tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40567541352183064112024-03-13T10:55:16.317-05:00Brain Sparging on BrewingSour beer, saisons, farmhouse beer, homebrewing, ramblingsAdam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.comBlogger407125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-43986821962134398402023-01-21T22:32:00.002-06:002023-01-21T22:32:21.561-06:00Dandelion mixed fermentation saison recipe and brewdayDandelions have a long history with the making of alcoholic beverages from all sorts of beers to wines, spirits, meads and mumms. Most people think of dandelions as pesky weeds but their aggressive proliferation and growth are exactly why they served as a food and beverage ingredient for so much of human history. Dandelions seems to have fallen out of favor as an ingredient in beer and other alcoholic beverages sometime in the nineteenth century as industrial beer and wine production ramped up and the breadth of beer and wine styles narrowed considerably. Today dandelions barely exist as an ingredient in beer at all and almost exclusively within the saison/farmhouse style. I can't say for sure any modern saison predates the dandelion-filled <a href="https://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/fantome-pissenlit/">Fantome Pissenlit</a> but that beer surely inspired, especially with its discussion in <a href="https://www.brewerspublications.com/products/farmhouse-ales-culture-and-craftmanship-in-the-belgian-tradition">Phil Markowski's <u>Farmhouse Ales</u></a>, most or all of the dandelion saisons that exist today. Dandelion saisons have become a staple of saison homebrewing so I guess it's my turn to give it a go.<br />
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The great thing about using dandelions as an ingredient is unless you have an immaculate lawn you probably have a nice crop growing in your yard or a nearby yard every spring. I certainly do not have an immaculate lawn so I had an absolutely wonderful crop of dandelions this spring. I plucked as many dandelions as I could over a couple weekends while avoiding the bees also competing for the flowers. I stuffed them in a bag in the freezer until I was ready to brew this saison.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Designing the mixed fermentation dandelion saison recipe</h3>
</div>
<div>
To be honest, I don't really know what dandelion flowers are supposed to taste like in a beer. Fantome Pissenlit, like most Fantome beers, is so unusual and full of mystery that it's hard to point out what is the dandelion and what is, well, who really knows what. You would expect a floral taste but most reviews for Pissenlit and other dandelion beers mention a honey flavor. Smelling these dandelions they smell a little like honey. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Working on the idea that these dandelions will bring a light honey flavor to the saison. I want to taste the flowers as much as I can so I want to keep the recipe minimal and let the flowers and my mixed culture do all the heavy lifting. So this recipe is a basic pilsner malt and wheat grain bill with just a little noble-ish hopping to round out the beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Most people seem to find it important to carefully remove all of the greenery around the flowers because dandelion greens are rather bitter. That seems somewhat unnecessary only to turn around and add hops to put bitterness into the beer. I pulled out all the stems but left the green backing to the flowers in place and adjusted the hop bittering addition accordingly. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm not sure whether dandelions extract different flavors at different temperatures or time periods. (Lavender, for example, is floral with brief contact with high heat but if added at the beginning of the boil will develop cinnamon-like flavor.) I opted for steeping at 180F while the beer cools. Most people seem to do a very late addition and this is my usual approach to adding herbs and spices to beer.<br />
<br />
To let the dandelion shine, the rest of the recipe is simple and gets out of the way. Pilsner malt and unmalted wheat form the grainbill while a light does of late addition hops will add flavor without dominating the beer. All of it will get a long relaxing fermentation with my house mixed saison culture. This culture needs a long, relaxing fermentation so I probably won't have a sense of whether the beer is something I want to brew again until the next potential dandelion harvest. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Dandelion saison recipe</h2><div><br /></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 1 gallon</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 6.1%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 39 (?)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.059</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.013</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.9</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>100.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Bitter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.3</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>49</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>10</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>108</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>45</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-74</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.3g</td><td> </td><td>.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.3g</td><td> </td><td>.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.2g</td><td> </td><td>.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.3ml</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 2.8qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.96 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 2.81 qt at 167F</td><td>150</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>75</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.96 gal</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade [5.5%]</td><td>0.25</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>39</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mt. Hood [6%]</td><td>0.4</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dandelion flowers</td><td>4.5</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: mixed saison culture</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>1l starter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 70F</td><td>200</td><td> </td><td>70</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle with 4oz table sugar to 3 vol</td><td>100</td><td> </td><td>70</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Brewday and Fermentation Notes
</h2><div>Brewed 11.15.20.</div><div><br /></div><div>First runnings: 1.087</div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.059</div><div>Preboil volume: 1.3 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 93.8%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.065</div><div>Postboil volume: </div><div>Brewhouse efficiency:</div><div><br /></div><div>This simple recipe produced a simple brewday. After adding the flowers I added water to top up to the volume lost from all that vegetal matter.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTAUNarGs7GtosjnNamEponpBgo62b1NGjAg6WP4P_9ugdK0R1ezcyfvRl6uJlk-9qq3IaLu8NnIc3aPLdbpfVlGgmAQ1P6ozwilOfnHDV4fIZxBufbVcqoTKvGvP_i1ePKFjR_fxxcww/s4032/PXL_20201116_001142327.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTAUNarGs7GtosjnNamEponpBgo62b1NGjAg6WP4P_9ugdK0R1ezcyfvRl6uJlk-9qq3IaLu8NnIc3aPLdbpfVlGgmAQ1P6ozwilOfnHDV4fIZxBufbVcqoTKvGvP_i1ePKFjR_fxxcww/w480-h640/PXL_20201116_001142327.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow this is a terrible photo<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>The initial aroma of the dandelions (plus Mt. Hood hops) is intensely herbal which may reflect the volume of green material left on the flowers. As the flowers steeped a sweet floral flavor emerged. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tasting Notes</h2><div>Completely forgot to finish this post...tasting it on 1.21.23. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Appearance:</b> Straw yellow pours with aggressive snow white foam. The foam is short lived; within a few minutes the beer has zero head. As the foam recedes the beer becomes opaque with a fizzy surface. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Aroma:</b> Bitter greens, marjoram, blueberry, carrot seed, slight honey in the background. Very much dandelion aroma. No grain aroma present.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flavor:</b> Very similar to the aroma--herbal and fruity. Bitter greens, lemon pith, blueberry, tangerine, hay, carrot seed, honey, grass, dandelion floral. Hint of barnyard-y funk in the background. Slight cracker taste towards the end is the only real note of grain. No clearly detectible hop flavors. Aftertaste is a battle between floral, brett funk and bitter greens. There is a bitterness to the beer but it is more upfront than typical hop bitterness. Beer is moderately sweet which plays into the floral and fruit notes. Acts as a nice counterbalance to the green flavors. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Moutheel:</b> Medium bodied with an oily texture at the front of the tongue. Lingers with some heaviness on the tongue. The more I drink the more bitterness also lingers as a prickliness across the front half of the tongue.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Overall:</b> This is one of the most unusual beers I've ever had. It's very dandelion-y but not heavily floral. It's good but not a beer to sit down and guzzle all day. The texture is kinda weird and my least favorite part of the beer. My mixed saison culture is an interesting mix but works with all these flavors going on. It's responsible for the blueberry and funky flavors. It's surprisingly sweet for a beer with brett going on three years, but maybe that is more flavor impression than residual sugar. I can't say this is a beer I'm quick to rebrew but it was a fun experiment and satisfied a curiosity. </div><div><br /></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-75331113322362889812022-10-03T07:00:00.003-05:002022-10-03T07:00:00.155-05:00Fresh Hop Black IPA Recipe & BrewdayIPA--there's a beer term you don't see a lot on this blog. While most of the craft beer and homebrewing world continues to revolve around IPA, it's just not my thing and I don't feel compelled to brew an IPA when I don't want to. I felt compelled to brew an IPA again so here we are. It's also hop harvest time in Colorado, which also means it's fresh hop beer time. IPAs and pale ales are common platforms for fresh hop beers and this time I've relented to the masses--sort of. Rather than brew the standard west coast IPA I've opted to veer off a little a brew a black IPA. (Incidentally my one and only other IPA was a <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2013/11/i-pee-eh-black-ipa-recipe.html">black IPA</a> almost a decade ago.) <div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Let's reminisce briefly about black IPA</h2><div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder"></div><div><br /></div><div>Black IPA came, went and <a href="https://www.porchdrinking.com/articles/2021/02/15/what-happened-to-black-ipa-its-comeback/">now is having a little heyday once again</a>. Black IPA's history is chaotic and controversial. The IPA style emerged out of the pacific northwest in the 2000s as Cascadian Dark Ales (CDAs) before falling victim to the first everything-is-IPA repackaging as black IPA. The style took off in the early 2010s which itself launched the wave of IPA variants including white IPA, red IPA, brown IPA, session IPA, Belgian IPA (although technically already a style), farmhouse IPA and IPL (India Pale Lager now cold IPA I guess). Most of these styles were short lived and by the mid-2010s black IPA fell victim to an equally opaque hoppy beer in the hazy IPA. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to hazy IPA slowly squeezing out the older IPA styles, breweries killed the style with poor brewing and perpetual disagreement over the style. I'm not an expert in Cascadian Dark Ale history, but from the early versions of the style it seemed to have emerged as a sort of remix of the classic American stout. Before imperial stout did to American stouts what hazy IPA did to American IPAs, American stouts were often 5-7% stouts with a bigger hop presence than English versions and certainly more than modern imperial stouts. A few of these hang around (like Crux's excellent take). While American stouts maintained the usual roast character of a stout, Cascadian Dark Ales put the roast in the backseat behind crystal malt sweetness. Smoother dark malts like carafa III and midnight wheat played more of a role than black barley, black patent malt and chocolate malt. Classic citrus and pine hop flavors were pumped up in an admittedly IPA-like fashion.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the time the style gained attention and renaming as black IPA the parameters of the style expanded towards virtually any dark, hoppy beer. Disagreement over the meaning of black IPA produced beers that ranged from hoppier American stout, to more of the original CDA parameters, to a typical American IPA with steeped dark malt to make it black. This debate continues on today. So many breweries produced black IPAs during its heyday across the spectrum that nobody seemed to know what it was but they were getting tired of it quickly. The longer breweries pushed the style the more wonky they got. Hop combinations didn't make sense, the beers were produced in summer months where people tend to avoid darker beers and just a lot of throwing it out to put another IPA on tap. By 2016 black IPA was a shadow of itself quickly fading from the market. </div><div><br /></div><div>Out of covid quarantine we decided we missed that mysterious IPA style after all. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Designing my fresh hop black IPA recipe</h2><div>One of the things I like about black IPA over the traditional west coast IPA is that it requires a certain balance and nuance between the dark malt flavors and the hops. Go too far with any part of the beer and the beer seems disjointed and unpleasant. Black IPA also gets right down to the part of American hoppy beers I like--citrus and pine--while leaving some of the other classic American hop flavors I don't enjoy out of the equation. So the goal here is to balance the best parts of the style against the softer, grassy fresh hop flavors. Too much roast and it's burnt grass. Too sweet and it's going to taste like a brown ale gone wrong. Too bitter and the burnt edge turns acrid. A lot of work here to get this rendition of black IPA right.</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing that makes the job a little easier is the hops I have to work with. Among the four hop varieties I grow (cascade, chinook, mount hood and sterling), the two C hops are the most prolific and easy targets for my annual fresh hop beer. Unfortunately, my cascades got beat by a late cold snap and the harvest looks to be pretty small. The mount hood are prolific so I'll use a huge amount of mount hood to see if I can get enough flavor out of them to create a dank-ish black IPA.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the grain bill I've tried to lean more towards the classic CDA character but pulling down the sweetness with a lighter crystal malt. I feel fresh hops add a softer flavor that comes across slightly sweeter than dried hops so I want to give the hops room to add that soft character. Otherwise the recipe is fairly typical to black IPA. I've designed this beer to peak over 6% ABV which is barely in IPA territory, perhaps more of an extra pale ale (XPA) if we're enjoying old craft beer styles. The one weird twist here is I've opted to use London Ale III instead of the typical Chico strain. That decision is one part personal preference for the yeast strain and one part attempt to round out the beer with those subtle bready yeast notes. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Fresh hop black IPA recipe</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.2 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 6.2%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 62</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.060</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.009</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 37.8</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pale malt</td><td>6</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>79.90%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 40</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>10</td><td> </td><td>40</td><td> </td><td>8.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate wheat malt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>8</td><td> </td><td>400</td><td> </td><td>6.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate malt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>350</td><td> </td><td>3.30%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Black patent malt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>500</td><td> </td><td>2.10%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Black Dry</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.29</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>39</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>18</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>85</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>39</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>145</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td><td> </td><td>0.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1.5g</td><td> </td><td>1.9g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.1g</td><td> </td><td>0.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1.2g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.5g</td><td> </td><td>0.6g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 10.39qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 3.19 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 10.39 qt at 164F</td><td>150</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 3.19 gal at 180F</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade [5.5%]</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>62</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fresh mount hood</td><td>8.3</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>Whirl</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fresh chinook</td><td>22</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>Whirl</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY1318</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Starter: 800ml</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 66F</td><td>14</td><td> </td><td>64</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Spund</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Keg at 2.3 volumes<br /><br /></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h2>
Fresh hop black IPA brewday and fermentation notes</h2><div>Brewed 7.31.22.</div><div><br /></div><div>I started the day beforehand picking hops. It's a little early but with the dry weather we had this month most of the hops were ready to go. In future years I might have to consider two separate harvests to max out all four plants. I ended up with half a pound dried of cascade, two ounces of my slowly growing sterling and six ounces of dried mount hood. All the chinook harvest went into this black IPA. We had a late snow which beat up the chinooks a bit as well, and I lost a few of the good bines resulting in a small harvest. Nevertheless, the harvest ran about five hours in the sun. Here is just the chinooks (the large metal bowl in the back) and mount hood (all the other bowls). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtoHyVnT27zO1iOhcJbUWxhRrM4jCwi3rmj8MoGebFrFcU4J_1MTkNHaRFP-0Zm7cahUlaGjVbRRhOPm_DVfYoHlkjXbT4QiGvOtZR_5NTKauXWC6nppiqhex9ipmG0miyCNZXNppdXE5LQmEUCeqsoasSDA5QOYN5WvqsqInJGu0whzdDu-9nKEMfg/s4032/PXL_20220731_204549399.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtoHyVnT27zO1iOhcJbUWxhRrM4jCwi3rmj8MoGebFrFcU4J_1MTkNHaRFP-0Zm7cahUlaGjVbRRhOPm_DVfYoHlkjXbT4QiGvOtZR_5NTKauXWC6nppiqhex9ipmG0miyCNZXNppdXE5LQmEUCeqsoasSDA5QOYN5WvqsqInJGu0whzdDu-9nKEMfg/w640-h480/PXL_20220731_204549399.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Preboil gravity: 1.045<div>Preboil volume: 5.25 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 88%</div><div><br /></div><div>I accidentally added an extra half gallon of water to the mash which resulted in excess wort. A quick adjustment to the boil time will take care of that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Post boil gravity: 1.058</div><div>Postboil volume: 3.3 gal</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 72%</div><div><br /></div><div>These readings are pre-whirlpool when I unloaded the enormous charge of hops. After the hops came out I ended up with approximately 2.75 gallons of wort. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0Vt86UgO2hYp_wl-0s0ndK8vAcQANLesOqailDJTzKy2FcBQ7pPnLkoexAxb5zSRY05z2d1lj1ecg7ivdUHNd2H03xOD5TK9lFXSoWFVeJ4BSNwcFyEAvEOoDuHIjDNZuln64k_tGMMNQBttD-Wum7hVGqYKDYoWf76G_rJe84qyFEkOPOmhpCPBHg/s4032/PXL_20220731_231821544.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0Vt86UgO2hYp_wl-0s0ndK8vAcQANLesOqailDJTzKy2FcBQ7pPnLkoexAxb5zSRY05z2d1lj1ecg7ivdUHNd2H03xOD5TK9lFXSoWFVeJ4BSNwcFyEAvEOoDuHIjDNZuln64k_tGMMNQBttD-Wum7hVGqYKDYoWf76G_rJe84qyFEkOPOmhpCPBHg/w480-h640/PXL_20220731_231821544.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div>Thirty ounces of fresh hops ready to go. </div><div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9sW0wd21oDiOq9xhUZAZ-zdPm3ko_6Ygs2vq8T8USCI5Cpib6dnopJaXcL-V8ZoR5etNOnGzK0i9u7zdSWMLersfqZyFliUGbdVsUti6TOd1LznzOqhoE4M6dPb150BHgsNtHsVdhfem-zoC9f98T1O72RPiq6yGPw0JDZly7zmcrqoPzgjJszb_aA/s4032/PXL_20220731_231848098.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9sW0wd21oDiOq9xhUZAZ-zdPm3ko_6Ygs2vq8T8USCI5Cpib6dnopJaXcL-V8ZoR5etNOnGzK0i9u7zdSWMLersfqZyFliUGbdVsUti6TOd1LznzOqhoE4M6dPb150BHgsNtHsVdhfem-zoC9f98T1O72RPiq6yGPw0JDZly7zmcrqoPzgjJszb_aA/w400-h300/PXL_20220731_231848098.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The beer fermented at 66F down to 1.017 at which point I spunded the corny keg-turned-fermentation-vessel. By day six the spunding valve stopped showing an increase in pressure. I let the beer mature at 70F until day ten. Then the beer was cold crashed and transferred to a new keg to sit at serving pressure at serving temperature to make sure it is fully carbonated. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fresh Hop Black IPA Tasting Notes</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKgLFGBTQu7UjYxKIny8Qjr76BoGloJdCHeD5vNOTQm2zqwnNq76p-WgGc1pToI0s6zNzhAVWUEZTY3nA8EVOTS-9NobOxd4hHL2MriXiRpr5kWujTp4pWrlorQ7v4ULmEpbvXNAb3GlEfa3b1m3Q1mHKdWh-aGVxb1OTHkDZj2oYaoE9fT4gTW9MsA/s4032/PXL_20221001_032625087.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKgLFGBTQu7UjYxKIny8Qjr76BoGloJdCHeD5vNOTQm2zqwnNq76p-WgGc1pToI0s6zNzhAVWUEZTY3nA8EVOTS-9NobOxd4hHL2MriXiRpr5kWujTp4pWrlorQ7v4ULmEpbvXNAb3GlEfa3b1m3Q1mHKdWh-aGVxb1OTHkDZj2oYaoE9fT4gTW9MsA/w300-h400/PXL_20221001_032625087.MP.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Appearance:</b> Opaque black beer with only a hint of dark chocolate brown around the edges when held up to the light. The foam is a dark tan, almost brown. It's big and frothy with excellent lacing down the glass. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Aroma:</b> Old pine forest, day old cut grass and herbal Indonesian coffee dominate the smell. In the background there is clove, nutmeg, grapefruit, orange, lychee, dark chocolate, darkly baked bread crust. Subtle hints of marigold, saltine cracker and fruit punch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Flavor:</b> Cold brew Columbian coffee, pine, grapefruit, tangerine, clove, herbal tea, bitter chocolate. The coffee taste lingers in the aftertaste with more herbal tea, tangerine and black cherry. As the beer warms a slight vegetal note appears in the end like raw herbs, which isn't exactly out of place here. There's a lot going on here but flavors are distinct. It's easy to zero in on different aspects of the flavor and not feel like everything is competing for center attention. The flavor is so smooth that the moderate bitterness almost feels out of place. It keeps the flavors structured and bright and avoids bitterness for bitterness's sake. Overall, this beer might not stand up to the assertiveness of many west coast IPAs but you can't drink this beer and wonder where all those hops went. Chinook is there, but that herbal mount hood character appears from start to finish.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Mouthfeel:</b> The mouthfeel is smooth with moderate body. It has a little heft but nobody would mistake it for a stout. The bitterness gives a little pop that avoids the slightly too easy drinking feel of a lot of porters. There is a slight chalkiness which may be a product of getting a little too much yeast into the keg. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Overall:</b> I'm really happy with the way this turned out. I hate to give my beer over the top praise but this is one of the best hoppy beers I've had in a long time. This beer also hits my kind of hoppy so I'm a biased judge. I'm so surprised that the mount hood delivered such an interesting beer, although used at an obscene volume. That chalky note is really my only complaint here but it's sort of par for the course with London Ale III. I think this beer could have been good with a traditional west coast strain like Chico but I am London Ale III delivers a great flavor experience here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In craft beer's zeal to chase the most aggressive and fruit-forward hop I think we've missed an opportunity to explore these older hop varieties like mount hood and how they perform when added with a heavy hand. This beer takes an appreciation for grassy/herbal hop flavor--which I definitely am--but there are really interesting things going on in this beer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My goal with my annual fresh hop beer is to brew something different every year but I'm so happy with this, I will have a hard time next year not rebrewing this. Certainly going to have to go in rotation every few years. Who knew I could be this excited for an IPA. </div><br />Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-30030687721264735132022-06-10T22:33:00.001-05:002022-06-10T22:33:16.201-05:00Witbier with spruce and grains of paradiseBelgian witbier is an underrepresented beer style on this blog and in craft beer in general. It is one of the few Belgian beer styles I've never brewed despite being one of my favorite beer styles to drink. There is a lot of overlap between the many low ABV saisons I like to brew (and drink) and witbier that have pushed witbier to the side in my brewing. Nevertheless, I drink a lot of it. Here in Colorado I am spoiled to have easy access to <a href="https://funkwerks.com/products/white-can-6-pack?variant=31504282419318">Funkwerks White</a> which is an early beer from the brewery discontinued and brought into regular production again. I also Senior Discount by Funkwerks's sister brewery in Fort Collins, <a href="http://www.jessupfarmbarrelhouse.com/">Jessup Farms</a>. While witbiers can often feel overly sweet and heavy handed with orange flavors, these two do a great job of capturing the flavor with phenolic undertones and a slight acidity that livens the spicing. <div><br /></div><div>Witbiers also often suffer from a needless lack of diversity. Too often witbiers, especially in the US, brew up the same citrus peel and coriander with minimal yeast character and a doughy feel. Undoubtedly <a href="https://beerandbrewing.com/review/hoegaarden-wit-blanche/">Hoegaarden</a> and its heir <a href="https://www.celisbeers.com/our-beers">Celis White</a> taught the world that meaning of witbier; however, the style has quietly taken on other flavors such as <a href="http://www.skibeerusa.com/blanche">Blanche de Bruxelles</a>'s chamomile, thai lime leaves, or <a href="https://www.dedochtervandekorenaar.be/nl/bieren/vaste-bieren/">rosemary</a>. Witbier can hold up to flavors beyond citrus from spicing and pepper from yeast to create interesting but approachable flavor combinations. Still, we don't want witbier to suffer early 2010s saison's unfortunate years as a dumping ground for every spice and herb a brewer could find and added with the heaviest of hands. Spicing in witbier should be restrained but gently present. Whether spicing <i>must</i> follow Hoegaarden's lead of citrus character is debatable--certainly if we acknowledge white beer in Belgium has a history broader than Hoegaarden. (That's a subject for another post...) </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Designing a witbier recipe with spruce two ways and grains of paradise</h2><div><br /></div><div>The witbier recipe that follows plays homage to Hoegaarden's citrus lead but with a definitive departure. My inspiration for this beer is somewhat utilitarian. I need to trim the small spruce tree in my garden and while I had intended to brew this beer in spring to add spruce tips my other house projects got in the way. Spruce is such a great ingredient in beer and food that I would feel terrible about trimming the tree and not making the most out of the opportunity. The spruce branches (removed of their tips) will go into the mash where the hot liquor will extract essential oils and bring the spruce flavor into the beer. I took the idea for this addition from various raw ale recipes using juniper teas and sahti specifically which use juniper branches as a mash filter. I'll then add a small amount of spruce to the end of the boil. </div><div><br /></div><div>Paired with the spruce will be a moderate addition of grains of paradise to help round out the beer. Grains of paradise is a wonderful spice mostly relegated to brewing and sausage-making. It is like a mix of pink peppercorn, cardamom and a woodsy note that reminds me of Nugget hops. These flavors will compliment the evergreen flavors from the spruce on one hand and the pepper and fruit from the witbier yeast strain. I am a fan of using ingredients that glue together other attributes in the beer into a cohesive flavor profile in this manner. I find it balances the flavors and avoids clashing two many disparate ingredients together.</div><div><br /></div><div>Underneath all this spicing is a basic witbier recipe. The grain bill is a classic combination of pilsner malt, unmalted wheat and oats. A small charge of bittering hops gives the beer necessary bitterness. For yeast I opted to stick to a classic with the Hoegaarden strain (WY3944) but from <a href="https://www.altitudebrew.com/products/propagate-lab-232">local Colorado yeast lab Propagate which sells the strain as 232 Belgian Witbier II</a>. This strain provides the archetypical peppery phenolics and mild fruity esters of the style. For water I've opted for a balanced mineral profile with an acid addition to help move the final product towards a slight acidity that will help brighten and distinguish the flavors in the beer. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Witbier recipe with spruce and grains of paradise</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3 gallon</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 4.6%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 21</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.0546</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.014</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>12</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>50.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unmalted red wheat</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>3</td><td> </td><td>36.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Malted white wheat</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>6</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>7.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unmalted oats</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>6</td><td> </td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>7.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Spruce branches</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Balanced (modified)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.3</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>47</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>7</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>73</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>59</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-93</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.6g</td><td> </td><td>.8g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.6g</td><td> </td><td>.7g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.1g</td><td> </td><td>.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.8g</td><td> </td><td>1.0g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1ml</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 7.9 qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 2.6 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 7.9 qt at 170F</td><td>156</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>75</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2.6 gal at 180F</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>First Gold [7.5%]</td><td>0.4</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>21</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grains of Paradise</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>g</td><td> </td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Spruce branch</td><td>0.36</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Imperial B44 Whiteout</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Starter: NA</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 63F</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>63</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Free rise to 73F</td><td>21</td><td> </td><td>73</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Package at 2.3 vol with 2oz sugar</td><td>30</td><td> </td><td>ambient</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Brewday and Fermentation Notes</h2><div>Brewed on 6.20.21.</div><div><br /></div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.036</div><div>Preboil volume: 4 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 72%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.044</div><div>Postboil volume: 3.2 gal</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 70%</div><div><br /></div><div>The mash ran a low on efficiency but this is to be expected with a significant amount of wheat when not conducting a cereal mash. The brewhouse efficiency similarly reflects a low mash efficiency. </div><div><br /></div><div>The wort has a unique flavor. The spruce is definitely the dominate character but not oppressive. The grains of paradise comes through just a little with black pepper and cardamom. </div><div><br /></div><div>The wort left the kettle for the fermentation vessel at approximately 76F and into the fermentation chamber set to 66F. I pitched a full pack of Imperial B44 Whiteout yeast and let the yeast get to know spruce. After twenty hours the beer was aggressively fermenting away so I dialed up the temperature to 72F to free rise to the upper limit of the yeast's temperature preferences. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tasting Notes</h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAON7uYIKBwcuJr9HOhLAW8sjnjprPFPid-xfDhoE8OW2sUkZQlss4JfRtTKpvXE9hBEU0SCA5fwnGK0GwJKjPt5RPj0M0fgQdHdMVvPdBy27HJf8VkDste4hDxFRkkrNK_WYXMRGXj2RFtKtnU7yJD3so3fJNjwMIU3PzINwT9J5PA9dEaJFtzA-Ow/s4032/PXL_20220611_032031071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAON7uYIKBwcuJr9HOhLAW8sjnjprPFPid-xfDhoE8OW2sUkZQlss4JfRtTKpvXE9hBEU0SCA5fwnGK0GwJKjPt5RPj0M0fgQdHdMVvPdBy27HJf8VkDste4hDxFRkkrNK_WYXMRGXj2RFtKtnU7yJD3so3fJNjwMIU3PzINwT9J5PA9dEaJFtzA-Ow/w480-h640/PXL_20220611_032031071.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Appearance:</b> Beer pours between light yellow and off white, sort of an egg white color. (The photo is considerably darker than the beer.) It is expectedly hazy. Fluffy white head lingers with a rocky top. Good lacing as the beer goes down. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Aroma:</b> Spruce, herb salad, banana, freshly baked bread, rose, sweet orange, white pepper, cardamom. Definitely spruce forward. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flavor:</b> Flavor closely matches the aroma. Spruce is the dominant flavor in the beer. It is bready under the spruce. There is a touch of acidity in the finish that lifts the beer and gives it a lingering taste of rose, sweet orange, white pepper and cardamom. Subtle banana extends throughout. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mouthfeel:</b> The witbier has a full body that is silky and almost oily. It is smooth until the pop of acid where the beer briefly feels sharp and then mellows out. The aftertaste feels a touch oily. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Overall:</b> It's worth pointing out that these tasting notes are from 6.10.22 which is almost a year after I brewed this beer. Early on the spruce was so aggressive getting through a 12oz bottle felt like a choice after the first half. I left the bottles alone for a while and I've started getting into them again in the past three or so months. </div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously this was too much spruce but as the beer mellowed out it has become a solid beer. It is still very spruce forward almost to the point of being too aggressive. Still not a beer I would burn through over and over in one sitting but a really interesting experience. In addition to reducing the amount of spruce I would also let the mash ph go higher so it has a little less acidity in the back end. The acidity kinda works here to clear out some of the oiliness in the aftertaste and cuts the spruce but with less spruce it would probably be an unenjoyable addition to the experience.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0Denver, CO, USA39.7392358 -104.99025111.429001963821158 -140.146501 68.049469636178856 -69.834001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-12870277196111205852022-05-13T23:44:00.004-05:002022-05-13T23:44:34.188-05:00Fresh Hop Red Lager Recipe & BrewdayAfter years of unsuccessful hop growing in Texas my hop plants are settling in to Colorado and starting to produce large crops. So far the cascade, chinook and mount hood hops are in full swing with my sterling just starting to produce. I expect within the next two years the cascade, chinook and mount hood will be at full production with the sterling hopefully getting there a year or so behind. Like last year I've taken the opportunity of having hops growing in my backyard to brew a fresh hop beer. Also like last year, I've opted to brew a fresh hop lager instead of a more typical pale ale or IPA which would flex more hop aroma and flavor. Opting for a lager allows for a more delicate beer that can showcase a slightly less aggressive hop profile from having a limited volume of fresh hops. When you consider that fresh hopping requires four to six times the weight of hops over dried hops this is a beer that requires a lot of my meager home hop harvest to produce a single three gallon keg of beer. <div><br /></div><div>This is my 2021 fresh hop harvest beer if you're curious about the timing. I felt a little weird posting a fresh hop beer post in the spring too far removed from fresh hop season in the fall and too early to start planning a fresh hop beer for the next year. <br /><div><br /></div><div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Thinking about this year's fresh hop lager recipe</h1><div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder"></div><div><br /></div><div>I've continued the trend of making a fresh hop lager but making a change in line with the hops I've selected for this beer. Last year's fresh hop lager employed a mix of my three productive hop plants because I needed the mount hood added in to have close to enough volume. This year I've opted to use just the cascade and chinook hops so I can dry the mount hood and small sterling harvests for later use. Cascade and chinook together is a classic C hop combination found across the 1990s and 2000s in craft beer. Keeping in line with that decision I thought about the other characteristics of beers that paired well with the grapefruit, pine and orange flavors in this hop combination.