Showing posts with label lager. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lager. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Czech Lager and Kellerbier Brewday
Czech Pale Lager
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.54 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.89 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.85 gal
Estimated OG: 1.044 SG
Estimated Color: 4.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 29.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.25 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
5.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
7 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 86.9 %
7.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.1 %
6.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.3 %
5.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 6 3.6 %
0.50 oz Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 40.0 min Hop 7 20.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz [2.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 4.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz [2.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 2.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz [2.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 mi Hop 10 2.7 IBUs
2.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 11 -
Mash Schedule: 154F, Batch Sparge, Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 8 lbs 10.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 13.78 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Step Decoct 3.67 qt of mash and boil it 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 5.87gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
http://byo.com/stories/issue/item/3244-czech-pale-lager-style-profile
5 g calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash
3 g CaCl2 to the sparge water.
Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
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Kellerbier
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.26 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.51 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 4.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 81.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.50 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
5.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
6 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 3 56.5 %
4 lbs Pilsen (BestMälz) (1.5 SRM) Grain 4 37.6 %
6.0 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.5 %
4.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.4 %
1.00 oz Mandarina Bavaria [9.20 %] - Boil 15.0 m Hop 7 14.8 IBUs
1.00 oz Mandarina Bavaria [9.20 %] - Boil 10.0 m Hop 8 10.8 IBUs
1.00 oz Mandarina Bavaria [9.20 %] - Boil 5.0 mi Hop 9 5.9 IBUs
1.00 oz Mandarina Bavaria [9.20 %] - Boil 1.0 mi Hop 10 1.3 IBUs
2.0 pkg Southern German Lager (White Labs #WLP83 Yeast 11 -
Mash Schedule: 152F, Mash Out, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 10.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 14.28 qt of water at 165.0 F 152.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 8.50 qt of water at 200.0 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.09gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
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Starter for the Kellerbier made 1 week earlier, fermented and cooled to 45F.
Brewed 1/13/17
Czech Lager: Got 1.046 OG, pretty good. Force cooled to 60F, then in fridge to cool to 45F. Pitched 2 packets of rehydrated yeast after oxygenating 30 seconds. Fermentation seemed slow to start - perhaps expected due to the cool pitching temp. Got only about 5 gal into the bucket, a little less than hoped.
Kellerbier: Got 1.054 OG. Cooled to 45F, racked, oxygenated 75 seconds, pitched decanted starter. Fermentation was visibly starting by 36 hours after pitching.
Brewday went fairly well, except that the cold and dry weather resulted in greater boil off than expected, so less volume of wort into the fermentor. At racking, both worts were very clear and only minimal trub made it into the fermenting vessels.
Fermentation on the Kellerbier was much quicker to take off and appeared more vigorous than that of the Czech Lager. Plus the temp in my basement maxed out at around 60F, so the diacetyl rest was only at around 58F for a few days. Perhaps I could have let it rest there a bit longer. In any case, as of Feb. 2, the diacetyl rest, such as it was, had been done, and fermentation appeared complete.
Crash cooled to 33F for 2 days, then on Feb 4 racked both beers to keg and began force carbing at 12PSI. For the Czech Lager, was careful to rack clear wort, without picking up much yeast / trub. Allowed some into the Kellerbier, as may be appropriate for the style.
Czech Lager: 1.011 FG. Sample tasted OK but maybe a hint of green apple.
Kellerbier: 1.013 FG. Sample tasted kind of fruity hoppy. I did use a lot of aroma and flavor hops for this one.
Both beers tasted a bit "green".
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Czech PIls Review
Appearance: Golden straw body, almost crystal clear but with very low haze. Was hoping for clearer appearance in my lagers. Billowing white head, good bubbling.
Aroma: Grainy pils aroma, light earthy notes. Some sweetness, maybe a tiny bit of a sulfury note.
Taste: Typical pils malt taste with slight sweetness in the middle. Fairly crisp finish with decent bitterness. Low hop flavor. Smooth. Don't get any yeast flavors. Clean, refreshing but not super dry.
Mouthfeel: Moderate body, moderately crisp finish, moderate carbonation.
Would brew again. Very good, but probably not quite as good as my first Czech light lager.
Aroma: Grainy pils aroma, light earthy notes. Some sweetness, maybe a tiny bit of a sulfury note.
Taste: Typical pils malt taste with slight sweetness in the middle. Fairly crisp finish with decent bitterness. Low hop flavor. Smooth. Don't get any yeast flavors. Clean, refreshing but not super dry.
Mouthfeel: Moderate body, moderately crisp finish, moderate carbonation.
Would brew again. Very good, but probably not quite as good as my first Czech light lager.
Monday, July 17, 2017
IPL Review
Appearance: Billowing white head with good persistence, nearly crystal clear orange body, good lacing and nice rising bubbles. A good looking brew.
Aroma: Fruity Centennial hops, fruity character Intensity is OK but not great. Hint of malt sweetness. I don't get any yeast character. No sulfur.
Taste: I get some crystal malt sweetness and a bit of fruity hop character. Light dankness but more fruity. Bitterness at the end is moderate. Hop character increases as it warms. Clean lager character without yeast-derived flavors.
Mouthfeel:Thick body, moderate combination.
Overall: Wish it were hoppier and didn't have the crystal malt. The sweetness of the crystal kind of obscures the hop character. Next time, try not to use crystal malt in any IPL / IPA beer.
Aroma: Fruity Centennial hops, fruity character Intensity is OK but not great. Hint of malt sweetness. I don't get any yeast character. No sulfur.
