Brew date: Feb. 6, 2016
#48 - 6.25 gal
A mid-winter pale ale made with all homegrown hops -- cascade and chinook. Woo! Been waiting to take my hops for a real test drive since planting the rhizomes two summers ago. I was also able to pick up a pack of Wyeast 1217 West Coast IPA to ferment this batch out. Really excited to taste the results. The wort had a nice even bitterness by the end of the boil -- the dried hops, especially the chinook, smelled absolutely great.
At the last minute, I decided to switch from a flame out addition of cascade hops to a post-boil hop stand. In doing so, I'm hoping to preserve a slightly lower IBU while increasing the flavor and aroma of the finished beer.
At flame out, I continued whirlpooling using my pump, but allowed the wort to cool on its own to 180F, at which point I added the cascade leaf for the hop stand. I then let stand for 20 minutes, by which time the wort had cooled to approx. 160F. I then chilled as normal.
Thanks again to my friends the Foleys for the great housewarming gift! Hop rhizomes rock!
Ingredients:
8 lb 2-row (Briess)
5.75 lb Pale ale malt (Briess)
12 oz Light munich malt (Avangard)
4 oz Caramel 60L
3 oz Acidulated malt (Meussdoerffer)
1 oz Cascade (6% leaf) (FWH)
1 oz Chinook (13%, leaf) (FWH)
Fermcap-S (60)
1.5 t Irish moss (15)
2 oz Cascade (Hop stand - 180F-160F) (+20)
2 oz Cascade (Dry hop)
2 oz Chinook (Dry hop)
1.5 L Wyeast 1217 West Coast IPA (66F)
Water:
10 gal (50/50 filtered tap and RO)
8 g Gypsum
2 g Calcium chloride
1 g Epsom salt
Profile
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 162F
Sac rest @ 152F (60)
Mash out (10)
Batch sparge (15)
Boil (~75)
Hop stand (20)
Chill to 66F
Ferment 69F
Target:
OG 1.062
FG 1.016
SRM 9.21
ABV 6.15%
IBU 57
Efficiency 75%
Observations:
1st running 4 gal @ 1.072
2nd running 3.5 gal @ 1.023
Preboil 7.5 gal @ 1.053
OG 6.25 gal @ 1.068
Fermentation:
Chill to 66F and pitch
Continued cooling to ~62F
Warmed to 68F
Fermentation peaked to 73F within the first 48 hours
Chilled to 68F and maintain
Monday, February 8, 2016
Tripel split-batch
Brew date: Jan. 2, 2016
#46 & 47 - 6 gal
I wanted to brew a more monastic-style tripel. One that finishes dry and emphasizes the bready character of the malt, with only a subtle fruity yeastiness that often predominates this style. I'm not sure I succeeded here...
My first attempt working with acidulated malt in an attempt to lower my mash pH. I may have only succeeded in adding a light tang finish. Not unpleasant, but not what I was striving for. Will have to wait and see if this dissipates or recedes to the background when the bottles fully carbonate.
If I were to brew this again, I would also forgo the late hop additions entirely. Just let the yeast do it's thing and get out of the way.
As of today, this beer tastes more like a blonde or belgian golden strong, than a nuanced tripel. Using the Wyeast 3787 or White Labs 510 Bastogne Belgian ale would be a better choice.
The Gigayeast started very slow, but ultimately I think it hits closer to the mark of what a tripel should taste like. It also shows better flocculation than the Wyeast 1388, which is still cloudy to the point of being opaque.
I added gelatin in attempt to help clarify the finished batch of Wyeast 1388. But haven't seen much of an improvement. May just need more time in the bottle and chilling in the fridge.
