Randy Mosher's informative article available here, Click Here The three tables Randy provides are extremely helpful as they address several areas one needs to address when attempting a split batch/parti-gyle estimating O.G., estimated extract, & estimated color.

Beers of the SEC

2010-03-21T22:55:00.000-07:00

While reading an online post ascribing characteristics of a certain bier to a certain person I thought, why not apply the analogy to the world of sports? Of course the world of sports for me starts with the Southeastern Conference, particularly football, let's be honest only football.

So if each school were a bier, which bier style would they be, and what's the best commercial example to ascribe to each school? Here are the biers of the SEC in alphabetical order.

Alabama - The Tide needs a bier with staying power that can withstand the test of time. They also need a bier steeped in tradition yet thoroughly modern and in vogue. Wow this is a hard choice between a BIG bold barleywine and an age old yet thoroughly modern classic like a Trappist ale. Not being able to decide I'm going with Alabama as the Russian Imperial Stout of SEC football, dark and imposing. Commercial example - Ten Fidy or Oak Aged Yeti.

Arkansas - Woo Pig Sooie! Along with South Carolina the Razorbacks are the newest addition to the SEC, yet they have a long history of athletic success on the gridiron and beyond. Arkansas is best described as competitive, entertaining, and withstanding the test of time fairly well. Thusly Arkansas is something of an entertaining quaffable ale, perhaps they're best described as a tasty Brown ale. Best commercial example is possibly Turbodog.

Auburn - The Tigers deserve something fitting of their status as a strong program with lots of star power, think Bo Jackson one of collegiate athletics all-time greats. Given the current editions failures on defense and creative prowess on offense I think the Tigers would best be described as a Belgian Pale Ale. Commercial example - Pranqster.

Florida - With brash Gator-Chomp in tow, the Gator faithful stand behind their team. Something of a johnny-come-lately in SEC athletics, they've certainly made a statement! Bold & fresh are what come to mind when I think of Florida so I equate them to a big bitter spicy India Pale Ale. Commercial example - Racer 5 or Hop Rod Rye.

Georgia - With Heisman winners Frank Sinkwich & Herschel Walker being among the south's favorite sons the Dawgs have produced some memories over the years. Much like LSU, capable but rarely living up to the possibilities this is still an enjoyable team to pull for. Filled with complexity and entertainment the Bulldogs are absolutely a bier deserving of respect but left grasping for truly elite status. They are a Dopplebock. Commercial example - Paulaner Salvator.

Kentucky - One of the best coaching jobs in the business of late has been done by Rich Brooks, and I respect that! Yet this is the university that could have had Paul Bryant & Adolph Rupp as it's coaching legends but decided to give one a new car and the other a cigarette lighter. Curious move indeed. Watching the Wildcats in a good year is medicine for the soul as the perpetual underdogs continually impress with their level of good fundamental play. Kentucky is the Wit Beer of SEC football, straight forward with just a hint of spice. Of course this makes the Wildcats a Hoegaarden.

Louisiana State - The mirror image of Georgia, only with much more success of late due to the resurrection performed by Nick Saban and Co. One of the all-time classic college football clips is Heisman winner Billy Cannons long weaving touchdown run in the mud against a top flight Ole Miss team. Much like that run the atmosphere before a game outside the stadium is also legendary in college football circles. Anything to do with the Bayou Bengals needs to have bold flavors yet a smoothness to go with good cuisine. LSU is the Porter of the SEC, dark and robust! Commercial example - Anchor Porter or Fuller's London Pride.

Mississippi - The team with a good history that has done little in the modern era. Sadly that's a fitting description for the Rebels. On the bright side, or dim depending on how you want to look at it, Ole Miss fans like to brag, 'we may lose the game but we never lose a party!' Great attitude for the party, not so much for athletics. The beer that best fits Ole Miss is probably an easy drinking Scottish Ale, Scotch ale's smaller less complex yet more versatile brother. Besides a St. Andrews cross fits right in at an Ole Miss game! Commercial example - Pyramid's Tilted Kilt.

Mississippi State - Depending on your perspective the Bulldogs are arguably the most sickly program in the SEC, Vanderbilt being the main competition. But that's not to say they are without merit or unworth of being considered for a quaffable ale! MSU is like an American Dark Lager, mild flavors not quite interesting and quaffable. Commercial example - Leinenkugels Creamy Dark.

