tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65708980166731253812024-03-17T20:03:22.519-07:00Andy's Brewing BlogAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-81925481619479103232016-05-04T21:48:00.000-07:002016-05-04T21:48:06.019-07:00Moving! Update Your Feeds!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've got a new home on the web! Check out <a href="http://www.andybrews.com/">www.andybrews.com</a>, which will have lots of great new content as well as the archives of posts past. Make sure to update your feeds and tell your friends!Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-50663484140732244402016-04-13T20:49:00.001-07:002016-04-13T20:49:23.012-07:00Accretion Porter KeggedI kegged my Accretion Porter on Tuesday, April 12. Final gravity was 1.020, down from 1.058, for 5.0% abv. No major comments on the beer at this point, other than it seems to be right on target.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-52928920783798845662016-03-22T20:08:00.000-07:002016-03-22T20:08:17.355-07:00My First Homebrew Medals!Homebrew competitions have had a steep learning curve for me, and the experience has been a mixed bag as a result. I've entered two competitions previously, to mostly mediocre scores (28 for a <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/milk%20stout">milk stout</a> and 28.6 for a <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2014/03/california-vanilla-porter.html">vanilla porter</a> I brewed in 2014, and 25 for <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2014/12/eagle-face-oatmeal-stout.html">an oatmeal stout</a> I entered in 2015, all out of 50). Using the BJCP scoring guide, that puts them range of entries that are "good" but "[miss] the mark on style and/or minor flaws". This was a bit disappointing at the time, but the feedback was really helpful as a learning experience.<br />
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<b>What I Learned From Previous Competitions</b></div>
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Although my scores were not awful, they were instructive on how I could improve my brewing, and even more critically, how I could improve my entries for competition. As I learned from reading many sources, it's not enough to brew a good beer--you also have to brew a beer that hits the points that judges are looking for within a flight of entries. Time and introspection have shown the following:</div>
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<ul>
<li><b>Category matters (Part 1).</b> It's easier to place in smaller categories, particularly against the odds in big categories with experienced brewers (and there are lots here in SoCal!). This is the reason I haven't bothered with an IPA, for instance. I really like some of my IPA's, but am not convinced they would score well against the really excellent brews my friends and colleagues are brewing.</li>
<li><b>Category matters (Part 2).</b> If you're going to enter a category, make sure you are brewing your beer within the overall style parameters. An otherwise good beer might get dinged for being outside of style, if it's not a good match. For instance, I submitted a vanilla porter as a robust porter -- and that was a mistake. The judges noted "odd" aromas that were almost certainly in part from the vanilla--in fact, one even stated that "The herbal flavor is vanilla, so this beer should have been entered as a specialty [beer]." This is a bit different from the oft-repeated advice that winning beers often push the bounds of categories; after all, a beer can push bounds while still being within believable reach of the style. Stretch boundaries, but not too much!</li>
<li><b>Fresh, fresh, fresh.</b> I'm really proud of my oatmeal stout, and consider it a good beer. The one time I entered it in competition, though, the bottles had been sitting around for a few months. One judge suggested some oxidized flavors were at play, and another noted that the beer was a tad thin. I suspect both of these were due (in part) to the age of the brew, with maybe a bit of secondary fermentation in the bottle. Surely there were other facets I could improve, but nonetheless resting at room temperature for months didn't do the beer any favors. Lesson learned.</li>
<li><b>You have to be on top of your brewing game.</b> I have definitely improved over the past few years, as I pay closer attention to fermentation temperature and such. For instance, I have drastically improved my carbonation procedures (either by carbonating with CO2 or more carefully measuring my priming sugar), which avoid hazards of overcarbonation. This can only help in judging!</li>
<li><b>Read the comments. </b>Even if the judges' assessments of the beer didn't match my own lofty expectations, I needed to swallow my pride and take their comments seriously. Every entry has two score sheets, and there is naturally a bit of variance. One judge might pick up oxidation, but the other judge might not. Even so, I have seen enough commonalities between scorings that I am willing to listen. If both judges give middling scores, it is probably a middling beer for the purposes of that category.</li>
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Although I was disappointed that I didn't get any medals in my first two competitions, they were a valuable learning experience. Firstly, I gained confidence that my beers weren't <i>awful</i>. Nothing the judges said indicated that I had tremendous process flaws--it was a matter of relatively minor tweaking to transform decent beer into good beer into great beer. I also gained an understanding of the competition process--brewing for a medal can be (but isn't necessarily) different from brewing for personal satisfaction. I might have the best vanilla-infused porter on the planet, but it will never do well if the judges are expecting a standard porter. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnte69ojii7jJnZZ80BEEy3Zo5zrIbe0ZQAb04OdCe2iSkxt2UKK1GysXUcOIatYu0zoPIbXJcFNn7tPfgknGxzNpJJGQFjCnWGMix5ObvJ8POFDFQJ2GRyOQdnnLela77moRm0_5H1gQ/s1600/20160322_174018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnte69ojii7jJnZZ80BEEy3Zo5zrIbe0ZQAb04OdCe2iSkxt2UKK1GysXUcOIatYu0zoPIbXJcFNn7tPfgknGxzNpJJGQFjCnWGMix5ObvJ8POFDFQJ2GRyOQdnnLela77moRm0_5H1gQ/s400/20160322_174018.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A celebratory IPA for my first medals</td></tr>
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<b>Renewed Efforts</b></div>
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Based on my adequate, but not great, performances, I was a little cynical on competitions. I liked my beer, and many of my friends said they liked my beer, so why bother with the dog-and-pony show of a formal beer competition? I had accepted the lessons mentioned above, but wasn't confident enough or filled with enough energy to test the waters in another competition.</div>
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Thankfully, I have a homebrew club to kick my butt into gear.</div>
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At the December meeting of <a href="http://horsethiefbrewers.com/">Horse Thief Brewers Association</a>, our president noted the upcoming "Romancing the Beer" competition, sponsored by <a href="http://www.toaked.com/">Thousand Oaked Brewers</a>. He wanted to see a good turnout for "The Thieves," and even offered to transport the beers personally to the entry center. I came to a final realization--what would it hurt to try again? No entries, no awards.</div>
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I decided to enter my <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/80%20shilling%20ale">80 shilling ale</a>, <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Red%20Star%20Imperial%20Stout">imperial stout</a>, <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Berliner%20Weisse">Berliner Weisse</a>, and <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Celtic%20Elk%20Stout">Irish stout</a>. They were pretty fresh, decent brews (in my opinion), and for at least two (the Scottish and the Irish beers) were in categories that don't always get a lot of entries.</div>
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Due to my own incompetence, I only ended up with three entries, because I had attached the wrong labels to one set of bottles. Oops! One of my four initial submission was removed from competition as a result (major kudos to the folks in charge for alerting me to this, and refunding my entry fee). So, three beers went into the fray.</div>
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And of those three, it turned out the wrong labels were on one (oops again--the wrong set of beers had been removed of the original four). Totally my fault, but needless to say, a Scottish export doesn't score well in the imperial stout category (to the tune of 17/50 as a score). Lesson learned, and I'll definitely double-check the bottle labels next time!</div>
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But for my remaining two...what a surprise! I was completely shocked to see that both placed first in category.</div>
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My <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Celtic%20Elk%20Stout">Irish Stout</a> placed first out of the five combined "Scottish and Irish Beer" entries, with a respectable (but not outstanding) score of 36.5 (average of 36 and 37). I suspect it wouldn't have placed so highly if there were more entries, but I'll take a win! And, it was nice to see the beer so well received.</div>