Ingredients:
12 lb Pilsner malt (Dingemans)
2 lb 2-row malt (Briess)
0.5 lb Flaked wheat
0.5 lb Acidulated malt (Meussdoerffer)
0.5 oz Hallertau (2.7% pellet) (60)
0.5 oz Styrian goldings (3.7% pellet) (60)
2 oz Saaz (2.6% pellet) (60)
1.5 t Irish moss (15)
0.5 t Nutrient (10)
1.5 lb Candi sugar rocks, light (5)
0.5 oz East kent goldings (5.7% pellet) (5)
1 oz Hallertau (5)
1.5 L Wyeast 1388 Belgian strong (ferment 3.5 gal wort)
2 pk Gigayeast GY007 Belgian mix (ferment 2 gal wort)
Water:
9 gal (44/56 filtered tap and RO)
8 g Gypsum
4 g Calcium chloride
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 158F
Sac rest @148F (60)
Mash out (10)
Batch sparge 3 gal
Boil (60)
Chill to 60F
Target:
OG 1.079
FG 1.017
SRM 3.05
ABV 29.7
Efficiency 75%
Observations:
1st running: 4 gal @ 1.075
2nd running: 3 gal @ 1.035
Preboil: 7 gal @ 1.063
Pre-candi sugar: 6 gal @ 1.071
OG: 1.083 (added 0.5 gal filtered water)
Fermentation:
Chill to 60F
Air temp 64F
#46 & 47 - 6 gal
I wanted to brew a more monastic-style tripel. One that finishes dry and emphasizes the bready character of the malt, with only a subtle fruity yeastiness that often predominates this style. I'm not sure I succeeded here...
My first attempt working with acidulated malt in an attempt to lower my mash pH. I may have only succeeded in adding a light tang finish. Not unpleasant, but not what I was striving for. Will have to wait and see if this dissipates or recedes to the background when the bottles fully carbonate.
If I were to brew this again, I would also forgo the late hop additions entirely. Just let the yeast do it's thing and get out of the way.
As of today, this beer tastes more like a blonde or belgian golden strong, than a nuanced tripel. Using the Wyeast 3787 or White Labs 510 Bastogne Belgian ale would be a better choice.
The Gigayeast started very slow, but ultimately I think it hits closer to the mark of what a tripel should taste like. It also shows better flocculation than the Wyeast 1388, which is still cloudy to the point of being opaque.
I added gelatin in attempt to help clarify the finished batch of Wyeast 1388. But haven't seen much of an improvement. May just need more time in the bottle and chilling in the fridge.
Ingredients:
12 lb Pilsner malt (Dingemans)
2 lb 2-row malt (Briess)
0.5 lb Flaked wheat
0.5 lb Acidulated malt (Meussdoerffer)
0.5 oz Hallertau (2.7% pellet) (60)
0.5 oz Styrian goldings (3.7% pellet) (60)
2 oz Saaz (2.6% pellet) (60)
1.5 t Irish moss (15)
0.5 t Nutrient (10)
1.5 lb Candi sugar rocks, light (5)
0.5 oz East kent goldings (5.7% pellet) (5)
1 oz Hallertau (5)
1.5 L Wyeast 1388 Belgian strong (ferment 3.5 gal wort)
2 pk Gigayeast GY007 Belgian mix (ferment 2 gal wort)
Water:
9 gal (44/56 filtered tap and RO)
8 g Gypsum
4 g Calcium chloride
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 158F
Sac rest @148F (60)
Mash out (10)
Batch sparge 3 gal
Boil (60)
Chill to 60F
Target:
OG 1.079
FG 1.017
SRM 3.05
ABV 29.7
Efficiency 75%
Observations:
1st running: 4 gal @ 1.075
2nd running: 3 gal @ 1.035
Preboil: 7 gal @ 1.063
Pre-candi sugar: 6 gal @ 1.071
OG: 1.083 (added 0.5 gal filtered water)
Fermentation:
Chill to 60F
Air temp 64F
Russian Imperial Stout & Belgian-Brett version
Brew date: Dec. 21, 2015
#44 & 45 - 5.5 gal
Lord save me, I love this style.
Brewed over the Christmas holiday. Hoping for a richer, more velvety RIS than the one I brewed last April, also one that ups the roastiness of the finished product without becoming too bitter -- hence the kiln coffee malt. In a perfect world, it would taste like De Molen's Cease and Desist RIS, though I know it's the barrel aging that truly gives that beer it's amazing character.
Pitched the 1028 London ale into 4 gal wort.