South Carolina - The team with the best fan support for such a mediocre program. Sure there's been a bright spot or two, but producing a consistent winner at South Carolina has proven to be tougher than a box of nails. The good news is that few fan bases pack out the stadium year after year after year after year after each year is considered a failure. Gotta love persistence and can-do attitude so the Gamecocks are the mixed bag of the sports world just like California Common AKA Steam beer. Commercial example - Anchor Steam

Tennessee - How many times do you have to watch a Tennessee game before you know that Rocky Top is gonna blare with the most marginal of accomplishments, ONCE is the answer. Given the perpetual playing of Rocky Top, running out of the T, and the checked endzones the Volunteers are one of the most recognizable teams in collegiate athletics. That doesn't even mention their particular shade of orange which is surprisingly close to hunters orange. Recognizable, long lasting, and historic are terms one could use to describe Tennessee or an English Barleywine. Commercial example - Anchor Old Foghorn.

Vanderbilt - I typically save the best for last, not today! Undoubtedly the most failure prone program in the long history of the SEC. Sure they were a fine team way back in the leather helmet day, but if asked what have you done for me lately the answer would return, "mostly nothing". With passion matched by a church mouse the fan base is sometimes outnumbered in their own stadium. Now I like most find it easy to root for the Commodores when they're not playing my team. There can be only one antidote for the wine sippers in Nashville, Malt Liquor! Commercial example - Three Floyds Dolemite.

Competition Time

2010-03-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I shipped my entries to the Peach State Brew Off. I had 3 entries:

Category 15A Weizen - Entered my recently brewed Explication hefe brewed with T-58

Prospects: I expect it'll be judged as too fruity for style, too high a fermentation temp.

Category 22C Wood-Aged - Entered 15 month old Northern English Brown wood-aged with hand selected & cured Hickory wood spiced with Bourbon.

Prospects: I feel best about this beer's flavor profile, but it's terribly over-carbed, otherwise it has a shot.

Category 23 Specialty Beer - Entered a 4 month old First Wort Hopped multi-styled ale. Ordinary Bitter strength (3.2% abv), Am. Pale Ale grain bill, and IPA bitterness (70+ smooth IBUs).

Prospects: Have no idea how this one will fair. It's a solid flavorful offering, depends on how the judges approach it.

I have no idea of exactly how large the competition is. However my entries were issued a number 1096-1098. I'm doubting this is a competition with over 1000 entries thus I'm guessing I'm entering biers 96-98. If this is true I'm guessing the competition will have less than 200 entrants, possibly substantially fewer. The cost is $7 per entry thus my cost are as follows:

$7 x 3 = $21 + $9.60 Shipping = $30.60 Competition cost

Plus cost of each bier at $.60 x 6 = $3.60 + $30.60 = $34.20 Total cost

Being honest I'm hoping to do well, but considering this is my first competition I have NO idea of what to expect. No matter the results it's pretty exciting!

Motherland Imperial Stout early tasting

2010-03-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

This was taken on my birthday as just a first sample of the Motherland Imperial Stout from below. The apple flavor I mentioned isn't an acetaldehyde flavor but rather a young beer flavor, I suspect from the priming sugar. Overall this bier should age well and round into a beautiful elixir of the soul! Overall it's very well bittered yet malty the way a good RIS should be. It's a split between an Am. vs Eng. version of this bier probably leaning more toward English.

My next RIS attempt will have 2-4% more roasted malt to bump up that character substantially and a clean American ale yeast with prominent C-hop character. Just go in a different direction for the experience of it!

Explication Wheat Ale

2010-03-13T22:13:00.000-08:00

My home state of Mississippi has just one micro brewery in the whole state. They are a brave lot and do well with what they have to work with, meaning a very bier illiterate state. Perhaps bier culture or lack there of is a subject for another blog entry, but for now on to the subject of this entry. Lazy Magnolia is the name of the brewery and my favorite bier they produced was a Krystalweizen named Blue Heron. I used the past tense because it is a now discontinued product, lost in the streamlining of their offering a few years back. Again reference the lack of bier culture in MS as the culprit of many of Lazy Magnolia's more flavorful offerings were among those discontinued.

What's a bier lover to do when one of your favorite brews is no longer available? Make it yourself of course! My attempt at cloning this fine krystalweizen, currently ranked as the 2nd best krystalweizen in the world on Ratebeer.com, was set in motion on a visit to the brewery last fall. I asked and the brewer gladly shared what yeast they used to ferment the bier. Blue Heron is best discribed as a maltier more banana forward version of a fresh Paulaners, only filtered for clarity.

The recipe is as follows, yes it's this simple!
6 lb 11 oz Marris Otter Pale Malt
4 lb Wheat Malt
4 oz Aromatic Malt.

.6 oz. Tradition @ 60 mins
.2 oz. Tradition @ 5 mins

Mash at 130 degrees farenheit for 30 minutes.
Raise the mash to 152-153 for 30 minutes.

I had an original gravity of 1.056 (I believe)
Make sure to include extra fining agents in the boil and or secondary and make plans to lager the bier to aid in clarity.
Voila almost instant krystalweizen.

