Brewing Activities (2022)

I found some really unique citrus at Whole Foods this week so I’m motivated to brew a batch of saison. Going for my multigrain recipe, Pils, buckwheat, rye, wheat, oats. This seasons whole cone backyard Cascade in the boil. I’m adding zested and juiced Buddha’s Hand, Makrut Lime and Melogold Grapefruit to add after primary with a mixed culture.

 

Brewed the Belgian Blueberry ale and a chinook-cascade ipa.

this week a Xmas stout of some sort probably with nibs cinnamon and a very light touch of nutmeg
And, of course, another hole hop ale this time foundry hops only which are cascade Columbus chinook and a few comets at the finish.

 

Finally got around to putting my barleywine into the bourbon barrel my friend gave me. I was even fortunate enough to be able to get 5 750ml bottles after filling the barrel. This is the first beer in this barrel after he pulled his bourbon out.

 

What is a light touch....less than 1/2 teaspoon?

 

Sounds tasty!

 

noooo, imagin 3 standard shakes out of a McCormack shaker.
If measured, less than half a teaspoon, more like a quarter

 

Nutmeg has me thinking of a spiked egg nog beer. Sweet almost cloying, thick mouthfeel, nutmeg and bourbon, maybe a little vanilla. Never heard of such.....

 

Brewed a Brown Kveik the other day. Basically a US brown, hopped with Cashmere and Rakau and fermented with Hornindal. See what happens.

 

Brewed an imperial stout today and am once again wondering about variations in efficiency.

With my last beer - a saison - I hit 75%. Today I got 55%. I don't know if it is due to the large grain bill of almost 14.5 pounds for a 2.5 gallon batch. It was supposed have an OG of 1120, but I only reached 1100.

I am not too worried about it though, as it will still clock in at about 10%. I have cocoa nibs soaking in bourbon and vanilla to add later.

After either brewing or bottling every weekend for the last two months, I am ready to take a little break and do a WCIPA in Feb/March.

 

Huntin this weekend, Monday delicate stout

 

Brewing a gluten free Milk Stout that will receive a tincture of candy cap mushrooms, roasted cacao nibs. and vanilla bean. I brewed this last year without the cacao and vanilla and it had fantastic maple flavor and aroma. Variety is the spice of life, so I'm curious to see how this version compares.

 

Larger grain bills, all else being equal, result in lower efficiencies.

Show me someone who "always" gets 75% (or whatever) efficiency regardless of grain bill size, and I'll show you someone who doesn't actually measure their efficiency.

 

bottled a citra & galaxy NEIPA. It tastes good uncarbonated which is a huge step up for me. my Fingers are crossed.

 

I managed to fill my CO2 tank, but now there is an issue with the valve leaking once I open it (dropped it ). I can't fix it until the tank is empty, but the gas is too precious at this point. So, my plan is to ferment and serve from the same keg and spund for carbonation. That way I'll only have to briefly open the valve to dispense the beer.

Brewing a gluten free NEIPA tomorrow:

4L Rice
Pale Oat Malt
Ivory Teff
CaraMillet

Nectaron
Riwaka
Nelson Sauvin
Columbus

Verdant

 

That hop combo sounds delicious!

 

Just finished brewing a dark saison. I also got a 3L starter going for a 1.100 OG barleywine, to be brewed on (hopefully) this Friday. Trying out Imperial Tartan. 100% 2-row with Magnum/Centennial, cheers and happy thanksgiving!

 

I bought a beer kit from MoreBeer - Pliny the Elder kit. I want to brew it on Saturday and have it ready by Christmas. Hopefully my California beer trader will be able to get me some actual PTE to compare this kit with. Should be fun times.

 

Alright got to brew this AM and I did not do good lol. So this recipe calls for a mash hopping of 2oz whole Cascade hops. Well there was a huge rhyzome root in the bag which probably made up half the weight. Luckily I had my homegrown Cascade hops on hand to make up. Side note- mine smelled like garlic while the kits smelled like citrus. Anyways the mash did not recirculate very well and the sparge was stuck. Took FOREVER! I was supposed to hit and OG of 1.070-1.075 and only got 1.062 oh well in the end I’ll have beer on tap and won’t have to go out to get it!! Here is the root in the bag.

 

Hope this helps someone...

Ca: 109 | Mg: 15 | Na: 0 | Cl: 193 | SO4: 62
Chloride to Sulfate Ratio: 3.09

2 gallon batch
10 min: 0.5oz Galaxy
1 min: 1oz Galaxy
30 min (whirlpool): 1oz Citra
3 day (dry hop prior to bottling): 1oz Galaxy

First bottle 10 days after bottling: zero hop flavor, tastes like a mouth full of chemicals.

 

Bummer dude! Honestly I think it’ll still turn out great. I’d focus on getting fresh and/or cryo hops for the dry hop so it pops.