Kraemer Brew: September 2017

Friday, September 22, 2017

Hop Harvest 2017

Centennial harvest
Picked: Aug. 22, 2017
Wet: 937 g
Dry: 9.65 oz (Aug. 28)

Fuggle harvest
Picked: Aug. 27, 2017
Wet: 100 g
Dry: 1.2 oz

Cascade harvest
Picked: Sept. 9, 2017
Wet: 1349 g
Dry: 13.6 oz (Sept. 12)

Chinook harvest
Picked: Sept. 17, 2017
Wet: ~1170 g
Dry: 13.5 oz (Sept. 22)

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

#63 "Kiss My Black..." Black IPA

Brew date: Sept. 12, 2017

RECIPE TARGET

BATCH SIZE	TIME	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	60 min	1.071	1.018	7.06%	86.7	78%	29

ACTUAL

BATCH SIZE	TIME	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	60 min	1.067	1.017	6.61%	82	75%	10.75

FERMENTABLES

NAME	AMOUNT	%	BRAND
2-row	10 lbs	57.6%	Briess
Pale ale malt	5 lbs	28.8%	Briess
Cara 20	10 oz	3.6%	Dingemans
Cara 45	4 oz	1.4%	Dingemans
Debittered black malt	12 oz	4.3%	Dingemans
Blackprinz	6 oz	2.2%	Briess
Chocolate wheat malt	3 oz	1.1%	Swaen
Acidulated malt	3 oz	1.1%	Best Malz

HOPS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	ALPHA %	OTHER
Chinook	1 oz	60 min	FWH	Leaf	13%	Kraemer Brew
Simcoe	0.5 oz	60 min	FWH	Pellet	13.6%	YCH
Cascade	1 oz	60 min	Boil	Leaf	6%	Kraemer Brew
Chinook	0.5 oz	10 min	Boil	Leaf	13%	Kraemer Brew
Chinook	2 oz	0 min	KO	Leaf	13%	Kraemer Brew
Simcoe	0.5 oz	0 min	KO	Pellet	13.6%	YCH
Chinook	3 oz		Dry Hop	Leaf	13%	Kraemer Brew
Cascade	1 oz		Dry Hop	Leaf	6%	Kraemer Brew

OTHER ADDITIONS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	OTHER
Irish moss	1 t	15 min	Boil
Yeast nutrient	0.5 t	10 min	Boil

YEAST

NAME	LAB	AMOUNT	ATTENUATION	TEMPERATURE	OTHER
1056 American Ale	Wyeast	1.6 L	73-77%		Starter

WATER

Profile link: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=C2LLKXX

NAME	AMOUNT	TIMING	OTHER
RO Water	4 gal	40-60 Mash/Sparge
Filtered Water	6 gal	40-60 Mash/Sparge
Gypsum	8 g	Mash

SCHEDULE

STEP	TEMPERATURE	TIME	NOTES
Mash in	166 F	10 min	6 gal
Saccrification rest	154 F	30 min	Abbreviated mash
Mash out	168 F	10 min	4 gal
Boil	212 F	60 min
Chill	66 F	15 min
Fermentation	68 F	5 days

#64 Dortmunder Lager

Brew date: Sept. 12, 2017

I have loved Dortmunder lagers for years -- ever since first trying Berghoff's Dortwunder -- but only now am I getting around to brewing one. They are the perfect balance between Pilsner crispness and and Munich maltiness.

Appearance: Pale straw gold color. Very very clear -- as clean as you can get a lager without filtering. Champagne bubble cascading up the glass. A white foamy head that quickly evaporates to a thin rim around the glass. White lacing remains throughout quaffing. Perhaps add a touch of dextrin malt to help with head retention, but not so much as to add more body.

Aroma: Sweet, spicy aroma. Bread, biscuit with honey, Mandarin citrus, and very slight sulfur. Perfect.

Taste: Dry, sweet bread transforms to crisp sulfur-lager flavor. Some spiciness from the hops comes through but only just a hint. Overall, malt dominates (as it should). Light body. Effervescent bubbles.

Final Thoughts: Really happy with how this turned out! Feels, looks, smells, and tastes like a Dortmunder should. This would be a great summer thirst-quencher. As it is, it's a great change of pace from hot weather IPAs and a refreshing transition before the late fall/winter onslaught of roasty beers. I love how the Bohemian lager yeast helped keep everything in proportion. I also think the Hallertauer/Saphir hop mix was really nice -- just the right spicy citrus. Water profile seemed pretty much spot on.

Next Time: Consider adding a touch of dextrin malt to help with head retention, but be restrained to keep body light. Would be interesting to try a little sourdough malt too. No need to go hoppier or have a higher ABV.