tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73102415544876799892024-02-07T05:53:58.160-05:00Real Men Drink YeastThe diary of a homebrewer.
Descriptions of brew days and ideas for new brews. Also the occasional review of commercial brews or beer related rant and rave.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-86665505111346157962015-11-05T20:25:00.000-05:002015-11-05T20:25:43.434-05:00Unlabeled Mystery Beer of MysteryI found a couple of unlabeled bottles of homebrew in the basement so I decided to give one a shot. Turns out it's a bottle of Festivus Feats of Strength from a few years ago and it's certainly changed.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance: </b>A little bit of a pour explosion. It was at cellar temp but probably needed some time in the fridge to tame it. Dark brown with a thick off-white head. Cloudy, most likely stirred up sediment, and slightly transparent on the edges.<br />
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<b>Aroma:</b> Raisins about with some muted spice. Most of the spices have dissipated with time but I'm still getting some clove and cinnamon.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor: </b> A bit astringent from the spices with a hint of a metallic taste. Huge candy sugar and molasses. Where did this come from?! Checking my notes from before suggests the raisin and fruit have become more of a molasses. Slightly smoky even. I'm thinking the metallic aftertaste and the molasses is suggestive of some oxidation, not surprising for such an old beer.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> This one is still thin and has gotten more so with age. Definitely the week point. Maybe some wheat or oat would help.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Overall:</b> Aged pretty well for a 5 year old beer. There's a lot of oxidation but not all bad, that molasses is quite nice. I've got one more bottle but I don't think I'll save it another year, it's past its prime for sure.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-53143138275390788782015-09-25T21:53:00.002-04:002015-09-25T21:53:49.261-04:00Fresh Hop IPA 2015As seems to be the case of late, I've been way to busy to do much homebrewing. I've been putting some quite ratings of beers I'm drinking on untappd (add me if you want) but I haven't had much to post here.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNOGvoE05vyKdfSkrXZEbBJAgfBmH8XCv6uqp-N6Z3cyBnXIsxaJNsa_9IKNSkmVoecoU4SPasxCLJyoNYrct76PO6vwPGvGRAfRYCN8NAFZEanzAtBAw6R6iu-i_eKIOwZGmy5uZrcG5/s1600/IMG_20150830_153811340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNOGvoE05vyKdfSkrXZEbBJAgfBmH8XCv6uqp-N6Z3cyBnXIsxaJNsa_9IKNSkmVoecoU4SPasxCLJyoNYrct76PO6vwPGvGRAfRYCN8NAFZEanzAtBAw6R6iu-i_eKIOwZGmy5uZrcG5/s320/IMG_20150830_153811340.jpg" width="179" /></a>A few weeks ago, I brewed two batches, both all grain biab, in about 6 hours! I had some great help to get me through the day and everything went pretty smoothly. This post is about the fresh hop IPA for this year. I got a pretty good harvest off my Cascade so that went into this batch.<br />
Brew day was August 30, 2015.<br />
<h4>
Recipe</h4>
<div>
12lbs american pale malt</div>
<div>
1.5lb flaked wheat</div>
<div>
1lb crystal 20</div>
<div>
1oz Centennial for 60 minutes</div>
<div>
1oz Cascade for 30 minutes</div>
<div>
Irish moss at 10 minutes</div>
<div>
2oz Galaxy at flame out</div>
<div>
8.8oz fresh Cascade dry hopped</div>
<div>
1 packet of US-05</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
BIAB mash, 24qt at 155°F for 1 hour</div>
<div>
Rinse with remaining water to about 7 gallons (a little under to prevent a boil over)</div>
<div>
Boil was 1 hour and went into a bucket fermenter with the fresh hops for 3 weeks</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
OG: 1.068 (pretty close to my planned 1.061)</div>
<div>
FG: 1.008</div>
<div>
ABV: 6.78%</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Bottled on September 20, 2015 with 100g priming sugar to 32 x 12oz since there was a lot of absorption in the boil and dry hops.</div>
<h4>
Tasting notes</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWuqLEOhGfgy9TCxMRteUA8bsr9bNS45bkiXSJvKit1Bm53quh84cn_RWeNCSh7ncbp2JE8isT14Lgelqp2uIUnryHH5uVWyOVYVdmHvfol0VmNwb9RsDZElq5GaJfZdueTnaUUxggaZo/s1600/IMG_20150925_210742952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWuqLEOhGfgy9TCxMRteUA8bsr9bNS45bkiXSJvKit1Bm53quh84cn_RWeNCSh7ncbp2JE8isT14Lgelqp2uIUnryHH5uVWyOVYVdmHvfol0VmNwb9RsDZElq5GaJfZdueTnaUUxggaZo/s320/IMG_20150925_210742952.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div>
I tasted a little less than a week after bottling so I didn't expect tons of carbonation but it was conditioning in the kitchen in September so it should be mostly there.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Appearance: </b>Cloudy but there was a lot of sediment in this bottle so to be expected. Golden color and a thick off-white head that took a while to settle so there's certainly carbonation. I'm also tasting it warm so I figured there'd be a lot. The wheat definitely helped with retention.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Aroma:</b> Spicy hops with a bit of stone fruit (the Galaxy maybe?) Sweet citrus and a bit of banana but very subtle. There's also a little paint thinner in the background that may have come from a slightly high fermentation (into the low to mid 70s). Barely noticeable though and certainly not off-putting.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Flavor: </b>A bit of bready malt but not overstated. There's enough bitterness to remind you this is an IPA but it's not overly harsh; more Easter US, less Western. Come slight mango and orange but not a lot of citrus in the month.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Mouthfeel: </b>A bit thick but not too bad. Seems to be from the wheat and should tame itself when colder.<b> </b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Finish:</b> Hangs for a little on the middle of the tongue. Hope bitterness can still be sensed for quite some time.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Overall:</b> Not as much of the fresh hop came through as I'd hoped. Maybe not as pungent a batch this time? Or perhaps I should have split between a short boil and the dry hop. It's a decent beer and despite the slightly hints of a warm fermentation with the banana and fusels it's tough to detect, I had to drink it warm and search them out. It'll be a good day to day drinker for the fall but it's not going to win any awards.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-50543656041945527272014-12-23T16:39:00.001-05:002014-12-23T16:39:11.879-05:00Wine?! Sure, why not?This is usually a place for me to discuss my homebrew batches, maybe review a particularly special beer, but I felt like writing up a post about a wine I had back in October. This was an icewine I picked up back in 2005 when I went up to Canada for my birthday. It was a particularly nice wine so it gets a spot in the blog.<br />
<br />
D'Angelo Vineyards 2004 Vidal Icewine<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUGxNqT51tAnw9Fo7fbfVXxGhAJhSvS6hIQB_Q_a-LERnHJcSizNYPZ5LlOJGseV7Fq8iBXhyphenhyphenFTdB3_HUr8VPOTZD2jRYyY2sbupG4KF1I6duH1rnf7Rk16bWvHeo1OMnxcdRACM0W14L/s1600/IMAG0555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUGxNqT51tAnw9Fo7fbfVXxGhAJhSvS6hIQB_Q_a-LERnHJcSizNYPZ5LlOJGseV7Fq8iBXhyphenhyphenFTdB3_HUr8VPOTZD2jRYyY2sbupG4KF1I6duH1rnf7Rk16bWvHeo1OMnxcdRACM0W14L/s1600/IMAG0555.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b> Deep reddish-golden color thinning to pale gold on the edges<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b> Sherry nose with a slight syrupy/honey sweetness and notes of cherries. A slight cooked cabbage aroma suggests a slight fault, perhaps too long on the lees? It's not strong enough to be off putting.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Taste:</b> Quite sweet and syrupy as would be expected in an icewine but with a nice balance. A little grapey and a bit of alcohol heat.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Overall:</b> A rather enjoyable wine. The mercaptan is definitely a flaw but a very minor one and I really had to strain to detect much. The oxidation was quite pronounced but the sherry quality it gave this wine was pleasant so it's hard to count that as a flaw. I wish I had another bottle I could have opened a few years about and a third to open in a couple more to see how this wine matured. I suspect I may have waited past it's peak but overall it was quite a lovely desert.