Taste: I get some crystal malt sweetness and a bit of fruity hop character. Light dankness but more fruity. Bitterness at the end is moderate. Hop character increases as it warms. Clean lager character without yeast-derived flavors.
Mouthfeel:Thick body, moderate combination.
Overall: Wish it were hoppier and didn't have the crystal malt. The sweetness of the crystal kind of obscures the hop character. Next time, try not to use crystal malt in any IPL / IPA beer.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Czech Pils + IPL Brewday
Czech Pils
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.64 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.51 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal
Fermentation: Laget
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.64 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.51 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal
Fermentation: Laget
Date: 5 May 2017
Equipment: 7.6 Pre-Boil, Big MLT, 90 min Boil
Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 79.5 %
Taste Rating: 30.0
Equipment: 7.6 Pre-Boil, Big MLT, 90 min Boil
Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 79.5 %
Taste Rating: 30.0
Taste Notes:
| Amt | Name | Type | # | %/IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.50 gal | Boston, MA | Water | 1 | - |
| 5.50 g | Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | 2 | - |
| 11 lbs | Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 3 | 88.9 % |
| 12.0 oz | Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) | Grain | 4 | 6.1 % |
| 10.0 oz | Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) | Grain | 5 | 5.1 % |
| 1.00 oz | Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 75.0 min | Hop | 6 | 12.2 IBUs |
| 2.00 oz | Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 30.0 min | Hop | 7 | 17.9 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 10.0 min | Hop | 8 | 4.2 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 5.0 min | Hop | 9 | 2.3 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Saaz [3.75 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min | Hop | 10 | 2.1 IBUs |
| 2.0 pkg | Czech Budejovice Lager (White Labs #WLP802) [35.49 ml] | Yeast | 11 | - |
Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.8 %
Bitterness: 38.8 IBUs
Est Color: 3.9 SRM
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.8 %
Bitterness: 38.8 IBUs
Est Color: 3.9 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: 154F, Mash Out, Batch Sparge
Sparge Water: 2.78 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Sparge Water: 2.78 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
| Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mash Step | Add 16.47 qt of water at 167.5 F | 154.0 F | 60 min |
| Mash Step | Add 9.90 qt of water at 195.8 F | 168.0 F | 10 min |
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 2.78gal) of 168.0 F water
5/12/17: Made a starter with 1 yeast old package. Went to LHBS to pick up a second, freshe pack.
5/15/17: Brewed. Hit mash temps well, got 1.0492 gravity pre-boil at ~7.4 gallons, 1.0598 post-boil at ~6 gallons.
After short whirlpool, racked to carboy with about 5.5 gallons and some hop gunk. 90F. Moved to freezer overnight.
5/16/17, 7am: Wort at 45F. Oxygenated for 70s. Pitched most of starter and 2nd yeast pack, with a little bit of rehydrated 34/70 from the IPL.
India Pale Lager
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.64 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.51 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.64 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.51 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Equipment: 7.6 Pre-Boil, Big MLT, 90 min Boil
Efficiency: 75.00 %
Efficiency: 75.00 %
| Amt | Name | Type | # | %/IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.50 gal | Boston, MA | Water | 1 | - |
| 7.00 g | Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | 2 | - |
| 5.00 g | Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | 3 | - |
| 8 lbs | Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 4 | 58.2 % |
| 3 lbs | Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 5 | 21.8 % |
| 1 lbs 4.0 oz | Munich (BestMälz) (7.6 SRM) | Grain | 6 | 9.1 % |
| 1 lbs | Wheat (BestMälz) (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 7 | 7.3 % |
| 8.0 oz | Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) | Grain | 8 | 3.6 % |
| 1.00 oz | Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min | Hop | 9 | 10.4 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min | Hop | 10 | 12.5 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min | Hop | 11 | 5.7 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min | Hop | 12 | 6.9 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min | Hop | 13 | 11.0 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min | Hop | 14 | 7.1 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min | Hop | 15 | 13.2 IBUs |
| 1.0 pkg | Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) [50.28 ml] | Yeast | 16 | - |
| 1.00 oz | Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days | Hop | 17 | 0.0 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days | Hop | 18 | 0.0 IBUs |
| 1.00 oz | Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days | Hop | 19 | 0.0 IBUs |
Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.069 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.2 %
Bitterness: 66.7 IBUs
Est Color: 5.2 SRM
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.2 %
Bitterness: 66.7 IBUs
Est Color: 5.2 SRM
Mash Profile
| Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mash In | Add 18.19 qt of water at 163.6 F | 150.0 F | 75 min |
Sparge: Batch sparge with 4.99 gal water at 168.0 F (split into 2 x 2.5 batches).
---
5/14/17: Brewed. Got 7.9 gallons of 1.0577 wort, pre-boil. Post boil 1.0698 OG, 6.3 gallons (24L). Added 2nd dose of Centennial whirlpool hops at knockout + 15mins.
Chilled to 90F, racked to carboy, and placed in freezer overnight.
5/15/17, 7am: Wort at 45F, oxygenated 70s, pitched 2.5 packs of rehydrated 24/70.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Classic Rauchbier Review
Appearance: Off-white tan head with OK persistence and lacing. Deep amber, reddish body. When held to the light, very clear. A good-looking beer. Aroma: Smoke dominates but it's not overpowering and not overly ham or bacon like. I get some malty, bready character too. No hop aroma.
Taste: Somehow less smoky than the aroma. Smoke is evenly balanced with Munich and Pilsner malt character. This couldn't be mistaken for a typical Oktoberfest / Märzen, but it's not as intensely smokey as the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbiers. I get some sweetness in the aftertaste. Bitterness is low.
