So two weeks ago I partnered in a belgian brown brew that we'll enter to be had in the local Brewing Guild's booth at the Summertime Brews Festival. It was my style to push, and neither Atwell was as familiar with the style or recipe. It came from wanting to make something like the Allagash brews or Unibroue Chambly Noire (which turns out to be a belgian style black ale), but ended up being a Flemish Brown - Oud Bruin - style. Not terribly unlike Flemish Red/Sour, it's a bold and complex beer that will also have oak aging and liquor adjunct (the first one has port-soaked oak, the second will use brandy). We ended up modifying the recipe provided from Sam Calagione's book Extreme Brewing
The second one comes inspired by the want for us to have a version of it that won't be given away, and the ability to reuse some components.
It's a 6% ABV belgian brown ale:
6 lb pale DME
1.5 lb 2L carappils
4 oz black patent
1 lb dark brown sugar
4 oz molasses
First iteration used Goldings hops at 60 (oz) and 20 (1/2 oz), and Saaz at 10 (1/2 oz), the second will use fuggle 1st/2nd and Saaz at the end. First beer used 1lb dark candi sugar, 2nd will sub table sugar.
Both beers will have used White Labs Belgian Golden; the first got a 5th day pitch of lactobaccillus, the second beer will use the lacto/belgian golden slurry from the first one pitched at day 5.
Along the way in brewing the first one, got to try Kasteel Rouge (oud bruin aged with sour cherry and brandy) and brought a Liefmans Goudenband (the staple of the style), which helped inspire where we were going with the beer.
For my personal version of this beer, I would like to take out the dark adjuncts, leave the black patent or replace with 3 oz Pale Chocolate malt, switch in a pound of table sugar, and possibly add in 4 oz Belgian Aromatic malt. I really don't like the molasses in there, personally.
So with a third of the share of this, and the APA going strong still (still bubbling at ~8 seconds after a week), I'll have plenty of homebrew left around. Next after this will be a wit I've been working on the recipe to brew with, though it'll probably be a half-batch;
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
APA Brew Day
6 lb DME
.5 lb Crystal 20L
.5 lb crystal 40L
.25 lb Crystal 120L
1 oz Cascade (60 min)
1 oz Centennial (20 min)
.75 oz Amarillo (15 min)
.5 oz Cascade (10 min)
.5 oz Cascade, .25 oz Amarillo (5 min)
Started out with a starter (1.5Liter, 5.75 oz DME).
Blending the crystal will give a broader crystal flavor. Using one will define flavor a little more but the blend spreads the flavor more throughout the taste.
My methodology for hops, while very scattered in practice, was as follows:
I wanted to add Amarillo to Cascade to vary flavor up. Centennial as a higher powered cascade will add citrus in theory, but at 20 minutes the hope was that it would give less a citrus flavor than the amarillo's orange/lemon or cascade's grapefruit.
The ideal of using most of the hops late rather than early was to eliminate late-hopping and add a lot of bitterness without too much at the front end. Late-hop bittering adds a lot of flavor and aroma, and does add bitterness, but it's a less efficient and therefore less harsh bitter.
Post-Boil Results and Style Comparison
*Post-OG tasting left a very divided taste - sweet on the front end, hoppy at the back end.
*Smell test at two days left a strong citrus smell in range of various fruits, along with a solid malt smell.
*This finished at 1.052 OG (adjusted from 80 degrees F). Compared to style guidelines, that's a little high but inside reason.
*High crystal addition left the beer at a Promash-expected 13.0 (range for style is 8-14).
*4 total oz of hopping left the beer at a Promash-expected 54.6 IBU (range for style is 30-45+), giving range to fit hoppiness in, but that's for West Coast styles, whereas East Coast tastes would be less. Definitely over range, though with a month or two aging would be more within style.
For fairness to the IBUs, switchng even one more ounce of hops to the front end changes the beer to an 80 IBU range, just by boiling for 50 more minutes without any additions. The hop cost was high but it seems for aroma and flavor the beer is very good and sharp, without a sharp bitterness normally necessary to achieve that aroma and flavor.
It took a day to break into fermentation, but at 36 hours had broken into the airlock. At that point, it had a wonderful aroma. Initial concerns of infection or letting the beer sit too long before fermentation started were somewhat unfounded, though the expectation was that the starter would aid in quickness for the beer.
Learned from this:
*Kits aren't the best idea anymore, I'll screw with it until it's unrecognizeable.
*Continue to improve on sanitation to reduce paranoia
*Let the yeast take time to act, don't spazz.
Tips for next time:
*If it's still extract, either back off on pale DME and add either English Pale malt or English Pale LME.
*If having to partial mash instead of just steep (crystal didn't need mash), add munich and back off on crystal. Reduce total to 12-14% of grain bill to let hops come through.
