3 lbs Muntons Dark Dry Malt Extract
1 pkt Lallemand Dry Windsor Ale Yeast
- Racked to keg: 27 December 2004.
- Pressurized w/8 PSI on 29 December 2004 (couldn't wait!).
- Tapped 9 January 2005.
- 6 February 2005: No clearing noted.
- Eventually cleared by the last 4-5 pints.
.5 lb Caramel Pils Malt
9.3 lb Gold Malt Syrup
1 lb Clear Belgian Candi Sugar
1 oz Northern Brewer Hops (60 min)
1 oz Saaz Hops (10 min)
1 oz Irish Moss (15 min)
Wyeast #1388 Strong Belgian Ale Liquid Yeast
Lallemand Nottingham Dry Yeast
- Racked to secondary 10 January 2005.
- Bottled 4 February 2005.
- Used 1/4 oz Polyclar for clarity (added with priming sugar before bottling).
Rack off hops after 7 days. Add 1 tsp gelatin finings.
- Racked onto Saaz: 28 Feb 2005.
- Racked off Saaz: 4 Mar 2005.
- Bottled: 29 May 2005.
- Pennsic XXXIV (August 2005): Next time, go more lightly with the hops, or allow to age and mellow. Keep out of the light or it'll skunk!
2 oz Briess Roasted Barley (~50L)
1/2 lb Crystal Malt 20L
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
1 oz Centennial Hops (10.1% AA) (20 min)
1/2 oz Cascade Hops (6% AA) (1 min)
White Labs Irish Ale Yeast
- Racked to secondary 28 February 2005.
- Kegged w/ 2/3 cup corn sugar, 27 May 2005.
- Tapped 13 June 2005.
- Very drinkable; lovely color, needs more CO2. (13 June 2005)
3.3 lb Briess Gold Liquid Malt Extract
1 lb Munton's Light Dry Malt Extract
.5 lb Caramunich Malt (60L)
.5 lb Crystal Malt (40L)
2 oz Roasted Barley
1 oz Hallertauer Hops (4.8% AA) (45 min)
1 oz Tettnanger Hops (4.8% AA) (45 min)
1 oz Saaz Hops (3.4% AA) (1 min)
White Labs San Francisco Lager Yeast
- Racked to secondary 20 June 2005. SG: ~1.032.
- 21 June 2005: Explosive keg decompression. Saved ~4 gallons; boiled 1# extra light DME in 1 gallon water, used to top off keg.
- Re-racked 24 June. SG: 1.016. Began temperature drop of ~2 degrees/day.
- Kegged 1 July. Force carbonating at 34F with 9 psi of CO2.
- Tapped 13 August 2005.
- Roasted barley nice, subtle. Next time, perhaps increase Caramunich to 1 or 1.5 pounds. (13 August 2005).
1 lb Coopers Plain Light Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Caramunich Malt (60L)
1 lb Caravienne Malt
1 oz Perle Hops (30 min)
1 oz Tettnanger Hops (30 min)
1 oz Tettnanger Hops (2 min)
1 tsp Gypsum
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
2 pkts Nottingham dry yeast
- Racked 24 June 2005. SG: 1.012.
Placed in chest freezer, start temp 55F, dropping ~2F per day.
- Racked to conditioning keg 2 July. FG: 1.010
- Racked to serving keg, 11 July.
- Force carbonating @34F w/9 PSI.
- Tapped 10 August.
A touch less bitter than I might have hoped, but receiving high praise from all tasters.
2 lb Plain Light Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Carapils Malt
1 oz Perle Hop pellets (6.6% AA)(50 min)
1 oz Saaz Hop pellets (5% AA)(5 min)
1 pkt Nottingham dry yeast
- Bottled 11 July 2005. (Primed with 3/4 cup corn sugar)
- Tried August 2005 (at Pennsic XXXIV). There's a truly bad off-flavor here. Tastes somewhat like hose-water. Must have been bad water coming through the local supply on brew-day (odd, because I did batch #8 on the same day, and it didn't have this problem). Will have to try this again some time, with more control over the water quality.