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-49765568868100337182014-09-13T13:57:00.000-04:002014-09-13T13:57:16.138-04:00Back in BerlinerI saved a few bottles of the <a href="http://realmendrinkyeast.blogspot.com/2011/08/its-finally-time-to-post-tasting-notes.html">Berlinergyle</a> from a while back and cracked one today just for the heck of it. Overall, it's aged well and continued to develop over time. It certainly has not faded.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance: </b>Very light straw and a little cloudy with a thick head that fades quickly.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma: </b>Strong lactic sourness and slightly sweet. Cooked stone fruit and floral notes. It's sharp but not unpleasant.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor: </b>Not as strong as the aroma leads me to believe but still noticeable lemonade sourness. No detectable hops and almost no maltiness but there's a little graininess in the tail. Citrus fruit dominates with an occasional chemical note in the tail but I can't quite place it, maybe a little rubber so probably a few off phenols in there still.<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel: </b>Quite light but it does stick a little to the tongue. Lively carbonation dances on the tongue.<br />
<br />
<b>Finish:</b> Medium finish which is intensely lemony especially on the lips and tongue.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall: </b>Glad this has lasted. I might bring a bottle to a small homebrew contest next week. Probably won't appeal to most but I quite like it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-25106190272774218292014-09-05T17:50:00.000-04:002014-09-05T17:50:03.370-04:00Bob's Best Bitter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sS150WOW0uM/VAov6y5tNbI/AAAAAAAAId4/DN0X51BnPf4/s1600/IMAG0494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sS150WOW0uM/VAov6y5tNbI/AAAAAAAAId4/DN0X51BnPf4/s1600/IMAG0494.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
Well, it's been quite a busy year, and that means not a lot of brewing. A contest at work spurred me into making a quick bitter. I'm rather happy with it too.<br />
<br />
I cracked the first bottle after a week conditioning, here's the result.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b> Light golden to amber. Quite clear despite a little yeast kicked up during the pour. Thin head falling quickly but I expect a little more with the roasted barley.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b> Not much here but it's still a little under carbonated. Spicy hop aroma from the fuggles. A little breadiness and some caramel or vanilla warm sweetness. The phenols are probably from a high fermentation temperature but they are slight and add a nice subdued sweetness to the nose without overwhelming.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ6AbJBW5Ww/VAov-tbeH0I/AAAAAAAAIeA/OSIOmLxInbA/s1600/IMAG0503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ6AbJBW5Ww/VAov-tbeH0I/AAAAAAAAIeA/OSIOmLxInbA/s1600/IMAG0503.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a><b>Flavor:</b> Definitely some spicy and slightly resinous hop in the tail but the initial impression is caramel. I'm getting a little bit of a resin/chemical flavor that could be from the smoked malt although I suspect the caramel is the predominant contribution from that ingredient. Balance tips to the bitter side of the scale.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> More full bodied than you'd expect from the low alcohol which is what I was going for with the grain bill. I nice creamy smoothness that reminds you a little of a dry Irish stout but it's more of a memory than a real impression. Carbonation is low, but again, it's only been conditioning for a week. I don't expect high carbonation but I suspect there will be a bit more in the coming weeks.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Finish:</b> Fairly long linger on the hop which makes this a good beer to drink slowly. Coupled with the low alcohol, I expect I could finish 5 or 6 in a long session without any sign of a hangover the next <br />
day.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>General Impression:</b> I'm rather happy with this one. I'm a little rusty these days and I've been doing crazy beers to it's nice to have a easy to brew, east to drink beer for a change.<br />
<div>
<a name='more'></a><div align="center">
<table bgcolor="#c0c0c0" border="0" id="table2" style="width: 90%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="color: white; font-size: x-large;"><i>Bob's Best Bitter</i></span></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="color: white;"><i>Standard/Ordinary
Bitter</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1px; margin-top: 0px;">
</h3>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" id="table1" style="width: 77%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="40%">
<b><i>Type</i></b><i><b>:</b></i>
All Grain</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Date</i></b><i><b>:</b></i> 8/23/2014</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%">
<b><i>Batch Size</i>:</b> 6.00
gal</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Brewer</i>:</b> Trevor</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Boil Size</i></b><i><b>:</b></i> 7.00 gal</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Asst Brewer</i>:</b> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Boil Time</i>:</b> 60 min </td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Equipment</i>:</b> BIAB </td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Taste Rating(out of 50)</i>:</b> 35.0 </td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Brewhouse Efficiency</i>:</b> 70.00</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><b><i>Taste Notes</i>:</b> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2">
<div align="center">
<b><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Ingredients</span></b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<div align="center">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="left" width="16%">Amount</th>
<th align="left" width="51%">Item</th>
<th align="left" width="15%">Type</th>
<th align="left" width="16%">% or IBU</th></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">6 lbs 8.0 oz</td>
<td align="left">Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)</td>
<td align="left">Grain</td>
<td align="left">73.20 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">1 lbs</td>
<td align="left">Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM)</td>
<td align="left">Grain</td>
<td align="left">11.26 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">1 lbs</td>
<td align="left">Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM)</td>
<td align="left">Grain</td>
<td align="left">11.26 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">3.0 oz</td>
<td align="left">Aromatic Malt (Dingemans) (19.0 SRM)</td>
<td align="left">Grain</td>
<td align="left">2.14 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">2.1 oz</td>
<td align="left">Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)</td>
<td align="left">Grain</td>
<td align="left">1.46 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">1.0 oz</td>
<td align="left">Peat Smoked Malt (2.8 SRM)</td>
<td align="left">Grain</td>
<td align="left">0.68 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">0.50 oz</td>
<td align="left">Millenium [15.90 %] (60 min)</td>
<td align="left">Hops</td>
<td align="left">26.6 IBU</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">0.50 oz</td>
<td align="left">Millenium [15.90 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)</td>
<td align="left">Hops</td>
<td align="left">- </td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">1.00 oz</td>
<td align="left">Fuggles [5.30 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)</td>
<td align="left">Hops</td>
<td align="left">- </td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">1.00 tsp</td>
<td align="left">Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)</td>
<td align="left">Misc</td>
<td align="left"></td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">1 Pkgs</td>
<td align="left">London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968)</td>
<td align="left">Yeast-Ale</td>
<td align="left"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2">
<div align="center">
<span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Beer
Profile</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%">
