tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59412874256305124502024-02-07T08:13:55.365-05:00One Hop MessA new homebrewer seeking to test his wings... reality ensues.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-5866713165143947632016-03-11T17:30:00.000-05:002016-03-11T17:30:12.617-05:00Run for the RosesWow. Long time, no blog.<br />
<br />
For starters, I had in my preparation list, over on the right there, back in July that I was looking to brew <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=39021" target="_blank">BierMuncher's Oktoberfast Ale</a> (a play on the Märzen that uses ale yeast instead of lager yeast). It turned out really well! Made a fantastic gift to generally everyone who helped us buy/move into a house in September, when I immediately and effortlessly stopped brewing altogether.<br />
<br />
I got comfortable on bottles and cans from two really excellent beer stores here in town. And when I couldn't make it to one of those, well, it's nice to live in Michigan, where any Meijer in the state is going to have a fridge stuffed full of awesome beer. I had only inklings of trying to figure logistics for brewing in the new kitchen. For the most part, I was just trying to get used to the changes-- new job, new house, etc. It's not that I didn't want to brew, it's that I didn't feel like I needed to.<br />
<br />
I don't feel that way anymore. The signal light is in the sky. The suds need you, Batyeast. I never said thank you.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AND YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm working on a Kentucky Derby-themed beer that I'm very excited about. I haven't nailed down the style yet, but I do have some options. The most fascinating: after doing some asking around on forums, I found an interesting historical tidbit called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_common_beer" target="_blank">Kentucky Common</a> beer. It's no surprise that the grain bill looks extremely similar to the grain bill for bourbon or shine-- almost as much corn as you can put into beer while still being able to call it beer. Very American in that regard, and <i>very</i> frontier. I even found a link in a recipe to an old-school brewing guide (from 1902) that lists, in a nutshell, the style requirements. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ppYKAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA818&lpg=PA818&dq=handy+book+of+the+brewing+and+malting+trades+kentucky+common&source=bl&ots=S2_bOGoURz&sig=rxBvB3aMiqwYKLPotvnp-y87dJU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FdX9TsKgBIHegQe10rSgAg#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank">Roll that beautiful bean footage</a>.<br />
<br />
I will keep you all posted. Promise!Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-71814642461373900262015-07-08T22:59:00.000-04:002015-07-08T23:03:56.737-04:00The heavens openedA buddy, Matt, and I went out to West Michigan on a brewery pilgrimage last week. It was good, a little hazy. I fell asleep during the trip home, singing to old-school Jars Of Clay. Sure, I've had better moments. But it was a good time!<br />
<br />
But this post is actually not about me. It's about Matt.<br />
<br />
He just checked in a Founders <a href="https://untappd.com/b/founders-brewing-co-dirty-bastard/1013" target="_blank">Dirty Bastard</a> on Untappd... and guess who toasted it?<br />
<br />
Founders.<br />
<br />
Yeah, <i>that</i> Founders.<br />
<br />
The brewery, rightly seated on the Mt. Olympus of American craft brewing, responded to Matt <i>directly</i>, saying how cool it was that he like Dirty Bastard.<br />
<br />
He says it's "like winning the Super Bowl" and "the high water mark of my mortal existence". I do not think this is (much of) an exaggeration.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-21048725556121386322015-06-23T20:36:00.000-04:002015-06-23T20:36:29.643-04:00Logo!Quick update. Of his own free will and under no duress, my good friend Brian built this wicked cool logo for Magoo's Choice Brewery!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAo9o4gtnQlRykjjPN_uqNQ05wc1rUvKGZNZ0DPmVsPcXuvqeZkyN9ZiAY77aD0kz_rqegbv0TxDafIGLN1X7IPj60535AGGbm5HESOj0VeNb6uSchrKfzkZFJTv3rVlNmfA9KPYqDkwM/s1600/Magoos_Choice.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAo9o4gtnQlRykjjPN_uqNQ05wc1rUvKGZNZ0DPmVsPcXuvqeZkyN9ZiAY77aD0kz_rqegbv0TxDafIGLN1X7IPj60535AGGbm5HESOj0VeNb6uSchrKfzkZFJTv3rVlNmfA9KPYqDkwM/s320/Magoos_Choice.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Niiiiice. That is all for now.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-60208958066176916932015-06-22T19:00:00.000-04:002015-06-22T19:00:02.836-04:00Michigan Beer CupSo, I like my beer. My family and friends like my beer. That's plenty for me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.corbisimages.com/images/Corbis-42-29390408.jpg?size=67&uid=90f02b32-cceb-49f9-b7bc-b515ec883813" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.corbisimages.com/images/Corbis-42-29390408.jpg?size=67&uid=90f02b32-cceb-49f9-b7bc-b515ec883813" height="231" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HERE TONIGHT AND DRINKING ALL MY BOOZE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks, Batyeast.<br />
<br />
<br />
But what about other people? How about people I've never met? I'm sure they'd <i>like </i>it. But how well does it stack up?<br />
<br />
This is America <span style="color: blue;">[citation needed]</span>. As explained in George C. Scott's classic interpretation of General Patton, "America is a nation of winners." And by the nature of winning, we are also a nation of competitions. Competitions for everything.<br />
<a href="http://www.akc.org/events/conformation-dog-shows/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.akc.org/events/conformation-dog-shows/" target="_blank">Which dog is the prettiest?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02561/booboo3_2561840b.jpg" target="_blank">Which toddler is the prettiest?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://punkinchunkin.com/38-punkin-chunkin-interest/89-the-competition.html" target="_blank">Which homemade siege engine can throw a pumpkin the farthest?</a><br />
<br />
So, it may not surprise you to know that there are numerous competitions for homebrewing. It might seem a little odd-- a bit like judging art. Homebrewing, by the very essence of brewing in small 1 to 10 gallon batches, is a hobby of experimentation and creativity. You can make anything you like, with enough patience (and beer-soaked ideas for what might taste good). Look at the beer fridge at the grocery store. See any imperial red ales? Maple porters? You could count the number of hazelnut-chocolate stouts on one hand, and the lack of gluten-free, sorghum grapefruit IPAs is a noticeable paucity. Well, if you're looking for them, anyway. But organized, strict styles? Why bother?<br />
<br />
After only brewing for a year and a half, I've noticed that the upper limit of my creativity is the strength of my technique. Any artist could have painted that cafe in France-- it was Van Gogh who <a href="http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Painting/53/Caf%C3%A9-Terrace-on-the-Place-du-Forum,-Arles,-at-Night,-The.html" target="_blank">gave it a heartbeat</a>. I think I get plenty of good ideas from just walking my dog and thinking. But standing out requires doubling down on technique. And that's why you have styles in competitions.<br />
<br />
My personal favorite is substyle 05-C... the <a href="http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/Doppelbock.html" target="_blank">Doppelbock</a>. This beer has a really interesting story behind its creation, and has a long history of getting tipsy monks through Lenten fasts and making regular people act like idiots in public. So, when you call a beer a "doppelbock", you're providing a well-established expectation. In a competition, this helps judges decide whose technique was best, as well as who was the most creative. If there were no styles, you could have judges saying things like, "I liked this one best because the lavender made me think of my mom," or "This beer was great, I passed out after just two sips!"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/23/28073790_753460bf63_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/23/28073790_753460bf63_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic credit to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/redsox/" target="_blank">Red Sox Bat Girl</a> on Flickr.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This brings me to the <a href="http://michiganbeercup.com/index.php" target="_blank">Michigan Beer Cup</a>, a statewide competition for homebrewers. Go ahead and page through the styles that you can make submissions under. Some of those styles <i>I've never even tasted</i>. Sure, some of those styles are available for experimental beers that don't conform to any styles on the list. But you have to know that would be a crowded group. I'd really have to pull a rabbit out of my hat to have a beer that stood out-- and <b>my technique would still have to be good</b>. A lot better than it is now (obviously).<br />
