Messages

76

Beer Recipes / Vienna/Wheat/Pale

« on: March 27, 2013, 03:11:17 PM »

Going for something between an american wheat and an APA. Thinking about using vienna to change it up a bit...

Rough recipe:
50% Vienna
50% Wheat
14 g Columbus 20 min
21 g Columbus 10 min
21 g Columbus 5 min
28 g orange zest 5 min
28 g Columbus 0 min or dry hop?

OG 1.053
IBU ~35
US05 yeast

Any thoughts?

77

Beer Recipes / Re: Check my recipe?

« on: March 27, 2013, 09:43:38 AM »

Personally, I would get rid of the crystal 120 and possibly decrease the 80 (by percentage), leaving the honey malt in. I cannot speak to the style so much but I like your where you are going with it.

My last batch was a blonde ale with 6.25% honey malt. The sweetness is just about perfect but keep in mind there was no additional crystal malt in my recipe.

78

Beer Travel / Re: Small Town Brewpubs

« on: March 20, 2013, 09:16:43 PM »

There were a few good brewpubs that we visited in Astoria, OR last year before NHC.  The town isn't 200 people, but it was small and seems like it would have seasonal tourism.

Fort George is a great brewery in Astoria.

I would maybe look into breweries in ouray, silverton, and telluride, Colorado. They are all pretty small towns with a lot of tourism. Colorado boy is in ridgeway which has a population of 900. I haven't been there yet though

79

Ingredients / Re: Chocolate in a porter?

« on: March 20, 2013, 01:57:27 PM »

I had a bad experience a long time ago when adding cocoa powder at the end of the boil however I must have used the wrong type or something. I boiled a mixture of water, baking dark cocoa powder, corn sugar, and honey then added to the end of the boil. By the time the beer was ready it was extremely bitter and undrinkable. I don't think it was an infection. I have been wanting to try this again

I think I used Hershey's dark cocoa baking powder...

80

Beer Recipes / Re: Rough Draft

« on: March 20, 2013, 01:45:33 PM »

I guess it all depends on what you are going for. I like my IPAs more balanced so I may not be the best person to ask. I think your grain bill looks great.

With a pale ale I might forgo a standard bittering addition but I would leave it in for an IPA. I have received advice in the past to bitter with enough hops to achieve 50% of your desired IBUs then use the rest within 10 minutes remaining in the boil + dry hop. This method works very well for me.

I think if you state what your goal is someone will be able provide better feedback.

81

Beer Recipes / Re: Rough Draft

« on: March 20, 2013, 12:14:07 PM »

I personally like my IBU:OG to be near 1.0 for IPAs but that is personal preference obviously. Columbus can be pretty pungent so this would likely be to overpowering for my tastes

82

Ingredients / Re: Hop to complement Citra?

« on: March 14, 2013, 11:36:35 AM »

I agree with most of the sentiments here. I do an IPA that bitters with columbus then switches off between Simcoe and Citra for flavor/aroma additoins...very nice.

I would assume Amarillo and Centennial would be great as well as mentioned above.

83

Ingredients / Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??

« on: March 07, 2013, 05:17:03 PM »

I still haven't figured out the right amount of ginger after using freshly grated root twice. I used a full oz with 5 min remaining and 1/2 oz with 5 min remaining. Next time, I plan to use about 4-7 g. From what I understand, the ground stuff should be a lot more potent. Is the dried stuff you got ground as well? I have seen saison recipes with 4 g of fresh ginger root with good reviews so that might be a good starting point. Using 1/2 oz of ground (if that is what it is) may be like using 2 oz or more of fresh.

84

All Grain Brewing / Re: low OG / light bodied beer and hops?

« on: March 06, 2013, 11:17:56 AM »

Great...that is good to know. I plan to probably use some cascade, centennial, and amarillo as well. I am more curious than anything as I try to decide what to brew next. I would probably forgo a 60 min addition for FWH in this circumstance.