1 lb Flaked Wheat
1/2 lb Flaked Oats
1 oz Fuggle Hops (5.2% AA)
1 oz Kent Golding Hops (5.9% AA)
1 vial WLP007 Dry English Ale
1 vial WLP013 London Ale
- Racked to serving keg, 11 July.
- Force carbonating @32F w/9 PSI.
- Tapped 10 August.
Lighter color than I had anticipated. Smooth, very drinkable. Extremely foam-prone, no matter the serving pressure. Possible side-effect of the oats?
2 lb Plain Light Dry Malt Extract
1.5 oz Hallertau Hop pellets (3.5%AA)(60 min)
.5 oz Hallertau Hop pellets (3.5%AA)(5 min)
1 pkt Nottingham dry yeast
- Bottled with 3/4 cup priming sugar 20 July 2005.
- Tasted August 2005 at Pennsic XXXIV.
A thoroughly enjoyable, light brew. Will probably try it with some other adjuncts (corn?) next time.
- Tasted September 2005 at Lochmere Baronial Investiture. A little age has done nothing but good. It has smoothed out somewhat. Will have to try to track down an all-grain version and make this a summer staple.
1 lb Melanoidin malt
1 lb Crystal 120L malt
8.75 oz Briess Special Roast malt
2 lb Rye malt
1 oz Centennial Hops (10.1%AA)(45 min)
2 oz Willamette Hops (4.9%AA)(5 min)
1 oz Saaz Hops (3.4% AA)(flameout)
1 vial WLP001 California Ale yeast
- Kegged 20 July 2005. Force carbonating at 34F with 9 PSI. SG: 1.008
- 21 July, raised temp to 45F, 15 PSI.
- Tapped 17 August 2005 at Pennsic XXXIV.
Spicy rye notes detectable in aroma. First taste - yummy!
Next time - 8.5 lbs pale malt, 1.5 lbs melanoidin. Perhaps up the rye, too--maybe 3 lbs.
This is a definite keeper!
1 lb Light Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Crystal 20L malt
1/2 lb Biscuit malt
2 oz Kent Goldings Hop pellets (5.5%AA)(45 min)
1 oz Fuggles Hop pellets (4.5%AA)(1 min)
1 tsp Gypsum
1 vial WLP004 British Ale yeast
- Racked to secondary: 7 October 2005.
- Primed and bottled 16 December 2005.
- 4 January, Elphinstone's notes: "Heavier than I expected, and doesn't seem that hoppy."
3/4 lb Crystal 60L malt
1/2 lb Wheat malt
1/2 lb Caramunich malt
2 oz Chocolate malt
1 oz Fuggles Hops (5.4%AA)(90 min)
1 oz Fuggles Hops (5.4%AA)(5 min)
1 vial WLP002 English Ale yeast
- Racked 7 October. SG: 1.012. Topped with ~1/2 gallon of small beer.
Note to self: Careful with hopping small beer.
- Kegged 20 October. Force carbonating at 40F with 7 PSI.
- Removed from chill-chest on 26 October. Continuing carbonation at 65F, 17 PSI.
- Tapped 30 October. Decent; a bit harsh yet (probaby from the Cascades in the small beer, some may be from the Chocolate malt)--a week or so will probably do wonders.
- 5 November: The hops are mellowing nicely. This is turning into a lovely ale!
2 lb Munton's Amber Dry Malt Extract
3/4 lb Roasted Barley
1/4 lb Crystal 60L Malt
1/4 lb Flaked Barley
3 oz Acidulated Malt
1 oz Perle Hops (5.8%AA)(60 min)
1 oz E.K. Goldings Hops (6.6%AA)(60 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 vial WLP004 Irish Ale yeast
- Racked to secondary on 9 November 2005. Some thoughts for next time:
:Use a "cleaner" yeast. Maybe East Coast Ale? California Ale?