<b><i>Est Original
Gravity</i>:</b> 1.038 SG</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Measured Original Gravity</i>:</b> 1.038 SG</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><i><b>Est Final Gravity:</b></i> 1.012 SG</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Measured Final Gravity</i>:</b> 1.008 SG</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Estimated Alcohol by Vol</i></b><i><b>:</b></i> 3.47 %
</td>
<td width="52%"><i><b>Actual Alcohol by Vol:</b></i> 3.90 %</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><i><b>Bitterness:</b></i> 26.6 IBU</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Calories</i></b><i><b>:</b></i> 165 cal/pint</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><i><b>Est Color:</b></i> 7.7 SRM</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Color</i>:</b>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#c39938"><span style="color: #c39938;">Color
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2">
<div align="center">
<span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Mash
Profile</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Mash Name</i>:</b> BIAB</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Total Grain Weight</i>:</b> 8.88 lb</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Sparge Water</i>:</b> 4.07 gal</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Grain Temperature</i>:</b> 72.0 F</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Sparge Temperature</i>:</b> 168.0 F</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>TunTemperature</i>:</b> 72.0 F</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Adjust Temp for Equipment</i>:</b> FALSE</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Mash PH</i>:</b> 5.4 PH</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<div align="center">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<caption><u><b>BIAB</b></u></caption>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="left" width="16%">Step Time</th>
<th align="left" width="23%">Name</th>
<th align="left" width="44%">Description</th>
<th align="left" width="16%">Step Temp</th></tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">60 min</td>
<td align="left">Step</td>
<td align="left">Add 16.00 qt of water at 160.1 F</td>
<td align="left">152.0 F</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><b><i>Mash Notes: </i></b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2">
<div align="center">
<span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Carbonation and
Storage</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Carbonation Type</i>:</b> Corn Sugar</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Volumes of CO2</i>:</b> 1.1</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Pressure/Weight</i>:</b> 1.0 oz</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Carbonation Used</i>:</b> 1.2</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Keg/Bottling Temperature</i>:</b> 75.0 F</td>
<td width="52%"><b><i>Age for</i>:</b> 21.0 days</td></tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><b><i>Storage Temperature</i>:</b> 52.0 F</td>
<td width="52%"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2">
<div align="center">
<span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Notes</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Flame out a couple of times on the burner so I boiled a little
longer than estimated for the first hop addition. Quite hot outside so
fermentation is high. 82 pitch, trying to lower with an ice bath.<br /><br />38 x
12oz = 3.5gal bottled 29-Aug-2014</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<div align="right">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Created with </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.beersmith.com/">BeerSmith</a></span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0Dayton, OH, USA39.7589478 -84.19160690000001139.5637908 -84.5143304 39.9541048 -83.868883400000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-29907932756770788722013-08-27T07:34:00.001-04:002013-09-20T20:25:42.743-04:00Fresh Hop IPA 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a few years of trying, I've finally managed to get a good hob yield so I brewed a fresh hop IPA with the hops. I'm not entirely sure what I used as I don't remember which plants survived but I believe this is mostly cascade with some fuggles. The recipe is simple, 12 lbs US 2-row, 1 lb 20L crystal, and 1 lb flaked wheat for some head retention. Mashed at about 151°F for just over an hour. I did a brew in a bag this time; about the largest I can handle and just enough for a 5 gal batch.</div>
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I boiled for an hour with 1.1 oz of Chinook pellets at 12.1% AA for bittering then at flame out I added some Irish moss to help with clarity and 8.7 oz of my fresh hops. Chilled and pitched US-05 then fermented for about 2 weeks. OG came in at 1.062, a hair under my expected 1.066 but good enough. I ended up with 4 gallons in the fermenter. One of these days I'll learn to boil with more because I always come up short but can't top up without dropping OG.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Of course, I couldn't let the extra hops go to waste so I had a nice pour over with a tasty craft pale ale from Widmer Brothers.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The beer has only been in bottles for about a week but it's been warm so I decided to give it a shot. Carbonation is a hair low as expected but pretty good overall.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">A: Slightly cloudy cider colored. A small head that falls fairly quickly. I expect something larger with the wheat but it's still under carbonated so that might change in the weeks to come.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">S: Spicy with a hint of citrus rind. There's a slightly sweet malt but not too much. The hops are clean and mellow, not overpowering.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">T: A little grassy with the fresh hops with a mild astringency on the palette. There's some brightness like a slightly lemon flavored iced tea. Malt is caramel flavored and subdued. Mouthfeel is medium with a little sugary thickness from the 1.009 finish.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">O: Not too bad. I wish I had caught the hops a few days earlier to cut back on the grass flavor. If I had, I could have used some more for a massive dry hop but they were too far gone by that point. I'm pretty pleased overall. There's enough body to hold up to the cool autumn nights without being heavy.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-84666698786304976902013-05-19T18:57:00.000-04:002013-05-19T18:57:30.714-04:00More kefir experimentsRight now I'm mashing my next kefir experiment, a kefir and yeast fermented sweet stout. I'm also drinking the last of the kefir lambics so I figured I'd review.<div>
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<h4>
Aroma:</h4>
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Definitely getting some wheat in the nose along with a slight spiciness likely from the Saaz (even though it was well aged and boiled for a while). There's a little cooked fruit in the background, cherry-like. I might be getting a small amount of DMS like sweetness. Overall, the aroma is quite subdued.</div>
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Appearance:</h4>
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While not super cold, I did refrigerate for and hour or so. Despite this, there was a huge pop when I cracked the top. I'm glad this was the end of the batch so the bottle fill was a little low so there was no mess.</div>
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A thin white head with large bubbles rapidly dissipates but this isn't surprising for a funky/sour beer.</div>
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Deep golden color, almost brassy with a slight haze.</div>
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Flavor:</h4>
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A bit harsh and biting on the front end like a rye ale. There's a little solvent flavor when I aerate, perhaps some fusels were created during the long bottle conditioning. Quite dry with minimal hop flavor. It's also a bit vegetal but not overly so. So real sourness, just hints of it in the background. Quite disappointing.</div>
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Mouthfeel:</h4>
