Batch 91 Wit tasting notes

Sample cold

Pours light gold, light haze, big white head billows, stays, laces

Aroma bitter orange with vanilla malt behind, slight stone fruit as it warms.

Mouth feel very light, cleansing.

Flavor deep orange spice up front with nice malt backbone right behind, pleasant hop bitterness at the tail.

Finishes bitter with touch of coriander.  Nice balance.

Overall, very good satisfying beverage, don't change a thing.  Should compare with Hoegaarden.  Could scale up.

Batch 87 Pilsner tasting notes

Cold

Pours deep gold, clear with slight haze, generous white head that stays, laces

Aroma light pleasant hops, a little corn?

Mouth feel moderate to light, some tooth cleaned up with hops and carb

Flavor pleasant hops over simple malt flavor.  Well balanced.

Finish, some malt bitterness, but hop bitterness lingers, cleans up.

Overall, simple basic beer, could try a diacetyl rest next time.  Maybe try gelatin.

Batch 98 IPA

3 gallons

3.5 lbs muntons Maris otter
3 lbs TFS golden promise
1/4 lb MFB cara120
1/4 lb MFB kiln amber
1/2 tsp gypsum

SRM 11

Mash 130 df 5 mins, 148 df 20 mins pH 4.9, 154 df 40 mins

Boil 75 mins

60 mins 1/2 oz magnum 12.6% aa 40 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1/4 oz Amarillo 8.2% aa 6 IBUs
5 mins 1 oz Simcoe 12.7% aa 16 IBUs

62 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.066, 76% bhe, 3 gallons

abv est 6.2%

Pitch at 68 df with s-04 in 3/4 qt starter, dry hop 1/2 oz Amarillo and 1/2 oz Simcoe, leave at 66 df.  Run primary at 68 df.

Rack to secondary 1/3/15, dry hop 1/4 oz Amarillo and 1/2 oz Simcoe.  Leave at 66 df.

Bottle 1/9/15 with 60 gr table sugar, yield 312 oz, 2.5 vols co2.

Batch 97 Dubbel

4.5 gallons

7 lbs dinge pils
1.5 lbs bm dark Munich
0.5 lbs bm Vienna
0.5 lbs MFB cara120
0.5 lbs MFB kiln amber
2 oz choc wheat

SRM 17

Mash 5 mins 130 df, 30 mins 148 df pH 5.0, 45 mins 154 df

Boil 90 mins
65 mins 7 gr galena 13.9%aa, 15 IBUs
50 mins 6 oz brown sugar
15 mins 3/4 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1/2 oz mt hood 5.5%aa, 5 IBUs

20 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.072, 4.5 gals, 84% bhe

Abv est 7%

Pitch with w1214 in 1 qt starter @ 66 df, move to 65 df, then after 1 day to 68df.  Ramps itself up to 78 df over 3 days, then ramps back down to 70 df, left at 70 df.

Bottle 1/9/15 with 90 gr table sugar, yield 552 oz, 2.25 vols co2.

Batch 90 Pious Quad tasting notes

Cellar temp

Uneven bottling, some gushers and some very low.  This one gushed.

Massive white head, clear very deep amber red, nice looking.

Aroma sweet stone fruit banana tropical fruit, some dirt behind

Mouth feel very rich, somewhat cloying, thick on tongue, roasty cleanse.

Flavor nice complex tropical/stone fruit, roast edge, pleasant hop spice.

Finish cleans up nicely, undercarbed samples not so well, balance of roast and hops covers esters up nicely.

Overall, yeast has had it and needs to be pitched, dirt is from yeast not hops, go back to chimay, go back to bottling bucket, hop and malt bill here is ideal.

Batch 96 Oak Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

6 gallons

Brewed as part of oak barrel project with Roger and Pete in Todd's barrel.

8 lbs TFS golden promise
6 lbs dinge pils
2 lbs muntons Maris otter
27 oz briess roast barley
24 oz weyermanns choc wheat
12 oz flaked wheat
3/4 tsp soda

SRM 60

Mash 150 df 60 mins, pH 5.8 at 15 mins, add 1/2 tsp cacl, pH 5.4

OG into kettle 1.072 @ 7 gals (not including final runnings)

Boil 60 mins
60 mins 75 gr galena 13.9%aa, 81 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 2.75 lbs table sugar

Og 1.102 into fermenter, 7 gallons, 82% bhe

Pitch at 68 df with w1084 in 1/2 qt starter from Roger.  Put in 64 df chamber.  Nominal activity at 18 hours, at 28 hours more activity in one fermenter, raise temp to 67 df.  Krausen at 42 hours, raise temp to 70 df.  At 50 hours foamover, put blowoff tube on larger fermenter, massive activity, continues overnight.  Primary running at 73 df, big banana aroma.  Still going strong 12/17 pm.

Rack to secondary 12/20, add 1 pckg danstar dry Nottingham dissolved in 1/2 cup water, return to 70 df.

Rack to Oak Barrel 1/3/15, in combination with 10 gallons each from Roger and Pete.  Same barrel used for saison earlier in 2014, previously used for pinot noir by Todd (36 months).

At some point in February, Roger added a bunch of centennial hops into the barrel.

Bottle 3/7 with table sugar and Trappist yeast, 2.0 vols co2.  Brought home 2 cases.

Batch 95 Homegrown Centennial Stout

3 gallons

4 lbs TFS golden promise
2 lbs dinge pils
1 lb bm Vienna
6 oz carafa I
4 oz ding choc
4 oz TFS brown
1/4 tsp soda

Steep at room temp 4 oz ding choc and 6 oz carafa I, add at lauter

SRM 40+

Mash 10 mins 135 df, 70 mins 152 df, pH 5.4

Boil 75 minutes

60 mins 1 oz homegrown centennial, 40 IBUs
50 mins 60 gr lactose
20 mins 1 oz homegrown centennial, 25 IBUs
10 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
5 mins 1 oz homegrown centennial, 10 IBUs
3/4 oz homegrown centennial at flameout

75 IBUs

Og 1.066 into fermenter, <70% bhe

Pitch with w1469 at 73 df, leave at 70 df.

Rack to secondary 12/13, leave at 68 df.

Bottle 12/26 with 62 gr table sugar, 2.4 vols co2, yield 336 oz.  Sample tastes very good.

FG 1.020, abv 6%.

Batch 89 Stout tasting notes

Pours very dark brown, almost no head, light tan lacing, not opaque like stout, more of a deep porter.

Aroma nice chocolate/coffee roast, spice hop more like generic hop smell.

Mouth feel, thick and sweet, clingy coating, cleanses at the end a bit.  Could use more carb.

Flavor, bitter roast malt, coffee, sweetness, some astringency, overarching hop bitterness that stays and cleanses. 

Finish cleans up nicely, doesn't taste strong, not quenching or warming, but ready for more.  Hop bitterness counters roast in finish nicely.

Overall, this is a robust porter, not a stout. It is a very good robust porter, the only change would be more carb.  Hard to say where to go with stout.

Batch 94 Oktoberfest

6 gallons

10 lbs best malz dark Munich
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 10

Mash 10 mins 132 df, 70 mins 152 df, pH 5.0

Boil 75 mins
60 mins 1/2 oz magnum 12.6%aa, 24 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1/2 oz mt hood 5.5%aa, 5 IBUs

29 IBUs

Og 1.056, 5.8 gallons add 1 qt for OG 1.053 into fermenter, 87% bhe

abv est 5.1%

Pitch at 62 df with w2633 in 2 Qts starter, leave at 55 df.  Full krausen at 15 hours, 55 df.

Rack to secondary 12/8, rest at 68 df 2 days.  Move to 55 df 12/10, drop 1 df per day until 12/29, lager at 35 df from there.

Bottle 1/16/15 with 70 gr table sugar, yield 668 oz, 2.5 vols co2.

Batch 93 Saison

3 gallons

4 lbs dings pils
0.5 lbs best malz dark Munich
0.5 lbs best malz Vienna
0.5 lbs TFS golden promise
0.25 lbs flaked wheat

SRM 6

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 146 df 50 mins pH 5.8, add 1/2 tsp gypsum, pH 5.4, 156 df 20 mins

Boil 90 mins

85 mins 8 oz brown sugar
60 mins 8 gr Columbus 15.6%aa, 27 IBUs
15 mins 1 oz homegrown Willamette 8 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 8 gr crushed toasted coriander

35 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.062

Abv est 5.9%

Pitch with OYL500 in 1 qt starter at 75 df, leave at 75 df.

Rack to secondary 11/28, dry hop 1/2 oz sorachi ace 11.9% aa, leave at 75 df. Move to 65 df 12/9.

Bottle 12/11 with 80 gr table sugar, yield 348 oz, 2.8 vols co2.

Batch 88 Nut Brown tasting notes

Pours very dark brown, even small tan head that pulls to edge slowly, laces some

Smells pleasant malt with roast notes, nice match mild spice hops, slight dishrag, mostly just pleasant

Mouth feel, surprisingly thin, very light body, slightly annoying sweetness

Flavor disappointing roast dominant without hop balance, nut flavor apparent, sweet but not malty,

Finish roast without astringency, cleans quickly, almost dead, light hop bitterness at very end.

Overall, hard to say where to go with this.  Dumped the yeast.  Try with less chocolate, no amber, raise hops to 20 IBUs with real Willamette, mash higher temp, run ferm warmer, more OG.