<br />
Maybe someday. For now, it's more than enough for me to have friends and family drinking my beer and shooting the breeze.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-85696065197502211542015-06-19T22:08:00.002-04:002015-06-19T22:08:53.099-04:00But I ain't stressinOkay. The obvious solution to this is a simple batch to get my groove back.<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm thinking either a quickie one-gallon batch (like the good ol' days!) or a five-gallon of something I've already made. I've got a couple on deck that I'd like to try, and I did catch myself working through an all-grain version of Ring By Spring a couple days ago. Or I could try a SMaSH-- single malt, single hops. Simple might be the way to go.<br />
<br />
I dunno. It's gonna be a little while, so I have time. If you have any suggestions, drop me a line.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-37445390219875161332015-06-18T19:00:00.000-04:002015-06-18T19:00:03.934-04:00We interrupt this message for a list of IPAsStill recovering from last night's trauma. Of course, it started to rain just as I was dumping the precious cargo. I opened the lid, had a brief second thought about trying to rack from under the top of the beer, and kicked it over.<br />
<br />
Well, life doesn't give you much time to stew in a bad mood, whether I want to or not. So, I'm shaking it off.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/coloured-scanning-electron-micrograph-SEM-of-a-strain-of-Saccharomyces-cerevisiae-often-referred-to-as-bakers-yeast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/coloured-scanning-electron-micrograph-SEM-of-a-strain-of-Saccharomyces-cerevisiae-often-referred-to-as-bakers-yeast.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'M NOT AFRAID, I'M ANGRY</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There you go, Batyeast. Knew I could count on you.<br />
<br />
The yearly poll from the magazine of the American Homebrewer's Association, <i>Zymurgy</i>, has rounded out the <a href="http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/zymurgys-2015-best-beers-in-america-results/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmericanHomebrewersAssociation+%28American+Homebrewers+Association%29" target="_blank">50 most popular beers in the country</a>, according to homebrewers. Needless to say, 9 of the top 10 were enamel-melting hop-bombs. However, my homies at New Holland made the list for best portfolio! Huzzah!<br />
<br />
Go ahead and follow the link if you think your favorite beer is on the list. Then again, homebrewers tend to breed the biggest snobs in the universe, so maybe not! I know <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/5428/" target="_blank">mine</a> isn't on the list-- although I did just get a six-pack of Zombie Dust from a friend. Mmmmm.<br />
<br />
And if you're feeling adventurous, some clone recipes are available in the few beers that have links. Go ahead, try to clone DFH's 90-Minute IPA. See if it doesn't melt your primary fermentor. =)Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-2419083460236876122015-06-17T21:25:00.002-04:002015-06-17T21:25:17.570-04:00Disaster Strikes 2: Basement BoogalooBe warned: I'm too depressed for jokes right now.<br />
<br />
I went down to take a gravity reading on the hefewitten tonight, to see if I might be able to bottle soon. I was greeted by an ominous cluster of mold colonies around the lid.<br />
<br />
I opened the lid. I started kicking the bucket. I cursed a lot.<br />
<br />
I blame the no chill method. Those Aussies may have it down, but I sure don't. Something probably got in before I pitched the yeast. Those lucky bastards were the only ones who got to drink it.<br />
<br />
My next batch will have to be something to get my mojo back. I just want to scream at the top of my lungs right now.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-59402399791681417842015-06-15T19:00:00.000-04:002015-06-15T19:00:03.230-04:00HefewittenWill Captain Shorty's Sharp Wit truly be a witbier? Or will it be a hefeweizen?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130312013034/random-ness/images/f/f0/Why_not_both.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130312013034/random-ness/images/f/f0/Why_not_both.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And does it truly matter?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
First, the situation.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://erinhasthoughts.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/mike-the-situation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://erinhasthoughts.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/mike-the-situation.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dammit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was able to find all the prescribed ingredients for Captain Shorty at the local homebrew shop... except for the yeast. I've gone on about yeast before, but one thing I haven't mentioned yet is the idea of flavor strains.<br />
<h4>
The Beer Tastes Like Belgium</h4>
Over the years, as brewers were complacently stirring wort in giant vats with their disgusting, unsanitary, yeast-ridden paddles, those yeast were savoring the local flavor. Belgian yeasts took to Belgian styles, German yeasts to German styles, and I think you get the idea. Hell, I bet there's even a pruno-loving strain in the state prison down the road. The point is: yeast cells adapt to appreciate and make the best use of what's available, or get out-competed by the yeast cells that do. In return, brewers were unknowingly selecting yeast from beer they liked best, which led to cultivars of microbes that produced distinctive flavors. This is why saisons taste like pepper, Irish stouts are drier than English stouts, and sours taste like rat barf.<br />
<br />
It's also why <a href="http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category15.php#style15A" target="_blank">hefeweizens</a> and <a href="http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category16.php#style16A" target="_blank">witbiers</a>, despite having almost exactly the same recipes (only real difference being whether or not the wheat is malted), taste different. Witbiers are typically kind of sweet and fruity and a little spicy. Hefeweizens have a very, <i>very</i> distinctive banana flavor, with some cloves in the background. This is generally resultant of the esters produced by the yeast during fermentation.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IT'S WHAT I DO THAT DEFINES ME</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, when I ask if it will be a witbier or a hefeweizen, that's not just snobby semantics. And it's all in the yeast's little gooey, stinky hands. I'll find out soon enough.<br />
<br />
If you're interested: a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL_o93kJnKI" target="_blank">discussion </a>of the difference on YouTube by Here For The Beer.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-20047449271761522212015-06-08T17:30:00.000-04:002015-06-08T17:30:00.835-04:00Before everything and afterWhoa, it's been a while. Sorry for the wait, ladies and germs. A lack of blogging has not meant a lack of brewing, that's for certain.
In fact, some of my best stuff has been happening, and I have been
showing a certain streak of evil in keeping it from you all.<br />
<br />
Also: if you want to follow beers that I'm brewing or drinking, there's a little linky-link over here on the right to follow me and my homebrews on Untappd.