Ingredients:
16.5 lb Maris Otter (Muntons)
18 oz Roasted barley (Briess)
18 oz Chocolate malt (Briess)
16 oz Caramel 120L
12 oz Caramel 40L
8 oz Special B (Dingemans)
8 oz Flaked oats
8 oz Kiln coffee malt (Franco-Belg)
5 oz Black malt (Briess)
1 oz Columbus (15.6% pellet) (60)
0.25 oz Cluster (6.8% pellet) (60)
1 oz Brambling cross (5.1% pellet) (15)
1 t Irish moss (15)
0.5 t Nutrient (10)
2L Wyeast 1028 London ale
Water:
10 gal (50/50 filtered tap and RO)
7 g Gypsum
7 g Calcium chloride
Profile
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 169F
Add 1 gal water to thin mash
Sac rest @ 154F (60)
Heat to 160F stirring continuously (10)
Batch sparge 3 gal (10)
Boil (60)
Chill to 64F
Target:
OG 1.101
FG 1.025
SRM 38
ABV 10%
IBU 67
Efficiency 72%
Observations:
1st running: 4 gal @ 1.100
2nd running: 3 gal @ 1.060
Preboil: 7 gal @ 1.086
OG: 6 gal @ 1.104
Fermentation:
Pitch @ 60F
Warm overnight to 66F
Begin chilling at 68/70F
Maintain at 66F
Belgian-Brett RIS
Pulled 1.5 gal wort for White Labs 645 Brettanomyces Claussenii slurry. Added 0.5 gal filtered water to reduce gravity to OG 1.080.
12/23/15:
Pitch 16 oz slurry of White Labs 500 Monastery ale and Wyeast 3787 Trappist high gravity.
Ferment at 64F.
#44 & 45 - 5.5 gal
Lord save me, I love this style.
Brewed over the Christmas holiday. Hoping for a richer, more velvety RIS than the one I brewed last April, also one that ups the roastiness of the finished product without becoming too bitter -- hence the kiln coffee malt. In a perfect world, it would taste like De Molen's Cease and Desist RIS, though I know it's the barrel aging that truly gives that beer it's amazing character.
Pitched the 1028 London ale into 4 gal wort.
Ingredients:
16.5 lb Maris Otter (Muntons)
18 oz Roasted barley (Briess)
18 oz Chocolate malt (Briess)
16 oz Caramel 120L
12 oz Caramel 40L
8 oz Special B (Dingemans)
8 oz Flaked oats
8 oz Kiln coffee malt (Franco-Belg)
5 oz Black malt (Briess)
1 oz Columbus (15.6% pellet) (60)
0.25 oz Cluster (6.8% pellet) (60)
1 oz Brambling cross (5.1% pellet) (15)
1 t Irish moss (15)
0.5 t Nutrient (10)
2L Wyeast 1028 London ale
Water:
10 gal (50/50 filtered tap and RO)
7 g Gypsum
7 g Calcium chloride
Profile
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 169F
Add 1 gal water to thin mash
Sac rest @ 154F (60)
Heat to 160F stirring continuously (10)
Batch sparge 3 gal (10)
Boil (60)
Chill to 64F
Target:
OG 1.101
FG 1.025
SRM 38
ABV 10%
IBU 67
Efficiency 72%
Observations:
1st running: 4 gal @ 1.100
2nd running: 3 gal @ 1.060
Preboil: 7 gal @ 1.086
OG: 6 gal @ 1.104
Fermentation:
Pitch @ 60F
Warm overnight to 66F
Begin chilling at 68/70F
Maintain at 66F
Belgian-Brett RIS
Pulled 1.5 gal wort for White Labs 645 Brettanomyces Claussenii slurry. Added 0.5 gal filtered water to reduce gravity to OG 1.080.
12/23/15:
Pitch 16 oz slurry of White Labs 500 Monastery ale and Wyeast 3787 Trappist high gravity.
Ferment at 64F.
Brewing Day Checklist
Set-by-step timeline for a typical brew day.
3-5 Days Before Brewing
3-5 Days Before Brewing
- Yeast starter (pitch ratio of 1 g DME for every 10 ml water)
- Erlenmeyer flask
- DME
- Filtered water
- Fermcap-S (1-2 drops)
- Nutrient (1/8 t)
- Stir bar
- Funnel
- Sanitizer for spray bottle (1/4 t in 16 oz water)
- Check leftover hops
- Purchase malt, hops, yeast, etc
- Purchase RO water
- Purchase ice for chilling
- Set efficiency to 80% if ABV is <8%. Set to 70% if ABV is 8+%.
- Update recipe based on hops AA%
- Water chemistry adjustments, http://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=J5Y8FBP
Day Before Brewing
- Prep filtered water
- Water adjustments?