:Use a bit more roast barley--I like my stouts black.
:Use more acidulated malt--I'm not sure the 3oz had a noticeable effect.
:Perhaps add some rye and/or melanoidin.
:Stick with all Goldings (or all Fuggles) hops.
- Racked to keg, 21 November 2005, carbonating. FG: about 1.015. I'm still thinking a cleaner yeast would be beneficial; there's a bit of "banana" to this. I should have put this in the chill-chest for temp control during primary. A touch more roast barley, a tad more flaked barley, and a touch of rye. Yum...
- Tapped 27 November 2005. A little "banana" left still; color is good, but could be darker; lacks a little in body. Maybe some oatmeal next time? Also, a bit on the sweet side--definitely change the yeast. All in all, though, can't complain.
- Tasting notes, 3 December: Yep; this needs to be darker. It's also thin. I'm thinking a dash of oatmeal, maybe some melanoidin, and a touch more roast barley and some black patent.
3 lb Rye Malt
1 lb Melanoidin Malt
1 lb Crystal 120L Malt
1 oz Centennial Hops (9.6%AA)(30 min)
2 oz Willamette Hops (4.4%AA)(5 min)
1 oz Saaz Hops (4.3%AA)(steep 10 min)
1 vial WLP002 California Ale yeast (1/2 gallon starter)
- Racked to secondary (with Polyclar) 9 December 2005.
- Kegged 4 January 2006. SG: 1.010. Pressurizing with 15 PSI at basement temp (~60F).
- Tapped 13 January 2006. I need to hit this with a bit more pressure; I think next time I'll bump the base malt back down to 8#, maybe add another 1/4# of Melanoidin, and possibly bring back the roast malt... Still, nice and tasty, with good, strong hop notes. Seems to lack a little backbone, but that may improve with a touch more age (or with more Melanoidin, next time).
2 lb Crystal 60L Malt
.25 lb Cara-Pils Malt
1 oz Goldings Hop Pellets (?%AA)(60 min)
1 oz Goldings Hop Pellets (?%AA)(30 min)
1 oz Goldings Hop Pellets (?%AA)(5 min)
1/4 Tsp Irish Moss (10 min)
1 pkt Nottingham Ale yeast
- Racked 14 January 2006. SG: 1.010. My gravity sample tasted a bit light-bodied and, well, "weak." We'll see what this does by the time I go to keg it.
- Racked to keg 29 January. Tastes a little better, but not great. Under pressure, and will see what it tastes like from the tap in a week or two.
.25 lb Acid Malt
.5 oz Saaz Hops (4%AA)(75 min)
1 oz Saaz Hops (60 min)
1.25 oz Saaz Hops (20 min)
1 oz Saaz Hops (2 min)
1/4 Tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
1 capsule Servomyces (15 min)
1 qt WLP800 starter
- Racked to secondary 29 January 2006. SG: 1.012. Color is good, smell is OK, with a bit of diacetyl, and gravity sample tasted a little of diacetyl. Will let this go at room temp for a couple of days.
- Ended diacetyl rest 1 February, moved back to lagering fridge. Clearing nicely, and the smell is much improved. Lowering the temp, little by little.
- Kegged 12 February. Smell is good, color is "screamin' yellow." Body is a bit light--maybe some Munich or Vienna malt next time, or rest at a lower temp.
- Tapped 11 March. Clear, crisp--very nice. Body is OK, but it's a bit on the bitter side--it needs some more malt "oomph." I'll have to try this again without the acid malt...
1# specialty grains
6.5# Light liquid malt extract
1 oz hop pellets (Hallertau?) (60 min)
.25 oz hop pellets (Hallertau?) (10 min)
1/4 Tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
1 capsule Servomyces (15 min)
Wyeast Pilsen Lager smack-pack
- Racked to secondary 2 February. Described as "darker than I expected." (Probably due to use of extract, less-than-full-volume boil).
- Bottled 23 February 2006. SG: 1.010. Lovely color (light amber), nice flavor and aroma. This will be nice to drink.