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The real shocker, though, was for <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Berliner%20Weisse">my Berliner Weisse</a>. It placed first out of 12 entries in the "Sour Beers" category, with an average score of 41.5 (39 and 44)! This was a pleasant surprise on several counts. First, sour beers are a bit in vogue at the moment, and there are some great sour brewers in Southern California. There must have been stiff competition! Second, I had never attempted a sour before, and I don't drink a lot of them, so I really had no idea how my beer really fell on the sour spectrum. Finally, I "cheated" a bit with this brew. It was brew-in-a-bag, and kettle soured. Easy, simple, and apparently successful! That was a nice boost of confidence, to realize that simple techniques could produce something so technically solid in the eyes of a judge.</div>
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<b>Final Thoughts</b></div>
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It was a nice boost of confidence to get external validation for some of my brews, particularly after the learning curve of earlier competitions. I don't know if I'm going to enter every competition that comes my way, but I'll certainly be trying a few more in the future. The overall process has forced me to consider my technical processes more carefully, and provided some helpful feedback along the way. That has definitely added up to better beer overall. I don't expect to have such success every time, but I <i>am </i>hopeful for future efforts as a whole, regardless of whether they go to competition.</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-77311779090291119512016-03-19T22:19:00.001-07:002016-03-19T22:19:39.627-07:00Accretion Porter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeihlm2iOEqfC_HBEFggbGQc_3iltHkrda2K3mtjeukmxTfUvs6Xl1mvNk1WGgxINM23inbZ9OsZfX6x61L0Vvt4J7HOiLOwsAQgbTxdd9WWklkVMep-n7pmM8hU0yNdWiWBAjLs-XaYRW/s1600/20160319_170446.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/AVvXsEgeihlm2iOEqfC_HBEFggbGQc_3iltHkrda2K3mtjeukmxTfUvs6Xl1mvNk1WGgxINM23inbZ9OsZfX6x61L0Vvt4J7HOiLOwsAQgbTxdd9WWklkVMep-n7pmM8hU0yNdWiWBAjLs-XaYRW/s320/20160319_170446.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
My <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/01/eagle-face-oatmeal-stout-12.html">oatmeal stout</a> is popular--and so it is just about all gone, thanks to the able efforts of many friends and family members. I do like to have a "dark beer" on tap at all times, though, so it's time for another brew. I had thought about doing a "session porter," but thought instead I'd use up a bunch of ingredients and go for something a little bigger instead. I haven't done a robust porter in awhile, so that seemed like a good style to aim for.<br />
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In formulating this recipe, I had a two things in mind. Firstly, I wanted/needed to use up a bunch of ingredients. Secondly, I wanted a rich and complex brew. The intersection of these two sets brought in a ton of dark grains--pale chocolate malt, roasted barley, de-bittered black malt, and black patent malt, along with a healthy dose of honey malt and dark crystal malt to bring some rich caramel characteristics. I was okay with having a high percentage of ultra-dark grains, because I felt the beer would need some of that to balance out any sweetness from the honey and crystal malts. I elected to use WLP002 (English Ale yeast), because I had a culture of that in the fridge. Plus, I figured that would add a nice complex and fruity dimension to the beer.<br />
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Thus, Accretion Porter was born! The name references the geological process by which some landmasses are formed--successive addition of a random smattering of crust--that mimics the assembly of the grain bill.<br />
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<b>Accretion Porter</b><br />
<ul>
<li>9.5 lbs. Maris Otter (pale malt)</li>
<li>1 lb. honey malt</li>
<li>0.75 lb. crystal dark malt (77°L, Crisp)</li>
<li>0.5 lb. flaked barley</li>
<li>7 oz. pale chocolate malt</li>
<li>4.4 oz. roasted barley</li>
<li>4 oz. de-bittered black malt</li>
<li>2 oz. black (patent) malt</li>
<li>0.84 oz. Northern Brewer hops pellets (9.9% alpha), 60 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. Cascade hops (whole; est. 4% alpha), 30 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. Cascade hops (whole; est. 4% alpha), 10 minute boil</li>
<li>1 tsp. Irish moss, 10 minute boil</li>
<li>1 pkg. English ale yeast (White Labs WLP002), prepared in 1.5L starter.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Procedure</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>A day in advance, prepared a 1.5L starter of the yeast, which I had cultured previously. Because I don't know when I'll next get a chance to use this strain, I elected not to overbuild the starter.</li>
<li>I mashed in with 4.5 gallons of water at 168.5°, to hit a mash temperature of 155.5°. After 50 minutes, I added 0.75 gallons of water at 200°, let sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the first runnings. I added another 3.5 gallons of water at 180°, which raised the mash bed to 165.5°. I let this sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the remainder of the wort. In total, this was 6.9 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.048, for 70% mash efficiency.</li>
<li>I brought the wort to a boil, and added the hops and Irish moss at the indicated schedule.</li>
<li>After 60 minutes, I turned off the heat and chilled the wort to 76°.</li>
<li>5.1 gallons of wort went into the fermenter, with a starting gravity of 1.058. I am starting fermentation at ambient temperature (65°), and will move it into the fermentation chamber within 24 hours, for a fermentation temperature of 66°.</li>
<li>I brewed the beer on 19 March 2016.</li>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-66691265448077335252016-03-12T22:13:00.001-08:002016-03-12T22:13:04.518-08:00Transatlantic IPA 1.1 Kegged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zlwPQQqagUsWOI621fIWSclUCKRGf0nd0nuEWrGv7J4QVk5NWCLR3mG_DtbuQJ9E_G_LiG06pMGtC9lSDHxMV8hdYiNi9D7Pui-8q7RKtmydd2Y3ZnYuOc9U_DbcLyNXdh-XZbZpQ7S7/s1600/20160312_201259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zlwPQQqagUsWOI621fIWSclUCKRGf0nd0nuEWrGv7J4QVk5NWCLR3mG_DtbuQJ9E_G_LiG06pMGtC9lSDHxMV8hdYiNi9D7Pui-8q7RKtmydd2Y3ZnYuOc9U_DbcLyNXdh-XZbZpQ7S7/s320/20160312_201259.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
After three weeks in the primary fermenter, I kegged my <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/02/transatlantic-ipa-11.html">Transatlantic IPA 1.1</a> tonight (12 March 2016). The beer was down to 1.015 from 1.060, for 5.9% abv. I added 2 oz. of Falconer's Flight 7C's and 1 oz. of Australian Galaxy hops pellets in a mesh bag, and simultaneously began carbonating at ambient temperature (~64°). All indicators seem positive so far!<br />
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-55134906577111541852016-02-24T21:48:00.000-08:002016-02-24T21:48:30.439-08:002016 Orange Summer Wheat Ale Kegged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight (24 February 2016), I kegged <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/02/2016-orange-summer-wheat-ale.html">my latest orange wheat ale</a>. It had dropped from 1.043 to 1.010 gravity, for 4.3% abv. I added the orange extract (I had filtered out the peel pieces, leaving just the liquid), and it has added a great aroma and flavor. Now it's carbonating, and should be ready to tap in a few days!Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-36201811777540666032016-02-21T08:36:00.000-08:002016-02-21T08:36:48.607-08:00Transatlantic IPA 1.1My <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/11/transatlantic-ipa.html">Transatlantic IPA recipe</a> <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/12/beer-tasting-transatlantic-ipa.html">turned out really well</a>--in fact, I probably count it as the best full-strength (non-session) I've ever brewed. I wanted to give it another go, both to keep my yeast culture active and also to use up some of the hops I have on-hand. Although I really liked the<span style="text-align: right;"></span><br />
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This batch is slightly modified from the last version, with the modifications nearly entirely in the hops. I also added a bit of gypsum to the boil.<br />
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<b>Transatlantic IPA 1.1</b></span><br />
<ul><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">
<li>9 lbs. Maris Otter malt (Thomas Fawcett)</li>
<li>3 lbs. Vienna malt (Weyermann)</li>
<li>1 lb. Caravienne malt</li>
<li>0.15 lb. pale chocolate malt</li>
<li>1 oz. Bravo hops pellets (13.2% alpha, 3.5% beta), 60 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. U.S. Fuggle hops pellets (4.5% alpha, 3.1% beta), 20 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. Cascade whole hops (est. 5.5% alpha), 5 minute boil</li>
<li>2 oz. Cascade whole hops (est. 5.5% alpha), steep/whirlpool</li>