Mouthfeel: Pretty smooth and slightly creamy. Carbonation is medium-high.
Overall: A pretty good smokey Oktoberfest beer. Not as smokey as some of the classic examples, but pretty close. According to my German wife, a good approximation of the German Rauchbiers. For those who are unaccustomed to smoked beer, my guess is that it would be unmistakably smokey.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Czech Dark Lager Review
Appearance: Deep brown body. Very clear when held up to the light. Off-white brown head with good persistence and lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, bready, with some herbal notes. Could be mistaken for a porter.
Taste: Maybe more assertively bitter than I would have expected, with some nice roast notes like coffee. Not harsh or acrid. Has notes of darkened or toasted bread crust. Maybe a spicy hop note. Pretty dry, should probably be sweeter.
Mouthfeel: Light body, medium carbonation. Should be a bit more in the body.
Overall: Pretty good but probably should have some more body and sweetness. I entered this into a contest and it got and HM in the Dark European Lager category. The judges notes were consistent with my notes, which were written before I looked at the scoresheets.
Aroma: Light roast, bready, with some herbal notes. Could be mistaken for a porter.
Taste: Maybe more assertively bitter than I would have expected, with some nice roast notes like coffee. Not harsh or acrid. Has notes of darkened or toasted bread crust. Maybe a spicy hop note. Pretty dry, should probably be sweeter.
Mouthfeel: Light body, medium carbonation. Should be a bit more in the body.
Overall: Pretty good but probably should have some more body and sweetness. I entered this into a contest and it got and HM in the Dark European Lager category. The judges notes were consistent with my notes, which were written before I looked at the scoresheets.
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Czech Dark Lager & Classic Rauchbier Double Brew
Double brew day of lagers, since it makes sense to use my chest freezer to do two lagers at once. Unused capacity is inefficient.
Made starters on 12/31 using yeast leftover from previous brews. Both were fermenting by the next day.
Brewed 1/2/17.
Recipe: Czech Dark Lager (Recipe per Modern Homebrew Recipes)
Style: Czech Dark Lager
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.01 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.51 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 25.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 73.9 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.50 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
5.50 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 -
6 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 53.1 %
4 lbs Munich Dark (BestMälz) (12.7 SRM) Grain 4 32.7 %
1 lbs Caramunich III (Weyermann) (71.0 SRM) Grain 5 8.2 %
10.0 oz Carafa Special II (Weyermann) (415.0 SRM Grain 6 5.1 %
2.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 7 1.0 %
0.50 oz Warrior [16.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 8 24.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Saaz [3.25 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 3.9 IBUs
2.00 oz Saaz [3.25 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 4.3 IBUs
2.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 11 -
Mash Schedule: 148F, Mash Out, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 16.31 qt of water at 160.4 F 148.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 9.80 qt of water at 207.7 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.20gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
Brewed 1/2/17
Hit mash temp and boil volume well, ended up with around 6.75 gallons post-boil, with gravity right on at 1.052. Racked to carboy at 110F, let cool to 45F in freezer, oxygenated for 45 seconds, and pitched most of the starter on 1/3/17. Wort sample was tasting good.
-----
Recipe: Bamberger Rauchbier 2017 (BCS)
Style: Rauchbier
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.64 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.51 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.057 SG
Estimated Color: 13.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 28.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 79.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.50 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
2.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 2 -
3.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 3 -
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 32.7 %
4 lbs Smoked Malt (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 32.7 %
1 lbs Caramel Malt - 20L (Briess) (20.0 SRM) Grain 6 8.2 %
1 lbs Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 7 8.2 %
1 lbs Munich II (Weyermann) (8.5 SRM) Grain 8 8.2 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 9 4.1 %
8.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 10 4.1 %
4.0 oz Carafa II (Weyermann) (415.0 SRM) Grain 11 2.0 %
0.50 oz Warrior [16.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 12 26.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Hallertauer [2.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 13 1.4 IBUs
0.50 oz Hallertauer [2.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 14 0.8 IBUs
1.0 pkg Old Bavarian Lager (White Labs #WLP920) Yeast 15 -
Mash Schedule: 150F, Mash Out, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 16.31 qt of water at 162.8 F 150.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 9.80 qt of water at 203.7 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 2.83gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
Brewed 1/2/17.
Had to use my old pot, without volume markers. Under volume. Got around 5 gallons of 1.060 wort into my carboy, so under volume. Cooled to 45F, oxygenated ~45 seconds, and pitched the starter on 1/3/17. Collected the trub from the kettle, put in freezer, then sepwrated around 1 quart of clear wort from the trub, boiled briefly, cooled and added it the carboy. Did the same with 1 quart of Czech Dark lager but added it to the rachbier.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Czech Pale Lager Reivew
Appearance: Persistent and fluffy white head. Straw gold body. Not quite crystal clear but close. I probably disturbed some sludge from the bottom of the keg while transporting it from the lager fridge to the keg-o-rator. Aroma: I get a crisp, earthy and spicy Noble hop aroma. Pilsner malt aroma contributes nicely with a sweet and grainy character.
Taste: Very nicely balanced between hoppy taste and malt. Like the nose the hoppy quality is crisp, earthy and spicy. The malt quality is a little bit bready like the crust or so. Sweetness is low but there.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly full for such a low ABV beer. Carbonation is moderate and contributes to the crisp / dry aftertaste. The aftertaste has a spicy hop quality and maybe a slightly mineral note.