The bier is still bottle conditioning so I don't have a final verdict, but the early returns are pretty good. Did I mention you let this bier ferment at it's own pace. The brewer said they let it go as high as 80-85, YIKES! My fermentation was at ambient temps and reached as high as 80-81 degrees briefly. My first impressions are that I've at the very least ballparked Blue Heron. Mine is certainly banana heavy but there is some nice clove and spice underpinning. Here's a video I made showing the making of the bier and a few pics of the first sample. Note the video is wrong on the amount of wheat malt, I actually used 4 lbs as in the recipe above.

This is a brief video I put together from photos of the brew day.

Final gravity was 1.011, very drinkable brew that continues to impress. Clear!!!

Another pic showing the clarity/color. It's a solid 4 srm and clear, not quite brilliant.

Of course I have to share the label with you as well. I've been wanting to do something a bit more elegant for a while and this seemed the perfect opportunity.

Motherland Imperial Stout

2010-03-13T20:36:00.000-08:00

I brewed up my first Russian Imperial Stout bier this past December, 12-10-09 to be exact. I brewed up about 4.5 gallons including the yeast cake I dumped the bier onto. When it was all said and done the brew yielded about 3.5 gallons of finished bier. I let the bier sit in primary for 8 weeks, no worries about autolysis here! At the 8 week mark I bottled 1/3rd of the batch as 'standard'. I moved the other 2-2.5 gallons to secondary where they sat for 4-5 weeks on whiskey soaked hickory chips. That's not a misprint, I used Hickory! Screw French oak... I'm southern give me the hickory! Maybe I'll run through that process on here sometime, but for now all you need to know is that I hand selected the wood, gave it a quick dip in boiling water, rinsed, toasted, & soaked in whiskey!

That brings me to this past weekend where I bottled the 'wood aged' RIS. Since the bier was extremely clear I decided to re-pitch a little yeast, about 1/4 pack. Also of note is that I bottled half of the 'wood aged' bier and added about 12 oz. of strongly brewed Kona coffee to the remaining 1+ gallon and bottled it. Thus I got 3 different biers out of this one brew which is always exciting!

Here is the recipe with accurate numbers etc.

Malt & Fermentables
% LB OZ MALT OR FERMENTABLE PPG °L
71% 9 8 British Pale (Maris Otter) 37 3
8% 1 0 Molasses 36 80 (Note I used 12 oz. Molasses & 4 oz. Steens Pure Cane Syrup)
7% 0 14 British Crystal 95-115L 33 105 (Actually used my homemade crystal malt)
5% 0 10 Roasted Barley (Thomas Fawcett) 34 559
3% 0 6 Pale Chocolate Malt 34 165
2% 0 4 Flaked Wheat 34 2
2% 0 4 American Black Patent 26 500
2% 0 4 American Crystal 60L 34 60
1% 0 3 American Chocolate 34 127
Total 13 5

Batch size: 4.5 gallons
Boil: 6.25 avg gallons for 90 minutes
Original Gravity 1.090 (1.082 to 1.095)
Final Gravity 1.021 (1.023 to 1.029)
Color 46° SRM (Black)
Mash Efficiency 84%

Hops
USE TIME OZ VARIETY FORM AA
Boil 90/FWH 0.6 Nugget pellet 13.0
Boil 20 mins 1.5 Cluster pellet 5.9
Boil 20 mins 1.0 Amarillo pellet 7.5

Bitterness 73.5 IBU
BU:GU - 0.80

Yeast - Windsor Ale Dry Yeast

Alcohol 9 % A.B.V.
Calories 302 per 12 oz.

Miscellaneous
USE TIME AMOUNT INGREDIENT
boil 15 min 1 Whirlfloc Tablet

My mash schedule was along the lines of 146 degrees farenheit for 75 minutes and 155 for 30 minutes with a standard mash-out. The early tasting results are that the bier is substantially malty sweet, fairly strong bitter/dark chocolate tones, mild coffee, hints of caramel & toffee, with black currant & stone fruit perhaps a bit of fig. While it is yet young it is showing substantial promise for my first 'big' bier.

As always I enjoy building labels for my brews, particularly those that have some meaning or significance to me as a brewer. Obviously crafting a bier that I plan on having bottles of around for 2-4 years is an occasion to celebrate. Below is the finalized label for Motherland. Note the boxes in the bottom right hand corner. I will check the appropriate box denoting which version of the bier each bottle is.

Hypeman Trophy... No Thanks!