<li>2 oz. Falconer's Flight 7C's hops pellets (13% alpha), 2 week dry-hop in keg</li>
<li>1 oz. Galaxy hops pellets (13.7% alpha), 2 week dry-hop in keg</li>
<li>1 tsp. Irish moss (10 minute boil)</li>
<li>1 tsp. yeast nutrient (5 minute boil)</li>
<li>1 tsp. gypsum (added at beginning of boil)</li>
<li>1 pkg. Vermont Ale Yeast (The Yeast Bay), prepared in 1 L starter</li>
</span></span></span></ul>
<b>Procedure</b><br />
<ul><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: left;">I made a two-step yeast starter, with the first step initiated on 14 February, 2016. This used 0.5L of water with 55 g of extra light DME and a bit of yeast nutrient. On 16 February, I cold-crashed the starter. On 17 February, I decanted most of the spent wort and then added another 1.5L of starter (165 g DME dissolved in the appropriate amount of water). On 20 February, I decanted 0.6L of the starter to a jar for storage (assuming this reached a little over 100 billion cells), and the remainder was set aside for the beer.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Because my software calculated such a small addition for the first round of batch sparging (0.43 gallons), I figured I would just skip the first sparge round. I did notice that my wort had a little more grain material coming in from the mash tun than normal; I will have to check my crush. I also noticed on the past few batches that I've been drawing off a bit more water than anticipated (approximately an extra half-gallon); I'll have to adjust my dead-space downward on the software, too.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">I mashed in with 5.3 gallons of water at 165°, to hit a mash temperature of 152.5°. The mash was down to 149° after 40 minutes.</span></li>
<span style="text-align: left;">
<li>After 60 minutes, I vorlaufed collected the first runnings.</li>
<li>Next, I added 3.75 gallons of water at 185°, which raised the overall mash temperature to 165°. I let it rest for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the remainder of the wort.</li>
<li>All together, I collected 7.1 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.050, for a mash efficiency of 73%.</li>
<li>I added all of the hops and other goodies per the schedule above, and turned off the heat after 60 minutes.</li>
<li>I chilled the wort down to 76°, transferred it to the fermenter, and pitched the yeast starter. Approximately 6 gallons of wort went into the primary.</li>
<li>The starting gravity for this beer is 1.060, a bit lower than calculated. I had the boil set a bit less vigorous than typical, so that along with the larger-than-anticipated wort volume likely contributed. I'm starting fermentation at ambient (65°), and will move it to my fermentation chamber once that frees up. I brewed this on 20 February. When I checked on the beer the next morning, about 8 hours after pitching the yeast, fermentation had already started.</li>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-10567517352985809342016-02-20T21:47:00.003-08:002016-02-20T21:47:44.355-08:00Beer Tasting: Dad's 3PMy <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/01/3p-update.html">first foray into a pilsner</a> is nearing the end of its keg, so I wanted to make sure to get a tasting in before it was gone. I served it at a recent party, which depleted a good chunk of the supply, and gave away a few growlers, also. It's not that I don't like the beer--I do!--but I didn't want to tie up too much equipment with something that required unique handling for serving temperature (cold, cold, cold) and carbonation pressure (high, high, high).<br />
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<b>Dad's Pre-Prohibition Pilsner</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOkRJTEticQmIXtU5AY6snB-xaqMUcmKtj1G0_ACuOV7VyW1ZhK5pX0F96Qn8gNtsZDOTlzD14g6ndwczNRVg3h2BbXGA27zKcsAjQn3J556CDefT3Tjdsn_Sib4IDTUIDrck00mjQM9B/s1600/20160220_162906.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/AVvXsEijOkRJTEticQmIXtU5AY6snB-xaqMUcmKtj1G0_ACuOV7VyW1ZhK5pX0F96Qn8gNtsZDOTlzD14g6ndwczNRVg3h2BbXGA27zKcsAjQn3J556CDefT3Tjdsn_Sib4IDTUIDrck00mjQM9B/s320/20160220_162906.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>The Basics</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Original gravity = 1.051; final gravity = 1.008; abv = 5.5%; estimated IBU = 30.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer showcases a crisp and slightly spicy hoppiness, with a hint of corn sweetness behind that.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Clarity is a touch off of the brilliant I was aiming for; there is a very faint chill haze, which is unfortunate (more on this later). The beer has an exceptionally tall and thick white head when poured, almost meringue-like in its texture and fineness. Retention is excellent; it sticks around as a full blanket over the beer until the very end. Despite the very minor chill haze, the effervescence of the beer gives a very nice visual too. The beer itself is a pale straw color.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The flavor profile is quite clean, with crisp hops at the front and a clean but simple malt bill behind that. I definitely taste the corn backing up the rest of the beer, and perhaps a hint of the rye spiciness (although I don't think I would pick it up if I didn't know it was supposed to be there). It's a reasonably bitter beer, but not overly so.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This is a light-bodied beer, with high carbonation (as appropriate for the style). The finish is dry, and very clean. A lingering but not overpowering hop bitterness rounds out each tasting.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Would I brew this again?</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I feel like this is a very solid, but not perfect, first try at a pilsner. There's a lot that hit the mark with this brew. The flavor and aroma are incredibly clean, without any DMS or diacetyl or fruitiness. It's a tasty, easy-drinking beer, perfect for warmer weather. The color is a bit too light for the Classic American Pilsner style, and the slight haze is also an issue in terms of the strict style. That said, these don't matter much for me in terms of taste enjoyment, although they are things I want to work out for the next batch of whatever pilsner I do. <br /><br />I think the haze in this case was compounded by two things. First, I added the gelatin to the keg, rather than the fermenter. I think next time I'll add to the fermenter and let it work its magic in there for a few days before kegging. Second, I let the keg warm up a bit one night after serving, coupled with a bit of movement/sloshing, that probably didn't help things either. So, I'll aim to be a bit more careful with my handling next time, and see if that fixes things.<br /><br />For my next pilsner, I'll probably go with something a little more "traditional", just to see how that goes.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall</b></li>
<ul>
<li>6 / 10</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-2720758438113845732016-02-19T20:02:00.002-08:002016-02-19T20:02:26.599-08:00Beer Tasting: Red Star Imperial Stout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw7XFus4LK7zrtmGXNPtN4x5eKKTzbRIkFDeUhqasDCWr5Vy_OOcvigM7sp4w8XYFFEjtFvMv3i-DmlGXXDbel_JboEpHvH8l_NOYpk0n82c0GsVAsC7kE62-EDPyMi-hirlPwOk59q7C/s1600/20160214_204002.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/AVvXsEhaw7XFus4LK7zrtmGXNPtN4x5eKKTzbRIkFDeUhqasDCWr5Vy_OOcvigM7sp4w8XYFFEjtFvMv3i-DmlGXXDbel_JboEpHvH8l_NOYpk0n82c0GsVAsC7kE62-EDPyMi-hirlPwOk59q7C/s320/20160214_204002.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
More than two months after brewing and about 5 weeks after kegging, I wanted to do a taste-test of <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/12/red-star-imperial-stout.html">my imperial stout</a>. This tasting was done prior to our club competition, so as to not bias my opinion on it one way or another. In the competition itself, it was at the top for the homebrewed entries, although just barely! A two year old entry from another club member was <i>just</i> behind mine in the overall scoring.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>The Basics</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Original gravity = 1.098; final gravity = 1.031; abv = 9.1%; estimated IBU = 66.5.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Aroma is rich and moderately roasty, with a faint earthy note and a very slight alcohol tinge in the background. As the beer warms up, the booziness comes a little more to the forefront, but is not overwhelming. The aroma is rich enough that it blows out the smell receptors pretty quickly. I don't pick up any level of fruitiness.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer is <i>black</i>, or a rich chocolate brown when viewed at an angle. The head is low, thin, and brown, which rapidly subsides to a ring around the edge of the glass. This bit of head is pretty persistent, though.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Flavor-wise, this beer has a prominent malt character that is distinctly roasty (coffee-like) and a tad burnt on the finish. As the beer warms up, I get some chocolate notes, too. There is a tinge of alcohol heat, but that is definitely in the background. This is balanced against a hefty dose of bitterness.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer has really great body, and a slightly creamy feel on the tongue. The finish is medium-dry, with a lingering roasty finish. It has maybe a touch more bitterness on the extended finish than I care for, but this is fairly minor in the overall beer. Carbonation is moderate and seems appropriate for the style.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Would I brew this again?</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer turned out pretty well, particularly for a "big" style that I haven't attempted previously. For what it is (imperial stout), it's a pretty good beer. I'm missing out on a bit of the malt complexity in the flavor (I think), but that also could be my unrefined palate. Attenuation seems spot on--I was worried this might have underattenuated or ended up a bit cloying, but that is definitely not the case. So would I brew this again? Sure, I think it's a pretty good recipe, although not so exceptional that I wouldn't try others, too. I'll be curious to see how that assessment changes as the beer ages. I also should say I don't see myself making imperial stouts that often--I just don't care for "big" beers, and it's a lot of effort for a beer that I'm only moderately interested in (even if I think it tastes pretty decent).</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall score:</b> 7/10</li>