2 lbs Pilsener Malt
1 lb Crystal 20L Malt
1 lb Cara-Pils Malt
1 lb Flaked Rye
.5 oz Hallertauer (4.8%AA) (60 min)
1 oz Hallertauer (4.8%AA) (30 min)
1/4 Tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
1 capsule Servomyces (15 min)
.5 oz Hallertauer (4.8%AA) (2 min)
WLP-810 San Francisco Lager Yeast
- After 26 hours, only lackluster sign of fermentation--but I didn't do a starter, this time. Let that be a lesson...
- Racked to secondary 12 February. SG: 1.012. Fermentation did finally kick off, albeit rather calmly (lager-like), complete with sulfur notes. This one will do well to lager a bit, mellow the flavor out.
- Kegged 16 March. SG ~1.008. Force-carbing at 12PSI, 52 degrees F. Very nice color, and malty. If I brew this for me next time, it'll need more hops.
- Tapped (accidentally) 22 April. See notes for Gruit Ale.
- 4 May: Body lacks a bit, but it's still a tasty beer. Right up my wife's alley. I'd still hop it up a bit more for myself; maybe some melanoidin next time?
2 lbs Extra Light Dry Malt Extract
6 oz Crystal 20L Malt
1.75 oz Hallertauer plugs (3.5%AA) (30 min)
0.25 oz Hallertauer plugs (3.5%AA) (5 min)
Wyeast 2007 Pilsner Yeast
- Racked to secondary 7 March 2006.
- Dumped 7 April 2006 due to infection (hairy mold patches).
1 lbs Dark Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Crystal 60L Malt
1/2 lb Roasted Barley
1/2 lb Black Patent Malt
1.5 oz Northern Brewer hops (7%AA) (60 min)
0.5 oz Willamette hops (steep)
4 tsp Gypsum
2 cans Oregon Cherry Puree (6lbs total)
1 packet US-56 dry ale yeast
.75 lb Flaked Barley
.5 lb Smoked Malt
.5 lb Special-B Malt
1 lb Crystal 60L Malt
1 packet US-56 dry ale yeast
2 oz Gruit Mix
2 oz Lemon Balm
1 oz Stick Cinnamon
1 oz Pepperment
3 oz Yarrow Flower
4 oz Elderflower
4 oz Fennel Seed
2 oz Rosemary
1 oz Sweet Orange Peel
1/4 oz Juniper Berries
1/4 oz Coriander Seed
1 oz Cloves
May be a bit shy of 5 gallons, due to spillage when cooling. Gruit tea was surprisingly dark. Aroma mostly of peppermint. OG would have been higher with a longer mash.
- Notes, 13 March. Strong fermentation; the aroma changes just about every time I sniff at the airlock. Interesting...
- Racked 16 March. Refractometer reads 7.2' Brix. Flavor is unusual. Will probably decrease the Peppermint in the next Gruit mix. We'll see...
- Kegged 27 March, with 1/3 cup corn sugar. SG: 1.008. Aroma and flavor are both coming around. This will be interesting.
- Tapped 22 April. Somewhat light in body, but clear and flavorful. Not bad. Next time, add some Melanoidin; maybe use the gruit as a "dry hop"?
- 24 April: Much improved with a pinch of salt in a glassful.
- 4 May: Stop the presses. The above notes (22 and 24 April) apply to the Munich Amber. That's what I get for not labeling the kegs this time around...
- Tapped (for real!) 4 May 2006. 1st glass cloudy, as usual--a murky brown. Odor is slightly off initially, but not bad. Eventually, the herbal mix makes itself known. First taste: Zing! Tart. Enough to make me wonder about a possible lacto infection. (I'll have to rig the tap for cleansing, instead of going straight to the next brew...) Still, good for summertime on-the-patio grilling after mowing the lawn, I should think. Next time, drink this younger.