2009-12-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Ballots are due in today for the 900+ Heisman Trophy voters across the nation. Big deal right? WRONG! The Heisman trophy has never been one of my favorite awards, trophies, etc. Now that one of Alabama's own FINALLY seems on the cusp of winning it you'd think I'd feel differently. WRONG, Mark Ingram is as deserving as just about any offensive football player in the country. He's tough, about 1000 of his almost 1500 rushing yards are after contact. That's an astronomical stat! Yet I've got news for the Heisman Trophy voters, Mark Ingram isn't even the best player on his football team, little lone all of college football. Rolando McClain is the best football player wearing Crimson this year and easily one of the best across the country.

The best two football players I've seen this year are Ndamukong Suh and Rolando McClain. Sadly though neither of these two beast will even sniff a trip to New York's Downtown Athletic Club. (edit: so I was wrong, Suh is making the trip, but he'll come back empty handed) I took to calling this trophy the Hypeman trophy about 10+ years ago and I won't stop just because one of Bama's own wins it. It's not even an honest award. Supposedly designated as signifying the best player in college football defensive players rarely are considered. I came to my senses and dismissed this award as being as significant as something between a paper weight and doorstop following the 1988 season. You remember that season don't you? Why that's when Andre Ware won the award for throwing for a gazillion yards against high school level talent, not even good HS talent at that. Surely you remember his coach leaving him in the games at Houston even in the 4th quarter with 40+ point leads. Contrast that season to the one Derrick Thomas had, 27 sacks! That's right 27 sacks in one season while being double and yes triple teamed on every passing down. When thinking about the greatest college defensive players of all time, specifically the great Linebackers or Pass Rushers; Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, the list goes on and on! Yet none of them had a senior year like Derrick Thomas, 27 sacks while ALWAYS facing double teams, often triple teams. Twice his senior year he was the National Defensive Player of the Week, most notably against Penn State. In the PSU game they quickly realized they'd have to put a tackle and tight-end on him, then the running back was shaded to his side to pick him up when he'd inevitably beat the double team. Should I mention that the plays were designed to roll away from him yet Tony Sacca became a bruised and beaten meat sack by the end of the game all thanks to Thomas' relentless pass rush. Did I mention he blocked a few kicks including a game winner that year? That's right, I lost ALL faith in the Hypeman trophy in 1988.

To be sure, getting these things right isn't always easy. For instance as good as Suh is, Alabama's Terrance Cody is a better and more dominant nose tackle in Bama's NFLesque 3-4 defense than Suh could think of being. The same is true of Suh as a 4-3 DT vs Cody in the same situation. Given Cody's game winning heroics vs rival Tennessee this year and his impact on the best defense in college football one could make an argument for him being a better DT. Thusly systems and the talent surrounding a player have a huge impact on any one players success.

Yet seeing the Hypeman trophy for what it is isn't so hard either. For several years there's been a trend to simply award it to the best player on one of the top 2 or 3 teams. See this year for an example. So if Bama's Mark Ingram wins the trophy, and surely he or another offensive player will, I'll be happy for him and the university. Yet sadly it'll be awarded to the second best player on Alabama's team. Besides I say give it and the Hypeman Jinx to McCoy!

Wandering Son of Scotland

2009-11-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me well knows I long to one day return to the home of my ancestors. While it is true that my ancestry like 99% of Americans is a mixed bag, it is being a son of America and a wandering son of Scotland which gives me identity. I'm not sure what it is but for a very long time, long before I became aware that I was of Scottish decent, I've been moved by the sight of the Scottish countryside! While I'm amazed by scenes like these;

it's really the scenes like these;

which speak to my soul and makes my heart swell with pride yearning for the homeland from which my people and my name came. I realize it's a romantic view of Scotland which grows more socialist and less free with every passing day, yet I'm still drawn. I hope to receive a church appointment in Scotland once I'm done with seminary, live there for a few years. Only time will tell if this dream is realized. In the meantime I'll have to settle for the occasional one of these;

while keeping visions of this in my head!

Schlante!

College Football's Sleeping Giants

2009-08-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

I'm always interested in this conversation. I live in MS which has 2 SEC schools and 1 Conf. USA. Yet I'm a die hard born that way Alabama fan who bleeds crimson... don't we all ;)! This makes for an odd dichotomy between being a fan of Alabama which has almost all the built in advantages, and MSU/OleMiss which have few. Yes it helps in recruiting for both MSU & OM to play in the SEC. But the fact is that MSU is almost equal to Vanderbilt in many ways. They have surprisingly good facilities, better than most would think, I've heard tell of recruits coming back from some of the northern powerhouses and being amazed at how their facilities didn't measure up. They certainly don't have the academic restraints of Vandy which helps with recruiting.