If you don't have Untappd, you should sign up! Not only can you track
what you drink (and remember how well you liked it), but you can see
what your so-called friends are drinking, so you can shame them later for draining a whole sixer of PBR by themselves (if they mustered the courage to check in, of course).<br />
<br />
So, without further ado, da beers.<br />
<h4>
Blitzen Christmas Ale</h4>
The last I left you, this beer was strugglating through primary fermentation. It wasn't even named yet! Well, I should tell you that I <i>overshot</i> my ABV calculations (thanks again, BrewTarget) and brewed a smashing Christmas ale, which was consumed with startling immediacy by my family members and friends. My parents, in particular, appreciated a tipsy liter between the two of them. Here's the whole story:<br />
<br />
About two weeks after brew day, I moved the beer to a secondary, a shiny new glass carboy. Waiting in the secondary... was a half bag of frozen cranberries and a few oranges. It smelled exactly how you would expect a fantastic blend of alcohol and Christmas fruit to smell.<br />
<br />
After a while, the beer clarified quite well, and began wafting magnificent scents. I bottled mostly into regular 12oz bottles. But for immediate family, I bottled into some big 1L swingtops that we got from IKEA. I justified this by saying that beer is meant to be shared, so opening a liter of beer means that you intend to share it! The only drawback is that the bottles are clear, and susceptible to UV radiation. For my parents and brother, this turned out to not be an issue, since they drank the beer almost immediately. Merry Christmas to all, indeed.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Cave Troll Black Walnut Oatmeal Stout</h4>
Next on the list, and tentatively mentioned on my list on the right, was a beer that I brewed for my parents. They have black walnut trees in their yard, and they undertake the pre-industrial effort of obtaining the nuts from these trees every year. Of the fruit of this labor, they asked if I could make a beer. I was both eager and hesitant-- knowing that a great beer would be truly great, but a failure would spoil so much work that I get depressed trying to calculate its monetary figure in even minimum wage.<br />
<br />
I provided some darker beers (<a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/7348/" target="_blank">Founders Porter</a>, <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/454/2866/" target="_blank">Arcadia Nut Brown Ale</a>, and <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/8322/" target="_blank">New Holland's The Poet</a>) for my parents to try, and see which they liked best. They decided on The Poet, and I can't say that I blame them. An awesome beer for sure, and of course, pushed the expectations a little higher.<br />
<br />
Then, the spanner in the works. I brewed it without issue, of course. But about a week after I moved it to secondary to clarify, my wife underwent an emergency surgery and was out of the game for over a month-- she's better now, but it scared the hell out of us. This was about the same time we rescued a very energetic puppy, as well. Needless to say, Cave Troll had plenty of time to mature in the secondary.<br />
<br />
I bottled the whole lot, almost getting to 50 bottles, with my wife... before I dropped two bottles down the basement stairs while moving them. You know, there comes a point when you start losing track of all the bad omens, because adding them all up in the column seems to be pointless.<br />
<br />
My brother's review, halfway through his second, was as follows, <i>"This is probably the best beer I've ever had."</i><br />
<br />
Though I was disappointed in it feeling a little thin and too light for a stout, I have to say that it's the best one I've made. If you're ever traveling to my parents' house, leave a comment to tell me how you liked it. <i>Zum Wohl</i>!<br />
<br />
<h4>
Captain Shorty's Sharp Wit</h4>
Finally, we come to the brew that's currently sitting in a fermenter in my basement. You may, if you bother to read any previous entries from last summer, recognize the name from some brainstorming I did toward the end of the summer. This is based on an extract recipe that I found on HomeBrewTalk which was basically a witbier with blood oranges, like a Blue Moon hopped up on Jolly Ranchers.<br />
<br />
Some of you may recognize that blood oranges tend to have a terribly short season toward the beginning of the year-- about the time I was trying to keep up with a toddler and two dogs while Cave Troll was in the secondary-- likewise, they were unavailable when it came time to brew. I substituted Cara Cara oranges (which are still pretty red and sweet) and grapefruit (for some tang!).<br />
<br />
This was also (drum roll) my very first all-grain brew! I think my efficiency turned out to be total crap (~62% according to BrewTarget) due to my underestimation of my boil-off rate and lack of mash temp control, but it'll be beer none the less. Even moreso that I couldn't find a proper Belgian yeast strain at the local homebrew supply shop... so I substituted Danstar Munich. It's a wheat yeast, sure. For hefeweizens. So, it might be a witbier that tastes like a hefeweizen. Who cares, it'll be beer. And of course, I will keep you posted from now on!<br />
<br />
I hope to post the recipes for Cave Troll and Captain Shorty in due time. And I will push myself to keep blogging. With pictures, even! <i>Prost!</i>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-40714573862239953862014-11-13T21:46:00.002-05:002014-11-14T06:28:46.830-05:00Delayed paradiseIt's pretty cold outside. We got a couple inches of snow around here in some spots, and the roads are pretty slick.<br />
<br />
It's pretty cold inside, too. At least my yeast seems to think so.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT AS COLD AS JUSTICE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I noticed this morning, before I left for work, that the persistent bubbling had stopped in my airlock. The warm glow around the top of the bucket was gone. It was cold, but I didn't have time to fix it. I nudged it a few times, provided exhortations on productivity and teamwork, and went on my way.<br />
<br />
I got back from hockey practice tonight and saw it was still halted. I whipped off the top and took measurements with my (sanitized!) thermometer and hydrometer. The hydrometer read a specific gravity of 1.018-- not quite where I want to be when I rack this thing to the secondary fermenter for conditioning. It's not quite done fermenting yet. And the thermometer told me why: 59 degrees F, on the very low end of the range for the yeast.<br />
<br />
A quick search on Homebrew Talk showed that many people have ways of controlling temperature in cold conditions, like blankets or even heating blankets. So, I parked my bucket in the bathroom (which is always warm) and wrapped it with a towel. Hopefully, I can find ways to keep Rhys out of it for about 48 hours. Then we'll see if I got anywhere.<br />
<br />
<br />
EDIT:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://top-10-list.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YOU EITHER DIE A HERO OR LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO BE THE HERO AGAIN</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It worked! Well, I hope it did. The airlock is bubbling along this morning. The question remains: is it because of the Ideal Gas Law (increase in temp is causing an increase in volume and expelling gas from the headspace) or because of fermentation? Tonight, I'll check the specific gravity. If it's lower than 1.018, we'll have our answer.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-43599180968561749342014-11-10T22:58:00.000-05:002014-11-10T23:02:08.141-05:00A failure to plan is a plan to beer8:00- Wake up before Rhys. Enjoy the experience of watching my son sleep in the lowlight before gently waking him.<br />
8:30- He eats whatever I feed him. No mess. Shorty is cool with it all.<br />
9:00- Carrie sanitized all my equipment before leaving for work, so I can get straight to brewing. Rhys has put himself down for an early nap. <br />
9:30- Steeping grains ends, boil starts. Rhys is still asleep. Shorty catches a mouse. I find 2.5 gallons of pre-distilled water just laying around and add it to the fermenting bucket.<br />