</div><div><br /></div><div>A classic cascade and/or chinook forward craft beer usually comes in the form of a hoppy ale like an American pale ale such as craft beer stalwart Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, IPA, or strong ale like Stone's former flagship Arrogant Bastard. These beers typically used crystal malts in line with the pre-2010 view that all craft beer needs crystal malts. Brewing mythology aside, those sweet caramel flavors actually pair quite well with the flavors of these hops. A case can even be made that these sharper citrusy flavors and piney flavors fit better with a little sweetness. You can certainly find older breweries pumping out overly sweet classic pale ales and IPAs with too much crystal malt draped over cascade hops but it's harder to argue SNPA or Arrogant Bastard were sticky sweet. Personally I think those beers would be considerably less pleasant without those flavors. A SMASH style pale ale with 100% pale malt and cascade hops would be a very different beer from Sierra Nevada pale ale. So with an all cascade and chinook lager I can't avoid some addition of crystal malt for that caramel sweetness.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Remembering the red IPA and how we got here</h2><div><br /></div><div>With that in mind I needed to fit a lager style with crystal malt which leaves a small set of options. On one hand I could have taken a caramalt-driven German lager such as vienna lager, dunkel, or the heavily Americanized oktoberfest style and blasted it with hops. That could have worked but would not have added anything to the style and none quite fit what I wanted. Instead I dredged up a rare lager style born out of the very early 2010s which is a great fit and that's a red lager. Red lagers were the last salvo of the year or so of red beers which were naturally launched and driven by the red IPA. Red IPAs and their slightly earlier companions hoppy red ales were an attempt to modernize amber ales that represented the earliest American craft beer style. Amber ales have been almost completely eradicated from the market but even in 2010 they were a dying breed. Red IPAs and the styles that flowed from that trend tried to revive the amber ale concept by leaning out the heavy-handed crystal malt additions in favor of less crystal malt and more complimentary biscuit, apple and stone fruit flavors created by mixing less crystal malt with small amounts of dark malts and lighter non-crystal specialty malts. These beers adopted the classic Irish red ale technique of taking a fairly light beer and making it red with a pinch of an extremely dark malt like black patent. Even amber IPAs popular in the 2000s with dank Columbus type hopping were cast aside for these leaner IPAs. Red IPA and their progeny like the Imperial Red Ale were mostly cast aside after a brief run as the trendiest new beer style along with black IPA, white IPA, imperial-everything and Belgian yeast-everything around the late 2000s and early 2010s. </div><div><br /></div><div>The lessons learned from the red IPA era are a perfect fit for what I want to do with this beer. While opting to brew a lager instead of a hoppy ale style I can take the red ale techniques of mixing small amounts of crystal malts with a dark grain to produce a beer that has sweet flavors but a lean body. In this sense it is closer to a vienna lager or dunkel but perhaps drier like some Mexican renditions of these styles. This will allow for keeping the classic American crystal malt flavors with the hops but I can make a dry, quaffable lager that enhances but does not compete with the cascade and chinook hops for attention. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Getting into the details of this fresh hop red lager</h2><div>With the idea in mind it was time to piece together the recipe. As usual I my goal is to create a lighter ABV and drier beer with a complex but balanced flavor. The red ale concept builds most of the recipe out but I needed to put that together with lagerizing the red ale style. For this recipe I built it along a fairly typical 2010-ish hoppy red ale but blended the pale malt with pilsner malt to further lighten and dry out the beer. Often these hoppy red ale recipes use pale malt, munich malt and a couple crystal malts which is a little too much sweet flavor on sweet flavor. Dialing the knob back on color choices lets pilsner malt slide into the role of pale malt and pale malt slide into the role of munich malt making a drier beer but keeping a little maltiness behind it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Helping dry down this lager I opted for a Mexican lager yeast which is a new yeast choice for me. I was pretty happy with the earlier oak smoked lager using the Andechs strain but I am interested in the good results I hear with Mexican strains to produce crisp lagers. Further drying out this beer will help add crispness which should allow the hops to stand out better and perhaps lean this beer towards perhaps a fresh hopped red IPL. Or maybe we need to call that a fresh hopped red cold IPA if we've swapped out IPL for cold IPA as further IPA-ing every beer. </div><div><br /></div><div>As far as hopping I've elected to go straight 50:50 with the two hop varieties. Chinook is a more aggressive hop than cascade but the piney chinook hop flavor is a better fit with the historical legacy of hoppy amber ales and dank IPAs that blossomed into red IPAs. So if this beer ends up more chinook forward that would certainly be an acceptable outcome for this beer. I'm a little more of a chinook fan than cascade anyway so I'm always down for a chinook-forward beer. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Fresh Hop Red Lager Recipe</h1><div><br /></div></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.1 gallons</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.0%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 28</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.046</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.009</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 15.7</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Grain Bill</b></td><td><b>Pounds</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Ounces</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>SRM</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Pct. Grist</b></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>36.30%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Pale malt</td><td>3</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>54.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 20</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>20</td><td> </td><td>4.50%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 120</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>120</td><td> </td><td>2.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Black patent malt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>500</td><td> </td><td>2.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Water Profile</b></td><td><b>ppm</b></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Amber Dry</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.45</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>45</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>111</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>51</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>0</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Water Additions</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Mash</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Sparge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.7g</td><td> </td><td>0.9g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1.2g</td><td> </td><td>1.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.3g</td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Mash Schedule</b></td><td><b>Step Temp.</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Step Time</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b> </b></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 8.27 qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 2.61 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 8.27 qt at 160.5F</td><td>148</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>75</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2.61 gal at 180F</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Boil Schedule</b></td><td><b>Volume</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Unit</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Time</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>IBU</b></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade [5.5%]</td><td>0.75</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>28</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fresh hop cascade</td><td>11.25</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>Whirlpool</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fresh hop chinnook</td><td>6.75</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>Whirlpool</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Fermentation Schedule</b></td><td><b># Days</b></td><td><b> </b></td><td><b>Temp.</b></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Omega Mexical Lager</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Starter: NA</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 53F</td><td>21</td><td> </td><td>53</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lager 32F</td><td>30</td><td> </td><td>32</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Carbonate to 2.3 vol</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Fresh Hop Red Lager Brewday and Fermentation Notes</h1><div>Brewed on 8.29.21.</div><div><br /></div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.044</div><div>Preboil volume: 4 gallons</div><div>Mash efficiency: 88%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.046</div><div>Postboil volume: 3.1 gal</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 72%</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipCNuWXY1uungEEuY7NbW6LKeXGf8N8hWpmT7R91U4xW4Th5bgId_KDhGtmVAt-j-1eE9mycsKBK1r8-jJIrXRhXY21O8gwRqBKFHhW06VsyjQQRNEikTn3_AciDuaptAO_ikX3FAC9DpJ3GB27VHIaVsCQVPZuj1RjJ5qXfPtyd42eRr8HALgYlGXjw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipCNuWXY1uungEEuY7NbW6LKeXGf8N8hWpmT7R91U4xW4Th5bgId_KDhGtmVAt-j-1eE9mycsKBK1r8-jJIrXRhXY21O8gwRqBKFHhW06VsyjQQRNEikTn3_AciDuaptAO_ikX3FAC9DpJ3GB27VHIaVsCQVPZuj1RjJ5qXfPtyd42eRr8HALgYlGXjw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Added approximately six ounces of fresh hops per gallon of wort which was my entire chinook harvest and about two-thirds of my cascade harvest.</div><div><br /></div><div>Kegged on 12.21.21. The small sample I tasted was slightly vegetal with pine, melon, grass, lychee. </div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><br />Fresh hop red lager tasting notes</h1><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxw6OfeuOYV5msEQ9mjFlaRJU9SXXctSvJyCZB0M-b3V_WCF7HkrIrMg-LTTyMkmQkcq2jq51xHq0fdoFldGilzuu3mCoW297NwbzEVieMdrjCG-1e94waQdfUQAiWs3MsvWFXJhh3Lm6JukJHrUvhf0nVWxltEa7dv6ml4bdwG0G5YGktd2KV0JgMw/s4032/PXL_20220514_041849648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fresh hop red lager" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxw6OfeuOYV5msEQ9mjFlaRJU9SXXctSvJyCZB0M-b3V_WCF7HkrIrMg-LTTyMkmQkcq2jq51xHq0fdoFldGilzuu3mCoW297NwbzEVieMdrjCG-1e94waQdfUQAiWs3MsvWFXJhh3Lm6JukJHrUvhf0nVWxltEa7dv6ml4bdwG0G5YGktd2KV0JgMw/w300-h400/PXL_20220514_041849648.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Appearance:</b> The lager pours a red, nearly brown color with a dense off white head. It's slightly darker than many red beers, going more brown until held up in the light where it becomes a rich red color. A generous amount of lacing sticks all the way down the glass. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Aroma: </b>Cascade grapefruit pours out of the glass but more grassy than typical cascade. Lychee, blackberry, black pepper, rose, tangerine and a hint of pine. Definitely smells more cascade than chinook.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flavor:</b> The flavor is less citrus forward. Soft grassy and floral notes mix up front with lychee and fresh bread with a well caramelized crust. As the beer opens up the grapefruit appears with pine, orange, saltine cracker. As the beer continues to warm it develops more of a graham cracker flavor. The aftertaste mixes the floral, grassy and grapefruit notes more like the aroma. The flavors are crisp and distinct. Not impressionably bitter but not sweet. Crisp.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mouthfeel:</b> Mouthfeel is crisp as expected with a Mexican lager yeast. The beer is dry but not thin. A touch of roundness up front with a touch of tannin at the end. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Overall: </b>Overall I am really happy with how this beer turned out. It is exactly what I planned for minus being a touch too brownish in color which is the least of my concerns. The fresh hops work really well with the grain bill and lager yeast to form a beer that is complex but I don't feel bad pouring a pint and drinking through without the need to ponder over and savor every drop. It feels like it should be a bigger beer than five percent because the flavors are bold but it goes down easy. At times it feels like a pale ale but not, a Mexican lager but not, and an amber lager but not. It's a bit of its own thing and I really like that. I have some other fresh hop beers in mind but this might evolve into the annual fresh hop beer for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>The nice thing about this beer is I drank through most of the keg in the cooler months but it didn't feel out of place. Some of the grain flavors are a little winter beer reminiscent especially like Boulevard Nutcracker or Sierra Nevada Celebration which are both hop forward winter warmers. This might not be my favorite beer for a blistering hot July day but I wouldn't turn this away on a cooling July evening in Denver.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am posting this in May and still polishing off the end of this keg which is holding up surprisingly well. It is slightly less impressive almost six months later but still a lot of bright flavors. I always thought of fresh hop beers as more delicate than the typical hoppy beer but it doesn't seem to be much different from other beers this old. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-42482727863244899082022-01-31T19:48:00.001-06:002022-01-31T19:48:00.152-06:00Making ice beer out of leftover ingredients--recipe and brewdayEis beer, ice beer, eisbier--whatever you want to call it. These beers bring up two types of beers. One, the refined eisbocks that turn doppelbocks into concentrated maltbombs. (For example, the sought after <a href="https://kbrewery.com/product/eisbock-mix-case-12-beers-3-of-each/" rel="nofollow">eisbocks made by Kuhnhenn</a>.) Two, those industrial lagers floated in the 1990s with a little more alcohol with Ice in the name. (E.g. <a href="https://punchdrink.com/articles/remember-budweiser-bud-ice-beer/" rel="nofollow">Bud Ice</a>.) In both cases the beers are made using freeze concentration--often referred to as freeze distillation--by removing some of the water content to concentrate the alcohol and other compounds in the beer. Homebrewers often limit themselves to the more refined aspect making eisbocks--but what if we toured the technique with other styles and ingredients? Let's find out.<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder"></div><div><br /></div><div>This project began as a way to try to use up leftover grains to turnover my supply of grain. Anybody buying grain by the pound instead of by the recipe ends up with these bits of grain that go unused. Most of these leftovers beers inevitably become some kind of beer best described as brown because they end up with a long list of darker specialty malts will produce a beer that is both brown in color and sort of muddy with overlapping sweet, dark malt flavors. My own grain supply suggested the same. Rather than produce some mediocre brown ale I decided to use the grain for another potentially fun experiment. After looking at the grain with the goal of using as much as possible I came up with this recipe that is somewhere in the vicinity of maybe an unusual porter. Rather than drink a couple gallons of muddy brown beer I thought it might be interesting to try concentrating the beer with freeze concentration and see if the concentration developed something more interesting.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Freeze concentrating homebrew</h2><div>Typically homebrewers use this process to create <a href="https://beerandbrewing.com/make-your-best-eisbock/">eisbocks</a>, considered the original ice beer. Eisbocks are doppelbocks partially frozen using a freeze concentration to boost the beer from a high single digit lager to a double digit maltbomb. In the 2000s a beer in the double digit ABV was an extremist's beer but today it's a common range for imperial stouts, barleywines and other strong beers. Today's strong ales tend to rely upon a wort with extremely high starting gravity forced to ferment out but still leaving behind a finishing gravity with enough sugar to make a 4-5% ABV beer. Eisbocks and other freeze concentrated beers ferment into a high single digit ABV but undergo a freezing process to create less beer with more punch. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't pretend to be an expert on freeze concentrating homebrew but it's an easy process. I've only tried freeze concentrating homebrew once very early in my homebrewing. It was ok but at the time I only had an apartment freezer which didn't get especially cold. The concept is simple--you freeze beer. If you've ever put a bottle of vodka in the freezer you know it doesn't freeze in residential freezers. That's because alcohol freezes at -173.2F. The water in the beer starts freezing at 32F so as the beer cools in a freezer the water freezes while the alcohol doesn't. The water tends to freeze on the perimeter of the beer volume while the alcohol mostly stays in the core of the vessel. You then drain the vessel quickly so the water stays frozen and you extract a more concentrated beer. Not only is the alcohol more concentrated but the flavor compounds as well so the beer becomes more potent all the way around.</div><div><br /></div><div>In practice, it is slightly more complex. The relationship between water and ethanol makes for an imperfect freeze. Water and ethanol bond so you may lose a little ethanol to the ice crystalization and the solution cannot so thoroughly freeze in a residential freezer than you can remove so much water that you will reach a high concentration of alcohol. The colder the freezer the more water can be frozen and produce greater concentration. In a typical fridge/freezer combo the concentration is minimal, in a colder chest freezer more concentration. For most homebrewers freeze concentrating beyond the mid teens in ABV will be difficult without access to commercial freezers. </div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">Temperature (F/C)</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.......</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">% Alc.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">............</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">10 / -12.2</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">8</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.............</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">5 / -15.0</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">11</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.............</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">0 / -17.8</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">14</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">...........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">-5 / -20.6</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">......... </span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">17</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">-10 / -23.3</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">..........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">20</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">-15 / -26.1</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">..........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">24</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">-20 / -28.9</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">..........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">27</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">-25 / -31.7</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">..........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">30</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">.........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">-30 / -34.4</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 16px;">..........</span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-size: 16px;">33</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, the safety concern here is that freezing liquid expands so no glass should be used as a vessel for freezing. Small batches can be done in empty plastic water or milk jugs while buckets are common vessels used for larger vessels. </div><div><br /></div><div>Using plastic jugs the process is extremely simple. Rack the fermented beer into jugs and place them in the freezer. Over a few hours to days the beer will turn slushy and under the right circumstances may form a solid ice block with a liquid core. The jugs are then inverted over another vessel to drain the liquid. With time the ice will begin to thaw so you have to make a judgment call on how much liquid you want to extract. Many discussions around the internet suggest leaving behind 30-50% of the volume by the time the liquid is removed and most of the ice remains. The remaining beer can be further aged or packaged immediately. </div><div><br /></div><div>With this process in mind, let's look at the leftovers recipe and then walk through the process below. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Designing the leftover ingredients homebrew recipe</h2><div>When designing recipes out of leftover ingredients it's hard to balance hitting to goal of using as much old supply as possible while not creating a beer with more than a muddy brown character. Thankfully most of the older ingredients I had to use are base malts with small amounts of various crystal malts. A hodgepodge of pilsner, maris otter, vienna and munich isn't too far off from a complete doppelbock recipe. Adding a little crystal malt wouldn't be too crazy although unnecessary. I also had a little chocolate malt which will add a little roast that should help cut the sweetness supplied by the crystal malts. Overally, the end result is a recipe that is definitely not stylistically a doppelbock but not so far removed that it should be unrecognizable as an eisbock when it reaches its final destination. </div><div><br /></div><div>Most resources on creating eisbock and other freeze concentrated beers is to start with a clean, malty beer because the concentration process is concentrating everything in the beer except water. That means bitterness, yeast compounds, flaws, etc. are all magnified. What might have been below the taste threshold pre-concentration may emerge after. For this reason clean, malty doppelbocks are easy base beers for the technique. To that end, I've also elected to ferment the beer with lager yeast to maintain a neutral fermentation character. Generally doppelbocks are hopped at a very low amount in BU:GU ratio which, after concentration, leads to an even sweeter beer. In the interest of creating some balance to the beer I bumped up the bitterness well above normal doppelbock targets so the final product isn't completely syrupy. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, let's get this thing started.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Leftovers Ice Beer Homebrew Recipe</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 2 gallon</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 8.3%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 36</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.077</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.015</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 30</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>8</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>26.10%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vienna malt</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>9</td><td> </td><td>3.5</td><td> </td><td>27.10%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Munich malt</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>9</td><td> </td><td>19.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Maris Otter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>9</td><td> </td><td>3</td><td> </td><td>9.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate Malt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>5</td><td> </td><td>350</td><td> </td><td>5.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 80</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>80</td><td> </td><td>4.30%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caramunich III</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>78</td><td> </td><td>2.30%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caramunich II</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>56</td><td> </td><td>1.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Brown Malty (modified)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.4</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>50</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>16</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>21</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>62</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>88</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.3g</td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.3g</td><td> </td><td>0.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.5g</td><td> </td><td>0.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.5g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 6.88qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 1.82 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 6.88 qt at 167F</td><td>152</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1.82 gal at 180F</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade</td><td>0.75</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>36</td></tr>
<tr><td>Table sugar</td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>10</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: INIS-711 German Monk Lager</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Starter: 2.5 liter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 52F</td><td>20</td><td> </td><td>52</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Cold crash 32F</td><td>5</td><td> </td><td>32</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Freeze concentrate</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Further aging?</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Package at 2.2 vol</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Brewday Notes</h2><div>Brewed 1.17.2021.</div><div><br /></div><div>First runnings: 1.075</div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.057</div><div>Preboil volume: 3.1 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 83%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.075</div><div>Postboil volume: 2.4 gal</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 86%</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NJHO6WNomrwBgPl959ztJoFxCsK1V44rGZx51NKg7QXiXOH6vztgvWdOcTETjliQypXWLP8iyVbHMFg-WAdas6LZtcULp6TOThOG4HrnT7vkD8xzkBmTDBd_e0NO0AHTKGRLx6Ns-iKs/s4032/PXL_20210117_225447738.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NJHO6WNomrwBgPl959ztJoFxCsK1V44rGZx51NKg7QXiXOH6vztgvWdOcTETjliQypXWLP8iyVbHMFg-WAdas6LZtcULp6TOThOG4HrnT7vkD8xzkBmTDBd_e0NO0AHTKGRLx6Ns-iKs/w480-h640/PXL_20210117_225447738.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9PWAZIusR3Bv0M0HNaK85FTkvbC2_9QqyWmMKbrMPY9X1fi-XvrhBJMZ48xCbAWTV1UZuC-zdQd9YplGa1NdShuuCcRKJFMEkTYMpbv0kwTtZHMW4xY4lfIGSTOJdmoLSYSh9xHzxIIR/s4032/PXL_20210117_225433044.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9PWAZIusR3Bv0M0HNaK85FTkvbC2_9QqyWmMKbrMPY9X1fi-XvrhBJMZ48xCbAWTV1UZuC-zdQd9YplGa1NdShuuCcRKJFMEkTYMpbv0kwTtZHMW4xY4lfIGSTOJdmoLSYSh9xHzxIIR/w480-h640/PXL_20210117_225433044.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGI3MIPptrnv3zeOS9qCdT8PT0zNjEywP-RcI_DWVFHQjacXTTrAftdY1jrOxKifJnDToV-OUR4IiN6C24vPxLb2MXvOE7_jNpvO2zG0pA0xsBXgdJBjs-aTROzu7XNorQKG3-gQ5C8IB/s4032/PXL_20210117_225427387.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGI3MIPptrnv3zeOS9qCdT8PT0zNjEywP-RcI_DWVFHQjacXTTrAftdY1jrOxKifJnDToV-OUR4IiN6C24vPxLb2MXvOE7_jNpvO2zG0pA0xsBXgdJBjs-aTROzu7XNorQKG3-gQ5C8IB/w480-h640/PXL_20210117_225427387.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This beer enjoyed a long four month slumber at ambient temperatures following a three week fermentation at lager temperatures. I didn't intend to let the beer sit that long but I didn't have quite enough room in the chest freezer until the end of April. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once I had space for the beer I racked it into an empty 2.5 gallon water jug. I filled a little less than two gallons to give the beer room to expand as it froze but it ended up rupturing anyway and leaked a few ounces into the freezer. I left it in the freezer for five days--not because it needed that long but because I didn't get back to it during the workweek. I pulled it out and propped it up to drain its alcoholic contents into a jug for continued aging.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9LQBDKVtlEJO2ZYvlQk087VOFZIEpIvq5lXZ0HBel-QpCam6hFIWkXJgnl7E5f5NH0uRYGrySGpkTwdkvQSqWeHZ_Tk-KyIt6-eoCK8CuNs1ZpViNZg9_u0df4H1EM7C0HYzqL3NM72S/s4032/PXL_20210501_002732375.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9LQBDKVtlEJO2ZYvlQk087VOFZIEpIvq5lXZ0HBel-QpCam6hFIWkXJgnl7E5f5NH0uRYGrySGpkTwdkvQSqWeHZ_Tk-KyIt6-eoCK8CuNs1ZpViNZg9_u0df4H1EM7C0HYzqL3NM72S/w480-h640/PXL_20210501_002732375.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oKglcLAz9t5A4hLr2auSAj0exQs6PEO01aVR8pZusbCJr4zVVtejX61jq8uTz-hPhVjAObSFvQ2onAhxwTbXukBDTFvHrnwK93Wlhy5ZJ-8SnEmn4zJb0WmeLJ0r_8pFYoygfvXawudZ/s4032/PXL_20210501_002728516.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oKglcLAz9t5A4hLr2auSAj0exQs6PEO01aVR8pZusbCJr4zVVtejX61jq8uTz-hPhVjAObSFvQ2onAhxwTbXukBDTFvHrnwK93Wlhy5ZJ-8SnEmn4zJb0WmeLJ0r_8pFYoygfvXawudZ/w480-h640/PXL_20210501_002728516.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's tipped on its side rather than set up to drain from the spigot on the plastic jug so the point of rupture won't leak out at the same time. I cut the hole larger and poked some air holes to let the concentrated beer drip. <div><br /></div><div>The block of ice is a huge solid mass but there is a small amount of free liquid in the bottom slowly dripping out. As it slowly thawed overnight the drips accelerated but it took approximately ten hours to procure a gallon of concentrated doppelbock back out of the ice. (The ice itself took almost two days to fully thaw in the sink.) I was awoken at four in the morning to a loud crash as the ice block shifted inside the jug and the wet exterior slid the whole thing off to the floor. </div><div><br /></div><div>I tasted the early drippings (runnings?) of the doppelbock which were alcohol hot, acidic and salty. I recall the same characteristics the last time I tried freeze concentrating more than a decade ago. The last runnings were still hot but no longer salty and acidic. I'm not sure if the salt and other minerals in the beer concentrate as the water freezes or what physical process explains that but the taste is salty and not mineral-y. </div><div><br /></div><div>The final drippings of the eisbock continued to taste hot with alcohol and almost overwhelmingly intense caramel malt flavors although not as sweet as I would have expected. It feels like it needs sweetness to balance but that may calm with time. I plan to let it mellow for a few months before revisiting. I may add oaked whisky at packaging to add sweetness to the beer if it seems to need help. Bourbon has similar flavors but a lot of sweetness so it would be a good faux barrel aging effort to bring balance to the beer. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Ice Beer Tasting Notes</h2><div><b>Appearance:</b> Pours brownie dark brown with a thick dark tan head. The head is rocky and mousse-like that lingers through the beer although not creating much lacing. Although mostly opaque it isn't cloudy or hazy. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Aroma:</b> Caramel, dark roast coffee, milk chocolate, hint of smoke.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flavor:</b> The beer starts off with a burnt caramel flavor with espresso, lighter caramel, cocoa and milk duds. There is a sharp roast note to it that makes the beer taste closer to a 2000s imperial stout than a doppelbock but not quite as roasty. In the back end there is a plastic/rubber taste that sometimes is so unnoticeable that it disappears but in the next sip appears and ruins the end of the pour. It tastes almost freezer burnt. No hop flavor. No alcohol burn. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mouthfeel:</b> The mouthfeel is thick and stout-like and the mousse-like head gives it a creamy texture that really sells a stout-like experience. It is smoother than an imperial stout and slides away without any roughness or acidity. It carbonated nicely and the carbonation feels right around the low two volumes of CO2.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Overall:</b> The rubber note ruins the experience. The beer is not exceptional otherwise but a solid attempt if not for the plastic/rubber. I am not entirely sure if the rubber off-flavor is something the beer picked up from the plastic container but that doesn't make tremendous sense because it is designed for fluid storage. Maybe freezing the container released some of the plasticizers? Maybe all the hot side plastic in my brewhouse normally drops these flavors but without concentration it falls below the flavor threshold. Either way I don't like the rubber flavor enough to power through the remaining twelve bottles. </div><div><br /></div><div>Otherwise I would consider rebrewing this beer as is with the exception of perhaps dialing down the chocolate malt. While the flavor was interesting it was a touch too sharply roasty at the very front. The chocolate malt is the probable culprit. </div><div><br /></div><div>If I had to guess I would say this probably clocked in around 13-14% ABV by its feel. It didn't taste or feel boozy and quite the opposite it felt deceptively smooth until I got through about half the glass and realized I was starting to feel it. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0Denver, CO, USA39.7392358 -104.99025111.429001963821158 -140.146501 68.049469636178856 -69.834001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-21145899166365731402022-01-24T15:54:00.001-06:002022-01-24T15:54:00.167-06:00Hopfenweizen Recipe and Brewday plus some general musings on brewing hefeweizenHefeweizen is one of my favorite beer styles although you wouldn't imagine that to be true given its almost complete absence from this blog. It's the first craft beer style I fell in love with after trying it way back in the very early 2000s at a brewpub and being blown away by how different it was from the light lagers I generally drank in volume. It set me down the path of loving yeast expressive beer which is very obvious to this blog. Living in Texas through my twenties I had the fortune of easy access to Live Oak Hefeweizen which is easily one of the best hefeweizens produced outside of Germany. With easy access to a world class example of weissbier it sets a high bar on brewing my own beer which is a little daunting given how easy it is for the beer to miss the mark. For as many great hefeweizens as I've tried there are at least as many mediocre renditions and as many awful ones. My prior attempts at brewing weissbier fell significantly short of that high bar which discouraged me from continuing to pour inferior beer down the drain. It's ironic I suppose that after a decade of homebrewing I am timid about brewing a beer that is usually recommended to newer brewers as a forgiving style to brew. Certainly the basics of hefeweizen brewing are simple: two grains, gentle hopping and a yeast that can endure slightly warmer fermentation temperatures. Sure--that's easy. On the other hand, hitting the fine details is far more difficult. The mouthfeel should be soft, round and full. Flavors should be well integrated but distinct without the benefit of notable bitterness or acidity to bring clarity. I have a specific desire for a hefeweizen like Live Oak's with a clear banana presence without foregoing clove and staying far away from bubblegum (banana + strawberry) created by too warm of a fermentation. Too often hefeweizens, especially homebrewed versions, are clove without enough banana or the yeast character is generally lacking. They are often muddled and thin. <div><br /></div><div>Writing about hefeweizen, especially in the context of drinking it twenty years ago, makes me feel like I've matured as a homebrewer and craft beer drinker into Don't Drink Beer's digs at middle aged beer drinkers at the bar pounding hefeweizen and talking about the good old days. Well I'm forty and talking about how much I love drinking hefeweizen so here we are. </div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Hopfenweizen--weissbier's answer to hoppy beer</h1><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the least common weissbier variant is hopfenweizen or hopfenweiss, a late hopped or dry hopped weissbier which challenges the brewer to balance banana, clove and hop flavors. Too aggressive hopping can wipe out yeast character while the wrong hop flavors can produce a beer with disjointed flavors. I first came across this style at an Oskar Blues restaurant on my very first trip to Colorado from a beer produced by Left Hand. I remember being blown away by the unique take on hefeweizen and how bizarrely well noble hops worked with banana and clove. Incidentally, a few years ago I had a hopfenweizen at Live Oak with cascade hops and felt like the grapefruit flavor wasn't quite as well integrated as Left Hand's version. </div><div><br /></div><div>Likely the most well known, if we can even call it well known, version of this substyle of wheat beer is the Schneider hopfenweisse. To my knowledge this is the only regularly available hopfenweizen on the market currently--although it is more of a hoppy weizenbock at 8% and 40 IBU than a 5% hefeweizen. Schneider's version arose as a collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery in which both breweries produced a different version of the style but Schneider has since stopped marketing it as such and Brooklyn retired the beer a long time ago. </div><div><br /></div><div>There does not seem to be a specific style parameter for hopfenweizen--it seems to consist broadly of any weissebier with hop flavor. Outside of the more hefty Schneider and Brooklyn versions, the handful of other beers have been typical hefeweizens with late or dry hops. Hop selection seems fairly evenly divided between geographically consistent noble hops and fruit forward new world-style fruit hopping. Personally I have never liked fruit forward hopped weissebier as much as noble hops. For my tastes the floral, grassy, spicy notes add a completely different character to the beer that integrates better. Fruit-forward hops in an already fruit-forward beer feels like it imbalances the beer and loses the distinct banana flavor. </div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Brewing hefeweizen "the right way"</h1><div>Ideas on the correct protocols for brewing hefeweizen correctly are all over the map. Even among German breweries hefeweizen is brewed with entirely different techniques and recipes, especially between large packaging brewers and smaller craft brewers selling most of their beer at their own taps or on draft to nearby accounts. The preferred balance of clove and banana is itself subject to a wide range of views on procedures ranging from grain selection to mash schedules to water chemistry to yeast pitching and temperatures. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some issues to consider:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The percentage of barley to wheat;</li><li>The extent to which the ratio of barley to wheat determines the ester and phenol profiles;</li><li>Whether to employ specialty malts as part of the beer recipe;</li><li>Water profile; </li><li>Whether to use acid malt, lactic acid, sauergut, or no acid addition; </li><li>Mash ph;</li><li>Kettle ph;</li><li>When to adjust ph, if at all;</li><li>Final ph;</li><li>Whether to employ a ferulic acid rest;</li><li>How long to rest at ferulic acid-producing temperatures</li><li>Mash ph during the ferulic acid rest;</li><li>Whether to employ a protein rest;</li><li>How long to employ a protein rest, if at all;</li><li>What mash schedule to employ;</li><li>How long should the mash take;</li><li>How long to lauter;</li><li>Fermentation geometry;</li><li>Open or closed fermentation;</li><li>Yeast strain selection;</li><li>Pitching rate;</li><li>Oxygenation rate; </li><li>Pitching temperature;</li><li>Whether to allow temperature to rise and on what schedule;</li><li>Whether to bottle with speisse or sugar;</li><li>How much speisse or sugar to use;</li><li>How much carbonation is appropriate.</li></ul><div>Navigating these many issues for a supposedly very simple beer seems to take a multitude of paths depending upon the navigator. Of course, large German breweries have to make decisions to ensure their beers survive transportation and potentially lengthy shelf lives but for every permutation of decisions on these factors you can find some expert to suggest that is the objectively correct way to brew a hefeweizen. The best conclusion to draw is probably just that there are many right ways to reach your preferred destination of banana/clove characteristics. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Despite homebrewing lore often treating this beer style as a basic beer to brew it is obviously highly technical when it comes to brewing the beer well and with repetition. Hefeweizen yeast are not difficult to control but they are finicky and less forgiving to small changes in brewing technique and recipe. A few degrees difference in a Chico ale strain-fermented beer is undetectable in most cases but those same degrees in a hefeweizen can be the difference between a balanced clove/banana beer and a one note clove-flavored hefeweizen. Navigating decisions around these many factors must start with a clear understanding of the goal beer and how these issues affect one another--a subject far too lengthy for this blog. (Two good reads on the subject include Braukaiser's discussion of hefeweizen and Stan Hieronymous's <u>Brewing With Wheat</u>.)</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Designing this hefeweizen recipe</h1><div>Let's talk goals here. My preference for hefeweizen leans a little more banana forward than what most people seem to like but I don't want a beer that tastes like melted banana Runts. I want the beer to have a full body with roundness and a moderately long finish. There should be a little acidity to sharpen and distinguish the flavors and keep the beer from feeling flabby or flat. It should taste fresh and lively for at least a reasonable period of time. The late hop addition turning this beer into a hopfenweizen should compliment the other flavors rather than steamroll or muddle them. It should be a delicate beer but still have some heft. </div><div><br /></div><div>As an initial batch to get my feet wet trying to brew a great hefeweizen I don't want to reinvent the wheel or try to perfect every tiny detail at once. The foundation of this hopfenweizen recipe is the Schneider hefeweizen recipe. Schneider, I guess, knows some things about brewing hefeweizen. It is a simple 60:40 wheat malt:pale malt recipe with a step mash. I'll brew it a tad on the warm side to emphasize some bananas. </div><div><br /></div><div>One issue that will get plenty of attention along the way is the water profile and pH through the brew day. For a water profile I want a fairly neutral water profile that will avoid any notable minerality but allow for a rounded beer. Further, I will modify the pH through the brew process rather than set the pH in the strike water and let it go. A high pH reportedly increases ferulic acid production which becomes the desirable clove flavor. I'll start with a pH at 5.7 and after the ferulic acid rest drop pH to 5.5. That should allow the beer to drop low enough after fermentation to have a hint of acidity without tasting like a weird Berliner weisse. (If you care, I used Bru'n Water to create the first profile with 5.7 pH and then altered the pH to hit the second target with the mash.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Because this is a hopfenweizen we should also discuss the late hopping. Recipes I looked at were all over the map on hops, hopping rates and times. The recipes ran the gamut of gentle hopping with noble varieties to aggressive hopping with new world hops to basically create a wheat IPA. Here I want somewhere in the middle of the range. I opted for a meager 1/2 ounce per gallon half as a ten minute addition and half as a whirlpool addition. Although late boil additions are not terribly common these days, the character of slightly boiled hops seems to integrate a little better than the raw postboil additions although I want to retain some of that fresh hop flavor and aroma. I opted for Mount Hood and Aurora hops in equal blend. These hops are reminiscent of noble hops but bring a little more citrus and fruit flavors.</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Hopfenweizen Recipe </h1><div><br /></div><div><style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.1 gallons</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.3%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 12.4</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.051</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.013</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.7</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pale Malt</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>13</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>70.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>White wheat malt</td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>1.6</td><td> </td><td>30.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Hefeweizen Water</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.7 and 5.5 after ferulic rest</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>44</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>3</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>10</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>56</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>43</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate*</td><td>48</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>*pre-acid addition, -8 after</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.9g</td><td> </td><td>0.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.3g</td><td> </td><td>0.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.3g</td><td> </td><td>0.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td><br />0.5g</td><td> </td><td>0.8g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.3g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 12.18 qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 1.67 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 12.18 qt at 116F</td><td>111</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Decoct 2 qt and boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Add 0.3ml lactic acid to mash to 5.5 pH</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Protein rest--add decoction</td><td>125</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>10</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Decoct 3 qt and boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gelantinization rest--add decoction</td><td>143</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>30</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Decoct 3.8 qt and boi</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sacharification rest--add decoction</td><td>161</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>45</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1.67 gal at 180F</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mount Hood</td><td>0.1</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>3.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mount Hood</td><td>0.25</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>10</td><td> </td><td>3.6</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aurora</td><td>0.25</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>10</td><td> </td><td>4.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mount Hood</td><td>0.5</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>Whirl</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Aurora</td><td>0.5</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>Whirl</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Starter: NA</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 61F</td><td>?</td><td> </td><td>61</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Free rise to 68F and hold</td><td>14</td><td> </td><td>68<br /></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Dry hop on day 14 0.30 oz Aurora<br />and 0.70 oz. Mt. Hood hops</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div>Keg at 3 volumes of CO2</div><h1 style="text-align: left;">
Brewday and Fermentation Notes</h1><div>Brewed on 8.15.21.</div><div><br /></div><div>Settling in for a complex decoction mash schedule that, due to short mash rests early in the process, will require a lot of attention. Thankfully the pH came in just under 5.8 at the first rest. I was a little concerned the way I adjusted the water profile in Bru'n Water to increase the pH and then lower it after the ferulic rest. </div><div><br /></div><div>The hop pellets are ready for action. (Bittering, late boil, whirlpool.) The hops have a nice aroma of floral, lemon, orange and melon with that unmistakable pellets-fresh-out-of-the-freezer freezer burnt aroma. </div><div><br /></div><div>Preboil volume: 3.8 gal</div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.053</div><div>Mash efficiency: 91.6%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil volume: 3.1 gal</div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.060</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 85%</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtLRLVujq4HzoZwbuEJzhuq7RbdCTXU2USWRdzgzDoq8JpWlMnmt96ur_P270ua2Pcho5UQr0feSfeYgKTs4Fmj0lhoeCnLJfrCVidKM1g7i3K-r989hVdb6qerGQ_9AOaAKlga4a6KiIO-0I1BJ6OzxAVmqtp_AMdEyI5YnjRf1gfcRlDfC3vc93wGQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtLRLVujq4HzoZwbuEJzhuq7RbdCTXU2USWRdzgzDoq8JpWlMnmt96ur_P270ua2Pcho5UQr0feSfeYgKTs4Fmj0lhoeCnLJfrCVidKM1g7i3K-r989hVdb6qerGQ_9AOaAKlga4a6KiIO-0I1BJ6OzxAVmqtp_AMdEyI5YnjRf1gfcRlDfC3vc93wGQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicX3Od3caFbxWQx2Y1gIj1s-BUd2nUD5V7BwNa_vOEDHnQPBm-GFoaRnMptel1164Huc8nbSQosBRvx636AYKYu_sK9M5mOWRhIX6U8I-1oieMa3b-afpCMiDItA6TWCxUnHaPQC6rfTViaqbJAk8Q2DoIz-lZmrtiNYklNm26B0wBJ4IennS-gWCQuQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicX3Od3caFbxWQx2Y1gIj1s-BUd2nUD5V7BwNa_vOEDHnQPBm-GFoaRnMptel1164Huc8nbSQosBRvx636AYKYu_sK9M5mOWRhIX6U8I-1oieMa3b-afpCMiDItA6TWCxUnHaPQC6rfTViaqbJAk8Q2DoIz-lZmrtiNYklNm26B0wBJ4IennS-gWCQuQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Fermentation kicked off the following day and carried on for just under five full days with the krausen holding on until day ten. I left the beer to relax and clean up before adding 0.30 oz. of Aurora hops and 0.70 oz of Mount Hood hops as a dry hop addition for two days before bottling. I had not initially planned on dry hopping but the hop flavor and aroma was not quite where I wanted it after two weeks. A vigorous ferment plus moderate hopping can do that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Kegged after three weeks.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Hopfenweizen tasting notes</h2><div><b>Appearance:</b> Pale yellow beer forms a bright white rocky head that lingers to the bottom of the glass with nice lacing. The beer is cloudy but not muddy. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Aroma:</b> Banana, fruit punch, rose, banana bread, grassy, lemon-lime soda.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flavor:</b> Banana, clove, generic floralness, lemon, lime, soudough bread, straw. The beer is too acidic for the style--it is tangy like lemonade. The beer is too bitter for the style with bitterness lingering through the taste and into the lemon-banana aftertaste. There is also a metallic note in the end of the swallow and lingers into the aftertaste. It is metallic like straight lactic acid. Lacks the raw doughy flavor typical of hefeweizen. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mouthfeel:</b> The beer feels medium to full but prickly with light acidity and a touch of scratchy tannin. The scratchy tannin lingers in the aftertaste. Lacks the soft feel of a typical hefeweizen.</div><div><br /></div><b>Overall:</b> Kind of a misfire on this beer. It is too tangy and bitter for the style with subdued banana/clove yeast flavor. The bitterness and tannin presence is easily blamed on the hops. I would have been better off with less hot side and a big dry hop addition. The bigger problem is the tangy acidity in the beer. I like hefeweizen to feel soft and pillowy with a touch of sweetness and this beer is missing all of that. It is too rough and too acidic. It isn't so acidic it is berlinerweisse-like but getting on its way. I don't think the mid-mash acidification was necessary and I suspect my mistake was not accounting for how pH changes differ with temperature changes. I also think I would have been better off with a softer water profile than what I used here. <div><br /></div><div>Overall there are positives here but just not the beer I had envisioned. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-31523999841665264752021-12-20T21:55:00.001-06:002022-02-12T13:20:36.785-06:00Barrel aged Americanized Oud Bruin Batch 7 Recipe & BrewdayIt's well past time for another rebrew of this <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/06/barrel-aged-americanized-oud-bruin.html">Americanized oud bruin</a> that I have been barreling in my tiny two gallon barrel. I'm trying to find the goldilocks time and process so this sour beer can gain positive aging in the barrel but not pick up an acetic edge. I'm not quite there yet. My past experiences with this beer (add links to prior batches) suggest this barrel has no problem overoaking but does have problems with these thin staves and losing beer to angel's share. Waxing the barrel seemed to do little or had a positive effect but the evaporation rate on this small whisky barrel would be a nightmare had I not. Hard to say, really. Well let's talk about what happened with the prior batch, what I intend to do with batch seven of this oud bruin and then get into brewing it. <div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Americanized oud bruin batch six</h2><div><br /></div><div><div>Although I distinctly recall writing a post for the sixth batch of this beer I cannot find the post and it seems lost to the ages. Unfortunately I don't have great notes on this one. Batch six followed the same recipe as the prior batches. Like <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2019/06/barrel-aged-american-oud-bruin-batch-5.html">batch five</a> it went into the barrel for primary, then topped off with wort to make up for blow off. I recall I brewed it around August 2020 and primaried it right in the barrel and topped up the barrel after primary fermentation around Thanksgiving 2020. I didn't intend to leave that batch in the barrel for quite as long but it has been a weird two years and what can you do. I should have brewed the batch seven refill around August so I could see what happened after a year. Batch five sat in the barrel without top up for closer to eighteen months which was too long. The barrel lost about a third of the volume and came out with some acetic notes. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijvmmW2WGbbKQfwOCHthx-XV-8g2861i5EaTdheVWRzFZnQLo0avOz4QMhtmFnLPCd-VncEovy_EY9mTDw9ny3Cv2ojdxT9zGWO_XmIf3i0uv6r2oaNPKhnvOtpfwJTqi507nXUnTwYLM48fsDUuqDp0b7_QmSxyvZRdHeqXPAEVpK903Eto6K1G1hNA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijvmmW2WGbbKQfwOCHthx-XV-8g2861i5EaTdheVWRzFZnQLo0avOz4QMhtmFnLPCd-VncEovy_EY9mTDw9ny3Cv2ojdxT9zGWO_XmIf3i0uv6r2oaNPKhnvOtpfwJTqi507nXUnTwYLM48fsDUuqDp0b7_QmSxyvZRdHeqXPAEVpK903Eto6K1G1hNA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>When I cracked open the bung (which hasn't been opened since topping up the barrel) I wasn't terribly surprised to find the barrel was about half empty. I was concerned that the fifty percent headspace and length of time in the barrel would be violently acetic but that turned out not to be true at all. Sure the beer is acidic and even a touch acetic but not offensive. I wonder with the primary fermentation if the upper interior of the barrel is developing a layer of dried krausen helping to keep out some oxygen. Not really sure whether it is a fluke batch or the process is sorting itself out for the better.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Planning batch seven of this oud bruin recipe</h2><div><br /></div><div>Generally I intend for this batch to replicate the testing parameters of batch six. The same oud bruin recipe will continue as it has every past iteration of this little project. I'll put wort directly into the barrel and freeze a portion of the excess wort for topping up once primary dies down. I'll let the beer sit for one year and then see how the beer fares. Then I can compare batches six and seven against each other and see if less time in the barrel had a positive effect on flavor and acidity. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you're a new ready to this particular project, the recipe below is based fairly closely to Rare Barrel's sour brown ale recipe. Their recipe is reasonably similar to most of the American oud bruin beers like <a href="https://beerandbrewing.com/review/oud-bruin/">Funkwerks's Oud Bruin</a> or <a href="https://www.newbelgium.com/beer/la-folie/">New Belgium's La Folie</a> which contain more specialty malts and a deeper flavor than many of their Belgian counterparts. The IBUs fall higher than most Belgian oud bruins which helps moderate acidity which I like. This beer is going in a tiny two gallon wheat whisky barrel I picked up a few years ago. This will be the ninth beer to descend its tiny bunghole.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Americanized oud bruin batch seven recipe</h2><div><br /></div><div>
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 2.25 gallon</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 7.3%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 24</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.071</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.015</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 25</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%<br /><br /></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Grain Bill</b></td><td><b>Pounds</b></td><td></td><td><b>Ounces</b></td><td></td><td><b>SRM</b></td><td></td><td><b>Pct. Grist</b></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>4</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>66.80%</td></tr>
<tr><td>White wheat malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>16.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vienna malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>3.5</td><td></td><td>6.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 80</td><td></td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>80</td><td></td><td>4.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>2.6</td><td></td><td>350</td><td></td><td>2.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aromatic malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>26</td><td></td><td>2.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Black patent malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>1.4</td><td></td><td>500</td><td></td><td>1.50%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><b><br />Water Profile</b></td><td><b>ppm</b></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Brown Malty Profile</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>16</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>85<br /><br /></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Water Additions</b></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td><b>Mash</b></td><td></td><td><b>Sparge</b></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td>0</td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.9g</td><td></td><td>0.7g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><b><br />Mash Schedule</b></td><td><b>Step Temp.</b></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td><b>Step Time</b></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 7.8 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 1.5 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 7.8 quarts at 167F</td><td>150F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>75</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1.5 gal at 190F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><b><br />Boil Schedule</b></td><td><b>Volume</b></td><td></td><td><b>Unit</b></td><td></td><td><b>Time</b></td><td></td><td><b>IBU</b></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade [5.5%]</td><td>0.55</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>24</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><b><br />Fermentation Schedule</b></td><td><b># Days</b></td><td></td><td><b>Temp.</b></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY3728</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch What's in the barrel</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 70F</td><td>?</td><td></td><td>Ambient</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 4 vol CO2 with 2 oz table sugar</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>Barrel aged American oud bruin brewday</h3><div>Brewed 12.11.21.</div><div><br /></div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.061</div><div>Preboil volume: 2.75 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 76%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.070</div><div>Postboil volume: 2.25 gal</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 72%</div><div><br /></div><div>This was a nice brewday where everything went right without any hiccups. Hit all the numbers dead on for this homebrew batch and made quick work of turning around brewing and bottling. First, some eye candy.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheDHdy4QEwawizHNoZ8GuqS5N7vv4GQxlYYTzo-khMPTSQKp1iX3poaHJUXwf1ymMl-B4_PMTb_kmjNy_MInjYJQ9oDhijbTXyqhQoCxYvK-I43uR8g9pnfTgTsYDbgAixB0wKvB5zm7Yo-s3zhdYD6j16s0nyhZBnnTgvyYtlR8lg3LMu_8jl7wC6OQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheDHdy4QEwawizHNoZ8GuqS5N7vv4GQxlYYTzo-khMPTSQKp1iX3poaHJUXwf1ymMl-B4_PMTb_kmjNy_MInjYJQ9oDhijbTXyqhQoCxYvK-I43uR8g9pnfTgTsYDbgAixB0wKvB5zm7Yo-s3zhdYD6j16s0nyhZBnnTgvyYtlR8lg3LMu_8jl7wC6OQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgekHyguLpoevOKzGN7GGASNWyRZ9yZ1xfZv-FESSH3X9DDZotjwn3f6At3dKJQjOt-lb4y92P5DwRP--xJiWz1ctlMClfMBpyVkAccoPpQzEEbjHWQfF32SdJZqDwn36svtRdxUBc3wfJigUnVt33A1OtHx6uAAiDuHcls9a76eGdpqyIcE6kiMCb_DQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgekHyguLpoevOKzGN7GGASNWyRZ9yZ1xfZv-FESSH3X9DDZotjwn3f6At3dKJQjOt-lb4y92P5DwRP--xJiWz1ctlMClfMBpyVkAccoPpQzEEbjHWQfF32SdJZqDwn36svtRdxUBc3wfJigUnVt33A1OtHx6uAAiDuHcls9a76eGdpqyIcE6kiMCb_DQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Having brewed this exact beer recipe seven times I know what it should look like through the process and what I can expect going into the barrel. I've made my peace with the fact that this barrel loses about half its volume to angel's share and the beer is a little more acidic than I would hope but there doesn't seem to be a superior option. Batch six has been the batch I've been most happy with so far going into the bottle. Several of the pre-steaming batches turned aggressively acetic and helped clean my kitchen sink drainpipe but the post-steaming, primary-fermented-in-the-barrel batches have held up better--at least so far. For now, I'll keep this process moving forward and enjoy the one gallon or so of sour beer I get out of this tiny barrel. </div>
<div></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-91470320113644845092021-08-02T09:00:00.001-05:002021-08-02T09:00:00.264-05:00Oak Smoked Lager Recipe & BrewdaySmoked beer. Is any class of beer more despised than smoked beer? Even sour beer has risen from an isolated corner of beer geekdom into the mainstream. Plenty of people still don't enjoy sour beer but at least we've most past the this-batch-is-infected-we-brew-sour-beer-now era of brewing. Smoked beer, however, remains an isolated class of beers deeply beloved by a small sect of beer drinkers and the target of ridicule for virtually everybody else. Count me among the fans. Most people think of smoked beer as the bacon-y, densely smokey beers from <a href="https://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html">Schlenkerla</a> but that is too narrow. Smoked beer, like sour beer, represents a broad class of styles and really any beer style could become a smoked beer. Smoked beer can range from slightly smoky to aggressively smoked. All sorts of wood can be used to bring different smoke flavors from light and fruity to heavy and rich. <div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder"></div><div><br /></div><div>With that in mind I set out to design a smoked lager with a present but mild smoked flavor. I ran away from the bacon-y beechwood smoked malt and the fruit-forward flavors of many other available smoked malt. Using a smoker I smoked pilsner malt over oak which I hope will provide a mellow smoked flavor that will be delicious but not hang in my mouth like I've been eating BBQ all day. I am not going to pretend I did an ideal job of smoking the grain at home here but I believe I did well enough to get the job done. After wetting the grain (and rewetting every ten minutes or so) I smoked it over oak as cool as I could get my smoker for about an hour and a half. I don't trust that I kept the temperature low enough for the diastatic enzymes to survive so I will add a small amount of unsmoked grain and mash for longer than normal. As you can see from the smoked malt some of the grain burned severely but the overall color is considerably darker than the unsmoked malt beside it. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLtzc5q6P4Y7GJAN6B0j9F1ZIpmkWSfGiJZhzcSILv1AqOLGVmNye7DAxkMSN5sFhBtUNeFMkYT-LungoQ7ZY5sRhHRRnZDDP1eSgx9XeEOjiTXLYBqD6TAbp7Uwp7Gpko5SkjlKCskWJ/s4032/IMG_20200830_114351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLtzc5q6P4Y7GJAN6B0j9F1ZIpmkWSfGiJZhzcSILv1AqOLGVmNye7DAxkMSN5sFhBtUNeFMkYT-LungoQ7ZY5sRhHRRnZDDP1eSgx9XeEOjiTXLYBqD6TAbp7Uwp7Gpko5SkjlKCskWJ/w400-h300/IMG_20200830_114351.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoked grain on the left, original on the right<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To round out this smoked lager I added a little mount hood hops, mostly because I have them on hand and they are close enough to noble hops to get the job done. This is more of an experiment with whether oak smoked malt makes a good beer outside of grodziskie rather than trying to create a polished beer recipe. </div><div><br /></div><div>For yeast I opted to try out a new yeast lab. I'm normally a Wyeast fan when buying yeast from a lab merely because I've had nothing but good results using their products. Here in Denver we have our own yeast lab that has been around for a few years but generally seems to only supply local breweries and homebrew shops: <a href="https://inlandislandyeast.com/">Inland Island</a>. Their products are not the easiest to find even around Denver homebrew shops but I found a fresh shipment on my last trip to refill a CO2 tank and decided to give them a try. </div><div><br /></div><div>I selected <a href="https://inlandislandyeast.com/yeast-library/inis-711-german-monk-lager/">INIS-711 Monk Lager</a>. Unfortunately Inland Island doesn't provide much details about the yeast strain but by pairing it up against other lab offerings I believe this is an analog to the rare <a href="https://www.whitelabs.com/yeast-bank/wlp835-german-x-lager-yeast">White Labs 835 German Lager X</a> which hails from <a href="http://andechs.de/en/brewery/our-beer-specialities/">Kloster Andechs</a>. The strain is described in various places as "well behaved" and versatile which is what I'd like in a potential house lager strain. The BSI equivalent is used by a lot of pro brewers (especially around Colorado, it seems) which is probably due to these two factors. A smoked lager isn't the best test of the qualities of the yeast but I'll split the vial and reserve the rest for a more delicate lager. </div><h2 style="text-align: left;">One gallon oak smoked lager recipe</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 1 gallon</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 4.9%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 32</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.048</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.010</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 9</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>8</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>27.60%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oak smoked pils malt</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>5</td><td> </td><td>9</td><td> </td><td>72.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Dusseldorf (boiled)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>39</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>16</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>25</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>78</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>45</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-6</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.1g</td><td> </td><td>.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.5g</td><td> </td><td>.8g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.2g</td><td> </td><td>.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.2g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.4ml</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 3.26qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 1.23 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 3.26qt at 161F</td><td>150</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>75</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1.23 gal</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Opal [6.5%]</td><td>0.2</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>29.3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mt. Hood [6%]</td><td>0.1</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>5</td><td> </td><td>2.7</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irish moss</td><td>0.25</td><td> </td><td>tsp</td><td> </td><td>5</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Inland Island INIS-711 Monks Lager</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 50F</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>50</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Free rise to 54F and hold until 1.010</td><td>?</td><td> </td><td>52</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Free rise to 65F for diacetyl rest</td><td>7</td><td> </td><td>65</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Reduce temperature to 36F</td><td>3</td><td> </td><td>36</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lager</td><td>30</td><td> </td><td>36</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Keg at 2.3 vol</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Brewday & Fermentation Notes</h2><div><br /></div><div>Brewed 8.30.20.</div><div><br /></div><div>Preboil gravity: 1.032</div><div>Preboil volume: 1.8 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 76%</div><div><br /></div><div>(Got sidetracked and forgot to get postboil numbers...)</div><div><br /></div><div>Pitched INIS-711 at 53F at the end of the brewday and hoped for the best.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can tell from the wort the poor smoking technique produced enough dark grain to significantly change the color. This is dunkelweizen territory on color. I'm not bothered by the color and curious about the end flavor. There is definitely smoke present in the aroma and flavor of the wort with some munich-like and a touch of roasted barley flavor that actually work really well with the smoke. Perhaps a happy accident in the making. </div><div><br /></div><div>Checked gravity 9.9.20 at 1.008 which is right about where final gravity should fall. The beer has a nice sweet ham-like smoke flavor that isn't quite as bacon-y as beechwood smoked rauchmalt nor as aggressively smoky. It is a touch sweet right now but I am hoping once the beer has lagered and undergone carbonation it will be brighter and a little more balanced. So far, so good. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Oak Smoked Lager Tasting Notes</h2><div>Appearance: Dark copper color with a slightly tan head. Beer is clear and the head is lasting with good lacing all the way down.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aroma: Soft smoke, toasted bread, light fruit.</div><div><br /></div><div>Flavor: Light, gentle oak smoke is the dominant flavor but it isn't aggressive Schlenkerla type smoke. Behind is toasted oak, slightly sweet caramel, toasted bread, saltine cracker, subtle hint of citrus fruit. The flavors are crisp and distinct. The bitterness is just present enough to keep the beer balanced and refreshing. The smoke lingers in the aftertaste. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mouthfeel: The body is slightly denser than a 100% pils beer should be which might be my personal impression that smoked beers feel thicker than they actually are. The body is smooth and very easy to drink in volume.</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall: Although my poor smoking technique produced a beer different than what I planned it turned out quite well. I like smokier beers but this is a good balance between a beer with a clear smoke presence but you can drink several without feeling like you ate several plates of BBQ followed by a cigar which is great. Overall it reminded me of a smoked rendition of an Oktoberfest lager. If I scored the beer it would be mid to high thirties but in a smoked category it wouldn't score well over its moderated smoke character.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-8637636244302776972021-07-07T22:40:00.005-05:002021-07-07T22:40:32.110-05:00Fresh hop lager recipe & notesIt's hop harvest time which for me means it's time to use up my meager hop harvest to make another fresh hop beer. I know fresh hop beers can be polarizing and their brief early 2010s moment in the spotlight has long since passed but I enjoy these beers, even if they are a loving reminder that not all hoppy beers have to be haze bombs. Fresh hop beers continue to have a stronghold in the Pacific northwest but there's no reason why us homebrewers cannot share in the delight of these delicate hopped beers. <div><br /></div><div><b>Note:</b> I wrote this post last September when it actually was hop harvest time and burned through the beer without making tasting notes. The beer overall turned out ok despite letting the hops live on the bines longer than I should have. <br /><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">How my poor gardening skills helped unintentionally craft this year's fresh hop beer</h2><div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder"></div><div><br /></div><div>As a recap (because nobody cares about the hops I grow) I am growing classic American varieties Cascade, Chinook, Mount Hood and Sterling. The sterling has been lazy about its growth and this year the chinooks went from almost ready to overly dried out in a few days this week which means my 2020 fresh hopped beer is going to be primarily cascade and mount hood. I think growing them in barrels instead of the ground has proven a not great solution in hot and dry Denver summers so I am going to sink the barrels mostly into the ground this winter to get the benefit of limiting their spread but give them a cooler root system. I am also going to tie them into my garden irrigation so they don't have to rely on hand watering every day. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now that you are sufficiently bored with my gardening woes let me point out the recipe-relevant issue that I have mostly cascade and mount hood to work with. Mount hood is a noble hop substitute so I'm taking the easy route with this year's beer and opting for a fresh hop lager. Cascade and mount hood hops represent one of the oldest craft beer hop combos but I don't think I have enough hops in total to do a good job with a pale ale. Instead I'll let the hops off easy this year and do something a little milder in hop character and let mount hood flex its delicate hoppiness. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Let's talk about this fresh hop homebrew recipe</h2></div><div>So I want to make this a less style-focused beer and call it a craft lager. American hops, even those old school attempts at noble hops, miss their mark duplicating their ancient cousins so let's not pretend mount hood makes a German pilsner as well as hallertau. Instead, let's craft (get it) a separate space for delicious beers inspired by old world lagers but with their own character. Let's also not make them second rate comparisons by trying to force them to be their old world models. Instead, let's celebrate these hops for what they are and put them into beers that showcase their strengths, not their shortfalls. Craft lager is a nice catchall for these beers. That loops in IPLs and new world hopped lagers but why not as well lagers built around the classic American hops. It's not the best term for those beers but at least it frees them from the constraints of competing with old world beers. </div><div><br /></div><div>I plucked all the available hops from the bines which, unfortunately were not in the best shape but still smell good. The final blend weighs in at just over three ounces which is not bad considering how much of the hop content is extremely dry. My rough guess here is that this is closer to two ounces of dried hops so an alright amount to add to this beer. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RvE8aPUVTeIPcLzfq6XYNZ0_Kh3sd-H0QGM1Nw-GfVe27lLprPYfWc3bKGVxu0Pe2pljWJMHFp_KMQ4FE4Q0G_OKdBF02qOu-H_WRpWh1UDpdQ5KnvxCdgZvyNk7LYqK5ymB8OiU1g6H/s4032/IMG_20200907_151638.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RvE8aPUVTeIPcLzfq6XYNZ0_Kh3sd-H0QGM1Nw-GfVe27lLprPYfWc3bKGVxu0Pe2pljWJMHFp_KMQ4FE4Q0G_OKdBF02qOu-H_WRpWh1UDpdQ5KnvxCdgZvyNk7LYqK5ymB8OiU1g6H/w625-h469/IMG_20200907_151638.jpg" width="625" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For this recipe I kept the recipe simple with pils malt to keep the beer crisp and let the hops do the heavy lifting providing flavor. Because I'm keeping this American I want a punchy hop character so I'll add some dried mount hood at the end of the boil and let all the fresh hops arrive at whirlpool to keep all the delicate character intact. Round this beer off with a fermentation care of Inland Island 1171 (Andechs's lager strain). </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Fresh hopped lager recipe</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3 gallons</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.2%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 37</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.046</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.012</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.9</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>6</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>100.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Bitter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>52</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>11</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>6</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>106</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>45</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-22</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.8g</td><td> </td><td>1.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.8g</td><td> </td><td>1.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.2g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>0.7g</td><td> </td><td>1.0g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.4ml</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 7.5qt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 2.8 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 7.5qt at 167F</td><td>152</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2.8 gal</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade [5.5%]</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>37</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mt. Hood [6%]</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>0</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irish moss</td><td>0.25</td><td> </td><td>tsp</td><td> </td><td>5</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Inland Island INIS-711 Monks Lager</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>1.5l starter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 50F</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>50</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Free rise to 54F and hold until 1.010</td><td>?</td><td> </td><td>52</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Free rise to 65F for diacetyl rest</td><td>7</td><td> </td><td>65</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Reduce temperature to 36F</td><td>3</td><td> </td><td>36</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lager</td><td>30</td><td> </td><td>36</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Keg at 2.3 vol</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> <br /><br /></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h2>