Batch 92 Stones Arrogant Bastard Clone

3 gallons

4 lbs Dingemann's pils
2 lbs Munton's Maris otter
1.5 lbs TFS golden promise
11 oz MFB caramel 120
3/4 tsp gypsum

SRM 16

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 150 df 70 mins

Boil 90 mins

60 mins 1/2 oz Chinook 13.3%aa 36 IBUs
20 mins 1/2 oz Chinook 13.3%aa 22 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 1/2 oz Chinook 13.3%aa 13 IBUs
At flameout add 1/2 oz Chinook 13.3%aa

70 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.077, 3.2 gals, 80% bhe

Abv est 7.2%

Pitch at 68 df with packet of S-04, move to 66 df chamber.  Full krausen 11/17 am.

Rack to secondary 11/23(?), leave at 68 df.

Bottle 12/5 with 80 gr table sugar, 3.0 vol co2.

Batch 82 Barrel Saison tasting notes

Room temp

Pours clear gold with big white head that billows a little, stays, laces

Aroma chalky yeast, oak, sweet malt, earthy like dirt, Indian spice

Mouth feel, moderate to heavy, not clingy, carb cleansing good.

Flavor pleasant wood up front, horsy haybarn yeast but not a blanket, delicious malt backbone, a bit too much bitterness at the end.

Finish pleasant cleansing, well balanced finish, too much IBUs at the way back end.

Overall, delicious beverage, interesting and flavorful.  Could shift hops more towards the end of the boil, and perhaps take it off the oak a bit sooner.  Higher temps with the yeast?

Batch 91 Wit

3 gallons

3.5 lbs dingemann's pils
2.25 lbs flaked wheat
6 oz best malz Vienna
1/4 tsp cacl

SRM 4 

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 148 df 70 mins pH 5.4

Boil 90 mins

80 mins 3 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa 8 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 7 gr toasted crushed coriander and 2 gr dried bitter orange peel
5 mins 5 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa 3 IBUs

11 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.051, 3.2 gallons, 74% bhe

Abv est 5.0%

Pitch at 70 df with w3942 in 1 qt starter and 6 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa, put in 70 df chamber.

Rack to secondary 11/16, put in 66 df chamber.

Bottle 11/28 with 90 gr table sugar boiled with zest of one tangerine, yield 360 oz, 3 vols co2.

Batch 86 Home Grown Pale Ale tasting notes

Cold

Pours hazy dark gold, small white head fine bubbles persists at edge

Aroma piney slightly green hops, spicy apples, mild sweet malt beneath

Mouth feel light, more carb than meets the eye, hop cleansing

Flavor fresh cut grass up front, slides into hop bitterness, oddly refreshing, little malt character here

Overall, need to dry hops better.  Centennials not ideal, maybe try the Willamette's at the end.  Hard to identify which hop is the culprit: centennials were green, but liberties had almost no lupulin and had leaves poking out of hops.  Next time try 3 side by side smashes, 1 gallon apiece.

Batch 90 Pious Quad

3 gallons

6.5 lbs dingemanns pils
8 oz best malz dark Munich
6 oz MFB caramel 120
4 oz MFB kiln amber
1.5 oz dingemanns chocolate
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 17

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 150 df 50 mins (pH 5.0), 154 df 20 mins

Boil 90 mins
80 mins 12 oz brown sugar, 4 oz table sugar
70 mins 4 gr Columbus 15%aa, 11 IBUs
30 mins 5 gr nugget 13.5%aa, 9 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1 oz hallertau mittelfruh 2.7%aa, 6 IBUs

26 IBUs

1.082 into fermenter, 3.3 gals, 80%bhe with sugar

abv est 8.2%

Pitch at 66 df with w3787 in 3/4 qt starter, move to 64 df.  11/3 am, little activity, bump chamber to 66 df.  11/3 pm full krausen.  11/4 am bump to 68 df.  11/4 pm runs up to 72 df.  11/5 am back down to 70 df, bump chamber to 70 df.  11/5 pm bump to 72 df.  11/6 am bump to 74 df.  11/7 am bump to 75df.  11/8 runs up to 78, take down to 70 df.  

Rack to secondary 11/9, leave at 70 df.  Move to 56 df 11/16, ease up to 66 df 11/19-20.

Bottle 11/21 with 90 gr sugar, yield 372 oz, 3 vols co2.

Batch 85 Vienna tasting notes

Cold

Pours golden orange, healthy even yellow head that stays and laces, clear with almost imperceptible haze.

Aroma nice spicy hops up front, vanilla, nearly ripe pears, malt.

Mouth feel clean bitter but also somewhat toothy balanced by lively carbonation.

Flavor bitter hop spice up front, malt is very subdued, light sweetness in the background near the end.

Finish lingering pleasant hop bitterness.

Overall this is more of a toothy pils than a Vienna, hops are too dominant.  Halve the bittering hops, go all vienna and munich malt.  Pleasant beer.

Batch 84 Witbier tasting notes

Taste cold

Pours light gold, slight haze, big white head uneven but just right

Aroma malt with phenolic and bitter citrus peel, very mild stone fruit background cherries

Mouth feel, very light, carb level good, good cleansing balance

Flavor orange peel first, like pith, makes it too bitter and not well balanced.  Malt is subdued but ok, hops are buried under the orange.

Finish orange peel bitter, hard to distinguish from hop bitterness, cleansing and refreshing, summery.

Overall, very good beer except too much orange peel.  Maybe only at priming, not in the boil.

Batch 89 Stout

3 gallons

4.5 lbs golden promise
1 lb bm dark Munich
8 oz flaked wheat
6 oz MFB caramel120
6 oz briess roast barley
1/4 tsp soda

Also, cold steep 8 oz briess roast barley on the side, add at lauter

Mash 150 df 40 mins, 154 df 20 mins

Boil 90 mins

75 mins 7 gr Columbus @ 15 aa%, 23 IBUs
30 mins 7 gr nugget @ 13.5 aa%, 15 IBUs
15 mins 1 oz homegrown Willamette, 8 IBUs

46 IBUs

Add 60 gr lactose at pitch (boiled briefly)

OG into fermenter with lactose 1.054, 3.4 gals, 70% bhe

Pitch at 72 df with w1469 in 1 qt starter, put in 72 df chamber.

Rack to secondary 10/27, leave at 72 df.  Not black, brown.

Bottle 11/9 with 60 gr table sugar, yield 372 oz, 2.3 vols co2.

Batch 83 Belgian Blond tasting notes

Cellar temp

Pours clear gold, almost bright, big white effervescent head, big bubbles, laces, hangs around some.

Big yeasty aroma, sweet malt, earth/spice hops, tart stone fruit mostly

Mouth feel big carbonation, toothy but light to moderate body, sweet but not clingy

Flavor banana and plum, nice earth hop flavor, all over sweet malt.

Finish nice balance, a little clingy sweet but bitterness balances OK, want more.

Overall a lot like a tripel without the kick, still strong though.  Could bring down ferm temps a bit, a little more spicy hops towards the end.  Hersbrucker is very good though.

Notes from Brixtoberfest Judging 29.7 avg 3 judges, 2 bjcp judges avg 31.  Esters too heavy, needs crisper finish, body too heavy.

Batch 81 Baltic Porter tasting notes

Way over carbed, 12 oz fills qt jar with foam.  2nd pour, still cold:

Very dark brown, light tan head, laces and stays

Aroma licorice, coffee, sweet malt

Mouth feel pleasant, light body, slight tooth at end

Flavor sweet toasty without astringent at first, coffee and licorice, bitterness is just right, hop bite at end followed by slight stringency

Finish sweet with hop bitterness, cleans up nicely.

Overall, too bad on the carbonation, otherwise this is righteous in terms of a subtle porter.  The roast/malt/hop balance is spot on with the sweetness.  I guess maybe try it again with a solid diacetyl rest before lagering, drop the OG a bit.

Pending brew sessions

Stout next.

Then a Belgian.

Then a Wit.

Running low on inventory - need to go once per week for a while.

Batch 88 Nut Brown

3 gallons

2.75 lbs Munton's Maris Otter
2 lbs TFS Golden Promise
8 oz MFB caramel 120
4 oz MFB kiln amber
2 oz Dingemann's chocolate
no salts

SRM 18

Mash 10 mins 130 df, 60 mins 146 df, pH 5.0

Boil 75 mins
60 mins 3 gr nugget 13.5%aa, 10 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 1/2 oz homegrown Willamette, 5 IBUs

15 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.046, 71% bhe (3.2 gallons)

Abv 5.0%

Pitch at 72 df with reclaimed US-05 in 1 qt starter, leave at 64 df, primary runs at 65 df.

Rack to secondary 10/19, leave at 64 df.

10/23 fg 1.008, bottle with 55 gr table sugar, yield 348 oz , 2.2 vols co2.

Batch 80 Tripel tasting notes

Room temp, 68 df

Pours clear golden, white uneven head with big bubbles, hangs around, nice lacing

Aroma butterscotch bitter, stone fruit, slight alcohol, light spicy hops

Mouth feel, airy, coats pleasantly, sweet but not cloying

Flavor big butterscotch, vanilla, plum followed by stone fruit, warm but not boozy, mild deep bittering but no hop flavor, nice balance

Finish, dry, malty, slight hop bitterness, even and good.

Overall, fine example of style, I think chimay yeast is better.  Something dishraggy in the aroma, very slight.

Batch 79 Nut Brown tasting notes

Cellar temp, 68 df

Overcarbed, giant head demands slow pour, billows.  Orange brown, tan head.  Reasonably clear, but too dark to really tell.

Aroma - soapy hops, biscuity malt with a touch of roast

Mouth feel - moderate tooth, sweet and clingy, slight unpleasant sour edge

Flavor - soap, dishraggy, slight biscuit underneath, nuts are the furthest thing from my mind right now, hint of roast perhaps, some sour fruit very little.

