I completely forgot to post about some brewing I did, oh, 11 days ago now. I made a Gose for the first time, which is a Leipzig wheat beer which includes salt and coriander.
The Recipe:
4 lb wheat malt
3 lb 2-row pale malt
8 oz acidulated malt
4 AAU (10g @ 11% AA) Galena @ 60
1 oz freshly ground coriander @ 5
4 level tablespoons kosher salt @ 5
Wyeast 3056 - Bavarian Wheat Blend
Dough-in with 10 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 150°. Batch sparged at 170-175° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.043
Est. IBU: 17.3
Completely uneventful brewing. Hit 82% mash efficiency, so I know my malt mill is still set up properly.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Kegged Up
I just kegged Blackacre Pilsner, CitrAmarillo IPA and Drain Clog Dubbel. First impressions are that CitrAmarillo is totally awesome, Blackacre Pilsner will be supremely drinkable when it is lagered for a little bit, and that Drain Clog is a pretty successful dubbel -- although, since it is not my favorite style ever, it's not really my favorite batch.
Kegging the Dubbel was a real pain in the ass. I went through 3 keg lids and was still not able to get a sufficient air-tight seal. I eventually ended up having to double-up on the lid gasket to get things to work. This seems to be functioning, but I will not be at all surprised if I wake up to an empty CO2 tank tomorrow.
Kegging the Dubbel was a real pain in the ass. I went through 3 keg lids and was still not able to get a sufficient air-tight seal. I eventually ended up having to double-up on the lid gasket to get things to work. This seems to be functioning, but I will not be at all surprised if I wake up to an empty CO2 tank tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Blackacre Pilsner
So, today I decided to brew up a Pilsner for the first time. I've done Kölsches and California commons before, but this is my first real honest-to-God lager. I've got my temperature control planned out and hope it comes together.
The Recipe:
9 lb 2-row pale malt
4 oz crystal 60
4 oz Cara-Pils
5 AAU (13g @ 11% AA) Galena @ 60
3.2 AAU (28g @ 3.2% AA) Tettnanger @ 20
3.2 AAU (28g @ 3.2% AA) Tettnanger @ 5
Whirlfloc tablet @ 15
Wyeast 2278 - Czech Pils
Dough-in with 12 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 149°. Batch sparged at 180° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.054
Est. IBU: 29.4
Since I already had sanitizer out and everything, I also took the opportunity to add a couple ounces of dry hops to CitrAmarillo. I'm feeling pretty good about these last 3 batches.
The Recipe:
9 lb 2-row pale malt
4 oz crystal 60
4 oz Cara-Pils
5 AAU (13g @ 11% AA) Galena @ 60
3.2 AAU (28g @ 3.2% AA) Tettnanger @ 20
3.2 AAU (28g @ 3.2% AA) Tettnanger @ 5
Whirlfloc tablet @ 15
Wyeast 2278 - Czech Pils
Dough-in with 12 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 149°. Batch sparged at 180° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.054
Est. IBU: 29.4
Since I already had sanitizer out and everything, I also took the opportunity to add a couple ounces of dry hops to CitrAmarillo. I'm feeling pretty good about these last 3 batches.
Friday, November 25, 2011
CitrAmarillo IPA
Today I decided to keep up my brewing schedule now that I have a working sink. In an effort to finish up my Amarillos and use up some of my copious Citra, I'm making an IPA with those two.
The Recipe:
10 lb 2-row pale malt
8 oz Victory malt
3 oz Cara-Pils
20 AAU (39g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 60
10 AAU (26g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo @ 20
10 AAU (20g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 20
10 AAU (26g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo @ 5
10 AAU (20g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 5
Added the following hops on 30 November 2011:
10.7 AAU (28g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra
1 Whirlfloc tablet @ 15 min
Wyeast 1332 - Northwest Ale
Dough-in with 14 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 148°. Batch sparged at 170° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.056
Est. IBU: 109.7
I adjusted my malt mill today so I got my efficiency up to 76%. I think my batch sparging is affecting my efficiency negatively, so I will be sure to make sure my rollers are adjusted each time I mill grain.
The Recipe:
10 lb 2-row pale malt
8 oz Victory malt
3 oz Cara-Pils
20 AAU (39g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 60
10 AAU (26g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo @ 20
10 AAU (20g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 20
10 AAU (26g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo @ 5
10 AAU (20g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 5
Added the following hops on 30 November 2011:
10.7 AAU (28g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra
1 Whirlfloc tablet @ 15 min
Wyeast 1332 - Northwest Ale
Dough-in with 14 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 148°. Batch sparged at 170° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.056
Est. IBU: 109.7
I adjusted my malt mill today so I got my efficiency up to 76%. I think my batch sparging is affecting my efficiency negatively, so I will be sure to make sure my rollers are adjusted each time I mill grain.
Drain Clog Dubbel
Last Friday (one week ago), I brewed up my first batch in almost 3 months. The reason? I finally fixed my sink/garbage disposal after accidentally putting the remnants of Chernobyl Stout (oak chips and all) down the drain. That being fixed, I chose to brew again.
The Recipe:
12.5 lb 2-row pale malt
8 oz crystal 60°
4 oz chocolate malt
4 oz roasted barley
3 oz cara-pils
5 AAU (26g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 60 min
5 AAU (26g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 20 min
6.6 AAU (34g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 5 min
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 5 min
3.2 AAU (28g @ 3.2% AA) Tettnanger @ 5 min
Wyeast 1214 - Belgian Abbey
Dough-in with 17 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 151°. Did a pretty basic batch sparge at 170° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.058
Est. IBU: 46.1
The smack pack of 1214 that I pitched was way past its due date, which was evinced by the fact that after 72 hours no fermentation had begun. At that point, I pitched a brand-new smack pack of 1214 and fermentation began quickly and continued apace for the next 3.5 days. Lesson: use fresh yeast.