1 packet Nottingham Dry Ale Yeast
- Dumped 15 April due to infection. Another try at this will be made, a bit more methodically--using fully-fermented beer and a "Mother" starter.
5/8 lb Crystal 60L Malt
2 oz Tettnanger Hops (90 min)
.5 oz Hallertauer Hops (15 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
.5 oz Tettnanger Hops (2 min)
2 vials WLP-001 California Ale Yeast
.25 oz Hallertauer Hops (dry hop)
- Racked onto dry hops 27 April 2006.
- Bottled 7 May 2006. Shy of 1-1/4 cups DME for priming.
- Tasted 12 May: Needs another week to mellow, maybe more. Under the "young beer" taste, it's a good brew.
- 23 June: Brought a case to an office party. Unanimously voted "good." All gone...
1.5 lb Wheat Malt
.5 lb Flaked Wheat
.5 lb Honey Malt
2 oz Smoked Malt
1 lb Rice Hulls
2 cans Oregon Raspberry Puree (6 lbs 2 oz total)
2 oz stale Saaz hops (90 minutes)
1 tsp Irish Moss
5 lbs Lactose
1 packet Safale S-56 yeast
1 packet Nottingham yeast
- I added 2.5 lbs light dry extract to the boil. Next time, use more base malt (7-8 lbs). OG: 1.057 (about 61% efficiency).
- Racked onto fruit puree 27 April 2006.
- Racked 9 May onto 1 lb Lactose. Sample smells great, tastes good--needs age.
- 18 June: Dissolved 2 lb Lactose, .75 cup corn sugar in ~2 qts water. Racked onto sugars, then bottled. SG: 1.022 (~7% v/v).
- Tasted 1 July. A bit light-bodied, but fruity, effervescent, and clear (!). Next time, add malto-dextrin, maybe more raspberries? Still, all I could do was giggle while drinking it. A success!
1 lb Honey Malt
.5 lb Crystal 30L
.25 lb Chocolate Malt
1 oz Goldings hops (4.3%)(60 minutes)
1 oz Goldings hops (1 minute)
1 tsp Irish Moss
2 packets Nottingham yeast
- Kegged 16 May 2006. Tastes malty (makes sense--it's not done fermenting yet!).
- Tapped 20 May 2006. Shaken, so it's a bit yeasty; the over-maltiness is mostly gone. Not hoppy enough for my taste, but OK for style.
- Inaugural brew for the Barley-Shears Alehouse!
- 25 May notes: Still not hoppy enough for me, but the wife likes it. Deep, deep red color; nice & nutty. Good woodsy notes from the goldings. Worth tweaking again--cut the chocolate malt, bump to .75 or 1 lb of Crystal.
2 lbs Extra Light Dry Malt Extract
8 oz Crystal 20L
1.75 oz Hallertauer (30 minutes)
.25 oz Hallertauer (5 minutes)
Irish Moss (15 minutes)
Wyeast 1056 Smack-pack
- Bottled 30 June 2006. FG:
3.65 lbs Wheat Malt
1 lb Clover Honey
.5 lbs Munich Malt
.5 lbs Carapils Malt
1 oz Tettnanger Pellets (35 minutes)
1 oz Tettnanger Pellets (flameout)
1 oz Crushed Coriander Seed (15 minutes)
1 oz Bitter Orange Peel (15 minutes)
Irish Moss (15 minutes)
1 vial White Labs Belgian Wit WLP-400
- Due to emergency room visit (Gormr's cut leg), wort sat in brewpot ~3 hours prior to racking to primary.
- Tasted 10 June 2006. Good! A bit heavy on the bitter orange--gives it something of a grapefruit-bitter "orangeness." All the same, very tasty!
64 oz (4#) Maple Syrup
2 packets Red Star Cotes des Blancs
1 packet Lallemand EC-1118
2.75 lbs White Wheat
1 lb Flaked Oats
1 oz Hallertauer hops (4.8%)(75 minutes)
.25 oz Saaz hops (3.4%)(30 minutes)
.5 oz Bitter Orange Peel (5 minutes)
1.25 oz Crushed Coriander (5 minutes)
1 vial WLP-400 Belgian Wit
- Racked 2 June 2006. Tastes yummy! Nice orange and coriander, with wheat undertones.