Finish - there's the nut, some mild sweetness, mild unpleasant bittering from hops, not cleansing though.

Overall, disaster, this is dramatically worse than the last one, hop aromas are all wrong, malt is edgy in a bad way, yeast runs verrrrry slow, at the end needs more sweetness.  Yuck.  Drink as cold as possible.

Batch 78 Stout tasting notes

Room temp

Pours - black, clear, slight orange around edges, effervescent tan head that stays to the bottom, but no lacing.

Aroma - roasty malt with edgy/chalky earthy hop somewhat forward.  Slight chocolate / sweet coffee.

Mouthfeel - thick toothy with big carb cleansing, cleans up nicely.

Flavor - sweet goodness, nice very dark roast on top, licorice, nice bitterness at end, slight tar.  Good balance, pleasant, filling.  Slight warmth at end.

Finish - dries out at finish, hop tar comes out, but mostly refreshing, sweetness doesn't cling or cloy.

Overall - this is about as good as a stout can be.  Log this recipe, maybe reduce carb a touch, less earth in the hops.  Yeast is a winner for this style, but takes forever to finish.

Also, got notes at Brixies in-house contest, entered as sweet stout, 30.1 avg score, complaints of dry/astringent at end, too dry for sweet stout, looking for more hop character and more body.  Sample was under-carbed.

Batch 87 Pilsner

5 gallons

8 lbs wey boh pils
1/2 lb best malz Vienna
1/4 lb best malz dark Munich
1 tsp gyp

SRM 4

Mash 150 df 75 mins, pH 4.8

Boil 90 mins
65 mins 14 gr nugget 13.5%aa, 27 IBUs
60 mins 32 gr homegrown liberty ~2%aa, 7 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
5 mins 1 oz saaz 2.4%aa, 3 IBUs

37 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.052, 79% bhe

Abv est 5.0%

Pitch with W2278 in 2 Qts starter at 50 df 9/28.  No activity, bump to 54 df 9/29.  9/30 full krausen, bump to 53 df.  Bump to 50 df 10/2.

Rack to secondary 10/15, leave at 50 df.  Drop to 49 df 10/16.  Drop 1 df per day until 40.  11/7 drop to 35 df.

Bottle 11/26 with 75 gr table sugar, yield 660 oz, 2.5 vols co2.

Batch 86 Home Grown Pale Ale

3 gallons

5 lbs Munton's Maris otter
4 oz mfb car 120
4 oz best malz dark Munich
1/4 tsp each cacl, gyp
SRM 10

Mash 55 mins 147 df pH 4.6
20 mins 155 df

1.053 into boil

Boil 75 mins

1 oz centennials (with a couple liberties) at 60 mins 31 IBUs
1 oz Willamette @ 30 mins, 14 IBUs
1/2 tsp Irish moss 20 mins
2 oz liberty @ 5 mins 5 IBUs

50 IBUs

Og into fermenter 1.054, 78% bhe

Abv est 5.1%

Pitch @ 72 df with fresh packet s-04, 1 oz whole centennials.  Bounces up to 78 df.  Move to 63 df.  At 12 hours, going at 5 seconds, 72 df.  Primary runs at 72 df, temp drops to 64 df after 3 days, activity slows, raise temp to 68 df.

Remove hop sack 9/11.  Rack to secondary 9/12, add 1 oz whole centennials.  Leave at 68 df.

Remove hop sack 9/25.  Bottle 9/26 with 42 gr table sugar, yield 312 oz, 2.0 vols co2.

Batch 85 Vienna

5 gallons

7.25 lbs bm Vienna
1 lb wey boh pils
6 oz bm dark Munich
6 oz mfb car120
1 tsp cacl

SRM 9

Mash 140 df 20 mins, 150 df 40 mins

Boil 75 mins
75 mins 7 gr Columbus @ 15.6%aa, 14 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1 oz saaz @ 3.6%aa, 7 IBUs
5 mins 1 oz mt hood @ 5.5%, 4 IBUs

25 IBUs

OG 1.052 into fermenter, 5 gallons, 79% BHE.  Add 1 qt water to get 1.050.

Abv est 5.0%

Pitch at 53 df on 8/3 with w2633 in 2 Qts 2 stage starter, run primary at 50 df.  Going at about 10 seconds on 8/5; same on 8/12.  8/16 up to 30 seconds.  

Rack to secondary 8/17, turn down to 46 df.  Turn down 2 df per day until 34 df.

Bottle 9/23/14 with 60 gr table sugar, yield 624 oz, 2.5 vols co2.

Batch 77 Dubbel tasting notes

Taste room temp

Pours clear red dark brown, tiny tan head that remains around edge

Aroma nice malt with slight roast edge, earthy hops on top with some pears

Mouth feel lively carbonation, alc warmth, low to moderate tooth, although beefier at finish

Flavor almonds, prunes/raisins dried stone fruit, earth hop edge, sweet but not cloying.

Finish sweetness could use more IBUs to clean up, some earthy hop flavor or yeast is going bad.

Note won 2nd pl peoples choice and 3rd pl judges at battle of the brews among 7 beers. 

Overall, time to toss out WLP 500.  Should up IBUs to about 25, brighten aroma hops more, maybe Simcoe or Chinook instead of Amarillo.  Grain bill is good.

Batch 84 Belgian Witbier

3 gallons

3.25 lbs wey boh pils
2.25 lbs flaked wheat
6 oz best malz Vienna
1/4 tsp cacl

Mash 148 df 70 mins pH 5.4

OG into boil 1.045 in first 3 gal pot, add 2 gals final runnings in second pot

Boil 90 mins

90 mins 3 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa, 9 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins spice mix: 3 gr dry bitter orange peel, 8 gr toasted coriander cracked, zest of 2 fresh oranges
5 mins 5 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa, 3 IBUs

12 IBUs

Add some water to get to 3.2 gals, OG 1.048 into fermenter, 72% BHE.

Pitch with 20 gr sorachi ace 11.9% with W3942 in 1/2 qt starter at 75 df, leave at 75 df for primary.

Turn down to 70 df after 7 days.  Rack to secondary 8/2, move to 73 df.

Abv est 4.7%

Bottle 8/10 with 90 gr table sugar, boiled 5 mins with zest of 1 fresh orange, yield 340 oz, 3.2 vols co2.

Batch 76 Scottish 80 tasting notes

Cellar temp

Very clear dark amber with orange brown luster, big light tan head that stays put, slightly uneven.

Aroma scotch malt whiskey without booze behind spice/earth hops.  Smells of rich sweetness.

Mouth feel moderate tooth, more body than expected.  Carb level and hop bitters prevent cloying. 

Flavor rich malt with touch of smoky roast, even bitterness is moderate at end.  Peated toast? 

Finish, round bitterness of malt and hops, clean and bright after the base/color.  Want more.

Overall, could add a touch of brown malt in place of choc, move hops to earlier in the boil, but reduce IBUs maybe 5-10%.  Is there such a thing as peat malt?  Go continental on flavoring hop.

Batch 83 Belgian Blonde

4.5 gallons

7 lbs wey boh pils
1 lb Munton's MO
1 lb flaked wheat
1/2 tsp CaCl

SRM 4

Mash 70 mins 150 df pH 5.0

OG into boil 1.050 @ 6 gals (89% eff)

Boil 75 mins
60 mins 1/2 oz sorachi ace 11.9%aa, 22 IBUs
55 mins 1/5 oz homegrown centennial, 5 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 1 oz homegrown willamette, 3 IBUs
Flameout 1 oz hersbrucker 1.7% aa

30 IBUs

Add water and 8 oz table sugar to get to 1.068 into fermenter

Abv est 6.8%

Pitch at 70 df with W3787 in 2/3 qt starter, move to 62 df to get to 65 df.

Full krausen at 21 hrs and 65 df, bump chamber up to 66 df.  7/14 am at 72 df, bump down chamber temp to 64 df.  7/14 pm foam over at 66 df, clean up mess and bump chamber temp up to 68 df.  7/15 pm holding steady at 70 df, clean up another foam over.  There's at least 6 inches head space - big foaming action.  7/16 more foam over cleanup, continue primary at 70 df.  Gradually comes up to 73 df at bottling.

Bottle 8/1 with 100 gr table sugar, yield 480 oz, 2.6 vols co2.

Batch 75 Vienna tasting notes

Chilled

Pours golden orange, clear with slight haze, healthy light tan head drops back, hangs around, laces

Aroma nutty vanilla, spice candy, apples

Mouth feel, clean, mouthful of carb, light to moderate body

Flavor nice malt backbone, vanilla, refreshingly sweet, spicy hops give nice balance without leaving any harshness or overt bitterness.  Apple cider fruitiness in background.  Hops have slight earthy undertones.

Finish pleasant hop bitterness, crisp carbonation and pH balance is crisp, refreshing, but not dry.

Overall, could add more Munich, no more golden promise, lower strength, shift more towards continental hops, drop IBUs a touch, maybe 10%.  Need to do a proper lager, lower temps and longer.

Batch 82 Wine Barrel Saison

6 gallons

Part of Roger Masson's communal recipe, to go in a 26 gallon wine barrel from Todd Guse

1/2 lb Warminster Maris Otter
6 lbs Briess 2 row
3 lbs Weyermanns boh pils
1.25 lbs best malz dark Munich

SRM 4

Mash 147 df 60 mins pH 5.4
Mash 155 df 20 mins

OG into boil 1.056 (6 gals, also some final runnings on the side)

Boil 75 mins

75 mins 6 gr gypsum
60 mins 1 oz northdown 9.4% aa, 28 IBUs
30 mins 1 oz German hallertau mittelfruh 4.3% aa, 10 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1/2 oz east kent goldings 5.7% aa, 4 IBUs
Flameout 1/2 oz mt hood 5.5% aa
Flameout 11 oz table sugar in 3 qts boiled water to shoot for 1.061

42 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.062, about 7 gallons split between 5 gallon and 3 gallon carboys.