Overall: I'm very happy with this one. It's flavorful, hoppy and well balanced between malty and hoppy. Very drinkable. Similar to my Helles but lower ABV and more balanced between the malt and hops. My wife said that it tastes like Krombacher or Warsteiner from her native Germany.
At some point I should do a side-by side with Notch Session Pils to see if it tastes like an "real" example of the style.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Czech Pale Lager
After hearing about this style on the Beersmith podcast recently, seeing that it was added to the BJCP guidelines, and wanting to brew a session strength beer for my next lager, I decided to brew a Czech Pale Lager (Style 3A). I saw this article on Brew Your Own magazine, which provided the recipe for this beer. Note that I used the "false decoction" method - my first ever decoction mash. Pretty sure I didn't quite do it right, but not surprised about that since it's my first attempt.
Recipe: Czech Pale Lager
Style: Bohemian Pilsner
TYPE: All Grain
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.53 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.88 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.85 gal
Estimated OG: 1.044 SG
Estimated Color: 4.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 38.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.25 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
7 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 86.9 %
7.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.1 %
6.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.3 %
5.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.6 %
0.25 oz Magnum [12.20 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 13.1 IBUs
0.75 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 10.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 6.4 IBUs
0.30 oz Magnum [12.20 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 5.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10. Hop 10 3.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 11 -
Mash Schedule: 154F, Batch Sparge, Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 8 lbs 10.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 13.78 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Step Decoct 3.67 qt of mash and boil it 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 5.87gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
http://byo.com/stories/issue/item/3244-czech-pale-lager-style-profile
5 g calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash
3 g CaCl2 to the sparge water.
Brewed on 11/1/15
Mashed in as usual, and hit my goal temp of 156F. After mashing for 40 minutes, pulled a thick decoction of approximately .8 gallons. I used a soup ladle to do so, and then drained some of the liquid out using a colander.
Put the decoction in my 5gal kettle, on gentle heat, and raised to a boil, stirring very frequently. Didn't check the temp of the main mash during this time. Boiled the decoction for 15 minutes.
The decoction definitely boiled off some liquid, and caused the grain husks to become a little more fractured, giving the mash a mushy texture. Also it seemed to get a little bit darker.
After boiling the decoction, returned it to the main mash. Somehow, even after 5 minutes of rise time, the main mash was still only in the 160F range. Perhaps the main mash lost significant heat during the decoction?
Waited 15more minutes, then recirculated, added first wort hops. Added 2.5 gal of sparge water at 170F, waited 10 minutes, the collected batch 1. Repeated, collecting ~7.5 gallons of pre-boil wort.
I did notice a few dark-looking grain husks in the mash. Perhaps I got a little bit of scorching or darkening in the decoction.
Pre-boil OG was 1.035, post-boil was1.045. Right on the projected numbers, but above the numbers in the BYO article.
Cooled to 80F, racked to carboy, and placed in freezer to get to 45F pitching temps.
Ack! The starter was getting a bit slushy with ice.... Not sure if / how much yeast survived. Anyway I just swirled it around to loosen things up, decanted, then pitched. We'll see if it works or if I get a nasty batch of infected crap. I would really hate for that to happen!
11/3/15 - Rumors of yeast's death were greatly exaggerated. Fermentation is apparently proceeding apace.
11/17/15 - Began diacetyl rest after 2 weeks of fermenting at 50F. After 3 days of rest, the beer will cool to 35F over 48 hours, then will enter a lager period of 3 weeks.
11/18/15 - Racked to keg and began force carbonation. Careful not to rack any of the sludge at the bottom of the carboy into the keg. Remaining lagering time will occur in the keg. Gravity was 1.016, for ~ 3.8% ABV. The sample was already tasting pretty good but did taste a little "green"
Recipe: Czech Pale Lager
Style: Bohemian Pilsner
TYPE: All Grain
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.53 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.88 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.85 gal
Estimated OG: 1.044 SG
Estimated Color: 4.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 38.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.25 gal Boston, MA Water 1 -
7 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 86.9 %
7.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.1 %
6.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.3 %
5.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.6 %
0.25 oz Magnum [12.20 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 13.1 IBUs
0.75 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 10.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 6.4 IBUs
0.30 oz Magnum [12.20 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 5.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10. Hop 10 3.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 11 -
Mash Schedule: 154F, Batch Sparge, Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 8 lbs 10.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 13.78 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Step Decoct 3.67 qt of mash and boil it 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 5.87gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
http://byo.com/stories/issue/item/3244-czech-pale-lager-style-profile
5 g calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash
3 g CaCl2 to the sparge water.
Brewed on 11/1/15
Mashed in as usual, and hit my goal temp of 156F. After mashing for 40 minutes, pulled a thick decoction of approximately .8 gallons. I used a soup ladle to do so, and then drained some of the liquid out using a colander.
Put the decoction in my 5gal kettle, on gentle heat, and raised to a boil, stirring very frequently. Didn't check the temp of the main mash during this time. Boiled the decoction for 15 minutes.
The decoction definitely boiled off some liquid, and caused the grain husks to become a little more fractured, giving the mash a mushy texture. Also it seemed to get a little bit darker.
 |
| Immediately after the decoction boil. |
Waited 15more minutes, then recirculated, added first wort hops. Added 2.5 gal of sparge water at 170F, waited 10 minutes, the collected batch 1. Repeated, collecting ~7.5 gallons of pre-boil wort.
I did notice a few dark-looking grain husks in the mash. Perhaps I got a little bit of scorching or darkening in the decoction.
