breakdown homebrew

brew #016 & 017: the cloak and the dagger

Andy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:45:19 +0000

THE CLOAK – American Imperial Stout
Ingredients
Fermentables
12.00 lb Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) (3.5 SRM) 77.4 %
1.00 lb British Caramalt/Carastan (3.0 SRM) 6.5 %
1.00 lb Caramel Malt – 120L (Briess) (120.0 SRM) 6.5 %
1.00 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) 6.5 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) 3.2 %

Hops
1.80 oz Centennial [8.80%] (75 min) 48.8 IBU
1.10 oz Centennial [8.80%] (15 min) 14.1 IBU
1.00 oz Pearle [7.50%] (2 min) 1.9 IBU

Yeast
Safale US-05

The Brew
Soundtrack: USA v. Canada hockey game
Brew Beer: Bells Hopslam, Weekend Warrior Wheat

Stats
Batch Size: 5.0 gal
Mash: Strike 22 qt @ 158F for 60min
RA Target: 185
Water adjustment: 1 tsp Chalk, 1.5 tsp Baking Soda, 0.5 tsp Table Salt (into 8 gal strike water)
Sparge: Sparge 15.5 qt @ 168F for 15min
Efficiency: 82%
Mash pH: 5.8
Boil Duration: 75min
Original Gravity: 1.084
Final Gravity:
Est. ABV: 9.4
IBU: 65
Color: 42
Fermentation: 65F for 7 days
Carbonation:
Brewed: 2/28/10
Bottled:

THE DAGGER – Black IPA
Ingredients
Fermentables
(second runnings of above)
1.00 lb Turbinado (10.0 SRM)
0.30 lb Roasted Barley [steeped]
0.50 lb Chocolate Pre [steeped]

Hops
.50 oz Centennial [8.80%] (60 min) 23.9 IBU
0.50 oz Centennial [8.80%] (30 min) 18.3 IBU
0.70 oz Cascade [5.40%] (10 min) 7.4 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50%] (Dry Hop 3 days)

Yeast
Safale US-05

Stats
Batch Size: 4 gal
Mash: -
RA Target: -
Water adjustment: 1 tsp Epsom salt
Sparge: 5.5 gal @ 168F
Efficiency: -
Mash pH: -
Boil Duration: 60min
Original Gravity: 1.034
Final Gravity:
Est. ABV: 3.5%
IBU: 50
Color: 50 SRM
Fermentation: approx 68F for 7 days
Carbonation:
Brewed: 2/28/10
Bottled:

new toy: 3 gallon keg!

Andy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:07:59 +0000

Isn’t she/he (needs a name…) beautiful! I was having a terrible week…two actually. 60hr+ of work in each. I was exhausted, tired and realized I still had Xmas money, so I invested in steel. Right now the scottish 80/- is inside carbonating for it maiden voyage. Looking forward to a long happy life together.

tasting #014: weekend warrior wheat

Andy — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:26:57 +0000

Appearance: Lightly cloudy, lightly golden. Good clarity for unfiltered wheat! Low carbonation, but it is likely me rushing to open a bottle, it was just to good straight out of the fermenter.

Aroma: Rounded sweet and delicate, with good amounts of the critical bubblegum and banana esters. The background has a citrusy hop but its not overwhelming. It is prettier (?) than anything I have brewed before.

Taste: I hate to say ’rounded’ again but I do think that it is overall well balanced, with no overwhelming sweetness or bitterness. Gently sweet wheat, and possibly some late alcohol burn? The finish could be cleaned up a bit, but this is damn fine. Medium mouthfeel, thicker than those macro wheat brews; full bodied refreshment!

Overall: Suburb and simple. It will be very easy to share this will those not so familiar with beer or homebrew…if it makes it out of my house.

brew #015: earl of hell’s waistcoat scottish export (80/-)

Andy — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:40:18 +0000

Ingredients
Fermentables
6.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) 67.4 %
1.00 lb Caramel Malt – 20L (Briess) (20.0 SRM) 11.2 %
1.00 lb Mild Malt (4.0 SRM) 11.2 %
0.50 lb Barley, Flaked (Briess) (1.7 SRM) 5.6 %
0.30 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) 3.4 %
0.10 lb Roasted Barley (Briess) (300.0 SRM) 1.1 %

Hops
1.00 oz Williamette [4.80%] (90 min) Hops 17.7 IBU

Yeast
Safale S-04

The Brew
Soundtrack: The Chicago Bears dying slowly and pitifully
Brew Beer: Brewery Ommegang Hennepin