BHE 83% before sugar

Pitch at 75 df in OYL 500 in starter from Roger.  Leave chamber at 70 df.  Full krausen at 15 hrs, 72 df.  Transfer from original 5 gallon carboy to a 3 gallon carboy 7/9, carrying most of trub over; leave original 3 gallon carboy alone.  Move to 70 df on 7/12 am, move to 72 df on 7/13 am.

Rack to secondary 7/18, leave at 73 df.

8/16 rack into oak barrel used 36 months with pinot noir, along with 20 gallons of similar beer made by Roger and Pete.

Bottle 10/26 using 5.6 gr table sugar per 5 gallon bucket, 2.8 vols co2.

Batch 74 czech pils tasting notes

Cold from fridge

Pours bright, yellow gold, slight haze, big white head that lingers, laces

Aroma bright hops, smooth spice blend with slight earth background, light malt

Mouth feel very clean, refreshing, slight sweetness but not cloying

Flavor sweet fresh malt with slight grain undertone, crisp spicy hop bitterness, vanilla at end

Finishes with nice balance of hop bitterness and vanilla, a little tar in the hops. 

Overall, excellent summer beer, crisp refreshing beverage, could back off Vienna, but hops seem about right, maybe consider alternate bittering hop, but not sure where to turn.  Columbus gives slight tar edge, nugget?

Batch 71 dubbel wit tasting notes

Cellar temp, about 68 df.

Pours like champagne, frisky tan head that fizzes and drops back, but hangs around the edge to the end.  Nice clear deep red brown.

Aroma on pour is like sparkling wine, big alcohol in your face.  Once that subsides, nice malt/roast aroma, earthy hop edge, dates or prune esters, sweet but not annoying.  Earthy hops almost too much.

Mouthfeel almonds, sweet and toothy, carbonation fills mouth with cleansing, solidly beer.

Flavor, almonds up front, and in the middle, dried fruit, slight tang, nice bitterness at the end, balanced malt and earth hop, not too strong on either.  Sweet, like almond extract.

Finish, soapy, hop bitterness almost too much, alcohol warmth underlying but not dominant, thirsty, not really refreshed.  After dinner sipper, this.

Overall, the flaked wheat doesn't help much, brewers gold hops may be the soap culprit.  Mt hood before saaz.  Columbus seems to be the bittering winner.  Maybe try some magnums.

Batch 73 ipa tasting notes

Never got to take notes, drank it up too fast.

Recollection was that grain bill was good, could eliminate amber with the heavy Maris otter.

Also, slightly too bitter, not enough nose.  Would balance more towards simcoe away from Amarillo, but also go heavier dry in secondary, lower IBUs.

It was better about 2 weeks in the bottle than at 4.

Batch 70 robust porter tasting notes

Cellar temp 65 df

Big dark tan head, deep red brown, almost opaque, clear

Aroma, soapy hops, malt sweetness, pears, slight roast

Mouth feel, cloyingly thick, sweet, alcohol warmth

Flavor old soapy sponge (nose), very sweet roast malt, hop bitterness at finish.  pH seems too high, don't add soda.  No fruit in flavor, yeast character is lost.

Finish is bitter and cloying, alcohol warmth.

Overall, way overshot on adding body, a bit too robust!  Sweet; roast flavors are largely absent.  Soap is probably old hops/trub from old yeast cake, no more throwing onto old cake.  Hop bitterness and carb levels are trying to save this, but the grain bill/mash is just not working here.

Batch 81 Baltic Porter

6 gallons

4 lbs bm Vienna
4 lbs bm dark Munich
4 lbs Briess 2 row
1.5 lbs warminster Maris otter
8 oz mfb kiln amber
6 oz mfb car120
4 oz dingchoc
2 oz Briess roast barley
2 oz TFS brown

SRM 21

Mash 140 df 10 mins, 152 df 60 mins pH 4.8

Start boil in 2 pots

75 min boil

75 15.5 gr nugget 13.5%aa, 22 IBUs
30 mins 14.5 gr cascades 7.1%aa, 8 IBUs
15 mins 14 gr mt hood 5.5%aa, 4 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss

34 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.080, 5.5 gals, 81% BHE

Chill in chamber overnight.  Pitch at 52 df 6/22 am, with w2633 in 1-1/2 qt 2-step starter acclimated to 57 df.  Leave chamber at 50 df for primary (ferm runs at 52).

Rack to secondary 7/6, move to 40 df.  7/14 bump down to 38 df.  Take down 2 deg per day until 34 df (7/16).

Bottle 7/31 with 80 gr table sugar, 2.5 vols co2, yield 634 oz.

FG 1.022

Abv 7.6%

Batch 68 Pious quad tasting notes #2 whoops

Cellar temp 65 df

Pours huge yellow tan head, clear orangy red, head drops back a bit, uneven, solid lacing.  Note: head inconsistent between bottles.

Aroma yeast hits you on pour.  Spicey yeast, stone fruit and ripe pears, smells thick.

Mouth feel warm, clean, minor tooth, carb level a bit high.

Flavor cornucopia, yeast is stone fruit pears and slight cherry, peppery, nice hop bitterness is pleasant, present, not overdone, warming with slight alcohol bite, esp at finish, malt enhances yeast, some roast/ coffee comes through without controlling.

Finishes alcohol warmth, malt, hop bitter.

Note won 3rd overall at Brixies club Belgian contest as Belgian dark strong, among 11 beers.  Scored 33 avg 5 judges.

Overall, big yeasty beer, lovely, delicious, a bit heavy on the carb, could bring forward some late american hops, malt seems good possibly too much roast, could run ferm at higher temps, pretty buzzed after 12 oz.

Batch 80 Tripel

6 gallons

Asst brewer Joe Chomijewski

12 lbs wey boh pils
1 lb flaked wheat
8 oz best malz dark munich
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 7

Mash 150 df 75 mins

OG into boil 1.062

Boil 90 mins

60 mins 14 gr nugget 13.5aa 18 IBUs
50 mins 1 lb table sugar
50 mins 1 lb brown sugar
30 mins 14 gr mt hood 5.5%aa 6 IBUs
15 mins 14 gr cascades 7.1%aa 5 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss
5 mins 1/2 oz mt hood 5.5% aa 1 IBU

30 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.088, 5.5 gallons BHE 77%

Pitch at 70 df with w3787, in 1-1/2 qt starter (one yr old pack, one fresh), move to 65 df chamber.  Full krausen at 16 hrs, 71 df, bump down chamber temp to 60 df.  At 40 hrs, 65 df, put chamber at 65 df.  At 2 days read 70df, bump to 67 df.  At 3 days read 72 df, bump to 69 df.  At 4 days 74 df, bump to 71 df.  At 5 days, 73 df, bump to 78.

Rack to secondary 6/20, leave at 70 df.

Abv est 8.8%

Bottle 7/3 with table sugar, forgot to document amount of sugar and yield.  Probably shot for 2.5 to 3 vols co2.

Batch 79 Nut Brown

3 gallons

3.5 lbs Warminster Maris otter
1 lb TFS golden promise
5 oz mfb cara120
4 oz flaked wheat
4 oz mfb kiln amber
3 oz dingemanns choc
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 19

Mash 70 mins 150 df, pH 5.0

OG into boil 1.043 at 4.3 gals, 91% eff?

Boil 75 mins
75 mins 7 gr east kent goldings 5.7%aa, 10 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
5 mins 14 gr northdown 7.9%aa, 5 IBUs

15 IBUs

1.052 OG into fermenter, 3 gals 77% bhe

Pitch with w1469 in 3/4 qt starter at 66 df, put at 65 df.

Abv est 4.8%

Full krausen 66 df in 16 hrs.  Primary at 65 df.

Rack to secondary 6/13/14, leave at 65 df.

Bottle 6/29 with 60 gr table sugar, 2.25 vols co2, yield 374 oz.

Batch 72 Witbier tasting notes

Sample cold from fridge

Pours cloudy, golden brown, big white head billows, stays a while

Aroma remote malty, orange peel, other citrus and apple, bitter spice

Mouth feel clean and refreshing

Flavor strong dry orange peel, (used old orange for priming zest), nice malt base and lemon hops, coriander is mostly lost.  Orange zest is bad here.  Need fresher oranges, amount is OK.

Finish slight moldy orange flavor, clean palate from malt/hop balance.

Overall, do this again, use fresh oranges.

Batch 67 Marzen tasting notes

Taste cold from fridge

Pours bright, light orange, moderate tan head that drops back mostly but clings at edge

Aroma fruit apples, rich malt, spice hops very slight

Mouth feel, very clean, brilliant, cleans up right away

Flavor pleasant malt, apples, mildly sweet pleasant, low hop bitterness at end

Finish malt goodness, more hop bitterness, want more.

Overall, refreshing delicious beverage, buttery malt goodness, try again with more abv, but bump base, not Munich.

Batch 68 pious quad tasting notes

Cellar/room temp (65ish)

Pours clear, red, nice tan head that dies right back

Aroma stone fruit, almost model glue, after airing out, get roast malt, earth hops very slight

Mouth feel, moderate thickness, carb cleans up front.

Flavor pears and cherries, alcohol warmth very apparent, pleasant bitterness at end.  Malt and roast balance nicely in the background, providing good support for the yeast. 