Pre-boil OG was 1.035, post-boil was1.045. Right on the projected numbers, but above the numbers in the BYO article.
Cooled to 80F, racked to carboy, and placed in freezer to get to 45F pitching temps.
11/3/15 - Rumors of yeast's death were greatly exaggerated. Fermentation is apparently proceeding apace.
11/17/15 - Began diacetyl rest after 2 weeks of fermenting at 50F. After 3 days of rest, the beer will cool to 35F over 48 hours, then will enter a lager period of 3 weeks.
11/18/15 - Racked to keg and began force carbonation. Careful not to rack any of the sludge at the bottom of the carboy into the keg. Remaining lagering time will occur in the keg. Gravity was 1.016, for ~ 3.8% ABV. The sample was already tasting pretty good but did taste a little "green"
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Oktoberfest Review
Appearance: Beautiful thick and persistent head with off-white brownish tinge. Color is deep brownish red. Some haze but this is one of the first few pours from the keg so the haze is likely to reduce over time. A pretty good-looking beer. Aroma: Sweet, malty, bready and a little toasty. Hop aroma is none, and I don't get a sulfur, DMS or other smells of improperly fermented lager. It has a certain flavor note that has been common among all my lagers - I think a feature of the pilsner malt - and that I would describe as slightly corn-like but grainy malty and pleasant.
Taste: Pretty smooth. Malty, sweet and lightly toasty. Hop flavor is close to none but maybe a slight earthy or spicy noble-hop note. Clean lager taste. Flavorful but not intensely so. Bitterness is enough to balance the sweetness but the beer leans toward a malty, sweet note. Finishes a little more dry and malty than the initial taste.
Mouthfeel: Carbonation is moderate, body chewy but not heavy. Good for colder weather.
Overall: I like it a lot. Not sure how it will stack up to the exemplars of the style, but I will do a side-by-side tasting at some point soon.
Monday, August 31, 2015
BCS Oktoberfest Brewday
Seasonally appropriate brewing, what a concept!
Oktoberfest Bier
5 gallons
Recipe from Brewing Classic Styles.
5# Pilsner Malt
4# Munich Malt
3# Vienna Malt
1$ CaraMunich 60
1.50oz Halltertauer, 60 min
.5oz Hallertauer, 20min
2 x S-34/70 packages
Brewed 8/29/15
Hit my mash temp @ 153F, got pre-boil OG of 1.045, right on target, volume ~ 7.5 gallons.
Brewday went fine. The wort had a wonderful amber-red color as it boiled.
Cooled to 110F, racked to carboy and placed in fermentation fridge with 45F on the temp controller to fully cool to pitching temps. ~6 gallons into fermenter.
The following morning, pitched 2 packs of re-hydrated S-24/70 yeast.
Fermentation schedule will start at 45F, ramp to 50F for 7 days, then ramp to 65F for a diacetyl rest of 4 days, then crash to 35F for lagering. About 2 weeks in primary, then crash, then keg for lagering.
8/31/15, 6pm
Few visible signs of fermentation, but the airlock was looking a bit like it would start bubbling soon.
9/2/15, 6pm
Moderate krausen formed. Good bubbling in the airlock.
Oktoberfest Bier
5 gallons
Recipe from Brewing Classic Styles.
5# Pilsner Malt
4# Munich Malt
3# Vienna Malt
1$ CaraMunich 60
1.50oz Halltertauer, 60 min
.5oz Hallertauer, 20min
2 x S-34/70 packages
Brewed 8/29/15
Hit my mash temp @ 153F, got pre-boil OG of 1.045, right on target, volume ~ 7.5 gallons.
Brewday went fine. The wort had a wonderful amber-red color as it boiled.
Cooled to 110F, racked to carboy and placed in fermentation fridge with 45F on the temp controller to fully cool to pitching temps. ~6 gallons into fermenter.
The following morning, pitched 2 packs of re-hydrated S-24/70 yeast.
Fermentation schedule will start at 45F, ramp to 50F for 7 days, then ramp to 65F for a diacetyl rest of 4 days, then crash to 35F for lagering. About 2 weeks in primary, then crash, then keg for lagering.
8/31/15, 6pm
Few visible signs of fermentation, but the airlock was looking a bit like it would start bubbling soon.
9/2/15, 6pm
Moderate krausen formed. Good bubbling in the airlock.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Munich Helles Review
My third lager was is a Munich Helles, with a malt and hop bill straight from Brewing Class Styles but a yeast substitution. In any case, I was hoping for a light, refreshing beer to go into my kegorator for July and August.
Munich Helles
Appearance: Golden body, very slightly hazy but nearly crystal clear even after a long lagering time. Billowing white head, with OK retention.
Aroma: Grainy, pilsner aroma. I don't get much hop aroma. Maybe a tiny bit of DMS but pretty clean.
Taste: Again malty, light, pretty dry. Bready character but not as intense as a good hefeweissen beer. Subdued and earthy hop bitterness prevents a cloying quality.
Mouthfeel: Light body, good medium carbonation. Probably I should carb it up a little more.
Overall: A light lager with a good malt character. Appropriate for hot summer days. I like it and would definitely brew it again in order to have an easy drinking, sessionable beer in one of my kegs. More flavorful and bolder than mass-market 'Murican pale lagers, but still refreshing and light enough to be consumed in relatively large quantities.
Munich Helles
Appearance: Golden body, very slightly hazy but nearly crystal clear even after a long lagering time. Billowing white head, with OK retention.