10:30- Boil is over. I put the pot down in an ice bath and don't spill any wort. Rhys wakes up at that moment, singing We Are The Champions in perfect pitch. Shorty turns away a solicitor.<br />
10:45- Wort is down to 70 degrees F. I toss it into the fermenting bucket, and the trub vanishes into thin air. Shorty compliments my choice of Willamette hops as a finish.<br />
11:00- Airlock is bubbling steadily. Rhys dresses himself.<br />
11:30- The three of us go on a walk to pick up lunch and meet Carrie at work.<br />
<br />
<h4>
But really...</h4>
6:30- Experience Stalker-Rhys waking me up with slaps in the face.<br />
7:30- Figure out what to feed him. Carrie has left for work.<br />
8:30- Rhys has eaten (something) and is now thumbing through books. I am sanitizing when I realize Shorty is holding his bladder like a champ.<br />
8:45- Rhys tries to climb into my fermenting bucket, which is still wet with sanitizer.<br />
9:00- Rhys is in the bath. He loses it when I take away something sharp that he had hidden until just then.<br />
9:30- Rhys has stopped crying. Shorty is complaining about being out of water. I have finished sanitizing, but I can't find a whole two pound bag of dark DME.<br />
9:35- Take the bag of dark DME from Rhys. Wipe off sticky malt sugars. YouTube dance party until he stops crying.<br />
9:45- Realize I don't have any ice. Drive out to CVS. Rhys throws his toys on the floor during the drive, then whines when he realizes that he's out of toys.<br />
9:50- Cashier comments that Rhys is "such a smiley baby." Rhys blows her a kiss.<br />
10:00- Put on water to sterilize to throw into the fermenter. Shorty takes Rhys falling on him like a champ.<br />
10:30- Rhys fights sleep. I strap him into a baby carrier. Water is not yet boiling.<br />
10:45- Water has boiled for ten minutes. Rhys is whining that he wants to play with random kitchen accessories. Shorty has to dump.<br />
11:00- Poured water into fermenter and refilled pot. Rhys has not fallen asleep yet and is pinching me and grabbing my nose while laughing.<br />
11:15- Water is hot enough for steeping. I cannot find the grain. Rhys has since fallen asleep, which prevents me from stooping or bending to look underneath things.<br />
11:30- Water has started to boil when I find the grains. I turn the heat down. Shorty wakes Rhys up with enthusiastic scratching. <br />
12:00- Steeping is complete. I try to find something for Rhys to eat and start the boil.<br />
12:30- Rhys has eaten his body weight in natural peanut butter and blueberries. He is obviously tired but still fights a nap in his own bed. He also needs a diaper change. I trip on Shorty.<br />
1:00- Boil is complete. I am upstairs, rocking Rhys, hoping he will finally go down this time.<br />
1:05- Rhys does not go down. I set him down in the living room. He chases me with books. I try not to spill magma-hot wort on him when he dives under me putting the pot in the ice bath.<br />
1:30- Rhys inexplicably needs another diaper change. Wort is at 140 degrees F.<br />
2:00- Wort is at 135 degrees F.<br />
2:30- I change the ice water carefully, probably contaminating the wort. Wort is at 120 degrees F.<br />
3:00- Wort is at 80 degrees F. Rhys spills coffee on himself; it was coffee I made that morning, so while it was full, it was also ice cold.<br />
3:30- Wort is at 78 degrees F.<br />
3:35- Wort is at 77 degrees F.<br />
3:40- Wort is at 76 degrees F. I call it good and pour it into the fermenting bucket and pitch the yeast.<br />
3:50- Rhys makes a daring move to drink the vodka from the airlock. He swats it out of my hand in frustration and I have to refill it.<br />
4:00- I realize that there is almost nowhere in the house to put the bucket where Rhys cannot access it. I spend equal amounts of time defending the bucket as thinking of where to put it.<br />
4:15- Rhys trips and falls on the dog out of exhausted discoordination (aka "drunk baby"). I seize the opportunity to place the bucket while he whines for me to pick him up.<br />
4:20- YouTube dance party until Rhys stops crying.<br />
4:50- Carrie comes home. Rhys is all smiles. Shorty acts as if he has been tortured all day.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-60138574440614219532014-11-08T22:49:00.000-05:002014-11-08T22:49:21.816-05:00The Dark Yeast RisesIf the title is off-putting, hang with me for a second. It's all very biological. No, wait, come back!<br />
<br />
In beer, alcohol is the whole point of the study. It's the one thing you generally have to have. Of course, it has to taste good: but without fermentation, all you have is generally grainy-tasting syrup water with bitter oil in it. Kind of like a weird, brown Kool-aid that no one wants to drink. It would certainly make for some terrible parties.<br />
<br />
So, it follows that in order to get beer right, you have to get fermentation right. <i>That </i>requires a minor refresher in high school biology. Enter yeast: commonly reviled, frequently misunderstood, microscopic champion of civilization. It's the hero we deserve, just not the one we need right now.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae, AKA Batyeast.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Respiration. Does that word sound familiar? Respiration is the most fundamental process in living beings for turning chemicals into energy. That's not exactly accurate, sure, but I don't have time for accurate. I only have time for beer.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WHERE'S DENT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When species in the Animal Kingdom respire, we typically take in oxygen, and through a series of chemical reactions with myriad starting materials, we derive energy, carbon dioxide, and water. Once you step into yeast's office, though, it's not quite that simple. Sure, it likes oxygen as much as the next Dark Microbe, but it can go without. It can take it.<br />
<br />
When yeast doesn't have oxygen, it does something peculiar. Instead of producing carbon dioxide and water like everyone else, it produces carbon dioxide and <i>ethyl alcohol</i>. In beer making, this is always the intended effect. The malt sugars are the chemical input, and alcohol and bubbles come out. It's both simple and complex, really, and a wonder to watch. For me, at least. Yeast has no limits, it seems.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I CAN'T AFFORD TO KNOW MY LIMITS ALFRED</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Except, it does. Yeast, as with all things, prefers sugars that are easy to digest. Beer yeasts tend to focus on maltose. Once you run out of simple sugars in the wort/beer, yeast will then turn to some more complicated chemicals and convert them as well. This is what brewers call <i>conditioning</i>. When the yeast starts doing this, it takes some chemicals which might produce off-flavors (rubber cement, cardboard, etc.) and neutralizes them. But it takes a bit more work, and the yeast isn't getting as much bang for its buck.<br />
<br />
If you don't have enough yeast cells doing work, fermentation might be very slow, or it might stop entirely before it's work through all the chemical yeast fuel. And that is absolutely not what you want to happen. Remember the description of the alcohol-less beer above? However much of the wort doesn't see fermentation will taste exactly like that. And chances are good that you won't like it much. Maybe you will, I dunno. I personally think it's kind of disgusting.<br />
<br />
We come, then, to the yeast starter. Yeast usually come from a lab in a state of hibernation, and are refrigerated until it's time to use them. They need water (if dry), food, good temperature control, and time to wake up and multiply. If it's too hot, they'll move too fast, produce a wide range of chemicals, then quit. Not ideal. If it's too cold, they won't want to work at all. Also less than ideal. The starter, being a small mixture of malt extract and water, is perfect for yeast to have time to get going before being added to your beer.<br />
<br />