Finishes fruit and direct bitterness.

Overall, beer of royalty, better than wine, very strong but tastes almost like a carbonated pear wine. Wouldn't suffer from more up front piny aroma flavor hop, but bitterness level is correct.  Malt profile is very good.  Could reduce ferm temp a tad, but that would be a challenge here, because top end is needed some.  Winner.  How to sustain head in big beers?

Batch 69 nut brown tasting notes

Cellar temp

Pours nice tan head that stays OK, clear brown with red/orange throughout, attractive.

Aroma biscuit malt with slight roast, spice hops with hint of earth.

Mouth feel pretty hefty, but carb level is good balance.

Flavor caramel and very slight roast.  Hop bitterness a bit much, not really nutty at all.

Finish, sweet with hop bitterness.  A bit too clingy.

Way too much caramel here, need to back off a lot.  Bump chocolate instead.  EKG not the right hop, northdown preferred here for proper spicy flavor aroma.  Back off IBUs to about 15.  Also, may need a refresh on the us-05, possibly getting dirty.  Check next batch with house us-05.  Try west Yorkshire yeast.

Batch 78 Stout

3 gallons 

4.5 lbs Warminster Maris otter
1 lb best malz dark Munich
8 oz Briess roast barley
8 oz flaked wheat
6 oz mfb car120
1/4 tsp soda

8 oz Briess roast barley steeped whole room temp 2 hours, added midway through lauter, restart lauter

SRM ~40

Mash 150 df 30 mins, 156 df 40 mins pH 5.2

OG into boil 1.045, 4.8 gals, 80% eff

Boil 2 hrs

120 mins 6.25 gr Columbus 15%aa 24 IBUs
30 mins 14 gr northdown 7.9%aa 20 IBUs
15 mins 7 gr east kent goldings 5.7% aa 5 IBUs
10 mins 50 gr lactose
10 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss

49 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.072.

Pitch at 66 df with wyeast 1469 in 1 qt starter, place at 70 df for primary.

Good activity at 8 hrs, 68 df.  At 18 hrs, up to 75 df with full krausen, move to 65 df.  At 32 hrs down to 70 df.  Hold between 70-72 for primary.  Rack to secondary 5/31, leave at 70 df.  

Bottle 6/13/14 with 65 gr table sugar, yield 360 oz, 2.4 vols co2.

FG 1.021, abv 6.7%.

Batch 77 Dubbel

For battle.

3 gallons

5.5 lbs wey boh pils
1 lb best malz dark Munich
6 oz mfb car120
4 oz best malz Vienna
4 oz mfb amber
2 oz ding choc
1/4 tsp cacl

SRM 18

Mash at 148 df 30 mins, 156 df 45 mins pH 5.0

OG into boil 1.059 at 4.2 gals (89% eff?)

Boil 90 mins

90 mins 2 gr Columbus 15%aa, 7 IBUs
30 mins 6 gr Amarillo 8.4%aa, 8 IBUs
5 mins 7 gr Amarillo 8.4%aa, 2 IBUs

17 IBUs

OG 1.079 out of boil, add 24 oz water to get to 1.073.  84% bhe.

Pitch with wlp500 at 65 df, 3/4 qt starter.  Put at 65 df to start primary.  Full krausen at 16 hrs, bump to 67 df.  At 30 hrs, bump to 69 df.  At 54 hrs, bump to 72 df.  At 64 hrs, bump to 74 df.  Gets up to 78 df for a day at day 5, then drop back to 72 df.

Rack to secondary 5/24, put at 70 df.

Bottle 6/7 with 60 gr table sugar, yield 356 oz, 2.2 vols co2.

Cleaning yeast

Ready to make the final pour.

Batch 76 Scottish 80

3 gallons

4.5 lbs TFS golden promise
4 oz mfb amber
3 oz dingemanns chocolate
1/4 tsp cacl

SRM 15

Mash 10 mins 140 df , 60 mins 156 df, pH 5.2

OG into boil 1.035, 4.75 gals (92% eff?)

Boil 105 mins

105 mins 3 gr Columbus 15%aa, 12 IBUs
30 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 1/2 oz northdown 7.9%aa, 14 IBUs

26 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.050, 3 gals, 84% bhe, add 12 oz water at pitch to get 1.049 OG

Abv est 4.6%

Pitch with US-05 in 1 qt starter at 63 df, move to basement at 63 df.  At 30 hours, full krausen, put wet towel to get to 60 df.

Move to 68 df for a day, then rack to secondary 5/17/14.  Back to basement with wet towel, 59 df for secondary.

Bottle 5/31 with 60 grams table sugar, yield 370 oz, 2.35 vols co2.

Batch 75 Vienna

3 gallons

3 lbs best malz Vienna
1.5 lbs TFS golden promise
12 oz wey boh pils
3 oz mfb car 120
1 oz best malz dark Munich
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 9

Mash 20 mins 140 df
40 mins 150 df
Fast lauter (20 mins)

OG into boil 1.037 (77% eff at 4.2 gals)

Let wort sit 6 hrs before boil

Boil 90 mins

90 mins 4 gr Columbus 15%aa, 16 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
15 mins 15 gr saaz 3%aa, 6 IBUs
5 min 14 gr northdown 7.9% aa, 6 IBUs

27 IBUs

OG out of boil 1.055, add 12 oz water to get to 1.053.  78% bhe.

Abv 5.2%.

Pitch the next day after chilling wort in chamber, at 53 df with w2633 in 1 qt starter, bump to 55 df.  Full krausen at 57df about 32 hours after pitch.  Bump chamber down to 51 df, primary at 55 df.

Rack to secondary 5/11, bump to 44 df.  5/17 move to 40 df.

Bottle 5/24 with 65 gr table sugar, yield 360 oz, 2.9 vols co2.

Thoughts for next brew

Do I need to take this weekend off?  Or do I try to mash early, then boil late Saturday?

I can make room in a carboy, although it will take some transferring to get done.

Do I have any compelling ideas for beer to make?

My nut brown is finally starting to dry out, and is pleasant to drink.  The stout is grotesquely sweet, maybe I should just pour it all out, it's not improving with age.  The porter is too sweet, but finally drying out to the point of being drinkable, at least.  The big problem with the porter and stout is the lack of a roasty edge on them, especially with the sweetness in each.  Cold-steeping carafa just doesn't cut it.  You need roast barley, and some needs to go in the mash.

Summer is coming, so these dark beers are not where you want to go, anyways.

Maybe I should be experimenting with lagers that run quickly.  I have chamber space now to run cold fermentations.  The issue is time, but if I work with smaller beers and the right yeast, I can cut the time way down, do smaller lager batches, turn them around in 3 weeks.

It would be nice to get a new vienna going, and try lagering it.  I need grain, though.  I have a sack ordered, but don't know when it will be showing up.  I suppose I could go buy a small sack of vienna.

OK, mind is made up, here we go.

Batch 66 Vienna tasting notes

Taste cold

Pours orange, slightly cloudy, moderate tan head, falls back quickly,

Aroma, fresh pears, fruity, slight vanilla malt

Mouth feel, some body, but not heavy

Flavor, sweet malt, but not overly sweet, fresh pears again, slight bitterness, no hops.

Finish, vanilla malt, slight bitterness, want more.

Overall, clearly an ale, should try with more hops and lagered.  Malt bill says Vienna, just a bit thicker and fruitier than I want.

Batch 74 Bohemian Pilsner

6 gallons

9.5 lbs weyermanns boh pils
21 oz gwm Vienna
8 oz best malz dark Munich
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 4

Mash 15 mins 130 df, 150 df 20 mins pH 5.0, 156 40 mins

Restart lauter at 3 gals.

OG into boil 1.060 (7 gals)

Boil 90 mins

90 1/2 oz Columbus 15%aa, 21 IBUs
60 mins 1/2 oz saaz 3.5%aa, 4 IBUs
30 mins 1/2 oz saaz 3.5%aa, 3 IBUs
1 tsp Irish moss 15 mins
5 mins 1 oz saaz 3.5%aa, 2 IBUs

30 IBUs

Og into fermenter 1.066, add 1 gallon to get to 1.056.  93% brew house efficiency.

Abv est 5.3%

Pitch with w2278 in 2 Qts starter, chilled to 48 df.  Chill wort to 52 df, pitch winds up at 56-8 df into chamber.  Move to 50 df.  

Next time, try pitching the next day after chilling wort in carboys overnight.

At 35 hours, full krausen.  At 60 hrs, foam over, transfer some to 3rd carboy.  Leave at 50 df.

Rack to secondary 5/5/14.  Turn down chamber to 49 df.  Turn down 2 df per day until 40 df (5/10/14). Turn down to 35 df 5/25/14.

Bottle 6/20, with 90 gr table sugar, yield 734 oz, 2.7 vols co2.

Using prechiller for the first time

Batch 65 SAB clone tasting notes

Taste cold

Pours cloudy, brown with red hues, big tan head stays, billows, laces well

Aroma tart, earthy pine, malt background

Mouth feel, chunky, too much carbonation.

Flavor bitter, chinooky but mostly bitter, sweetness is way too subdued, kind of too malty, not sweet.

Finish clinging, cloying, hop bitterness too high.  Carbonation not very refreshing.

Overall. WHAT HAPPENED?  Last 2 times this was delicious. Golden promise ruins this, need more protein rest, fresh yeast, watch hop additions, push more towards later additions.  Don't exceed 70 IBUs. Stout starter bad.  Watch priming sugar, 80 gr should be plenty.