</ul>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-51981477250245757032016-02-14T16:05:00.000-08:002016-02-14T21:19:20.463-08:00Beer Tasting: Alt-Alt Ale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpY49KmNloYvNBRp0aYRGiC6eGNGLni5yn6YiyjUG2v8m_eTnnyMqxJ68Xhi7Ta-CdKkvhI6jf1GFNdb0YvyLj05K0QtgpwLS7d-7-42m5Ru8dBkIkq0J4umA5qmUjJXOQDaSs5-VVLx9/s1600/altbier.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/AVvXsEjOpY49KmNloYvNBRp0aYRGiC6eGNGLni5yn6YiyjUG2v8m_eTnnyMqxJ68Xhi7Ta-CdKkvhI6jf1GFNdb0YvyLj05K0QtgpwLS7d-7-42m5Ru8dBkIkq0J4umA5qmUjJXOQDaSs5-VVLx9/s320/altbier.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/12/alt-alt-ale.html">My altbier</a> has been <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/01/alt-alt-ale-kegged.html">on tap for over a month</a>, and seems to be at peak flavor. Time for a tasting!<br />
<ul>
<li><b>The Basics</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Original gravity = 1.052, final gravity = 1.008, abv = 5.8%; estimated IBU = 28.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Exceptionally malty, with a strong caramel/sweet note (thank you, honey malt!). I do not pick up much in the way of hops, esters, or other components.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Brilliantly clear, with a deep amber, almost copper, hue. The head is low and ivory colored, with excellent retention.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Moderately-high degree of maltiness, which is predominated by caramel aspects at the front end and a bit of breadiness at the back. It is rather bitter, and the bitterness has a distinct but clean character. There is a very modest perception of sweetness, but it is not overwhelming. The maltiness and hopiness are really nicely balanced, although it is definitely the bitterness that lingers longest on the finish.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This is a medium-bodied beer, with medium-high carbonation.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Would I brew this again?</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I quite like this beer, particularly as a way to try out a new style along with some malts that depart from my usual repertoire. The gelatin definitely did the trick for fining this out (particularly so when melded with the ingredient of time in the keezer). It departs from the altbier style in some ways (e.g., head is a bit lower than optimal for the style, and I didn't use much in the way of German ingredients), but as a variation on that theme, it's darned good. I can't say it is in my "brew and drink every day" category (it's a little too 'massive' of a beer for that), but it's definitely in the "brew every once in awhile and enjoy" category.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall rating</b></li>
<ul>
<li>8 / 10</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-91270255683545493072016-02-11T20:27:00.001-08:002016-02-11T20:39:00.182-08:00Special Beer Review: Heady Topper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp4_QGmp2D2G18mc3P8RObo84LTEkZK4Sb2S5Xte3XWgtGGVKoJ_Ta76SV-MtA5vuj4lpi-Q6txecke3FgUHD3nkrv3gvXqQVyWT9rM6-a1QKFTVBPoysLTSX4MvZUsR19X3Ey2iAv2mg/s1600/2016-02-11+19.36.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp4_QGmp2D2G18mc3P8RObo84LTEkZK4Sb2S5Xte3XWgtGGVKoJ_Ta76SV-MtA5vuj4lpi-Q6txecke3FgUHD3nkrv3gvXqQVyWT9rM6-a1QKFTVBPoysLTSX4MvZUsR19X3Ey2iAv2mg/s320/2016-02-11+19.36.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
A friend was out east recently, and brought me back a can of <a href="http://alchemistbeer.com/">Heady Topper</a>! I've never had this legendary beer before, so I thought I would really slow down and savor the experience by doing a formal tasting. Here it is!<br />
<br />
I disobeyed the directions on the can, and poured most of the contents into a glass. I left a bit in the can, though, and talk about the distinctions at the end of the post.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Hazy light gold beer, with a thick and sticky cream-colored head that leaves some fine lacing on the glass.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Piney and slightly dank aroma, with a hint of peach/apricot behind it. As the beer settles down, the aroma is milder.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Definitely hop-forward, with a smooth and well-rounded bitterness that ramps up as I drink it. The hop character is quite resiny and piney. I don't pick up much in the way of other flavors, but that might just be my palate. Malts are in the background; I can't say anything in particular about them.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The beer has a medium body, with a slick mouthfeel; it really coats the tongue. I'm guessing that must be the hops.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer definitely lives up to the hype, although I am curious how I would view it in a blind tasting. The hype is probably part of the experience, and definitely set me up to want to enjoy it. It's interesting reading reviews on Beer Advocate and places like that...there is a very subjective element (I think the technical term is "BS"). Really...passionfruit and cracker alongside 20 other flavors? I suppose...</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Is it that different in the glass versus from the can? Not in flavor, certainly. I perceive the aroma as different, but I think that's largely because of the metallic aroma from the can itself. This shifts the overall aroma more towards the citrusy side--very interesting, but definitely not a "real" character of the beer.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-81610942428121889072016-02-09T22:22:00.000-08:002016-02-24T21:47:46.873-08:002016 Orange Summer Wheat Ale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
One of the better brews during the "early" stage of my homebrewing career was an orange wheat ale. Inspired by <a href="http://www.hangar24brewery.com/co_orangewheat.htm">Hangar 24's offering</a>, my overall recollection is that I got some nice orange flavor into the mix. I would like to make this again, but with the massive changes in my brewing techniques (particularly the switch to all-grain), I needed a nearly complete reformulation. I'm also adjusting the recipe for the hops I have on-hand.<br />
<br />
It's still a fairly simple recipe, and one that I hope turns out well. My other experimental change this time is to modify the way I handle the oranges. In the previous batches, the whole oranges (crushed) went into the fermenter along with the zest. For this iteration of the recipe, I'm going to soak the zest in vodka and add it at kegging.<br />
<br />
<b>2016 Orange Summer Wheat Ale</b><br />
<ul>
<li>5.75 lbs. white wheat malt</li>
<li>2.5 lbs. 2-row malt (Great Western Malting Co.)</li>
<li>0.5 lbs. 10° L crystal malt</li>
<li>0.25 lbs. rice hulls</li>
<li>1.25 oz. Mt. Hood hops pellets (5.75% alpha, 30 minute boil)</li>
<li>1 pkg. American Hefeweizen Ale yeast (White Labs WLP320), prepared in 1.25 L starter</li>
<li>Zest of 3 medium to large oranges (1 navel, 2 Valencia), steeped in a few ounces of vodka</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Procedure</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The day before brewing, I made a starter of 1.25L water and 125 g of light DME. I added the yeast culture, and let it run for around 20 hours.</li>
<li>I mashed in with 3.6 gallons of water at 164.5°, to hit a mash temperature of 152°. The temperature was down to 149.5° after 40 minutes.</li>
<li>After 60 minutes, I added 1.25 gallons of water at 185°, which raised the mash temperature to 154°. I let it sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the first runnings. Then, I added 3.75 gallons of water at 190°, and a little ice to cool the mash down, and got a temperature of 165°. I let it sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the rest of the runnings.</li>
<li>All told, I collected 6.9 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.036. This equates to 74% mash efficiency.</li>