It's like a tiny lab kit that you can use later to make delicious beer. What's not to like?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://news.ifr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Carmen-Nueno-palop_Saccharomyces-Cerevisiae-Brewing-Strain.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEER DESERVES A HERO WITH A MULTICELLULAR FACE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With a little forethought and a little sanitation, I'm hoping that fermenting this Christmas beer will go off without a hitch. And it's a real rager right now. The timing gets me to Tuesday, Veterans' Day, to make the batch. Veterans, I salute you with a beer I'm planning to put in 22oz swing-top bombers. Good night!<br />
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-75946631021818483302014-11-01T13:11:00.000-04:002014-11-01T13:11:43.403-04:00Proper DraftHere's an admittedly messy BrewTarget spitout of my Christmas Beer recipe. If you find this confusing, skip to the "Misc" bit and keep in mind it's a bit reddish with mild, spicy hop flavor.<br />
<br />
Unnamed Christmas Beer - Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer<br />
-----------------<br />
Batch Size: 5.953 gal<br />
Boil Size: 3.953 gal<br />
Boil Time: 60.000 min<br />
Efficiency: 70%<br />
OG: 1.050<br />
FG: 1.012<br />
ABV: 4.8%<br />
Bitterness: 23.0 IBUs (Tinseth)<br />
Color: 18 SRM (Morey)<br />
<br />
Fermentables<br />
-------------------<br />
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 120LGrain 8.000 oz No No 72% 120 L<br />
Black Barley (Roast Barley) Grain 2.000 oz No No 55% 500 L<br />
Special B Malt Grain 2.000 oz No No 65% 160<br />
Muntons DME - Light Dry Extract 4.000 lb Yes No 95% 4 L<br />
Muntons DME - Dark Dry Extract 2.000 lb Yes No 95% 22 L<br />
Total grain: 6.750 lb<br />
<br />
Hops<br />
-------------<br />
Glacier 5.5% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 17.3<br />
(<b>OR</b> Cluster 7.75% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 24.4) <br />
Willamette 5.0% 1.000 oz Aroma 5.000 min Pellet 0.0<br />
<br />
Misc<br />
-------------<br />
Ginger Root Herb Boil 1.000 tsp 15.000 min<br />
Cinnamon Spice Boil 1.000 tsp 15.000 min<br />
Sweet Orange Peel Flavor Primary 0.000 tsp 0.000 s<br />
Cranberry Flavor Primary 0.000 tsp 0.000 s<br />
Allspice Spice Boil 1.000 tsp 15.000 min<br />
(Maybe two vanilla beans in the primary?)<br />
<b>NO CLOVES I'M NOT GOING THERE</b><br />
<br />
Yeast<br />
-------------<br />
Safale S-04 Ale Dry <br />
<br />
What do y'all think? I think this could be a winner. I need to get a starter going, I'm running out of time!Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-10852939255701263352014-10-20T21:06:00.002-04:002014-10-20T21:10:05.752-04:00Christmas Ale Spice Test 2Status: Singing loud for all to hear<br />
<br />
(changes in bold)<br />
<b>1/16 tsp ground cloves</b><br />
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
1 corn whole allspice<br />
<b>1 tsp ground cinnamon</b><br />
1 tsp white sugar<br />
<br />
Not sure how I forgot the cinnamon last time, but holy smokes. That made a world of difference. Merry Christmas to me. Maybe a little less sugar. Maybe. =) This isn't going to go for the top of the mountain in the ABV department-- I'm looking to make this a steady, cheer-filled Christmas family-catchup fuel. No high-flying yeast acrobatics or brown sugar fermentable-padding this time.<br />
<br />
I've been informed that somewhere between here and the in-laws' is a jar of dried orange peel. That would be amazing. And speaking of fruit, Carrie has a really good suggestion: "This would be good with some cranberry. I'm not saying you need to do it, I just think that would take it over the edge." Well, it's hard to argue with that. I'm such a lucky guy. The question is... do I throw it in with the boil, boil it separately, or mash it and toss in the fermenter? Either way, I'm going to do at least one more tea before taking the plunge on this.<br />
<br />
I'm also going to try a yeast starter for this batch, based on this helpful <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMQ1L9iVvz4" target="_blank">video</a>. *<i>crosses fingers</i>*<br />
<br />
Finally, my original intentions for this recipe involved some molasses. After the first couple of taste tests with the spices, I'm starting to see that's not going to be an option. The taste is just... well, wrong. If you can think of something that reminds you of Christmas drinky-drinks, drop it in the comments.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-65830980298658909302014-10-08T20:22:00.001-04:002014-10-08T20:26:06.489-04:00Christmas Ale Spice Test 1Status: Soapy.<br />
<br />
1/8 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
1 corn whole allspice<br />
1 tsp white sugar<br />
<i>not sure how I would test orange peel...</i><br />
<br />
Too much cloves, even after I intentionally dialed it down. I didn't expect to have underestimated how strong of a flavor it would have.<br />
<br />
Everything else seems about right, though! The ginger is still tingling on my tongue, five minutes later. I can't wait to give this a shot.<br />
<br />
This test is the result of having read <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/developing-recipes.html" target="_blank">a Home Brew Talk article on building your own recipes</a>. One of the suggestions that the author had was to make a tea out of the spices or specialty grains you are planning to use in your beer, so you can get a sense of what they taste like together. It helps you work out the balance, too, before testing costs a lot of money. I hope to get the proportion right before I give it my best go in a dark Christmas ale.<br />
<br />
Taking suggestions for names, by the way! Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-57444442888584032952014-08-06T17:30:00.000-04:002014-08-06T19:36:30.544-04:00JudgmentA tradition that I now have with Carrie, before finishing the label and name for a beer, is to taste it. It certainly worked with Trapdoor, and inspired a lot of the design of Ring By Spring (whose label I have yet to upload! it is so good!). I'm going to use a common tasting system used all the time on <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/637/">Beer Advocate</a>, which I think gives you a pretty good view of a beer without having actually tasted it. Laugh if you like. I don't care. <br />
<br />
<b>Appearance</b>: This "dirty blonde" ale looks a lot like a pale ale. You know. Like the last one. I missed the color target more than I thought with the brown sugar. And maybe I went too easy on the pour, but there's really no head to speak of, despite the obvious CO2 presence. But it's rather clear, so at least the moss worked. And very little sediment.<br />
<br />
<b>Smell</b>: Hello, Trapdoor. A little bit like someone added too much sugar to the Kool-Aid. The smell bites your nose like a spoonful of vinegar and makes you earn the pale ale smell, which is actually pretty nice. It's mellow on the back end, a little grainy, and I can get the tiny bit of molasses. Also a little boozy smelling, which is probably because I added more brown sugar than I planned. No complaints there.<br />
<br />
<b>Taste</b>: Tastes like it smells, of course. The acid in front, for the most part. Going down, an aftertaste of grains, molasses, and vodka. The more I drink it, the more I want to keep drinking it. Weird like that. Hops are again almost non-existent (but by design this time). <br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel</b>: Don't laugh-- you all know what this is, and why it's important in how you decide if you like a beer or not. This is actually a pretty thick beer for a pale/blonde ale, which is a little puzzling for me. I thought only a pound of DME for one gallon would lighten it up a bit, but apparently that's not been the case. I nailed the carbonation, if I say so myself. And it's smooth, so there's that, too. Sails right through the mouth. Nothing sticking behind except... fond memories. Am I allowed to say that?<br />
<br />
<b>Overall</b>: Too much brown sugar, fermentation was too warm, and maybe I need to control the water quality a little better. But, I have to say, I like it. It feels much stronger than I calculated, and I was a little wobby after one bottle. And really, I'd rather drink this than a couple of other beer brands I could name. And I won't.<br />
<br />
