Appearance: Very dark ruby. Not black. Off white head with big bubbles and poor persistence. Traditionally this beer is supposed to have low carbonation but mine is disappointing in that it does not have that nice thick foam of a Guinness.
Aroma: It smells to me black coffee with addition of nutty malty character. I don't get hop aroma.
Taste: Like black coffee with a bit of malty character. I taste a bit of sweetness, but that might just be a malty note. Aftertaste is slightly harsh and lingering. Might be a bit of acridness. Low hop bitterness as far as I can tell.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium body.
Overall: OK, not my best, but not sure what if anything is wrong with it. Tastes to me like a mild but with more body. My wife doesn't like it because of the acridness in the aftertaste. I've entered it into a comp.... hope to get some helpful feedback.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Blonde Ale
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Club Blonde Ale
Style: Blonde Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.25 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated Color: 3.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 23.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.4 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 1 -
2.50 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 2 -
10 lbs Canada Malting Co. 2-Row (1.8 SRM) Grain 3 100.0 %
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 17.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool Hop 5 6.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale V (White Labs #WLP051) [3 Yeast 6 -
Mash Schedule: 150F, Mash Out, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 13.50 qt of water at 162.6 F 150.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 8.00 qt of water at 204.1 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.07gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
4/16/17: Made a starter
4/18/17: Brewed. Mash temp was slightly high at 152F, added a little cool water to bring it down.
Got 7 gallons of 1.040 wort into kettle, started boil and added leaf hops.
At flameout, added remaining leaf hops and stirred every couple of minutes. Got ~5.6 gallons of 1.052 wort, a bit higher OG than predicted.
Cooled to 100F, racked clear wort, leaving dense pile of hops and cold break in the kettle. Got ~5.25 gallons into fermenter. Placed fermenter in temp-controlled fridge with 65F as target temp.
4/19/17: Oxygenated 40 seconds, pitched starter. By 6pm, krausen was starting to form.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Wheat Wine Review
Appearance: Deep amber and red body. Off white head that dissipates fairly quickly. Light haze despite the enormous wheat content. Pretty good-looking beer. Aroma: Dominated by malty sweetness. Smells a bit like malt candy, but with added fruity notes from hops. Malt and hops are both intense, but the hoppiness less so; they blend pretty well.
Taste: Complex. Malt candy like sweetness, good bitterness melding with significant alcohol bite and warmth. Alcohol may be slightly harsh. Honey malt comes through. Perhaps a little too sweet. Hoppy flavors in the dank-fruity style are there but definitely dominated by malt. I do not get a super fruity or juicy character. To me, doesn't taste quite like any other beer I've had or made, since it has so much malt candy character.
Mouthfeel: Very thick and chewy. Carbonation is light to medium. Aftertaste is alcoholic.
Overall: Really not sure what to think. Is it to style? Is it underattenuated and too sweet? Really I have no idea. I like it but think that it's probably too sweet - maybe that's why it has the candy-like aroma and taste. Or maybe that's because of the honey malt and potential caramelization during the long boil and direct-heated step mash.
I compared it against the Smuttynose Wheatwine, both a 2016 and 2012 vintage. Mine is sweeter and hoppier, and maybe a bit more alcoholic.
Would brew again - next time making sure to hit a low mash temp for maximum attenuation, and to pitch enough health yeast to get a drier beer.
Weizenbock + Dry Stout Double Brew
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Weizenbock 1
Style: Weizenbock
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 4.91 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.91 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 3.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.080 SG
Estimated Color: 20.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 23.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.1 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
6 lbs Wheat Dark (BestMälz) (9.1 SRM) Grain 1 55.2 %
3 lbs Pilsen (BestMälz) (1.5 SRM) Grain 2 27.6 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Munich (BestMälz) (7.6 SRM) Grain 3 11.5 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.3 %
4.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.3 %
2.0 oz Carafa I (337.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.1 %
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [10.20 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop 7 23.3 IBUs
2.0 pkg Hefeweizen IV Ale (White Labs #WLP380) [ Yeast 8 -
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 14.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 13.59 qt of water at 165.7 F 150.0 F 75 min
Sparge: Batch
-----
3/29/17: Made starter with 2 packs of yeast, 1.5 Liters.
4/1/17: Brewed. Hit mash temps well, but was using kettle on stove with some direct heat, so might have gotten some variation in the mash temp in different areas of the mash.
OG was a bit low, like 1.072. Meh.
Cooled to 70F with ice bath, then placed in fridge with target temp of 62F.
Pitched on 4/2/17 after 45 seconds of oxygenation. Good fermentation activity by morning of 4/3/17.
-----
Recipe: Stout 2017
Style: Irish Stout
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.25 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.042 SG
Estimated Color: 30.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 30.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.4 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.50 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
3.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
3.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 3 -
7 lbs Maris Otter Malt (Muntons) (3.0 SRM) Grain 4 72.7 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 5 15.6 %
14.0 oz Roasted Barley (Muntons) (525.0 SRM) Grain 6 9.1 %
4.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 7 2.6 %
1.00 oz Fuggle [5.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 16.6 IBUs
0.25 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 7.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Fuggle [5.10 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 6.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 11 -
Mash Schedule: 150F, Mash Out, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 9 lbs 10.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 13.03 qt of water at 162.6 F 150.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 7.70 qt of water at 204.2 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.22gal) of 168.0 F water
------
Mash temps probably off due to equipment issue. Not really sure in which direction.
Ground roasted malt nearly to powder, added during sparge.
Got 7 gallons of wort, a bit above target OG. Boiled 60 mins, cooled to 90F, racked and cooled in fridge to 62F.
Sprinkled dry yeast onto wort on 4/2 and moved to 65F ambient. Little activity the following day, then good activity by 4/3, sitting in 68F ambient.
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