Brew Update Week of 03/01/2010

And another week is upon us. We did our QA sample of Continental Harvest Ale 2:2 and I think Pete and I are in agreement that it came out fantastic. However, despite that high note, we were unable to bottle our porter over the weekend. Looks like it will set in the fermenter for a couple more days. It also looks like I've finally decided (again) on the recipe for the double IPA - as previously posted.

Primary Fermenter #1: Chili Smoked Porter 5:1; Brewed: 02/21, OG: 1.054, Target FG: 1.014, Current SG: 1.016 (as of 02/27), Estimated ABV: 5.21%, IBU: 38.

Primary Fermenter #2: Empty.

Secondary Fermenter #1: N/A

Secondary Fermenter #2: N/A

Being Enjoyed: Continental Harvest Ale 2:2, bottled 02/16. FG: 1.012, ABV: 5.3%.

On-deck: Founding Fathers Double IPA 6:1; Estimated OG: 1.090, FG: 1.020, ABV: 8.90%, IBU: 126. Will submit ingredient order hopefully this week and schedule the brew.

In-the-hole: Spring/Summer still up for debate.

Drawing Board: Spring/Summer style. Drafted a witbier recipe, but further discussion is forthcoming. Maybe a pils to deliver late spring?

Adios.

- J

Double IPA Update

As I've already mentioned, we're a couple of indecisive school girls. I again was in doubt of the bitterness and strength of our double IPA; so again, I went back to the drawing board.

I think I finally hit the mark where I want to be. I decided a little high on the bitterness to account for any variable in the Alpha of the hops we receive. The run down:

- Estimated OG: 1.090
- Estimaged FG: 1.021
- Estimated ABV: 9%
- Estimated IBU: 126

I'm still on par with a flowery, fruity finish with the finishing hops and yeast choices.

We're going with a single infusion mash, striking at approximately 170 - 173 degrees F, 60 minute rest to range from 150 - 158 degrees F and a two minute rise. I'm still deciding (who'd-a-thunk) to maybe go a little lower and go for a drier feel and let the flowery, fruity finish off set any dryness and bitterness. And we'll end with a 30 minute sparge of two gallons at 180 - 185 degrees F.

Now onto doing a spring/summer recipe.

Drink on!

-J

Brew Update Week of 02/22/2010

So we ended up brewing the Chili Smoked Porter on Sunday and would have to qualify it as a success - aside from the fact that it came out smelling and looking awesome. We ended up getting a higher than expected efficiency on the partial mash; our target was 60% and we ended up getting 65%. I'll post a couple pics at a later date.

And as the indecisive school girls we are, we have changed our schedule again and have swapped the brewing order of the stout and double IPA. The double IPA will be next again and the stout will be pushed to the end of summer/early fall to be ready for late fall/early winter.

We're also looking at this Better Bottle: http://bit.ly/bqT42y and starting to plan out our upgrade to all-grain brewing. Not sure if we want to engineer the equipment ourselves or purchase it.

We're also moving our brewing operations to the weekend with our work schedules and so let us know if you're interested in dropping by and observing one day.

And for the meat and potatoes of the post:

Primary Fermenter #1: Chili Smoked Porter 5:1; Brewed: 02/21, OG: 1.054, Target FG: 1.014, Current SG: N/A, Estimated ABV: 5.21%, IBU: 38.

Primary Fermenter #2: Empty.

Secondary Fermenter #1: N/A

Secondary Fermenter #2: N/A

Bottle Conditioning: Continental Harvest Ale 2:1, bottled 02/16. FG: 1.012, ABV: 5.3%. Quality Assurance sampling tentatively 02/26.

Being Enjoyed: Sam Noble Pils - get over it, we're hooked - if you don't like it, suggest something else or send us your brew and maybe we'll get hooked on that.

On-deck: Founding Fathers Double IPA 6:1; Estimated OG: 1.066, FG: 1.016, ABV: 6.55%, IBU: 100.9.

In-the-hole: Probably should get on those Spring and Summer styles.

Drawing Board: Barleywine? Spring and Summer style brews. Ideas or requests always accepted.

Peace out.

- J

Brew Update Week of 02/15/2010

Yeah, it's been a slow week for us brewing wise. We weren't able to bottle the Continental Harvest Ale 2:2 this weekend as we had originally scheduled. However, we did finalize the recipes for the porter, stout, and double IPA. Porter ingredients should arrive later this week. And we're swapping the brewing order of the stout and double IPA.

Did have a good time Saturday night talking with some other homebrewers and sharing ideas and brews. Inspired to start formulating a barleywine recipe for the holidays.

We're also juggling some re-branding ideas, suggestions appreciated, and we'll keep this updated as we changes things.

Here's what's goin on this week:

Primary Fermenter #1: Continental Harvest Ale 2:2; Brewed: 02/06, OG: 1.052, Target FG: 1.012, Current SG: N/A, Estimated ABV: 5.30%, IBU: 27. Bottling tentatively, 02/16.