Stats
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Mash: Single Infusion for at 158F [1.5 qt/lb]
RA Target: 90
Water adjustment: 2.5 tsp Chalk, 0.5 tsp Salt
Sparge: 5.5 gals at 168F
Efficiency: 80%
Mash pH: 5.4
Boil Duration: 90min
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity:
Est. ABV: 5%
IBU: 18
Color: 17
Fermentation: ~6 at 66F, ~14 at 72F
Carbonation:
Brewed: 12/20/09
Bottled:

brew #014: weekend warrior wheat

Andy — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:05:48 +0000

Very, very simple. A study on my process, an attempt at decoction mashing. Oh and a style by request of the wife.

Ingredients
Fermentables
0.50 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) 5.3 % [leftovers]
6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 63.2 %
3.00 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) 31.6 %

Hops
0.50 oz Tettnang [4.50%] (60 min) 8.2 IBU
0.50 oz Tettnang [4.50%] (30 min) 6.3 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00%] (5 min) 9.5 IBU

Misc
6.00 oz Rice Hulls into the mash

Yeast
Safbrew WB-06

The Brew
Soundtrack: The Fold
Brew Beer: Oil Change Caramel Cream Ale,

Stats
Batch Size: 5 gal
Mash: Single Infusion for protein rest at 125F [1.33 qt/lb], Decoct to 150F [1.25 gals to boiling], Sacc rest at 148F for 60min
RA Target: -25
Water adjustment: 1 tsp gypsum, 2.5 tsp CaCl
Sparge: 6 gals at 168F
Efficiency: 80%
Mash pH: 5.4
Boil Duration: 60min
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.010
Est. ABV: 5.7%
IBU: 24
Color: 4
Fermentation: ~6 at 66, ~7 at 72F
Carbonation: 2.5 vol CO2
Brewed: 12/13/09
Bottled: 1/10/10

brew #013: every time i rye pale ale, v2.0

Andy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:07:37 +0000

IT COMETH. AGAIN. This is a beer I really want to nail down. Homebrewing is all about learning and experimenting – rebrewing however allows you to learn from your previous mistakes. Last time, I was disappointed by the rounded bitterness and lack of real tang. This time, with help from SlovakBrewer’s grain mill and improved water chem knowledge, I pulverized this mash and hit all my targets. I have changed my recipe significantly but the vision remains the same. Ill let you know how it works out.

Ingredients
Fermentables
10.00 lb Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) (3.5 SRM) 71.7 %
2.00 lb Rye Malt (Briess) (3.7 SRM) 14.3 % [fine crush]
0.60 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) 4.3 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt – 80L (80.0 SRM) 3.6 %
0.35 lb Special Roast (Briess) (50.0 SRM) 2.5 %
0.50 lb Turbinado (10.0 SRM) 3.6 %

Hops
0.80 oz Amarillo Gold [8.60%] (60 min) 20.5 IBU
0.90 oz Amarillo Gold [7.50%] (30 min) 15.5 IBU [trying to 'burst']
0.75 oz Cascade [5.40%] (15 min) 6.0 IBU
0.75 oz Amarillo Gold [7.50%] (5 min) 3.3 IBU
0.75 oz Cascade [5.40%] (5 min) 2.4 IBU
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50%] (Dry Hop 3 days)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50%] (Dry Hop 3 days)

Misc
4.00 oz Rice Hulls into the mash
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)

Yeast
1.5 Pkgs Safale US-05 (Fermentis #US-05)

The Brew
Soundtrack: Every Time I Die, Hit The Lights…Adult Swim cartoons
Brew Beer: Lagunitas Brown Shugga (!!!), others

Stats
Batch Size: 4.5 gal [hop matter absorbs! forgot that]
Mash: Single Infusion, 4.25 gal (1.33 gal/lb) [thin because I overshot temp], 152F, 60min
Water adjustment: 2.50 tsp gypsum, 0.5 tsp baking soda
Sparge: 4.5 gal, 168F
Efficiency: 80%
Mash pH: 5.4
Boil Duration: 60min
Original Gravity: 1.074
Final Gravity:
Est. ABV: 7%
IBU: 47 [Tinseth]
Color: 13 SRM
Fermentation: ~7 at 66, ~7 at 72F in secondary
Brewed: 11/21/09
Bottled:

brew #012: disintegrator imperial stout

Andy — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:33:25 +0000

This was what I’ve wanted to brew since I started. More importantly, this is what all of my friends wanted me to brew since I started. 3 gallons are going into straight into bottles. One gallon will age on oak chips soaked in whiskey [disintegrator blue]. One will age on vanilla bean [disintegrator gold]. Why the fuck not. ‘Fly the banner blue and gold.’

