A check on the new stout

After 15 days in primary, I was finally able to move the stout into secondary. The aroma coming from the ferminator was very nice. So far, it seems my choice in beans was correct. A quick check of the specific gravity revealed 1.020 giving just shy of 9% ABV. I am getting good fermination with just rigorous stirring. I cannot wait to see how low they go when the pump and air stone are finally purchased.

As for my first partial mash, things went well. I was not really able to calculate efficiencies, but perhaps next time. More reading is required to understand what I am measuring and how to be sure the measure is correct. Knowing efficiencies is very important when scaling recipes or when using recipes from others.

So, what's next to be brewed? It will have to be the barley wine, this time as a partial mash as well. My brother has offered to help the next time beer is made, so the schedule coordination has become. If some kind soul out there can assist in getting my brew kettle fully converted, it would be a great help in going completely all grain. The first recipe that will be converted is Cluster Fuggles ale.

My first mashing, as it were

Today was my first foray into a partial mash, as a step to a full mash. I do not as of yet have the ability to boil a full five gallons (six actually when boiling for an hour), so a partial mash is the step I must take. A bit above the steeping of grains, a partial mash will not only induce color, but add to the fermentable sugars. So, what did I mash?

Let's step back a moment. The latest issue of Zymurgy contains several articles on the list of various types of adjuncts. Few provide fermentable sugars, but they do add to the character of the beer. Using this as a guide, and inspired a bit by things my fan club enjoys, I started to generate a recipe in my head. I started with my "Crystal My Oats" recipe, though in the end, few elements of the original recipe remained.

The first to change were the hops in play. Four ounces of Chinook were chosen over a single ounce, plus an ounce of Fuggles. The chocolate malt was also reduced and the roasted barley dropped. Into the partial mash then went 6 pounds of pale malt, 2 pounds of 120L Crystal malt, 1 pound of flaked Oats, half-pound of chocolate (350L) and one-quarter pound black patent (500L).

2.5 gallons of 170F degree water went into the mash tun, the lid placed and let sit for 10 minutes. The idea to heat the entire tun with the water came from videos I had seen of others and their mashing techniques. It did seem to help the adsorption of heat and keep the temperature constant. The cracked grains were then in placed, stirred and left to mash for 45 minutes. In the meantime, 2.5 gallons of water were heated to 170F to sparge when the mash was finished. The collection of wort ended up being 3 gallons and the specific gravity was 1.050 and adjusted to 1.058 based on temperature.

After that, it was pretty much business as usual for extract brewing. Seven pounds of pale extract were added, boiled for 60 minutes with 2.5 ounces of Chinook hops. Half ounce was added with 10 minutes to go. Half ounce more at 5 minutes and the remaining half ounce at heat off and boil stop. Other ingredients were added then as well, but they will be the subject of a future post.

Immersion chilled to proper pitching temperature, nice yeast starter pitched containing White Labs WLP004, and off it goes. With a starting gravity of 1.088, by morning it should be going quite well.

So, what did I learn after doing a partial mash? Well, here's a nice list:

• Mashing is more work, but brings more giddiness when doing the run off.
• Never second guess the water to grain ratio. Let it run and adjust in another batch, if necessary.
• It is a VERY good idea to flush several gallons of cold water through the grain bed before tossing in the trash. Unless one enjoys being scalded.
• The 10 gallon Home Depot labeled Rubbermaid cooler holds heat very well.
• Simple is better.

Thanks for all those who followed my progress today on Twitter. May the results be well worth the efforts.

A Great Night by the Lake

The Great Lakes tasting was at the Oscar Event center at Jungle Jim's on the evening of the 19th of February. It was one that I nearly didn't attend. I did not feel well that day and worked from home. In the early evening, the opportunity to attend presented itself. I arrived a few minutes late and only missed the pour of the first beer.

Eliot Ness Amber Lager

This one is clean, start to finish. Caramel sweetness mid-mouth and hints of hops through out. 7

Conway's Irish Ale

Deep golden color. Malt and fruitiness on the nose. Some hops and malt on finish. 7

Dortmunder Gold Lager

This is an award winning Dortmunder for which Great Lakes is known. It is a medium gold color. There is malt on the nose. It is smooth through out. It has a good balance of hops and malt. There is a hint of honey on the finish. 8

Burning River Pale Ale

Malt and hops on nose. It starts with bitterness with fruitiness and piney notes mid-mouth. The finish has hopey flavors and bitterness. 7

Commodore Perry IPA

Citrus and pine on the nose with a pale golden color. Bitterness and hops mid-mouth. The finish has hints and sweetness and hop bitterness. 9

Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

A nice dark porter with hints of coffee on the nose. Starts coffee and chocolate and it continues to mid-mouth. The finish is mostly coffee, but the feel of the bitterness is a bit thin. 7

Alberta Clipper Porter

Brought directly from pub in Cleveland, this on draft only porter is made from Belgian chocolate and Raspberries. The berries are quite noticeable on the nose and mid-mouth they blend with the chocolate very well. The beer is smooth throughout and both the chocolate and raspberries are present on the finish. 8

Blackout Stout

The nose is hit with coffee and roasted malt. There are also hints of hops on the nose once the beer reaches proper serving temperature. Mid-mouth, the coffee presence becomes mixed with hints of alcohol and hops. The finish is good blend of malt and hop bitterness. 9

Raging the Bee Yotch

I finally bought a bottle of Flying Dog's Raging Bitch. As are most of their bottles, this one is Gonzo and unique. It's all their style and nothing less. Can't wait to see what is contained inside.

