no posts in a few days

[Sleepy T]

Brewed the Marzen Lager yesterday. Was going for a bit higher OG than normal (because I was trying to do a mini mash with some 2row, Vienna, and Crystal 40) but ended up with an OG more in line with the style (1.052). I had a very minor boil over in the last few minutes, not sure if that did it or the sugars didn't convert? The calculator I use said I should ended up with about
1.062. Oh well, I still think it is going to be a good sweet malty brew. Fermenting with Saflager 23 in my 60-65 degree bathroom, it is bubbling like a mofo....

 

[wartyOne]

My brew partner just picked up another fridge this past Friday. We now have two cold fermentation vessels, and our Marzen got moved to his keezer. The other two fridges are holding an 80 schilling in the conical, and a high gravity base for our cherry beer. I changed the recipe on that to a high grav because I'm a bit tired of brewing light/medium ABV beers. Estimated OG was 1.072. We missed it by a bit, but it's still going to be a big beer once the 10 pounds of cherries start fermenting.

So, that puts us at Irish Red, Strong Red Rye, Dirty Blonde (my recipe, not a clone), Bavarian Hefeweizen, IPA, Pale Ale, the cherry bomb and a Scottish Ale for our next beer release party. My brew partner only has 6 taps in his keezer, so we'll have to run two off of picnic taps. Good times.

 

[Sleepy T]

My brew partner just picked up another fridge this past Friday. We now have two cold fermentation vessels, and our Marzen got moved to his keezer. The other two fridges are holding an 80 schilling in the conical, and a high gravity base for our cherry beer. I changed the recipe on that to a high grav because I'm a bit tired of brewing light/medium ABV beers. Estimated OG was 1.072. We missed it by a bit, but it's still going to be a big beer once the 10 pounds of cherries start fermenting.

So, that puts us at Irish Red, Strong Red Rye, Dirty Blonde (my recipe, not a clone), Bavarian Hefeweizen, IPA, Pale Ale, the cherry bomb and a Scottish Ale for our next beer release party. My brew partner only has 6 taps in his keezer, so we'll have to run two off of picnic taps. Good times.

Man. Wonder how much a plane ticket cost to New Mexico?? Sounds like you have a very fine selection of brews for your company. I'm sure it will be very good times. You do 10-15 gallon batches correct?? That is alot of brew even if you have already drank half of it..

What type of Base Malt are you using for your Cherry Bomb?? Hops are you using for your IPA warty??

Went to my LHBS this past weekend and he must have gotten the motherload shipment on hops. There was stuff there that I haven't even heard of. Meant to write some of it down to do a little research. Need to get up there soon and stock up a bit before all the good stuff is gone...Was going to do an IPA next but all of his Citra was gone...may have to look for an alternative hop. Was going to use Citra, Amarillo, and Cascade...

 

[wartyOne]

Citra goes really well with both Simcoe and Sorachi Ace. Use all three and you get a very citrusy character in your beer, which can be viewed as highly unexpected in an IPA. Right now I'm swinging back toward the obvious hops for my IPA and Pale Ale, but Amarillos are fantastic hops. Very complimentary with Chinook and Cascade if you use them as a 5-10 minute addition or as a dry hop.

Base Malt for the Cherry Bomb was all over the place. Rahr 2-Row, Marris Otter 2-Row and Munich were the three base malts. The Rahr was the majority, but the Marris Otter was substantial as well. I was shooting for malt complexity in that bill. It's big. We mashed 25 lbs for that batch. I'm in the process of shying away from Crystal right now. I produced too many "caramelly" beers, and I want to branch out in other directions for a while.

We are currently brewing 10g batches because we're dialed in, and we don't have keg/cooling capacity to do 20g batches. We have the ability to do 20g with our brewhouse, but if you can't store the beer it makes no sense to brew it.

 

[757Hokie83]

okay...been in the new house about a month now...settled in enough. gotta brew this weekend.

 

[Sleepy T]

okay...been in the new house about a month now...settled in enough. gotta brew this weekend.

What are you gonna brew 757??

 

[757Hokie83]

still working on getting my fat tire clone done...i put it off before the move into the new place, and my weekends have been pretty jam packed getting settled into the new house...but this weekend, damn it, it will be brewed!

 

[Darkstone42]

BEHOLD!

 

[Sleepy T]

BEHOLD!

Whatcha got there Stone the Pale Ale you brewed (mentioned on page 1?). If so..looks a little "Dark". How did it turn out.

Have my Marzen in the secondary now, will put it in the fridge here in a week or so and I am going to try and leave it there for the summer and try to get into it early fall. Plan on brewing a couple fruit type beers very soon starting with a Tropical IPA and a Triple Berry wheat. Hopefully they turn out good...

 

[757Hokie83]

BEHOLD!

[YOUTUBE]b4YdU-5alOg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Darkstone42]

Whatcha got there Stone the Pale Ale you brewed (mentioned on page 1?). If so..looks a little "Dark". How did it turn out.

Have my Marzen in the secondary now, will put it in the fridge here in a week or so and I am going to try and leave it there for the summer and try to get into it early fall. Plan on brewing a couple fruit type beers very soon starting with a Tropical IPA and a Triple Berry wheat. Hopefully they turn out good...

It's tasty. I replaced one of the pale malt extracts with amber (because the store was out of pale, and I thought amber would best compliment the rest of the recipe--and it did), so that's why it's darker. The flavors work well together, and while it's not as strongly hopped as I initially intended, the balance is still very good.

 

[Sleepy T]

It's tasty. I replaced one of the pale malt extracts with amber (because the store was out of pale, and I thought amber would best compliment the rest of the recipe--and it did), so that's why it's darker. The flavors work well together, and while it's not as strongly hopped as I initially intended, the balance is still very good.

Nice!

What was your hop selection...IBU's?? Sounds deliciouso!

 

[Darkstone42]

Nice!

What was your hop selection...IBU's?? Sounds deliciouso!

1 oz. each Galena, Cascade, and Mt. Hood. 51.5 IBUs, mostly because the increased gravity from the change in malt extracts led to a lower usage of the hops. The only regret I have is not lengthening the boil to accommodate that, but the beer is still good, so I won't complain.

 

[Sleepy T]

All is quiet on the beer forum these days. Anybody been brewing?? JUst moved my Marzen to the fridge where I am slowly bringing the temp down. Will probably leave it there until Sept. (about 60-75 days) until I am ready to bottle it for October.

I have also been working on building my first all-grain setup. Had a couple of old chest coolers that I am converting. I am working on the mash/lauter tun now with a 48qt cooler/manifold system and may convert the other one into a HLT soon as well (may just batch sparge with the mash tun first). Just about done with the manifold system. I am pretty excited to be doing my first all-grain batch here pretty soon!! May throw some pics up when I am finished

May have some questions for some of you veteran homebrewers along the way. Seems that Wartyone is pretty busy brewing commercially and studying to become a certified Brewmaster (lucky guy). He has already gave me some great tips and info. on all-grain.