Ingredients
Fermentables
‘Enough base grain’
2.00 lb Roasted Barley (Briess) (300.0 SRM) 8.2 %
1.00 lb Caramel Malt – 20L (Briess) (20.0 SRM) 4.1 %
0.50 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) 2.1 %
0.50 lb Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) 2.1 %
0.50 lb Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM) 2.1 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) 2.1 %
1.00 lb Molasses (80.0 SRM) 4.1 % [into primary when fermentation subdued]

Hops
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.40%] (60 min) Hops 33.8 IBU
1.00 oz Chinook [11.40%] (60 min) Hops 26.7 IBU
0.45 oz Warrior [15.50%] (60 min) Hops 16.4 IBU
2.00 oz Chinook [11.40%] (10 min) Hops 19.4 IBU
1.00 oz Chinook [11.40%] (5 min) Hops 5.3 IBU

Yeast
2 Pkgs Safale US-05 (Fermentis #US-05) Yeast

The Brew
Soundtrack: The Ghost Inside
Brew Beer: Every Time I Rye, others?

Stats
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Mash: Single Infusion, ~0.33 gal/lb (6.2 gal), 156F, 80min
Water adjustment: 2.25 tsp Baking soda, 0.25 tsp Salt
Sparge: ~3.4 gal, 170F, 15 min
Mash pH: 5.4 (?)
Boil Duration: 80min
Original Gravity: 1.099 w/o molasses (Est. 1.105 w/ molasses)
Final Gravity: 1.028 (need to double check)
Est. ABV: ~10%
IBU: 101 [Tinseth]
Color: 60 SRM
Fermentation: ~7 at 68, 13 at 72F in secondary [plastic bucket primary was leaking!]
Brewed: 11/1/09
Bottled: 11/22/09 (regular disintegrator)

brew #011: monster mash pumpkin ale

Andy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:52:33 +0000

A generously spiced pumpkin ale that turned into a monster even BEFORE the mash. This recipe was a lose interpretation of the one from Tedbrews. I have been starting to get the hang of all grain brewing but my efficiency has still been struggling. I realized after my brewday very well could be the crush; my mill settings (I use one at my LHBS) for this grain bill were way off…only I didnt notice until well after. Lesson learned.

Ingredients
Fermentables
‘Enough base grain’
2.50 lb Munich 10L (Briess) (10.0 SRM)
2.00 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM)
0.60 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM)

Hops
1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [3.90%] (60 min) 12.9 IBU
1.00 oz Hallertauer [3.70%] (60 min) 12.2 IBU

Misc
0.75 tsp Powdered Clove (Boil 5.0 min)
0.75 tbsp Powdered Ginger Root (Boil 8.0 min)
0.75 tsp Powdered Nutmeg (Boil 5.0 min)
1.00 tsp Powdered Coriander (Boil 5.0 min)
1.00 lb Pumpkin (Boil 10.0 min)
3.00 tsp Cinnamon (Boil 5.0 min)

Yeast
2 Pkgs Safale US-05 (Fermentis #US-05) Yeast

The Brew
Soundtrack: The Rocket Summer, New Found Glory
Brew Beer: Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, Oil Change Caramel Cream Ale

Stats
Batch Size: 5 gal
Mash: Single Infusion, ~0.33 gal/lb, 154F, 60min
Water adjustment: 1 tbsp Gypsum
Sparge: ~4.5 gal, 170F, 10 min
Mash pH: 5.4
Boil Duration: 60min
Original Gravity: 1.060
Final Gravity: 1.010
Est. ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 25 [Tinseth]
Color: 16 SRM
Fermentation: ~10 days in primary at 68F, the rest at 72F
Brewed: 10/11/09
Bottled: 10/29/09

brew #010: every time i rye pale ale

Andy — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:21:21 +0000

My first completely all-grain beer and my mash was as brutal as their breakdowns. Consider this batch a first draft I will definitely make this again. It needs to be bigger, rawer. I want drop B in a bottle. I want this to be like a sledgehammer to an Orange amp. I guess I’ll get there in small steps.

A note to vistors: this is homebrewed. I made this in my kitchen and is it usually consumed there. Listening to metal. Alone. The only way to get some is to come to Chicago and bribe me with more beer.

