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Author Topic: Brewing for the New Year  (Read 3123 times)

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #15 on: January 08, 2015, 05:15:03 pm »
Maybe for my 10-year marriage celebration! I'm done getting married!


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Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
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Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline erockrph

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #16 on: January 08, 2015, 06:36:08 pm »
This year I'm going to try to brew less, but give those brews the attention they deserve. My wife had some serious health issues last year, so free time was tough to come by. When I got a free day I would brew, but then a lot of batches got stuck hanging around waiting to be bottled/kegged/consumed.

Right now, I have 3 single-hop test batches going. The next 6 months will probably include a couple of lagers (my standard "Erocktoberfest" and a hoppy pale lager), my table saison, and some Berliner Weisse experiments.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #17 on: January 08, 2015, 06:53:29 pm »

This year I'm going to try to brew less, but give those brews the attention they deserve. My wife had some serious health issues last year, so free time was tough to come by. When I got a free day I would brew, but then a lot of batches got stuck hanging around waiting to be bottled/kegged/consumed.

Right now, I have 3 single-hop test batches going. The next 6 months will probably include a couple of lagers (my standard "Erocktoberfest" and a hoppy pale lager), my table saison, and some Berliner Weisse experiments.

Well here's to a better year for your wife, and a great year perfecting your beer.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline beersk

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2015, 07:05:30 am »
I don't have any plans for brewing this year, really... Maybe brew more lagers, more beers that I enjoy drinking instead of beers I only want to drink now and then. Kinda makes having 5 gallons of baltic porter not too appealing... But 5 gallons of helles, totally. Just need better planning I guess. I kind of want to stop reusing yeast as much and start brewing by style more sporadically instead of having to really plan what beers I'm brewing around a yeast. Don't like being constrained...

Your wedding plans and beers sound sweet, Steve. If I ever get married, I'd like to do something similar. Get a jockey box setup and serve beers to people at the reception...
Jesse

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #19 on: January 09, 2015, 07:19:06 am »
I've been veering toward beers that I can't easily buy. Im working a series of Helles and Dunkels through the cold weather. Once it gets nice and warm I'm going to fill all four of my Speidels with farmhouse beers and take a break through summer. Spend more weekends on the Ultra this year, and we've got a couple bluegrass jam festivals to go to. Fall will probably bring me back to UK beers and I'm overdue for a good milk stout.

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #20 on: January 09, 2015, 09:34:53 am »
I didn't get through all of the beers I planned to brew for 2014 so I have carried those forward into 2015. I have a large pile of homebrew I need to drink through so aside from those beers for 2014 I have a small number of sour beers to start on (which I won't bottle until 2016 or later) and possibly a few other beers if I drink down my current supply before the end of the year.
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #21 on: January 09, 2015, 10:09:36 am »
My biggest problem right now having no beer in kegs to replace those in the kegorator.  My 4 tap fridge is down to 3 beers and the only one in the wings is a second keg of one already on tap.   ::)

I have a Pale Ale and a Fat Tyre clone in primaries right now and have plans and the ingredients for 3 more recipes (I don't have the list handy) but am not sure when I can get them brewed.  I need to find a schedule that fits around work, SWMBO, 4 kids and weather.  For the last year or so that hasn't worked very well.

Oh well, hope springs eternal.  Cheers to a happy new year!!!

Paul
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #22 on: January 09, 2015, 10:27:53 am »
I just tentatively scheduled my next brew for the new year in Late february when I get back east. until then I'm on hiatus as I sell off most of my equipment and consolidate for the move.

On the bright side I 'have' to downsize my ageing closet so last night I enjoyed a bottle of 2011 abyss.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #23 on: January 09, 2015, 10:34:57 am »
Office is closed on the 19th.  I plan to brew 10 gallons at least that weekend.  What?  Haven't decided yet.

Probably the annual old ale.  Maybe a tripel.  Maybe a stout.

I've got to try out the new grain mill.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Online pete b

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #24 on: January 09, 2015, 10:38:55 am »
I recently bottled my late winter stash: Wee Heavy, Dark Belgian with carmelized figs and bourbon soaked oak chips, and about to bottle an English Barleywine. I have a saisson going now that I will rack onto wild grapes and Nelson Sauvin hops next week (thanks to suggestions by Eric & Jon). I see a lot of UK beers in my future. I'm loving the balance and drinkability and my goal is to really nail 2 or 3 favorites. I also plan on trying my first lagers. As, always looking forward to finding creative ways to use seasonal ingredients.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #25 on: January 09, 2015, 11:25:43 am »
I finished up 2014 with some disappointing brews after a really good run in late summer/early fall. I had some efficiency issues and just kind of missed the mark in general.

My beer palate has finally been expanding outside of the American realm. I foresee brewing some German ales this year and cutting back on American hoppy stuff. I am really enjoying kolsch, alts, german lagers, etc so I will probably go in that direction without brewing strictly to style. Last year's moktoberfest turned out great with US05 at 60F.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2015, 11:28:22 am by goschman »
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline erockrph

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #26 on: January 09, 2015, 12:01:07 pm »
I finished up 2014 with some disappointing brews after a really good run in late summer/early fall. I had some efficiency issues and just kind of missed the mark in general.

My beer palate has finally been expanding outside of the American realm. I foresee brewing some German ales this year and cutting back on American hoppy stuff. I am really enjoying kolsch, alts, german lagers, etc so I will probably go in that direction without brewing strictly to style. Last year's moktoberfest turned out great with US05 at 60F.
I bet it's even better with 34/70 at the same temp.
Eric B.

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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #27 on: January 09, 2015, 12:43:03 pm »
I am on a Munich Helles by decoction (single decoction) kick.  There is a great small brewery nearby that makes a heavenly form of this brew.  I gotta get the water just right, but the decoction process seems to put it just over the top in terms of maltiness.  So I am chasing that profile.  I also want to incorporate the 24 day cycle in my lagers this year that has been talked about lately around here.  My first pils using that technique will be racked this weekend and kegged for consumption starting next weekend.  Hoping for the best, but ready for whatever comes.
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Offline Rhoobarb

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #28 on: January 09, 2015, 01:38:56 pm »
I'm planning to brew stuff I really like, but haven't brewed in a long time and styles I have never attempted. In the first camp: Cream Ale, Czech Pils, Irish Red, Oatmeal Stout (this Sunday), Baltic Porter, Maibock, Strong Scotch Ale and, believe it or not, a IIPA.  I have been refraining from brewing IPAs lately. As for never attempted: Berliner Weisse, Belgian Quad, Rauchbier and maybe a Roggenbier.

I missed the whole "24 day cycle " thread.  Gotta go search for that.
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Offline etbrew

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Re: Brewing for the New Year
« Reply #29 on: January 09, 2015, 05:33:08 pm »
My goal is to drink only my own beer this year...of course I say that with a Heady Topper in my hand.  I thought I had enough beer to keep me going and then the holiday's happened.  Kicked the keg of IPA filling growlers to bring to parties, keg of 60/- is just about kicked for the same reason, and gave away almost all my holiday ale.  That leaves me with just about nothing left :'(

I have a barley wine fermenting but that ain't gonna be ready too soon and a smoked porter that should be ready to keg this weekend but I will be out of town.

That said I do want to brew a sour of some sort this year and my first lager.