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Despite the pop when I opened it, the carbonation isn't particularly high. The wheat is boosting the body leaving it with a medium body that hangs on your palette just long enough.</div>
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Overall:</h4>
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Still disappointed there's really no sour but I hold out hopes for the sweet stout. That said, this isn't a terrible beer. If I had another six pack, I'd finish it off but it's not a re-brew batch.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-28822814803709667402013-02-04T00:01:00.001-05:002013-02-04T00:01:54.234-05:00Westvleteren 12Yes! I got a bottle thanks to a friend who agreed to a swap. So, without further ado, here's the skinny.<br />
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Appearance: An off white head that hangs on for ages. The body is a milk chocolate brown.<br />
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Smell: Malt forward with dates, raisin, caramel, grapes, sherry, and cooked cherries. Very little hop in the nose.<br />
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Taste: Very complex malt flavors with a balanced hop bitterness. There's a little toastiness to complement the same caramel luciousness in the nose.<br />
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Mouthfeel: While there is a little thickness, it's surprisingly light for a 10.5% beer, no doubt due to lots of candi sugars. There's a little tickle of carbonation but it isn't particularly high for a Beligian.<br />
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Overall: A wonderful complexity of cooked fruits and a perfect balance of malt and hops shows me why this beer is so often rated as one of the best in the world. That said, it's a bit expensive to have more than once or twice unless I lived nearby the Abbey and could get it with less hassle. But don't misunderstand me, I really enjoyed this beer. 97/100Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-33881036123847289192012-09-07T22:16:00.001-04:002012-09-07T22:16:18.239-04:00Houston, We Have SourI finally have some positive results from the kefir lambic experiment. I just have a bottle of the control and one of the kefir version.<br />
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As a reminder, I brewed with a pretty standard lambic grist and split the batch. Half was fermented with US-05 until stable at about 1.022 then I added some kefir grains. There was no noticeable drop in gravity after another few days so I bottled. The second half was fermented entirely with kefir and settled at the same 1.022. After a couple of weeks in the bottle the control had no sour and light carbonation. The kefir version was almost completely flat. Both were a bit syrupy and had a little rubberyness but were ok other than that.<br />
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It's been a few more weeks. The control gushed at room temperature and left a thick, firm head. It had cleaned up in flavor a bit, almost mo band aid present except a very small amount at the tail of the glass. It still wasn't sour but wasn't sugary either. Not a bad beer actually.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kefir from today</td></tr>
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So I poured a bottle of the kefir. Not as carbonated as the control but it still had a tight head which dropped down after a couple of minutes. The aroma is quite a bit more complex than the control. Bready with noticeable stone fruit; it reminds me of a warm bun with apricot preserves. The wheat is at the forefront of the flavor too but there's a hint of a smooth lactic sour hiding in there. I wouldn't call puckery, much more subtle and quite pleasant. It's almost a sweat and sour candy sort of a flavor. I've got one more bottle of the kefir version. I think I'll cellar it for another few months and see how it turns out. This gives me hope for the technique. I still think I'll do a milk stout base next time.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-52728030590861556122012-07-22T12:48:00.001-04:002012-07-25T22:39:06.941-04:00The Great ExperimentA few weeks ago I got some kefir grains and I've been really enjoying making my own kefir. The smooth sourness and wonderful flavors made me wonder about brewing with kefir grains so I launched the grand experiment. I'm brewing a small batch tonight for part 1 of the experiment. The grain bill is classic lambic, nothing too crazy. I'm going to split the batch in two and start one with US-05 then finish with kefir grains. The second half gets all kefir grain fermentation. I'm hoping for something lambic like. Batch two will be a similar experiment with a milk stout grain bill.<br />
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1lb Belgian pilsen malt<br />
12oz US torrified red wheat<br />
2oz Belgian aromatic<br />
0.2oz aged Saaz<br />
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I did a 75 minute BIAB mash at about 152-154°F for a pre-boil gravity of 1.046. (84.5% efficiency...pretty standard for a small batch BIAB for me). I boiled for 60 minutes with the hops in for the full time (and a pinch of irish moss for the last 10 minutes or so). I had some hops in the freezer from quite some time ago (at least a year). It was mostly Saaz but probably had a little of something else mixed in. Chilled in the sink to about 70°F then split to two growlers. OG is 1.054. Pitched 1g of US-05 in one container and 0.5oz of rinsed kefir grains in the other.<br />
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UPDATE:<br />
I checked this morning and the yeast half is fermenting nicely. The kefir portion has pushed the water through the airlock with an occasional bubble so it seems to be doing ok although it's starting out slowly.<br />
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UPDATE 2:<br />
On Monday evening the yeast half had slowed significantly so I took a gravity reading. At 1.021 it seemed mostly finished (40% unmalted wheat and a low mash temp leaves lots of unfermentables). I racked to a secondary and pitched 0.5oz of lightly washed kefir grains. The kefir only half is fermenting fairly well now. Not a full on yeast fermentation but a couple of bubbles a second.<br />
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UPDATE 3:<br />
The kefir half had slowed and cleared by Wednesday evening. The gravity is at 1.022 which is essentially the same as the yeast half. There's not any sourness but I didn't compare the two. The estimated FG for the batch is 1.013 so there may be room to drop still but it might need brett to get the rest of the way. I'll give them a few more days and see if it's steady then do a comparison. I'm thinking I might need to move on to experiment 2, a milk stout. Maybe the addition of lactose will give the kefir something more to chew on.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-24107107715680429232012-07-21T21:07:00.001-04:002012-07-21T21:07:17.824-04:00Beer and SweatI've been pretty lax posting but I haven't brewed much lately..suppose I could put more commercial reviews. Anyway, I did brew about 3 months back. Made an Oktoberfest with Zack and Tom (Tom also made a milk stout) that we're going to submit to <a href="http://bloatarian.com/bbl-competitions/beer-sweat/">Beer & Sweat</a> next month. It's at Zack's so I haven't had a chance to taste it yet but he says it's quite good. I'm pretty excited about the event..hopefully we'll score well! I'll post an update with the results.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-18476336236367035852012-03-05T23:14:00.000-05:002012-03-05T23:14:05.851-05:00American Bitter Tasting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I tasted the <a href="http://realmendrinkyeast.blogspot.com/2012/02/pantry-clearing-bitter.html">Pantry Clearing Bitter</a> this weekend and I'm quite happy with it.<br />
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<b>Appearance: </b>Little head with large bubble which fades quickly. Not a lot of carbonation in this yet, but it shouldn't have too much being a bitter. The color is a light amber and slightly cloudy.<br />
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<b>Aroma: </b>The aroma is light due to the low carbonation but there's some floral and spice notes from the hops. No real malt or strong yeast aromas.<br />