Fresh hop lager brewday and fermentation notes
</h2><div>Brewed 9.7.20.</div><div><br /></div><div>First runnings gravity: 1.092</div><div>Preboil fermentation gravity: 1.050</div><div>Preboil volume: 4.1 gal</div><div>Mash efficiency: 94%</div><div><br /></div><div>Postboil gravity: 1.050</div><div>Postboil volume: 3.5</div><div>Brewhouse efficiency: 80%</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not sure how I extracted that much wort from this batch given how much hop matter went into the kettle. I should be closer to 2.5 gallons instead of 3.5 gallons but I guess I extracted more from the mash and sparge than I calculated. Oh well?</div><div><br /></div><div>Pitched yeast at the end of the brew day and by the morning the airlock was happily bubbling away.</div></div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-20344297477822089562021-03-30T19:15:00.000-05:002021-03-30T19:15:11.979-05:00One Gallon Spontaneous Sour Beer Batch 6 and The Board of Lambicky Mysteries<p>Here comes another small batch of lambic inspired spontaneous beer in my long, long running effort to turn my home into a lambic/gueuze homebrewery. In my last installment I looked at reducing the volume of aged hops while trying to chase down my unusual problem of not getting anything in the way of sourness in my prior five renditions under the theory that perhaps the wort simply had too much antibacterial power. I'll talk a little about where that beer is right now, about a year old, and then get into one change to this recipe and a piece of equipment that will test a second theory. Well that seems like enough teasing the content so let's talk brewing sour beer and my questionable brewing theories.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Where is that lambic-inspired spontaneous batch 5?</h2><p>Spontaneous batch 5 was my least hopped batch in an effort to make the wort ever more susceptible to lactic acid bacteria and get <i>some</i> sourness in these beers. Previously I had hopped these beers at the same rate as Cantillon, who knows a thing or two about lambic brewing. For batch 5 I slid down to a paltry 0.40 oz./gal. ratio after seeing so many other homebrewers kicking out spontaneous beers around this volume with sufficient sourness. </p><p>Nope.</p><p>This beer is a year old and like its predecessors it is nowhere in the sour beer territory. I didn't ph test it but just by taste it lines up with a clean saison. Slightly dry but no sourness. It has a nice honey flavor that will make a nice blending component but it is missing sourness and has only a hint of funkiness. Obviously still not getting the job done. A systemic problem across multiple batches and two different environments means more than just chalking this up to the randomness of spontaneous beer. (Sure, it could still be randomness but every batch makes the probability of a random result less likely.) </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Untested factors in souring these spontaneous beers</h2><div>At least three factors remain unchanged throughout these batches which may be culprits. First, the batch size itself may play a role. Since the first batch I've had concerns whether this small volume would work, whether it was an issue with insufficient surface volume or the wort cooling too quickly. I cannot rule this issue out but I've had smaller experiments reach sourness much quicker without any problem and I'm cooling these one gallon batches as fast as other people seem to cool their five gallon batches. I also tried a five gallon batch some time ago as my first spontaneous experiment which turned out pretty close to its smaller companion experiments. Although unable to rule it out, I have enough data that this may not be an issue that it isn't on the forefront of addressing the issue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Second, the boil time may be a factor. In each of these experiments I have opted to boil for only an hour rather than the traditional three or four hour boil. The primary reason long boils exist for lambic is because it usually takes a lot of liquid to conduct a turbid mash. This isn't so much a problem on a small homebrewing scale where manual labor seems sufficient to get out the starches and sugars from the mash tun. But maybe there is a secondary issue going on. Is the long boil degrading the antimicrobial compounds in the aged hops? I would expect a short boil to result in less extraction than a longer boil and thus less defense against lactic acid bacteria but maybe with aged hops I need to degrade them in a longer boil. Of all the other homebrew experiments I've seen replicating lambic, they all seem to do the longer boil. </div><div><br /></div><div>Third, perhaps the environment is a factor. Many commercial and virtually all home brewing of spontaneous beers seem to involve unloading the coolship into the open air. None of the Belgian lambic brewers do this and only a handful of commercial breweries here have placed their coolship indoors. I've long wondered whether these open air experiments are missing the point (although they seem to have no problem souring their wort). It is well known in brewing science that yeast and bacteria, especially those most desirable in lambic, are found concentrated within breweries far more than non-brewery locations. This makes sense that an environment full of sugar would harbor sugar-loving microbes who in turn become experts in chomping those malt sugars. If you've read any lambic materials from years past you know the old saw about splashing lambic around the coolship to innoculate a cooling space but Cantillon straight up sprayed all the walls of their new brewery. They clearly think this is an issue. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps these are overlapping issues. The boil time may leave behind too many antimicrobial elements while the small batch size and open environment makes it less likely hop tolerant lactic acid bacteria meet the cooling wort surface. Maybe even adjusting the boil time but keeping the batch size means I need to do more than hope for the best that the aspen trees in my back yard can shake out the "right" yeast and bacteria. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Changing the boil time and every drop of liquid</h2><div>An easy change to make to test at least one of these theories is to expand out to a three hour boil. Adding boil time is simple but with a recipe designed for a one hour boil I need to account for more evaporation and hence completely change the water volumes for the entire recipe (and the water chemistry of brewing salts, too). I built the original recipe on the turbid mash profile in Wild Brews (one of the 2000s Brewers Publication gems) which is supposed to be based on Cantillon's turbid mash schedule. (The opportunistically named Levi Funk's early work putting together Funk Factory suggested the same.) The relatively minor work retooling the water volumes is offset by making the turbid mash brewday a little easier by having to employ less manual labor to press out those milky first few runnings. </div><div><br /></div><div>The complicated part of building a turbid mash schedule is accounting for the volumes flowing back and forth between the three vessels, especially with the early extractions from the mash. If you've ever attempted this turbid mash schedule you know aside from the endurance of performing a multiple hour mash, the toughest part is getting out that first milky extraction. The less liquid in the mash the more you have to press the mash to extract the liquid from the grain. With a shorter boil there was less liquid overall which in turn meant squeezing out the first runnings was a real nightmare. With added liquid it should be a little easier but still not as easy as turning the ball valve and letting them flow. </div><div><br /></div><div>The complicated part of building a turbid mash schedule for a small volume of beer is that the temperatures don't quite work the same. The Wild Brews/Cantillon turbid mash schedule advises that all of the infusions should be at boiling but this doesn't quite work as well on small volumes. Adding boiling water infusions makes sense for a larger volume as the thermal mass ebbs and flows across the turbid mash's yo-yo infusion and extraction schedule. By the time the runnings have been extracted the mash bed needs a lot of heat to make the jump to the next rest. On a smaller scale, especially this small, it's been my experience that the boiling water pushes the temperatures higher than the intended rests. My shorter boil schedule employed the boiling water but for this adjustment I forced beersmith to accept negative water infusions and tried to schedule the infusion temperatures to account for the intended rest temperatures as it would with a regular infusion step mash. As a result the infusions don't require a boil which will help avoid water loss due to as much evaporation. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Let's talk about the board of lambicky mysteries</h2><div>Where do the yeast and bacteria in spontaneous beer come from?</div><div><br /></div><div>Naturally (pun intended) we all agree the coolship process is an important part of inoculating wort with the desired mixtures of microorganisms--but where do <i>they</i> come from? Romantic impressions of lambic and other spontaneous brewing suggests cool breezes bring a magical balance of yeast and bacteria to our wort. That's what drove the long standing myth that these beers can only arise from the Senne valley. Research suggests differently that the brewery itself selects for malt sugar-consuming yeast and bacteria, especially for brett which is not especially common in nature. You have to know that is basically true unless you have never seen a pro brewery cleaning or even cleaned your homebrewing equipment. When Cantillon acquired new brewing space one of the first things they did was spray down the walls with lambic so the space would obtain the residents from the other location. If you don't think the brewery is an important source of yeast and bacteria for spontaneous beer then I'll leave it to you to argue that point with Jean Van Roy.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.firstwefeast.com/complex/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto,w_1100/nhhpykusfhccrpqhxsnh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="800" height="341" src="https://images.firstwefeast.com/complex/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto,w_1100/nhhpykusfhccrpqhxsnh" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>At home I don't have the same luxury to hose down the walls with lambic. While I could I suppose could do that with part of my garage I don't brew quite enough spontaneous wort to reliably build up a hearty group of residents. Nevertheless, I do believe that a consistent environment of malt sugar-consuming bacteria and yeast is a critical part of consistently developing these beers with desirable brett character. I believe it is especially true for these smaller batches where the surface area is less than a larger batch and the wort cools a little too quickly outside to let time make up for the minimal surface area. </div><div><br /></div><div>So since I can't turn my home into a lambic-sprayed brewery I thought I could create a mobile version of the same concept. Instead of fixed walls and a coolship room I could create a mobile "wall" where a malt-consuming culture could form and then descend into cooling wort. By creating a portable brewery environment I can bring it to the kitchen on brew days to get splashed with mash runnings to feed its occupants with malt sugar. It can go outside to let native microorganisms descend onto those malt sugars. When it's time to coolship wort it replicates the coolship room, allowing the mobile environment to shake out its occupants into the wort to make friends with microorganisms drifting in the wind. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is not a fancy solution at all. </div><div><br /></div><div>I turned an inexpensive cutting board into my mobile "brewery environment" for this purpose. The cutting board is physically equivalent to the wood on walls, ceilings and rafters in these lambic breweries but without the benefit of being a lambic brewery. While cooling the wort I will partially cover the kettle with the board so the wort gets a combination of residents from the air and the wood.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0x0t7IurwPU21lpZ_lk5cKMuFEn1ht_SUOp1rm6hytxhTLiiLW2tTs8s-hkdp_KZZ0UH_tULdEt9H2Ymz1-hYDEM3WpSe11oM4-GCDf9pe9Smek6BI304mGNjn2tQL81bOy1_ia_JQFY/s4032/IMG_20200801_104810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0x0t7IurwPU21lpZ_lk5cKMuFEn1ht_SUOp1rm6hytxhTLiiLW2tTs8s-hkdp_KZZ0UH_tULdEt9H2Ymz1-hYDEM3WpSe11oM4-GCDf9pe9Smek6BI304mGNjn2tQL81bOy1_ia_JQFY/w640-h480/IMG_20200801_104810.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Turning the cutting board into my mobile spontaneous brewery was easy work. I sanded off the stain partially out of concern for dripping chemicals into the cooling wort and partially to facilitate microorganisms taking residence in the wood. I then drilled holes in the wood. I'm not sure this is necessary but I want steam to escape through the wood so I have additional options to control surface area and temperature decline. </div><div><br /></div><div>I then began feeding the board with malt sugar. On the first brewday to follow I sparged additional volume to gain some low gravity runnings. I painted this onto the wood several times and then left it outside to gain occupants. I went back out and painted more runnings on the wort every couple hours for the rest of the afternoon until the board was dry and sticky. Since then I've brought it into the kitchen on brew days and let it get messy with wort drippings from equipment. When that brewday's wort went on the boil the board would go outside to the same area of my backyard where I cool wort. I'll continue to adopt this process for at least several more brewdays. Between these splashy brewdays and cooling spontaneous beer with it I expect to see a consistent culture develop on the board. I expect I will probably have to continue to feed the board with wort to keep the culture alive and consistent. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anybody intrigued to replicate this experiment should be aware that this is creating a board full of microorganisms which very likely include pathogens. When handling the board I am careful to wash my hands and any kitchen surfaces the board touches. I also store the board in a dry environment away from the kitchen to avoid contaminating food or kitchen surfaces. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, now with this board hopefully ready to shake out malt-consuming organisms let's try a brew day.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">One Gallon Spontaneous Sour Beer Batch 6 Recipe & Brewday</h2><div><br /></div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th><th> </th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 1 gallon</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.3%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU ???</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.052</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: ???</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.4</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td> </td><td>Ounces</td><td> </td><td>SRM</td><td> </td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>4</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>60.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unmalted red wheat</td><td> </td><td> </td><td>12</td><td> </td><td>2</td><td> </td><td>40.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Bitter</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.4</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>50</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>10</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>105</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>50</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-64</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Mash</td><td> </td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1.1g</td><td> </td><td>.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>1g</td><td> </td><td>.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.1g</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.8g</td><td> </td><td>.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>.9ml</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>Step Time</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 2.8 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.75 gal</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 2qt at 120F</td><td>113</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 2qt at 150F</td><td>126</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>15</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Remove 1qt, add to kettle, heat to 190F</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 3qt at 185F</td><td>149</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>30</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Remove 3 qt, add to kettle</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infusion 3 qt at 185F</td><td>162</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>30</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Remove 3 qt, add to kettle, increase kettle heat</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse kettle contents to mash tun</td><td>172</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td>20</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.75 gal</td><td>180</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td> </td><td>Unit</td><td> </td><td>Time</td><td> </td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>180 minute boil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Aged hops</td><td>0.25</td><td> </td><td>oz</td><td> </td><td>60</td><td> </td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td> </td><td>Temp.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Spontaneous</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 70F</td><td>365</td><td> </td><td>70</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle with 4oz table sugar to 3 vol</td><td>100</td><td> </td><td>70</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Brewday & Fermentation Notes</h2><div>Brewed 2.7.21.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here comes the obligatory first runnings photo. Oat milk has become a thing--why not lambic milk?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4TyvxxEK5ok0wWkXaAPHOwQT8tKY7K_epa3BahfnDZLhmJOrVt7LqrxC_vEWfZBSSylXyyp3lfnq309vfDfoBaRvBpgxa0j5LH8rVFnIdq17xyxGLKRsaZWGja2-ppBZL1wLm_mz9aCL/s4032/PXL_20210208_000628514.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4TyvxxEK5ok0wWkXaAPHOwQT8tKY7K_epa3BahfnDZLhmJOrVt7LqrxC_vEWfZBSSylXyyp3lfnq309vfDfoBaRvBpgxa0j5LH8rVFnIdq17xyxGLKRsaZWGja2-ppBZL1wLm_mz9aCL/w480-h640/PXL_20210208_000628514.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The added liquor for a three hour boil makes this turbid mash a breeze compared to the prior batches on a one hour boil. On previous batches I had to press out the early runnings with a mesh filter but for this mash I could run off from the ball valve on my mash tun with no problem at all. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguufoAeoYGMUvzaeqeoEbWzrQlUnVJrkAxzl6b1njfoJ750c2eJMG5vatqeA9KxQEhpuO_ZWLVQAD8SkMhPfFKZYpRnFqEHzrKSr-E6JNqvF9qDlv-x9HJQ6HIDtG54tutP4Jlqg9qZVOZ/s4032/PXL_20210208_010346480.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguufoAeoYGMUvzaeqeoEbWzrQlUnVJrkAxzl6b1njfoJ750c2eJMG5vatqeA9KxQEhpuO_ZWLVQAD8SkMhPfFKZYpRnFqEHzrKSr-E6JNqvF9qDlv-x9HJQ6HIDtG54tutP4Jlqg9qZVOZ/w480-h640/PXL_20210208_010346480.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four year old hop pellets</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The brewday went by easily without any challenge. A three hour boil is...a long boil. When I planned to brew today I saw the temperatures were going to hit a high of 55F which would be great but by the time I finished the long boil temperatures had plummeted to the low teens. I put the cooling wort close to the house where it should be a little warmer from radiant heat from the brick wall and less exposure to the blistering wind. The board of lambicky mysteries should also help slow cooling despite the low temperatures. Well let's see what happens.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxqXDtH_Bw-oQ5blIhQiWaKnvxcy1URQoHbMcdXL6BxASWy2WPxlxQbavXFyYtOaRtC6Ma4jhW4GyeBk35basg2ldgkVAF7C5dTy8e8T7bC0XB_nBgDUbtJPSuqiJzO9cWjD_GlcnQbJt/s630/Lambic+Cooling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxqXDtH_Bw-oQ5blIhQiWaKnvxcy1URQoHbMcdXL6BxASWy2WPxlxQbavXFyYtOaRtC6Ma4jhW4GyeBk35basg2ldgkVAF7C5dTy8e8T7bC0XB_nBgDUbtJPSuqiJzO9cWjD_GlcnQbJt/s16000/Lambic+Cooling.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>As you can see, over three hours at a frigid 13F the wort still only cooled to 72F. On my previous batches each cooled to this temperature in about two hours with none of the batches cooling in ambient temperatures this cold. Obviously the board trapped steam which maintained heat above the wort which explains the delayed cooling. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I removed the board the portion covering the wort had a thick layer of moisture that was almost wort like. I wonder if the dried wort I've been painting on the board was melting and dripping back into the kettle. The following day that portion of the board seemed lighter and cleaner. </div><div><br /></div><div>The wort remained calm for a few days but by day four krausen slowly started to appear. After a couple weeks of a very normal beer krausen the beer descended into an unmoving slumber. From here I'll wait and see how it performs. </div>Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0Denver, CO, USA39.7392358 -104.99025111.429001963821158 -140.146501 68.049469636178856 -69.834001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-50555593131366226372021-02-27T20:16:00.001-06:002021-02-27T20:16:37.200-06:00Mesquite Chocolate Rye Porter Recipe & BrewdayI've been thinking about this beer for about eight years--not because it has taken me five years to shape the recipe but because like a lot of homebrewers I have more ideas than time to brew. Back in 2012 I acquired a pile of mesquite pods and set out to brew with them. The result was a <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2012/10/mesquite-porter.html">decent porter using a syrup made from toasted mesquite pods</a>. Of the handful of people who tasted this beer almost everybody remarked that the beer was crying out for a chocolate addition. I agreed and put it on the ever growing list of beers I intended to brew some day. While shopping in my local Asian grocery store I came across some cacao pods and figured this might be a good time to see how difficult it is to create my own cocoa nibs. Turns out it is fairly easy but let's talk a little more about this beer first.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h2>
Crafting the porter recipe</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The original recipe was constructed for a pal as a hazelnut porter that I repurposed as this mesquite pod porter. The recipe was fine and did the job but was nothing special. Rather than reuse the original porter recipe I started over fresh with a new recipe and a new idea. The porter should support the chocolate and mesquite pods while filling in a complete flavor profile so the beer adds complexity underneath the two adjuncts. The cocoa nibs add rich chocolate flavor with undertones of fruit, roast and earthiness. The mesquite pods bring more roast, caramel and earthiness like many Central American coffees. There is some of that mesquite flavor but for the most part it is more like a coffee substitute akin to chicory. The cocoa nibs should add the missing richness to the mesquite pods while the mesquite pods will add complimentary coffee-like flavor. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The base porter should then fill in and amply that flavor combination. I want the specialty malts to add fruitiness, caramel, roastiness and a little spice to reign in too much sweetness. I also want to beef up the body because thin-bodied chocolate-forward beers always seem weird like hot chocolate made with too much water. This gets me a grist of maris otter, rye malt, oats, chocolate wheat, black patent and crystal 80. The porter lacks typical ingredient chocolate malt because the cocoa nibs and mesquite pods will add the roastiness that grain usually provides. Instead I opted for smooth chocolate wheat too add the dark malt flavors without too much roast flavor. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Making cocoa nibs out of cacao</h2>
<div>
I found a couple cocoa pods at my local Asian supermarket and figured I ferment everything else I get my hands on, I might as well try making cocoa nibs from these pods. I had originally bought cocoa nibs for this beer but those will have to make their way into a different beer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/4333/36746668412_5883de26f0_b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="476" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/4333/36746668412_5883de26f0_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Roasting cocoa nibs was surprisingly easy--at least for a rudimentary home process. The basic steps are:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Open the cacao pods and separate the white fleshy lobes containing the cacao beans</li>
<li>Spread them out and let them ferment for several days</li>
<li>Remove the white flesh from the beans</li>
<li>Roast</li>
<li>Dehull the beans</li>
<li>Enjoy cocoa nibs</li>
</ul>
<div>
I am not going to pretend to have any real expertise here but here are a couple resources that better explain the process. (<a href="https://www.nomadicdays.org/how-to-make-cocoa-powder-from-the-pods-of-a-cacao-tree">here</a>, <a href="https://missionchocolate.com/blogs/recipes/30581059-making-chocolate-bean-to-bar">here</a>) Obviously like brewing a decent first attempt should be considered a victory but there is undoubtedly a lot of technique I lacked to make high quality cocoa nibs. Despite my minimal knowledge and rudimentary technique I was surprised by how good the final product is. The hardest part of the process is removing the shells from the beans after roasting which is a time consuming task. I didn't do a perfect job removing the shells as I would for consumption; however, just to extract the flavor a little shell won't be a problem. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was also surprised by the taste of the fresh cacao fruit. I had no idea what to expect but it is sweet and tropical like coconut and pineapple with undertones of chocolate and flowers. The caffeine content is supposed to be quite high which makes sitting down and eating an entire delicious pod probably a bad idea. </div>
<div>
<br />
To ensure the cocoa nibs were sanitary I soaked them for a day in approximately an ounce of rum which will dive into the beer along with the cocoa nibs.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Making mesquite syrup</h2>
This adjunct ingredient was even easier to make than the cocoa nibs. I had actually bought two pounds of mesquite pods back in 2012 from somebody on <a href="http://homebrewtalk.com/">homebrewtalk</a> and made the first batch of a mesquite porter with one pound and this second pound tumbled around in my brewing storage for the next eight years awaiting use. I was concerned that the mesquite pods might not taste especially great after a long slumber but they turned out to be just fine. I <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2012/10/mesquite-pods-yeah-you-can-brew-with.html">posted a long explanation of how to make molasses syrup</a> in this very old post. Because I had roasted these pods when I first brewed them I jumped right into the wet part of processing the pods. A very simple process to make the molasses syrup. I just broke up the pods to access the sugars on the interior and boiled one pound to a little over a gallon of water for about two hours and then strained out the pods and continued to boil another three hours to get down to approximately three cups of a thin syrup. I opted not to boil down any thicker to avoid making a sticky mess I couldn't extract from the pot and to avoid developing burnt flavors.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJSk1u6QVpX3Pgrs4csH4xnEWGyuv9TLfAOYWVrqguUbLF-jIvunpFsSAwvQnMIhugGcsNSLV4H91TSQbJsHUcw9eFRtjPjYOe2eDKg7kcMBgk8PhcVyAPXLNW2mfDzOmGvAP5OhiOr9B/s400/IMAG0155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="239" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJSk1u6QVpX3Pgrs4csH4xnEWGyuv9TLfAOYWVrqguUbLF-jIvunpFsSAwvQnMIhugGcsNSLV4H91TSQbJsHUcw9eFRtjPjYOe2eDKg7kcMBgk8PhcVyAPXLNW2mfDzOmGvAP5OhiOr9B/s640/IMAG0155.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Mesquite syrup develops an interesting flavor that is a lot like a nutty and milk chocolate-y coffee heavily sweetened with piloncillo. Like many ingredients that never made it into widespread consumption the flavors are more earthy and less clean like many sugarcane-based products. Nevertheless this allows brewers to coax interesting flavors that taste less like those pastry stouts that aim to taste like brownie batter or cheap pastries.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Mesquite Chocolate Rye Porter Recipe</h2>
</div>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.1 gallons</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.6%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 35</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.056</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.014</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 31</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Maris Otter</td><td>4</td><td></td><td>8</td><td></td><td>3</td><td></td><td>66.60%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rye malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>5</td><td></td><td>14.80%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Flaked oats</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>8</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td>7.40%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate wheat malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>400</td><td></td><td>5.60%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 80</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>80</td><td></td><td>3.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Black patent malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>500</td><td></td><td>1.90%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Brown Malty</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>62</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>14</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>64</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>80</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.5g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1.1g</td><td></td><td>1.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td><br /></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 8.5qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 2.25 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 8.5qt at 167F</td><td>152</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.25 gal</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2 gal</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade [5.5%] hops</td><td>1.05</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>35</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mesquite syrup</td><td>1.05</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>First Gold [5.5%] hops</td><td>0.15</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY1318</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>16</td><td></td><td>67</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Add cocoa nibs</td><td>14</td><td></td><td>67</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cold crash </td><td>1</td><td></td><td>32</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Keg to 2.2 vol</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h2>
Brewday & Fermentation Notes</h2>
</div>
<div>
Brewed 6.27.20.<br />
<br />
First runnings: 1.097<br />
Preboil gravity: 1.056<br />
Preboil volume: 4 gal<br />
Mash efficiency: 92%<br />
<br />
Postboil gravity:<br />
Postboil volume:<br />
<br />
Had a rough go sparging this beer. With all the huskless grain in there the sparge stuck several times but eventually the mash gave up all those sweet runnings.<br />
<br />
<br />
Really happy with the way the wort tastes. Strong coffee, caramel, chocolate, pepper notes but cut with a good amount of roast. This reminds me how much I like chocolate wheat as an ingredient. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Mesquite Chocolate Rye Porter Tasting Notes</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh_7T74OTPru6Y7TBEKgvNGu3HQ-IReL-Oeg9W7nh7WZSEajbiLNhcZKW7gsK_bs_4uiiMqMOxd9xKk_NpF92DzhtAtjD6kYoGk6HJDZjKC30FPqecFzZuogcRJfCzs0d3U85ODr_R1PG/s4032/PXL_20210228_015801233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh_7T74OTPru6Y7TBEKgvNGu3HQ-IReL-Oeg9W7nh7WZSEajbiLNhcZKW7gsK_bs_4uiiMqMOxd9xKk_NpF92DzhtAtjD6kYoGk6HJDZjKC30FPqecFzZuogcRJfCzs0d3U85ODr_R1PG/w640-h480/PXL_20210228_015801233.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Appearance: The extremely dirty glass aside, the beer pours very dark brown, near black with a buff colored head that lingers almost to the end of the pour. It isn't as fluffy as it could be but it is durable and doesn't slide down the glass without a little fight.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aroma: Baker's chocolate, Colombian coffee, vanilla, passion fruit, bourbon, pumpernickel bread, orange. Really complex aroma.</div><div><br /></div><div>Flavor: Semisweet chocolate, Brazil nut, vanilla, gentle citrus, pumpernickel bread, mild Colombian coffee, white pepper, slight caramel in the finish. As the beer warms the gentle citrus becomes more present and distinctly orange. There is an acidity to it which is slightly off when cold but as the beer warms and the orange notes emerge the acidity seems to soften. As the beer warms the acid profile reminds me of natural processed Ethiopian coffee. The flavor is complex and not at all the usual chocolate/coffee/caramel found in beers called porters.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mouthfeel: The body is moderate with an interested after effect. At first the acidity prickles but then it starts to feel heavy and round on the tongue. The after-swallow mouthfeel is almost heavier than the feel of the beer itself. Really unusual experience. It reminds me of drinking schwarzbier. </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall: This is a really interesting beer to drink. There is a lot going on and the beer changes in good ways as it warms. Although the acidity does interesting things with the flavors it's somewhat offputting and too aggressive for the beer. My expectation was for a lot less fruit flavor and none of the acidity but here we are. I am pretty sure the acidity came from imperfect fermentation of the cocoa nibs which imputed the acidity and fruit flavors. I think the beer would be better without this component. I'd definitely like to rebrew this beer, and maybe not take most of a decade to do it, and source cocoa nibs instead of fermenting them myself. Really fun experience making this beer though. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0Denver, CO, USA39.7392358 -104.99025111.429001963821158 -140.146501 68.049469636178856 -69.834001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-33883848284875016612020-07-13T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-13T05:00:03.866-05:00Can old hops make good IPA? IPA recipe & brewdayIf you've read this homebrewing blog for any length of time you know IPAs and other hoppy beers are notoriously absent. In the heyday of homebrew blogs in the first half of the 2010s you had to look hard to find a recipe post that wasn't an IPA on most blogs. Not here--I was quietly plugging away with weird ingredients and sour beer. You can correctly conclude I am not the biggest IPA fan out there and while they are fun to brew I don't really want to sit on an undrank keg of IPA for months (or longer). This IPA recipe is little more than an experiment in brewing rather than a recipe I've put much thought into perfecting. Let's talk about the experiment and then get into the recipe.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
How this IPA experiment began</h3>
<div>
Several months ago an on again/off again homebrewer offered me a pile of mylar bagged hop pellets of various amounts and hop varieties for experimentation. These bags of pellets were unopened and maybe a year or even two old but most troubling they had sat on a table in his non-temperature controlled garage for an unknown length of time. Brewing lore suggests hops stored at room temperature, even in vacuum sealed mylar, must be weak in alpha acids and flavor. He accepted this view and felt the hops would be better served donated to me for experimentation than making a lousy IPA. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of the pound and a half of hops I divided them between hoppy beer-worthy varieties and the lower alpha hops that are more geared towards the beers more common to this homebrewing blog. I decided to donate the lower alpha hops to my supply of aging hops for sour beer and cut the bags open. At first whiff they smelled--fine. Maybe a little less vibrant than at harvest but I've tasted many beers with flatter hop aroma. The other mylar bags of hops went into my chest freezer to stall any further degradation those more oily varieties might suffer. I decided to try making a west coast style IPA with the remaining hops to see just how bad temperature by itself might reduce the quality of the beer. </div>
<div>
<br />
I am approaching this experiment as though somebody handed me a pile of new hops and asked me to design a recipe so that the flaws of warm temperature aging will be apparent. I don't want to design a recipe to mask the potential flaws because that would answer no questions at all. If I wanted to try to make the best beer despite the rough journey these hops endured then I would design a recipe that is more malt forward and brew a smaller batch to load up the volume of hops. Instead I am going to brew a west coast IPA and leave the hops exposed.<br />
<br />
Certainly the best design for this experiment would be to get brand spanking new packages of the same hops and split wort across two batches with one all old hops and one IPA all new hops; but if homebrewing lore is right the poor quality of these hops should be unmistakable all on their own. The test here is not whether poorly treated hops make <i>as good </i>of an IPA as fresh hops but whether they make a decent beer at all.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Designing the IPA homebrew recipe</h3>
This recipe is something of a mish mash of ingredients. In the event it is a lousy beer I didn't want to commit too much to it so I cobbled together a recipe out of the hops I was given for this experiment and some of the grain I had on hand. Trying to make the best of what I had I opted to put together a 2014-ish west coast IPA. If you remember back to those days before hazy IPA steamrolled all other IPA styles you will remember that west coast IPAs were going increasingly towards a drier, pils-based recipe. I have plenty of pils malt on hand so I opted to put together a pils-based recipe with a little specialty malt to add some maltiness and complexity to the grain bill.<br />
<br />
Looking at the hops to work with I have:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Amarillo 1.30 oz (7% AAU)</li>
<li>CTZ 1 oz (17.5 AAU)</li>
<li>Sorachi Ace 2.10 oz (11.9% AAU)</li>
