Tuesday, January 26, 2010

This Week In Beer - 1/26

Got some interesting stuff in already, and tomorrow we're expecting to see Bell's Hopslam finally show up. Here's what we've got so far...

* Abita Jockamo IPA (6pk.)
* Flying Dog Garde Dog (6pk.)
* Harpoon Celtic Ale (6pk.)
* Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout (22oz.)
* Budweiser Select 55 / AKA "The Lightest Beer In The World" (2.4% ABV)
You really need to check out what they're saying about this guy on the interwebs... as one RateBeerian put it, "tastes like water that a beer came by and dunked its balls into".
Damn.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

This Week In Beer - 1/18

Got some more tasty beverages into Total Wine this week; here's a rundown of what's new...
* RJ Rocker's First Snow Ale (winter seasonal)
* Sierra Nevada Glissade Bock (new spring seasonal)
* Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA (new hoppy IPA in 6pks - delicious!)
* Terrapin Side Project #9 - The Dark Side (Belgian-style Imperial Stout)
* Lagunitas Brown Shugga
* Breckenridge Agave Wheat
* Bell's Double Cream Stout
* Allagash Four (Belgian-style Quadruple Ale)
* Sam Adams Noble Pils (new spring seasonal)

Back in stock:
* Bell's Expedition Stout
* Bell's Third Coast Old Ale
* Bell's Java Stout

And finally, coming next week - - Bell's Hopslam!

The Scotch Ale is CARBONATED

That maple syrup did a serious amount of bubbling on that thing.  Ryan and I got a good 6 inch head out of that thing.  We might have overshot the amounts on that thing...good thing we haven't had a bottle bomb yet!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Brew Day. Batch #12.

Saturday afternoon & evening was a busy one...racking & finally bottling our Belgian Abbey Ale, including corking our first batch ever, as well as brewing the African Amber Ale. We popped the cherry on our DIY mash tun for this recipe, and it worked pretty great. Efficiency was up, and it made things so much easier. Hard to believe just a short time ago we were smashing grain bags with plates, lids and any flat objects we could find to mash and sparge. After a couple misfires, we were also able to bottle most the Belgian into champagne bottles with our new corker (thanks, Andre). Looking forward to uncorking the first bottle in the not-too-distant future. Here's some photographic documentation of the day's work...

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Racking the Rogue Dead Guy Ale clone.

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Bottled! In a badass Deus bottle, no less.

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Not the best job, but it'll do.

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The new mash tun at work.

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Garfield food.

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Sweet goodness.

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In the carboy.

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People need sunlight! Sunlight!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Mac and Jacks African Amber

A staple of the Northwest!

Beer Advocate Reviews

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 77.27 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 9.09 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 9.09 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (60 min) Hops 29.2 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
1.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (dry hop) 14 days
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.054 SG (1.045-1.056 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG (1.010-1.015 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Color: 12.0 SRM (11.0-18.0 SRM) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 32.4 IBU (20.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 10.0 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.16 % (4.50-5.70 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 6.52 %
Actual Calories: 240 cal/pint


Mash Profile Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Mash Tun Weight: 9.00 lb
Mash Grain Weight: 11.00 lb Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Sparge Water: 5.13 gal Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE

Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 13.75 qt of water at 167.1 F 155.0 F 60 min


Mash Notes
Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Carbonation Volumes: 2.4 (2.3-2.8 vols)
Estimated Priming Weight: 4.2 oz Temperature at Bottling: 60.0 F
Primer Used: - Age for: 4.0 Weeks
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Caramel Cream Ale.

Malts
3 pounds extra light DME
3 pounds light wheat DME
1 pound Caramel 60L (steeped for 45 minutes at 150'-165')

Hops
1oz Cascade for bittering (60 minutes)
.5oz Saaz for flavor (20 minutes)
.5 oz Tettnang for aroma (end of boil)

Yeast
Wyeast German Ale

Extras
1 tsp Irish Moss (10 minutes)
4oz Lactose @ 15 minutes
2 oz real vanilla extract

Priming
>1cup Lactose
4oz vanilla (Be careful! This may be too much vanilla for some people.)
1.5 cups light DME

I'm adding the Lactose in the last 15 minutes of the boil. I'll add the vanilla in the primary, because I don't want to risk losing any that bonds to the trub. So far, it smells fantastic but I'm still at the bittering hops boil. I think this should end up with a nice caramel flavor and a good hint (perhaps a suggestion size amount) of vanilla. I've had vanillas with way too much flavor and they tasted too much like candy. This should have a decent balance.

Notes: 11/4/05

So good. Can't even explain it - you simply must make this beer. I let it prime for almost 2 weeks before fridging it, then cracked one tonight after only about 30 hours. Great head, good lace, nice color, good body and nose. Pictures won't do it justice, but here's one anyways

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Best. Sweater. Ever.

Found this and had to post it:
Other cool ones found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36098170@N06/page2/

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Local Brewing - RJ Rockers


Here's a nice little piece I found on RJ Rockers. I think we need to make a trip up there, fellas.

RJ Rockers’ New Brewery Shows South Carolina What It’s Been Missing

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Kombucha Scoby

So my new obession is an ancient fermented tea called kombucha. This stuff rules and it's incredibly healthy. Thanks Dave!! In order to start brewing you need a culture or scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). You can buy one online for like 15bux, but I tend to lean to the DIY side of the house. Turns out you can make your own for about $3. I found this great website and followed the instructions. Here is the link so you can read along at home. Isn't this fun?


how to grow your own scoby



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Road Trip?

http://www.columbiacvb.com/microsites/index.cfm?action=Cover&meetingid=14

A Real Mash Tun?

 Randy popped by to pick up the Snickers cooler...I'm hoping that we've got a fully functional mash tun for our next batch!  That would be pretty kick ass. 

Monday, January 4, 2010

Activity!

Pitched a little high last night...but it's bubbling away now!  Stupid frozen wort chiller.

Friday, January 1, 2010

2 Turtle Doves

Definately got the best of me last night.