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<b>Flavor:</b> It's more hoppy and bitter up front than a British ordinary bitter should have. Let's call this one an American bitter, yea, that's it. It's certainly not overpowering or unbalanced and is quite pleasant. The bitterness makes up for a lighter body. After the initial hop fades there's a strong breadiness. There's no Maris Otter in here but you'd never know from the flavor. There's some faint spice to accompany the bready malt leaning more to black pepper then coriander.<br />
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<b>Mouthfeel:</b> Thin but not unexpectedly so since it is a low alcohol session ale. A little wheat might have been nice to help with head retention and a small amount of body.<br />
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<b>Overall:</b> I like this beer quite a bit. Much better than the previous couple of batches and quite good given the mishmash of ingredients.<br />
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It's pretty cold in Ohio right now so I had trouble hitting my mash temp at first (138°F instead of the target 154°F). I figured that might happen so I mashed a little thick at first expecting I'd need to add a couple of quarts of near boiling water to get the temp right. The second addition was more like 157°F which was good since it's dropped a bit even in my cooler. I did a starch test due to the temperature issues to make sure I got full conversion and ended up with slightly more than a 60 minute mash. The grain bill is mostly pale malt with a mix of UK and Belgian 2-row since that's what I had leftover. A small amount of chocolate malt for some color and a little roast rounded it out.<br />
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A 60 minute boil with 2 hop boil additions and some at flame out clears most of my hops. The Styrian Goldings was a little more aromatic than the Fuggles and Amarillo so it's going in at 30 for some flavor. I bought Challenger and Pilgrim (both UK sourced) for some aroma and both go in during cooling. Pre-boil gravity was a smidge low at 1.028 but I suspect my efficiency was low because of the lower volume (greater percentage lost to dead space)<br />
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An unfortunate problem I encountered during my cold weather brew experiment is that a turkey fryer thermal valve will not stay open in 20° weather and occasionally catches fire since the o-ring shrinks. Luckily, my stove will boil 3.5 gallons without a problem so I just moved indoors. I eventually got up to a full boil at about 4:15 in the afternoon.<br />
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The boil was uneventful after that. I decided the cold was going to help me this time so I'm chilling outside right now. The aroma hops went in at chill time. Two new varieties for me: challenger and pilgrim. Challenger has been a staple for British styles for a while but I've always used the older varieties. Challenger seems to have a nice spicy and slightly musty smell. Jenn thinks it smells like mustard greens and I can't say I disagree. The pilgrim is a little less powerful with a spice and lemon nose.<br />
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I'm planning on drinking this one young so watch for updates and tasting notes in a few weeks.<br />
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<pre>BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Pantry Clearing Bitter
Brewer: Trevor
Asst Brewer:
Style: Standard/Ordinary Bitter
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)
Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 3.50 gal
Boil Size: 4.66 gal
Estimated OG: 1.039 SG
Estimated Color: 9.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 27.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU </pre>
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<pre>3 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 59.88 % 1 lbs 14.6 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 38.12 % 1.6 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.00 % 0.25 oz Fuggles [4.20 %] (60 min) Hops 5.4 IBU 0.30 oz Amarillo Gold [7.20 %] (60 min) Hops 12.4 IBU 0.50 oz Styrian Goldings [4.50 %] (30 min) Hops 9.9 IBU 1.00 oz Challenger [7.50 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-StHops - 1.00 oz Pilgrim [11.50 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-SteeHops - 1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 5.01 lb
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Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 6.26 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F</pre>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-16693040096401042162012-02-06T12:03:00.001-05:002012-02-06T12:03:16.680-05:00Noble hop informationJust wanted to link everyone to a nice blog entry on noble hop characteristics and substitutions. It's a nice, succinct entry on the four noble hop varieties and is a nice read for beginner and advanced brewers.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2012/02/05/noble-hops-for-european-beer-styles/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BeersmithcomHomeBrewingBlog+%28BeerSmith.com+Home+Brewing+Blog%29">Beersmith blog entry on noble hops</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-21255203606205365062012-01-24T22:32:00.001-05:002012-01-24T22:32:11.035-05:00Restaurant Week and Allies Win the War!I went to the semi-annual restaurant week in the Miami Valley tonight. As always, The Meadowlark was fantastic!<br />
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The meal began with a nice and flavorful pea soup with a rye toast covered in melted cheddar. The soup was quite good with a rich flavor but I think the toast could have used a sharper cheddar, it was a little flat tasting and slightly greasy. This course also came with a small (4oz or so) French country ale. This was not quite a saison but did have a nice clean taste with a slight spicyness.<br />
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I had the roasted winter squash salad with jalepeno, lime, yogurt, and cilantro. A surprising bite accompanied perfectly roasted squash. The sweetness of the squash mixed with the spice and the slight bite of the yogurt sauce.<br />
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The main course was a grilled pork chop with cornbread pudding. Another spicy dish that was quite good overall. The green onion gravy was not overdone and provided a nice contrast to the creamy moistness of the corn bread. The pork was a little overdone for my taste but it wasn't dry by any measure.<br />
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Finally, a soft and creamy maple créme brulee finished off the meal. The amount of food was just right and at $25.12 it was a steal.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oAXPW7G9g-M/Tx9aBDe2lrI/AAAAAAAAE9o/3UxPIM2fYZQ/s1600/12+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oAXPW7G9g-M/Tx9aBDe2lrI/AAAAAAAAE9o/3UxPIM2fYZQ/s320/12+-+1" width="320" /></a></div>
The highlight of the evening was my Allies Win the War! beer, a collaborative between 21st Amendment and Nikasim this beer could be best described as an American strong ale. The malt was very typical of an English strong with sweet caramels, a little roast, and some dark fruits. Balanced bitterness makes this beer a perfect pairing for any of the meals that were offered for restaurant week. The nose was caramel, dried fruits (especially the California dates this beer was aged on) and the slight citrus and spice of the northwest US hops used in this brew. A medium body and a bit of carbonation lighten the beer so the malt doesn't take over. While not the best beer I've ever had, this was a solid brew and quite representative (exactly what I expected it to be) and I'd definitely buy it again.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-54202514328682326042011-12-25T14:05:00.001-05:002011-12-25T14:58:00.133-05:00Festivus FoS 2010 revisit<div>
We broke out two of the last bottles of last year's Feats of Strength. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to make a batch this year but this batch is still quite nice. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6acurMeT1mdjY9CthlkXqUZkSiotTichT061ZhmK-E2iTAP9HKN7_R4ZnsPIi1KYLzmrgFzBQMvZbbmMZO3xa3cCLJAs3CKNccy5y1z7XCHLWS1HWjWizUaraVSLy-66zYKViKFfc3Z2_/s1600/2011-12-25+13.51.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6acurMeT1mdjY9CthlkXqUZkSiotTichT061ZhmK-E2iTAP9HKN7_R4ZnsPIi1KYLzmrgFzBQMvZbbmMZO3xa3cCLJAs3CKNccy5y1z7XCHLWS1HWjWizUaraVSLy-66zYKViKFfc3Z2_/s1600/2011-12-25+13.51.56.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b> It pours with a very thick head which takes a while to settle. It's slightly off white and quite creamy settling with some nice lacing. The beer is slightly cloudy from the spices and a nice nut brown.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b> There's a slight spice to the nose but it's not very pronounced probably due to the beer being fridge temperature. More pronounced is the sweet fruit: raisins, candied plum, and a little brandy alcohol. This really smells like a well aged fruit change. <br />