<li>I started the boil, and added the hops after 30 minutes. After 60 minutes total, I turned off the heat and chilled the beer to 72°. I pitched the yeast and sealed the fermenter. </li>
<li>Starting gravity was 1.043, with 5.5 gallons into the fermenter. Fermentation had taken off within 12 hours. Because my fermentation chamber was currently on hold for lagering, I am fermenting this beer at ambient temperature. This means the brew is about 68°, give or take a degree.</li>
<li>I brewed this up on Monday, February 9.</li>
</ul>
</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-70346412628433691652016-01-31T20:24:00.000-08:002016-01-31T20:24:01.864-08:003P Kegged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAGv9L4zQoGDBbdpisV56qfV4wlDYTYf_7SLuduoDrlHem0msnQfGZMyxNxjqc6SS7SbEETy30zYEjAHZcLdoNFsToJgTYloaNhVKZhJVH6Cx0Rhcclw2wd7RUk5HVKQYwrGlj4hJAA6K/s1600/20160131_171857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAGv9L4zQoGDBbdpisV56qfV4wlDYTYf_7SLuduoDrlHem0msnQfGZMyxNxjqc6SS7SbEETy30zYEjAHZcLdoNFsToJgTYloaNhVKZhJVH6Cx0Rhcclw2wd7RUk5HVKQYwrGlj4hJAA6K/s320/20160131_171857.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/01/3p-update.html">After 11 days at 65°</a>, <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2016/01/dads-3p.html">my pre-Prohibition pilsner</a> is down to a final gravity of 1.008. This equates to 5.5% abv and 83% attenuation. The low mash temperature definitely did the trick for drying out the beer! On Saturday, January 30, I dropped the temperature down to 40°, and on Sunday dropped it again to 35°. This evening (Sunday, January 31), I kegged the beer. I am fining it with 3/4 tsp. of gelatin in 1/2 cup of water, mixed in with the beer. I'm force-carbonating and lagering at a temperature of 34°.<br />
<br />
The beer has cleaned up pretty nicely, although is still pretty hazy. I expect the gelatin should take care of that in short order. I can definitely pick up the corn in the grist, as expected for a beer in the American pilsner style.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-9666357233717896042016-01-24T20:00:00.002-08:002016-01-24T20:00:43.100-08:00Eagle Face Oatmeal Stout 1.2 Kegged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68aIGMEJ-Q-R9F0l0DMMHykAxVCOH_La4WF6fyHG1bNX5h-P5_DF7fsNEOdx2Sfgf8Fa61ChEtAQSNgZRC2XF0PmRIDzrZcu0D-qg3eLOzLqm0XQ-P84B4SmCH1xKEiSsMnnk9aUlNwzP/s1600/20160124_105621.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/AVvXsEh68aIGMEJ-Q-R9F0l0DMMHykAxVCOH_La4WF6fyHG1bNX5h-P5_DF7fsNEOdx2Sfgf8Fa61ChEtAQSNgZRC2XF0PmRIDzrZcu0D-qg3eLOzLqm0XQ-P84B4SmCH1xKEiSsMnnk9aUlNwzP/s320/20160124_105621.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
Today I kegged my Eagle Face Oatmeal Stout, after 3 weeks in the primary fermenter. The beer had settled down to a final gravity of 1.020. From a starting gravity of 1.060, that is 5.3% abv. Not much more to add!Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-27502932763436001012016-01-21T22:06:00.001-08:002016-01-21T22:06:26.893-08:003P Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bDsyfQdqQOMTjhVNCnymWaiP6FcT5zKF4-SnG224IQwlDaQ_5CXm8TL4TbnoNJMPYDKpEofWAWngrjY2-hJDT1pA0yD2q3Zh8pFdtq_7qoEYjgonIkkgT_ndW6dMMLLLQ1oGhkGnutOQ/s1600/20160111_135624.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/AVvXsEj4bDsyfQdqQOMTjhVNCnymWaiP6FcT5zKF4-SnG224IQwlDaQ_5CXm8TL4TbnoNJMPYDKpEofWAWngrjY2-hJDT1pA0yD2q3Zh8pFdtq_7qoEYjgonIkkgT_ndW6dMMLLLQ1oGhkGnutOQ/s320/20160111_135624.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
I checked the gravity for Dad's Pre-Prohibition Pilsner on Sunday, January 17. At this point, it was down to 1.018, from 1.051. This puts the beer at around 64% apparent attenuation (and 4.3% abv), so it's time to start ramping up the temperature. The temperature at this point was around 52°. For the first 12 hours, I just let it free rise in the fermentation chamber. The next morning (January 18), it was at 55°. I then put my heating pad in the chamber, and set it at 60°. By that evening, it was at the desired temperature. I then gave it the final bump up to 65°, which it had reached by the morning of January 19.<br />
<br />
Per <a href="http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/">the guidance from Brulosophy</a>, I will leave it at this temperature for four to 10 days. I'll probably do a check next weekend.<br />
<br />
The beer is a quite pale straw color, and pretty hazy yet (not surprising). The krausen was ridiculously rocky on it--I suppose it's a product of the grains plus the yeast strain. I am a bit surprised that I don't pick up any really obvious off-flavors (e.g., diacetyl), but perhaps that is just my bad palate.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-75217706550899044082016-01-10T20:39:00.001-08:002016-01-10T20:39:43.817-08:00Jarrylo Session IPA Kegged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBEEXFxcFZGiO4QVIKpG5vdmmJVYADuXclctOCQhQlZ2OBg5J4UDtbiVidGNscbKlgtMx7r2WIRa2jGI5XSBiPV89ApXDGDNNTFLePRBqODIcYL69CylG_k4oZS4yffDXj0tAoBDPQ_fo/s1600/20160110_195552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBEEXFxcFZGiO4QVIKpG5vdmmJVYADuXclctOCQhQlZ2OBg5J4UDtbiVidGNscbKlgtMx7r2WIRa2jGI5XSBiPV89ApXDGDNNTFLePRBqODIcYL69CylG_k4oZS4yffDXj0tAoBDPQ_fo/s320/20160110_195552.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Tonight (10 January 2016) I kegged my <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/12/jarrylo-session-ipa.html">Jarrylo Session IPA</a>, which has been fermenting for 11 days. The yeast had dropped very clear, and the beer had a malty flavor (all that Munich!) with a rather subdued bitterness. I'd probably place it in the pale ale rather than than IPA category. Nonetheless, it's shaping up nicely!<br />
<br />
Final gravity is 1.017, down from 1.047, for 3.9% abv. I added the dry hops (weighted down with two stainless steel washers--I note that three would probably be advisable, as the bag didn't really sink as much as I'd hoped!). I'll be force carbonating, and hopefully can let it go at least a week before tapping.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-87675272848097505502016-01-10T13:09:00.001-08:002016-01-10T13:09:04.948-08:00Dad's 3PFor quite some time, I've been itching to make a lager. It was <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2014/12/looking-back-on-news-and-brews-of-2014.html">on my goal list for 2015</a>, but never quite happened. The main thing deterring me was the time investment--the process takes longer than an average ale, so I didn't want to tie up my fermentation chamber for months. I have to keep the taps on my keezer all occupied, after all!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1CehiKsleoiWTMWkYgoPZQyK9R0FVlGOqfhsuy0iLVw2gsP1utjA7VEBaGwxTcCGoc_37ogmbvXY47e_unjjOXNi5XyvxL8hsGPxnYOUmZx_TDoFkYlHQT4el2SzFB_VeD-YTS_wzra2/s1600/20160109_223915.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/AVvXsEhU1CehiKsleoiWTMWkYgoPZQyK9R0FVlGOqfhsuy0iLVw2gsP1utjA7VEBaGwxTcCGoc_37ogmbvXY47e_unjjOXNi5XyvxL8hsGPxnYOUmZx_TDoFkYlHQT4el2SzFB_VeD-YTS_wzra2/s320/20160109_223915.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
When I discovered a "quick-lager" method, that provided the incentive I needed. This is <a href="http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/">a technique popularized by the folks at Brulosophy</a> (although not developed by them, as they are quick to point out). Essentially, you use a temperature-change regimen to keep the process moving along. Most of the potential off-flavors are produced in the first half of fermentation, so once the beer is more 50% attenuated, you can raise the temperature and speed up the finishing. Then, it's a cold crash, some gelatin, and you're done!</div>
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<div>
For my first lager, I chose a recipe that my dad has been brewing for many years. It is a "Pre-Prohibition Pilsner," in the style of the American beers that were made before Prohibition destroyed many of the traditional breweries and beers. He makes an extract version that is absolutely delicious, and has been brewing it in some form or another for close to 15 years. The <a href="https://byo.com/hops/item/704-golden-age-pre-prohibition-pilsner">original recipe came from the April 1999 issue of <i>Brew Your Own</i></a>, and I have modified it slightly for hop and yeast availability. The main changes are using Spalt instead of Tettnanger and WLP800 (Pilsner Lager) instead of an American pilsner strain.</div>
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I will note that the rye flakes are "off-style" for a classic American pilsner, and I suppose the yeast is too. But, it's homebrew, so I'll make my beer the way I want to and forget about official style guidelines. I also wanted to approximate the classic water of Pilsen, so used a water blend heavily tilted towards distilled water. Our tap water here has a ton of minerals, and so is not well-suited on its own for the styles (including American pilsners) that are best with soft water.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Dad's 3P (Pre-Prohibition Pilsner)</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>9 lbs. pilsner malt</li>
<li>1 lb. flaked maize</li>
<li>0.5 lb. carapils malt</li>
<li>0.5 lb. flaked rye</li>
