Hoppy Holidays!

Batch No. 42 - Vienna Lee Blues

Vienna Lee Blues

Brewed - December 17, 2011

Style - Vienna Lager

Ingredients:

• 15.5 lbs. Vienna
• 2.0 lbs. Pilsner
• 2.0 lbs. Munich
• 2.0 lbs. CaraMunich

• 2.0 oz. Hallertaur (60)
• 1.0 oz. Hallertaur (20)

• Wyeast #2124 Bohemian Lager (800 ml starter / 1 pack)
• Wyeast #2308 Munich Lager (800 ml starter / 1 pack)

OG – 1.057
Primary – 35 days
Secondary - 42 days

Kegged -March 3, 2012

Wyeast #2124 - Bohemian:
FG - 1.011
Attenuation - 80.7%
ABV - 6%

Wyeast #2124 - Munich:
FG - 1.014
Attenuation - 75.4%
ABV - 5.6%


Notes:

• Trying out two different lager yeasts
• Mash at 154° and 60 min boil
• Started fermentation temp at 47° in my chest freezer
• Primary for 35 days ~ 47°
• Diacetyl Rest at 65° for 3 days before transfer to kegs on 1/21/12

Chest Freezer and time for Lagers!!

I finally picked up a chest freezer a month or so ago via CraigsList and then it took me a while to get around to building a base to make it easier to move, clean, etc. Also picked up a temperature controller to "trick" the freezer into staying about freezing at a temperature that I want. Have everything hooked up and will be brewing my lager this weekend. I'll get more photos up once I have some beer in there fermenting, kegs, etc.

I've wanted a chest freezer for a long time for several reasons

• Keg Storage - I've been taking up so much space all year in the common kegerator and this will give me space to carb up kegs, etc.
• Keg and Bottle Conditioning - this will give me space for kegs/bottles to lager/garde, cold crash, cold condition and store for longer keeping in the summer months
  
• General Storage - for yeast, hops, etc.
• Possible expansion into a kegerator later w/ a few tap handles
  
• Lagers, Lagers, Lagers!!! This biggest reason as now I can regulate the temp to ferment lagers throughout the year...very excited for this b/c I've only done two lagers and there are a bunch of different lager styles that I look forward to brewing - starting things off with a Vienna Lager this weekend!!
  

Batch No. 41 - Meatstick Smoked Porter

Meatstick Smoked Porter

Brewed - November 19, 2011

Style - Smoke-Flavored/Wood Aged Beer

Ingredients:

• 13.75 lbs. American 2-Row
• 5.0 lbs. Cherrywood Smoked Malt
• 3.0 lbs. Rauch/Smoked Malt
• 2.8 lbs. Munich Light
• 2.8 lbs. Crystal 50-60L
• 1.5 lbs. Chocolate
• 0.75 lbs. Black Patent
• 0.5 lbs. Special "B"

• 1.0 oz. Cascade (90)
• 1.0 oz. Centennial (90)
• 0.75 oz. Centennial (30)
• 1.0 oz. Willamette (5)

• Wyeast #1056 California Ale (1500 ml starter / 300 ml pack)

OG – 1.074
Primary – 14 days
Secondary - 28 days

Kegged -December 31, 2011

FG - 1.013
Attenuation - 82.4%
ABV - 8%


Notes:

• This version of "Meatstick" is completely vegetarian friendly and specially dedicated to the fact I haven't eaten any meat for 4+ weeks!! LOL
• brewed with ~ 27% smoked malt (combo of cherrywood and rauch malt)
• Mash at 154° for 90 minutes
• 90 minute boil
• Thinking of aging one keg on bourbon or rum soaked oak chips

The Meatstick Dance....