<br />
<b>Flavor:</b> The palette hits with a spicy winter warmer character and finishes with some breadiness. It's much nicer than I remember last year. Checking my notes from last December, the things I don't like about it now are the same as last year but there's definitely some improvement, it's more rounded now.<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> It's still a little dry and thin and could use some more dextrin to boost the body.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall:</b> I think this had improved over the last year and I'm glad there are a couple of bottles left for next year.<br />
<br />
I haven't posted or brewed in quite a while as it's been sort of an overwhelming end of the year. I hit up a lot of breweries this year and I'm planning on putting together a year in beer summary sometime in the next week so keep an eye out.<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-65196468908625154442011-09-05T15:27:00.000-04:002011-09-05T15:27:45.322-04:00Sierra Nevada Tumbler and The KaiserI decided to pick up a six pack of Sierra Nevada's fall offering, a brown ale called Tumbler.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b><br />
Pours with a thick off-white head that stays around for quite a while. Dark amber to light brown and fairly clear when held to the light.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b><br />
Roasty malt nose with some raisin. There's a little grassy hop but not too much.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor:</b><br />
Raisin and molasses with some biscuit in the back end. A fair amount of bitterness for a brown (it's definitely an American variant).<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel:</b><br />
Medium body with a little astringency. Not entirely unpleasant. Not as thick as some browns I've had (notably Ithaca's Nut Brown).<br />
<br />
<b>Overall:</b><br />
Not a bad beer but not my favorite brown. It could stand to have less hop bitterness which would let the malt shine a bit more. Pretty low alcohol makes this a decent session beer for cool fall afternoons. Not as impressive as the Torpedo and Kellerweiss but I'd drink it again.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U5SqNkp1Pvk/TmQuhULaGiI/AAAAAAAAEwg/xkMWsKGrvvQ/s1600/11+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U5SqNkp1Pvk/TmQuhULaGiI/AAAAAAAAEwg/xkMWsKGrvvQ/s320/11+-+1" width="320" /></a></div><a name='more'></a>Thanks to my wife, I also found The Kaiser from Avery on tap at Lucky's Tap Room so I had a pint. I didn't take notes so I won't post a full tasting form. It was a nice amber without much head (likely due to the high alcohol of this Imperial Oktoberfest). Caramel and brandy dominated the nose but I recall a number of more subtle malt characteristics. Moderate old world hop was detectable with some nice spice. It doesn't feel as thick and sweet on the tongue as I expected and had a reasonably balanced flavor. Overall a decent beer, pick one up on tap if you can but remember this is not a session Oktoberfest so moderate the intake.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-49317201365511015042011-08-21T23:02:00.000-04:002011-08-21T23:02:20.094-04:00Update on the 60/- heather aleBottled the heather ale tonight. Got 30 x 12oz, 2 x 1L and 1 x 1pt bottles. FG rang in at 1.008 with an estimate ABV of 3.51% so technically it's a 70/- since the cutoff for 60/- is 3.5% but I won't tell if you won't. It tasted a bit thin but that's to be expected with an uncarbonated session beer. There's some bitterness from the hops and heather but no discernible hop flavor. It's a little malty with a slight breadiness to the nose and a hint of floral from the heather. I'll be interested to see how it is with some bubbles.<br />
<br />
I also tasted the partiweiss again tonight and it has mellowed a bit. I used my shallow, open top chalice this time. The sourness has mellowed a bit and is quite pleasant. There's still a little rubber in the after taste but I think it will fade in a little while. I'm feeling more comfortable submitting this one for judging as well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-85886912374961056092011-08-05T20:56:00.003-04:002011-08-05T22:54:59.284-04:00Berlinergyle tasting notes<div><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZ3R10Zc354NT2MM6S-sUQkSPhnLJvXBbx8Sqt17WAM-bp5elprHbGKHWJNwcDlnsettAdPADS0UDCouKWlhMy7dRSI1-fC6VD_O-bcRylY2jmPA05VuEIju85wFBDSWJRVN1IuxlyGMA/" /></div>It's finally time to post tasting notes on the <a href="http://realmendrinkyeast.blogspot.com/2011/04/brew-day-results.html">Berlinergyle</a>. I've already had quite a few of these but I tried to review without any preconceptions.<br />
<br />
The timing corresponds nicely with this month's <a href="http://www.thebrewsite.com/2011/07/20/announcing-the-session-for-august-sour-beer.php">beer blogger session</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance</b>: Straw yellow with white head that fades quickly; somewhat cloudy.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma</b>: A bright lactic sourness with some green apple and a little lemon. No hop in the nose at all. Also, there's no brett detectable even though I put some dregs from a Jolly Pumpkin in the primary. I think the lacto out competed just about everything else pretty early on.<br />
<br />
<b>Taste</b>: Slightly sharp acidity with a bit of breadiness. Some acetic character but not so much as to be unpleasant. No bitterness detectable and no real maltiness.<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel</b>: This is a very light beer. The acid and high carbonation keep it very light and refreshing. The acid isn't strong enough to cause any tannin-like roughness in the mouth.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall</b>: This beer had really mellowed since the initial tasting and is quite refreshing with a noticeable carbonation. I don't think it needs any syrup to balance the sour unlike the first bottle I drank. This tastes a little like a lemonade wine cooler but with a little more complexity. I would have liked a little brett sweetness but I'm not getting any after a few months so I think it's a lost cause on this batch. A decent beer for my first attempt at a sour and my first partigyle.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-26160445678072277592011-08-02T10:30:00.000-04:002011-08-02T10:30:58.616-04:00Heather ale brewday<div>As the Dayton DRAFT <a href="http://www.theosborns.biz/draft/">Brewfest 2011</a> draws near it's time to put together some entries. I'm planning on submitting the two wheats from the <a href="http://realmendrinkyeast.blogspot.com/2011/04/brew-day-results.html">partigyle</a> I did a few months ago and the coffee porter from last year. I'm undecided if I want to enter last year's Festivus since I'm running low. I decided to brew one more batch while there was time and went with my wife's request for a heather ale.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The beer is a Scottish 60/- session beer with two additions of heather for some bitterness and aroma as well as a little Fuggles at 60 minutes for some added bitterness. It's a Maris Otter base with some unmalted, roasted barley for color and added breadiness. I decided to break one of the rules for traditional Scottish ales and add a small amount of peated malt for a little smokiness. Normally the slight smokey flavor is supposed to come entirely from the yeast but that tends to require a bit of aging and I'm a little short on time so I cheated a little. Other than that, the numbers are right on par for the style with the style guidelines. The OG was right at the top end, coming in at 1.035. If it finishes a little high, I enter it as a 70/- instead and still be on style.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The day went reasonably smoothly. I was initially a little high on mash temp so I added a little cold water to adjust. It went down a little far and I was under at the 30 minute mark so I tried to bump it with a hot water addition. That wasn't quite enough so I pulled a small decoction which did the trick and might help the maltiness of the beer as well. No major boil overs or other boil problems. 3/4 oz Fuggles at 60 minutes, 1 oz heather at 30 minutes and 1 oz heather at flame out. I forgot to add Irish moss which would help clarity for the competition but I don't think it will be too much of a negative.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I came in a little under target OG which I'd normally ignore and just have a slightly weaker brew but I was just out of style so I added some DME to boost the gravity.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The wort was bubbling away and holding at a good fermentation temperature in less than 24 hours. I expect it will be done fermenting within a week and ready to go into bottles.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
