Brewing Activity February 2016

Mashed in 850 pounds of an IPA on a 10 bbl system!

 

Cool. A little different than the ol' homebrew mashtun, innit?

 

Absolutely, I was blessed enough to score a job as a brewer's assistant here in my home town. These guys have really grown and were seeking help.

 

Waxed the bottles of Lacrimis de Inimici I bottled up last night (2yo. dry-hopped cab-oak aged blended lambic)

 

@stealth always classy lookin bottles.

 

@stealth how in the hell did you get that black wax placed like that? Looks Great!!!!

 

I dipped them in the red wax first, and once cooled I used a plastic spoon to scoop up some of the hot melted black wax (a dime sized amount or so) and poured it directly on the top center and let the wax run down randomly. Wasn't sure how it would work but it came out nice I think!

Here's a close-up

 

If there's one thing I hate as much as bottling, it's opening waxed bottles. You're a better man than I, Mr. @stealth

 

There's a trick to it. Shits easy once you know how to do it right

 

Checking the gravity on my week old ESB. That is all.

 

Currently brewing a Bohemian Pilsner, first time doing the decoctions and all that...

So far, it's not going as smoothly as I hoped, but it's not TOO bad either. Somehow, forgot to add a whole gallon to my mash water (was using gallon distilled jugs from which I built the water up), so I later realized pre-boil that my volume was awkwardly low... Thankfully I caught it though, so I added distilled water to the correct volume and my OG then went right where it should have been. Due to the little mishap, my mash pH was a little on the lower side at 5.17... Didn't seem to hurt my mash efficiency or anything, still hit about 81.5% when all said and done. My pre-boil pH was 5.19,which from my research is perfect... So that is a good sign! I had some slower sparges going on, due to my recent re-adjustment of my mill crush size... So I will have to open it back up slightly.

My decoctions also didn't go so well... I got advise to take out more than was is suggested volume wise, so I did... But I still didn't exactly hit my next rest temps... Next time, I will take double the recommend decoction volume, as that would probably do it... I think my big issue was that my mash tun dropped a few degrees over the 30-40mins I was doing to decoction, so that wasn't taken into account.

Currently at the 90min boil... So it should be smooth sailing from now on... Good learning experience for the next time though! I am not concerned at all about the final result for this beer, it should be perfectly fine (I would think). Just more equipment and stupid user-error than anything

 

Brew day in progress. NE IPA. Citra, Equinox, Nelson. My kitchen smells like a Mai tai.

 

Don't think I posted the final product on the keezer build:



Currently boiling a big hoppy red ale:

 

I bottled my first ever ipa today. I don't particularly like the style, but the girlfriend loves them so I figured, why not? I bittered it with Simcoe, then used citra and mandarina Bavaria for later additions and dry hopping.

I also moved my 9.9% scotch ale over to a secondary to chill on some whiskey soaked oak chips and vanilla beans

 

mixed culture with JP dregs, anchorage dregs, brett brux, saison yeast, and fantome dregs. Pellicle is in full effect.

 

I was really tempted to brew today just to see how fast the wort would cool in minus 5 weather.

 

Bottled: 2 stouts, a tripel and a quad. Brewed: Galaxy APA, a Citra APA and a coffee wheat wine.

 

I did 10 gallons of Porter this weekend. Malts were Vienna, Pale, Pale Chocolate, Carabrown, UK C60, and rolled oats. Burton ale yeast.

 

Transferred my first ESB. Finished at 1.012 for a 5.2% and 50 Ibus.



Not all of it made it into the keg, so enjoyed a full glass for a sample. Can't wait for to be carbed and cold, because I am enjoying it already.

 

Coldest brew day on record for me. Really putting my sack of Castle Pils to work. 10 gallon split batch of an Allagash White inspired Belgian wit with bitter orange peel and coriander and the other 5 gallons going to a lambic inspired beer with aged hops and grown up Tilquin dregs.