Homebrewing

[mneagle]

I was wondering if anyone else in the climbing crew is into homebrewing as well. I've been doing it for a while and turning out some pretty good brews. I kegged a Scottish 80/ yesterday and am about to keg an Imperial IPA...mmmmm hops. If enough people are into it, maybe we could replace the inane bacon forum with something useful.

[bstach]

I 2nd that. Turf the Bacon Forum, start the Home Brew Forum

[mike1]

I've brewed a few carboys of porter and recently an amber ale that was fairly tasty. I like the bottles myself. I'm an amateur but I could be talked into hanging out in an inane homebrew forum.

[mneagle]

Why was this moved to Counseling Corner? WTF?

 

Anyways, my Imperial IPA turned out great. It's pretty close to a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Here's the recipe:

 

16 lb 2-row pale malt

1 lb Crystal malt 30 L

1 lb Crystal malt 60 L

2 oz Zeus hops x 75 min boil

1 oz Centennial hops x 45 min boil

1 oz Centennial hops x 15 min boil

1 tsp Irish moss x 15 min boil

1 oz Centennial hops x 1 minute boil

0.25 oz Centennial hops dry hop

2 packets Fermentis Safale US-5 yeast

 

Mash:

122 degree protein rest x 15 minutes

150 degree saccharification x 60 minutes

168 degree mash out

 

yeast pitched directly without starter

 

Total boil time 90 minutes

primary fermentation: 10 days

secondary fermentation: 5 days w/ dry hops

 

OG: 1.074

FG: 1.015

ABV: 7.7%

 

I missed my intended OG by 0.015. I gotta work on my brewhouse efficiency. The flavor and aroma are amazing and it's very drinkable despite an estimated IBU of 113.

 

Plans for next time:

-skip the protein rest

-longer mash while focusing on more consistent temperature

-higher sparge water temperature

-I may bump the dry hops up to a full 1 oz

[mike1]

it's not spray.

[kayfire]

Why was this moved to Counseling Corner? WTF?

 

Anyways, my Imperial IPA turned out great. It's pretty close to a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Here's the recipe:

 

16 lb 2-row pale malt

1 lb Crystal malt 30 L

1 lb Crystal malt 60 L

2 oz Zeus hops x 75 min boil

1 oz Centennial hops x 45 min boil

1 oz Centennial hops x 15 min boil

1 tsp Irish moss x 15 min boil

1 oz Centennial hops x 1 minute boil

0.25 oz Centennial hops dry hop

2 packets Fermentis Safale US-5 yeast

 

Mash:

122 degree protein rest x 15 minutes

150 degree saccharification x 60 minutes

168 degree mash out

 

yeast pitched directly without starter

 

Total boil time 90 minutes

primary fermentation: 10 days

secondary fermentation: 5 days w/ dry hops

 

OG: 1.074

FG: 1.015

ABV: 7.7%

 

I missed my intended OG by 0.015. I gotta work on my brewhouse efficiency. The flavor and aroma are amazing and it's very drinkable despite an estimated IBU of 113.

 

Plans for next time:

-skip the protein rest

-longer mash while focusing on more consistent temperature

-higher sparge water temperature

-I may bump the dry hops up to a full 1 oz

 

Yeah, I was going to say, no need for the protein rest. If you are trying to clone Dogfish Head 90 min. IPA, btw (don't know if that was your goal or not), forget all that crystal malt and do the whole recipe with British 2 row pale.

 

I wouldn't recommend a longer mash--60 min. is ideal (assuming you're maintaining an appropriate temperature). If you're going for a fuller body, then maybe increase sparge temperature, otherwise I wouldn't mess with that either.

 

Don't be afraid to add that 1 ounce of hops for dry hopping--that's an appropriate amount. Remember, dry hopping doesn't contribute to IBUs.

 

Also, be careful not to over-pitch the yeast (http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_pitchrate.cfm).

 

Been brewing for 17 years--good times.

Edited December 28, 2009 by kayfire

[mneagle]

Thanks for the advice. Any advice on a tasty low alcohol ale for daily consumption? Most of the beers I've been brewing are higher gravity and I'm not feeling great about taking in that much alcohol on a daily basis.

[mike1]

I need a line on where I can find a good knock-off of Double Dead Guy

[E-rock]

kayfire, thanks for the pitch count calculator. I was looking for exactly that last night. Should have thought to look on wyeast's website.

[G-spotter]

I've got a line on bulk honey. Any of you guys ever brew mead?