85

All Grain Brewing / Re: low OG / light bodied beer and hops?

« on: March 06, 2013, 11:06:06 AM »

Thanks. I forgot that I have done an all citra wheat that I did a very small bittering addition then used the rest for flavor/aroma. That one was about 25 IBUs...

I guess my worry is using more aggressive hops like Columbus with such a light beer. I guess I just need to be careful. I think I will do a normal bittering addition but keep it at or below 50% of the total IBUs.

86

All Grain Brewing / low OG / light bodied beer and hops?

« on: March 06, 2013, 10:32:56 AM »

I am considering doing what I would call an American Wheat Pale Ale. My question is if the OG is below 1.050 with light body and color, how careful should I be with the hops? I don't want a hop bomb but a nice hop presence that doesn't overpower the beer.

I was thinking about hopping up to about 30 IBUs since I would assume the hop character won't have much to hide behind. Also thinking about dry hopping with Columbus but don't want to overdo it. Maybe just us 1/2 oz?

87

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Great Lakes Alchemy Hour DIPA

« on: March 05, 2013, 02:07:42 PM »

I don't remember this seasonal last year, so I'm guessin that it is new this year? Anyways, it is a great change of pace DIPA. It pours a nice amber color and has the nice amber malt taste and smoothness. The blend of nugget and mosaic hops gives it the nice change of pace. I feel that the aroma is very orangy, but the bitterness and taste if very earthy. It's not piny or fruity....kinda a smooth earthyness. The 9.4% ABV is very well disguised. I won't say that it is my favorite DIPA, but it is certainly a great change of pace. This DIPA might appeal to people who aren't fans of the traditional smack you in the face DIPA's that are out there.

Sounds like my kinda beer but I doubt  that I can get it...bummer

88

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Whole leaf hops

« on: March 05, 2013, 01:43:28 PM »

If you are worried about it and/or want an easier clean-up, clip a paint strainer bag to rim of the kettle.

Do you clip the bag closed and hang it from the side during the boil?

I personally don't use a paint strainer bag until later. I put the sanitized strainer over my fermentation bucket and dump the cooled wort from the kettle in and pull up the strainer. It can take a few minutes but seems to work well for me.

89

Beer Recipes / Re: double IPA recipe help

« on: March 05, 2013, 12:32:24 PM »

It appears that I probably don't have the right hop types and amounts to do a good IIPA unless I did a smaller batch which is another option. I will probably scale it back to an IPA and use a hop schedule like something here:

Bravo - 60 min
Columbus - 20 min
equal amts of Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade - 10, 5, 0 min
Columbus - Dry hop

Maybe simplify the malt bill
75% two row
20% munich
5% honey/crystal

Yep, that sounds like a really good IPA. You were curious about using Bravo for flavor/aroma - why not swap that for the Columbus in your hop bill? Even if it's not an incredible IPA hop, you have the Amarillo/Cent/Cascade to help carry things. But almost any hop will work in an IPA as long as you use enough of it and have the right supporting cast.

Thanks. I think I was a little out of my league trying to take on a IIPA with my current situation. Sorry to get defensive earlier. I have been brewing close to 5 years now and still get frustrated sometimes with builiding recipes.

Good point about the Bravo and I am not really sure what to do. It is a whopping 16.8% AA. I think I need to give it another smell and compare it to my Columbus then go from there. I think I have about 4 oz of each...

90

Beer Recipes / Re: basic blonde ale

« on: March 05, 2013, 09:53:18 AM »

Bottled this last week. Final recipe was

87.5% two row
6.25% honey malt
6.25% wheat

14 g Centennial - 60 min
14 g Centennial - 10 min

US-05 yeast

OG - 1.051
FG - 1.009
IBUs ~22

I also added 9 g lime zest, 19 g grated lemongrass with 5 min remaining in boil as I was partially influenced by Burnside's Lime Kolsch. I am afraid it will end up tasting like a glorified mexican beer with a lime...