*consider blending hops for late hop additions.
This beer should be very fragrant and tasty right up front. As time goes on, the hop degradation may make this more consumable, but with a high crystal take and pushing most of the hop to the back end, there should be drinkability in people who don't like hop bitterness to the level of a normal IPA.
.5 lb Crystal 20L
.5 lb crystal 40L
.25 lb Crystal 120L
1 oz Cascade (60 min)
1 oz Centennial (20 min)
.75 oz Amarillo (15 min)
.5 oz Cascade (10 min)
.5 oz Cascade, .25 oz Amarillo (5 min)
Started out with a starter (1.5Liter, 5.75 oz DME).
Blending the crystal will give a broader crystal flavor. Using one will define flavor a little more but the blend spreads the flavor more throughout the taste.
My methodology for hops, while very scattered in practice, was as follows:
I wanted to add Amarillo to Cascade to vary flavor up. Centennial as a higher powered cascade will add citrus in theory, but at 20 minutes the hope was that it would give less a citrus flavor than the amarillo's orange/lemon or cascade's grapefruit.
The ideal of using most of the hops late rather than early was to eliminate late-hopping and add a lot of bitterness without too much at the front end. Late-hop bittering adds a lot of flavor and aroma, and does add bitterness, but it's a less efficient and therefore less harsh bitter.
Post-Boil Results and Style Comparison
*Post-OG tasting left a very divided taste - sweet on the front end, hoppy at the back end.
*Smell test at two days left a strong citrus smell in range of various fruits, along with a solid malt smell.
*This finished at 1.052 OG (adjusted from 80 degrees F). Compared to style guidelines, that's a little high but inside reason.
*High crystal addition left the beer at a Promash-expected 13.0 (range for style is 8-14).
*4 total oz of hopping left the beer at a Promash-expected 54.6 IBU (range for style is 30-45+), giving range to fit hoppiness in, but that's for West Coast styles, whereas East Coast tastes would be less. Definitely over range, though with a month or two aging would be more within style.
For fairness to the IBUs, switchng even one more ounce of hops to the front end changes the beer to an 80 IBU range, just by boiling for 50 more minutes without any additions. The hop cost was high but it seems for aroma and flavor the beer is very good and sharp, without a sharp bitterness normally necessary to achieve that aroma and flavor.
It took a day to break into fermentation, but at 36 hours had broken into the airlock. At that point, it had a wonderful aroma. Initial concerns of infection or letting the beer sit too long before fermentation started were somewhat unfounded, though the expectation was that the starter would aid in quickness for the beer.
Learned from this:
*Kits aren't the best idea anymore, I'll screw with it until it's unrecognizeable.
*Continue to improve on sanitation to reduce paranoia
*Let the yeast take time to act, don't spazz.
Tips for next time:
*If it's still extract, either back off on pale DME and add either English Pale malt or English Pale LME.
*If having to partial mash instead of just steep (crystal didn't need mash), add munich and back off on crystal. Reduce total to 12-14% of grain bill to let hops come through.
*consider blending hops for late hop additions.
This beer should be very fragrant and tasty right up front. As time goes on, the hop degradation may make this more consumable, but with a high crystal take and pushing most of the hop to the back end, there should be drinkability in people who don't like hop bitterness to the level of a normal IPA.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
A Tale Of Two Beer Kits
The first two beers planned came as a result of kits - I've worked away from needing kits to build a beer, having a functional homebrew store a mile away and enough experience to know what I want inside a style definition.
But, with hops and malt going up, it was a good time to buy - and the APA and Dubbel kits were on order from ebrew.com.
Some irregularity led to a backorder shipment, followed by an irregularity in the selection of ingredients:
APA
6 lb DME
2 cups (~8 oz?) Crystal 120L
1.75 oz Hallertau hops (pellets)
2x 0.5 oz Cascade hops (full flower)
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast
Dubbel
6 lb DME
1/2 lb Belgian Carapils
1/2 lb Special B
1/2 lb light Candi Sugar
1/4 lb dark Candi Sugar
1 oz Hallertau hops (pellets)
1 oz Centennial hops (pellets)
1 oz Glacier hops (pellets)
White Labs WLP530 (Westmalle cloned Abbey Ale)
So, what's the big deal?
Let's start with hops. American Hallertau in an APA? Bizarre. Cascade to finish is fine, of course, and in the end bitterness is (in theory) bitterness, but it was an odd choice. It shows up again in the Dubbel against logic; Centennial makes no sense at all, and Glacier may be a suitable replacement for Kent Goldings in aroma, but it's still bizarre. They put together what they could put together, apparently, as opposed to filling to style, and for that reason, I reworked everything.