[mneagle]

I've got a line on bulk honey. Any of you guys ever brew mead?

 

I recently sampled a bottle of a friends 14 year old mead...like wow. I've been meaning to get the recipe. I'll post up when I get it but it might not be ready for a decade. I'm personally waiting for prickly pear to come into season this summer to try Papazian's prickly pear mead as printed in the Joy of Homebrewing. If it's even close to as glorious as he claims it should be great.

[mike1]

cool link

[kayfire]

Thanks for the advice. Any advice on a tasty low alcohol ale for daily consumption? Most of the beers I've been brewing are higher gravity and I'm not feeling great about taking in that much alcohol on a daily basis.

 

On the recipe recommendation, here's a great one (calculated for 5 gallons)--brewed this one many times; always a hit--good session brew.

 

6 lbs British two-row pale malt

1 lb. 40-50 Lovibond English crystal malt

1 oz. English Fuggles hops (boiling)

0.4 oz. English Kent Goldings hops (flavor)

0.4 oz. English Kent Golding hops (aroma)

1/4 tsp. Irish moss

Ale Yeast

 

Throw in an ounce of black patent to add some color (optional).

 

IBU: 34

OG: 1.045-1.049

FG: 1.010 - 1.014

 

Use a single-step infusion mash.

Add boiling hops and boil for 75 minutes. Add flavor hops and Irish moss and boil for an addition 15 minutes. Turn off heat and add aroma hops and steep for 2 to 3 minutes.

 

If you have any questions--shoot me a PM.

 

Cheers!

Edited January 9, 2010 by kayfire

[kayfire]

I've got a line on bulk honey. Any of you guys ever brew mead?

 

Oh yeah--great stuff and super easy to make. Best mead, IMHO, made from Fireweed honey. Would be interested in your line Drew; do tell.

Edited January 9, 2010 by kayfire

[G-spotter]

It's in the family, sorry.

[111]

count me in for another vote for a homebrew forum. I am a novice, but enjoy brewing immensely

[mneagle]

Thanks for the advice. Any advice on a tasty low alcohol ale for daily consumption? Most of the beers I've been brewing are higher gravity and I'm not feeling great about taking in that much alcohol on a daily basis.

 

On the recipe recommendation, here's a great one (calculated for 5 gallons)--brewed this one many times; always a hit--good session brew.

 

6 lbs British two-row pale malt

1 lb. 40-50 Lovibond English crystal malt

1 oz. English Fuggles hops (boiling)

0.4 oz. English Kent Goldings hops (flavor)

0.4 oz. English Kent Golding hops (aroma)

1/4 tsp. Irish moss

Ale Yeast

 

Throw in an ounce of black patent to add some color (optional).

 

IBU: 34

OG: 1.045-1.049

FG: 1.010 - 1.014

 

Use a single-step infusion mash.

Add boiling hops and boil for 75 minutes. Add flavor hops and Irish moss and boil for an addition 15 minutes. Turn off heat and add aroma hops and steep for 2 to 3 minutes.

 

If you have any questions--shoot me a PM.

 

Cheers!

 

Looks good. I'll have to try it. Are you calling it a standard English bitter? My local homebrew store carries Goldings but there's no origin on the label. I've been reading that the East Kent Goldings are "so much better" than the US ones that mostly come from Yakima. Any opinion?

[mneagle]

After recent renovations, I'm now a man lucky enough to possess not 1 but 2 caves...

 

 

Gear Room:

 

 

 

Beer Room:

 

 

 

Also, in response to the previous request for a mead recipe, I made a ginger mead from Papazian's book this weekend.

 

17.5 lb clover honey

0.75 lb fresh ginger

1 oz yeast extract

2 packets EC-1118 Champagne yeast

 

The must tasted delicious. I'll let you know how it turned out in about a year.

 

[img:left]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/514/medium/P10mead1.jpg[/img]

Edited January 25, 2010 by mneagle

[mike1]

Beer Room:

 

Holy crap man! I just started a 6 gallon jug of Dead Guy KO and felt pretty proud of myself. You must be running a full bar with all that equipment. I got one bucket, a few carboys, some hose and a couple boxes of EZ-cap bottles (can you say amateur).

 

My last batch was an amber ale, but it had an odd flavor to it. Maybe sweetness? I’ve tasted it before in some darker porters and don’t care much for it. I’m thinking I should have used more hops. When you’re loading the hops in, how tight do you need to keep your measurements when you’re following a recipe? Extra handful here and there make or break 6 gallons? Ounces?