<li>Citra 1.15 oz (13.2% AAU)</li>
<li>Millenium 1.05 oz (15.9% AAU)</li>
<li>Admiral 1 oz (10.5% AAU)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GAHDYhqXIZc-V4Tt-oVlyzsbnlto7wuxR17GSebZi68rzuKl9wA0bFGjE-jIAwFGuQBbMjCACFkigNg3vnqxnOz13k2tZ17Sbbpv7FdcCm22Zn_UmvaZTpPl_kLii3-m-1sWZEZTmylF/s1600/IMG_20200524_182045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GAHDYhqXIZc-V4Tt-oVlyzsbnlto7wuxR17GSebZi68rzuKl9wA0bFGjE-jIAwFGuQBbMjCACFkigNg3vnqxnOz13k2tZ17Sbbpv7FdcCm22Zn_UmvaZTpPl_kLii3-m-1sWZEZTmylF/s640/IMG_20200524_182045.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Outside of the Amarillo and Citra hops these are not a typical IPA hop bill. I'm fairly sure these are leftover hops from two or three different recipes. The combination of Amarillo, CTZ and Citra kinda make sense as late additions for an IPA. Millenium hops can add some resin-y flavors akin to Columbus which could also work. The Admiral hops are citrus-y like some other European hops so maybe that works too. Sorachi Ace is a polarizing hop and I'm not sure I want a lot of dill in this recipe. So the Sorachi Ace are going to help out in the bittering department. Not sure this is going to be an incredible IPA but hey, maybe I am breaking new ground here. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Otherwise this is going to be a very straightforward west coast IPA recipe. US05 is going to carry out the work with fermentation and sulfate-heavy water profile will punch up the hops. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well let's see what this looks like.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Old hops IPA recipe</h3>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.1 gallons</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 6.6%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU 65</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.062</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.011</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 11</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>8</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>84.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Honey malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>12</td><td></td><td>25</td><td></td><td>7.90%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Simpsons medium crystal</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>12</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>7.90%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>167</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>9</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>23</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>360</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>24</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>116</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>6.4g</td><td></td><td>5.6g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1g</td><td></td><td>.9g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.4g</td><td></td><td>.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.9g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 11.88qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 2.56 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 11.88qt at 167F</td><td>152</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2.56 gal</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sorachi Ace [11.9%]</td><td>1.2</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sorachi Ace [11.9%]</td><td>0.9</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Admiral [10.5%]</td><td>1.3</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CTZ [17.5%]</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Millenium [15.9%]</td><td>1.05</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Citra [13,2%]</td><td>1.15</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Amarillo [7%]</td><td>1.3</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: US05</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>16</td><td></td><td>65</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cold crash </td><td>1</td><td></td><td>32</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Keg to 2.2 vol</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
<br />Brewday & Fermentation Notes</h3>
</div>
<div>
Brewed 5.24.20</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zT5NfNtFBiWlGQH_vTyObJ2oah-8iZrf3m69pMMGup4ncAlT8W5PZtwZRmqVaFgJOAvaTdQnDwZrjSsWSYLU_wBNO9LjZ4gYl8iGk2CFTPHsOrq96B2MHNwmEi8_bCQSyDk8xMfJzsVN/s1600/IMG_20200524_180645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zT5NfNtFBiWlGQH_vTyObJ2oah-8iZrf3m69pMMGup4ncAlT8W5PZtwZRmqVaFgJOAvaTdQnDwZrjSsWSYLU_wBNO9LjZ4gYl8iGk2CFTPHsOrq96B2MHNwmEi8_bCQSyDk8xMfJzsVN/s640/IMG_20200524_180645.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Preboil volume:4.8 gal</div>
<div>
First runnings: 1.090</div>
<div>
Preboil gravity: 1.058</div>
<div>
Mash efficiency: 79%</div>
<div>
Postboil gravity: 1.063</div>
<div>
Postboil volume:4.1 gal</div>
<div>
Brewhouse efficiency: 73%</div>
<br />
The hops mostly smelled exactly as you would expect. The pellets were all seemingly in good shape. The Amarillo hops are whole leaf and smelled a little flat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2br8SlYFcFQcNH4VC2LbftT4V5It2UivN6tYAskcP8frjXIHlvy6Q0T9kY5zFk4nPCDgMLMceuk6mgXjM5Q30DAwZ9JcdHn3_O3DVf_fnKYAahpEcXT5f0NzNLfALcpm0NskyFTvpVRmy/s1600/IMG_20200524_182418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2br8SlYFcFQcNH4VC2LbftT4V5It2UivN6tYAskcP8frjXIHlvy6Q0T9kY5zFk4nPCDgMLMceuk6mgXjM5Q30DAwZ9JcdHn3_O3DVf_fnKYAahpEcXT5f0NzNLfALcpm0NskyFTvpVRmy/s640/IMG_20200524_182418.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After unloading the hops at whirlpool and letting them steep for an hour the wort developed resiny, herbal, lemon hop character. So far I am optimistic it will turn out an okay IPA given the unusual mix of hops and their poor journey from bine to kettle.<br />
<br />
Cooled wort, aerated and pitched US05. Temperature holding at 66F with visible signs of fermentation by the end of the following day.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Tasting Notes</span></h2>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNGF9QeU1tqYYCsEJ2a7NhYh4eNuzBpwuR9XQ6QTt44zyryIbBQd2ZLVdWhRSmr66mK1Wmd53nds5_4kGrT_ECDRd1aE7fvy2EOki2WAe3QwFOZre3ZXh1Np8yd4gSHt_UokzrTfFPOt5/s1600/IMG_20200710_203248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNGF9QeU1tqYYCsEJ2a7NhYh4eNuzBpwuR9XQ6QTt44zyryIbBQd2ZLVdWhRSmr66mK1Wmd53nds5_4kGrT_ECDRd1aE7fvy2EOki2WAe3QwFOZre3ZXh1Np8yd4gSHt_UokzrTfFPOt5/s640/IMG_20200710_203248.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b>Appearance:</b> Looks like...an IPA. Copper-orange hue with reasonable but not perfect clarity. Head is a nice off white that doesn't froth up too much but lingers almost to the end of the glass.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Aroma:</b> Lemon rind, dill, orange, thyme, sage, pineapple, dried grass, angel food cake, spruce. Aroma is good overall but not great, does not pour out of the glass like a typical IPA.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Taste:</b> Lemon, dill, orange, wildflower, thyme, pineapple, wheat bread, peach. Actually a decent mix of flavors although the lemon and dill from the sorachi ace dominate the flavor. Bitterness is underwhelming for an IPA and it is a touch too sweet for an IPA which gives it more of an extra pale ale character than a west coast IPA. As the beer warms it develops more of a savory herbal salad sort of taste which is less enjoyable than the initial first few tastes but the tail end of the lingering finish has a dank and tropical punch flavor similar to simcoe and galaxy.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Mouthfeel: </b>Moderate body with prickly bitterness followed by a long lingering tannin dryness. This would be great on an IPA with more punch but lingers too long and too roughly for the degree of hops.</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Overall:</b> Really not a bad beer if presented as a pale ale masquerading as a light IPA like Dale's Pale Ale. The flavors actually melded together into a drinkable beer that would be nicer with less of the lingering finish. It misses the mark for an IPA lacking that dry hop character and the combination of flavors isn't exactly IPA or pale ale territory. The herb salad emergence halfway through the glass is not my favorite and reminds me of those herb laden beers of 2015. I wouldn't brew it again but I don't feel drinking it is a chore. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If there was an IPA accidentally built for gin barrel aging, it might be this one. I mixed a little with a citrusy gin and pretty good. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Experiment Results</h3>
<div>
So obviously the question unanswered by the tasting notes above is whether the hops tasted old, flat, or just gross. Surprisingly not. For the amount of hops and lack of dry hopping the beer is well hopped even if in a weird way. If this beer was explained to somebody as an extra pale ale with a really weird mix of hops I truly do not think they would mention anything about the flatness of the hops. I would definitely expect to be told it's kind of a weird beer. This beer definitely exceeds the expectations I would have for hop brightness and flavor against common brewing lore that would suggest these hops would be cheese and cardboard.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Obviously, there are a lot of limitations to takeaways from this singular experiment. I don't have a side-by-side comparison of the same beer with fresh hops so I don't know what I am missing. Hop varieties are all over the map with storage values and many of the more popular and punchy hop varieties have significantly weaker storage survival than these varieties. That these hops survived well enough may not translate well to other varieties. There are likely a dozen other ways we could deservedly criticize this single point of datum. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The limited takeaway here should be that hops don't fall off a cliff as quickly as some homebrewers think. It's common to see around homebrewing forums and social media groups people saying hops stored in these same mylar vacuum bags in freezers have been ravaged by Father Time after six months or a year. Fish out those year old hops and brew some beer. </span></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-26466948616472858552020-01-28T23:14:00.000-06:002020-01-28T23:14:49.358-06:00That time I discovered the joy of making cider from applesI do not profess to be much of a cider fan. Most ciders are too sweet for my preferences and taste a lot like generic apple juice, which is one of my least favorite things to consume. I enjoy acidic Spanish <i>sidra</i> and really dry, crisp ciders but even then I rarely find myself in the mood for cider over beer. Despite my rare desire to sip cider, I am curious about cider making. It is interesting to see how apples on one hand can produce that clumsy, overly sweet store bought apple juice but on the other hand can produce a wide range of complex and artful ciders. The techniques involved in high level cidermaking are common to other winemaking techniques which have use adaptations in brewing, especially among styles where technique drives quality over the ability to cram more stuff into a single beer.<br />
<br />
Apple trees grow freely in Denver yards and parks begging me to try my hand at exploring cidermaking. Back in Texas apples do not grow well due to a lack of lengthy winter temperatures so my previous cider attempts were confined to bland fermentations of store bought apple juice. Although hardly the worst thing I have ever drank, they were not anything to get excited about. With access to fresh apples and crabapples it seems like a good time to explore the world of cidermaking--or at least a small corner of it.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h2>
Finding apples to make cider</h2>
</div>
<div>
I am not going to launch into the third paragraph of this post pretending like I have any great expertise with apples or cidermaking. Most of what I know is cobbled together from moderate internet searches and articles dug up from homebrewing resources. What little I do know about apples and crabapples is that for food purposes they can be classified by their bitterness (or lack of bitterness) and their sweet to sharp (acidic) range. Apples typically classified as culinary or dessert apples--like those you would eat or use to make apple juice--have very little bitterness and are sweet with little acidity behind it. The flavor in culinary apples are driven by sweetness which makes them not great choices for cidermaking because once the sugar ferments out it leaves little interesting flavor or mouthfeel behind--much like a beer with too little bitterness.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Conversely, cider apples include apples with other attributes. Cider apples can be bitter and sweet (bittersweet), bitter and acidic (bittersharp), or they can be low bitterness but acidic (sharp). (<a href="https://www.ciderschool.com/orcharding/apples/">Here is a great page describing the different classifications of apples</a>.) The combination of apples and their attributes will affect the final cider. In the same way blending sour beer relies upon understanding the attributes of the different available beers, I had to figure out what kinds of apples I could find and what kind of cider I wanted to produce. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If the large, typical cider apples grow anywhere in Denver I have no idea where to find them so I had to rely on what I could find. Grocery stores provide easy access to culinary apples which, aside from mildly acidic Granny Smith apples, are all sweet and could form a good neutral base. Crabapples grow all over the city and from my casual tasting of several varieties (and I have no idea what they are) there are a lot of bittersweet to bittersharp varieties. I decided to make my first attempt reasonbly simple. I chose an easily found crabapple that grows pink-red crabapples about the size of ping pong balls which are bitter and floral tasting. I would back these up with a large volume of Red Delicious culinary apples as a neutral backbone to let the crabapple character shine. If needed I could adjust the acidity or bitterness with post-fermentation additions.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6-lRFS19hdV7cPxHT59BBsSUd4Z3W3qlFEt2iQ8Pzb7Q-JADSDUkR0AqfMgBrPViXAe5P7VSnR5uWvxp30HzxKvxcAahZ3p50maxjv3UmcxehgkQ4z0NZc5VMz2SR3xIYzuyTfNZYD_l/s1600/IMG_20190901_171202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6-lRFS19hdV7cPxHT59BBsSUd4Z3W3qlFEt2iQ8Pzb7Q-JADSDUkR0AqfMgBrPViXAe5P7VSnR5uWvxp30HzxKvxcAahZ3p50maxjv3UmcxehgkQ4z0NZc5VMz2SR3xIYzuyTfNZYD_l/s320/IMG_20190901_171202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
A quick interjection about my apple press</h3>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have had my eye on a small fruit press for a while for various culinary purposes. I found a good deal at <a href="https://www.williamsbrewing.com/">Williams Brewing</a> on this small Ferrari model and pulled the trigger. It is designed for pressing softer fruit, like grapes, and the instructions suggest grating apples before pressing. Thankfully I have a grating attachment for my food processor which made that process much quicker. After chopping the crabapples into halves and the Red Delicious apples into quarters I ran them through the food processor and into the fruit press. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I found the press worked best if I gave the grated apple two presses. First I wound down the press plate until no more juice came out. After waiting a few minutes I found I could go several more turns and extract further juice. This was especially helpful with the drier crabapples which gave up almost as much juice the second pressing as the first. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If I intended to make cider or any other fruit-derived beverage more often or in larger volumes I definitely would need a larger press and probably better off with a crushing-type press than this plate press. As it is grating and pressing the fruit took several hours for a lone gallon of juice.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Pressing apples for cider</h2>
<br />
<div>
After spending some time harvesting crabapples I ended up with eight and a half pounds of crabapples. From that I pressed a mere twenty-four ounces of juice. The extracted juice surprisingly came out red and tasting nothing at all like apple. I can only assume the press extracted color from the peel because the inside flesh had the typical slightly yellow color of a culinary apple. The resulting juice was firmly acidic, bitter and probably too much of both for the final product. The flavor was intensely floral with an orange-like citrus character with typical apple flavor running underneath. The crabapple juice was too intense, not apple-y enough and honestly there was no way I could spend enough time to pick and press enough crabapples to build a one gallon batch. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To supplant the crabapple juice I opted to acquire culinary apples to add sweetness and get more apple flavor into the mix. As much as I like the flavor of the crabapple juice it needed something to round it out. To accomplish this goal I bought thirteen and a half pounds of Red Delicious apples which I consider the most generically apple-flavored apples. While the crabapples required a lot of work to squeeze out small amounts of juice the large and juicy Red Delicious apples were a breeze to work through. Their juice tasted like a great version of a store bought apple cider.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The combined twenty-two pounds of apples yielded just under 140 ounces of juice delicious. A lot of work for not a lot of product. The blend of the two juices retained a brilliant magenta color that should produce a nice rose-colored cider. The blended juice definitely had an apple flavor to it while the floral notes remained in the background. The crabapple juice was a little more subdued than what I hoped to get but I expect after fermentation it will reemerge with all of the sugar out of the way. Let's talk about how I extracted juice before moving into fermentation.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Starting cider fermentation</h2>
<div>
I decided to ferment this cider with a clean saccharomyces strain. I thought long and hard about letting the occupants on the apples handle fermentation but I do not know how great the microbes on the store bought apples might be and not entirely sure if the crabapples had enough on their own to ferment out the juice without an oxidizing delay. Instead I summarily executed the juice's population with campden and then pitched WY1318 with a helping of yeast nutrient. For this small batch of cider I pitched half a tablet of campden and let the juice relax for a day before pitching. After twenty-four hours I gently stirred the apple juice to get the sulfur out and then pitched approximately 100ml of WY1318. My yeast choice was based upon what compatible yeast I had on hand (and happened to be growing a starter of WY1318 for a batch of beer). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I let fermentation hover around 68F for three weeks to ensure a solid, clean fermentation. Signs of fermentation began within eight hours and by twenty-four hours the cider was happily bubbling away. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojnlpuowCjhE8jUrbHvObKLzI7INQ6kuWoX0U99-etsyi3zq4FxC92ZjZwyE4KqezFWDVJ0C3zvR_udWFCtwyzow-PH0w9AqKkzHGC3Wu6pxK2a9St7HgWAcridGzRyjv74MeCj3alDC1/s1600/IMG_20190902_200533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojnlpuowCjhE8jUrbHvObKLzI7INQ6kuWoX0U99-etsyi3zq4FxC92ZjZwyE4KqezFWDVJ0C3zvR_udWFCtwyzow-PH0w9AqKkzHGC3Wu6pxK2a9St7HgWAcridGzRyjv74MeCj3alDC1/s640/IMG_20190902_200533.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The murky beginnings of cider before fermentation launched</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
Tasting notes</h2>
<br />
Tasting notes from 1.17.20.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b> Cider pours a nice rose color with minimal white head that quickly dissipated. The bottle opened with little hissing and it is clear from appearance this did not carbonate as I had hoped.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b> Intense but generic apple aroma dominates the aroma. In the background is a complex floralness and a citrus note like mandarin orange. Slight hint of sour yeastiness like a sourdough starter.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor:</b> The flavor is surprisingly muted. The apple flavor is restrained and a little cardboard-y. With a little swirling it opens up and the apple flavor is more present very similar to the aroma. A generic apple flavor with a background of rose-like floralness and a citric acidity. That bready English Ale III flavor is present and clashes with the delicate notes from the apples. The flavor is a little flabby at first but with more swirling and time some acidity appears which helps lighten the flavor and brighten the floral and citrus flavors. Despite allowing the cider to fully ferment out there is still residual sweetness.<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> This cider is surprisingly full bodied. It is almost heavy at first but with swirling it lightened considerably. The body reminds me of a heavy cab. It hangs on the tongue but tannins can be felt in the finish which help cut the feeling of heaviness that lingers.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall:</b> This cider falls short of what I had hoped and its time in the bottle did not improve what I tasted at the bottling bucket. Many of the problems would have been improved with carbonation to lighten the body and add a little acidity. English Ale III seemed to be a poor choice for this cider with clashing flavor over the delicateness this cider needs to showcase the floral notes from those crabapples. The apple flavor was more intense from the bottling bucket with the extra sugar so perhaps that yeast works better on a semi-sweet cider than letting it go completely dry. Red delicious apples were probably not the best choice to make an interesting cider as well. Overall I am not pleased with the product but it was a good learning experience and honestly I have had worse ciders. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-88062096679428659282019-11-16T22:29:00.000-06:002019-11-16T22:29:03.346-06:00One Gallon Spontaneous Fermentation Beer Batch 5 Recipe and BrewdayWith the return of cool autumn weather it is time to resume my extended experimentation into spontaneous fermentation and lambic-like brewing. Early tastes of my most recent batches (spontaneous fermentation 3 and spontaneous fermentation 4) feel like I am moving in the right direction but continue to lack meaningful acidity. I do not want to create early 2010s American wild ale acid bombs but on the other hand some acidity adds structure and vibrancy to these beers. With this fifth batch of one gallon spontaneous beer I have opted to change the hops used to see if that better approaches this goal. (Read about batches <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-2016-attempt-at-spontaneous.html">one</a>, <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/03/one-gallon-spontaneous-fermentation-2.html">two</a>, <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2019/01/one-gallon-spontaneous-fermentation.html">three</a> and <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2019/05/one-gallon-spontaneous-beer-batch-4.html">four</a> here). If nearby <a href="http://www.crookedstave.com/">Crooked Stave</a> and <a href="http://www.blackprojectbeer.com/">Black Project</a> can make spontaneous beer just miles from my house then so there is no reason why I cannot figure out how to do the same thing on a smaller scale.<br />
<br />
<h3>
My thoughts on why my hop choice might be the reason for little to no acidity</h3>
In posts discussing the prior spontaneous batches I questioned whether my hopping rate explained the absence of acidity but continue to see the same issue arise despite adjusting down the hop rate. My earliest batches followed <a href="https://www.cantillon.be/?lang=en">Cantillon</a> hopping rates (0.65-75 oz./gal.) and produced no acidity at all. I dialed that down by half but still very little acidity. Conventional brewing knowledge says hops dwindle in alpha acids as they age and oxidize and surely six or seven year old hops should be too weak the stand up to lactic acid bacteria but that has not been my experience with these spontaneous beers.<br />
<br />
Perhaps higher alpha hops never reach the low levels of alpha acids necessary to let LAB survive and acidify the beer. For prior batches I have used a combination of homegrown hops and Belma whole cones from 2011 which are plenty old at this point. I am sure those poorly grown homegrown hops are on the milder side of the alpha and beta acid profile but Belma clocks in around 10% alpha acids and 6% beta acids. Maybe over time these hops just do not dwindle as much as convention says they should regardless of time. I know there are commercial and homebrewers using moderate alpha hops in the 5-7% range with success but maybe there is an upper limit.<br />
<br />
To test whether the hop choice is the culprit obviously I am testing different hops for this batch. Gone are the Belma hops and substituted in are some 3.5% alpha German Spalt Select pellets I picked up back in 2016 and have been aging since. For this batch I opted for a 0.40 oz/gal hopping rate with a combination of 0.25 oz Spalt pellets and 0.15 oz of 2015 homegrown cascades that oddly never browned.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuG9Tfcmbe8hw4TkwolXbhcZjQY4i1ypg6riKZXpIVajLG8GHcWQcs2noURhz8DxBXLGDvzgPjIqUftx0kD68JpkX1PBFcCAulMGuMAt2jnAOrF181QqvKiSH-dbN5xW9TMSi65nHLpcI/s1600/IMG_20191116_143040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuG9Tfcmbe8hw4TkwolXbhcZjQY4i1ypg6riKZXpIVajLG8GHcWQcs2noURhz8DxBXLGDvzgPjIqUftx0kD68JpkX1PBFcCAulMGuMAt2jnAOrF181QqvKiSH-dbN5xW9TMSi65nHLpcI/s400/IMG_20191116_143040.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
One gallon spontaneous batch five recipe</h3>
<div>
This batch otherwise follows the same recipe as the other spontaneous batches. The turbid mash gets a little more manageable with each attempt and I feel like I can push through a turbid mash now about as easily as a more pedestrian infusion mash. A 50/50 split of root shoot pils malt and red wheat plus moderately mineralized water gets this beer to a ninety minute boil and then a lazy cool down under a couple aspen trees.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Batch size: 1.1 gallons</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
ABV: 4.4%</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
SRM: 3</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
IBU:¯\_(ツ)_/¯<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Est. OG: 1.47</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Est. FG: 1.002</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><table class="tableizer-table" style="background-color: white; border-spacing: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><thead style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Grain Bill</th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Pounds</th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Ounces</th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">SRM</th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></th><th style="background-color: #104e8b; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Pct. Grist</th></tr>
</thead><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Pale Malt</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">1</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">0</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">2</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">50.00%</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Unmalted wheat</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">1</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">0</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">1</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">50.00%</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Water Profile</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">ppm</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Yellow Bitter--Brussels</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">PH: 5.5</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Calcium</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">101</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Magnesium</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">11</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Sodium</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">18</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Sulfate</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">73</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Chloride</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">41</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Bicarbonate</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">27</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Water Additions</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Mash</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Sparge</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Gypsum</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.2g</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.2g</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Epsom Salt</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.4g</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.4g</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Canning Salt</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Baking Soda</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.3g</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Calcium Chloride</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.3g</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.3g</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Chalk</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">.6g</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Pickling Lime</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">Lactic Acid</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;">1.2ml</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 3px; padding: 4px;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Mash schedule</b><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Mash water volume: 1 gallon</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sparge water volume: 0.85 gallons</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Begin heating all mash water</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Dough in 25 oz at 131 for rest at 113F for 15 minutes</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Raise mash water to boil</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Add 25 oz boiling mash water to raise to 126F for 15 minutes</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">5. Remove 13 oz from mash and add to kettle #2. Raise and hold at 190F</span><div class="google-auto-placed ap_container" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 692.203px;">
<ins class="adsbygoogle adsbygoogle-noablate" data-ad-client="ca-pub-5420370017315914" data-ad-format="auto" data-adsbygoogle-status="done" data-overlap-observer-io="false" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: auto; padding: 0px;"><ins id="aswift_5_expand" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-table; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 692px;"><ins id="aswift_5_anchor" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 692px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="173" hspace="0" id="aswift_5" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="aswift_5" scrolling="no" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: 173px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 692px;" vspace="0" width="692"></iframe></ins></ins></ins></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">6. Add 38 oz boiling mash water to mash to raise to 149F for 45 minutes</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">7. Remove 38 oz from mash and add to kettle #2. Continue to hold kettle #2 at 190F</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">8. Add remaining 38 oz mash water to mash to raise to 162F for 30 minutes</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">9. Begin heating sparge water to 190F</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">10. Transfer liquid in mash tun to kettle #3 and begin heating to boil</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">11. Add contents of kettle #2 to mash tun and rest for 20 minutes</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">12. Drain contents of mash tun to kettle #3 and continue to heat</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">13. Sparge as usual and combine all runnings</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Boil schedule</b><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">90 minute boil</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">0.70 oz aged hops at start of boil</span></div>
<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLlKrem9SkGgW02WDpxjdGjo6lX1DHqrpnpEhw8BJzghgkQrmzWE4lq2PrUbAhyI95Z0bqKVpg3J4PhzJGxbVRSi8Cw7DVdzX69d50BNQxcObXegBRYURinL-fpa-OR2_a_XlRlBENP8h/s1600/IMG_20191116_121453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLlKrem9SkGgW02WDpxjdGjo6lX1DHqrpnpEhw8BJzghgkQrmzWE4lq2PrUbAhyI95Z0bqKVpg3J4PhzJGxbVRSi8Cw7DVdzX69d50BNQxcObXegBRYURinL-fpa-OR2_a_XlRlBENP8h/s400/IMG_20191116_121453.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory first runnings pic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
Cooling down the spontaneous beer</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZaktXlqc21BGkpJU7J4BD3ET9jkt9-hqYy_EoAzBtamj6Q8truW2HwDYSSixCgKJygWGYH70zLi3lrU6Nv-qgZ9rJY4ZpUwqQ0zlSDqSwyVw-lYoRaAF1D-e_0kKrLz8ahnV-GNVf48S/s1600/IMG_20191116_162420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZaktXlqc21BGkpJU7J4BD3ET9jkt9-hqYy_EoAzBtamj6Q8truW2HwDYSSixCgKJygWGYH70zLi3lrU6Nv-qgZ9rJY4ZpUwqQ0zlSDqSwyVw-lYoRaAF1D-e_0kKrLz8ahnV-GNVf48S/s400/IMG_20191116_162420.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This batch followed the same approach of batches three and four of just cooling the entire time in the boil kettle. On the first two batches I tried transferring the wort to my small cooler mash tun to drag out the cooling but I am not sure I got anything meaningful out of that approach. Maybe that will be something to revisit in the future but for now I just toss the boil kettle out on a patio under the aspen trees and hope for the best. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEhtr0Ug4BVyIwEswmSqDSAPBpMB7-_d_fL4jrGK3IfdA9OkOFI_2PzZpWe6RPlJMbzvo1FVhW5IBqOLPnoAbYW5_JhLdAcM4E2nXw3c6xt3jE5-Y-5ffFcWfVTLaWP3xg5uUuH406guz/s1600/Lambic+cooling+graph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEhtr0Ug4BVyIwEswmSqDSAPBpMB7-_d_fL4jrGK3IfdA9OkOFI_2PzZpWe6RPlJMbzvo1FVhW5IBqOLPnoAbYW5_JhLdAcM4E2nXw3c6xt3jE5-Y-5ffFcWfVTLaWP3xg5uUuH406guz/s400/Lambic+cooling+graph.png" width="346" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlB3bSlG74Jt2m1_I02E-u8Oe9O91R2HrpEFdjk76QVWjW6pjmb8O21q-N3XoeZDdw-H0xi78AyjHHdMf7dUSdEu63EFtv76fuZIgwk9AJfEJDAs7XzW6VutW2Q6N8PDM0gMZ0oozbRmK/s1600/lambic+cooling+chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="606" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlB3bSlG74Jt2m1_I02E-u8Oe9O91R2HrpEFdjk76QVWjW6pjmb8O21q-N3XoeZDdw-H0xi78AyjHHdMf7dUSdEu63EFtv76fuZIgwk9AJfEJDAs7XzW6VutW2Q6N8PDM0gMZ0oozbRmK/s640/lambic+cooling+chart.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The cooling curve is to be expected although the interesting aspect here is that the warmer temperature had no real affect on the cooling rate over colder ambient temperatures. I would expect such a small volume of wort to reflect faster cooling in cooler temperatures. I guess that is what I get for having lousy scientific knowledge. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Fermentation notes</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Brewed 11.16.19. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com2Denver, CO, USA39.7392358 -104.99025139.3486558 -105.635698 40.1298158 -104.344804tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-18793328137065236462019-10-14T05:30:00.000-05:002019-10-14T05:30:07.519-05:002019 Fresh hop pale ale recipeGrowing hops at home has lost a lot of its allure in homebrewing for various reasons. Likely the biggest reason is the <i>en vogue </i>hops are not available as rhizomes to homebrewers. Nobody is desperate to churn out another cascade pale ale and if you wanted to it is cheap and easy to find a pound of well stored cascades. Homegrown hops are a long way from the zenith of that aspect of the hobby during the hop shortage in 2008 and might not revisit that popularity absent a radical change in hop availability or popular beer styles.<br />
<br />
As somebody who enjoys homebrewing as much as I do, naturally I tried my hand at growing hops early in my brewing. I tried with little success to grow hops in Texas where the hops were plagued year after year with heat, high humidity, locusts, moths, spider mites and aphids. Two of my four hop plants survived the move last year to Denver and successfully rooted. The durable cascade survived with no problem and the Mt. Hood shook off its early struggle and showed healthy growth after replanting. I replaced the nugget plant that died in the move with chinook and replaced the deceased sterling with a new sterling. Despite a rough early growing season this year I got growth on all plants and hops on all but the new sterling.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlr7ivS1_vNiaATaBTvr7FMs3M-GM2pHCf-yneQX7wq1VHRQQSKTIRUhjL3Rm80gwg6obxiBXNyRdE9kMKVv1lJS-pnut937ZDRdGj3mzu2JY1wyxTgf5AzZd848n6Ofr3o_DwghGymUD/s1600/IMG_20190902_134552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlr7ivS1_vNiaATaBTvr7FMs3M-GM2pHCf-yneQX7wq1VHRQQSKTIRUhjL3Rm80gwg6obxiBXNyRdE9kMKVv1lJS-pnut937ZDRdGj3mzu2JY1wyxTgf5AzZd848n6Ofr3o_DwghGymUD/s640/IMG_20190902_134552.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Making a case for homebrewing fresh hopped beer</h3>
</div>
<div>
<div>
When I wrote an initial draft of this post I remarked how fresh hopped beers had dried up in the face of hazy beers after a push to make them popular outside of their natural home in the Pacific Northwest. After I brewed this beer I saw people everywhere posting about fresh hopped beers with encouraging frequency. Perhaps with all the acreage of citra and other popular hops there are enough to sell fresh and renew interest in this technique for hoppy beer. The Pacific Northwest always keeps the style alive with <a href="https://freshhopalefestival.com/">fresh hop festivals</a> and tappings but they are always more difficult to find outside of that region. That gives homebrewers who can grow hops a great opportunity to make these beers available to themselves.<br />
<br />
As homebrewers we do not have to contain our brewing to what is commercially popular or viable. We can buy a $5 rhizome and create a wet hopped beer or two. We can brew delicious beers outside the boundaries of the craft beer market. We can be educators as well as educated. We are not even limited in brewing wet hopped west coast-style IPAs or pale ales. You could brew a hazy wet hopped beer. You could brew a wet hopped triple IPA, amber ale, American stout or pilsner. As homebrewers we are free to invent and have fun and not care if anybody else likes our beers. So let's brew one of them. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Designing a wet hopped pale ale</h3>
<div>
In my limited experience reviewing fresh hopped IPA and pale ale recipes I do not find the recipes differ much from their more common counterparts aside from adjusting the volumes of hops--typically adding five ounces per gallon of fresh hops. For this pale ale recipe my goal is to produce a beer that has a good mix of hop and malt character without suffering too much sweetness or body that plagues a lot of west coast pale ales (at least historically). I want the water profile to reinforce and draw out the bitterness to accentuate the bittersweet attribute of a well-hopped beer. The hops should add a commanding presence but not overwhelm the malt character entirely.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Malt</h4>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In the early 2010s a lot of pale ale and IPA recipes began incorporating pilsner malt to give the beer more crispness as dryness over the crystal malt-ladden hoppy beers of years past. I find those pale ales and IPAs to be my preference, at least for their west coast variants, and I will carry that over here by using local Root Shoot pilsner malt as the entire base malt. Their pilsner malt is a little darker and heavier than the larger producers which gets close to my target although maybe a touch too close to a golden ale. I am going to round out the pilsner malt with a mix of Root Shoot vienna malt, Gambrinus honey malt and Simpsons medium crystal. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> <br />