But every time you say goodbye
The pain I can't identify
Reveals to me the hidden door
That leads to several moments more

Batch No. 40 - Squashes Me with Fear

Squashes Me with Fear

Brewed - November 6, 2011

Style - Smoked Squash Brown Ale



Ingredients:

• 11.0 lbs. American 2-Row
• 5.0 lbs. Pilsner
• 4.0 lb.s Munich Light
• 2.0 lbs. White Wheat
• 2.0 lbs. Smoked Hubbard Squash
• 1.0 lbs. Crystal 80L
• 1.0 lbs. Crystal 60L
• 1.0 lbs. Flaked Barley
• 0.5 lbs. Melanoidin
• 0.5 lbs. Carafa Special

• 1.0 oz. Cascade (60)
• 1.0 oz. Cascade (30)
• 6.0 lbs. Smoked Hubbard Squash (20)

• Wyeast #1056 California Ale (1500 ml starter / 300 ml pack)

OG – 1.064
Primary – 13 days
Secondary - 14 days

Kegged -December 3, 2011

FG - 1.013
Attenuation - 80%
ABV - 6.7%


Notes:

• Finally brewed the long discussed smoked squash beer
• Brandon smoked up a 12-lb. hubbard squash on his BGE (Big Green Egg); slowly smoked for approx. 3.5 hours I think; once finished it had a much more pronounced campfire aroma and tasted quite sweet; decided against adding any smoked malt into the mash so we can see just how much smoked flavor comes off the squash
• Huge thanks to The Mad Fermentationist for inspiration and recipe guidance. I'm thinking of possibly souring one of the kegs after primary is done depending on how it turns out; possibly adding some spices in the secondary as well
• Mash at 154° for 80 minutes
• 2.0 lbs of smoked squash in the mash and 6.0 lbs in the boil (20 mins)
• 90 minute boil

The Fraternal Order of Wayward Brewers' First Annual Autumnal Kegger

On Saturday October 22nd we held the first annual Autumnal Kegger down at the brewspace. A great chance to clear some kegs and have people check out the space. We all invited our friends, cooked up some BBQ and put 14+ of our finest homebrews on draft for everyone to enjoy. It was a great turnout and excellent evening all around. Can't wait to do it all again in the spring!!

Unfortunately not too many photos were taken as I was too busy drinking, giving short tours, drinking, talking, drinking, eating, drinking and well, drinking some more. If anyone who was in attendance has any additional photos, send them over so I can post them.

Getting the jockey boxes ready

My 4 kegs for the party

The taplist of Fraternal goodies

Mmmmmm, draft beer rules :)

A symphony of Draft and CO2 lines

Our neighbor Dave's eclectic window in the night light

Batch No. 39 - Down with Delbrueckii

Down with Delbrueckii

Brewed - October 15, 2011

Style - Berliner Weiss

Ingredients:

• 4.5 lbs. Weyermann Pilsner
• 4.5 lbs. White Wheat
• 2.0 lbs. Acidulated Malt

• 1.0 oz. Hallertauer (15)

• Wyeast #5335 Lactobacillus Delbrueckii (1 pack)

OG – 1.032
Primary – 168 days
Secondary - ??? days

Kegged - ???

FG - 1.005
Attenuation - 84%
ABV - 3.5%

Notes:

• Pretty much the same as the Scrizzel Berliner Weiss from January; upped the Acidulated Malt a bit and a slightly different decoction schedule

• Decoction Mash:
• 128° for 45 minutes
• Pull decoction (1.2 gals and approximately 3 lbs. grain) / boil for 10 mins
• Temp raised to 158° and rest for 30 minutes
• Pull decoction (0.7 gals) / bring to boil
• Temp raised to 166° and rest for 30 minutes
• Heat up and sparge at ~ 175° as normal

Treatment:

• Sour Dregs #1: Cascade Cuvee de Jongleur
• Sour Dregs #2: blend of dregs from a recent tasting (Jolly Pumpkin Perseguidor Batch #1 and Batch #5, Lost Abbey Sinner's 2010 and BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru 2008 Trousseau Barrel)
  

Batch No. 38 - Live Free or Rye

Live Free or Rye



Brewed - October 15, 2011

Style - Roggenbier (German Rye Beer)

Ingredients:

• 11.0 lbs. Rye
• 5.0 lbs. White Wheat
  
• 2.5 lbs. Munich Light
  
• 1.5 lbs. Munich Dark
  
• 1.0 lbs. Gambrinus Munich Dark
  
• 1.0 lbs. Smoked
  
• 1.0 lbs. Chocolate
  

• 1.0 oz. Perle (60)
• 1.0 oz. Hallertauer (30)
  

• Carboy #1: Dumped onto Wyeast #3056 yeast cake from LangueDunkel
  
• Carboy #2: Dumped onto Wyeast #3068 yeast cake from LangueDunkel

• Split a pack of Wyeast #3056 between each carboy for some fresh yeast
  

OG – 1.052
Primary – 15 days
Secondary - 20 days

Kegged - November 19, 2011


FG - 1.013
Attenuation - 75%
ABV - 5.1%


Notes:

• First time trying to reuse yeast and I just transferred the new beer onto the yeast cake left behind after I transferred the LangueDunkel carboys into kegs (didn't clean the carboys at all)
  
• Split a fresh pack of #3056 between the carboys to at least give some fresh yeast
  

Batch No. 37 - LangueDunkel

LangueDunkel



Brewed - October 1, 2011

Style - Dunkelweizen

Ingredients:

• 12.0 lbs. White Wheat
  
• 3.5 lbs. Munich Dark
  
• 3.5 lbs. Vienna
  
• 1.0 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine
• 0.5 lbs. Carafa
  
• 0.5 lbs. Chocolate
  

• 0.75 oz. Hallertauer (60)
• 0.50 oz. Hallertauer (20)
  

• Carboy #1: Wyeast #3056 - Bavarian Wheat Blend (750 ml starter)
  
• Carboy #2: Wyeast #3068 - Weihenstephan Weizen (750 ml starter)
  

OG – 1.052
Primary – 14 days
Secondary - 19 days

Kegged - #3068 keg carbed on November 3, 2011
Kegged - #3056 keg carbed on ????


FG - 1.010
Attenuation - 81%
ABV - 5.5%


Notes:

• Trying two different yeasts (both used for the first time)
  
• Missed gravity (again)...1.059 est. vs. 1.052 actual

• Single-step Decoction Mash:
  
• Start mash at 128° for protein rest
  
• After 10 mins, remove 2.25 gals of wort and approximately 6.5 lbs. of grain
• Bring decoction to a boil and keep on heat for 30 mins
• Mix back into the mash tun to elevate temperature of remaining mash
  
• Temp rise to 154° for normal 60 minute saccrification rest
  
• Heat up via burner as normal and sparge at ~ 175°

Batch No. 36 - Pumpkin of Destiny

Pumpkin of Destiny - Spiced Saison

A pumpkin saison?!?! Hell yea...spiced this with cinnamon and nutmeg...summer is in its last throes here, but that cloudy, melancholy weather is creepy in and this should be the perfect beer to drink in about a month or so.

Throw that pumpkin at the tree
Unless you think that pumpkin holds your destiny
Cast it off into the sea, bake that pie and eat it with me

Brewed - September 17, 2011

Style - Saison

Ingredients:

• 13.0 lbs. Weyermann Pilsner
• 3.0 lbs. White Wheat
  
• 1.0 lbs. Vienna
  
• 1.0 lbs. Flaked Wheat
  
• 1.0 lbs. Brown Sugar
  

• 2.50 oz. Hallertauer (60)
• 2-29 oz. cans of Libby's Famous Pumpkin (60)
  
• 1.0 oz. Czech Saaz (30)
• 1.0 oz. Czech Saaz (15)
• 0.6 oz. Cinnamon (10)
• 0.6 oz. Nutmeg (10)
  

• Wyeast #3711 French Saison (2 packs)

OG – 1.054
Primary – 14 days
Secondary - 14 days

Kegged - October 19, 2011


FG - 1.001
Attenuation - 98%
ABV - 6.9%


Notes:

• No starter b/c I ran out of DME...doh!!
  