- Kegged 8 June 2006. Good. In-your-face orange, which I'd like to see mellow some. It's got 2 weeks to do so...
2 lbs Rye Malt
1 lb Melanoidin
.5 lb Crystal 120L
.5 lb Crystal 40L
.5 lb Special Roast Malt
1 oz Centennial hops (10.7%)(45 minutes)
2 oz Willamette hops (4.4%)(5 minutes)
1 oz Saaz hops (3.4%) (flameout)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 minutes)
1 capsule Servomyces (15 minutes)
1 vial WLP-001 California Ale
- Racked 18 June 2006.
3.75 lbs White Wheat Malt
1 lb Clover Honey
.5 lb Munich Malt
.5 lb Cara-Pils Malt
1 oz Tettnang hops (35 minutes)
1 oz Hallertauer hops (flameout)
.5 oz Bitter Orange Peel (flameout)
.5 oz Coriander Seed (flameout)
1 vial WLP-400 Belgian Wit Ale
0.5 lb Crystal 40L
1/2 tsp Calcium Chloride (beginning of boil)
1 oz Bramling Cross Hop Pellets (5%AA)(90 min)
.5 oz Challenger Hop Pellets (7.5%AA)(90 min)
1 oz Fuggle Leaf Hops (5.8%AA)(15 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
1 oz Kent Golding Leaf Hops (6.5%AA)(2 minutes)
1 oz Kent Golding Hop Pellets (dry hop in secondary)
2 pkts Nottingham Yeast
- 8 July 2006. Racked to secondary.
- 23 July 2006. Racked to tertiary.
- 4 August - Apparent mother-of-vinegar layer on top. Grr! Time to boil all of the equipment...
- 19 August - Due to laziness, it wasn't dumped. Turns out the "mother" layer was just dry-hops. It's OK, if a bit bitter--a little aging, and it'll be fine. I'll rack it probably tomorrow. At this point, I'd rate it a Strong Ale, if not a Barleywine.
3 lbs Smoked Malt
1/2 lb Caramunich Malt
1.5 oz Hallertauer Hops (4.5%AA)(60 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
1 vial WLP-810 San Francisco Lager
- 8 July 2006. Racked to Secondary.
- 23 July 2006. Kegged with some Sparkolloid. SG: 1.010,
~5.8% a/v). A disproportionate amount of the smoked malt may have been peat-smoked. I'll have to do my own smoking from now on. Otherwise, a basically clean beer.
- 19 August. Drinkable, and deceptively strong. Still too peaty, but not bad. Next time, definitely homemade smoked malt.
4.5 lbs Vienna Malt
1 lb Munich Malt
1/2 lb Crystal 80L
1/2 lb Black Malt
1 oz Northern Brewer Hops (9.5%AA)(60 min)
1 oz Hallertauer Hops (4.6%AA)(10 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (10 min)
1 vial WLP-810 San Francisco Lager (starter)
3 lbs Wheat Malt
1 lb Crystal 60L
1/2 lb Black Malt
1/2 oz Northern Brewer Hops (9.5%AA)(90 min)
3/4 oz Target Pellet Hops (10%AA)(30 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (10 min)
1/2 oz Hallertauer Hops (4% AA) (flameout/steep)
1 vial WLP-830 German Lager (starter)
1/2 lb Flaked Wheat
1/2 lb Crystal 40L
1 lb Vienna Malt
1 oz Crystal Hop Pellets (5.1%AA)(60 min)
1.25 oz Crystal Pellet Hops (5.1%AA)(20 min)
1.5 oz Saaz whole Hops (3.4%AA)(20 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (10 min)
.75 oz Crystal Hops (5.1% AA) (flameout/steep)
2 pkts Nottingham Dry Yeast