<h4>
Hops</h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> My preference for hopping beers tends to lean towards a bittering addition plus a big whirlpool addition with nothing in between and I will follow suit here as well. While I am not completely opposed to late boil additions I want to avoid extracting too much chlorophyll at boil temperatures so I will leave flavor and aroma additions for after the boil ends. Keeping the hop schedule simple I also left out any dry hopping. I know dry hopping is an expected part of brewing a pale ale but in my limited experience brewing pale ales I find a big whirlpool addition carries over enough hop character to avoid needing the added step (and oxidation) of dry hopping.<br />
<br />
The wet hop contribution comes in the contribution of chinook, cascade and mount hood. Truly a classic American pale ale combination right out of 1998 which makes it old enough to order itself at a bar. I left the percentage of each variety up to what grew on the bines which ended up at 3.75oz Chinook, 1.5oz Cascade and 1.5oz Mt. Hood. All these wet hops went into the whirlpool. Following the usual 5:1 wet:dry hop ratio I was low on hops and made up for it by supplanting two ounces of dried Cascades.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHou5QTZenkO0X_cKwfgGi7a6xvlP8LFUMJIk7UlqaQmVe6wS2XoiQJesnm0-gsWgpyD3L9TV3M1jNJCqoensFuFO-7YG1qAcDgxFHLZqjMjr2z5EO4Yfh1EPQGYnGJ5FHTqLe4k_vkTe/s1600/IMG_20190902_141721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHou5QTZenkO0X_cKwfgGi7a6xvlP8LFUMJIk7UlqaQmVe6wS2XoiQJesnm0-gsWgpyD3L9TV3M1jNJCqoensFuFO-7YG1qAcDgxFHLZqjMjr2z5EO4Yfh1EPQGYnGJ5FHTqLe4k_vkTe/s640/IMG_20190902_141721.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Everything else</h4>
</div>
<div>
Given the enormous volume of wet hops required I scaled up this 3.25 gallon recipe for my 3 gallon kegs up to 4 gallons to account for lost volume with the hops. Wet hops should not absorb liquid the way dry hops do but I expect them to absorb some liquid and carry some away on their surfaces. If I end up with too much beer for a keg I guess I will just have to find a way to live with myself (like pitching brett and aging it). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While on the subject of liquid, the water profile is an important part of this beer. The water profile should accentuate the bitterness and draw out the hop flavor but not push the bitterness into harshness. Hoppy beers are at their best when the hop flavor evolves across the taste and continues to linger in the aftertaste rather than pound everything into the initial taste (talking about you, hazy IPA). In a pale ale moderate chloride with moderately high sulfate seems to be the right path for that character without sacrificing malt character to too much bitterness or dryness. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last, fermentation will be carried out with my good friend London Ale III. While not a great choice for west coast hoppy beers I think it performs great for balancing malt and hops even in a west coast style--especially in a pale ale--when not required to work under the conditions of a hazy beer. It will drop clear with a little cold crashing and leaves behind just enough of its own flavor to integrate hops and malt which I find helps distinguish a west coast pale ale from west coast IPA. </div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
<h2>
Wet hop pale ale recipe</h2>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 4 gallons</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.0%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 37</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.050</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.012</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 8</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pils malt</td><td>6</td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>83.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Simpsons medium crystal</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>50</td><td></td><td>5.10%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vienna malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>8</td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>6.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Honey malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>25</td><td></td><td>5.10%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Pale Ale</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>140</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>18</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>25</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>299</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>56</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>109</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3.6g</td><td></td><td>4.6g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1.6g</td><td></td><td>2.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.8g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1g</td><td></td><td>1.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single Infusion Batch Sparge</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 9.39qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 3 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 9.39qt at 167F</td><td>152</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.5 gal</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2.5 gal</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12%] hops </td><td>0.6</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>37</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade wet hops</td><td></td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mt Hood wet hops</td><td></td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chinook wet hops</td><td></td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cascade pellets</td><td>2</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirl</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY1318</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>16</td><td></td><td>67</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Cold crash </td><td>1</td><td></td><td>32</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Keg to 2.2 vol</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h2>
Brew day & Fermentation Notes</h2>
Brewed 9.2.19. My original plan for this beer was to do all late additions with fresh hops but through the boil I harvested and realized I was far short of the twenty ounces of wet hops I needed to produce the beer I wanted. Thankfully I had some cascade pellets on hand and put them to work beefing up the whirlpool addition.<br />
<br />
First runnings: 1.083<br />
Preboil gravity: 1.045<br />
Preboil volume: 4.5 gal<br />
Mash efficiency: 73%<br />
Postboil gravity: 1.045<br />
Postboil volume: 4 gal<br />
Brewhouse efficiency: 81%<br />
<br />
Aside from the hop adjustment the brewday went off without a problem. I gave the wort a taste after boiling but before adding all the hops. It tastes very much like a pale ale despite its pils malt base.<br />
<br />
Cold crashed the beer to 35F for two days on 9.19.19 and kegged on 9.21.19.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Fresh hop pale ale tasting notes</h3>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHgsoW1RjZ1DJgRAH3KJT4yrTuu4T7xQ0-9vtVgIIZ7iu9_pD18XZyqT3I8ug37lRfMCfGD5iAVc2tXF2P7oeIKG5mVWJkaKR1oBAuEmV3FCncd53F5J2r2vzDcSZb92cSGx-J0Mz5FuJ/s1600/IMG_20191012_195631_01_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHgsoW1RjZ1DJgRAH3KJT4yrTuu4T7xQ0-9vtVgIIZ7iu9_pD18XZyqT3I8ug37lRfMCfGD5iAVc2tXF2P7oeIKG5mVWJkaKR1oBAuEmV3FCncd53F5J2r2vzDcSZb92cSGx-J0Mz5FuJ/s320/IMG_20191012_195631_01_01.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a terrible picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Appearance:</b> Beer pours a dull copper color that appears as an inviting copper color in bright light but on the table looks less inviting. It is not hazy beer thick but definitely has some haze to it. A thick snow white head forms on the pour that maintains nice lacing and stays as a thin coating all the way to the bottom of the glass.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Aroma: </b>Orange, leafy-vegetal like trees covered in fresh growth in the spring, lemon, rose, glazed donuts or maybe brioche, light clove, subtle pine tree and around the edge of the glass an intriguing cashew-like yeasty aroma. London Ale III is definitely present in the aroma.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor:</b> Orange, grapefruit, gentle black pepper, pine, rose, honey, brioche, lemon, a little yeasty. The beer is strongly citrusy cold but as it warms up it becomes less citrus and more complex. Pine, pepper, floralness and the vegetal flavor of fresh hops show up as the beer warms. Again London Ale III is identifiable. The malt character is light aside from the mild honey character and doesn't try to compete with the hops. Bitterness is present but a little light for the style. It lingers long into the finish rather than beat you over the head in the beginning but it gives the beer some sweetness up front that mellows into a trail of bitterness in the aftertaste.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> A little thin for a pale ale but not quite watery. It is kegged to CO2 between keg and cask pressure and it shows in the middling carbonation. More carbonation might amp up the hop character but at the expense of making the beer thinner and more fleeting. Tannins linger on the tongue for a long time and feels a little heavy after the swallow.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Overall:</b> I feel fairly good about this as a first fresh hop attempt. I wish I had been able to put more wet hops into the beer but hopefully next year will be more robust. I like the hop flavor and aroma from the beer although I think the yeast flavor gets in the way where a cleaner strain would have let the hops pop a little more. As it is the beer is somewhere between a blonde ale and a pale ale tough to fit conveniently in any category, especially with the yeast character. It could probably pass as a hazy blonde ale better than a pale ale but I'm not sure that is even a thing.<br />
<br />
I felt like the honey malt and crystal malt didn't play as well with the pils malt as I had hoped. Rather than edge the beer closer to a pale ale it reminds me a little of a blonde ale with an oxidation problem. There isn't the cardboard flavor or flatness in the hops that usually accompanies an oxidized beer but that is where my mind goes, especially as the beer warms.<br />
<br />
Overall, not my best beer but I will not feel bad about drinking the rest of the keg.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-55105247767973071692019-08-05T20:44:00.000-05:002020-05-24T18:46:37.152-05:00Brett Saison with Oak-Soaked Tequila Recipe (One Gallon Homebrew Recipe)This brett saison commemorates ten years of homebrewing for me. It is a couple weeks late for the official ten year anniversary of my first batch of homebrewing but close enough to celebrate. I still remember that first time brewing in my apartment kitchen with a Belgian blonde ale extract kit of an unknown age and waking up the next morning to see the airlock bubbling away. Even a cursory glance at this blog tells you Belgian beer and brewing techniques remain an important part of my homebrewing. I may not brew as many of the Trappist/abbey styles but saisons and Belgian-inspired sour beers definitely remain a consistent part of my brewing. It is fitting then that I celebrate those ten years and reflect on my first beer by brewing another Belgian beer that showcases this decade-long journey of homebrewing.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
What is up with this brett saison and tequila</h3>
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today's beer is another stab at exploring the mixed fermentation/brett saison culture I have been slowly brewing with over the past few years. (E.g. <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2016/06/tropic-bling-20-mixed-fermentation.html">here</a>, <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/03/just-tip-mixed-fermentation-saison-with.html">here</a>, <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/11/sombrero-saison-mixed-fermentation.html">here</a> and <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2018/11/hoppy-mixed-fermentation-saison.html">here</a>.) The last saison tested the saison culture against a high degree of hops. This saison recipe dials back to a more moderate hopping rate and shifts to more gentle hop varieties My goal here is to create a brett saison that retains some hop flavor and aroma but lets through more of the delicate yeast notes. Then I am ruining all of that by slipping in some tequila that I have aged on oak cubes for like five years waiting for a good project. This is not my way of wedging in an obligatory weird ingredient into an otherwise straight up beer. The tequila addition is a nod to <a href="https://untappd.com/b/brasserie-fantome-vieillie-en-tonneau-de-tequila/2149210">Fantome's one time release of a tequila barrel aged saison</a> that I was unfortunate not to get to try. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This brett saison culture is quirky with strict demands for how it is brewed. It needs a warm fermentation in the mid to upper seventies with a dry, simple grain bill. As a result I am keeping this beer simple with a 90% pils/10% unmalted wheat base. I like this combination as a starting point for any saison-ish beer so no reason to back away from it. I am also continuing to use a moderately mineralized water profile that skews in favor of bitterness to keep dryness in the feel and taste. I like this culture's flavor profile with light minerality in the background. After a firm bittering addition for this 5.5% beer follows a post-boil addition of Aurora and Aramis for a light grassy and citrusy hop flavor. This culture does such a great job retaining hop flavor that I do not worry about dry hopping or overhopping to keep hop flavor and aroma in the beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
To add the tequila I am just adding a 1oz/gal addition of this heavily oaked tequila right along with the yeast pitch. I want to emulate the effects of fermenting and aging the beer in a tequila barrel without oppressive tequila flavor. I find this is a good starting point for spirit additions for this purpose but I may add more at bottling if I feel it is too light. The tequila itself is a midrange blanco aged with an absurd amount of oak so it carries over plenty of tannins to give it the feel of a barrel aging rather than pouring a bottle of liquor into beer. As you can see from the picture the tequila has the appearance of a well aged anejo tequila but it is unpalatable on its own with so much oak. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuolhxh4yzfewvthEgkSnvYaCKT8ErSIogmvY-N8xbKUzSb_qeFDfTUcUjCm31eA7fSMFKmsGxYfw9R4dIzk8UGh9vKZjgCiyxCGgD_BXwCkD3GBhrAfyINGs5by0ObpnfPckOIlqLysB5/s1600/IMG_20190803_100105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuolhxh4yzfewvthEgkSnvYaCKT8ErSIogmvY-N8xbKUzSb_qeFDfTUcUjCm31eA7fSMFKmsGxYfw9R4dIzk8UGh9vKZjgCiyxCGgD_BXwCkD3GBhrAfyINGs5by0ObpnfPckOIlqLysB5/s640/IMG_20190803_100105.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Brett Saison with Oak-Soaked Tequila Recipe </h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br /></div>
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 1 gallon</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.5%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 40</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.054</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.008 (?)</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.6</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pils malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>14</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>90.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unmalted wheat</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>3</td><td></td><td>1.6</td><td></td><td>10.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Bitter</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>10</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>110</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>45</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-93</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td>0.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.2g</td><td></td><td>0.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3ml</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 2.56qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.86 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 2.56qt at 167F</td><td>150</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>75</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.86 gal</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12%] hops </td><td>0.18</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aurora hops</td><td>0.75</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirlpool</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aramis hops</td><td>0.25</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Whirlpool</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Brett saison culture</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 70F, free rise to 75F</td><td>14</td><td></td><td>75</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Age at 72F</td><td>300</td><td></td><td>72</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 3 volumes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Brew day and fermentation notes</h3>
<div>
Brewed on 8.3.19.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Preboil volume: 1.3 gallons<br />
Preboil gravity: 1.042<br />
Mash efficiency: 74%<br />
Postboil volume: 1 gallon<br />
Postboil gravity: 1.054<br />
Brewhouse efficiency: 74%<br />
<br />
Overall a very normal, successful brew day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUfOLe0xKAqv2hvdfi3LVqXSMJVenGjq9eT3KqXE3t0vEO5tkDz-XKohDQy9-CfGoavAtubMboveXl48rhEql8SriSe1tiG4nAezVSZVturyTvB0UaA084eebj5nDrIWQmZkZu6AprxvE/s1600/IMG_20190804_153103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUfOLe0xKAqv2hvdfi3LVqXSMJVenGjq9eT3KqXE3t0vEO5tkDz-XKohDQy9-CfGoavAtubMboveXl48rhEql8SriSe1tiG4nAezVSZVturyTvB0UaA084eebj5nDrIWQmZkZu6AprxvE/s640/IMG_20190804_153103.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Bottled 5.24.20. This is a really nice beer going into the bottles. The mixed saison culture does a great job preserving the hop character and the combination of lemony Aramis and fruit punch-y Aurora are still present despite nine months of bulk aging. The hay and blueberry notes from the culture hang out in the background. The tequila is not quite as present as I had hoped so I added another half ounce of the oaked tequila to the bottling bucket to bump it up to a clearly identifiable ingredient.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-60833551721098641042019-06-13T00:20:00.003-05:002021-07-30T22:02:30.386-05:00Barrel Aged American Oud Bruin Batch 5 RecipeI haven't been overly happy with the results of this project's earlier batches due to a strong acetic acid character. The causes of this issue are obvious: (1) using a small barrel for aging; and (2) using a sour culture that easily pumps out too much acetic acid in the presence of even a small amount of oxygen. Batch 4 was my best attempt at minimizing oxygen along the way but as I discussed in more detail on that batch's post, I just didn't feel like the beer produced met the vision for what it should be. I'm not quite ready to give up on the barrel as a fermenter so I am going to change my approach to brewing this barrel aged sour beer.<br />
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For batch five I am making the following changes:<br />
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The beer will primary ferment in the barrel and remain there until bottling to avoid racking as an opportunity to introduce more oxygen in the barrel;</li>
<li>The barrel will be steam cleaned to minimize the existing cultures; and</li>
<li>WY3278 will be introduced as a fermentation force. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Otherwise the recipe will remain the same. Currently I am turning out a new batch every four to five months but I may elect to let this one go six or seven months before bottling if it seems to hold up against the small barrel. As the recipe is staying the same I'll just link to it here and move on talking about steaming the barrel and brewing this beer. </div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Steaming a small barrel</h3>
<div>
Steaming a barrel is a good way to use wet heat to infiltrate wood and kill off microorganisms living in the wood. It's more effective than simply filling a barrel with a sanitizing liquid because the heat can penetrate into the wood in the way a sanitizer won't, at least in the same length of time. I want to make this barrel as clean of a slate as I can (without introducing sulfur) so thoroughly rinsing and then steaming the barrel is the best option available.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are a lot of challenges to working with small barrels because there is not a lot of equipment otherwise used with barrel fermentation and aging designed for this stage. Somebody on the endlessly helpful Milk the Funk facebook group at some point suggested converting a Presto pressure cooker and tubing into a makeshift steamer. It is a brilliantly simple solution especially if you already have access to a Presto pressure cooker. The idea here is simple. The pressure cooker acts as a vessel for creating steam and the post that would hold the weighted bell to create pressure acts as a single exit for the steam which can then direct the steam through tubing to barrel. (An important point here is to use chlorine/chloramine-free water here to avoid introducing those compounds into the wood.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtC2T5cBTnexUJc5Hs6MXFNFMcv__lDjrGvhBZKbm-YRmAJgW_lHht1fnxFrgqu6JL0vLeCImeseRP-EYGrBN6JwG3TGm7fvvNgU6pKJ89UeeVCkfyA6KFMizhz_QVrDMAMDwmBUBU2Wv/s1600/IMG_20190330_145607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtC2T5cBTnexUJc5Hs6MXFNFMcv__lDjrGvhBZKbm-YRmAJgW_lHht1fnxFrgqu6JL0vLeCImeseRP-EYGrBN6JwG3TGm7fvvNgU6pKJ89UeeVCkfyA6KFMizhz_QVrDMAMDwmBUBU2Wv/s640/IMG_20190330_145607.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After giving the barrel a good rinse I set up the makeshift steamer and set to steaming the barrel. I covered the bunghole with a towel to help retain heat and steam but not create a hard seal that would build pressure. After half an hour I slid a thermometer into the barrel and the air read 170F. The outside of the barrel was warm to hot so I felt I had good heat penetration. I let the barrel cool while the wort boiled and chilled and flipped it over to drain out the condensed water.<br />
<br />
A very simple process and solution here. I am not 100% confident the barrel is completely devoid of microorganisms but if I knocked back most of the population then it should make way for the WY3278 blend to at least compete. </div>
<div>
<br />
<h2>
Barrel aged Americanized oud bruin recipe</h2>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 2.25 gallon</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 7.3%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 24</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.071</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.015</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 25</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>4</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>66.80%</td></tr>
<tr><td>White wheat malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>16.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vienna malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>3.5</td><td></td><td>6.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 80</td><td></td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>80</td><td></td><td>4.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>2.6</td><td></td><td>350</td><td></td><td>2.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aromatic malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>26</td><td></td><td>2.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Black patent malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>1.4</td><td></td><td>500</td><td></td><td>1.50%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Brown Malty Profile</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>16</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>85</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td>0</td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.9g</td><td></td><td>0.7g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 7.8 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 1.5 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 7.8 quarts at 167F</td><td>150F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>75</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1.5 gal at 190F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12%]</td><td>0.25</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>24</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Oregon Special</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch 300ml slurry</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 70F</td><td>?</td><td></td><td>Ambient</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 4 vol CO2 with 2 oz table sugar</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Barrel aged American Oud Bruin Brewday</h3>
<div>
I brewed the fifth batch of the <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/06/barrel-aged-americanized-oud-bruin.html">oud bruin recipe from this post</a> on 3.30.19.<br />
<br />
Postboil volume: 2.25 gal<br />
Postboil volume: 1.070<br />
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%<br />
<br />
After the wort cooled I funneled it into the barrel and set up a blowoff tube. Here's hoping it doesn't turn into a huge mess. Pitched 2/3 of a pouch of Wyeast 3278 Lambic Blend.<br />
<br />
Bottled on 8.9.20. Was not expecting to open the barrel and find it half empty! That is some angel's share. Yikes. The good news is despite the missing content the beer is delicious. Cherry pie, moderately sour and very little acetic acid. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-80639420816917738082019-05-28T23:31:00.000-05:002020-07-12T20:31:44.613-05:00Salivator II Sour Doppelbock Recipe<div>
Lager and sour beer are two concepts rarely put together in the same sentence. Most people associate sour beers with ales and most sour beer undergoes primary fermentation through some top fermenting yeast. There are some sour beers that undergo primary fermentation with lager yeast (such as <a href="https://embracethefunk.com/2012/06/26/lauren-salazar-of-new-belgium-qa/">New Belgium's base sour beers Felix and Oscar</a>) but we find far fewer traditional lager <i>styles</i> adapted to sour brewing. These styles represent a huge swath of unexplored sour brewing opportunities. One can credibly acknowledge there is much overlap between lager beer styles and other sources of sour beer but lagers tend to enjoy far less inspiration and implementation in sour brewing. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Several years ago, before making Colorado a permanent home, I made my way to Fort Collins to drink through several breweries. The now closed Fort Collins Brewery on one of these trips offered up a <a href="https://untappd.com/b/fort-collins-brewery-fcb-barrel-aged-sour-doppelbock/443715">sour doppelbock</a>. I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of the beer. It could have easily stood in line with oud bruins or passed off as a dark sour beer of its own nature. I had fond memories of that trip and that beer so this recipe is a ode to both.</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<h3>
Formulating the sour doppelbock recipe</h3>
<div>
Rather than build a recipe from scratch I borrowed <a href="http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Imperator">the doppelbock recipe from braukaiser.com</a>. I don't know what caused Kai Troester to fade away from his active participation on his site and various forums but his site remains an invaluable homebrewing resource. His doppelbock recipe takes inspiration from <a href="https://draftmag.com/reviews/detail/437">Spaten Optimator</a>, which is not a bad starting point. It's a simple five malt recipe using munich malt as a base blended with pils, aromatic, caramunich II and caramunich III. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Here I have kept the spirit of his recipe and made only slight changes. The grain bill remains similar although I split the large portion of munich between munich and vienna malt. (Admittedly I did this because I realized halfway through milling grain that I didn't have enough munich malt on hand as I thought.) I swapped hops from German noble to a higher AA hop. I've also switched his decoction mash for a slightly different schedule and adjusted the water profile to account for giving up an acid rest.</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSjAIIGIvfzJeLWjqKk_-ytw_4nsgIvGT-qnM6_9eOrAb8lAJDRQ6Cd1fKk9t85rdH-iDVGQo3PM1rAlpFLqflJV89eGZqybdqY3ikbqAeEEgRDc-sRquhCpMMz2D8uAMEyOoWejbxfGh/s1600/IMG_20190330_122809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSjAIIGIvfzJeLWjqKk_-ytw_4nsgIvGT-qnM6_9eOrAb8lAJDRQ6Cd1fKk9t85rdH-iDVGQo3PM1rAlpFLqflJV89eGZqybdqY3ikbqAeEEgRDc-sRquhCpMMz2D8uAMEyOoWejbxfGh/s400/IMG_20190330_122809.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
I've adapted the doppelbock recipe for souring by swapping out a lager yeast for WY3278 Lambic Blend and aging it for an extended period of time. I suppose not using a lager yeast technically makes this not a lager but I'm most interested in the flavors driven by German malts than what lager yeast drive. I intend to let this beer sit for at least a year but might let it go for a longer slumber. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
With that in mind let's get to the final recipe.</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<h3>
Sour Doppelbock Recipe</h3>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br>
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 1 gallon</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 9.2%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 25</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.081</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.011</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 15.6</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pils malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>8</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>16.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>munich malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>10</td><td></td><td>44.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vienna malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>32.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aromatic malt</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td>26</td><td></td><td>2.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caramunich II</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td>46</td><td></td><td>2.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Caramunich III</td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>4.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Custom Doppelbock profile</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>33</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>9</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>19</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>39</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.1g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.6g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.2g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.5g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1.3ml</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Decoction mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 5.38qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.25 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 5.38qt at 156F</td><td>147</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>35</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Decoct 0.89qt after 10 minutes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bring decoction to boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Return doction to mash</td><td>156</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>40</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1qt</td><td>180</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12%] hops </td><td>0.14</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>25</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY3278</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>365</td><td></td><td>67</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 3 volumes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<h2>
Sour Doppelbock Brewday and Fermentation Notes</h2>
</div>
<div>
Brewed 3.30.19.</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKA2tLgmQzKlgBRtbR2vgpoa9KFDdxdKsN9MFysNz95Tdh86J0SAjz_42jn6OTZ6DOCq9XjqADYS9MkVkMLPM1_PSz79WhzBvkbalqj_9VbfxUAgc2KBnjTEOXcnLKw1b4iHtCRGGNHHC/s1600/IMG_20190330_123122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKA2tLgmQzKlgBRtbR2vgpoa9KFDdxdKsN9MFysNz95Tdh86J0SAjz_42jn6OTZ6DOCq9XjqADYS9MkVkMLPM1_PSz79WhzBvkbalqj_9VbfxUAgc2KBnjTEOXcnLKw1b4iHtCRGGNHHC/s400/IMG_20190330_123122.jpg" width="300"></a>First runnings: 1.054</div>
<div>
Preboil gravity: 1.050</div>
<div>
Preboil volume: 1.4gal</div>
<div>
Mash efficiency: 62%</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Postboil gravity: 1.060</div>
<div>
Postboil volume: 1 gal</div>
<div>
Brewhouse efficiency: 53%</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Fairly typical day except for really bad efficiency which might be a measurement issue over a procedural defect. I am not too concerned with the ABV on my sour beers but something to watch on the next few beers to see if there is a procedural issue to correct. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Pitched 1/3 of a pouch of WY3278 (Lambic Blend) into the fermentation vessel and set it in my fermentation chamber to age.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<h2>
The adventure continues...</h2>
</div>
<div>
7.11.20</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
This beer is about thirteen months old now and after checking in on it I wanted to take this beer a different direction. Sometimes sour beers are great all by themselves but other times they scream for help. This sour doppelbock would be an alright beer all by itself. It has a nice malt backbone despite turning LAB and brett loose on it. It still has an unmistakable doppelbock character to it. There's a little brett and a reasonable amount of sourness. It has an interesting smoky character; not smoky like brett smokiness or that awful tire fire flavor sour beers can get. It's smoky like a dark chocolate can be. Not bad but could get some help to go from good to great.</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoC3gTmYqjuA9LzCHneLtqUw5gpeyr5J5VY8ZCtp_GQYxWo8hduQT0dPEFnjL8yxIO8VhEgawkLwHYx8Fi8HEJsMhW8f_nSX-fmTrbpp6b_VJe5lGod354Hh1nmDih-4OI2iE1_0yzI7q/s1600/IMG_20200711_210442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoC3gTmYqjuA9LzCHneLtqUw5gpeyr5J5VY8ZCtp_GQYxWo8hduQT0dPEFnjL8yxIO8VhEgawkLwHYx8Fi8HEJsMhW8f_nSX-fmTrbpp6b_VJe5lGod354Hh1nmDih-4OI2iE1_0yzI7q/s640/IMG_20200711_210442.jpg" width="480"></a></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
I decided to blend the sour doppelbock with a half gallon growler of an unknown blend of various leftover fermented beer from my small oud bruin barrel when I did a primary fermentation outside the barrel and then racked into the barrel for aging. It is a mix of one and two year old sour beer. It tastes of an old sour beer. Very dry, firm sourness, present brett barnyard and the underlying chocolate note in that oud bruin recipe. It too is an ok beer but needs help to reach greatness. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4fw20ku8u4V85saIHvY00SakFxjTPKT5tKstShw-Lu6edeY06VO6gl9IsfTEzGU6sYxvDaFK7Q_6XZ_XeYFwADz6n-t963OO8HJRr5cFSawoOhm765xTRUSuzyrg1eYUtyq7cu05LZnu/s1600/IMG_20200711_212215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4fw20ku8u4V85saIHvY00SakFxjTPKT5tKstShw-Lu6edeY06VO6gl9IsfTEzGU6sYxvDaFK7Q_6XZ_XeYFwADz6n-t963OO8HJRr5cFSawoOhm765xTRUSuzyrg1eYUtyq7cu05LZnu/s640/IMG_20200711_212215.jpg" width="640"></a></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
The blend of the two comes to about 65% sour doppelbock and 35% leftover oud bruin. The blend is better than either beer alone. It has a nice contrast of older and younger sour beer together that lifts both parts while blending the smoky and chocolate notes into a nice dark chocolate. This is approaching great but feels like it needs fruit even more than either component alone. It's cherry season so I plucked six pounds of sweet cherries from the store. I opted for sweet cherries because I think they will fit better with the maltiness from the sour doppelbock better than tart cherries. I could be wrong. Six pounds of cherries to 1.5 gallons of beer is an enormous amount of fruit but I think it will balance out into a nice fruited sour. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
As an aside, you used to be able to buy these Rogue Dead Guy growlers in the store. Like they taped over the lid so it didn't come off and you could buy them for like $10. I believe I bought this around 2009 or 2010 shortly after I started brewing. It was the first growler I had ever seen. Fun fact, when I started brewing sour beer mid-2010 I started sour worting and this was the vessel I used to sour part of the wort in a small mash and then on the full brewday I would add this soured wort to the kettle. Like OG kettle souring. Can you still buy these filled growlers in stores anywhere?</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
To prepare the fruit I froze them in my chest freezer for half a day to break down the fruit. I split them between two one gallon carboys leaving them intact with the pits and stems. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bnRFSCFyIWW7bZlqXPKy2tlhY8zx6IWxFrUu8SaUtF0oKK4JnKJgXih-JUc2ZEceA-__7u14ADjLMYMQnLxCX14eN3Om2PLjBuY53KFk3onWsmnxHDg6kdlkxPnHKr4NEUUA81cruL8e/s1600/IMG_20200711_210551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bnRFSCFyIWW7bZlqXPKy2tlhY8zx6IWxFrUu8SaUtF0oKK4JnKJgXih-JUc2ZEceA-__7u14ADjLMYMQnLxCX14eN3Om2PLjBuY53KFk3onWsmnxHDg6kdlkxPnHKr4NEUUA81cruL8e/s640/IMG_20200711_210551.jpg" width="640"></a></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
I intend to leave the beer on the cherries until around Christmas to make sure the beer extracts flavor from the pits as well which have a vanilla-like flavor. </div>
<div>
<br>
<br></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-87689654540405949172019-05-15T21:27:00.003-05:002019-06-20T21:24:51.429-05:00One Gallon Spontaneous Beer Batch 4 Recipe and BrewdayWith warm weather coming back it is time to add another batch of lambic-inspired spontaneous beer. Working with extremely small volumes of wort means thinking differently about ambient temperatures from lambic brewers in Belgium. While they need low temperatures to hit mid-sixties temperatures in their coolships I want warmer temperatures closer to my final temperature destination. Lambic brewing season might be winding down in Belgium but the spring season of spontaneous innoculation is only beginning for me. I'd like to wrap up two spontaneous batches before it gets too warm but I need to do some work on the gardens, including replacing a couple hop plants that did not survive last May's move to Colorado.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gvTvDyLg7yWVe15qdyOvmauF9uQ3kkL5_YPPZjLxjG2VBKZXNFKt6JalTb49ca6eWjFmKJJyZyvsu6HdJW5_vSPVLE1E77Flcd6aIkyRFsGbLnJcf_FjbqO4Dfu9qqEici3nbqnC9aqA/s1600/IMG_20190414_143909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gvTvDyLg7yWVe15qdyOvmauF9uQ3kkL5_YPPZjLxjG2VBKZXNFKt6JalTb49ca6eWjFmKJJyZyvsu6HdJW5_vSPVLE1E77Flcd6aIkyRFsGbLnJcf_FjbqO4Dfu9qqEici3nbqnC9aqA/s320/IMG_20190414_143909.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aged hops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am still working on trying to get acidity in my spontaneous fermentations and this batch will be another experiment in that direction. On the last batch I severely cut down the amount of aged hops used from 0.70oz/gal to 0.30oz/gal. Tasting the blend of the first two batches shows substantial bitterness and very little acidity. Batch 3, with reduced hopping, is not bitter but also has no acidity. It is only four months old so it is too early to judge; but I am going to try cutting the aged hops again to try to build acidity. Caleb Buck found success using just 0.15 oz/gal. and I am going to follow suit for this batch.<br />