I find Ole Miss to be quite similar to VaTech, not in modern achievement but in terms of resources and capacity for success. There are a HUGE number of people/fans in this state that say, "oh well we're OM, what can we do." This seems to be said after every truely disappointing loss. Every time I hear it I'm so glad I'm a Bama fan. They will never achieve what they're capable of because they don't realize their potential. Sure OM should be very good this year, maybe good enough to be SEC champs, but it's one year and I don't expect their recruiting to keep up with Bama/LSU in the west nor the eastern powers. I mention all of this as it's a snap-shot of what's happening in schools across the country. Struggle to be equal yet too often holding themselves back.

The fact is that ND has a ton of 'built in advantages' and they make a tangible difference, not the least of which are name recognition and guaranteed TV exposure (which is becoming less important with each passing day due to the large # of televised games, the SEC can now basically claim the same thing). But there are also high academic standards, a woefully outdated stadium, and crumbling facilities (at least that's what I heard a couple years ago). Someone cited Oklahoma, USC, & Bama as more recent examples. The fact is the big traditional schools have to work harder now to be dominant. Michigan is now figuring that out. Because the Big 10/Midwest has progressed at such a slower rate in terms of CFB than the rest of the country OSU and Mich. are still fairly insulated, but it's getting tougher and tougher on all the perennial powers. Yet they still have built in advantages.

Taking Alabama for instance. Bryant Denny possesses more luxury boxes than some NFL teams. Most everything football related has been upgraded in the past 5 years; stadium, concessions, coaches offices, filming & viewing facilities, training rooms, standalone recruiting rooms, locker rooms, student academic center, and more. Arguing who has the best facilities in the nation is pointless. But when looking at the whole from the minutest detail to the grandness of the on-campus stadium, there is no debate Alabama is among the best. Fact is Bama was swimming like a one legged duck until the powers that be saw fit to upgrade everything in the program to provide the best chance to bring in the best players and coaches giving the program the best chance to succeed at the highest levels. The results speak for themselves. Much of the same can be said for VaTech. The upgrades in recent years coincide with success, it's no coincidence. Fact is if any school will make the necessary commitment they can succeed! Michigan is currently figuring this out. I've heard of a couple of Mississippi kids going up on recruiting trips and coming back amazed at what a "dump", their words not mine, it was. Rich Rodriguez is working hard to get facilities reworked, it's necessary or they'll fall behind just like Oklahoma, USC, & Bama. Poor ND hasn't figured it out yet, when they do they'll miraculously awaken from their coma!

Paterno IPA, an Enduring Flavor

2008-12-18T10:11:00.001-08:00

The latest creation from 4th Generation Brewery is the first IPA produced. This is a full bodied beer that goes down easy. The 'special' qualities are the rye character and use of Cluster hops as flavor/aroma additions. As you'll see in the recipe below bittering was accomplished with Colombus, flavor and aroma during the boil with Cluster and Cascade, and dry hopped with Cascade hops. The only thing I'll change on the next go around of this beer is to include 1/2-1 oz. of Cintenial in with the flavor and aroma additions.
My inspiration for this bier was Hop Rod Rye, an amazing flavor explosion. I wasn't trying to clone Hop Rod, just shooting for a similar character and this bier does just that. Also it seems I've finally dialed in the best mash temp/temps for my system, 151-152 degrees Fahrenheit. Enjoy the label, pics and recipe coming soon!

Get-em JoePa!

4th Generation Brewery

2008-11-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed the name of my brewery has changed. That's with good reason. The original brewery name was rooted in the elements of my family genealogy, as is the new brewery name. The roots of my family reach to the Scottish Highlands and Clan Donald in particular. My great grandfather's last name is Cooley and he was a brewer of bier during prohibition, thusly my brewery was named Clan McCooley paying homage to both my Scottish roots and my more recent family history of brewing. I decided to change the brewery name to take it more away from the "Clan/Scottish" influence and more versatile. Thusly I've embraced 4th Generation Brewery as the new name. That's not all, I've embraced a brewery motto.... Brew Free or Die! Read more below in a statement I made to my local brewing community.

I'm 35, have a mortgage, amazing wife, 2 awesome kids, am in a mentoring program for ministry, work hard 5 days a week. I'm obsessive about a few things like educating my children, family, faith, college football, and homebrewing! But all the things that are truely important too me I can count on one hand without using all my fingers! The fact is I find being honest with myself about who and what I am is far more important than concerns which arise from promoting, consuming, or creating homemade malt beverages. My great grandfather and grandfather brewed beer in rural Clarke Co. MS during prohibition and BEYOND! My father ran shine during the 60's and his father before him cooked it. Me I'm the 4th Generation and my son and daughter will be the 5th Generation. That's who I am, that's why I promote homebrewing... oh yea and I like good beer!
I like the founders of this great nation believe every man has the right to choose for himself what is right and wrong too a point. I just believe that point stretches beyond the limits currently imposed by the laws of this great state! It is with this in mind that I proudly proclaim... BREW FREE OR DIE as the motto of 4th Generation Brewery, formerly known as Clan McCooley Brewery, both names deriving from my proud brewing heritage.