The Recipe:
12.5 lb 2-row pale malt
8 oz crystal 60°
4 oz chocolate malt
4 oz roasted barley
3 oz cara-pils
5 AAU (26g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 60 min
5 AAU (26g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 20 min
6.6 AAU (34g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 5 min
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 5 min
3.2 AAU (28g @ 3.2% AA) Tettnanger @ 5 min
Wyeast 1214 - Belgian Abbey
Dough-in with 17 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 151°. Did a pretty basic batch sparge at 170° to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.058
Est. IBU: 46.1
The smack pack of 1214 that I pitched was way past its due date, which was evinced by the fact that after 72 hours no fermentation had begun. At that point, I pitched a brand-new smack pack of 1214 and fermentation began quickly and continued apace for the next 3.5 days. Lesson: use fresh yeast.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
September Updates
Today I did some spring keg cleaning. I had four empties, a record for me! I then kegged up Chernobyl Stout and Big Nose Blonde. Here are my thoughts:
Chernobyl: this beer finished at 1.040, locking in a good 11.3% ABV. Lower than the 12% for which I was shooting, but not surprising considering the below-average attenuation my big beers tend to achieve. The oak is a nice touch and I think 16 days was a pretty good amount of time. I think 3 weeks might have been the max, based on what I'm tasting now. I am told the oak fades over time, though, so I'll reevaluate in a few months.
Big Nose: the nose is, as expected, big. Dry hopping lasted only about 6 days, but I needed to get this guy into the keg for tailgating on Saturday. My hop bag also had a tendency to float in the secondary, so my dry-hopping usage efficiency was probably low, but the 3 ounces I added probably makes up for this. The nose is awesome, though the flavor leaves a little to be desired. There was no traditional flavor addition in this brew; only a bittering addition and lots of aroma hops at 5 plus dry hops. Should be an interesting experiment.
Both of these beers used re-pitched yeast from batch #47, the Irish Red. All three of these beers lack any kind of distinct yeast character (although they also lack off-flavors). I think I am done with 1084 Irish Ale for now, unless I really want to brew something with little to no yeast character and just a smooth texture to serve as a palate for some kind of flavorant, be it hops or fruit or whatever.
On a last note, I've switched from Iodophor to Star-San. It's more expensive, but it also seems a little less toxic (and, my LHBS was out of Iodophor in the Io-Star squeeze-measure bottles). Foam is an issue. Don't fear the foam.
Chernobyl: this beer finished at 1.040, locking in a good 11.3% ABV. Lower than the 12% for which I was shooting, but not surprising considering the below-average attenuation my big beers tend to achieve. The oak is a nice touch and I think 16 days was a pretty good amount of time. I think 3 weeks might have been the max, based on what I'm tasting now. I am told the oak fades over time, though, so I'll reevaluate in a few months.
Big Nose: the nose is, as expected, big. Dry hopping lasted only about 6 days, but I needed to get this guy into the keg for tailgating on Saturday. My hop bag also had a tendency to float in the secondary, so my dry-hopping usage efficiency was probably low, but the 3 ounces I added probably makes up for this. The nose is awesome, though the flavor leaves a little to be desired. There was no traditional flavor addition in this brew; only a bittering addition and lots of aroma hops at 5 plus dry hops. Should be an interesting experiment.
Both of these beers used re-pitched yeast from batch #47, the Irish Red. All three of these beers lack any kind of distinct yeast character (although they also lack off-flavors). I think I am done with 1084 Irish Ale for now, unless I really want to brew something with little to no yeast character and just a smooth texture to serve as a palate for some kind of flavorant, be it hops or fruit or whatever.
On a last note, I've switched from Iodophor to Star-San. It's more expensive, but it also seems a little less toxic (and, my LHBS was out of Iodophor in the Io-Star squeeze-measure bottles). Foam is an issue. Don't fear the foam.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Big Nose Blonde
So, I brewed up an aroma-forward blonde ale last Monday and completely forgot to post about it. The idea for this brew is not that it is particularly bitter, but that it will be particularly hop-flavored and strongly aromatic.
The Recipe:
8 lb 2-row pale malt
2 oz Cara-Pils
5 AAU (26g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 60
10.7 AAU (28g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo @ 5
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 5
Added the following hops on 31 August 2011:
5.4 AAU (28g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade
10.7 AAU (28g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra
Whirlfloc tablet @ 15 min
Wyeast 1084 - Irish Ale
Dough-in with 10 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 150°. Did a pretty basic batch sparge to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.040
Est. IBU: 38.4
Sometime in the next few days I am going to commence dry-hopping, but I haven't figured out exactly what hops I am going to use. Probably more Amarillo and Citra, but I might throw some other stuff in there as well.
The Recipe:
8 lb 2-row pale malt
2 oz Cara-Pils
5 AAU (26g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade @ 60
10.7 AAU (28g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo @ 5
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra @ 5
Added the following hops on 31 August 2011:
5.4 AAU (28g @ 5.4% AA) Cascade
10.7 AAU (28g @ 10.7% AA) Amarillo
14.2 AAU (28g @ 14.2% AA) Citra
Whirlfloc tablet @ 15 min
Wyeast 1084 - Irish Ale
Dough-in with 10 quarts of water and mashed for an hour at 150°. Did a pretty basic batch sparge to get 26 quarts for the boil.
O.G.: 1.040
Est. IBU: 38.4
Sometime in the next few days I am going to commence dry-hopping, but I haven't figured out exactly what hops I am going to use. Probably more Amarillo and Citra, but I might throw some other stuff in there as well.
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