- Bring supplies upstairs
- Get scale, measuring spoons, plastic bowl (hops), small bowl (starch conversion test)
- Winter: Set out ~15 gal water in coolers in garage to super-cool overnight
Brewing Day
- Set up stand, connect propane, and immediately begin heating strike water
- Bring rest of supplies outside while water is heating up
- Water adjustments?
- Have breakfast
- Mash in
- At 35 min into mash, begin heating sparge water
- At 60 min perform iodine conversion test
- Mash out, stir continuously until 168F
- Vorlauf 3-5 times
- Lauter
- First wort hop?
- Begin heating first runnings in boil kettle
- Batch sparge, stir, let sit for 10 min
- Connect pump and lauter second runnings into boil kettle
- Boil: Add bittering hops
- Clean mash tun, tubing
- 35 min: Prep chilling water
- 45 min: Add Irish moss, hops?
- 45 min: Connect pump and tubing
- 50 min: Add immersion chiller, thermometer, mash paddle
- 50 min: Whirlpool
- 50 min: Add nutrient
- 55-60 min: Add aroma hops
- Cut heat, begin chilling
- Runoff hot water to cleaning tub
- Recirculate cool water
- Get yeast starter
- Add ice to chill
- Cut pump, close valves, remove tubing
- Use magnet on yeast starter stir bar
- Pitch yeast
- Runoff wort
- Bring fermenter downstairs
- General cleaning
SBW ESB
Brew date: Oct. 25, 2015
#43 - 7 gal
A full-flavored English style extra special bitters, brewed for a company charity raffle. Was hoping for something close to Bass or the delicious "Tower ESB" I had at the Bull & Bush brew pub in Denver earlier this summer.
Ingredients:
10 lb Maris otter (Muntons)
2 lb Munich malt (Dingemans)
1 lb Amber malt (Thomas Fawcett)
0.5 lb Caramel 60L (Briess)
1 oz Challenger (8.9% pellet) (60)
0.25 oz EKG (5.7% pellet) (60)
0.75 oz EKG (15)
Fermcap (60)
1 t Irish moss (15)
0.5 t Yeast nutrient (10)
1.5 L Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast starter
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 164F
Sac rest @ 154F (60)
Mash out @ 168 (10)
Batch sparge 4 gal (10)
Boil (60)
Chill to 68F
Ferment 64-68F
Target:
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.014
IBU: 37
ABV: 5.56%
Efficiency: 75%
Water:
5 gal RO
5 gal Filtered
8 g Gypsum
5 g Calcium Chloride
Water profile
Observations:
1st run: 4 gal @ 1.073
2nd run: 4 gal @ 1.036
Preboil: 8 gal
OG: 6.25 gal @ 1.065
Add 0.75 gal
OG: 7 gal @ 1.056
Fermentation:
Chill to 68F
Place in laundry room. Approx. 64F air temp.
First 8 hrs - ~64F
Second 8 hrs - ~66F
24 hrs - ~68F
#43 - 7 gal
A full-flavored English style extra special bitters, brewed for a company charity raffle. Was hoping for something close to Bass or the delicious "Tower ESB" I had at the Bull & Bush brew pub in Denver earlier this summer.
Ingredients:
10 lb Maris otter (Muntons)
2 lb Munich malt (Dingemans)
1 lb Amber malt (Thomas Fawcett)
0.5 lb Caramel 60L (Briess)
1 oz Challenger (8.9% pellet) (60)
0.25 oz EKG (5.7% pellet) (60)
0.75 oz EKG (15)
Fermcap (60)
1 t Irish moss (15)
0.5 t Yeast nutrient (10)
1.5 L Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast starter
Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 164F
Sac rest @ 154F (60)
Mash out @ 168 (10)
Batch sparge 4 gal (10)
Boil (60)
Chill to 68F
Ferment 64-68F
Target:
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.014
IBU: 37
ABV: 5.56%
Efficiency: 75%
Water:
5 gal RO
5 gal Filtered
8 g Gypsum
5 g Calcium Chloride
Water profile
Observations:
1st run: 4 gal @ 1.073
2nd run: 4 gal @ 1.036
Preboil: 8 gal
OG: 6.25 gal @ 1.065
Add 0.75 gal
OG: 7 gal @ 1.056
Fermentation:
Chill to 68F
Place in laundry room. Approx. 64F air temp.
First 8 hrs - ~64F
Second 8 hrs - ~66F
24 hrs - ~68F
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