• Mash 154° for 60 minutes
• Sparge at ~ 175°

The Fifth Element

I was in Salt Lake City last week for a quick business trip and took the opportunity to hit up Squatters Brew Pub and enjoy a nice dinner with one of my all-time favorite beers....the Fifth Element...a barrel-aged saison...pure yum

"Fifth Element is a delightfully complex and rustic "Old World" style Belgian farmhouse ale. Aged in American oak barrels for a year and bottle conditioned, this artisan Belgian ale is sure to refresh. "

Weddings and Homebrews

It's wedding season down at the brewspace. A few weeks back Adam and Katrina held their wedding party and this weekend Colin and Becky are trying the knot. Huge congrats to the two happy couples!!

Unfortunately I won't be able to attend Colin's, but I know it will be similar to Adam's and there will be a smorgasbord of tasty homebrews provided by the groom, guests and friends.

Here are a few pics from Adam's party.....there were ~ 12 homebrews on draft...plus a pie eating contest!!

I've Got Gas

After borrowing tanks for a few months to carbonate all my beers, I finally picked up my own CO2 tank, regulator and hoses. Not only do I have several kegs (up to 10 now), but carbonating with CO2 takes ~ 3 days versus ~ 3 weeks for natural carbonating with yeast/sugar. Kegs are also easier for storage and a secondary rest phase before drinking.

Kegging continues to be a learning process though with getting the desired amount of carbonation, limiting excessive foaming inside the keg (annoying when trying to bottle), cleaning, sealing and adventures with used keg posts not closing quite right (one beer lost its carbonation and head pressure, while another slowly leaked out more than a gallon of beer).

Batch No. 35 - The White Rabbit

The White Rabbit

Brewed - July 9, 2011

Style - Belgian Witbier

Ingredients:

• 10.0 lbs. Weyermann Pilsner
• 10.0 lbs. White Wheat
  
• 1.0 lbs. Flaked Wheat
  

• 2.00 oz. Hallertauer (60)
  
• 0.75 oz. Hallertauer (5)
• 1.5 oz. Coriander (5)
• 1.0 oz. Dried Orange Peel (5)
• 1.0 oz. Dried Bitter Grapefruit Peel (5)
• 0.5 oz. Grains of Paradise (5)
• 0.2 oz. Lavender (5)
  

• Wyeast #3944 Belgian Witbier (3 packs / 1500 ml starter)

OG – 1.048
Primary – 14 days
Secondary - 9 days

Kegged - August 1, 2011


FG - 1.008
Attenuation - 83%
ABV - 5.24%


Notes:

• Mash 154° for 60 minutes
• Sparge at ~ 175°

Batch No. 34 - Loving Cup Saison

Loving Cup Saison

"Oh, what a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzzzzz"

Brewed - July 9, 2011

Style - Saison

Ingredients:

• 20.0 lbs. Weyermann Pilsner
• 2.0 lbs. Table Sugar (added into the boil @ 25 mins.)
  
• 1.0 lbs. Belgian CaraVienne
  
• 0.5 lbs. Belgian Aromatic
  
• 0.5 lbs. Carapils
  

• 1.25 oz. Styrian Golding (60)
  
• 1.54 oz. Hallertauer (60)
• 2.0 oz. Czech Saaz (10)
• 2.0 oz. Czech Saaz (5)
• 1.0 oz. Coriander (5)
• 1.0 oz. Orange Peel (5)
  

• Wyeast #3726 Farmhouse Ale (slurry from Adam / 1500 ml starter)

OG – 1.072
Primary – 14 days
Secondary - 32 days

Kegged - August 24, 2011


FG - 1.010
Attenuation - 86%
ABV - 8.12%


Notes:

• Mash 152° for 60 minutes
• Sparge at ~ 175°
• 90 min boil
• lower mash temp and thinner mash volume to help attenuation

• 1/2 of this batch was dumped into the uncleaned keg of the Scrizzel Berliner Weiss, which has leftover brett dregs coating the keg
• part of the reason was that it was during of a long day and frankly I didn't want to clean the keg, but also of course I was curious how much flavor the brett dregs would impart on the beer esp. after it had already from the berliner weiss
• I carbonated that keg up for Adam's wedding
  
• the second 1/2 is still sitting in the keg at the brewspace and I haven't even carbonated it yet, but will do so soon; no brett in that one
  

Batch No. 33 - Black-Eyed Katy

Black-Eyed Katy

Brewed - June 26, 2011

Style - Imperial CDA (Cascadian Dark Ale) aka Black IPA

She came strutting onto the stage at the opening show of the 1997 fall tour and has not looked back – other than to watch her own rump shaking, that is. The new queen of the Phish funk scene, she who would spawn the dance craze of the next millennium (no, not the “Meatstick” dance), the lovely “Black-Eyed Katy” was born in the Thomas & Mack Center on 11/13/97.