Ingredients
Fermentables
10.00 lb Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (3.5 SRM) 73.7 %
2.00 lb Rye Malt (3.7 SRM) 14.7 %
0.50 lb Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) 3.7 %
0.30 lb Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) 2.2 %
0.07 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) 0.5 % [color]
0.70 lb Turbinado (10.0 SRM) Sugar 5.2 %

Hops
0.60 oz Warrior [15.00%] (60 min) 32.2 IBU
0.45 oz Magnum [15.40%] (90 min) 26.6 IBU
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00%] (5 min) 10.0 IBU
0.50 oz ‘Wet’ homegrown Cascade (Dry hop)
0.50 oz Cascade (Dry hop)

Misc
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc

Yeast
2 Pkgs Safale US-05 (Fermentis #US-05) Yeast

The Brew
Soundtrack: Every Time I Die, Blackhawks NHL Preseason game
Brew Beer: Lots

Stats
Batch Size: 5 gal
Mash: Single Infusion, ~0.35 gal/lb [~4.5 gal into 6lb] , 154F, 60min
Water adjustment: 1 tbsp Gypsum, 0.5 tbsp Kosher salt
Sparge: ~4.6 gal, 170F, 15 min [not done properly]
Mash pH:
Boil Duration: 90min
Preboil Gravity: 1.044 [65% efficiency]
Original Gravity: 1.065 estimated [was not taken]
Final Gravity: 1.014
Est. ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 70 [Tinseth, too high]
Color: 11 SRM
Fermentation: ~5 days in primary at 68F, 7 days in secondary at 68F, 1 day at 50F
Brewed: 9/19/09
Bottled: 10/7/09

brew #009: oil change caramel cream ale

Andy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:04:50 +0000

This beer turned out to be an experiment in more ways than one. The idea came from a collaboration between Brian and I after he suggested his mom’s caramel as an ingredient. After some thought, I thought it would be interesting to attempt to make my first cream ale. The combination of the two brings us this caramel cream ale complete with a whopping pound of Cannon’s mom’s homemade caramel.
In addition to some wild ideas, this also turned out to be my first all grain brew with my newly completed mash tun (pics will follow shortly). I used a standard medium body single infusion mash (my goal is to stay around 80% efficiency) and my cooler did a fairly good job maintaining temp. My homemade temperature controller was used to monitor the temperature – although I will be purchasing a floating thermometer next time I make it to the LHBS.
The mash went unbelieveably easy but my faults in this beer may be two fold: one a wacked-out reciepe that doesn’t bring the creamy caramel profile I was aiming for (who knows maybe it will settle in the bottle), two Cannon’s mom’s caramel had some mystery amount in butter in it. I knew I was in trouble when I saw the sheen on my boil. Eck. I’ve done my best to rack carefully and will be doing a hell-of-ah crash cooling run to see if we can recover a bit. Regardless, it was one heck of a great experience.

Ingredients
Fermentables
2.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) 21.6 % [Had laying around...added during boil]
5.00 lb Pale Malt – 2 Row – US (2.0 SRM) 54.1 %
1.00 lb Caramel Malt (40.0 SRM) 10.8 %
1.00 lb Pale Malt – 6 Row – US (2.0 SRM) 10.8 %
0.25 lb Milk Sugar (Into secondary) 2.7 %
1.00 lb Homemade Caramel via Cannon’s mom [unfortunately buttery :/]
Hops
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50%] (60 min) 27.3 IBU
Misc
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)
1.00 oz Vanilla Extract (Secondary)
1.50 tsp Gypsum (Strike/Sparge)
Yeast
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Yeast cake]

The Brew
Soundtrack: Dan Potthast
Brew Beer: Metropolitan Flywheel, Great Divide Hoss

Stats
Batch Size: 5 gal
Mash: Single Infusion, ~1.25 qt/lb [~8.75 qt into 6lb] , 154F, 60min
Sparge: 5.60 gal, 168F, 15min
Mash pH: I BOUGHT THE WRONG TEST STRIPS ARGGG
Boil Duration: 60min
Preboil Gravity: 1.029 [78% efficiency]
Original Gravity: 1.056 [1.057 projected]
Final Gravity: 1.012
Est. ABV: 5.7%
IBU: >27 [Tinseth]
Color: 9 SRM
Fermentation: 5 days in primary at 68F, 7 days in secondary at 68F, 1 day at 50F
Brewed: 8/31/09
Bottled: ?