Smashing Blonde Ale

2008-11-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

In certain circles of the homebrew community the idea of brewing a SMaSH ale is embraced as a means to experiment with grains and hops to develop an understanding of the properties unique to those ingredients. A SMaSH is any bier brewed with one grain, usually a base grain, and one hop. For my first SMaSH I decided to use Am. 2 Row (Rahr) and German Tradition hops. This bier turned out to be really good, much better than I thought for such a simple recipe. When tasting this bier you get a grainy underpinning with candy sweetness and earthy spice notes. The hops really shine in the flavor. Also this is the first all-grain, my 4th AG batch overall, bier that has had excellent head and lacing. The pictures below tell the story, though the full glass is of the bier at 1 week in the bottle and isn't fully carbed so the head is suffering.

Recipe:
11 lbs. Am. 2 Row (Rahr)
1 oz. German Tradition Hops @ 60 mins.
.33 oz. German Tradition Hops @ 22 mins.
.33 oz. German Tradition Hops @ 8 mins.
.33 oz. German Tradition Hops dry hopped
Yeast US-05
Mash Temp 151-152
OG 1.056 (this is a guess as I didn't take an OG reading)
FG 1.008
IBUs 27
SRM 6
Carbed with 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon of corn sugar

Label

The bier!

The bier almost gone with very nice lacing!

Sloppy Drunk Mild Ale

2008-08-01T14:54:00.001-07:00

This is my label for my most recent creation, a British style Mild Ale brewed while listening to Big Joe Williams and dedicated to this legendary bluesman. Before posting the recipe I'd like to say a few more words about Joe Williams than can be reasonably fit onto a bier label. Big Joe was a bluesman in every way. Bigger than life vocals, song writer, amazingly delicate guitar work delivered with force, sometime talent scout for a couple of record labels, and overall lover of life. For some time I've kept a running tally of what I think are the greatest songs ever. 'Baby Please Don't Go' makes my top 3. For posterity sake, 'Redemption Song' is number 2 and 'Strange Fruit' comes in at number one. Far and away my favorite version of Baby Please don't go is sung by Big Joe Williams, though BB King performs one of the more rollicking versions. Anyone who's a fan of the blues should give Big Joe's work a listen, you will be impressed!

Now for the recipe. The recipe is simple enough. It's Jamil's recipe with 1/2 lb carapils added.
Fermentables:
5# Marris Otter (Any British Pale Malt will do)
.75# Crystal 60
.5# Crystal 120
.375# Chocolate Malt
.5# CaraPils
Hops:
.75 oz. Kent Goldings - 60 Mins.
.5 oz. Fuggles - 20 Mins.
.5 oz. Fuggles - 0 Mins.
Your IBU target is 17-20. Also if you want to keep it in style eleminate both late boil additions.
Yeast:
Safale S-04 (pitched on approx 1 qt of yeast cake from Irish Red Ale)