<br />
Otherwise my goal with this batch is to continue dialing in the appropriate ambient temperature to cool these small batches of spontaneous beer. My first several attempts at coolshipping beer did not turn out great and I believe the colder temperatures played at least some role. The most recent one gallon batch, which I cooled at warmer temperatures, fermented quicker and more vigorously than the earlier batches. Ideally I would like to find the technique that allows for a higher volume of aged hops than a paltry 0.15 oz/gal. while still developing moderate acidity. I believe aged hops play an important role in developing the minerality apparent in many lambics and do not want to give that up unless I absolutely have to. So after this batch I may test ambient temperatures in the 70Fs to see how that might better reach my goal.<br />
<br />
One gallon spontaneous beer batch 4 recipe<br />
<br />
<div>
Batch size: 1.1 gallons</div>
<div>
ABV: 4.4%</div>
<div>
SRM: 3</div>
<div>
IBU:¯\_(ツ)_/¯<br />
Est. OG: 1.47</div>
Est. FG: 1.002<br />
<br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Grain Bill</th><th>Pounds</th><th></th><th>Ounces</th><th></th><th>SRM</th><th></th><th>Pct. Grist</th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pale Malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>50.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unmalted wheat</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td>50.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yellow Bitter--Brussels</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>101</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>11</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>18</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>73</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>41</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>27</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.2g</td><td></td><td>.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.4g</td><td></td><td>.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.3g</td><td></td><td>.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>.6g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1.2ml</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Mash schedule</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>Mash water volume: 1 gallon<br />
Sparge water volume: 0.85 gallons<br />
<br />
1. Begin heating all mash water<br />
2. Dough in 25 oz at 131 for rest at 113F for 15 minutes<br />
3. Raise mash water to boil<br />
4. Add 25 oz boiling mash water to raise to 126F for 15 minutes<br />
5. Remove 13 oz from mash and add to kettle #2. Raise and hold at 190F<br />
6. Add 38 oz boiling mash water to mash to raise to 149F for 45 minutes<br />
7. Remove 38 oz from mash and add to kettle #2. Continue to hold kettle #2 at 190F<br />
8. Add remaining 38 oz mash water to mash to raise to 162F for 30 minutes<br />
9. Begin heating sparge water to 190F<br />
10. Transfer liquid in mash tun to kettle #3 and begin heating to boil<br />
11. Add contents of kettle #2 to mash tun and rest for 20 minutes<br />
12. Drain contents of mash tun to kettle #3 and continue to heat<br />
13. Sparge as usual and combine all runnings<br />
<br />
<b>Boil schedule</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>90 minute boil<br />
0.15 oz aged hops at start of boil<br />
<br />
<b>Cooling schedule</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>1. Cut heat and strain out hops.<br />
2. Move wort in kettle to outdoor space to cool.<br />
3. Cool to 65F.<br />
4. Rack to fermenter.<br />
5. Ferment at 72F.<br />
<br />
<h3>
One Gallon Spontaneous Beer Batch 4 Brewday Notes</h3>
<br />
This is my eighth or ninth turbid mash and I feel like I have a good handle on the process and budgeting time for it. Turbid mashing these small batches carries extra challenges over even five gallon batches that have to be accounted for. The biggest challenge is trying to maintain heat as you work to extract runnings before adding more water. At earlier stages the mash is thick and slow to run off which means extending the mash timetable and losing heat along the way. More water can be added with each infusion but that also has to be budgeted to make sure there is enough water for the final infusion. The long boil times on the mash water also means losing water to evaporation so typically additional water needs to be added towards the end of the turbid mash to account for that. The best things to do to prepare for a turbid mash is to know the process, be as quick as you can running off and have on hand way more water than you think you need.<br />
<br />
I tend not to boil for several hours as is typical for lambic but doing so would increase the mash liquid volume and reduce some of the challenges of losing heat in a smaller volume. I might play around with some side by side turbid mashes with shorter and longer boils down the road but for now my focus is on my lack of acidity.<br />
<br />
This turbid mash felt like my most nimble yet and checking temperatures along the way I did a good job retaining heat along the way. I tried to squeeze out applying unneeded heat to the mash water to reduce evaporation so I cut out letting the water boil through the forty-five minute rests. Instead I brought the water back to boil shortly before the end of the mash. I also did not boil the first runnings during the first forty-five minute rest. Instead I brought it up to 180F to denature the enzymes and then let it rest until the second runnings were available. This might only save a few ounces of wort but when the end volume is a mere 128oz every ounce retained helps.<br />
<br />
Here is a transition of runnings from the first runnings to the blend of the first two runnings followed by the third and fourth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJ7l5APNT9mTRbk6misOnLCghyvltMOVrF2mUgK4QKdR93SLq_BUygldVNZ8X3S9m_XbfKfKSJuKTNkG4qU5xURBfXvpsrTsCJgSgVs33vopX01kbpn4b97hD6YmGpH7v1QuG9yUCcZ9v/s1600/IMG_20190414_124356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJ7l5APNT9mTRbk6misOnLCghyvltMOVrF2mUgK4QKdR93SLq_BUygldVNZ8X3S9m_XbfKfKSJuKTNkG4qU5xURBfXvpsrTsCJgSgVs33vopX01kbpn4b97hD6YmGpH7v1QuG9yUCcZ9v/s400/IMG_20190414_124356.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnRB2DZh6aRWcgMU60QW3p0pTFBIhJLEsEqLBap8ceC1RLmvQvfDq_YjHt4v8CXX_4uFW2pT7EPyqSLPfUA-gagv4mdI6iPT873Sspa-qAXKv5_iow1XsPAlXhlJ0Ldy7jvDimVapYecJ/s1600/IMG_20190414_133217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnRB2DZh6aRWcgMU60QW3p0pTFBIhJLEsEqLBap8ceC1RLmvQvfDq_YjHt4v8CXX_4uFW2pT7EPyqSLPfUA-gagv4mdI6iPT873Sspa-qAXKv5_iow1XsPAlXhlJ0Ldy7jvDimVapYecJ/s400/IMG_20190414_133217.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphwiJWCKusEBdgbqWJgzIvD2W7Nl910RcojUA-5EWe8PIjTQzeRTr2qxaVDGbcd5Jktz-SSJ0Am_rWraA165QLUI3ABgFCE0RnMVudxrQP9FPDdy6tQs1dmM1KQeTGb7DV64qvI8-hTtx/s1600/IMG_20190414_140617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphwiJWCKusEBdgbqWJgzIvD2W7Nl910RcojUA-5EWe8PIjTQzeRTr2qxaVDGbcd5Jktz-SSJ0Am_rWraA165QLUI3ABgFCE0RnMVudxrQP9FPDdy6tQs1dmM1KQeTGb7DV64qvI8-hTtx/s400/IMG_20190414_140617.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDPlmq_xjaftgA5kLlmWZilLueaiSmp04ISRI5tVEJa640bsFo659t0xpDq0adK4-5FHU6tNVXVsGG7M1cXfVLfneLHTlRhL2PV0kS704MDQvsxUK_Tw9uE0GqCmb40VMCpZxxiiyR86N/s1600/IMG_20190414_143045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDPlmq_xjaftgA5kLlmWZilLueaiSmp04ISRI5tVEJa640bsFo659t0xpDq0adK4-5FHU6tNVXVsGG7M1cXfVLfneLHTlRhL2PV0kS704MDQvsxUK_Tw9uE0GqCmb40VMCpZxxiiyR86N/s400/IMG_20190414_143045.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<insert pictures=""></insert>
The wort cooled over the course of three hours and I left it among the ambient conditions for an additional hour to make sure the wort obtained plenty of helpful passengers. Here is the cooling rate:<br />
<br />
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Time</th><th>Wort Temp.</th><th>Ambient Temp.</th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td>4:00</td><td>180</td><td>67</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:10</td><td>156</td><td>64</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:20</td><td>135</td><td>64</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:30</td><td>126</td><td>64</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:40</td><td>113</td><td>64</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:50</td><td>108</td><td>64</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:00</td><td>100</td><td>64</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:10</td><td>97</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20</td><td>91</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:30</td><td>90</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:40</td><td>86</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:50</td><td>82</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:00</td><td>81</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:10</td><td>79</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:20</td><td>77</td><td>65</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:30</td><td>75</td><td>63</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:40</td><td>72</td><td>63</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:50</td><td>70</td><td>63</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:00</td><td>70</td><td>63</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:10</td><td>68</td><td>63</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:20</td><td>66</td><td>63</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:30</td><td>66</td><td>60</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:40</td><td>64</td><td>61</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:50</td><td>63</td><td>60</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:00</td><td>63</td><td>60</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mus3cVmIZCEjzEp1rBWjzyh7gZ1zQIG87kpLTbvCIQNXbjqXC0xqyPsTRXjlZHUA6pU3NYvzKhlGTEJj8ldUfy3tmDJprkzz4FUW2M2URIUIGvj5AkrVDpzv-3njem1MsuI0Q86hwSuN/s1600/lambic+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="620" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mus3cVmIZCEjzEp1rBWjzyh7gZ1zQIG87kpLTbvCIQNXbjqXC0xqyPsTRXjlZHUA6pU3NYvzKhlGTEJj8ldUfy3tmDJprkzz4FUW2M2URIUIGvj5AkrVDpzv-3njem1MsuI0Q86hwSuN/s640/lambic+4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The full fermenter went into my fermentation chamber which is currently set for 72F.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Fermentation Notes</h3>
Brewed and cooled 4.15.19. Fermentation picked up within a couple of days with a fairly normal saccharomyces-like krausen. It dipped away within a few days leaving behind a cloudy beer that even after a month has not cleared.<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WYL4SCESzJeVJmoSptjsjaTo9YL9oHj21KKLbS3pvKC8_KLcfG3ZaRlVMDlAzIrVjk6oDKYfWh8QHTf4p1ckcmvWwBMFzBSXV0z-Vm_gsgDtQdQ-oQOqJzAXi4FcDoGE3QcggeZFyBzn/s1600/IMG_20190416_192929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WYL4SCESzJeVJmoSptjsjaTo9YL9oHj21KKLbS3pvKC8_KLcfG3ZaRlVMDlAzIrVjk6oDKYfWh8QHTf4p1ckcmvWwBMFzBSXV0z-Vm_gsgDtQdQ-oQOqJzAXi4FcDoGE3QcggeZFyBzn/s640/IMG_20190416_192929.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fermenting away on day three</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
6.20.19: Took a sample a little over two months into fermentation. You can kinda see in the following picture that the beer is lighter than the picture above. It is a little hazy with no visible pellicle formation. It looks like there could be a pellicle in the picture but those are just small bubbles along the edge of the beer surface.<br />
<br />
The beer has a strong mushroomy flavor like my prior spontaneous fermentations but it is followed by an equally strong sweet orange flavor. It is still fairly sweet but with a present bitterness. There is no appreciable sourness. This is certainly the most promising early sample I have tasted of my spontaneous beers.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYhw4rh47wr93mxkA2lY9uGPOpdJ_I8g20gIsmdAUcdw3zD5dh0lUJRmYnHXCioGaVT9nxFFvI1rUj8eWm_99RA-KZ5qxJ9E0TWrCK1T4ZwP_QMrxWuTaCPQuI8CAuaNxEI4VtsvMlv3D/s1600/IMG_20190620_201900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYhw4rh47wr93mxkA2lY9uGPOpdJ_I8g20gIsmdAUcdw3zD5dh0lUJRmYnHXCioGaVT9nxFFvI1rUj8eWm_99RA-KZ5qxJ9E0TWrCK1T4ZwP_QMrxWuTaCPQuI8CAuaNxEI4VtsvMlv3D/s640/IMG_20190620_201900.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-79845310367653846622019-04-01T15:06:00.001-05:002019-04-01T15:06:20.835-05:00Front/Back Strong Blond Ale with Spruce Branches, Oak Leaves and Rose HipsAs I wrote last month, one of the things about moving to Denver that excites me most is the opportunity to work with an interesting group of local ingredients. Before racing around foraging away on other locations I thought it made sense to start with my own property. My house is on a relatively small piece of land but there is plenty of gardening space and a nice set of trees. For this recipe I sought out a set of ingredients that are both seasonally available, and therefore foraged immediately before brewing, and create a compatible flavor profile. The combination of ingredients should yield a set of flavors not terribly distant from those found in a classic hoppy beer.<br />
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
<h3>
Conceptualizing the recipe</h3>
<div>
This recipe began as an opportunity to brew something interesting with a friend who got into craft beer and homebrewing over the past couple years. I've brewed with him but he's asked to take a look at my brewing, which is both more technical but also more exotic. He's coming into town to explore breweries as well so I don't want to get into anything that would create a long brew day (such as a turbid mas), nor do I want to brew something too simple. Instead I figured this would be a good opportunity to put together a simple beer recipe with some unusual ingredients. This made a good opportunity to brew a fairly basic recipe that would show off some brewing science but also implement some fun artistry. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My goal in selecting ingredients was not to make the most bizarre beer, which is usually a recipe for disaster, but instead to find familiar flavors and put them together in familiar patterns. That will allow the different flavors on the periphery to create a beer that seems both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Here, the combination of ingredients will add flavors reminiscent of hoppy beers: citrus; floral; pine/forest. Piecing these familiar beer flavors together out of unfamiliar ingredients will create a different profile than just adding similarly flavored hops but not create a beer so weird and unusual that it's not welcoming to drink.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The base recipe is a simple strong blond ale recipe to keep the beer from being too busy. Sometimes atypical ingredients like these can have a lot of subtle flavors and a busy beer recipe can overwhelm or clash with them. Here I want a recipe that holds up on its own but works with these ingredients. A simple pilsner malt base with a small portion of crystal and honey malt completes the grain bill. A little hopping at the end will help round out the other ingredients while the bittering charge is shared between the oak leaves and hops. A balanced water profile will help keep the beer from drifting too close to an IPA but avoid flabbiness.<br />
<br />
I chose WY1318 as a yeast to keep the beer fairly neutral and build in a little body. I like this yeast a lot and its subtle ester profile is a good fit for this beer. It keeps the beer on the same plan of avoiding a busy beer. Initially I considered brewing this beer with a saison strain but I don't think it needs a more aggressive yeast profile. I also want to avoid using saison as a dumping ground for any unusual ingredient.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Let's talk a little about the three unusual ingredients and how they will go to work in this recipe.<br />
<h4>
Spruce branches</h4>
As a nod to sahti and other evergreen adoptive beers that are becoming more popular I've put my Colorado blue spruce to work in this beer. I need to give this young tree a light trim to maintain its shape for next year so I'll have some small branches available for use. Spruce needles have a great citrus and woodsy flavor and aroma that fits as well as juniper (if not better) in beer. The blue spruce is a little more citrusy than other spruce I've sampled.<br />
<br />
The small branches will go into the mash and remain through sparging. I don't want to overdo the spruce and create an aggressively woodsy beer. Instead I want the flavor to integrate with the other ingredients. For this reason I've used a smaller volume than what often goes into sahti and similar beers.<br />
<h4>
Oak Leaves</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/350x235p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/103/243/87452024_XS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="350" height="214" src="https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/350x235p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/103/243/87452024_XS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Oak leaves are full of tannins which makes them a suitable substitute for a portion of bittering hops. Here I've adopted the recommendation for this use from Scratch's <u>The Homebrewer's Almanac</u>. I have a northern red oak in the front yard providing these leaves. In addition to bittering I hope the tannins will round out the mouthfeel and possibly add a little oak flavor into the beer.<br />
<h4>
Rose hips</h4>
Rose hips are the least unusual of these three ingredients. They have a floral and citrus flavor which should pair perfectly with a moderated spruce flavor. I've let my rose bushes grow a little ragged through the summer to hopefully produce a useful volume of rose hips. This fruit matures in late fall so it's a perfect time to put these to use. They are fairly easy to use. Just cut them open and scoop out the insides. They contain seeds and tiny hairs so a mesh bag is a must. This ingredient goes into the late boil.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Front Yard/Back Yard Recipe</h2>
</div>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 2 gallons</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 6.6%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 45</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.058</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.017</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 4.4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pils malt</td><td>5</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>100.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Balanced</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>49</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>7</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>75</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>59</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-93</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.6g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.5g</td><td></td><td>0.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.1g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.8g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.9ml</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 7.5 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.81 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 7.5 qt at 167F w/ 20" spruce </td><td>153F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.81 gal</td><td>180F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12.10%]</td><td>0.25</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>25</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oak leaves</td><td>2</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>15</td></tr>
<tr><td>First Gold [8.0%]</td><td>0.2</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>10</td><td></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rose hips</td><td>0.2</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>10</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY1318</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch 1l</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>30</td><td></td><td>70</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 2.2 volumes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<h2>
Front/Back Strong Blond Ale with Spruce Branches, Oak Leaves and Rose Hips Tasting Notes</h2>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9w4XBoG8zAx5roiOUGWMz7eQrxPoJy_W_L6un7474yYuGNrLfYTxnOssZYP-FugaGgv_6Ai2k9hE4QSCOAQtRiyruViIl67MRY3nGylwnpgAPmckCj5bq1ZMCzpqTl_2m-j2jqzW0AOzn/s1600/IMG_20190330_230205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9w4XBoG8zAx5roiOUGWMz7eQrxPoJy_W_L6un7474yYuGNrLfYTxnOssZYP-FugaGgv_6Ai2k9hE4QSCOAQtRiyruViIl67MRY3nGylwnpgAPmckCj5bq1ZMCzpqTl_2m-j2jqzW0AOzn/s640/IMG_20190330_230205.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>Appearance:</b> This beer pours out a nice golden color with increasing amounts of haze from the WY1318. It finishes with a murky appearance under a snow white head that is thick and rocky with nice lacing. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Aroma:</b> Vanilla, spiced bread, cantalope, rose, mandarin orange, white grape, slight foresty note.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Flavor: </b>Vanilla, oak wood, rosy floralness, wheat bread, white grape juice, cantalope, nouggat. Hints of caramel and spruce in the background. As the beer warms it develops a nice tangerine flavor. The oaky vanilla flavor carries through the beer into the aftertaste. It has all the flavor of a fresh oak barrel but without any of the tannin presence. It is on the sweeter without being cloying. It has a lot of sweet flavors but there is just a little bitterness offsetting those flavors. It is deceptively smooth. </div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> The beer has a nice structured mouthfeel. It feels appropriately weighted for a 6.6% beer with a medium body. It has a slight tannic feel that helps cut some of the sweetness in the flavor. There isn't any of the unusual textural attributes that sometimes come along with using some of these weirder ingredients. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Overall:</b> As a whole I am happy with how this turned out. It's about everything I expected minus not having the spruce impact I expected. There's a little of all the ingredients with the oak leaves doing the heavy lifting which makes for a unique but well integrated beer. It is not an explosive beer that will wow a crowd; but on the other hand I think the fact that the flavor is nicely integrated and doesn't have any bizarre character makes it more surprising to some of the people who tasted it knowing what I put in this homebrew. It could sit next to some of these milkshake IPAs with its fruit and vanilla flavors and hazy appearance. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I will brew this again and although I expected more spruce flavor I actually think it turned out really well as it is. There are too many other things to do with spruce to feel like I need to cram it in the forefront of this beer. I'm also curious what else I can do with these ingredients, particularly the oak leaves. Maybe an imperial stout benefiting from the vanilla flavors?</div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-27449840316966079972019-01-21T18:31:00.001-06:002020-09-03T12:33:49.045-05:00One Gallon Spontaneous Fermentation Batch #3Although this is my third attempt to successfully brew a small batch spontaneously fermented beer, it's my first attempt in Colorado. I'm closing in on two years since I brewed the first two attempts so I've had a chance to see how they developed and adjust processes. As I discussed in <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2018/04/update-and-blend-of-spontaneous-beers.html">this update post on those two batches</a>, I never saw much sourness develop. The post was briefly discussed on milk the funk and a few people commented that the hopping rate was really high which certainly could be a reason. I've had some time to think on these beers and how I want to adjust the process and recipe going forward. I don't want to create acid bombs but at the same time some acidity is an important part of the flavor and structure of these beers.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Changes to Batch #3 from batches #1 and #2</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This batch will take on two changes from the prior batches to test increasing the acidity of these beers. First, I will reduce the hop rate. I think the commentors on Milk the Funk are at least partially correct that the hopping rate has a negative effect, even using aged hops. I've been using aged American hops which are higher in alpha acids and it's easily possible these hops still have a lot more alpha acid left behind than online calculators state. I will cut the volume in half and see how that affects the beer. My suspicion is that this is not a complete answer for the lack of acidity. I expect that some amount of hop tolerant lactic acid bacteria should have found their way into the beer even if they are late bloomers like pediococcus. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My other thought here is that the first two spontaneous fermentations cooled too quickly and landed at too cool of a temperature by the time I racked them into fermenters in the house. Each batch was cooled for about eight hours in temperatures running from 35-45F and the beers cooled down to the forties fairly quickly. By comparison, lambic brewers tend to land in the sixties overnight although ambient temperatures are comparable. This difference is easily explained by the difference in volumes. By cooling down to a lower temperature and staying there for several hours I wonder if the bacterial load collected as the wort cools is not getting a necessary opportunity to multiply. If their numbers are low then they might lose the competitive battle for resources as the beer warms back up inside the house. To deal with this issue I will brew this batch during warmer temperatures when the ambient environment is in the upper fifties so the beer will cool to the sixties and cool a little slower. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Otherwise this batch will keep all the attributes of the prior batches. I'll follow <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-2016-attempt-at-spontaneous.html">the recipe outlined for batch 1</a> but reduce the blend of aged American hops down to a mere 0.30 ounces. I will also use pils malt from local maltster Root Shoot rather than the pale malt used in batch #1.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Spontaneous Fermentation Batch #3 Brewday</h3>
<div>
Brewed 12.14.18.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Turbid mashes are one of those processes in brewing that gets a little easier and quicker with experience. I recall that first turbid mash feeling like I was constantly juggling temperatures and not really sure how to extract runnings from those early infusions. Now I know what to expect and these brew days run smoother but not necessarily faster. It's still several hours of mashing and not just a set it and forget it kind of mash. Nevertheless everything ran smoothly. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAxP6NfnW4xGWfsM4WO2rBi52jL0gGMJv94qfkGLTucyloxDU_LrUOnKOeIVn0vfOoiIfocuhnr3WJfi2-s3HzNG2BwnXo0s3urSdpN1TpeOM_9hzatlAY75EalVS_ND4jl4iaZaDR5c4/s1600/IMG_20181214_150750.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAxP6NfnW4xGWfsM4WO2rBi52jL0gGMJv94qfkGLTucyloxDU_LrUOnKOeIVn0vfOoiIfocuhnr3WJfi2-s3HzNG2BwnXo0s3urSdpN1TpeOM_9hzatlAY75EalVS_ND4jl4iaZaDR5c4/s640/IMG_20181214_150750.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those milky first runnings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
With the mash and sparge finally complete after four hours it's time to get the boil moving. As with the earlier batches of spontaneous beer and the <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/p/sour-beer.html">last three years of my solera</a>, I'm using aged hops. I've cut back from using 0.70 oz./gal. to 0.30 oz./gal. for this batch to hopefully develop more acidity than the last two batches. This batch has a combination of 2013 homegrown Cascade and 2011 Belma.<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3cmZRbtj3BJEGniwLlEiHnMjZioGMdSosp-07RBtpLkHljcgAIUYzI8d9CTIsd7-NMMto-BCtPMY9Wo58GayYF5yNe6n8bzly_3GwHyaxwgyFHgRuk2vJZXwrbPrSo_gV9wR-U-sJ8ia/s1600/IMG_20181214_165351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3cmZRbtj3BJEGniwLlEiHnMjZioGMdSosp-07RBtpLkHljcgAIUYzI8d9CTIsd7-NMMto-BCtPMY9Wo58GayYF5yNe6n8bzly_3GwHyaxwgyFHgRuk2vJZXwrbPrSo_gV9wR-U-sJ8ia/s640/IMG_20181214_165351.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aged hops waiting to join the boil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
At the end of the ninety minute boil the wort makes its way out to my backyard to cool. I decided the best place available on my property for inoculation is the small patio outside my bedroom. It sits beneath two aspen trees near a wooden fence and a pergola so between all this wood there should be plenty of opportunity to pick up a healthy blend of microorganisms.<br />
<br />
The wort took exactly three hours to drop from boiling to 59F. In the past two batches I moved the wort between vessels to try to slow cooling and left the wort out for a long period of time. As mentioned above, one of my concerns about the lack of acidity is that I left the wort in cool temperatures for too long which may have stunted early bacterial growth and resulted in insufficient acidity. I tracked the cooling temperature in fifteen minute increments which produced an expected cooling curve.<br />
<br />
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Time</th><th>Wort (F)</th><th>Ambient (F)</th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td>7:00pm</td><td>183</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:15pm</td><td>145</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:30pm</td><td>120</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:45pm</td><td>109</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:00pm</td><td>99</td><td>42</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:15pm</td><td>90</td><td>38</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:30pm</td><td>82</td><td>38</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:45pm</td><td>77</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:00pm</td><td>72</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:15pm</td><td>67</td><td>39</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:30pm</td><td>64</td><td>39</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:45pm</td><td>61</td><td>39</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:00pm</td><td>59</td><td>39</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTAF2JPNjQVjNSF5xWlpUM9ZI6b7m1bTJH0aC2xDdJp6J_UPodDfW9yrqDvktb2Ie1dIkDw-fp1TD6kQdqUHeIc3ADTN5CpltKFyyw8df3CrB8uAnew9B_0jsAPp8opDrCzKnpPQCLvVV/s1600/Cooling.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="465" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTAF2JPNjQVjNSF5xWlpUM9ZI6b7m1bTJH0aC2xDdJp6J_UPodDfW9yrqDvktb2Ie1dIkDw-fp1TD6kQdqUHeIc3ADTN5CpltKFyyw8df3CrB8uAnew9B_0jsAPp8opDrCzKnpPQCLvVV/s640/Cooling.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The cooled wort was then transferred into a 4l carboy while filtering out the hops. I added roughly eight ounces of distilled water to top up the batch to one gallon. I sent it to the fermentation chamber with the temperature set to 69F. I'll keep it at that temperature for a few days to ensure it doesn't get too cool in the basement then cut the heat and let it work at ambient, which is in the low 60s/upper 50s right now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlHzWVYRP1NzjElQdJgu2iGxaQ1hB8AYiYMaeznQeOKIxyC_bDvsAyfv8AKsZxyvlqVbaSpI-MJdqG-F9K6-odgiI1EFeImIQVRRHUaOWPIm4iPGJ9a5Y5Lq29Lq-FzKLtjA37UmZaJWA/s1600/IMG_20181214_220458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlHzWVYRP1NzjElQdJgu2iGxaQ1hB8AYiYMaeznQeOKIxyC_bDvsAyfv8AKsZxyvlqVbaSpI-MJdqG-F9K6-odgiI1EFeImIQVRRHUaOWPIm4iPGJ9a5Y5Lq29Lq-FzKLtjA37UmZaJWA/s640/IMG_20181214_220458.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Fermentation Notes<br />
<br />
Day 3: Already showing signs of fermentation. I'm holding the temperature at 72F right now to get things moving.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVa_VeVk4fNEdrEZTTIfzGydwH0IZduOTFF6KaNDPlsJcsVejPt8Bu3Yv0xtCHXcuidBSJ4TDc37Ony25R1W2PusHyBCazPnty_EaAK7RLr-HbE487i-zDPsP30S9TqRuTap8ydF-aoyIi/s1600/IMG_20181217_210326.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVa_VeVk4fNEdrEZTTIfzGydwH0IZduOTFF6KaNDPlsJcsVejPt8Bu3Yv0xtCHXcuidBSJ4TDc37Ony25R1W2PusHyBCazPnty_EaAK7RLr-HbE487i-zDPsP30S9TqRuTap8ydF-aoyIi/s640/IMG_20181217_210326.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Day 15: Activity has dropped off and the beer has dropped fairly clear. The aroma is musty, old wet sponge and rotting fruit with an underlying bright navel orange that is nice despite all the weird aromas around it. Although old wet sponge and rotting fruit doesn't sound like a good direction for a beer, this does not strike me as terribly different from other spontaneous experiences.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDi8ORrcbrsrjBg9ytHpHxl1tmJntaoqmWCGLCVYN6qcP-Xv59SsOwi7pbtAHEezz3L7YEoHuxwEmeDuVlI2YFFRbKrFtc8IZVNWqNZPYQCLFD8SWy2QMWlo5SJOjgwe8oM3h7LS9aTyM/s1600/IMG_20181231_142012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDi8ORrcbrsrjBg9ytHpHxl1tmJntaoqmWCGLCVYN6qcP-Xv59SsOwi7pbtAHEezz3L7YEoHuxwEmeDuVlI2YFFRbKrFtc8IZVNWqNZPYQCLFD8SWy2QMWlo5SJOjgwe8oM3h7LS9aTyM/s640/IMG_20181231_142012.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Four months: Today is four months to the day on this spontaneous beer. As you can tell from the two pictures I took today the beer pretty much looks the same. It's slightly clearer but otherwise the same. No pellicle or anything weird growing. The flavor is unusual. It's strongly apple and orange which isn't too bad except it tastes really sweet. There's no bitterness or acidity. Just a fruity sweetness with a little maltiness to it. This has been the best tasting of these spontaneous beers at this stage so that's a pretty good reason to feel optimistic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtQHsN2i820DwXkV0lfltV-mCvVtWaGBEI5XNl3gZD6z5U8pjatCx4sMKZVKpu221vxjJHy_-l7NKA59nIRr6fkVSUIyzSPj1JH1OaSgG_YMv-Y7bHFrhMJGwXCI98FJkZ8fjFBIBn6dT/s1600/IMG_20190314_204444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtQHsN2i820DwXkV0lfltV-mCvVtWaGBEI5XNl3gZD6z5U8pjatCx4sMKZVKpu221vxjJHy_-l7NKA59nIRr6fkVSUIyzSPj1JH1OaSgG_YMv-Y7bHFrhMJGwXCI98FJkZ8fjFBIBn6dT/s640/IMG_20190314_204444.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtn4pmQGGSMUZS-HAG0bPBea2kNjyOs8tHNlp07IeyHMudlsFjR5ZP56_ZuNHtp55B5QmLtv5sfc77PEfmKvV9hNLJwe8P4Hn1JTCra-gX1juRHB6IvpH20E65QEk3ziFxOgMdP73wf3c/s1600/IMG_20190314_204434.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtn4pmQGGSMUZS-HAG0bPBea2kNjyOs8tHNlp07IeyHMudlsFjR5ZP56_ZuNHtp55B5QmLtv5sfc77PEfmKvV9hNLJwe8P4Hn1JTCra-gX1juRHB6IvpH20E65QEk3ziFxOgMdP73wf3c/s640/IMG_20190314_204434.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
6.20.19: Just a few days over seven months. As you can see from this picture the beer is extremely clear. No pellicle growth. Like the four month mark this beer has a lot of apple juice flavor like maybe an oxidative reaction of what is still fairly sweet. Still no acidity or anything I would definitely describe as sour beer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbmTcjav1OZNTYE8T_1HVDqv_zspJaRSWMfNZ9bVncMH4h1YAiueQXpNAxvE_1pWYK86TO4nnyhINam0ZDopK0EwZ2sNKtK9_OpATIpycNcB0HJ6LpnCv376FZVO51h5AwEVfef1p2D0d/s1600/IMG_20190620_202800.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbmTcjav1OZNTYE8T_1HVDqv_zspJaRSWMfNZ9bVncMH4h1YAiueQXpNAxvE_1pWYK86TO4nnyhINam0ZDopK0EwZ2sNKtK9_OpATIpycNcB0HJ6LpnCv376FZVO51h5AwEVfef1p2D0d/s640/IMG_20190620_202800.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Update 9.3.20</b>: Sadly this beer has taken a turn for the worst. I went to check on it this morning and saw something white at the surface. At first I thought it was merely a forming pellicle but on closer inspection realized it was growing out of the beer. Looking at the carboy I realized not only was it growing out of the surface but also along the glass surface in the headspace.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mold. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lots of homebrewers fear anything unusual about a beer as mold, especially pellicles, but this is unquestionably the same kind of fuzzy mold that sometimes grows on the cheese I make at the other end of the basement. This beer will have to meet its end in the Denver sewer system (although technically I suppose that was always its end). This mold might not be toxic but I don't want to take the chance. </div><div><br /></div><div>I realized when I moved the carboy that the stopper had come loose which was letting in air and likely allowed mold to get in or to create an environment for growth of mold already in the headspace. This is user error on my part. Sorry beer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anywhere, here are some pictures of the mold:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUc0Mi4J8qkh8g-8FxhB5XhTFQWXm0U9-6sm4g_MfDqp5IsH5e7yDlH2BlKioAglSAtvkWlkS3itgOnOk5ZtZukTxT166SbtEVPbr94XtNuznMs5oGKA1nzOgwEEs9iH2gjn15q34JfHS3/s4032/IMG_20200902_075902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUc0Mi4J8qkh8g-8FxhB5XhTFQWXm0U9-6sm4g_MfDqp5IsH5e7yDlH2BlKioAglSAtvkWlkS3itgOnOk5ZtZukTxT166SbtEVPbr94XtNuznMs5oGKA1nzOgwEEs9iH2gjn15q34JfHS3/w500-h375/IMG_20200902_075902.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmWszqQYbBaFa4_q_AvC_ZXb8Fkn3d5OFNjao_mdfD68qYzsYQzVWWONuRSpgSigqVD6p7p9fYWwf7U011QuBnXchJndRVDwmQxXTVnNDKvlJEv972Dxh_0FPfAdggyrDgHuU9U3QZqJd/s4032/IMG_20200902_075920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmWszqQYbBaFa4_q_AvC_ZXb8Fkn3d5OFNjao_mdfD68qYzsYQzVWWONuRSpgSigqVD6p7p9fYWwf7U011QuBnXchJndRVDwmQxXTVnNDKvlJEv972Dxh_0FPfAdggyrDgHuU9U3QZqJd/w500-h375/IMG_20200902_075920.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2Ky4cJ3Pv00P3Nbg66dy3eMfGs2rwkieBzdMGBoG3UYri2EPN0keD6i08CRx1EUhCH-5vttaAtx1wkfcl4ezJqVUuz8mnEDWG9JCd3YkMbiW543G5lZNdOUuvubBivrZq9AolSkj0yXN/s4032/IMG_20200902_075933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2Ky4cJ3Pv00P3Nbg66dy3eMfGs2rwkieBzdMGBoG3UYri2EPN0keD6i08CRx1EUhCH-5vttaAtx1wkfcl4ezJqVUuz8mnEDWG9JCd3YkMbiW543G5lZNdOUuvubBivrZq9AolSkj0yXN/w500-h375/IMG_20200902_075933.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0Ca5TcYNNwFllBLutZsVu40EuNI_GpDB12gUV8DEvDxO9zY7X32UI0XjiFfcMMkKosn0PdHWP00UmCEHIntSttSmyJYvBNjtpcTv4SFMXJYIfrw5s9z7KGtHWBapHsNwaePkkIqQFuTI/s4032/IMG_20200902_080021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0Ca5TcYNNwFllBLutZsVu40EuNI_GpDB12gUV8DEvDxO9zY7X32UI0XjiFfcMMkKosn0PdHWP00UmCEHIntSttSmyJYvBNjtpcTv4SFMXJYIfrw5s9z7KGtHWBapHsNwaePkkIqQFuTI/w500-h375/IMG_20200902_080021.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-81229123964279617802019-01-14T19:08:00.005-06:002020-02-15T20:11:25.946-06:00Barrel Aged Americanized Oud Bruin Batch 4 RecipeSometimes in homebrewing, especially sour brewing, things don't work out the way you want them to and you have to adapt to what happens rather than what you want to happen. I feel that is where I've landed with this string of barrel aged sour beer. After racking out <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2018/11/barrel-aged-americanized-oud-bruin.html">batch 3</a> to bottles I wasn't in love with the sample I took from the bottling bucket. I'm not sure if that is a result of filling the barrel after moving it and leaving it full of a sanitizing solution for too long or if it's time to rethink filling this barrel. As a result of my uncertainty I've elected to follow the same process a fourth time to see if I can steer this project back on track. If not, I may consider changing my fermentation blend from my house culture to a lab blend. My house culture is sensitive to oxygen and throws too much acetic acid if given the chance and a two gallon barrel (plus all the racking) is a really good opportunity for oxygen exposure. Alternatively I may change my process to primary ferment in the barrel and then rack out to bottles after two or three months. For now, we'll see what happens with the current process.<br />
