Kraemer Brew: 2018

Saturday, August 4, 2018

#70 Belgian Tripel

Brew date: April 19, 2018

Appearance: Straw gold color, very clean, slight haze characteristic of the style. Thick, billowy, sticky white head -- the wheat malt is very evident here. Very effervescent, champagne-like carbonation.

Aroma: More pilsner-esque than tripel. Not very fruity or flowery, more sweet grainy or spicy.

Taste: Strongly of wheat -- to a fault. I can't really get behind this beer as a tripel. Not nearly fruity, flowery, or soft enough. There isn't the nuance that this style demands. The flavor is grainy, and has a strong alcohol backbone. Almost like an imperial pilsner -- but not as clean.

Final Thoughts: While I received a lot of positive feedback on this beer, it's not at all what I had hoped for. The soft nuance, which is present in the best examples of this style, being totally absent here. Not that it's bad, just not what I wanted.

Next Time: Cut the flaked wheat by half, cut the sugar addition by a third, cut the gypsum by a half, and use a different yeast.

RECIPE TARGET

BATCH SIZE	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	1.081	1.018	8.35%	32	78%	3.81

ACTUAL

BATCH SIZE	1ST RUN	2ND RUN	PRE-BOIL	OG	FG
7 gal	1.077 (4 gal)		1.063 (7 gal)	1.082	1.010

Notes: pH levels, etc.

MALT

NAME	AMOUNT	%	BRAND
Pilsner	15 lbs	84.2	Avangard
Flaked wheat	10 oz	3.5	Briess
Acidulated	3 oz	1.1	Best Malz

Notes:

HOPS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	ALPHA %	NOTES
Hallertau Blanc	1 oz	60 min	Boil	Pellet	7.2%	YCH
Wai-iti	1 oz	60 min	Boil	Pellet	2.5%	BSG
Hallertau Blanc	0.75 oz	15 min	Boil	Pellet	7.2%	YCH
Hallertau Blanc	0.25 oz	10 min	KO	Pellet	7.2%	YCH

Notes:

OTHER ADDITIONS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	NOTES
Irish moss	1 t	15 min	Boil
Candi sugar (clear)	1 lb	10 min	Boil
Sugar	1 lb	10 min	Boil
Yeast nutrient	0.5 t	10 min	Boil

Notes:

YEAST

NAME	LAB	AMOUNT	TEMP: PITCH	TEMP: FERM	NOTES
3787 Trappist	Wyeast	2 packs	66F	72F	Keep at 70F

Notes:

WATER

Profile link: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=H5YBTHG

NAME	AMOUNT	TIMING	NOTES
RO Water	5 gal	50-50 Mash/Sparge
Filtered Water	4.5 gal	50-50 Mash/Sparge
Gypsum	8 g	Mash
Calcium Chloride	5 g	Mash
Phosphoric Acid	9 mL	Mash	10% acid

Notes:

SCHEDULE

STEP	TEMPERATURE	TIME	NOTES
Mash in	161 F	10 min	6 gal
Saccrification rest	150 F	60 min
Batch sparge	168 F	10 min	3.5 gal
Boil	212 F	60 min
Chill	72 F	15 min	Pitch

Notes:

FERMENTATION

TEMPERATURE	TIME	NOTES
72 F	0 min	Pitch yeast
72 F	3 days	Fermentation peak
70 F		Maintain until 5/1, let fall to room temp
66 F		Until 5/7, kegged

Notes:

Thursday, February 22, 2018

#68 Luck O' the Lily Coffee and Cream Milk Stout

Brew date: Feb. 22, 2018

Appearance: Caramel-colored head, nice clean black-brown color.

Aroma: A rich and sweet coffee aroma, some other roastiness. Brownies-in-the-oven, fresh-brewed coffee.

Taste: Good coffee flavor, with hints of chocolate. Not much body for a "milk" stout -- the lactose seems nowhere to be found in the mouth feel. Some astringent flavor at the end, but not off-putting like at tapping. The bitter roast at the end turns slightly sweet from lactose. Finishes fairly dry -- with the roast barley doing its thing.

Final Thoughts: Sort of missed the mark on this one. The flavor is on, but the mouth feel just isn't what it should be. Next time, mash in a few degrees warmer, pump up the lactose, and maybe even add more flaked barley. Also, consider dropping the pH a bit more during the mash to minimize astringency.

Next Time: Consider an English yeast strain or something that adds more character.

RECIPE TARGET

BATCH SIZE	TIME	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	60 min	1.067	1.017	6.6%	36	78%	30.65

ACTUAL

BATCH SIZE	1ST RUN	2ND RUN	Pre-Lactose OG	OG	FG	EFFICIENCY	NOTES
6.5 gal	4 gal @ 1.072	4 gal @ 1.034	1.062		1.028

FERMENTABLES

NAME	AMOUNT	%	BRAND
2-row	11.25 lbs	73.8%	Briess
Flaked barley	12 oz	4.9%	Briess
Roasted barley	10 oz	4.1%	Briess
Debittered black	9 oz	3.7%	Dingemans
Caramel 60L	8 oz	3.3%	Briess
Pale chocolate malt	7 oz	2.9%	Thomas Fawcett
Black malt	3 oz	1.2%	Briess
Acidulated malt	3 oz	1.2%	Best Malz

