Messages

1486

Beer Recipes / Re: Red IPA - what do you think?

« on: March 30, 2011, 06:39:53 AM »

So if I wanted to add a reddish tinge to a bitter, you're suggesting steeping instead of mashing the black malt?  I was going to add 2 oz of black patent to my mash but after reading this I'm reconsidering and maybe I'll do like the OP and steep it in the sparge water before I sparge.  Could I add the BPM to the mash tun after I collect the first runnings?  Would the sparging draw out enough colour (read:  I have no grain bag)?

1487

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

« on: March 30, 2011, 05:37:05 AM »

You have no sympathy from me. Gas here is €1,40 per liter - about $7.50 per gallon.

I thought we had it bad here at $1.25 per liter.  Still around $5 a gallon but $7.50...wow! 

1488

All Grain Brewing / Re: % Extraction and help getting OG right

« on: March 29, 2011, 07:01:47 PM »

If you're wondering how it turned out, here's what I have to report.
The beer itself is pretty cloudy.  Probably a lot of that is due to large amount of hops that I ended up with in the primary.  I didn't think too much about that when I was preparing my tools and so I wasn't really ready when it came time to put it into the primary.

The beer tastes pretty good.  Surprisingly bitter given the hops (1.5 oz of EKG at 60 mins for bittering).  Also, the beer seems quite thin.  If I had to guess why, I'd suggest that my mashing temp was probably lower than I thought and I have decided not to use the thermometer that I used with this batch again.  I'm guessing that if I can get up to 152/153 with the next brew it may be better (lower temp gives more attenuation doesn't it?).  Also, I am going to up the crystal slightly and drop the EKG volume at 60 mins. 

Despite these little glitches, it tastes pretty darn good to me even though it's not gonna win any contests.  It's been a dream of mine for almost 20 years to get to all grain brewing and no that I've tried it, I'm hooked. 
Thanks once again for all the advice and support along the way.  Especially to Euge, Denny and Tschmidlin.  Really appreciate the advice.

1489

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend? - 4/1 Edition

« on: March 29, 2011, 05:44:59 PM »

Tomorrow I'm making a second attempt at an all grain ESB.  9lbs MO, 1 lb crystal 40, EKG hops only for now (1 oz @ 60, 1/2 oz @ 15, 1/2 oz at flameout).  This is the one I'm working on doing over and over to try to perfect.  Lowering the grain bill and hops a bit and re-using the yeast so it should be different but hopefully good. 

I put the first edition in the keg on Monday and it has just enough bubbles today that I could probably force myself to drink another glass (gotta try it to see how it's coming, right?).  Still more bitter than I expected with 1.5 oz at 60.

Then, Friday (work depending) I've got plans for a Steam-style.  Starter (Wyeast 2112) was started this afternoon.  Planning on the exact same grain as above and switching up the hops for Northern Brewer. 

Then, I'm out of carboys and sadly, must stop.  It's pretty hard to get ahead but I'm trying to get at least 3 kegs on the go.  Pick up my new (used but free) freezer on Saturday so that's next.

1490

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Cervesa Recipes?

« on: March 29, 2011, 02:10:00 PM »

Man, the guys very first post and you're hacking on his choice of styles...   Shouldn't we be nurturing him and slowly guiding him to new styles that build on this and expand his beer horizons...

If you don't have temperature control for a lager, maybe you could do a "mock" cerveza.  There is a thread going already about mock pilsener that might work for you.

1491

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Is this enough yeast?

« on: March 29, 2011, 02:05:24 PM »

Shooting for around 1.050 to 1.060.  Doing my calculations for 1.055 but I'm still all over the board on extraction efficiency so anywhere in that range will be fine with me. 

For 1.100 do you just pitch into 5 gals of straight molasses?

1492

Yeast and Fermentation / Is this enough yeast?

« on: March 29, 2011, 12:19:03 PM »

This is my first attempt at washing and re-using yeast.  I screwed it up a bit the first time so I went back and re-washed what was left in the jug (it had been kept cold and covered and should be as clean as it was or as any starter I've made so far).  Now I have this at the bottom of a pint mason jar.  Is this enough yeast to pitch directly or should I make a starter?  I got this on Tuesday and was going to brew tomorrow.  It's been kept at about 34F since I washed it.  Please let me know if you think this would be enough.
Thanks

1493

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Raging b!tch

« on: March 29, 2011, 11:21:27 AM »

I tried this once alongside some DFH 90.  Neither were really to my tastes but if you want a higher alcohol, heavily hopped beer, I'd take the 90 over this one.  Not sure I can put my finger on the faults, and it was a while ago I had it, but I think it's an example of the name being more important to the marketing plan than the beer.  Not that it was bad, just wasn't great.