<li>2 oz. German Spalt hops pellets (2.4% alpha, 4.3% beta), 60 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. Hallertau hops pellets (2.7% alpha, 3.8% beta), 30 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. Hallertau hops pellets (2.7% alpha, 3.8% beta), 15 minute boil</li>
<li>1 tsp. Irish moss, 10 minute boil</li>
<li>1 tsp. yeast nutrient</li>
<li>1 package Pilsner Lager yeast (White Labs, WLP800), prepared in 2L starter</li>
<li>"Special water blend" - 2 gallons of the carbonate-heavy Claremont water with 7 gallons of distilled water.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Procedure</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Five days in advance, I prepared a 2 liter yeast starter, and let it ferment out for 2.5 days (after the krausen had fallen). I then put it in the refrigerator to cold crash for another 3 days.</li>
<li>I mashed in with 4.25 gallons of water at 161.8°, aiming for a target mash temperature of 149°. The mash hit 149.8°, and was down to 146° after 55 minutes. </li>
<li>After the 60 minute mash rest, I added 0.84 gallons of water at ~160°, let it rest for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the first runnings. Then, I added 3.82 gallons of water at 180°, which brought the mash bed up to 162°. I let this rest for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and drained again.</li>
<li>In total, I collected 7.75 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.043, for an efficiency of 82%. I suspect my water volume must have gotten off somewhere in the process. But, I'm not too worried because this is my target gravity anyhow before the boil.</li>
<li>I brought the wort to a boil, and added the hops, Irish moss, and yeast nutrient per the schedule.</li>
<li>After 60 minutes of boiling, I chilled the wort to 74° using my wort chiller. Then, I transferred it with aeration and placed it in the fermentation chamber for 90 minutes to bring the wort down to 60°. At this point, it was pretty late, and I decided it would be okay to pitch the yeast. I saw evidence of fermentation (krausen starting to form, very slow bubbling in the airlock) when I checked on the beer around twelve hours later.</li>
<li>Starting gravity was 1.051. I'll do the first stage of fermentation at 54°. I brewed this on 9 January 2016, and will check on the gravity in about a week, to see if it is ready to warm up.</li>
</ul>
</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-6242936761080910052016-01-09T07:50:00.005-08:002016-01-09T07:50:41.501-08:00Eagle Face Oatmeal Stout 1.2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOr67Pdt_t8-41d3J0qdQbIN0LLL5GWfJDe-aoC36wh_wJnp-us5b0r4_lA3nY8WVXu1nH2Be7qwH9zwqUDCntCK2Rp2TQqvRD_YMipMxbta271orth1j8o4pgyoCZZqlvD8ntsyrKVUv/s1600/20160103_195216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOr67Pdt_t8-41d3J0qdQbIN0LLL5GWfJDe-aoC36wh_wJnp-us5b0r4_lA3nY8WVXu1nH2Be7qwH9zwqUDCntCK2Rp2TQqvRD_YMipMxbta271orth1j8o4pgyoCZZqlvD8ntsyrKVUv/s320/20160103_195216.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I've brewed my house oatmeal stout recipe <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Eagle%20Face%20Oatmeal%20Stout">twice</a> <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/04/eagle-face-oatmeal-stout-11.html">previously</a>, and both times it has been a winner. Looking towards my keg rotation, I thought it would be nice to roll this one out for 2016. I'll note that this is the third time I've brewed this one in essentially the same form--probably a record for my home brewery.<br />
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<div>
The primary minor change to this batch versus the others has been to use "old fashioned oatmeal" out of the pantry instead of the flaked oats from the brewshop. Based on my reading, they are essentially the same thing. Many brewing forums tout using oats from the grocery store as cheaper--however, I think this is fairly overstated, particularly for the amounts of oats used in most recipes. In some cases, even, the brewshop oats are cheaper! And ever in the worst-case scenario, it's a savings of a few cents at most. Thus, the "wisdom" of grocery store products being a massive savings over the homebrew shop products is not entirely correct here. I think the primary utility is as a quick alternative if you need to add oats flavor but forgot to buy them with the rest of your grains.</div>
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<div>
<b>Eagle Face Oatmeal Stout 1.2</b></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>8.5 lbs. 2 row malt (Great Western)</li>
<li>1.25 lbs. old-fashioned oats</li>
<li>1 lb. 80° L crystal malt</li>
<li>1 lb. Victory malt</li>
<li>0.75 lb. chocolate malt</li>
<li>0.5 lb. roasted barley (Simpsons)</li>
<li>0.3 lb. rice hulls</li>
<li>1 tsp. Irish moss, 10 minute boil</li>
<li>1.1 oz. Northern Brewer hops pellets (9.9% alpha, 4.5% beta), 60 minute boil</li>
<li>1 pkg. English Ale yeast (White Labs WLP002, 0.9 L starter)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Procedure</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Three days before brewing, I began a 1.5L starter (191 g of extra light DME and ~.5 tsp of yeast nutrient in 1.75L of water, for a target gravity of 1.040). After 48 hours, I decanted 0.6L for future use and cold-crashed the rest of the starter.</li>
<li>I mashed in with 5 gallons of water at 170°, and hit 156.5° for my mash-in temperature. The mash had dropped to 155° after 30 minutes and was down to 153.4° after 50 minutes.</li>
<li>After 60 minutes, I added 0.5 gallons of 162° water, let this sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the first runnings. Then, I added 3.75 gallons of water at 185°, which raised the mash bed to 162°. I let this sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the remainder of the wort.</li>
<li>All together, I collected 6.8 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.049, for a mash efficiency of 72%. I note that the relatively small quantity of rice hulls seemed to be just fine for this recipe.</li>
<li>I brought the wort to a boil, adding the hops and Irish moss as scheduled.</li>
<li>After 60 minutes of boiling, I turned off the heat and chilled the wort to 75°. The final yield was ~6 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.060. I decanted most of the spent wort from the starter, and pitched the yeast slurry before sealing up the fermenter.</li>
<li>I brewed this beer on Sunday, January 3, 2016 (first brew of the year!). It will be fermenting at 68°.</li>
</ul>
</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-73091737021939754972016-01-07T21:08:00.001-08:002016-01-07T21:08:20.447-08:00Alt-Alt Ale KeggedOn Wednesday, January 6, I kegged the <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/12/alt-alt-ale.html">Alt-Alt Ale</a>. It had been fermenting for 11 days, and was down to a final gravity of 1.008. This equates to 5.8% abv. In tasting, I definitely pick up the honey malt. The yeast leavings were pretty remarkable--this had a high, hard, and foamy krausen, which ringed the fermenter more than just about any other yeast I've seen. This was fairly bizarre for WLP001, so I think it is a good decision to end my particular culture there, and reculture the yeast for next time I use it. The beer is now carbonating under high pressure, and will condition until the next keg in my keezer is kicked.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-50011222899224038272015-12-30T23:27:00.000-08:002016-01-10T20:39:36.256-08:00Jarrylo Session IPAFor my last brew of 2015, I'm making a session IPA that is a modest departure from my previous session IPA. This is primarily to adjust for and use up ingredients on-hand, but also in order to try out a new yeast strain with some promise for session beers ("Conan"). I used WLP002 (English ale) for my last session IPAs, and liked it, but thought that the potentially low attenuation of Conan also has promise for a session IPA. We'll see how it works!<br />
<br />
The other twist on this brew is that I'm using Jarrylo hops, a relatively new variety. They're not particularly intended for IPAs, but an IPA seems like a good way to showcase hop character, particularly in the late additions and dry-hop. Because <a href="http://adha.us/varietals/jarrylo-adha-881">Jarrylo is described as having notes of banana, pear, and spice</a>, I figured some more citrusy/fruity varieties would meld well for the bittering and flavor hops additions. So, Citra and Mosaic are also in the mix. When smelling the Jarrylo hops pellets, I get a fair bit of pepper and maybe some fruitiness behind that. Perhaps it's a mistake to dry hop with this one for an IPA, but that's what homebrewing is all about!<br />
<br />
<b>Jarrylo Session IPA</b><br />
<ul>
<li>5.25 lbs. 2-row malt (Great Western Malting Co.)</li>
<li>3.75 lbs. Borlander Munich Malt (Briess)</li>
<li>0.5 lbs. caramel Munich 60L (Briess)</li>
<li>1 oz. Citra hops pellets (13.2% alpha), 15 minute boil</li>
<li>1 oz. Mosaic hops pellets (12.8% alpha), 10 minute boil</li>
<li>2 oz. Jarrylo hops pellets (14.2% alpha), 2 minute boil</li>
<li>2 oz. Jarrylo hops pellets (14.2% alpha), 2 week dry hop</li>
<li>1 pkg. Vermont Ale ("Conan") yeast, The Yeast Bay (prepared in 1L starter)</li>