Primary Fermenter #2: Empty.

Secondary Fermenter #1: N/A

Secondary Fermenter #2: N/A

Being Enjoyed: River Crossing Pale Ale 4:1, Sam Adams Noble Pils (new Spring Seasonal, http://www.samueladams.com/Promotions/Beerloverschoice2009/home.html).

On-deck: Chili Smoked Porter 5:1; Tentative brew date, 02/18.

In-the-hole: Stout 6:1; Estimated OG: 1.054, FG: 1.014, ABV: 5.21%, IBU: 25.7.

In-the-hole: Founding Fathers Double IPA 7:1; Estimated OG: 1.066, FG: 1.016, ABV: 6.55%, IBU: 100.9.

Drawing Board: Barleywine? Spring and Summer style brews. Ideas or requests always accepted.

L'chaim!

- J

Brew Update Week of 02/08/2010

Figured this weekly update would gives us a reason to post often and stay excited about brewing with posting up here. Like to use this time every week to shout out what's cookin' and what's comin' down the pipe...

Primary Fermenter #1: Continental Harvest Ale 2:2; Brewed: 02/06, OG: 1.052, Target FG: 1.012, Current SG: N/A, Estimated ABV: 5.30%, IBU: 27.

Primary Fermenter #2: *GASP* EMPTY! (Sucks, but hopefully one day this will pay the bills, until then we're part of the rat race. Side note, donations graciously accepted.)

Secondary Fermenter #1: N/A

Secondary Fermenter #2: N/A

Being Enjoyed: River Crossing Pale Ale 4:1.

On-deck: Chili Smoked Porter 5:1; Check back for details.

In-the-hole: Founding Fathers Double IPA 6:1; Estimated OG: 1.066, FG: 1.016, ABV: 6.55%, IBU: 100.9.

Drawing Board: Stout. Ideas welcome. Probably will have plenty of time with the additional snow headed for the east coast.

Cheers!

- J

The First Brew

If you want to get started in home brewing, We recommend copying this procedure step-by-step. Before you know it, you'll have two cases worth of your very own beer without much hassle. This is a great first step.

We'll start off with the basics. First, make sure you have all the equipment and ingredients:

Equipment

• 3 gallon pot
• Large funnel
  
• Air Lock
• 1 1/2" Rubber Quik-Cap
• 5 gallon Water fountain jug
• Drill with 5/16" bit
• Ice
• American Style Beer Ingredient Kit
• 4 pounds of light liquid malt extract
• 1 pound of corn sugar
• 1 pound of rice syrup solids
• 12 ounces of specialty grains
• 1 ounces of hop pellets
• Yeast
• Shot or two of vodka
• Beers to drink while brewing

You can get the funnel from any automotive store / section. The five gallon water jug is just like the ones you'll find at the office water cooler. The only other piece to find is the Quik-Cap, but we nabbed ours right in the local home depot plumbing section near the PVC fittings. Order the capper online when you buy your ingredient kit, and be sure to drink 2 cases in anticipation to get your bottles.

Your ingredient kit will come with multiple packs of sugars, malt extract, grains, and hops, along with 50 bottle caps.

Steeping & Boil

This is the step in which you extract all the awesomeness out of the grain and malt, and it's real easy.

1. Place the grains in one of the cheese cloths and tie it off, place in the pot with 2 1/2 gallons of water from the jug and crank up the heat. Put the original cap back on the jug and place in the refrigerator.
   
2. It should come to boil within a half hour, at that point remove the grains and turn off the heat.
3. Place your malt extract and sugars (except the priming sugar) into the pot while gently stirring.
4. Crank up the heat again and bring the solution back to a boil.
5. Add the hops to another cheese cloth, tie off, and add it to the pot.
6. While boiling, drill a 5/16" hole into the center of the rubber Quik-Cap.
7. Place the air lock, cap, and funnel into a solution of 1 Tbsp. bleach to 1 gallon of water in a bowl somewhere. This will sterilize the components. Note: sterilization is key, you don't want anything funky coming in contact with the cooled wort.
8. After the hops has been in there for 1 hour, place the pot in an ice-water bath in your kitchen sink and gently stir for 20 minutes, replacing the bath as the ice melts with more ice-water.
9. Rinse both the airlock and cap and insert the airlock into the hole you made.
10. Remove the jug from the fridge and pour the cooled wort into it using the funnel.
11. Pour the yeast in the jug and place the rubber cap onto the jug.
12. Swish the jug around gently to dissolve the yeast for 5 minutes.
13. Fill airlock halfway with vodka and cap it.
    
14. Place the jug in your basement for 10 days.

Once you have this completed, you've successfully started your fermentation. Give this sucker 10 days to fully ferment and check out our next section "Bottling!", you'll use the rest of the equipment then.