Batch 73 American IPA

3 gallons

4 lbs wey boh pils

2.75 lbs munt mo

4 oz mfb car120

1/2 tsp gyp

SRM 10

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 148 df 20 mins pH 4.6, 154 df 40 mins

OG into boil 1.059 (4.2 gals)

Boil 90 mins

60 mins add 8 gr brewers gold 9%aa, 17 IBUs

Continuous from 60 to 30 mins, 18 gr northdown 7%aa, 26 IBUs

Continuous from 30 to 0 mins, 7 gr simcoe 11.7% aa and 7 gr Amarillo 8.4% aa, 16 IBUs

59 IBUs 

1.078 after boil, add 38 oz water to get to 1.070 at 3 gals, 79% BH eff

Pitch with S-04(h) in 1/2 qt starter, 78 df

Dry hop 14 gr Simcoe and 7 gr Amarillo

Move to 63 df.  Full krausen at 8 hrs, 70 df.  At 18 hrs, down to 65 df, going strong.  Primary at 65 df.

Rack to secondary 4/24/14, dry hop 7 gr simcoe, 1 gr Amarillo.  Move to 66 df. Toss out S-04 yeast cake.  Move to 63 df for 2 days before bottling.

Bottle 5/8/14 with 75 gr table sugar, yield 359 oz, 2.8 gals, 2.6 vols co2.

Up next

IPA, simcoe and amarillo.

Batch 72 Witbier

3 gallons

2 lbs weyermanns pils
1.25 lbs weyermanns boh pils
2.25 lbs flaked wheat
6 oz gwm Vienna
1/4 tsp cacl

SRM 4

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 148 df 60 mins, pH 4.8

4.25 gallon boil, Og into boil 1.043

Boil 90 mins
60 mins 3 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa, 9 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins spice mix:  2 gr dried bitter orange peel, 7 gr cracked toasted coriander, zest of 2 oranges
5 mins 5 gr sorachi ace 11.9% aa, 3 IBUs

12 IBUs

OG at end of boil 1.055, add 10 oz water to get 1.053 into fermenter

Pitch: Dry hop 6 gr sorachi ace 11.9%, w3942 in 1/2 qt starter @ 73 df, move to 72 df.  Runs up to 79 df in 8 hours (going like crazy), move to 68 df, back at 73 df at 16 hrs.  72 df at 28 hrs, move up to 72 df.

Rack to secondary 4/18/14, move to 66 df.

75% brewhouse efficiency

Bottle 5/2/14 with 90 gr table sugar boiled 5 mins with zest of 2 oranges, yield 30@12oz, 360 oz, 3.0 vols co2.

Abv 5.2%

Weekend ideas

Back to witbier, pile on the orange zest.  Summers a comin.

Stout yeast possibilities

Wyeast 1272 American II (slight tartness)

Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire (slight tartness, would also work nicely for nut brown)

Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale (Guinness, would work for porter, as well)

Batch 63 Stout Tasting Notes

Cellar Temp

Hefty dark tan/brown head, black opaque with red hues around edges.  Pours fairly clear, not cloudy.  Head stays, laces ok.

Aroma - Roast malt with malt backbone beneath.  Slight earth/spice hop freshness.  Hint of sour fruit.  Dirty dishrag hidden in there.

Mouth feel - Thick and sweet.  Clings to cheeks.  Carbonation about right, helps clean up cloying qualities.

Flavor - Roast malt without astringency, sweet in the middle, dishrag quality somehow (late glacier hops?), maybe soapy hop bitterness at end.

Overall, could add a little roast barley in mash to press on roast quality, halve the caramel, NO MORE GLACIER HOPS, no more hop additions after 30 mins, S-04 may not be your yeast, should shop for something more sour, use fresher grains, reduce flaked wheat considerably.  Could back off of carb level, but not much.

Batch 64 MOV smash tasting notes

Taste cold

Moderate size white head, even bubbles, clings, stays, laces nicely, nice golden amber color, pretty cloudy.

Aroma - cumin, spice, slightly sweet but earthy hops, bubblegum, corn.

Mouthfeel - Toothy but carb cleans it up nicely, almost too much carb.

Flavor - up front, nice blend of hops and malt, middle has a pleasant hop bitterness, a little soapy, malt sweetness rescues towards the end, along with carb cleanse.  Hops are understated, mild spice with earth notes, slight soapy bitterness that is odd.

Finish - Soapy, refreshing, cleansing, very mild hop bitterness that is the opposite of harsh.

Overall, vanguard not a keeper.  Very mild hop without character, a little soapy, not a great flavor (kind of spice and earth, but neither is great) or bitterness (soap).  Future MO smashes need to go 90 mins on boil.

Batch 61 APA tasting notes

This was originally a hop dump, clearing out odd hops from the freezer.

Taste cold

Pours nice orange amber, cloudy, generous tan head that laces, stays intact.

Aroma - citrus orange peel, slight malt undertone, slight sweet pine tar

Mouth feel - medium body, heavily carbed, gives impression of light body.  Not clingy at all.

Flavor - tar hops up front, sweet malt a little too subdued for the hops, dry impression.

Finish - Dry, clean feel, cleansing, almost mediciny.  Leaves noticeable hop bitterness that is not annoying.

Overall - Not bad for a hop dump, should add more character to the malt with more amber or munich. Carb is pretty good for this one.  Could use brighter hops at the end (I recall when it was younger, it was more fresh hop flavors, spice).  Fairly pleasant beverage, hard to ID where the tar comes from, suspect the challenger hops used for dry hopping at pitch, although northdowns in secondary could be the culprit.

Batch 71 Dubbel Wit

3 gallons

3 lbs weyermanns pils
2 lbs flaked wheat
1 lb best malz dark Munich
4 oz mfb caramel 120
4 oz gwm vienna
4 oz mfb kiln amber
2 oz dingemanns chocolate
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 18

Mash 10 mins @ 130df, 30 mins @ 144df, pH 5.0 30 mins @ 156df

TOG 1.046 at 4 gals

OG into boil 1.043

Boil 90 mins

45 mins 7 gr brewers gold 9.0%aa, 12 IBUs
30 mins 8 oz dark brown sugar, 8 oz white table sugar
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
20 mins 7 gr northdown 7.0%aa, 6 IBUs
Flameout 14 gr saaz 3.0%aa, 1 IBU

19 IBUs

OG 1.082, add 1 qt water to get to 1.075 into fermenter.  75% overall eff.

Pitch with reclaimed wlp500 in 2/3 qt starter at 65 df.  Leave at 65 df.  Full krausen at 16 hrs, up to 69 df.  At 28 hrs, 70 df, move upstairs.  Day 2, AM, at 72 df. Day 2, pm, move upstairs.  Day 3 am 74 df.  Move to 78 df day 4 pm.  

Rack to secondary 3/28, move to 66 df.

Abv est 7.7%

Bottle 4/11/14 with 100 gr table sugar, yield 30@12oz, 360 oz, 2.8 gals, 3.2 vols co2.

Batch 70 Robust Porter

3 gallons

3 lbs gwm Vienna
2.75 lbs muntons Maris otter
1 lb best malz dark Munich
8 oz mfb caramel 120
8 oz flaked wheat
4 oz dingemanns chocolate
4 oz carafa 1 steeped for 4 hours at room temp, tea added at first wort
1/4 tsp soda

SRM 30

Mash at 130 df 10 mins, 152 df 60 mins pH 5.0

OG into boil 1.056, 4.1 gals (78% mash eff)

Boil 90 mins

60 mins 7 gr brewers gold 9% 15 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 1 oz mt hood 5.5%  14 IBUs

OG 1.078 into fermenter, throw on cake from nut brown, us-05, at 66 df, leave at 65 df.  79% brewhouse eff.  Full krausen at 6 hrs.  Primary at 72 df.

Abv 7.4%

Rack to 2ndry 3/22/14, leave at 65 df.

Bottle 4/6/14 with 90 gr table sugar, yield 28@12oz, 336 oz, 2.6 gals, 3.2 vols co2.

Batch 62 fennel wit tasting notes

Drink cold.

Pours straw/yellow, big white head that drops back but hangs around edges, laces OK, big bubbles, lots  of carb rising in glass. Decent haze.

Smells fennel, moderate phenols.

Mouth feel, big carb, toothy but not thick, could back off carbonation, but mash temp is good.

Flavor, fennel that is muted/sweetened.  Some curry/phenol behind the fennel.  Pick up some hop bitterness and earth towards the end.  Malt character is very understated, beneath the fennel.  No rosemary. 

Finish, pepper warmth and hop bitterness, fennel lingers.

Overall, if you like black licorice, this is for you.  2 weeks ago, it was more subtle, but once it dried out, kapow.  Doubtful to try again.  Just not a go-to beer.  Maybe cut fennel in half, double rosemary, add coriander. 

Also, got notes from Brixies contest, just local judges, but my table had some experienced guys.  Avg score 28.6. Comments were bandaid (some debate over whether this was the spice or the yeast), over spiced, good base beer, fennel not my favorite, rosemary not present, medicinal, refreshing, dry finish.

Batch 59 Porter tasting notes

Cellar temp.

Pours huge head, way too much. 

Really nice deep red color, very clear, tan head that laces OK.

Aroma roast vanilla, nice floral accent.

Mouth feel very thick.  Very very thick.  Doesn't coat, heavy carb cleanses, too much.

Flavor is chocolate, sweet but not cloying, with a nice toasted malt accent that is not astringent.  Slight fresh hop floral taste, kind of earthy.

Finish, clean, but primarily from high carbonation, hop bittering in background, leaves a sweetness behind.  Not dry.

Overall, too much carbonation, but that helps with the heavy body.  Malt flavor profile is ideal, could mash at lower temp, and bump aroma hops.  Bittering is about right.  Almost stouty, but just shy.