So, I now have 2.75 oz Hallertau sitting, and a trip to the brew store gave me 1 oz each Amarillo and cascade pellets. At the last minute, I remembered I had Centennial, and added those to the APA as well. It may have been too much, but it was fun and what better a time to burn a bunch of hops than your first pale ale attempt? I could've easily just gone with an ounce of cascade to add, thrown centennial at the 20 min mark, the other ounce of cascade at 15 and 10, and finished with the Glacier.
Then, grain: Crystal 120L seemed more like an economy addition than a realistic one. 120 gives a heavy caramel and even biscuit taste, where crystal 20 or 40 would give a much lighter sweetness and color. So, I threw in a half pound each crystal 20 and 40 without the intent of adding 120, but ended up putting 4 oz 120 in anyway. The result will probably be too sweet, but by color in promash it's within reason.
So, remaining after the APA: all I have left of the Belgian is DME, two half-lb specialty malts, candi sugar (which isn't really necessary - it could easily have been table sugar and a touch of color), 5 oz crystal 120L, and yeast. Which is fine, I have been underwhelmed by that kit, too. The kit may give way to another beer, like the southern english brown, along with the 120, and the yeast/candi sugar may have to sit for another round.
But, with hops and malt going up, it was a good time to buy - and the APA and Dubbel kits were on order from ebrew.com.
Some irregularity led to a backorder shipment, followed by an irregularity in the selection of ingredients:
APA
6 lb DME
2 cups (~8 oz?) Crystal 120L
1.75 oz Hallertau hops (pellets)
2x 0.5 oz Cascade hops (full flower)
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast
Dubbel
6 lb DME
1/2 lb Belgian Carapils
1/2 lb Special B
1/2 lb light Candi Sugar
1/4 lb dark Candi Sugar
1 oz Hallertau hops (pellets)
1 oz Centennial hops (pellets)
1 oz Glacier hops (pellets)
White Labs WLP530 (Westmalle cloned Abbey Ale)
So, what's the big deal?
Let's start with hops. American Hallertau in an APA? Bizarre. Cascade to finish is fine, of course, and in the end bitterness is (in theory) bitterness, but it was an odd choice. It shows up again in the Dubbel against logic; Centennial makes no sense at all, and Glacier may be a suitable replacement for Kent Goldings in aroma, but it's still bizarre. They put together what they could put together, apparently, as opposed to filling to style, and for that reason, I reworked everything.
So, I now have 2.75 oz Hallertau sitting, and a trip to the brew store gave me 1 oz each Amarillo and cascade pellets. At the last minute, I remembered I had Centennial, and added those to the APA as well. It may have been too much, but it was fun and what better a time to burn a bunch of hops than your first pale ale attempt? I could've easily just gone with an ounce of cascade to add, thrown centennial at the 20 min mark, the other ounce of cascade at 15 and 10, and finished with the Glacier.
Then, grain: Crystal 120L seemed more like an economy addition than a realistic one. 120 gives a heavy caramel and even biscuit taste, where crystal 20 or 40 would give a much lighter sweetness and color. So, I threw in a half pound each crystal 20 and 40 without the intent of adding 120, but ended up putting 4 oz 120 in anyway. The result will probably be too sweet, but by color in promash it's within reason.
So, remaining after the APA: all I have left of the Belgian is DME, two half-lb specialty malts, candi sugar (which isn't really necessary - it could easily have been table sugar and a touch of color), 5 oz crystal 120L, and yeast. Which is fine, I have been underwhelmed by that kit, too. The kit may give way to another beer, like the southern english brown, along with the 120, and the yeast/candi sugar may have to sit for another round.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Brew Schedule
After a few months of hiatus from brewing it's time to rededicate. I've not been away from it too long, but haven't brewed since September (Pumpkin Porter).
I've been sitting and watching my friend Jake pull a full six beers in the last few months approaching his wedding (one of which got a second place medal, his Milk Stout), two of which included lagers (notably a bock).
So, to start this blog (which should be a mix of homebrew ideals and local beer bars/offerings), I figured I'd mark out what I intend to brew in the next few months.
Decided and Planned
I'm starting back with two beers I've bought - ebrew.com partial mash kits. It's a return to kits after making my own recipe for the Pumpkin Porter, but I intend on altering them anyway.
American Pale Ale 5%
In the style of Sierra Nevada, this pale will feature cascade hops, and I'm probably going to play with the level of crystal malt before I finish the recipe. I may also add just a little more of the cascade in the last 10 minutes of the boil, and finish with a different hop (or that hop plus cascade) for dry hopping.
Belgian Dubbel - 7% Westmalle type clone
This will be fermented at variable temperature, hopefully, and will be cold secondaried. This will be mostly corked beer, hopefully.