Carrie designed the label, but for reasons I cannot discuss, I will only be able to show you after this weekend (hopefully with the Ring By Spring label, also). Cheers!Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-17024232759840978482014-07-26T07:58:00.000-04:002014-07-26T07:58:29.400-04:00Brainstorm part wahid<b>Attack of the Killer Red Delicious</b><br />
<i>Red Ale</i><br />
A knock-out heavy caramel-tasting typical red ale malt, with a hint of apple (somehow). Get it? Caramel apple. I'm so clever.<br />
<br />
Maybe what made me think of it or why it's not possible right now:<br />
I dunno if it actually sounds like it would be good, or if it just sounds like it would be interesting. I think it would be fun for a one-gallon batch in the fall, if I can find a good grain bill for a red. And I'm struggling with names right now. I really want to make a red, and the other day I came up with "Gallon Donor." No idea why I thought that was a good idea to make it seem like you were drinking blood.<br />
<br />
<b>Swamp Water</b><br />
<i>Black Ale or Smoked Ale</i><br />
Maybe a Keweenaw Widow Maker clone. Or if I can find a decent extract recipe for a smoked ale. Who knows? Maybe this is my cue to try partial mash.<br />
<br />
Maybe what made me think of it or why it's not possible right now:<br />
I wonder if Gator would drink this. Nah, I don't wonder. But I absolutely don't have the funds for this beer right now.<br />
<br />
<b>Captain Shorty's Sharp Wit</b><br />
<i>Belgian Witbier</i><br />
A fluffy Belgian wheat ale with blood oranges & coriander. Or maybe something with a little more tang. I'm thinking of <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/blood-orange-belgian-wit-243503/" target="_blank">this guy</a> right here. Sounds fantastic.<br />
<br />
Maybe what made me think of it or why it's not possible right now:<br />
Shorty deserves a beer. He puts up with a lot of crap. He's a veteran, for Pete's sake. But this is a summer beer, I think.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-58701905248925238322014-07-12T12:24:00.002-04:002014-07-12T12:26:38.029-04:00Secret beer is secretSo don't tell anyone!<br />
<br />
I've been refraining from posting about the batch that I've recently brewed and have been fermenting for two weeks now, because I've wanted to keep it on the down low. It's another gift beer, a one-gallon batch that I'm really hoping turns out well (and all signs point to yes, as the oracular billiards implement says). Today is bottle day.<br />
<br />
As I stated before, my house is just way too hot to bother with trying to ferment responsibly. So, I did this batch at my in-laws' house. A really nice bonus is that their kitchen much better set up for this kind of operation-- it's huge, and having a lot of space to dry/clean implements and containers has been very, very helpful.<br />
<br />
This batch is a<a href="http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style06.php#1b" target="_blank"> blonde ale</a> with brown sugar, what I'm going to call a "dirty blonde" (since I think I missed the color target a few SRMs to the right). Here's a pic of the fermenter after two weeks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOlpXyszXUh9mRoRp5gunZzTo5jfgImO9QuGowuvxsltSLNThF35i1aAd8i6eAdI2IhOQZ3AwDal2X9rsh99BcjB8w8uXOXpEabH5dDkYPQf-yaws2hDHrailylPH7OHlebA4qitbnCA/s1600/Snapshot_20140712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOlpXyszXUh9mRoRp5gunZzTo5jfgImO9QuGowuvxsltSLNThF35i1aAd8i6eAdI2IhOQZ3AwDal2X9rsh99BcjB8w8uXOXpEabH5dDkYPQf-yaws2hDHrailylPH7OHlebA4qitbnCA/s1600/Snapshot_20140712.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I also don't have an OG estimate, since my hydrometer hits the bottom of my one-gallon carboy. I'm going to put my best-fermentation-case scenario at about 5.5% ABV, with about 18 IBUs of bitterness. (PROTIP: Most people like more alcohol!)<br />
<br />
My priming sugar solution is boiling away, so I'm going to get back to it. This means we have until the ready date to get a decent label for this stuff: something my wife says she already has ideas for. When I get a chance, I'll have to upload the label she made for Ring By Spring. It's fantastic.<br />
<br />
And to cap it off, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2681639/Mines-pint-Full-vitamins-high-fibre-low-sugar-good-hair-benefits-beer.html" target="_blank">some research my uncle found</a> that may convince you to trade your kale-spinach smoothie for a nice, cool Märzen. <i>Prost!</i>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-30057454935948274292014-06-11T22:37:00.001-04:002014-06-11T22:37:53.902-04:00IntermissionSo, it turns out that I can't actually brew beer all the time. Nuts.<br />
<br />
My fermenter is empty, but my brain is not. I'd like to spend the next couple of posts brainstorming. I have already had some ideas. Some of those ideas are crazy. I think.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, such brainstorming needs rules. I can't just go spinning ideas off into cyberspace with no types of indices or keywords or any form of identifier at all by which to come back to them. Therefore, all brainstormed beer ideas will look as follows:<br />
<br />
<b>Hypothetical Name</b><br />
<i>Style</i><br />
Short Description<br />
Maybe what made me think of it or why it's not possible right now<br />
<br />
Let's get started!<br />
<br />
Later. I'm tired and stuff.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-27190104197259468952014-05-19T22:35:00.000-04:002014-05-19T22:36:05.596-04:00Ring By SpringYou there, come closer. Let me tell you about my beers.<br />
<br />
The carbonation, LUC (for some reason, Gmail didn't tell me I got a comment), went swimmingly. I was a little spooked when it warmed up this past week and we had a bit of a temperature excursion (~78-80 degrees for a day). But it ended up not being an issue. As with most dangers in brewing, I'm finding that patience and understanding prove the greater. We took some pale ales and Trapdoors up north to my parents' house for my mom's birthday to taste. I pried off the American cap and poured what I hoped to be my biggest win yet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZykYMrrqqUtr2MHUmcWQ_KpyhCbUqmmGODrQHqRRX40rSvspewjGftRivimiSHYk3uD_3ugdv8Y9sS0ztnswHYiXQWGN_lPVyX96KC_DH4tq54Fxz0Uz7Z4b29HSoUJDNqxyeE8ns9X8/s1600/no+coaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZykYMrrqqUtr2MHUmcWQ_KpyhCbUqmmGODrQHqRRX40rSvspewjGftRivimiSHYk3uD_3ugdv8Y9sS0ztnswHYiXQWGN_lPVyX96KC_DH4tq54Fxz0Uz7Z4b29HSoUJDNqxyeE8ns9X8/s1600/no+coaster.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJy9rD8OAOSvvWFxVuc0h8zVfH7ek01bmakxM_2ZNLUEI12BTcHjvYmYETpq8oYHhOUxDQ_NWVnWFz93dNMCJOaEvHs9UOfUIxP38WTOYNh62BcHoKUxi6FlkEdix3qTfJP6LZLOSVNBM/s1600/coaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJy9rD8OAOSvvWFxVuc0h8zVfH7ek01bmakxM_2ZNLUEI12BTcHjvYmYETpq8oYHhOUxDQ_NWVnWFz93dNMCJOaEvHs9UOfUIxP38WTOYNh62BcHoKUxi6FlkEdix3qTfJP6LZLOSVNBM/s1600/coaster.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Always use a coaster.</span></div>
<br />
The Citra hops hit you right on the nose. Gator, my brother, could not keep his nose out of the glass. It's a little darker than I wanted-- take typical unfiltered pale ale a couple SRMs toward an amber-- but it leaves a persistent, frothy white head and a torrent of bubbles. The taste is clean: it's not sticky or sweet, nor is it overly bitter. And the hops add a lemony-shandylike scent without dominating the brew. It's not complex. It's not gourmet. It's not going to win any awards. But damn, it is good.<br />
<br />
My family suggested "Stoop Beer" as a name. While an excellent name, it doesn't really fit the intended purpose (a wedding present). Carrie and I are going with <b>Ring By Spring</b>, and she will be designing f'real labels. <i>She is just the best.</i> <br />
<br />
<br />
As for now, two problems now present themselves:<br />
<br />
1) What am I going to brew next<br />
2) How am I going to keep that beer from tasting like a flower patch in a house without A/C<br />
<br />
Allow me to explain the second one, because this involves some minor microbiology. If you're not interested, but you should be, skip to the bottom.<br />
<br />