1494

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

« on: March 29, 2011, 11:19:27 AM »

I like American IPA's on occasion and this one is one of my favourites.  A friend brought me a 6 pack and it disappeared in one sitting with my neighbour.  Nice beer and one of the very few DFH beers that I can find here in Canada (although I can't find it very often).  I tried the 90 as well and it wasn't for me.  Too heavy and too hoppy but I'm a session beer drinker.  For my tastes, the DFH 60 is probably the best of the style.

1495

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I'm really doing it! (pics added)

« on: March 28, 2011, 10:40:56 AM »

I couldn't find bacon in any of these pictures.... Also, I don't have a kilt, can I still make beer or am I just wasting my time?

How big is that carboy?  If you've got 11.5 gals in there it looks somewhat deceiving.  I would have thought it would be bigger.

1496

The Pub / Re: English Ales - Am I alone

« on: March 27, 2011, 03:08:50 PM »

Life would be boring if there was only a couple different styles. I enjoy drinking many different styles of beer. I am always searching for a beer I haven't tried yet. It depends on my mood, the weather, the time of year, etc...,etc... as to the style of beer I'm drinking and/or brewing.

Too many beers and too little time. 

Well said!

Thanks everyone for letting me know I'm not alone.  For me, dark English bitters take me back to my college days when we would go out for some Wellington County or Arkell's Best Bitter and spend the night in the pub drinking pints, snacking on great pub food and ignoring all of our responsibilities.  I like a good lager as much as the next guy in the summer but I have to admit, I've got a predilection for amber lagers over lighter ones.  I love English style IPAs, Stouts, Porters etc too but my goal for this year is to master an all-grain session ale to have on tap all the time.  The Uber-hopped AIPA style hasn't really caught on North of your border yet for some reason but I am sure by the fall I'll be dry-hopping right along with the rest of you.
Thanks again.

1497

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Ale fermented at 62 degrees

« on: March 27, 2011, 02:26:37 PM »

Well, the beer went into a keg to secondary today.  FG 1.012 and I have to admit, it was probably still working a little bit.  It's in the cold room now which should slow it down.  It was fairly hazy and had a lot of hops material in it because I didn't remove them well enough when I put it into the primary.  Too many things to worry about being my first AG.  Last batch was far better.  I expect the first few glasses may be discarded because of this.

I'm going to try to wash the yeast and re-use it either tomorrow or Tuesday depending on when my pound of EKG shows up.  I am going to do the exact same recipe again but lower the Maris Otter by 1 lb.  My 2nd batch (different recipe) was much more efficient and I over shot my OG so this time I'm going to use 75% efficiency in my calculations (65 first time, 83 last time so it's sort of average).

Thanks again for everyone's help.  I really appreciate it.
Graham

1498

Beer Recipes / Maris Otter in a Steam Beer?

« on: March 25, 2011, 07:37:39 PM »

Just wonder what Maris Otter would be like in a steam beer?  I've got Wyeast California lager yeast on order, Maris Otter, Crystal 40 and 1lb of Northern Brewer that should be here Monday.  I'm going to do a pale ale but I was thinking about trying a steam soon.  Should I try it with Maris Otter or wait until I can get some 2 row?

1499

All Things Food / Re: I'd like to discuss bacon, again.

« on: March 25, 2011, 05:23:41 PM »

bacon bomb

?

1500

The Pub / English Ales - Am I alone

« on: March 25, 2011, 03:05:21 PM »

The more I read the posts on this forum, the more I wonder if I'm in the minority.  So, I have to ask.  Does anyone else out there like just normal, plain old traditional English-type Ales?  I see lots of discussions on high alcohol barley wines but I just don't have a taste for them.  I see lots of talk about American style IPAs with all of their fruity, citrusy C hops which I am fine with and do enjoy on occasion but I certainly can't spend a whole night drinking these.  There's just too much there.  Maybe the hard core lupulin addicts out there can do it but not me.

So, is there anyone out there that just likes a plain old 4 or 4.5% English Bitter or Pale Ale?  

I put this in the Pub because it's meant just as a discussion, not as a criticism of any style or anyones taste.  Something you'd chat about over a beer in a pub somewhere in the world.  Am I alone?  Are there others out there that don't want 11% beer or hops, hops and more hops or am I just becoming a boring old man?