Aroma: Grainy, pilsner aroma. I don't get much hop aroma. Maybe a tiny bit of DMS but pretty clean.
Taste: Again malty, light, pretty dry. Bready character but not as intense as a good hefeweissen beer. Subdued and earthy hop bitterness prevents a cloying quality.
Mouthfeel: Light body, good medium carbonation. Probably I should carb it up a little more.
Overall: A light lager with a good malt character. Appropriate for hot summer days. I like it and would definitely brew it again in order to have an easy drinking, sessionable beer in one of my kegs. More flavorful and bolder than mass-market 'Murican pale lagers, but still refreshing and light enough to be consumed in relatively large quantities.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Munich Helles Brewday
Having bought a bulk sack of German Pilz malt, and now (finally) a kegging system, my plans for the summer are to brew a series of light, refreshing beers, in 5 gallon batches (again, finally), many of which use the Pilz as the base malt. My most recent Hefeweissen was the first in the series, and now, the German Helles is the second.
Munich Helles - 5 Gallons
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.53 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.88 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.17 gal
Estimated OG: 1.051 SG
Estimated Color: 4.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 70.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
5.25 gal Boston, MA
10 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM)
2.00 oz Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.0 pkg German Lager (White Labs #WLP830)
Mash Schedule: Light Body, 150F, 168F, 7.5 Gallon into Kettle
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 17.75 qt of water at 161.2 F 150.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 8.80 qt of water at 210.6 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.21gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
Mash Mineral Additions: 6g Gypsum, 6g CaCl2 into 17.75 qt / 4.44 gal Mash water.
5/27/15
Made a starter with stored WY380, German Lager. By 5/30/15 it appeared that the starter had fully fermented. I am a little concerned that the yeast is not fully healthy.
5/31/15
Brewed on my own. Used the EZ_Water_Calculator_3.02 spreadsheet to calculate my mas water additions. No additions to mash-out or sparge water.
Finally used my cheap Chinese pH meter, after calibrating and adjusting in 7.0 pH solution. Pulled a small sample of the mash, let cool to room temps, and measured pH at 5.2. Right on target! Yay! At mash temps the meter was reading 5.0, but apparently that's meaningless since the meter is not designed for high temps, and the high temps can damage the electrode. I also got some pH meter storage solution to keep the electrode in good shape.
Pre-boil OG was 1.043. Not completely sure of the volume.
Cooled to 110F, then racked to fermentor and placed in fermentation fridge set at 45F to complete cooling.
Post-boil OG was 1.053, and I got about 5.2 gallons into the fermenter, before addition of starter. Slightly high OG, I guess either to being slightly higher efficiency, slightly lower volume, or both.
Gave 60 seconds of pure 02, decanted chilled starter beer, and pitch the starter. The beer was a little too warm, like 50F, but the fermentation schedule will bring it to 45F for 12 hours before ramping to 50F. So probably not a problem.
Took a gravity of the starter - it was about 1.010. So it had fermented properly, and quickly.
6/3/15
A thin lager krausen has formed. It's mostly white with darker chunks of yeast floating on top. Yum! Airlock activity was low. This fermentation style is more typical of lagers.
Munich Helles - 5 Gallons
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.53 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.88 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.17 gal
Estimated OG: 1.051 SG
Estimated Color: 4.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 70.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
5.25 gal Boston, MA
10 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM)
2.00 oz Hallertauer [2.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.0 pkg German Lager (White Labs #WLP830)
Mash Schedule: Light Body, 150F, 168F, 7.5 Gallon into Kettle
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash Step Add 17.75 qt of water at 161.2 F 150.0 F 60 min
Mash Step Add 8.80 qt of water at 210.6 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.21gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
Mash Mineral Additions: 6g Gypsum, 6g CaCl2 into 17.75 qt / 4.44 gal Mash water.
5/27/15
Made a starter with stored WY380, German Lager. By 5/30/15 it appeared that the starter had fully fermented. I am a little concerned that the yeast is not fully healthy.
 |
| Immediately after oxygen and pitching. |
Brewed on my own. Used the EZ_Water_Calculator_3.02 spreadsheet to calculate my mas water additions. No additions to mash-out or sparge water.
Finally used my cheap Chinese pH meter, after calibrating and adjusting in 7.0 pH solution. Pulled a small sample of the mash, let cool to room temps, and measured pH at 5.2. Right on target! Yay! At mash temps the meter was reading 5.0, but apparently that's meaningless since the meter is not designed for high temps, and the high temps can damage the electrode. I also got some pH meter storage solution to keep the electrode in good shape.
Pre-boil OG was 1.043. Not completely sure of the volume.
Cooled to 110F, then racked to fermentor and placed in fermentation fridge set at 45F to complete cooling.
Post-boil OG was 1.053, and I got about 5.2 gallons into the fermenter, before addition of starter. Slightly high OG, I guess either to being slightly higher efficiency, slightly lower volume, or both.
Gave 60 seconds of pure 02, decanted chilled starter beer, and pitch the starter. The beer was a little too warm, like 50F, but the fermentation schedule will bring it to 45F for 12 hours before ramping to 50F. So probably not a problem.
Took a gravity of the starter - it was about 1.010. So it had fermented properly, and quickly.
6/3/15
A thin lager krausen has formed. It's mostly white with darker chunks of yeast floating on top. Yum! Airlock activity was low. This fermentation style is more typical of lagers.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Classic Rauch Review
My second lager was a Classic Rauchbier following the recipe in Brewing Classic Styles. I kind of messed up the brewday, ending up with 4 rather than the intended 5 gallons, and as a result the beer is probably a little too high gravity, sweet and overcarbonated. Appearance: Very clear. Carbonation bubbles visibly rising from the center of the glass. Thick off-white head that dissipates a little too fast. Deep amber in color.