(Specifically, if you're one of my Facebook friends who endured biochem with me, this has everything to do with enzyme kinetics. Remember that lab where we had to wait a couple hours to make sure the enzymes were working at the right temperature and producing a predictable dose-response graph, and even then we had to start all over a few times? Easy now, put that hammer down.)<br />
<br />
The yeast used in brewing is <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>. Until very recently, recently being the last couple hundred years of brewing out of about 6,000, we did not know that yeast had anything to do at all with fermentation. We did, however, know that temperature has an effect on beer. Anyone who has ever taken a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLYxRWjHzwQ" target="_blank">wincing gulp of skunked beer</a> can attest to that. It turns out that yeast cells perform fermentation with predictable effects (alcohol and carbon dioxide) inside a certain temperature range. The range depends on the strain of yeast. Most ale yeasts can tolerate warmer temperatures, but only up to about 75 degrees F. Any higher than that, and fermentation speeds up, and the yeast produces chemicals that are incomplete products (mostly esters). If you remember organic chem, you remember <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ester#List_of_ester_odorants" target="_blank">how esters smell</a>. Not like beer.<br />
<br />
Maybe I'll talk about some of the technical stuff later. I know a lot of my friends who are considering brewing their own beer read this blog, and if I'm feeling spunky, I might try summarizing what I know about the process. When I was just starting out, it seemed very complicated. It was often surreal to think about what was happening in the fermenter-- beer was happening.<br />
<br />
As Guy Montag says in Fahrenheit 451, "I'll hold onto the world tight someday. I've got one finger on it now; that's a beginning."Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-54347371912388676442014-05-01T22:33:00.001-04:002014-05-01T22:33:54.445-04:00Elbow greaseThis post is about hard work. It's more American than your post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_sUqwPi5sWb3_QaLoE_ZXzlQ1prhrLod2AR-yxZ-bk6eS42RikAuoYJVV_zVGWB2gwKhOFI4ASvjFdEc41qCqhEQNcmgW25noDcWIgfcct18EyQjlNitB8QwrhqpGuCbrQUKBleoIzM/s1600/Snapshot_20140430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_sUqwPi5sWb3_QaLoE_ZXzlQ1prhrLod2AR-yxZ-bk6eS42RikAuoYJVV_zVGWB2gwKhOFI4ASvjFdEc41qCqhEQNcmgW25noDcWIgfcct18EyQjlNitB8QwrhqpGuCbrQUKBleoIzM/s1600/Snapshot_20140430.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>You wish you were this America.</i></span></div>
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I'm not as patient as I tend to let on. When I think a plate is clean, my wife shows me that it is not. When I think Magoo has had enough pureed cheesy vegetable soup, she shows me that I'm wrong. When I want to bottle this pale ale two days early, she kindly implores me to wait.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I tell myself that she does this because she loves me, and because she's got an awesome track record in the "being right" department (~100%).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I didn't clean the ten bottles I used last time, that was all her. I didn't have the exquisite pleasure of wrestling with label glue, tearing paper, and musty old beer stank from bottles I didn't rinse as well as I thought (see: not patient). But with this batch, which is almost five times bigger, I had to wash all of them. Which I would normally complain about-- except I took mental notes.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Following is a review of beers and breweries... by the experience of removing their labels from the bottle.</div>
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<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Victory Brewing Company</h4>
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<i>Beers used: Dirt Wolf IPA</i></div>
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Even after soaking in blazing hot water for fifteen minutes, it was rough coming off. And the paper didn't hold together very well. Hence, poking around said blazing hot water for scraps of paper. </div>
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</div>
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Rating: <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/nono.gif" target="_blank"><u>Wag of the finger</u></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
George Killian's</h4>
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<i>Beers used: Do they make more than one?</i></div>
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I noticed this one needed to soak a long time, too. The paper tended to hold together pretty well, but it left an <i>assload</i> of glue behind. Even in hot water for twenty minutes, it didn't scrub off easy. But no neck labels, and the bottles have that funny bubble in the neck, which I think is cool. But it's hard to justify all that scrubbin's.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Rating:<a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/jimi.gif" target="_blank"> <u>I'm grumpy now.</u></a></div>
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</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Full Pint Brewing Company</h4>
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<i>Beers used: Rye Rebellion Stout</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The paper was pretty plasticky, so there was no way it was going to tear. <i> </i>It took a lot of effort to finally get the label off, but the amount of glue left behind: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Adams#Phrase" target="_blank"><i>sweet Fanny Adams</i></a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Rating: <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/curls.gif" target="_blank"><u>Nice! Also, I'm a strong dude.</u></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Brooklyn Brewery</h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Beers used: Brooklyn Lager</i><br />
I am now convinced. There is a chemist who works at this brewery, whose only job is to develop new and stronger adhesives. Probably using genetically modified oysters.<i> </i>The paper was in shreds, the glue had to be soaked all by itself for twice as long... even then, it left a slimy film before I got it all off. Great, now I need a shower.<br />
<br />
Rating: <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/omg.gif" target="_blank"><u>THUMBS DOWN WOULD NOT WASH AGAIN</u></a><br />
<h4>
Labatt Brewing Company</h4>
<i>Beers used: Light Lager with Lime</i><br />
I didn't know if a clear bottle would be work the work, especially given my disposition to Labatt out of hockey season. The label was 100%<i> </i>plastic, so all it took was a little time and tough fingers. I will give this bottle to someone who is not sure what color pale ale should be.<br />
<br />
Rating: <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/win.gif" target="_blank"><u>I win this time, Canada</u></a><br />
<h4>
Bell's Brewing Company</h4>
<i>Beers used: Oberon</i><br />
I was warned about this one, from Keegan.<i> </i>I gathered these bottles with slight hesitation, wondering how much more difficult it would be to get the labels off. The other option was Killian's, the devil I knew. I took them both. The moment of truth... they came right off. Neck label, front, back labels came clean off after only 15 minutes. Minimal glue. Huzzah for Michigan!<br />
<br />
Rating:<a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Colbert-High-Five.gif" target="_blank"> <u>I want to swim in a lake and pick an apple and plant a pine tree because of my state</u></a><br />
<h4>
Atwater Brewery</h4>
<i>Beers used: Vanilla Java Porter</i><br />
Man, my state sucks. Michigan can bite me.<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> </i>Rating: <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/haderdance.gif" target="_blank"><u>You Midtown hipsters trying to ruin my night?</u></a><br />
<h4>
Anheuser-Busch GlobalCorp Soul Devouring Inc. Unlmtd.</h4>
<i>Beers used: O'Douls</i><br />
It's official. I'm an O'Douls man now.<br />
<br />