[mneagle]

What can I say...I'm a gear whore.

 

I'm pretty anal with my measurements. I keep track of exact weights, hop age and alpha content so I know how to tweak the recipe in the future.

 

If your beer was too sweet, you may want to cut down the amount of crystal malt, if you used it. You may also have a stalled fermentation if your final gravity was too high. I had a similar problem when I under aerated a full boil wort once. I pitched some more dry yeast and shook the hell out of it and it took off again.

[Alewarrior]

This is really cool. I have been brewing all grain for over 10 years. Good times. A great site is Beeradvocate. Check out the homebrewing fourm. Good info, and questions answered promptly by everyone from newbes to pros. Worthwhile.

Cheers!

[mneagle]

So I made a big ass barley wine this weekend along with a Scottish ale. I used the "parti-gyle" technique, which was a first.

 

Barley wine:

25 lb Maris Otter malt

3 lb aromatic malt

2 lb Carared malt

2 oz Zeus hops

6 oz Amarillo hops

2 packets Champagne yeast

 

Scottish Ale

2nd runnings +

1/2 lb roasted barley

1/4 lb peat smoked malt

1 oz Challenger hops

2 oz Northern Brewers hops

2 packets Safale S-04 yeast

 

[img:center]http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs145.snc3/17231_1272093376215_1646329150_643814_1339867_n.jpg[/img]

 

 

It took quite a few pots and every inch of my range.

 

[img:center]http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs145.snc3/17231_1272093416216_1646329150_643815_7014682_n.jpg[/img]

 

 

I used a pretty insane amount of hops in the barley wine. It has a calculated IBU of something like 300. The wort actually tasted delicious. Since I'm not planning on drinking it until New Years Eve, I figure it will probably mellow out by then anyway.

[img:center]http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs125.snc3/17231_1272093576220_1646329150_643819_490037_n.jpg[/img]

 

 

Everything seemed to be going well. I had the barley wine boiling and was recirculating the mash after adding the specialty grains for the second batch.

[img:center]http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs125.snc3/17231_1272093536219_1646329150_643818_2603925_n.jpg[/img]

 

 

The brewing session was then rudely interrupted by our carbon monoxide alarm going off. After opening windows, we abandoned the house and waited for the fire department to arrive. It seems a "perfect storm" was created by our over-sized furnace creating a draw to the basement, having all the windows closed in winter, running 90,000 BTU's on the stove and using large pots that diverted the airflow away from the fan. Flint found all of this very entertaining.

[img:center]http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs145.snc3/17231_1272105216511_1646329150_643967_4224657_n.jpg[/img]

 

 

At the end of the day, I did have a fine barley wine (OG 1.12) and Scottish ale (OG 1.046) to join the mead in the closet. I named the barley wine "Barley Wine 911" and the Scottish ale "Combustion Ale".

Edited February 7, 2010 by mneagle

[billbob]

Thanks for starting this thread, am only on beer batch 16 since starting last summer. I have 5 gals of the Prickly Pear fruit mead going on it's third racking, used really ripe PP fruit and mesquite honey from arizona. Also added a smal pkg of toasted oak chips at rack 2. Man does it taste good already, hard to see how to exercise the necessary self-control to age it 10+ years, tho!

 

Lately had a couple stuck/incomplete brew fermentations, wondering if the beer closet isn't a bit too cool. If the best thing is to add more yeast, should I use the same type (Pacman)?

 

[bstach]

I have had fermentations stuck due to temperature fluctuations. Yeast hates that. A fluctuation of more than 20 degrees farenheight will do it. Was a problem when i brewed in an apartment. Now I have a house w basement and it is much more stable temp in the basement.

[mneagle]

Look up the specs of the yeast you are using to make sure they are appropriate for the closet temp. If your closet is too cold, just get some good lager yeast. Note that when using a lager yeast, the pitching rate is very important. I always make a yeast starter 4-5 days before making a lager. I use ~1 liter of sterile wort from a previous batch or DME at a gravity of 1.05 along w/ a smack pack or vial. I once fixed a failed primary fermentation by tossing a few packets of dry Saflager yeast directly into the wort with good results.

 

Other fermentation problems I have had:

-thermometer off -> yeast killed

-refrigerator temp control malfunction -> yeast went dormant too soon

-over boiling wort to try to hit a higher gravity -> excessive kettle carmelization resulted in too many unfermentable sugars and early fermentation termination (tasted like hopped cough syrup)

-under-aerating full boil wort

-underpitched yeast into high gravity wort

-used expired yeast