Brewing Activities (2022)

I've decided to dedicate 1 of my 4 kegs exclusively to lagers. Fermentation will vary between cool & warmer ferments, as well as some pseudo-lagers depending on the space in my fermentation chamber. Up first, is a gluten free adaptation of Gordon Strong's New Zealand Pilsner.

4L Rice
Pale Rice (light color and neutral flavor)
Ivory Teff (for body)
Goldfinch Millet (just a smidge for some light honey notes)

Motueka
Nelson Sauvin
Riwaka

W34/70 (low 60's basement ambient temp)

 

First brew session at the new house was not the cleanest brew session but beer was made. Countertops get installed this week so had to work around that and no kitchen sink but I feel like I've got some of the kinks worked out. The beer is a session Rye IPA with Citra, Idaho 7, and fermented with Hornidal. Excited to be back at it!

 

New post on the site about my Bell's Two Hearted Ale clone(ish) using Oast House Oils hop terpenes: https://www.yeastdriven.com/2022/01/31/bells-two-hearted-ale-clone-recipe-double-bypass/

TL;DR, they're fun! Get some and try 'em out.

 

Monday, bad ass burton ale

 

Brewing what I am pretty sure is my first batch this year. Way behind and kegerator running low. Who knew having a kid would take up so much free time?

Going with a West Coast IPA
92% Rahr 2-Row
3% Crisp Light Caramalt
5% Turbinado Sugar (didn't realize I was out of the plain white sugar)

Centennial, Simcoe, Idaho 7 all in various amounts in the boil, whirlpool and dry hop.

Omega DIPA Ale

Shooting for ~7% abv

 

Brew day number 2 with sink and countertops was much smoother!

Scottish Export with a little smoked malt
Maris Otter 60%
Dark Munich 15%
UK Crystal 11%
Oak Smoked Wheat Malt 10%
Pale Chocolate for color 4%
Fuggle
US-05

Might have gotten a bit darker than intended on color. Never used the smoked malt before so went light with it. My favorite brewery for smoked beers Hammerheart closed recently so think I have to try and recreate some of their recipes to fill the void! Not sure I went smoky enough but this is the pilot batch and we'll go from there.

 

Gravity was a bit high with 5 mins remaining so I backed the Turbinado down to 3%. Hit my OG and should keep this in the higher IPA territory and out of low end DIPA territory.

 

Was 0.5 ml good enough or would you use more next time

 

Trying to decide if I should do a Belgian Pale Ale, a Dubbel, a Coffee Brown Ale, or a Munich Dunkel...

 

Coffee brown ale, if only to see if coffee detracts from or enhances brown malt.

 

Definitely enough for 4 gals. Maybe even a touch too much. Not complaining, it's delicious, but I could have probably used less.

 

You have to watch these guys. They are hilarious. A couple Homebrewers here in the Knoxville TN. area. They just did a West Coast. Thought you like to check theirs out.

 

Planning tomorrows brew day Annual Maibock
7# Pilsner
3.5# Vienna
1.5# Munich
.75# Acidulated
.75# Aromatic
1.0 oz Hallertau 60
1.0 oz Magnum 30
1.0 oz Hallertau (whirlpool)

Wyeast Octoberfest Lager Yeast
Cheers all

 

My experiences with different coffees
Guatemalan Yes
Columbian. No
Kenya AA. Homerun
Cheers

 

Let’s hope the cold side works as well
This years Maibock hits the kettle
Cheers

 

Best coffee for me was yellow bourbon grown in Hawaii
2end best was dark magic from green mountain coffee
Colombian is definitely not a good choice for me.

 

Brewed a saison to use up some ingredients, did a step mash and somehow screwed up my water additions (notes were right memory was wrong, didn't check notes), also propane tank valve broke (mid day trip to replace) and my hose was frozen because I forgot to shut off the line outside last time I used it. Ended up dunking it in snow then it still had to cool overnight. The pale straw color beer is now dark-ish amber because I was ready to be done come 10PM and may have turned the burner up. The coyotes were laughing at me by this point. Something with my Belgians - the day just never goes smooth for some reason.

My last Belgian - in the middle of the brew day a spontaneous sleet storm with 40 mph winds kicked up, so I had to move a boiling pot someplace safer! I was able to drink a couple of those before the basement and the bottles flooded and they all ended up with enough of something in them that they were not drinkable and some sounded like gun fire when I opened the bottles.

Either way - it was a labor of love. At the end of the day, I have beer, will it be good? Doesn't matter, I'm going to drink that whole thing out of spite if not.

 

Finally got a break in the weather to do a double.
Pale Ale-Gold Prom,Spring Pale, C40 W/A20 Citrus Yeast
Dark Lager-Gold Prom,Pilsner, C40, Black Malt, BlackPrinz W/Pilsen/Mexican/Urkel yeast blend

 

I'm no expert on oxidation but you should add a hose to prevent splashing or use ascorbic acid.