Aroma: Surprisingly not as smokey as I anticipated. The smoke is present but does not dominate. Clearly there is some classic lager malt aroma and sweetness. Does not smell like bacon or ham.
Taste: Again smokey but not overwhelmingly so. Not bacony or hammy. Malty and rich, but somehow it's not as sweet as the nose would suggest. Low hop bitterness. Probably too bitter, given the volume screwup, which reduces the sense of sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Moderate to thick body. Carbonation is lower than I expected, given the likely excess sugar. Perhaps there is not enough yeast left in the beer to carbonate quickly.
Overall: Tasty and refreshing. But, probably not quite smokey enough for my taste. For next time, get the volume, gravity, etc... correct.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Double Brew Day - Smoky Beers
Double Brew Day
I did my first double brewday this weekend, brewing a Classic Rauchbier using the Brewing Classic Styles recipe and the other a scaled version of the No Quarter Smoked Porter recipe that I found on the AHA's website. The experience was pretty fun since I was with two buddies who were also brewing, but also a bit hectic. Not to mention that I was moderately hungover in the morning.
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Classic Rauch, 5 Gal BCS
Style: Classic Rauchbier
TYPE: All Grain
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.74 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.62 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.85 gal
Estimated OG: 1.063 SG
Estimated Color: 16.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 28.1 IBUs
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type
5 lbs 9.6 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
4 lbs 8.0 oz Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM)
1 lbs 12.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM)
2.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)
1.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min
1.0 pkg German Lager (White Labs #WLP830)
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 15.6 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 16.22 qt of water at 168.5 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Out Add 6.49 qt of water at 202.4 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun , 1.31gal, 1.31gal) of 168.0 F water
4/11/15 - Bottled today. I must have really fucked up the volumes since I ended up w/ 4 gallons in the bottling bucket, and I added priming sugar for 5 gallons. I will likely release some of the gas by cracking over the bottles slightly in order to avoid over carbonation and bottle bombs.Yikes!!
Brewed 2/28/15
Made starter with WLP830 saved from my Schwarzbier on 2/25/30.
Didn't take gravity readings. Boiled for 90mins. It went smoothly. Cooling was fast with the cold weather and ice-cold cooling water.
I believe I undersparged, and ended up with about 4.25 gallons in the fermenter. Cooled to about 50F, blasted with 30 sec Oxygen, then pitched. Placed in fermenting fridge pre-programmed for a lagering schedule, at about 10pm. The following morning, no activity, but good fermentation by Monday evening.
Topped off with 1 gallon boiled and cooled water to reach correct volume.
No Quarter Smoked Porter - 3 Gal
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 4.71 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.59 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.085 SG
Estimated Color: 50.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 118.3 IBUs
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
7 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
2 lbs 6.0 oz Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM)
1 lbs 4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
14.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
1.21 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.21 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min
1.21 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 6 Hop
1 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs 12.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 14.69 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Out Add 5.88 qt of water at 202.4 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 0.98gal) of 168.0 F water
Brewed 2/28/15
Mashing and sparging went well, hit my temps OK and got the right volume of wort, though my MLT was quite full and drained slowly. I suspect I may need to adjust my mill for a slightly coarser grind.
Pre-boil gravity was about 1.072, so pretty good.
Cooled to 110F, racked to better bottle, and allowed to cool overnight to ~60F. Pitched on Sunday morning.
By Monday afternoon, good activity, in 65F ambient air.
I did my first double brewday this weekend, brewing a Classic Rauchbier using the Brewing Classic Styles recipe and the other a scaled version of the No Quarter Smoked Porter recipe that I found on the AHA's website. The experience was pretty fun since I was with two buddies who were also brewing, but also a bit hectic. Not to mention that I was moderately hungover in the morning.
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Classic Rauch, 5 Gal BCS
Style: Classic Rauchbier
TYPE: All Grain
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.74 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.62 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.85 gal
Estimated OG: 1.063 SG
Estimated Color: 16.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 28.1 IBUs
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type
5 lbs 9.6 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
4 lbs 8.0 oz Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM)
1 lbs 12.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM)
2.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)
1.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min
1.0 pkg German Lager (White Labs #WLP830)
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 15.6 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 16.22 qt of water at 168.5 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Out Add 6.49 qt of water at 202.4 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun , 1.31gal, 1.31gal) of 168.0 F water
4/11/15 - Bottled today. I must have really fucked up the volumes since I ended up w/ 4 gallons in the bottling bucket, and I added priming sugar for 5 gallons. I will likely release some of the gas by cracking over the bottles slightly in order to avoid over carbonation and bottle bombs.Yikes!!
Brewed 2/28/15
Made starter with WLP830 saved from my Schwarzbier on 2/25/30.
Didn't take gravity readings. Boiled for 90mins. It went smoothly. Cooling was fast with the cold weather and ice-cold cooling water.
I believe I undersparged, and ended up with about 4.25 gallons in the fermenter. Cooled to about 50F, blasted with 30 sec Oxygen, then pitched. Placed in fermenting fridge pre-programmed for a lagering schedule, at about 10pm. The following morning, no activity, but good fermentation by Monday evening.
Topped off with 1 gallon boiled and cooled water to reach correct volume.