<table bgcolor="#c0c0c0" border="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td><span style="color: white; font-size: x-large;"><i>Heather Ale</i></span></td></tr>
<tr> <td><span style="color: white;"><i>Scottish Light 60/-</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table border="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Type:</i></b> All Grain</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Date:</i></b> 7/30/2011</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Batch Size (fermenter):</i></b> 5.00 gal</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Brewer:</i></b> Trevor</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Boil Size:</i></b> 6.43 gal</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Asst Brewer:</i></b> Brent</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Boil Time:</i></b> 60 min</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Equipment:</i></b> Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Cooler (48 qt)</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>End of Boil Volume</i></b> 5.72 gal</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Brewhouse Efficiency:</i></b> 72.00 %</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Final Bottling Volume:</i></b> 5.00 gal</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Est Mash Efficiency</i></b> 79.2 %</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Fermentation:</i></b> Ale, Single Stage</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Taste Rating(out of 50):</i></b> 30.0</td></tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><b><i>Taste Notes:</i></b> </td></tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2"><div align="center"><b><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Ingredients</span></b></div></td></tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><div align="center"></div><br />
<center><u><b>Ingredients</b></u></center> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td align="left" width="22%"><b>Amt</b></td> <td align="left" width="50%"><b>Name</b></td> <td align="left" width="11%"><b>Type</b></td> <td align="left" width="4%"><b>#</b></td> <td align="left" width="11%"><b>%/IBU</b></td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">6 lbs 8.0 oz</td> <td align="left">Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)</td> <td align="left">Grain</td> <td align="left">1</td> <td align="left">94.5 %</td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">4.0 oz</td> <td align="left">Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)</td> <td align="left">Grain</td> <td align="left">2</td> <td align="left">3.6 %</td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">2.1 oz</td> <td align="left">Peat Smoked Malt (2.8 SRM)</td> <td align="left">Grain</td> <td align="left">3</td> <td align="left">1.9 %</td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">0.75 oz</td> <td align="left">Fuggles [4.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min</td> <td align="left">Hop</td> <td align="left">4</td> <td align="left">12.8 IBUs</td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">1.00 oz</td> <td align="left">Heather Tips (Boil 5.0 mins)</td> <td align="left">Herb</td> <td align="left">6</td> <td align="left">-</td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">1.00 oz</td> <td align="left">Heather Tips (Boil 30.0 mins)</td> <td align="left">Herb</td> <td align="left">5</td> <td align="left">-</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2"><div align="center"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Beer Profile</b></span></div></td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Est Original Gravity:</i></b> 1.037 SG</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Measured Original Gravity:</i></b> 1.035 SG</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><i><b>Est Final Gravity:</b></i> 1.008 SG</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Measured Final Gravity:</i></b> 1.010 SG</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Estimated Alcohol by Vol:</i></b> 3.8 %</td> <td width="52%"><i><b>Actual Alcohol by Vol:</b></i> 3.3 %</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><i><b>Bitterness:</b></i> 12.8 IBUs</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Calories:</i></b> 114.8 kcal/12oz</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><i><b>Est Color:</b></i> 10.5 SRM</td> <td width="52%"></td></tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2"><div align="center"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Mash Profile</b></span></div></td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Mash Name:</i></b> Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Total Grain Weight:</i></b> 6 lbs 14.1 oz</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Sparge Water:</i></b> 5.35 gal</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Grain Temperature:</i></b> 72.0 F</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Sparge Temperature:</i></b> 168.0 F</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Tun Temperature:</i></b> 72.0 F</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Adjust Temp for Equipment:</i></b> TRUE</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Mash PH:</i></b> 5.20</td></tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><div align="center"></div><br />
<center><u><b>Mash Steps</b></u></center> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td align="left" width="18%"><b>Name</b></td> <td align="left" width="52%"><b>Description</b></td> <td align="left" width="16%"><b>Step Temperature</b></td> <td align="left" width="12%"><b>Step Time</b></td></tr>
<tr> <td align="left">Mash In</td> <td align="left">Add 8.60 qt of water at 164.7 F</td> <td align="left">150.0 F</td> <td align="left">75 min</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><b><i>Sparge Step:</i></b> Fly sparge with 5.35 gal water at 168.0 F</td></tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><b><i>Mash Notes:</i></b> Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).</td></tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2"><div align="center"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Carbonation and Storage</b></span></div></td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Carbonation Type:</i></b> Bottle</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Volumes of CO2:</i></b> 2.3</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Pressure/Weight:</i></b> 3.93 oz</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Carbonation Used:</i></b> Bottle with 3.93 oz Corn Sugar</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Keg/Bottling Temperature:</i></b> 70.0 F</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Age for:</i></b> 30.00 days</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="40%"><b><i>Fermentation:</i></b> Ale, Single Stage</td> <td width="52%"><b><i>Storage Temperature:</i></b> 65.0 F</td></tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="2"><div align="center"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Notes</b></span></div></td></tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2">4:41: mash-in<br />
during mash, added 2qt water for temperature adjustment, 1 cold at start to adjust initial down, one at 30 minutes to adjust up. temp was still low after up-adjust so I pulled a 1pt or so for a small decoction to push to 150°F<br />
<br />
5:50: mash-out<br />
1gal first runnings, 3.25gal second batch, and 2gal third batch<br />
I wrote down a pre-boil gravity of 1.072 but this seems wrong..maybe I meant to write 1.022?<br />
<br />
6:28: boil start<br />
Just before it reached a boil, I added 3/4oz Fuggles at 4.2%AA<br />
<br />
6:58: 1oz heather tips<br />
<br />
7:28: flame out; 1.1oz heather tips<br />