Rating: <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/self_high_five.gif" target="_blank"><u>I feel like that should have been harder and also that's what she said</u></a><br />
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<br />
Enjoy your night! I know I will enjoy mine: waiting, biting my nails, reminding myself that waiting one more day to bottle the beer isn't going to cause any death or serious injury.</div>
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Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-85479076293045538692014-04-11T22:48:00.002-04:002014-04-11T22:48:52.727-04:00ProvisionsYou guys, I'm just so excited for tomorrow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjth6G28YFndlqLHvigb9kONqHvDeFQrTZRaHiqKU_Al4C1QZuIcR9QNHYYdVtyZPsR4YP8brdzOBXlXr4STgqBIa9eJwY0N5C67E-vVWeFJU-5FAN7J-9vH5sExzKK9XXP_fwICW8uY/s1600/afterlight.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjth6G28YFndlqLHvigb9kONqHvDeFQrTZRaHiqKU_Al4C1QZuIcR9QNHYYdVtyZPsR4YP8brdzOBXlXr4STgqBIa9eJwY0N5C67E-vVWeFJU-5FAN7J-9vH5sExzKK9XXP_fwICW8uY/s1600/afterlight.jpeg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-73499215308580698532014-04-10T21:38:00.000-04:002014-04-10T21:40:06.116-04:00SwellFirst of all. Bought a five gallon bucket today. Look at it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59_vXfAFZzn77HRPMSm9ilHO0paY4P4ZRtxdhzLVH0Z_HkleNz-kdyJLp52JFsHXc1JZKH2uZFGfxZPylzTAnNC6FWHWd9umB7eq_uG_rOskovZcRaok8aWZwh1LZihav78SdHdpkzuo/s1600/Snapshot_20140410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59_vXfAFZzn77HRPMSm9ilHO0paY4P4ZRtxdhzLVH0Z_HkleNz-kdyJLp52JFsHXc1JZKH2uZFGfxZPylzTAnNC6FWHWd9umB7eq_uG_rOskovZcRaok8aWZwh1LZihav78SdHdpkzuo/s1600/Snapshot_20140410.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>LOOK AT IT. </b>Five gallons of beer at one time. I can't even handle it. That's 48 12-oz bottles, which coincidentally, I am now accepting donations for. Seriously, if anyone reading this wants some of this beer, please donate your bottle deposit and bottle to me.<br />
<br />
In addition, I have all the ingredients I need for the next batch of beer, right down to the irish moss (which just sounds like a load of fun!). I'm not going directly according to the recipe, but I'm close. Here's a <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/all-citra-pale-ale-399228/" target="_blank">link</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, a friend of mine tried some Trapdoor, and took notes on it. You'll know the part that inspired me to get a hydrometer today with the bucket!<br />
<br />
<h4>
Adam's notes: Trapdoor </h4>
<br />
Alright, so I'm going to write my tasting notes to you as I drink. This way, you'll get every point of view that I have, plus it will help me drink slower and savor it!<br />
<br />
The Pour:<br />
<br />
Pours nicely, good aroma came off of it, and it looks nice and carbonated. No flatness here! After a good sniff, I'm getting lost of caramely scent, maybe a little toasted marshamallow? Anyway, it smells great and has the same coloring/look of a glass of Coca-Cola. Cheers.<br />
<br />
The Sip:<br />
<br />
Not a ton of carbonation, but I like my dark beers a little less bubbly, so it's perfect for me. I get a lot of kick from the beer, which is definitely nice. I feel like this would go great with Mom's Sunday dinner. I'm not getting any fruity tastes yet, but enough talking and more drinking!<br />
<br />
The Gulp:<br />
<br />
Wow, that was really nice. Still no sign of the fruitiness, but I got a lot of caramel on that bit. The aftertaste is a little smoky, sort of like the burnt bits of a steak. It's a really nice matchup with the sweetness. No complaints here so far.<br />
<br />
The Gulp, Act II:<br />
<br />
Same thoughts as above, although this time I got more of an alcohol kick going down, almost like someone tossed in a little vodka. I might be having a stroke, hard to tell.<br />
<br />
The Burp:<br />
<br />
Yep, definitely getting more of a vodka-esque taste on the burp. With the sweetness of the caramel flavor, it really is reminding me more of rum and Coke. I'd kill to be drinking this alongside some steak and mashed potatoes. Whoops, another burp. That was more smoky. Not sure what's going on down in digestion-ville.<br />
<br />
The Gulp, Act III:<br />
<br />
I'm really starting to like the combo of smoky and sweet caramel. It's not overpowering (the beer still tastes like beer), but it definitely is a nice kick in addition to the beeriness.<br />
<br />
The Finish:<br />
<br />
I think I had an Usain Bolt experience here. Strong most of the way through, but it seemed to celebrate just a little too early, and the finish wasn't as strong as I hoped. At the bottom of the glass, I lost most of the sweet flavor and was left with sort of that smoky, vodka/rum sensation that I noted above. I might have let a little bit of the sediment fall into the glass, so it might just be my bad pouring skills.<br />
<br />
The Summary:<br />
<br />
A nice beer with a good combo of sweet and smoky, but still holding on to that classic, dark beer twang. I'd drink this with a nice piece of meat slathered in gravy and some potatoes. All in all, a pleasant glass of joy. Nice work! 9/10<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>All in all, quite encouraging!</b> And let it be known, also, that he was not having a stroke. I'm very glad about that.<br />
<br />
So, I'll probably be brewing on Saturday after Magoo's swim class. I will have video, fingers crossed.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-72933366631333118522014-03-29T11:21:00.002-04:002014-03-29T11:21:57.127-04:00Like spaghettiSome things are just better the second time.<br />
<br />
I put all my hazelnut brown ale in the fridge the other day, hoping that the cold would cut the taste a little bit, or it might help dissolve the CO2 a little better (longshot). I cracked one open last night, and I have to tell you:<br />
<br />
<i>It was delicious.</i><br />
<br />
Why? Were the flavors too green when I tried it first, even after a week and a half? Did it just take more time to prime with honey? Who can say? But it's dark as a nightmare and rich as a turtle cake. Carrie tried it, and she said it felt like "it hits your tongue, then drops right down, you know? Like it's heavy, but not in a bad way, and definitely not sticky."<br />
<br />
We're going to call it <b>Trapdoor</b>. Because every beer needs a name, right?<br />
<br />
I wanted to enter this beer into <a href="http://www.untappd.com/" target="_blank">Untappd</a> as a homebrew, but it tells me I should have a brewery name if I want to log my homebrews. I have no idea what to call my brewery. Any suggestions?Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5941287425630512450.post-8388331613806274652014-03-25T21:58:00.001-04:002014-03-29T11:23:16.266-04:00Diagnosis Beer, and other plotsI think I know what went wrong with the last batch.<br />
<br />
I used honey as a priming sugar. For anyone who's tried to mix honey into anything, much less a not-hot thing, you know what I mean when I say that it probably all sunk to the bottom. Where all the trub is. So it probably didn't all get poured into the bottles, explaining the flatness. Womp womp. Lesson learned.<br />
<br />
Lesson <i>so</i> learned, in fact. I'm trying to use my spanking new installation of Ubuntu to its full potential, and got an app called <a href="http://linuxaria.com/recensioni/symphytum-a-personal-database-for-linux?lang=en" target="_blank">Symphytum</a>. Seriously simplified my recipe-keeping and note-taking. As Palmer says in <i>How To Brew</i>:<br />
<br />
<b>The difference between a good brewer and a lucky brewer is documentation.</b><br />
<br />
In the mean time, I have the green light to upgrade to a five-gallon bucket. Looking into a citrusy, back-porchy pale ale for the coming Spring. I can taste it already.<br />
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If you're reading this, you're probably thinking about similar thoughts (I hope, because fear not, Spring will be here soon enough). What kind of beer do you think of when the flowers bloom? What does it taste like? Yardwork? Lemonade? The first bonfire since October? I'm honestly curious: leave a comment.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15109020987524367379noreply@blogger.com3