Mash @ 158 degrees
Brewhouse Eff. 71%
O.G. 1.036
target F.G. 1.011

Offensive Linemen Top of Class in SEC

2008-07-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the south I was taught a few lessons early in life that were also engraved into the psyche of my fellow southerners. Among those early life lessons I learned what sassafras tea tasted, and that polk salad is edible, ALL football games, without a huge disparity in talent between the 2 combatants, are decided along the line of scrimmage, and southern math taught me 2+2=3rd and 6.
As each late summer approaches and news stands are filled with Lindys, Athlons, and various other college football annuals I begin to ponder the coming season. In selecting whom I believe to have the best shot at competing and winning championships I lean on the lessons of my youth. Understanding that most close football games are decided by a few key elements; turnovers, and who controls the line of scrimmage being the most important. While pondering these issues and looking over SEC rosters I came to a not so surprising conclusion. This is as fine a class of offensive linemen as the SEC has ever produced.
In no particular order let's take a look:
Andre Smith, Jr. Tackle, Univ. of Alabama. As a sophmore he tied with Jonathan Luigs center for the Univ. of Arkansas for the Jacobs Trophy. For the uninitiated, the Jacobs Trophy is given by the SEC to the top Offensive Lineman, and he won it as a sophmore. Smith is as athletic as any lineman in the country, I'd say the most athletic bar none. I think his prowess is best described in the words of Larry Blackney, an unabashed Auburn man, "by the end of his freshman year he may have been the best offensive lineman in the country, he looks like a dancing bear out there". Ordinarily being described as a dancing bear isn't a good thing, but in the case of a college lineman it's a damn fine honor! His only knock is that he may be eating his way into playing OG at the pro level as his weight of 340 lbs. should be more along the lines of 315 lbs. Currently projected as a possible top 5 pick if.... better make that "when" he comes out for the NFL draft after this year.
Michael Oher, Sr. Tackle, Univ. of Mississippi. Simply put, he has a ton of upside potential, possibly more than anyone else on this list. There's the only rub with this young man. As of yet he hasn't filled his enormous potential, playing soft at times, and not dominating the way he's capable. But hey aside from Patrick Willis who at Ole Miss did play up to their potential under the Ogeron regime. I'm expecting the new staff to pull greatness from this young man. Currently viewed as a possible top 10 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.
Jonathan Luigs, Sr. Center, Univ. of Arkansas. Simply put this young man dominates. A phenominal offensive lineman who controls the point of attack with brute force and good technique. He never takes a bad angle, gets beat less often than the Harlem Globetrotters. He's dominant at getting to the second level, the mark of a great center. Some question his athletic ability, and I've noticed his play sometimes slips late in games. Won the Remington Trophy, given to the nation's top center, and is most likely the first center taken in the draft.
Herman Johnson, Sr. Louisiana State Univ. How about these #'s? 6' 7" 350+ pounds.... and moves well! Can I get a volunteer to step in front of the biggest player to ever wear the Purple and Gold, thought not. He starts at left guard and has played both tackle positions. Good feet and long wing span assure his being given a shot to start somewhere in the NFL. Fun fact, Herman was the largest baby born in Louisiana, and was a babysitter in highschool... those were some safe kids!
Anthony Parker, Sr, Univ. of Tennessee. At 6'3" 310 lbs he's the perfect size offensive guard. Moves extremely well, has good technique and fantastic feet. Plays with good leverage. After arrest in January for disorderly conduct, hey college kids gotta blow off steam some time right..., he has some work to do to improve his immage. No doubt he has all the tools for the next level and to dominate in college. The question is, does he have the focus to elevate his game. Seems to slip at times, lacking focus.
Ciron Black, Jr. Louisiana State University. Good size for an offensive tackle. Wonderful form, probably the best of any in this group. Great feet, good body type, works hard. There are no weakness in this man's game. The only question NFL scouts should have, is he strong enough to dominate NFL defensive ends? Combines with Herman Johnson to complete the best left side of an offensive line in college football.
Tyrone Green, Sr. Auburn Univ. Low center of gravity road grader. Another phenominal offensive guard. In 9 out of 10 years Tyrone would be a sure fire SEC first teamer. Not this year. Plays with a low center of gravity, uses athleticism well. Need to work on technique as this is what gets him beat on occasion. Wonderfully gifted player.
Antoine Caldwell, Sr. Univ. of Alabama. If not for playing in the same conference as the reigning Remington Trophy holder he's the first team All SEC center. Athletic, mobile, good technique. Very strong player who doesn't use his strength as well as he should. Good quickness. Has played every position on Alabama's line except left tackle, see Andre Smith. Greatest attribute is between his ears. Should develop into a solid professional as his measurables, character, and versatility make him an attractive commodity.
Now I'm sure there are others I could list, but there just isn't room or time. Besides isn't this enough potential All Pro players playing in one conference at one time?

Crimson Ale, Official Ale of the 2008 Univ. of Alabama Football Season

2008-07-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is the label for an Irish Red Ale I brewed on July 16th. This bier is designed to be another low alcohol session brew. What makes this one special though is it's intended purpose. I intend to drink this bier throughout the upcoming 2008 college football season when watching Alabama games. I'm sure I'll have one while watching other games, but that could lead to a problem! If it's as quaffable as it should be the real challenge will be making it last for three and a half months... or hey I could brew more... problem solved! I'm currently planning my next batches to be a partial mash Hobgobblin clone and another session brew, probably a mild, also for football season.
This is the recipe for a 5 gallon batch:
7 # Marris Otter
.5 # Carapils
.375 # Caramel 60
.25 # Caramel 120
.25 # British Roasted Barley
1.08 oz. Kent Golding hops with 4.8 AAU
Mash 1.3 U.S. Qts of water per pound of grain @ 154 degrees f.
Sparge with close to 2 U.S. Qts of water per pound of grain @ 178 degrees f.
Safale S-04 yeast pitched onto approx. 2-3 cups of slurry from Breakfast Stout (see below)
Ferment at 60-65 degrees f.

SG 1.042 estimated FG 1.011 estimated abv 4%
IBUs 20 SRM 18

I almost forgot... Roll Tide!

(click on the label to enlarge)

Can Common Sense Be Saved?

2008-07-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

'Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on.'

I read the above in the comment section of an article published in a British paper about, get this, toddlers being racist for saying words like "yuk" when eating non familiar (foreign) foods!

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World!