No Quarter Smoked Porter - 3 Gal
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 4.71 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.59 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.085 SG
Estimated Color: 50.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 118.3 IBUs
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
7 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
2 lbs 6.0 oz Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM)
1 lbs 4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
14.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
1.21 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.21 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min
1.21 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 6 Hop
1 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs 12.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 14.69 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Out Add 5.88 qt of water at 202.4 F 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 0.98gal) of 168.0 F water
Brewed 2/28/15
Mashing and sparging went well, hit my temps OK and got the right volume of wort, though my MLT was quite full and drained slowly. I suspect I may need to adjust my mill for a slightly coarser grind.
Pre-boil gravity was about 1.072, so pretty good.
Cooled to 110F, racked to better bottle, and allowed to cool overnight to ~60F. Pitched on Sunday morning.
By Monday afternoon, good activity, in 65F ambient air.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Schwarzbier Review
Look Ma, I finally brewed a lager!! Seriously, I did. It was about two months ago, and my creation is ready to drink. Let's see how it turned out.Appearance: Deep brown. Transparent and very clear when held up to the light. Creamy and persistent off white head.
Aroma: Sweet, bready smell, with notes of dark fruit and slight roastiness. Molasses maybe. Hop aroma is low to none, which I find somewhat surprising given the volume of hops late in the boil. Fortunately I don't get diacetyl, sulfur, or weird esters.
Taste: Like the nose. Malty, bready, noticeably sweeter that many American beers which lean more toward the bitter side. Roasted taste is there but subtle. Dark fruit, caramel, molasses. I do get some floral hop bitterness at the end though.
Mouthfeel: Kind of creamy. Moderate carbonation.
Overall: I think its not bad for my first attempt at a lager. I'd like to get some expert opinion on it however, and directly compare it to a commercial example of the style such as Kostrizer. But it does seem to taste similar to the dark lagers I tasted while in Germany.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Schwarzbier Brewday
I finally got a chest freezer for making lagers and generally controlling the temp of my beers. For an automatic thermostat, I got an STC-1000 which is awesome enough as it is, but a guy in the local homebrew club flashed it with the STC-1000+ ROM. That free upgrade allows you to program the STC-1000 plus with up to 9 fermentation profiles, which can each have their own series of temperature points and associated durations. Apparently one would normally have to pay $200+ for a commercially produced controller with those features.
In any case, for my first lager I decided to brew a 5-gallon batch of Schwarzbier following the recipe of p. 81 of Brewing Classic Styles.
German Schwarzbier
5 gallons
9# German Pils
1# German Munich
11oz Carafa Special II
Hallertau, 1.65oz, 4.0%, 60min
Hallertau, 0.5oz, 4.0%, 60min
Hallertau, 0.5oz, 4.0%, 60min (ended up adding .85 oz at flameout because I didn't want any leftover Hallertau hops).
Mash at 151F, boil 90 mins.
WLP830 - German Lager
Made a large yeast starter on 11/5/14.
Brewed 11/8/14 at a friends house. Didn't really check the OG etc.... but I believe I did get the right volume.
When the boiled wort was chilled to around 100F, I siphoned to a 6-gallon carboy and placed in the 45F fridge.
The next morning, the fridge and beer were at 55F. Pitched the whole starter, shook the carboy to aerate a little bit, then let it ferment.
Fermentation profile programmed into the SCT-1000+ is 2 weeks at 50F, ramp to 60F over 1 day, hold at 60F 2 days, ramp down to 50, hold for a day, then ramp to 35F and hold there.
By the afternoon of 11/11, there was a nice krausen and bubbling, By 11/16 it seemed to be at high krausen. Still bubbling and a bit of krausen on 11/19.
It doesn't smell like ale fermentation.... a little harsh. But we'll see how it ends up.
Transferred to secondary on 12/4/14, after the beer had entered the lagering period at 35F.
Bottled on 1/3/15, using table sugar as a priming solution. I will wait a bit longer before popping the first bottle, since I hear lager yeast takes longer to carbonate.
In any case, for my first lager I decided to brew a 5-gallon batch of Schwarzbier following the recipe of p. 81 of Brewing Classic Styles.
German Schwarzbier
5 gallons
9# German Pils
1# German Munich
11oz Carafa Special II
Hallertau, 1.65oz, 4.0%, 60min
Hallertau, 0.5oz, 4.0%, 60min
Hallertau, 0.5oz, 4.0%, 60min (ended up adding .85 oz at flameout because I didn't want any leftover Hallertau hops).
Mash at 151F, boil 90 mins.
WLP830 - German Lager
Made a large yeast starter on 11/5/14.
Brewed 11/8/14 at a friends house. Didn't really check the OG etc.... but I believe I did get the right volume.
When the boiled wort was chilled to around 100F, I siphoned to a 6-gallon carboy and placed in the 45F fridge.
The next morning, the fridge and beer were at 55F. Pitched the whole starter, shook the carboy to aerate a little bit, then let it ferment.
Fermentation profile programmed into the SCT-1000+ is 2 weeks at 50F, ramp to 60F over 1 day, hold at 60F 2 days, ramp down to 50, hold for a day, then ramp to 35F and hold there.
By the afternoon of 11/11, there was a nice krausen and bubbling, By 11/16 it seemed to be at high krausen. Still bubbling and a bit of krausen on 11/19.
It doesn't smell like ale fermentation.... a little harsh. But we'll see how it ends up.
Transferred to secondary on 12/4/14, after the beer had entered the lagering period at 35F.
Bottled on 1/3/15, using table sugar as a priming solution. I will wait a bit longer before popping the first bottle, since I hear lager yeast takes longer to carbonate.
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