Sadly the life of this funky momma appears to have been cut short. During her time with Phish she showed her never-ending stamina, her sizzling raunch, her breathtaking peaks, and put the fun back in funk. Typically she consisted of two runs through a tight yet gelatinous funk groove followed by a jam (usually similar to the original theme), which at its longest duration approached ten minutes. The jam was followed by a short reprise of the original theme as an outro. “Katy” made appearances in both first and second sets and an encore during the 1997 fall tour and looked like a mainstay.

However, by the time the summer 1998 tour began in Europe she had undergone a makeover. With the addition of lyrics during the recording of Story of the Ghost, “Black-Eyed Katy” was transformed into "The Moma Dance.” In the dance her spirit lives on. To know “Katy” is to love her, to know all her moods listen to the following versions: 11/13/97 Las Vegas (her birth), 11/22/97 Hampton (in a delightful “Tweezer,” “Piper” sandwich), 11/28/97 Worcester (dark and sloppy), 12/5/97 Cleveland (tight and playful), and 12/30/97 MSG (short and strange with a lumpy head).

Ingredients:

• 28.0 lbs. Gambrinus 2-Row
  
• 2.0 lbs. Crystal 60L
  
• 2.0 lbs. Carafa Special
  
• 0.25 lbs. Chocolate
  

• 5.0 oz. Cascade (90)
• 1.50 oz. Simcoe (5)
• 1.50 oz. Amarillo (5)
• 1.25 oz. Simcoe (1)
• 1.25 oz. Amarillo (1)
• Keg #1: 1.00 oz. Simcoe (dry hop)
• Keg #1: 1.00 oz. Amarillo (dry hop)
• Keg #2: 2.00 oz. Citra (dry hop)
  

• Yeast: Wyeast #1056 American Ale (3 packs / 1800 ml starter)

OG – 1.088
Primary – 13 days
Secondary - 20 days

Dry Hopped - July 13, 2011

Kegged - July 29, 2011

FG - 1.016
Attenuation - 81.8%
ABV - 9.4%



Notes:

• Mash 155° for 60 minutes
• Sparge at ~ 175°
• 90 minute boil
  
• Went with a super slow sparge (75 mins!!) this time to help my efficiency and I nailed my target OG of 1.088
  
• One keg will be dry hopped with a combo of Simcoe and Amarillo and the second keg will be dry hopped with Citra
  

Fraternal Order of the Wayward Brewers

The Fraternal Order of the Wayward Brewers has been taking shape over the last several months and is filling up with tons of gear, fridges, barrels, chest freezers, kegerators, broken carboys and tons of corny kegs. Next projects on the horizon are new shelving and organization of the fermentation room and a big group brew for the first barrel filling.

Full Photo Set

Jerome's sweet poster

Exterior shots & neighbors

Interior Door

20 gallons of Saison fermenting away!!

Oaked SODO'D Malt Liquor

May 18, 2011

After years of drunken discussions, the first ever series of "Bum Wine" malt liquor treatments is finally a reality.

5 gals of SODO'D Malt Liquor went untreated and is carbonating now. The remaining 5 gals was split for the two treatments.

Treatment #1: Cisco Blue Raspberry

Treatment #2: Wild Irish Rose

I took an oak spiral and soaked 1/2 of it in ~ 14 oz. of each wine for 5 days. I'll let them age for a week or two before carbonating.

Tasting notes in a few weeks. And be on the look out for a super limited bottle release of corked and caged 750's wrapped in paper bags.