I'm considering reconstituting yeast and making that my 10% yeast to pitch with sugar for corking, but will set aside some regular 12oz bottles for tasting and competition.
Future Brews
IIPA - 8% double pale ale
The APA is a lead-up beer, and after that, I'll go with an imperial IPA in the style of Stone Ruination, but I'm looking for a slighter, cleaner finish like Foothills Seeing Double. Seeing Double is a fine local IPA - actually I feel like it's more like a double APA - and Ruination IPA is a 7.7% with a great balance of bitter to sweet. Both ales finish well and are consistent beers throughout, which was pleasing considering some double pales have backbite like hot chili. The pale will give me some experience in pales to try, and will be in good character by the time I try to brew this.
I'm considering reconstituting the Pacman yeast from a Rogue beer, probably Brutal Bitter.
Southern English Pale Ale - 4% english mild ale.
A non-commercial beer domestically that's sliding away in England, this is a different take on the english brown style that's more commercially available and popular. A London based ale from back in the times of the invention of IPA and porter, SEPA is a malty, mild ale with toffee and caramel notes, low bitterness, and the character not unlike a smaller version of a robust sweet stout. I may do this beer in a 2 gallon batch, to make it my first all-grain beer. It's an interesting malt bill without a lot of hop, so I can play with the
Bohemian Pilsner - 5% pilsner
Probably my first lager beer, I like this for its simplicity of taste and drinkability. Ideally I'd have started this already for this year, but will probably start it in winter for lagering and having it handy for next year.
Belgian/Trappist Project
I'd like to do more trappist style products, including eventually cloning Rochefort, Orval and Westvleteren. I'd also like to give a shot at a Tripel Karmeliet and Delirium Tremens, and a Belgian style Christmas Ale in Spring 2009 for presents in winter of that year.
That should finish the year, in addition to one beer I'll probably add in to brew fresh in the fall (probably so I won't have something aging).
I've been sitting and watching my friend Jake pull a full six beers in the last few months approaching his wedding (one of which got a second place medal, his Milk Stout), two of which included lagers (notably a bock).
So, to start this blog (which should be a mix of homebrew ideals and local beer bars/offerings), I figured I'd mark out what I intend to brew in the next few months.
Decided and Planned
I'm starting back with two beers I've bought - ebrew.com partial mash kits. It's a return to kits after making my own recipe for the Pumpkin Porter, but I intend on altering them anyway.
American Pale Ale 5%
In the style of Sierra Nevada, this pale will feature cascade hops, and I'm probably going to play with the level of crystal malt before I finish the recipe. I may also add just a little more of the cascade in the last 10 minutes of the boil, and finish with a different hop (or that hop plus cascade) for dry hopping.
Belgian Dubbel - 7% Westmalle type clone
This will be fermented at variable temperature, hopefully, and will be cold secondaried. This will be mostly corked beer, hopefully.
I'm considering reconstituting yeast and making that my 10% yeast to pitch with sugar for corking, but will set aside some regular 12oz bottles for tasting and competition.
Future Brews
IIPA - 8% double pale ale
The APA is a lead-up beer, and after that, I'll go with an imperial IPA in the style of Stone Ruination, but I'm looking for a slighter, cleaner finish like Foothills Seeing Double. Seeing Double is a fine local IPA - actually I feel like it's more like a double APA - and Ruination IPA is a 7.7% with a great balance of bitter to sweet. Both ales finish well and are consistent beers throughout, which was pleasing considering some double pales have backbite like hot chili. The pale will give me some experience in pales to try, and will be in good character by the time I try to brew this.
I'm considering reconstituting the Pacman yeast from a Rogue beer, probably Brutal Bitter.
Southern English Pale Ale - 4% english mild ale.
A non-commercial beer domestically that's sliding away in England, this is a different take on the english brown style that's more commercially available and popular. A London based ale from back in the times of the invention of IPA and porter, SEPA is a malty, mild ale with toffee and caramel notes, low bitterness, and the character not unlike a smaller version of a robust sweet stout. I may do this beer in a 2 gallon batch, to make it my first all-grain beer. It's an interesting malt bill without a lot of hop, so I can play with the
Bohemian Pilsner - 5% pilsner
Probably my first lager beer, I like this for its simplicity of taste and drinkability. Ideally I'd have started this already for this year, but will probably start it in winter for lagering and having it handy for next year.
Belgian/Trappist Project
I'd like to do more trappist style products, including eventually cloning Rochefort, Orval and Westvleteren. I'd also like to give a shot at a Tripel Karmeliet and Delirium Tremens, and a Belgian style Christmas Ale in Spring 2009 for presents in winter of that year.
That should finish the year, in addition to one beer I'll probably add in to brew fresh in the fall (probably so I won't have something aging).
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