<li>1 tsp. Irish moss (10 minute boil)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzziOnpHD4eppINWE5x0y6m1TKJIYFUsDJa57fRo2kELegN-gzWoXgF2costmMEg8o593QtHDVjVux04GQjOCDbaoyj_rDFvAkXtzbnFOuF6eHLkCC_RVgGpT4oJuxP-P4wXjQ3f8SqEd0/s1600/20151230_210325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzziOnpHD4eppINWE5x0y6m1TKJIYFUsDJa57fRo2kELegN-gzWoXgF2costmMEg8o593QtHDVjVux04GQjOCDbaoyj_rDFvAkXtzbnFOuF6eHLkCC_RVgGpT4oJuxP-P4wXjQ3f8SqEd0/s400/20151230_210325.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<b>Procedure</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>I mashed in with 3.75 gallons of water at 169.8°, to hit a mash temperature of 156°. The mash was down to 153.5° after 25 minutes and 150° after 45 minutes. After 50 minutes, I added 1.1 gallons of water at 190°, to raise the mash temperature to 156°. I elected to use a shortened mash procedure in order to add a tiny extra bit of body to the final beer (<a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/07/azacca-session-ipa.html">per the session beer workshop I went to at AHC</a>). So, only 60 minutes passed between when I mashed in and when I collected the first runnings.</li>
<li>I vorlaufed and collected the first runnings, and added 3.75 gallons of water at 179°, which raised the mash bed to 166°. I let it sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the remainder of the wort.</li>
<li>I collected a total of 6.9 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.037. This equates to an extract efficiency of ~75%.</li>
<li>I started the boil, and added the hops per the schedule above.</li>
<li>After 60 minutes of boiling, I turned off the heat and chilled the wort to 70°. Then, I pitched the yeast and set the beer to fermenting, at 68°. I brewed this batch on 30 December 2015. Starting gravity was 1.047.</li>
<li>Note on the yeast starter: Because I am liking the Conan strain, I overbuilt my starter. I made 1.6 L of a 1.040 gravity, and set aside 0.6 L for my next batch (~100 billion cells, approximately). </li>
</ul>
</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-74701128160139634252015-12-30T20:04:00.000-08:002015-12-30T20:04:26.598-08:002015's Homebrew Highlights<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RZabnyAnA6pKBcuNOE8OWEfQK5tqoPj00W6SwWGu7LrlXhHmxxQpDFj4ivsLz1LjKf8HFXxT7t4e0ZDvU7Ti3RzjP733C2ilhp9699Kfw6G6lVYFAtACSuHbA6LYM5wP5NSUqg_kpXs1/s1600/citrablondeale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RZabnyAnA6pKBcuNOE8OWEfQK5tqoPj00W6SwWGu7LrlXhHmxxQpDFj4ivsLz1LjKf8HFXxT7t4e0ZDvU7Ti3RzjP733C2ilhp9699Kfw6G6lVYFAtACSuHbA6LYM5wP5NSUqg_kpXs1/s320/citrablondeale.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beer of the year, <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/09/beer-tasting-citra-blonde-ale.html">Citra Blonde Ale</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Looking back, 2015 was a banner year for my brewing. Speaking immodestly, I produced some excellent beers. Just as importantly, if not more so, I really stretched myself in terms of new styles and techniques.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Favorite Batch</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Citra%20Blonde%20Ale">Citra Blonde Ale</a></li>
<ul>
<li>This blonde ale nailed every single aspect--in fact, I might say it is one of the best beers I've brewed over the years.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Least Favorite Batch</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I didn't have any batches that totally went south, but I did have some that were just not quite where I wanted them. My <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/LLAP">Live Long and Porter</a> was squarely mediocre, as was my attempt at an <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Old%20Speckled%20Hen">Old Speckled Hen Clone</a>. The former was mostly a result of recipe--the latter was, at least in part, the need to age for way longer than I was willing to give it.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Experimental Recipe with Most Potential</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Pannotia%20White%20IPA">Pannotia White IPA</a></li>
<ul>
<li>I've done two iterations of this recipe now, and each time have dialed it in just a little closer to my overall goals. One more, and I think I should have it where I want it! This is my "brew to watch" for 2016.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Most Fun New Style/Recipe to Try</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/10/claremonter-weisse.html">Berliner Weisse</a></li>
<ul>
<li>I've long been hesitant to brew a sour beer (and truth be told, I think that sours are a bit overdone), but I couldn't pass up a chance to try kettle souring. It was super easy, and the result has been pretty tasty!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Best Technique Added to Repertoire</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I tried a <i>lot </i>of new things this year (different hopping schedules, session IPA's, kettle souring, brew-in-a-bag, and oaking, to name a few), but I think the biggest addition to my toolkit has been kegging. I absolutely <i>love</i> the convenience--so much less scrounging, scrubbing, and sanitizing--and it also makes hosting people easier (no more piles of bottles on the counter). I'll admit that the "cool factor" of a few taps on-hand is nice, too. It's nice to be able to just have a few ounces if that's all I want, rather than committing to a full 12, 18, or 22 ounce bottle. A win all around!</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Most Frustrating Technique/Tool to Master</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I would say that mastering my <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/05/refractometer-calibration.html">refractometer</a> has been among the most frustrating aspect of brewing this year. It is a <i>handy</i> little tool, but wow, is the scale off major time. It took quite a few iterations and the development of an instrument-specific equation to get it to the point where I feel comfortable with it.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Best Ingredient Added to Repertoire</b></li>
<ul>
<li>I have to say that WLP400, White Labs' Belgian Wit yeast, is probably one of the most enjoyable strains to work with, in terms of quality of the results. I've used it in <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/search/label/Pannotia%20White%20IPA">both of my White IPA batches</a>, and I'm hooked.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Favorite Book</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Hands down, it's Gordon Strong's <i>Modern Homebrew Recipes</i>. Every single recipe I've tried or modified from there has been excellent. It has also helped me to really think about my process, and the effects that process can have on each batch (e.g., late hopping, adding dark grains at the vorlauf, etc.). A close runner-up is <i>Mastering Homebrew</i> by Randy Mosher. Not only is it informative, but it's got the best (and most helpful) graphics of any homebrew book I've seen yet. Strong's book has pushed my technique the most, but Mosher's has solidified the basics the most. They are a good duo of publications!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-87222899979035717972015-12-29T22:47:00.001-08:002015-12-29T22:48:03.231-08:00Beer Tasting: Transatlantic IPAMy <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/11/transatlantic-ipa.html">Transatlantic IPA</a> seems to be at its peak--no better time to give it a close look!<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>The Basics</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Original gravity = 1.064; final gravity = 1.015; abv = 6.5%; estimated IBU = 64</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The aroma is very hop-forward and pleasant, but not overwhelming. I pick up citrus (orange) and floral aromas, with a hint of fresh apricot. There is a faint malty aroma that comes through as the beer warms up.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Relatively clear, with a minor bit of haze. The head is quite prominent, white in color, and fine-bubbled, with excellent retention. The beer itself is a beautiful gold color.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This is a pretty well-balanced IPA. There is a low degree of malty flavor, with a slight caramel note to it, but not enough to take it out of character for what I intended. The hops are of course prominent, tending towards the floral and piney side of things. The bitterness is strong but not over the top, and it definitely has a piney and slightly resinous finish. I detect a very modest ester background, perhaps some of the stone fruit (peach/apricot) that characterizes the yeast strain.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The beer has a medium body, with an appropriately moderate degree of carbonation. The finish is slightly dry, but not ridiculously so. </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Would I brew this again?</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Yes! This is a really nice "winter IPA", and nails pretty much everything I was hoping for in the beer. I really like how the Conan strain plays against the hops and malt. Additionally, the hops combo stands up pretty well too. It's complex, but not muddled. The beer is probably a bit heavier than I would want outside of the cold months, but that isn't a flaw in my view. I was a little curious when formulating this recipe as to how much the Maris Otter base malt would show through--not much, in the end! It provides a good base, but doesn't get in the way of the other ingredients.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall rating</b></li>