HOPS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	ALPHA %	OTHER
Cascade	2 oz	60 min	Boil	Leaf	6%	Kraemer Brew

OTHER ADDITIONS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	OTHER
Irish moss	1 t	15 min	Boil
Lactose	12 oz	10 min	Boil
Cold brew coffee	32 oz	2 days	Secondary		See notes below
Lactose & Water	4 oz + 8 oz	0 min	Keg		See notes below

Notes: 8 oz Trader Joe's Italian Roast coarse ground coffee + 32 oz filtered spring water. Put in fridge for 2 days before adding during kegging. Decided to add additional lactose directly to the keg. Boil 4 oz lactose and 8 oz filtered spring water, chill for several days before adding to keg.

YEAST

NAME	LAB	AMOUNT	ATTENUATION	TEMPERATURE	OTHER
1056 American Ale	Wyeast	1.7 L starter	73-77%

WATER

Profile link: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=X5DZDZT

NAME	AMOUNT	TIMING	OTHER
RO Water	4.5 gal	45-55 Mash/Sparge
Filtered Water	5.5 gal	55-45 Mash/Sparge
Gypsum	6 g	Mash
Calcium Chloride	3 g	Mash
Epsom Salt	1 g	Mash

SCHEDULE

STEP	TEMPERATURE	TIME	NOTES
Mash in	161 F	10 min	6 gal
Saccrification rest	151 F	30 min
Batch sparge	168 F	10 min	4 gal
Boil	212 F	60 min
Chill	66 F	15 min
Fermentation	64-68 F	11 days	2/22 - 3/5
Chill	40 F	2 days	3/6 - 3/8

#69 Tutti Fruity Double IPA

Brew date: Feb. 22, 2018

Appearance: Light orange color, very slight haze.

Aroma: Mango, pineapple, citrus hop, some sweetness in the aroma, piny resinous on the backend, extremely faint ethanol.

Taste: Sweet fruit hop character, great even bitterness, dry finish but not over-much.

Final Thoughts: A really really great beer! I'd put it up against a lot of the IPAs out there... Excellent hop character, extremely good hop flavor -- bursting with mango, pineapple, and sweet orange. Not over bitter, with a dry finish but enough malt and resin in mouth to balance it all out.

Next Time: Don't change much. Keep the hopping schedule or add even more late additions.

RECIPE TARGET

BATCH SIZE	TIME	OG	FG	ABV	IBU	EFFICIENCY	SRM
6.5 gal	60 min	1.084	1.021	8.3%	82	76%	11.5

ACTUAL

BATCH SIZE	1ST RUN	2ND RUN	PRE-BOIL	OG	FG	EFFICIENCY	NOTES
6.5 gal	4 gal @ 1.085	4 gal @ 1.044		1.082	1.012

FERMENTABLES

NAME	AMOUNT	%	BRAND
2-row	10.75 lbs	52.9%	Briess
Pale ale	7 lbs	34.5%	Briess
Cara 45	12 oz	3.7%	Dingemans
Carapils	10 oz	3.1%	Briess
Acidulated	3 oz	0.9%	Best Malz
Corn sugar	1 lb	4.9%

HOPS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	ALPHA %	OTHER
Idaho 7	1.25 oz	60 min	FWH	Pellet	12.3%	BSG
Idaho 7	1 oz	15 min	Boil	Pellet	12.3%	BSG
Zythos	0.75 oz	15 min	Boil	Pellet	8.7%	YCH
Pacifica	0.5 oz	15 min	Boil	Pellet	5.1%	BSG
Idaho 7	1 oz	5 min	Boil	Pellet	12.3%	BSG
Pacifica	0.5 oz	10 min	Whirl	Pellet	5.1%	BSG
Zythos	0.5 oz	10 min	Whirl	Pellet	8.7%	YCH
Idaho 7	0.75 oz	11 days	DH	Pellet	12.3%	BSG - Added 2/25
Zythos	0.75 oz	5 days	DH	Pellet	8.7%	YCH - Added 3/3
Pacifica	1 oz	5 days	DH	Pellet	5.1%	BSG - Added 3/3

OTHER ADDITIONS

NAME	AMOUNT	TIME	USE	FORM	OTHER
Irish moss	1.5 t	15 min	Boil

YEAST

NAME	LAB	AMOUNT	ATTENUATION	TEMPERATURE	OTHER
1056 American Ale	Wyeast	1.7 L starter	73-77%

WATER

Profile link: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=9R4C63K

NAME	AMOUNT	TIMING	OTHER
RO Water	5 gal	48-52 Mash/Sparge
Filtered Water	5.5 gal	52-48 Mash/Sparge
Gypsum	8 g	Mash
Calcium Chloride	1 g	Mash

SCHEDULE

STEP	TEMPERATURE	TIME	NOTES
Mash in	165 F	10 min	6.5 gal
Saccrification rest	152 F	60 min
Batch sparge	168 F	10 min	4 gal
Boil	212 F	60 min
Chill	78 F	15 min
Fermentation	68 F	9 days
Fermentation	70 F	5 days	Warm on 3/3
Chill	40 F	2 days	Chill on 3/7