Rotund Breakfast Stout

2008-07-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Above is the label for my Rotund Breakfast Stout. This is an original creation and my first all-grain homebrewed bier. This is an excellent session bier, and a fine example that shows off the versatility of the Oatmeal Stout style.

Here's the Recipe

5# Marris Otter

.8# Quaker Whole Oats, toasted to the color of Caramel 60 malt

.625# American Chocolate Malt

.5# British Roasted Barley

.5# Caramel 60

.5# Carmel 120

Mash at 155 degrees F.

1.2 oz Kent Golding hops boiled for 72 mins.

Pitch 1 packet Safale S-04

IBUs 26

SRM 40

S.G. 1.039

F.G. 1.015

ABV 3.3%

Fermentation of this low alc. bier only took about 4 days. My final gravity finished a little high, but I'm hoping it'll drop a couple of points in the secondary. This is the clearest bier I've brewed thus far, the yeast accounts for that. The Hydrometer sample tasted great, lots of roasted coffee flavors!

Old Peculiar Ale Label

2008-07-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

Above is an Old Peculiar bier label I designed for my clone homebrew of the original Old Peculier bier. The back ground is distressed metal. The character is Gabby Hayes the old western movie actor. Always enjoyed the peculiar characters he played.

College Football and Summer Strength and Conditioning

2008-07-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Yes things are changing in places like Morgantown WV, College Station TX, and all over the nation. Some changes are easy to see. Michigan has a new sheriff in town, and others aren't, like the SEC has almost a dozen new coordinators! In many ways this is the most pleasant time of year. No one has lost a game, last years gut wrenching loses are a faded memory, injuries haven't crippled anyone's secondary, and for most there's nothing to yell at the coach about right now.

Don't let it fool you though. This like spring practice, and the recruiting cycle is as important a time as any on the football teams calender. Now? Now is the time when championships are built. As young men in places like Ann Arbor and Tuscaloosa are finding out just how far the human body can be pushed. If they aren't finding out, they aren't trying hard enough! There was a time when men like Johnny Vaught of the Univ. of Mississippi or Walley Butts of the Univ. of Georgia applied militaristic tactics to all workouts. The belief was that "big" players couldn't get it done. In the time of single platoon football when a team was able to play 11 players and they had to play both ways, even on special teams, a player could not leave the game and return. The game was dominated by 5' 7" linebackers and 210 pound linemen! Days long sense over. The game changed through the 60's as the new decade had marked the end of single platoon football, and gave birth to the behemoth football player. Some old timers will tell you it was the end of the best football. Others will say it advanced the game allowing players and coaches to concentrate on a special skill set for each position. As a well practiced "fence straddler" I can understand both points of view.

Why is this relevant? Because there was a rebirth of that vigorous offseason workout mentality during the 80's and 90's. But now in the post dawn of a new millenium that rebirth has taken a whole new shape. In a time when many athletes search for every advantage they can in all the forms they can in all the ways they can, legal and illegal, a renaissance of the boot camp approach to summer work outs has blossomed.

Todays 17-23 year old college football player is used to air conditioned cars and homes, plays video games seated in a chair, and doesn't know which end of a hoe too use. In a modern time where parents have less and less time for children, and modern conveniences make everything "instant gratification" style. There's only one thing to say. Our youths are soft compared to their grandparents!

Among the questions any coach of any time asks...

How can I get these young men to work? How can I weed out the ones that don't want to work? How can I find out who among my 100 football players wants to be here? How can I help each of these young men realize their own potential while forming a team bond? How can I find out which 22, 44, and 66 players the team and coaching staff can most easily rely on? Who are the most dedicated players? Who does this matter too as much as me?

Answer.... Work their fanny off!

Yep all over the country young men are working their tales off trying to get ahead while others simply try to catch up. Remember if you're not getting better you're falling behind!

Third Saturday in October

2007-10-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

For the uninitiated, the Third Saturday in October is the annual gridiron war between the two most storied powerhouse programs of Southern college football. Traditionally this was a game fans of both schools looked forward too. For Bama fans it wasn't as bitter a rivalry as the Iron Bowl vs Auburn every November. That has changed in recent years with Tennessee Head Coach Phil Fulmer's involvment in the NCAA investigation and subsequent probation of Alabama.
Well this year the Tide rolled!!! 41-17 was the score on the board after 60 minutes of football. Oh this one is probably the most enjoyable win for Bama's fan base in recent years. The score was important for a couple of factors. First this game didn't have the grudge match feel of recent UA/UT battles and the fanbase is hopeing this is a water shed moment. A sign that things have finally turned around in Tuscaloosa. I'm sure that things have turned around in T-town, but the real fun starts in a couple of years, 2009. Wins like this one sure do make getting to 2009 enjoyable! Smokem if ya gottem (if you have to ask what this means... don't)!