<div id="nrelate_related_backup_placeholder">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Barrel aged oud bruin batch 4 process</h2>
<div>
This beer follows the same process and recipe for the prior three batches so I'll just link to the <a href="https://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2017/06/barrel-aged-americanized-oud-bruin.html">original recipe post for the oud bruin</a> and talk about the process. As in the past I brewed the beer and sent it to glass for a month before transferring it to the barrel. I racked out Batch 3 immediately before racking in Batch 4 to the barrel along with priming sugar to help consume any air picked up by racking and hopefully reduce acetic acid production. This beer will age in the barrel for three months before heading to bottles for extended aging.<br />
<br />
With each batch of this Americanized oud bruin I've had a small amount of beer that wouldn't fit into the barrel. I've collected this beer for additional aging in smaller vessels and added the excess from each batch into a growing blend of beer. After racking Batch 4 to the barrel I have enough excess beer to fill this 64oz growler. I'm not sure what I'll do with this beer (or if it's even worth drinking or blending) but I'll keep this beer as blending stock.<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLlavOqb_CDE63N-CwxyFLfWcZdEa0p5TVXJWUrJFwbihbiZ_g57rFGZy2jaSUR5qeNkgRZyYL9evd4sPa3Ey8FD-BxVoYmjXrvlkochBzoZ9pZ6a0iwggEohXVk9TeX-lgrToDGBH-8D/s1600/IMG_20190114_175455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLlavOqb_CDE63N-CwxyFLfWcZdEa0p5TVXJWUrJFwbihbiZ_g57rFGZy2jaSUR5qeNkgRZyYL9evd4sPa3Ey8FD-BxVoYmjXrvlkochBzoZ9pZ6a0iwggEohXVk9TeX-lgrToDGBH-8D/s640/IMG_20190114_175455.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly filled barrel with Batch 4 and the companion excess beer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
For batches 2-4 I've set the brewday ahead of bottling day by about a month to ensure I do all the racking at once. For Batch 5 I'll wait to make that decision until I've tasted a bottle of Batch 3 to help make a decision about whether to stay the course or change the process.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Barrel aged Americanized oud bruin recipe</h2>
<div>
<h3>
Barrel aged Americanized Oud Bruin batch 3 recipe</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 2.25 gallon</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 7.3%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 24</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.071</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.015</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 25</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pilsner malt</td><td>4</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>66.80%</td></tr>
<tr><td>White wheat malt</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>16.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vienna malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>3.5</td><td></td><td>6.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Crystal 80</td><td></td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>80</td><td></td><td>4.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chocolate malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>2.6</td><td></td><td>350</td><td></td><td>2.70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aromatic malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>26</td><td></td><td>2.20%</td></tr>
<tr><td>Black patent malt</td><td></td><td></td><td>1.4</td><td></td><td>500</td><td></td><td>1.50%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Brown Malty Profile</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>16</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>85</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td>0</td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.9g</td><td></td><td>0.7g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 7.8 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 1.5 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 7.8 quarts at 167F</td><td>150F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>75</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 1.5 gal at 190F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12%]</td><td>0.25</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>24</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Oregon Special</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch 300ml slurry</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 70F</td><td>?</td><td></td><td>Ambient</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 4 vol CO2 with 2 oz table sugar</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<h2>
Barrel aged Americanized oud bruin brewday and fermentation notes</h2>
</div>
<div>
Brewed 12.11.18. Did a lousy job taking notes this brewday. Procured 2.3 gallons of 1.071 gravity wort. Pitched house sour culture.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Racked to barrel with 1 oz. table sugar on 1.14.19. Beer smelled and tasted similar to previous batches. Racked excess 0.25 gallons to excess container with 0.25 oz table sugar.</div>
<div>
<br />
<h2>
Some very delayed tasting notes for this oud bruin batch</h2>
Tasting notes from 1.18.20.<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b> Beer pours a dark chocolate ganache that brightens to a milk chocolate in direct and bright light. It maintains a slightly tan head that lingers and provides nice lacing down the glass.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b> Woodsiness arrives first like freshly cut lumber followed by a curious mix of lemon, red currant, bourbon, hay and milk chocolate.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor:</b> The beer hits right off with a nutty chocolate reminiscent of a walnut-filled brownie. It follows with an oaky vanilla then red currant. The finish lingers with vanilla while lemony sourness arrives with white grape, cherry and a touch of flowers? There is no funkiness to this beer and the acidity is detectable but extremely restrained. A touch of boozy burn is there but it isn't distracting. It lets you know this beer spent some time in a former whiskey barrel. As the beer warms the acidity takes a more prominent roll with both lactic acid and a tiny amount of acetic acid. The beer changes with warmth away from the fudgy/nutty flavor to more acidic currant and cherry flavor with the nutty and chocolate flavors taking a back seat. I liked the beer better cooler but it is an interesting ride as the beer changes.<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel: </b>For a sour beer this is an extremely full bodied beer but it would be a solid medium judged against clean beers. The barrel is clearly flexing by adding structure and fullness to the beer which is a really nice touch. Acidity and tannins linger after the finish. The lingering tannins are a bit much but the acidity helps cut through and keep it from ruining the experience.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall:</b> This batch is easily the best of the four batches that have come out of the barrel with the first culture. Undoubtedly shortening the time spent in the barrel was a huge benefit--which makes me a little concerned for batch 5 which has been in the barrel for about a year now (but with a different culture). This is virtually everything I could ask for in this beer. It has a really nice flavor and hits my preference for a sour beer that is not a huge acid bomb. It isn't the most complex sour beer in fact it is fairly simplistic and straight forward but it does such a good job hitting each flavor distinctly that it doesn't need the complexity to carry the beer. If I have one criticism to hand out it would be that the tannins are a touch too much but I will take it happily for all the positives of this beer.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-75231389423002622482018-12-16T00:41:00.000-06:002018-12-16T00:41:11.311-06:00Keptinis Inspired Brown Ale RecipeSome of the most interesting research in beer and brewing right now is coming out of the important work of a handful of people exploring and writing about brewing traditions in northern and eastern Europe and west Asia. There are many pre-industrial brewing traditions in these areas which are largely undocumented outside of their local oral histories. Not only is this research interesting in its own right, but it's extremely important because many of these beers and brewing traditions are dying off. Once people stop brewing these traditional beers they are usually lost to time. At best might be preserved by a mention or two in a beer history or brewing book.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Among these traditional beers and brewing practices are brewing techniques involving baking the mash either to maintain heat or to caramelize the mash to create darker beers. Maybe the most extensive writing on the subject (at least in English) comes from <a href="http://www.garshol.priv.no/">Lars Garshol's excellent blog</a>. He made the point on an episode of the <a href="https://www.milkthefunk.live/podcast/">Milk the Funk podcast</a> that historically a large metal kettle for brewing would have been prohibitively expensive for most people so either adding hot stones to a mash vessel or baking the entire mash was a more affordable option. (This is probably true for most of Europe at least at some point in time.) Not wanting to play with red hot stones, I thought playing with baking a mash might be a safer option to take a first hand look at these alternative mash techniques.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Brewing a keptinis inspired beer</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This beer will roughly follow the instructions Lars provides for keptinis, a Lithuanian farmhouse beer that is close to a porter or brown ale through baking a mash of light malt. This style of beer is raw ale. It won't be boiled although a hopped sparge addition will add bitterness and protection against infection. Lars takes instruction from an experienced brewer who uses more rustic methods than I do here. The process is simple:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Mash in as usual</li>
<li>Bake entire mash for extended period of time</li>
<li>Boil sparge water with hops</li>
<li>Break up baked mash and transfer to mash tun</li>
<li>Sparge as usual</li>
<li>Collect runnings and pitch yeast</li>
</ul>
<div>
The <a href="http://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/394.html">recipe posted on this page</a> calculates out to a higher ABV beer than I want to make so I've adjusted down from what beersmith calculates as a 9% beer to a 5.7% beer. I won't know how much this brewing process affects mash efficiency. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Figuring out the mash</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One challenge with this process is not knowing how to emulate the oven conditions of the Lithuanian brewhouse. The recipe calls for a starting temperature around 700F which is a little high for my kitchen oven. I'm also not entirely sure how much adding the cooler mash would drop the temperature or how much it would fall over the course of three hours. I would also need to account for the difference in mash size and how that would change the cooling of the oven.<br />
<br />
As a compromise I've adopted a modification of my baking procedure for bread. I'll preheat the oven to 500F and then cut it to 450F when I add the mash. I'll drop the temperature periodically if it seems the mash is drying out or turning too dark too quickly. My suspicion is that in the case of the much larger (50kg) mash in the Lithuanian recipe the oven is losing a fair amount of temperature to the initial presence of the mash. The temperature of that mash is probably closer to 450F than its higher starting point. I figure this temperature does a good job baking bread from fairly wet dough and creating a nice caramelized crust so it's at least a good starting point.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Keptinis Inspired Brown Ale Recipe</h3>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.1 gallons</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.7%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 33.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.061</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.018</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 4.2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pils malt</td><td>7</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>100.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Brown Malty</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.8</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>61</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>16</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>46</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>62</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>87</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.6g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.7g</td><td></td><td>0.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.5g</td><td></td><td>0.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1.1g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.9g</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single infusion mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 14 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.86 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 14qt at 159F</td><td>149</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Preheat oven to 500F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Once mash temperature stabilizes drop</td><td>oven to </td><td></td><td>450F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bake mash 3 hours at 450F</td><td>?</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil 0.45oz Belma with sparge water</td><td>212F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>30</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.86 gal</td><td>180F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>None</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY1318</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch Slurry from prior batch</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>7</td><td></td><td>67</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 2.2 volumes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<h3>
Brewing the Beer </h3>
Brewed 11.14.18.<br />
<br />
The first thing I can say about this beer is that it is an impressively messy brewing process in a home kitchen. I underestimated the translation of mash tun volume to the pots and pans I could fit in my oven which required me to top up the baking mash after an hour to fit everything due to the water volume. Pulling out baking pans full of boiling mash is not a fun or clean task. Neither was adding more of the mash which splattered all over the inside of the oven. I expected the baked vessels would need a hardcore cleaning but I didn't expect to have to do the same for the oven. I would definitely recommend testing out what you can really get in your oven <i>before</i> committing to the mash.<br />
<br />
I ended up using a mixture of pyrex baking dishes, a dutch oven and a small metal bread pan. This presented its own challenge because the different size, surface area and material resulted in the several vessels reaching their final destination at different times. I also think I took the recommendation of adding a lot of water to the mash a little too seriously because even the smallest vessel (the bread pan) needed more than three hours to bake.<br />
<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkqQPbxRpmjTNqxjNNB-hc14Y5c2u8i3j0Te3l-Hi_3RZoVw9Z4mfxMgJVeqjd0laGEHePRdkY3DF4mk2yN-RaaatuGCyAIdvTEi9hzKtkkQMjhIzVYF9AdPUJiumXTYteZ9ZZMgIBwes/s1600/IMG_20181114_204007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkqQPbxRpmjTNqxjNNB-hc14Y5c2u8i3j0Te3l-Hi_3RZoVw9Z4mfxMgJVeqjd0laGEHePRdkY3DF4mk2yN-RaaatuGCyAIdvTEi9hzKtkkQMjhIzVYF9AdPUJiumXTYteZ9ZZMgIBwes/s400/IMG_20181114_204007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the finished baked mashes on my dirty stovetop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The entire mash and sparging took seven hours which is about as long as a turbid mash brewday. There's no boil time to add on top (although the wort still needs to chill) but I'd venture a guess I'm going to spend more than ninety minutes cleaning the mess left behind. Had I added less water to the initial mash I think I could have cut a couple of those hours off but it will take some fine tuning to assess how low the water volume can be to avoid too much burning or scorching to the baking mash.<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZIE99S2fNj0rkusWG-Nma_xUhb4Mxe60tL3ods3B59OazMw0J72B5ggE7FykwELoQXeSN8j4oOeQ5eKBa-HijI3KMZF2_hyphenhyphenopidtAiu1DvvD0wK6Z_EDJvaxxtbnMZg3sOUSpwiWgiiJ/s1600/IMG_20181114_212037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZIE99S2fNj0rkusWG-Nma_xUhb4Mxe60tL3ods3B59OazMw0J72B5ggE7FykwELoQXeSN8j4oOeQ5eKBa-HijI3KMZF2_hyphenhyphenopidtAiu1DvvD0wK6Z_EDJvaxxtbnMZg3sOUSpwiWgiiJ/s400/IMG_20181114_212037.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked mash mixed together in the mash tun awaiting sparge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxOcGgjFLS0RiqJdcA0qPRIkzGH_PccL_Aa2m3QK09rYoxkZT3RjsVyzPSFWTls7YdC8S-UYTtwcsEtKKGfge_T9g0flbZEMkL71DSxiA_Ke-5V-ymblqEK_EZj6CAiv9vuj3w8aRqlR5/s1600/MVIMG_20181114_213606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxOcGgjFLS0RiqJdcA0qPRIkzGH_PccL_Aa2m3QK09rYoxkZT3RjsVyzPSFWTls7YdC8S-UYTtwcsEtKKGfge_T9g0flbZEMkL71DSxiA_Ke-5V-ymblqEK_EZj6CAiv9vuj3w8aRqlR5/s400/MVIMG_20181114_213606.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamy brown first runnings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Despite the mess, the baked mash really works. From 100% pilsner malt I developed a solidly brown wort that tastes a lot like something in the brown ale to porter category. Adding the hop tea cut the sweetness and gave it a slight vegetal taste.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Tasting Notes</h2>
<div>
Reviewed 12.1.18.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGh-HeWNcqTDQQSm9b8zCtgkFoNK6ueBIWpeK7uL66tPxV8raHFP4EZD31sWt53wvvuB0aBBFKPO1ec95fXxiFaQB4fGrF5IAg6HzADBSJ-3HpONgo_TcN8u43CT0L13vth7cTlgk7oAU/s1600/IMG_20181201_005347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGh-HeWNcqTDQQSm9b8zCtgkFoNK6ueBIWpeK7uL66tPxV8raHFP4EZD31sWt53wvvuB0aBBFKPO1ec95fXxiFaQB4fGrF5IAg6HzADBSJ-3HpONgo_TcN8u43CT0L13vth7cTlgk7oAU/s400/IMG_20181201_005347.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<b>Appearance:</b> Beer pours a rich dark brown with a thick appearance slowly building a tan head. The head first appears thick but deflates back into the beer to remain a thin off-white cover. The beer is quintessentially brown like a dark caramel. The appearance is dense and opaque. Not murky like a questionable hazy IPA but opaque like a brown fog.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Aroma:</b> The aroma is aggressively caramel right up front like hot caramel sauce ready to pour over ice cream. It is sweet and rich with a candy-like quality. Other aromas sit well in the background of toasted bread crust, orange, papaya and cassia. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Flavor:</b> The flavor is complex with immediate competition of caramel sauce, toasted bread, orange, cassia, walnut, molasses and a surprising woodiness. There is a hint of butteriness and breadiness that follows that this yeast strain can throw. As the beer warms the caramel gives way to more burnt notes that are not acrid but more like the deep caramelization on grilled fruit. With further warmth walnut and molasses take over the flavor. The beer is sweet, although less sweet as it warms, but it is not cloying. This beer tastes like it should be really sweet but somehow it just isn't.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> The body is full and soft but not heavy like it's appearance or flavor suggests. It reminds me of a beer with a generous amount of oats but it's just pilsner malt. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Overall:</b> I'm honestly blown away but how good this beer is. The flavor is so deep and complex it's crazy to look at the sack of pilsner malt and think that made this beer without any help from specialty malts. I'm a fan of brown ales but this beer is radically different from any brown ale I've ever tasted. It aligns very well with how Lars describes what he tried from experienced brewers and I'm particularly grateful for his clear explanation of how to brew this beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is definitely the most unusual process for brewing I've ever attempted and that includes turbid mashing. Baking the mash for this beer is strange and challenging for a regular kitchen but the raw ale aspect is just as unusual. There is no weird fermentation character or sourness to suggest not boiling the wort had any detrimental effect on the quality or cleanliness of the wort. I am absolutely intrigued by both the mash procedure and the raw ale process involved here. I have a lot of beers in the pipeline for now but I definitely need to work in some other raw ales.</div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-90179952948280115922018-12-02T23:27:00.000-06:002018-12-02T23:27:37.465-06:00London Fog Vaguely Related to English Bitters and Summer Ales RecipeI don't feel any qualification to speak at length about English beer styles. I have comparably little experience drinking them and most of my experience comes from drinking questionable Fuller's bottles or American renditions which come heavy on the crystal malt. I never developed a passion for these styles which may be due to my lack of experience exploring them. Nevertheless, I have real admiration for English brewing ingredients. English malts tend to offer some of the deepest malt character that can swallow up unsuspecting hops. English hops, on the other hand, are subtle and light. London Ale III is one of my favorite yeast--for some inexplicable reason--which drives me to drink more Boddingtons than I can otherwise justify. While I don't feel driven to master English styles I do feel a growing desire to better understand brewing with their ingredients.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Within that paradigm I wanted to create a beer somewhere within the range of English bitters but without the darker malt or brewing syrup flavors--something closer to an English summer ale but not quite within that style either. I just want to strip down to a simple concept that lets the hops, malt and yeast each have their own room to breathe. I'm keeping this within the ABV and IBU range for an English bitter. I don't need to reinvent the wheel here.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As a result this beer is really simple. My new local homebrew shop carries the Warmister pale maris otter which is a nice floor malted base malt so I've selected that to carry the entire grain bill. For late hops I'm using First Gold pellets I picked up a while back. I can't recall having ever tasted them but the combination of citrus and floral descriptors seems like a good fit for an interesting but simple beer. London Ale III will ferment this beer out over a water profile slightly favoring a drier beer. It's maybe best described as a low ABV blonde ale with all English ingredients.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My goal for this beer is twofold. First, I want to create a pleasant beer to drink in its own right that may earn regular rotation on tap. Second, this beer is a good starting point to continue to explore English brewing ingredients and techniques. I plan on brewing some other English inspired beers like stout/porter and brown ales where I can continue working my way through English specialty malts. I want to get some English inspired beers in rotation on my taps but I also want to better understand these ingredients and techniques to see how they may improve other beers I brew. But for today let's just see how this beer goes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
London Fog Recipe</h3>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 3.1 gallons</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 3.6%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 31.2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.035</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.010</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.8</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Warmister Pale Maris Otter</td><td>4</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>3.5</td><td></td><td>100.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Balanced</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.47</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>7</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>76</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>0</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>1.0g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td>0</td><td>0.7g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.1g</td><td></td><td>0.1g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.9g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single decoction mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 5 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 2.96 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 5 qt at 172F</td><td>156F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>45</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 2.96 gallons of 180F water</td><td>170F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma [12.10%]</td><td>0.35</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>31.2</td></tr>
<tr><td>First Gold [7.5%]</td><td>0.6</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Flameout</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: WY1318</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch 1l</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>15</td><td></td><td>64</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Fermentation and Brewday Notes</h3>
<br />
Brewed 10.30.17<br />
<br />
Preboil volume: 4.1 gal<br />
Preboil gravity: 1.027<br />
Mash efficiency: 70%<br />
Postboil volume: 3.4 gal<br />
Postboil gravity: 1.032<br />
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%<br />
<br />
<h3>
Tasting Notes</h3>
<div>
Reviewed on 12.1.18.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULzUgNTZK7X70g48jLQbUwZ5qIGtVzSTwn77_O0pwsTHwVmctQsahKZBB6b4jLQ_JrRZAYOCaadIEJTJfOgQcDKog8kbwcHtglwF94RnYysNl0403ZEdTgPtF5vUgpBlP5fNTQ3y1PEvO/s1600/IMG_20181201_002559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULzUgNTZK7X70g48jLQbUwZ5qIGtVzSTwn77_O0pwsTHwVmctQsahKZBB6b4jLQ_JrRZAYOCaadIEJTJfOgQcDKog8kbwcHtglwF94RnYysNl0403ZEdTgPtF5vUgpBlP5fNTQ3y1PEvO/s400/IMG_20181201_002559.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<b>Appearance:</b> Pours with a thick snow white head that leaves generous lacing as the head recedes with the beer. The beer is a straw yellow with slight haze. The head maintains a lasting rocky presence to the end of the beer, leaving lacing all the way down the glass.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Aroma:</b> Country white bread leaps out of the glass followed by a gentle floralness and a husky graininess. Slight fruit notes as the beer warms with cantelope, tangerine, navel orange. The floral hops turn slightly grassy with warmth and a touch of black pepper appears.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Flavor: </b>The bready yeast flavor hits first followed by a more welcoming country white bread flavor. The aftertaste keeps all the hops, first with floral flavors and a brief punch of bitterness but as the beer warms turns slightly grassy with soft melon and orange. There is a touch of sulfur in the aftertaste of the beer that goes away as it warms. Overall the flavor is well balanced between sweetness and bitterness without yielding in either direction.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> Medium body with a prickly pop of bitterness with coolness. As it warms the bitterness mellows and the mouthfeel is a little smoother. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Overall:</b> Fairly happy with this beer. It's not a beer that wows but it has some good flavor that develops as the beer warms which is always pleasant. It hits all the marks for what it should be although I would like for it to have just a touch more hop character so maybe a dry hop addition would give this beer the slight pop to take from a really good beer to a great beer. </div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4056754135218306411.post-27837338806072996782018-11-26T20:30:00.000-06:002019-05-18T00:47:03.536-05:00Hoppy mixed fermentation saison experiment 1 recipeNow that I'm situated in the new home it's time to start propagating those mixed fermentation cultures and resume brewing these long fermentation beers. I've brewed the first iteration of my barrel oud bruin in the new house so now it's my farmhouse/saison mixed culture's turn. I'm still learning this culture's quirky behavior so for this recipe I've opted for a simple recipe to explore how it interacts with hops. My last two beers with this saison culture were fairly weird beers and not a great opportunity to learn nuance of the culture. (This take on Funkwerks Tropic Bling and this really weird prickly pear beer.)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This recipe is more of an attempt to start work on a standard recipe for this culture. A simple grain bill and enough hops to keep some bitterness as it ages and give the culture lots of opportunity to play with the flavor components in the hops. Some of my favorite beers are brett IPAs like Stone Enjoy After and once hoppy brett saisons, so it only makes sense to give this culture an opportunity to produce the same type of beer. The hops I've selected for this recipe are leftover hops from the freezer. I'm less interested in the particular flavors elicited by these hops and more what the culture will do in the presence of a hefty amount of late addition hops. </div>
<div>
After this batch I'll probably take up a few more experiments, like mixing fresh and aged hops, before turning to perfecting a particular bill of hops.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The two issues I am most interested to see are: (1) how much this culture changes the flavor of the hops; and (2) how the culture's flavors integrate with the remaining hop flavors. This culture develops a unique flavor profile dominated by a hay and blueberry flavor. That brett hay note works really well with hops but I'm less certain how the blueberry flavor will mix with the hops. I could see it overwhelming the hop flavors over time or blending together into weirdness. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Hoppy mixed fermentation saison experiment 1</h2>
<div>
<style type="text/css">
table.tableizer-table {
font-size: 12px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}
.tableizer-table td {
padding: 4px;
margin: 3px;
border: 1px solid #CCC;
}
.tableizer-table th {
background-color: #104E8B;
color: #FFF;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style><br />
<table class="tableizer-table"><thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Details</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr>
</thead><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Batch Size: 1 gallon</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. ABV: 5.5%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. IBU: 38.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. OG: 1.052</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. FG: 1.010</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Est. SRM: 3.6</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Expected Efficiency: 72%</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Grain Bill</td><td>Pounds</td><td></td><td>Ounces</td><td></td><td>SRM</td><td></td><td>Pct. Grist</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pils malt</td><td>2</td><td></td><td>0</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>100.00%</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Profile</td><td>ppm</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bru'n Water Yellow Bitter</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>PH: 5.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium</td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Magnesium</td><td>10</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sodium</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sulfate</td><td>110</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Chloride</td><td>45</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bicarbonate</td><td>-93</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Water Additions</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mash</td><td></td><td>Sparge</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Gypsum</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4g</td><td></td><td>0.4g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Epsom Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.3g</td><td></td><td>0.3g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Canning Salt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Baking Soda</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.2g</td><td></td><td>0.2g</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chalk</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pickling Lime</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Lactic Acid</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>0.4ml</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash Schedule</td><td>Step Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Step Time</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Single decoction mash</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Mash volume: 3 qt</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge volume: 0.74 gal</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Infuse 3 qt at 163F</td><td>148F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>35</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Decoct 0.6 qt and boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>10</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Return decoction </td><td>158F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>45</td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Sparge 0.75 gal</td><td>180F</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Boil Schedule</td><td>Volume</td><td></td><td>Unit</td><td></td><td>Time</td><td></td><td>IBU</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>60 minute boil</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Belma </td><td>0.17</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>60</td><td></td><td>38.3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mt. Hood </td><td>0.50</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Flameout</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Opal</td><td>0.34</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Flameout</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rakau </td><td>0.36</td><td></td><td>oz</td><td></td><td>Flameout</td><td></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Fermentation Schedule</td><td># Days</td><td></td><td>Temp.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Yeast: Saison AF </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch 1l</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Pitch at 64F</td><td>30</td><td></td><td>70</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Age 9 months</td><td>270</td><td></td><td>70</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Bottle to 3 volumes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<h2>
Brewday and Fermentation Notes</h2>
<div>
Brewed 10.15.18.<br />
<br />
Bottled 1.22.19 with 1.4 oz. table sugar. Sample at bottling smells hoppy with stonefruit, pine, citrus and hay. The beer is still very bitter with a lot of the hop flavors still intact. Surprisingly bitter for 38 IBUs in a 5.5% ABV beer. That's pale ale country although this is closer in bitterness to a west coast IPA. Some tannins rolling around on the tongue.<br />
<br />
The mixed culture's typical hay/blueberry/barnyard character is starting to emerge but there is also a lot of it's young, less pleasant harsh barnyard flavor. This cultures awful sweet aftertaste is still present underneath the bitterness but I expect that all to age out. It mixes with the apricot flavor from Rakau hops in a really weird way. I plan to give these bottles at least six months to mature before tasting.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Hoppy Saison #1 Tasting Notes</h2>
<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://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5Mg8S7Mo7LW4NcNWKHpCC1n1oGVUgLR5U5Tnt2zgS9gvYiAWX8-hTSCZ99-6KispjeY8PvrFIbIT0mxyobAGC0TSboOeMzgsa67Uh3Ukwqp04HKaFBl1D4qrRaUfOXLyuGZDnZhUzsIH/s1600/IMG_20190517_232518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5Mg8S7Mo7LW4NcNWKHpCC1n1oGVUgLR5U5Tnt2zgS9gvYiAWX8-hTSCZ99-6KispjeY8PvrFIbIT0mxyobAGC0TSboOeMzgsa67Uh3Ukwqp04HKaFBl1D4qrRaUfOXLyuGZDnZhUzsIH/s640/IMG_20190517_232518.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoppy Saison best poured on a washing machine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Sampled 5.17.19<br />
<br />
<b>Appearance:</b> Initially this beer pours out an incredible clear yellow color like an industrial light lager. It gains some cloudiness from yeast kicked up by the heavy carbonation in the bottle but as you can see from the picture it is not terribly murky or unreasonable for a saison. The head is snow white on this beer and builds up with the carbonation. The head is lasting but eventually calms to a more manageable volume leaving behind some nice lacing on the way down.<br />
<br />
<b>Aroma:</b> This saison has all the expected character of this yeast culture. There is hay and blueberry with some lighter notes of strawberry, damp forest, barnyard funk and sandalwood. The hops are surprisingly still present in the aroma with a light grassiness and some peach that is unmistakably rakau hops. There is also a pleasant mineral type aroma which I cannot recall smelling in a beer before. Collectively the aroma of the beer reminds me a lot of opening a package of sweet tarts with the mixed fruit and that tart mineral smell. Really unusual but pleasant.<br />
<br />
<b>Flavor:</b> The flavor on this beer is completely different from the aroma. It is blueberry and lemon up front with a big punch of bitterness like De Ranke XX. The flavor evolves fairly quickly with peach, hay, black pepper, damp forest, slight floralness and the weird sweet funky flavor this yeast carries when it is too young. The bitterness carries through the beer but creates a long lasting flavor that descends into barnyard funk and that forest-y flavor similar to mosaic hops. Long into the aftertaste it has a generic hoppiness which is fairly surprising for a beer seven months old.<br />
<br />
<b>Mouthfeel:</b> This beer is aggressive with the bitterness and leaves a long tannin finish. It is not a sharp bitterness of a west coast DIPA but a firmly present bitterness. The carbonation is spritzy and also fairly aggressive. As the beer warms in the glass the carbonation and bitter feel mellow to a more manageable beer. The saison's body is overall appropriately thin but not watery despite what some might call overcarbonation.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Overall:</b> In general this was a good first attempt at this beer. It definitely feels overcarbonated although by beer carbonation calculators this should be around 3.5 volumes plus whatever sugar brett scavenged from the beer after it went into the bottle. Perhaps the combination of bitterness plus carbonation is too aggressive. I need to play around with adjusting one and the other. I am not sure this hop combination is the best for this beer but it was a good experiment to see that the yeast culture plus bottling relatively early saved a good amount of fresh yeast flavor. In three or four months the weird sweet-funk flavor should drop off and turn this into a very good first attempt overall. </div>
Adam Kielichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352776600084349395noreply@blogger.com0