The boil went well with one or two minor boils overs but almost nothing was lost.<br />
Immersion chiller went in and cooled to mid 90's fairly quickly but had to work to get it to 85°F and lower than that seemed unlikely given the ambient temperture<br />
<br />
7:41: OG 1.027 was a little low for style so I added 10.9oz of light DME dissolved in a pint or so of water. Not all the DME dissolved but most did. This moved the OG to about 1.035 which is the upper end of the style.<br />
<br />
7:59: Transfered to a 6gal glass carboy and aerated for about 5 minutes with a pump<br />
<br />
8:20: Everything looking good, temp a little high in the mid 80's but ok for pitching an ale. Put one healthy looking vial of WLP028 without a starter. Use by date for 2-Oct-2011.<br />
<br />
July 31 afternoon: 72°F with a strong ferment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-12377310985771014062011-07-26T20:48:00.001-04:002011-07-27T11:54:18.206-04:00Parti-weiss bottling<div><p>I'm finally getting around to bottling the strong beer from my <a href="http://realmendrinkyeast.blogspot.com/2011/04/brew-day-results.html">partigyle</a> experiment. The gravity dropped another 7 points over the summer for an estimated ABV of 6.8%. When I opened the fermenter there was a pelicle of some sort so it may have gotten an infection; hopefully it's the funky stuff from the little beer and not a nasty beer killing bug. Any initial tasting shows a slightly alcoholic nose with some honey notes and what could be a little bret funk so I'm thinking it will turn out ok. Mouth feel is heavy but with no carbonation that's to be expected. No strong off flavors with hints of breadiness. It's mostly more honey.</p>
<p>I bottled with 3oz of table sugar and got 26 bottles out of it.</p>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-5022161051757145752011-06-12T21:03:00.000-04:002011-06-12T21:03:58.876-04:00Bottling the berlinerguile<div>I finally bottled the small beer from my wheat partiguile. 37 twelve ounce bottles went in with about five punches of table sugar, I'm hoping for nearly 3.5 volumes. The final gravity was 1.008 for an AA of 75% and an ABV of 3.2%.<br />
<br />
Initial impressions show some rubber hose and a little DMS but both should clear. It is very sour and I didn't have any rasberry or woodruff syrup but a touch of mint syrup calmed the acid and made for a tasty glass.<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm thinking of bottling the big beer next weekend and maybe there will be enough carbonation for a real tasting of the berliner.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-39352403637485035262011-05-08T22:06:00.000-04:002011-05-08T22:06:23.484-04:00Derby day and the BBC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzgLAZenaVeLHCLIMGmIQzVATLFtCxBX1U53tQ4iLWiQzkyNoHXxn2y6IRH_Iytdt2aa1Wo76SK84F5IhvHgF-DthYcCQtJui6rym2n-_LsqltirCfF9e5Ap5eNMUy27YbCk1uGaiKFKK/s1600/P5070001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzgLAZenaVeLHCLIMGmIQzVATLFtCxBX1U53tQ4iLWiQzkyNoHXxn2y6IRH_Iytdt2aa1Wo76SK84F5IhvHgF-DthYcCQtJui6rym2n-_LsqltirCfF9e5Ap5eNMUy27YbCk1uGaiKFKK/s200/P5070001.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Yesterday I went to my first Derby day in the infield. An interesting experience to say the least. I did manage to get some Bourbon past security in a booze sandwich.<br />
<br />
After to Derby, we headed into Louisville for some dinner and ended up at the <a href="http://www.bbcbrew.com/">Bluegrass Brewing Company</a>. Jenn had her favorite; the nut brown and I had one of their seasonals, a dark saison which was quite nice. Slightly malty with just a hint of sour and bret funk. A little sweater and sturdier than a standard saison and quite a nice drink.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-51354972837679577422011-04-09T22:21:00.002-04:002011-08-05T22:54:39.257-04:00Brew day resultsSo things didn't go quite as planned. I winged it more than I usually do (copious amounts of homebrew probably helped with this). I didn't hit my mash temps as well as I should. The extra grain (20 pounds) through me for a loop and I should have used a calculator instead of intuition. The result is I mashed at a lower temp than I wanted with a thinner mash for less time so efficiency really went down the tubes. I ended up with a 1.065 big beer with only about 4 gallons. The small beer was 1.033 which was pretty much on target but was a little short too at about 4.5 gallons.<br />
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The mash kept setting in the 144 temp range and I kept pulling some small decoctions to try and get the temp up and eventually got it to 152. I didn't calculate efficiency as I'm a little afraid of the number but that's ok, we'll see how it goes.<br />
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I ended up boiling 0.5oz of Hallertauer (4.7%AA) in a 15 minute decoction to give it a few IBUs. The big beer got the other 0.5oz for a 60 minute boil.<br />
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The big beer got a packet of US-05 and the small got a lacto starter I made with a quart of apple juice and the dregs from a Jolly Pumpkin. Tomorrow night if things look good, I'll add some yeast.<br />
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Since I didn't work up a formal recipe I won't post one but I did end up with 50/50 malted wheat and pilsner. The small amount of hops and nothing else went in except for the bugs.<br />
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For the lead up to the brew day, read <a href="http://realmendrinkyeast.blogspot.com/2011/04/berliner-gyle-this-weekend.html">this post</a>.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>*** UPDATE April 15 ***</b></span><br />
After a couple of days in the kitchen, the temperatures were getting a little on the high side (78F) and I was getting some sulfur smells so I moved both fermenters to the basement. Today I checked on things; both are still slowly bubbling the air locks and the temperature is holding about 61F (ideal range for both yeasts is 59F-75F). The big beer is reading 1.020 (apparent attenuation at 68%) and the little beer is about at 1.010 (apparent attenuation at 69%). The big beer was reasonably tasty with some noticeable alcohol and still a fair amount of residual sweetness. The small beer was a little thin tasting but was getting a pleasant lactic sourness. There was definitely some sulfur taste but nothing that shouldn't disappear with a couple of months lagering.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310241554487679989.post-64245168999978588382011-04-07T14:14:00.000-04:002011-04-07T14:14:40.344-04:00Berliner-gyle This WeekendOk, I'm doing the Berliner-gyle this weekend. (anybody want to come to a brew day?) Here's the recipes I worked. Since this is a partigyle I'm guessing at some numbers so I expect to adjust a lot during the brew day. Here's my starting point.<br />
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10 lbs German Pilsner<br />
14 lbs German Wheat Malt<br />
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Mash in at 133<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">°F for 15 a minute protein rest then add an infusion up to 151</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">°F for a mixed beta/alpha rest for 30 minutes. Pull a decoction and add 0.5oz Hallertauer and boil for 15 minutes. Add the decoction to mash out at 168</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">°F.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">First runnings of 6 gallons or so to hit a target post boil OG of 1.084-1.090. I'm guessing a first runnings efficiency of 46% but this is a total guess so we'll see how it goes. This boils for 60 minutes with an ounce of Hallertauer (although I might substitute something I've got in the freezer). This cools and goes in a fermenter with a packet of Safbrew WB-06. Ferment this complete in the primary and bottle age for a few months.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Second runnings of 6.5 gallons with a target post boild OG of 1.032 and an estimated efficiency of 23%. Since this was mash hopped to about 3 IBU and is a no-boil it gets no additions and heads to the brew pot for a 180</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">°F sanitation for 15 minutes or so. Into a fermentor with some US-05 for a few days then into a secondary with a lacto starter to age for a couple of months. Bottle and age further.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12704259143200810499noreply@blogger.com0