Next weekend

Running low on porter.

Need tasting notes for last batch.

Note to self:  make porter tasting notes tonight.  As I recall, last batch was pretty good, not a lot of room for improvement.

I have brewers gold and mt hood hops in stock.

Batch 69 Nut Brown

3 gallons

3 lbs muntons Maris otter
1.75 lbs TFS golden promise
8 oz mfb caramel 120
4 oz flaked wheat
4 oz mfb kiln amber
2 oz dingemanns chocolate
No salts

SRM 19

Mash 10 mins 130, 60 mins 150, pH 5.2

TOG 1.035 into boil (assuming 78%)

OG into boil 1.043 at 4.75 gallons (94%? calcs don't account for break material, maybe 1/4 lb?, that come out of mash in sol'n but drop out before measurement into fermenter)

Boil 90 mins in new big boil pot

60 mins 7 gr brewers gold 9%aa, 15 IBUs

15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss

5 mins 1 oz east kent goldings 4.2%aa, 5 IBUs

20 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.056, pitch with reclaimed house US-05 in 3/4 qt starter at 70 df, move to 60 df.

Overall efficiency 78% (assuming 3 gallons, looks more like 3.2, which would be 83%.  Check final yield).

Abv est 5.3%

At 20 hours, 62df, nice foam top and blipping at 10 secs.  Primary runs at about 61 df.  Rack to secondary 3/15/14, move to 66 df.

Bottle 3/28 with 55 grams table sugar, yield 30 @12oz, 360 oz, 2.8 gals, 2.2 vols

New 30 qt boil kettle

For this coming weekend

Thinking of a nut brown again.  Revising my nut brown recipe, I notice it is nearly identical to homebrewtalk's Lil' Sparky's nut brown, that seems to be pretty popular. Mine doesn't include the oatmeal, mashes at a lower temp, and uses US-05 in place of Notty, but otherwise, it's spot on.

Maybe I'll throw in a little flaked wheat, in place of the oatmeal.

Funny how things converge.

Batch 60 dubbel tasting notes

Pours clear brown, orange and red very nice, small tan head that stays.

Smells of spice and tropical fruit.  Earthy, spicy hop aroma, yeasty alcohol.

Mouth feel, very full and chunky, carbonation cleans out cheeks.

Flavor, rich fruity cherry or pear, hint of roasted nuts and malt.  Yeast dominates here, very nice with the roast malt edge.

Finish, deep yeast fruits, brace of hop bitterness at very end.

Overall, too much carbonation.  Something up front that's harsh, hop bitterness?  Could tone down hop bitterness, turn it up at the end for more pine.  Could use more crystal flavor, could increase caramel by 1/2.  Reclaim on this yeast may not be feasible, see how quad comes out.

Batch 68 Pious Quad

3 gallons

Adapted from a recipe from saq on homebrewtalk, a 'westy 12 clone'

6.5 lbs weyermanns pils
8 oz German dark Munich
6 oz mfb caramel 120
4 oz mfb kiln amber
1 1/2 oz Belgian chocolate
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 18

Mash 10 mins 130, 60 mins 150 pH 5.0

TOG into boil 1.072

OG into boil 1.075 (78% eff)

Boil 90 mins
90 mins add 3/4 lb brown sugar, 1/4 lb table sugar
80 mins 1/2 oz tettnanger 3.9%aa, 12 IBUs (4-5 mo oldies from Jody's fridge)
30 mins 5 gr nugget 13.5%aa, 11 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 oz northdown, 7%aa, 10 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss

33 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.091

Abv est 9.3%

Don't filter wort into fermenter, just dump cold break and all, except filter funnel very end into next weeks starter jar.

Pitch with wlp500 in 1/2 qt starter at 70 df, move to 60 df.  At 8 hrs, 65 df, move to 65 df.  At 20 hrs, full krausen at 65 df, cover with blanket.  By 24 hours, up to 70 df, remove blanket.  By 28 hours, up to 72 df.  At 40 hours, 72 df, put blanket back on.

3/4/14 pm still at 72 df, move up to 72 df area.  3/5/14 am still at 72 df, put blanket on.  3/5/14 pm activity slowed a lot at 72 df, move to 78 df.  3/6/14 am showing 78 df, move to 72 df with blanket.

Rack to secondary 3/7/14, move to 65 df.

Bottle 3/22/14 with 95 gr table sugar.  Yield 28@12oz, 336 oz, 2.63 gals, 3.3 vols co2.

Batch 67 Marzen - First lager

6 gallon batch

6 lbs weyermanns pils

3 lbs German dark Munich
2 lbs gwm Vienna
4 oz mfb caramel 120
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 10

Mash 10 mins 130 df, 60 mins 150 df. Thick mash. pH 5.0

TOG into boil 1.078

Actual OG into boil 1.079

4 gallons into boil

Boil 90 mins
90 mins 7 gr glacier 5% aa, 3 IBUs
60 mins 14 gr nugget 13.5% aa, 16 IBUs
15 mins 11 gr hallertau mitt 4.1% aa, 2 IBUs
15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss

21 IBUs

Add 3 gallons cold water, OG 1.040. Too much by about 6 Qts, wanted 1.050 or so.  Never got close to target pitching temps, either.  Note for next time: get a bigger (6 gallon) kettle and pre-chill (ice bath) coil.

ABV est 4%. 

Pitch at 60 df with wyeast 2633 in 2 quart starter conditioned at 50 df.  Put in chamber at 50 df.  Takes about 24 hours to get back to low 50s.  Full krausen at about 40 hrs.  Primary at 50 df.

Krausen falls back to 1/2 inch, airlock at 10 secs, rack to secondary 3/2/14, leave at 50 df for 6 hrs, then turn chamber temp down to 48 df.

Bump down to 46 df 3/4/14, airlock around 45 seconds.  Bump down to 44 df 3/6/14, airlock about 1 min.  3/8/14 bump down to 42 df.  3/10/14 bump down to 40 df.  3/12/14 bump down to 38 df. 3/14/14 bump down to 36 df. 3/16/14 bump down to 34 df.

Bottle 4/24/14 with 92 gr table sugar, yield 574 oz, 4.5 gals, 2.95 vols co2.

Planning First Lager

OK, the stars are all lined up for a lager, time to launch.

Bought a Kelvinator ice cream freezer on E-bay for $50.  Bought a temp controller for same on E-bay for $17.  Wired and tested everything this week, chamber is holding a steady 50 df as I write.

Bought two 3 gallon glass carboys that fit (the 5s are too big, but I can fit 3@3 gallons if desired, but starting with 2 for now).

Bought Wyeast 2633 and have been building it up in two stages of starters since Tuesday.  I now have 2 quarts at about 55 df, ready to bring down to 50 df in my new chamber tonight.

Marzen ingredients are on hand: pils, munich, vienna, caramel 120, noble hops.
Planning to use my best recipe to date (done on US-05).  We'll see how the yeast changes the character of the beer.

Need to boil a big pot of water tonight and get it into the fridge, so I can add it for pitching tomorrow.  Planning a 4 gallon boil for 6 gallons of beer.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five....

Batch 66 Vienna

3 gallons

3 lbs gwm vienna
1.5 lbs TFS golden promise
1 lb weyermann pils
3 oz mfb caramel 120
1 oz German dark Munich
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 9

Mash 10 mins at 130
60 mins at 150 pH 5.0

TOG 1.054

OG into boil 1.055 (80% eff)

Boil 90 mins
80 mins 6 gr glacier 5.0%aa, 8 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
5 mins 14 gr northdown 7.0%aa, 5 IBUs

13 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.053

Abv est 5.0%

Pitch with us-05v in 1/3 qt starter at 72 df, move to 60 df. Full krausen at 20 hrs, 62 df.
Rack to secondary 2/21/14, move to 65 df.

Bottle 3/7/14 with 80 grams table sugar, yield 30@12oz, 360 oz.

Batch 58 Vienna tasting notes

Pours cloudy orange amber, bigger head than needed, light tan head, laces and stays ok.

Aroma - vanilla/caramel malt smell, with hints of spiced fruit.

Mouthfeel - somewhat toothy, but overcarbonated, taking away/interfering too much with body.  Could skip the 154 mash rest, but need less priming sugar, too.

Flavor - pleasant malt flavor, kind of 'scotchy' (could introduce some pils, reduce golden promise), munich doesn't really work here, could reduce caramel a touch.  Hop bitterness is too high, but aroma is missing and would help this balance better.

Finish - underlying hop bitterness comes through, malt finish is munich, slight fruity yeast at finish, but not enough to balance.

Overall - overcarbed so hard to tell what's going on, might be a good effort with 20% less priming sugar.

Batch 65 Stones Arrogant Bastard Clone

3 gallons

3.5 lbs muntons Maris otter
3.5 lbs tf&s golden promise (whoops, meant to use pils)
10 oz  mfb caramel 120
1/2 tsp gyp
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 16

Mash 10 mins 130df
60 mins 150 df pH 4.8, add 1/8 tsp soda

Throw into kettle 1 pint of stout wort, saved for starter (add a SRM or two)

OG 1.077 into boil (81% eff)

Boil 90 mins
90 mins 1/2 oz Chinook 12.1% aa - boilover again, fooooock.  10 min cleanup. 35 IBUs
45 mins 1/2 oz Chinook 12.1% aa 30 ibus
15 mins 1/2 oz Chinook 12.1% aa 16 ibus
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
1/2 oz Chinook 12.1% aa at flameout

81 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.076

Abv est 7.2%

Pitch on S-04 trub from Batch 64 primary at 72 df, move to 65 df, full krausen in 3 hrs.  Primary runs at 70 for about 2 days, then slows way down.