<ul>
<li>9/10</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-19389796583171609782015-12-27T19:56:00.001-08:002015-12-27T19:56:59.734-08:00Beer Tasting: The Celtic Elk StoutMy Irish stout ("The Celtic Elk Stout") has been on tap for a few weeks now, and is definitely ready for a tasting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDoa0tHm1WBjpfRg-Mf3QkU9qYpB0Yxkk75HqgVjSvy2OaetQqwRziqk_6kO5W5bXJUdcsr4YyUaodvE6A5xukUPVPcrzzBmJ2JZhSmxQ-t9R5kIMTcM1wnlc1JMiKC-iwteltOC4JAiJ/s1600/20151227_192220.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/AVvXsEgeDoa0tHm1WBjpfRg-Mf3QkU9qYpB0Yxkk75HqgVjSvy2OaetQqwRziqk_6kO5W5bXJUdcsr4YyUaodvE6A5xukUPVPcrzzBmJ2JZhSmxQ-t9R5kIMTcM1wnlc1JMiKC-iwteltOC4JAiJ/s320/20151227_192220.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>The Basics</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Original gravity = 1.048; final gravity = 1.018; abv = 3.9%; estimated IBU = 36</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Strong and ever-so-slightly sweet coffee aroma, with a roasty chocolate note behind it. </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Clear as near as I can tell, but pitch-black in the glass. When you hold it up to the light, you can glimpse a dark brown color with a red tinge to it, but that's only if you have the thinnest sliver of beer against strong backlight. The head is dark tan and thin, with a fine texture and good retention.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer has a very coffee-like quality, in terms of being quite roasty in flavor with a bitter finish (more from the barley than the hops, though, in terms of the bitterness character).</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The stout has a moderate-low body, with moderate and fine carbonation. It is a pretty dry (but not puckering) beer, as befits the style. </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Would I brew this again?</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This beer is a darned good Irish stout, and I'd definitely use the recipe again in the future. It hits exactly what I was looking for, in terms of dryness, drinkability, fairly low alcohol content, and intangibles. I like this one!</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall</b></li>
<ul>
<li>9.5/10</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<i><b>And a label!</b></i></div>
<div>
On a whim, I drafted a beer label in honor of the original "Celtic Elk," <i>Megaloceras</i>. It brings in one of the "Irish elk" skulls along with a Celtic knot. Maybe it will make a good t-shirt someday?</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-27642156098026506682015-12-26T20:30:00.000-08:002015-12-26T20:30:13.926-08:00Beer Tasting: 80 Shilling Ale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/11/80-shilling-ale-kegged.html">nearly a month in the keg</a>, the <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/11/80-shilling-ale.html">80 Shilling Ale</a> is ready to formally assess. So, how does it look?<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Aroma</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Quite malty, with a distinct caramel and a faint whiff of butterscotch as the beer warms up. No detectable hops on the aroma.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Appearance</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Clear, with a fine, low and persistent off-white head. The beer is a deep copper in color.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Flavor</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Very malt-forward, with a strong caramel component. The hops are extremely subtle, but tend towards the earthy/spicy side. Butterscotch (presumably from kettle caramelization) was pretty forward in the earlier tastings, but has tapered off some since.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Mouthfeel</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This is a fairly dry beer, with a moderately light body. Carbonation is moderate, with very fine bubbles.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Would I brew this again?</b></li>
<ul>
<li>This is a very solid (and delightfully simple) recipe, with a tasty result. It has been nice to have on-hand as my "light" ale during the cold months, and fits this bill pretty well. As near as I can tell from the BJCP guidelines, the recipe is also a pretty good approximation of the style. That said, it's not such an engaging style for me that I'm going to brew it every day. It probably falls in the category of "fun to try every few years when I get the urge." All that said, I'm glad I expanded my brewing horizons a bit!</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Overall</b></li>
<ul>
<li>8.5/10</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6570898016673125381.post-64553175453476647372015-12-26T20:10:00.000-08:002015-12-26T20:10:31.088-08:00Alt-Alt AleWith a little extra time over the holidays, I wanted to brew up a few batches. I've never made anything along the lines of an altbier before, so a recipe in the November 2015 issue of <i>Brew Your Own</i> caught my eye. It's a clone recipe from the <a href="http://mkebrewing.com/">Milwaukee Brewing Co.</a>, called <a href="http://mkebrewing.com/beer/louies-demise/">Louie's Demise</a>. From what I know of the style, the recipe hits most of the notes for an altbier, but takes an American bend in the malts (unspecified 2-row malt, which I presume is usually brewed with an American variety rather than Pils malt) and the yeast (WLP051, California V, rather than a German ale yeast). I made a few additional tiny modifications for my ingredients on-hand, and thus beer is titled the "Alt-Alt Ale". It has a ring to it, and also vaguely reminds me of the <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/All_Terrain_Armored_Transport">AT-AT's from Star Wars</a>.<br />
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One interesting thing about this recipe is the use of honey malt. My eye has been on this for some time, but I've never actually brewed with it. This malt has a very strong aroma, with a thick, sweet and raisin-like character. It's almost reminiscent of crystal 80, but much stronger. I think it's going to be quite good, but I also think it would be something to use with caution in other recipes. This is a malt that's nice to use when you need it, but could overwhelm a brew if competing with more delicate ingredients or aromas.<br />
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<b>Alt-Alt Ale</b><br />
<ul>
<li>7.25 lbs. 2-row malt (Great Western Brewing Co.)</li>
<li>1.5 lbs. honey malt</li>
<li>1.25 lbs. Borlander Munich malt (Briess)</li>
<li>0.5 lbs. Munich 20°L ("Dark Munich", Briess)</li>
<li>0.31 lbs. Carafoam (5 oz., Weyermann)</li>
<li>0.06 lbs. roasted barley (1 oz., Simpsons)</li>
<li>0.75 oz. Mt. Hood hops pellets (5.7% alpha), 60 minute boil</li>
<li>2 oz. Perle hops pellets (7.3% alpha), 5 minute boil</li>
<li>2 oz. Czech Saaz hops pellets (2.6% alpha), 5 minute whirlpool</li>
<li>1 tsp. Irish moss (10 minute boil)</li>
<li>California Ale yeast (White Labs, WLP001), harvested and made in 1L starter</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Procedure</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>From <a href="http://andybrews.blogspot.com/2015/12/red-star-imperial-stout.html">the yeast harvested at last batch</a>, I prepared a 1L starter to aim for ~200 billion yeast cells (I "needed" 188 billion). I had only intended for it to sit overnight, but due to illness and then Christmas it ended up cold-crashing for another six days in the refrigerator. Because the starter should (theoretically) have been at full-strength, I didn't figure that this was too big of a problem. One interesting thing I noticed is that the yeast this go-around seemed to be a bit more flocculent than I am used to for WLP001, with behavior closer to that which I normally see for WLP002.</li>
<li>This recipe called for a somewhat thinner mash than I usually do, at 1.4 quarts of water per pound of grain. I mashed in with 4.78 gallons of water at 159.1°, which hit a mash temperature of 148.1°. This was effectively dead-on for my target (148°). The mash temperature was down to 145.5° after 30 minutes, and down to 144.5° after 45 minutes.</li>
<li>After a 60 minute mash, I added 0.25 gallons of water at 210°, to raise the mash temperature to 145°. I let it sit for 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the first runnings. Then I added 3.78 gallons of water at 180°, which raised the mash bed to 160°. I let it sit 10 minutes, vorlaufed, and collected the remainder of the wort.</li>
<li>Altogether, I collected 6.8 gallons of wort with a gravity of 1.045, for 74% mash efficiency.</li>
<li>I boiled the wort for a total of 60 minutes, adding the hops and Irish moss at the intervals indicated above.</li>
<li>After the boil, I chilled the wort down to 76°, transferred to the primary fermenter, and pitched the yeast.</li>
<li>I had approximately 6 gallons of beer in the primary, with a starting gravity of 1.052. I brewed the beer on 26 December 2015, and plan to ferment it at 67° for around two weeks.</li>
</ul>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16171447306687358664noreply@blogger.com2