From the pop of the top, you know this is something different. The citrus smell of hops is very noticeable, even before the pour. It pours golden and clear, with a nice white head. The citrus smell grows stronger as the pour continues, mixed with subtle yeast of Belgian yeast. The first sip gives delights of hops and some malt mellowness as only an IPA can. The finish is clean and again subtle hints of a Belgian yeast.

A swirl after warming a bit gives release of hops and malt. The mild tones of this Belgian style IPA make it very drinkable. This is not just an IPA with Belgian yeast thrown in. This is an IPA designed around the ideas of hops and a complimenting yeast. The planning and care can be tasted in each sampling. The hops and malt dance around the tongue in a well written waltz. The clean finish leaves one linger for the next sip. Well done, Flying Dog, well done.

A Time of Craziness

Finally finishing this post...

The 2010 Cincy Winter Beer Fest is nearly 2 days behind us and my ears are still ringing. What a fun time it was! Crazy too! I'm not sure of the total official numbers, but 1,800 people bought VIP tickets and at least 800 additional people bought main session tickets. The event was sold out before hand and they ran out of volunteer t-shirts and commerative tasting glasses (including leftovers from the summer event).

The VIP session started at 5, while Rock Bottom started serving beer to waiting participants at 4. The Hyatt Regency in Cincinnati didn't know what hit them. Machinery failed. Toilets had issues. And people were everywhere.

I took pictures of the 2009 Cincy Summer Beer Fest and Craig asked me to do likewise for this event. Since I had quite a bit of fun doing so before, I was quite willing to do it again.

It was a long, hot day, but well worth it. The pictures can be found on Shutterfly.

Eight Days a Week

In just a few, short days, eight actually, the 2010 Cincy Winter Beer Fest will be here. This is the third such fest and the first time it is actually in Cincinnati. Do you have your tickets yet??

As was true for the Summer fest, I will be taking pictures during the event. Being indoors, the lighting should be a bit more consistent. Over the days afterward, I will be putting them on the ShutterFly site so that people may order prints. Last year, I found it easier to publish pictures to ShutterFly than to other sites. Sure, I am giving up control over labs and don't need to fill out all the forms places like Mpix require, but if someone really wants a fancy print of a picture, I can make such arrangements. Most people just wanted to print a few of their favorites and move on. So, have fun and visit both fest photo sites.

Some may be wondering where I have gone. I'd love to say I won millions and moved to a deserted beach, but alas, such is not correct. Yes, I've been busy and I am WAY behind on tasting notes and "what I'm brewing" updates, but the simple matter is I've been a bit lazy. Though I make no promises....

The Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head tasting at Jungle Jim's on the 15th was very nice. The two year old Bigfoot and the new Life and Limb were both very excellent. I finally tasted Midas Touch and bought some afterward. I'll save more for the tasting review. It was also the first time I tweeted, with pictures, each beer, though I did not state if I liked them. I'm not sure I will do that again, but we shall see.

Currently in the secondary is a pale, hoppy ale over medium French roast chips. An ounce on Sterling hop pellets was also in secondary. As for the chips, they were placed in Mason jars and sealed last summer. Bourbon was also in the the jars. The chips turned the Bourbon quite dark and now they are imparting flavors to the ale. It has been nearly two weeks, but I will let them rest at least two more.

What will be brewed next?? No idea. A revisit and update to my Barley wine recipe? May be. Make something quite "over the top". It is a possibility. All I know for sure is that it will not be something Belgian. I'm a bit over that, for now.

Bashah me mate

bashah is another in what seems to be becoming a line of great collaborative beers betwixt Stone and Brew Dog. Similar to the Black Pilsner, this one is a black Belgian Double IPA. This is quite a cross of styles and is befitting the efforts of two very good breweries.

On the pour, bashah is dark, dark brown with a medium brown head. A deep breath brings an assault to the nose; a mixture of hops and what seems to be whiskey. There is also the scent of Carafa malt, as is fitting a beer with Belgian influence.

The tip of the tongue is meet with the bitterness the nose portrays. As the beer washes to mid-tongue, the bitterness is a blend of hops and roasted malt. The feel is more like an extra stout, but with hops. The hop bitterness gives play to its double IPA roots, while the roasted flavor comes from the generous chocolate malt on the grain bill. There are no discernible yeast esters, so I am not sure where the Belgian portion is, apart from the Carafa malt.

The finish is like a stout, with hints of whiskey. Not sure if this beer was aged in whiskey barrels, but it sure seems to be. The 8.6% ABV gives a nice warm feeling, but not too much. This is no session beer, but would be nice with a cleansing cheese.