Rack to secondary 2/14/14, leave at 65 df.

Bottle 2/27/14 with 100 gr table sugar.  Yield 28@12 oz with 4 oz sample, 340 oz.

Batch 64 Maris Otter/Vanguard SMaSH

3 gallon batch

5.5 lbs Muntons Maris Otter
1/2 tsp CaCl

SRM 5

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 153 df 60 mins, pH 4.8
Add 1/16 tsp soda, pH to 5.2

TOG 1.056

OG 1.058 into boil (83% eff)

Boil 60 mins
60 mins 1/2 oz Vanguard 4.8% 15 IBUs. (Boil over, shiiiiiit, 15 min pause for cleanup)

15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss

15 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.056 (80% overall eff). Note, added some water at chiller stage to make up for boil over loss.

Pitch with S-04 in 1/2 qt starter, dry hop with 1/2 oz Vanguard at 4.8%, 72 df, move to 68 df for primary.  Full krausen at 6 hrs, primary running at 70 df.

Abv est 5.3%.

Rack to secondary 2/8/14, leave at 65 df.  Bottle 2/21/14 with 100 gr table sugar.  Smells like butterscotch, tastes like corn tortillas, dms.  Yield 370 oz, 19@12oz, 6@22oz, generous sample.

Batch 57 sweet cascade tasting notes

Pours brown with orange hues, big light tan head, cloudy/translucent.  Head stays/laces.

Smells like hops, grassy/piney/earthy, slight sweet malt behind

Mouth feel, thick.  Carbonation doesn't clean it up well.

Tastes like hop bitterness first, then a touch of pine/earth.  Sweetness underlies, but no escaping the plain bitterness. 

Finishes just plain bitter.  Don't really want more.

Overall, nothing like Stone's arrogant bastard, even though recipe is similar except the hop type.  The Chinook makes that much difference.  I did use more of the cascades, but the aa% is lower, or it should be.  Is it Roger's cascades, or cascades in general?  I think it's a combo, but I used store cascades at flameout, when the hop character should shine, and I'm getting nothing compared to the Chinooks.

Don't try this again.  Failed experiment.  Kinda buzzed, though.

Whoops on the pils

So, I've been working away on my sack of Weyermann's pilsner thinking it was their bohemian pilsner.  Wrong.  It is a sack of their base german pils.

I spotted a sack of the bohemian variety at Chicago Brew Werks in Plainfield when I was there a couple weeks ago, and realized the labeling for the bohemian says 'bohemian'.  The one I got just says 'pilsner'.

Oh well, still making pretty good beer.  Another 30 lbs to go or so, then I'll replenish with the originally intended bohemian pils, which won my SMaSH base malt taste test last year in the pils category.

Doh.  Slap on the (big) forehead.

Ideas for next weekend's brew

Spring is coming.  What will you want to drink on March 1?

Stone's Arrogant Bastard clone.  Hoppy, yet robust.

Yessss.

Back to the tried and true recipe:  7.2 abv, 9% caramel 120, 2 oz of chinook.  Go back and check notes on the base malt, I think half Maris Otter and half pils.

Or are we ready for a hop experiment?  We have the Vanguards here, maybe smash out with Maris Otter?  Hmmm.  Decisions decisions.

Well, I have a hoppy beer in secondary, so maybe I wait on the SAB clone for a week.  OK.

Batch 56 nut brown tasting notes

Pours brown, small tan head that lingers.  A little hazy. Laces OK.

Aroma, sweet malt, nuts, light freshness of spice.

Mouth feel, very slight cling cleared by carbonation fast.

Flavor, complexity here, hazelnut, malt, sweet, slight hop bitterness without real hop character (maybe spice). 

Finishes sweet, but clean with nut impression.  Pretty well balanced on malt side, maybe less crystal, more choc, but only slight change.  Could use a little more late hops, but stick with goldings.  Could reduce carbonation, but watch mash pH for better head.

Batch 63 Sweet Stout

3 gallon batch

Soak the following in 1/2 gallon cold water overnight in the fridge, whole not ground:
4-5/8 oz UK roast barley
5-1/8 oz Belgian debittered black
4 oz Belgian chocolate
Catch grist in strainer, add tea at beginning of boil
Cleaning out inventory of old roasted grains

Mash
3 lbs 13-5/8 oz Muntons Maris Otter (empty out sack)
1 lb dark german Munich
1 lb flaked wheat
12 oz mfb caramel 120
4 oz Belgian chocolate
1/8 tsp soda
1/4 tsp cacl

Mash at 150 df 30 mins pH 5.0
155 df 30 mins

TOG 1.060 into boil with roast tea

SRM (with tea) est 70

OG into boil (with tea) 1.057 (final runnings pot 1.034)

Boil 60 mins
60 mins 7 gr nugget 13.5% 20 IBUs
20 mins 14 gr glacier 5.0% 9 IBUs
15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss
10 mins 100 gr lactose

30 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.062

Pitch with S-04 in 1/2 qt starter at 72 df, move to 60 df for primary.  2 days at 60, 4 at 63 df.

Rack to secondary 1/31/14, leave at 63 df.

FG 1.022 out of secondary.

Abv est 5.2%

Bottle 2/14/14 with 110 gr table sugar.  Yield 31@12oz, 372 oz.

Dark grains steeping cold

recipe ideas for this weekend

OK, almost out of stout, need to refresh the yeast, and re-stock for drinking purposes.  Especially this time of year.

Tasting notes show we need to add munich, bump up the lactose and caramel, try steeping the roast barley ahead of time, maybe only use chocolate in the mash for roast character.  Want to mash at higher temp and add a decent amount of flaked wheat for more body.

Earthy hops are appropriate.  Maybe try the glaciers that you just bought for aroma, on top of nugget for bittering.  Better go check your last recipe in the book.

Batch 54 Tripel tasting notes

Side by side with Chimay White Cinq Cents Tripel

Pours slightly hazy gold, big white even head, identical.

Aroma: original a little boozy, slight perfume, mine more malty, yeast. Very close.

Mouth feel: original a tad more toothy, but carb is identical, mouth feel very similar.

Flavor: mine has a little more malt bite, otherwise yeast dominant flavor, slight hop edge near the end.

Finish: almost identical, slight hop edge cleans palate nicely.  Original is more hoppy/aromatic/fragrant to finish on big gulp.

Overall: Wow, very good try, could back off on Munich a little, find a more perfumy hop for later in the boil, maybe add 5 IBUs at 15 mins with something piney like Simcoe, raise mash temp 1 or 2 df.

Pretty buzzed after this tasting!

Batch 62 Savory Witbier

3 gallon batch

3 lbs weyermanns german pils
2.5 lbs flaked wheat
12 oz gwm Vienna
1/4 tsp cacl

SRM 4

TOG 1.056

Mash 15 mins at 130 df
45 mins 148 df pH 5.2+
15 mins 154 df

OG into boil 1.054 (72% eff, not counting about 1 gallon final runnings at 1.025)

Boil 75 mins

60 mins 7 gr German hallertau 4.1%  7 IBUs

15 mins 1/2 tsp Irish moss

15 mins 7 gr German hallertau 4.1% 3 IBUs

10 mins spice mix: 1 tsp fennel, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/4 tsp black peppercorns, all crushed together

10 IBUs (not counting spices)

OG 1.056 into fermenter (75% eff after adding boiled final runnings at chiller)

Pitch with reclaimed wyeast 3944 in 2/3 qt starter at 72 df, put at 68 df for primary with blanket.  Full krausen at 8 hours.  Primary runs at 70 df.

Abv 5.5% (est)

Rack to secondary 1/24/14, move to 67 df.  Secondary around 65 df.

Bottle 2/7/14 with 111 gr table sugar.  Yield 30 @ 12 oz plus big sample, 370 oz total.  Sample is tasty, clean, licorice, sweet.

Batch 53 wit tasting notes

Tasted cold

Pours solid head, nice yellow gold color, slight haze, big white head that stays.

Aroma: orangy coriander, lemon?  Light vanilla malt.

Mouth feel:  very light and refreshing. 

Flavor:  starts orange fruit/coriander, some vanilla malt in the middle, finishes phenolic spice.  Not at all bitter.

Overall: coriander dominates this one, phenolics a little heavy, try with less coriander and more sweet orange peel, double at priming.  Also, ferment at higher temps, try to get more esters from this yeast.

Batch 49 sweet stout tasting notes

Cellar temp

Pours: big head, black with brown hues, opaque with brown at the edges, big light tan head

Aroma: light roast malt with earth hops, tart yeast.

Mouth feel: pretty full body, but big carbonation smooths it out some.  Thick, but not chunky.

Flavor: starts almost clean, then espresso, then earthy hops at the end.  Not sweet enough to offset the roast bitterness. 

Overall, seems like  dry stout, overcarbed.  Needs to back off of the roast, bump up the lactose and caramel.  Try wheat instead of oatmeal.  Could also use more malt character, Munich or Vienna.  Say SRM 50, 30 IBUs OK, try steeping half of the roast barley ahead of mash.

Next weekend

Almost out of Witbier.  Have another go at it.

Lets try different spices, fennel and pepper.  I think we'll want different hops, not soriachi ace like with orange and coriander.

Go back to basics,  Hallertau.  Look for the good stuff.

Look for ideas on fennel quantities in saison recipes.  Go easy on the pepper - black pepper corns, cracked, at the end of the boil.

Fennel, the best I can find is a crushed tsp in a 5 gallon batch, near end of boil.