Batch 113 Pious Quad

4.5 gallons

9.75 lbs Avangard Pils
12 oz best malz dark munich
9 oz MFB caramel 120
6 oz MFB kiln amber
2 oz weyermanns choc wheat

SRM 17

Mash 150 df for 30 mins, 154 for 40 mins

Boil 80 mins
60 mins 4 gr warrior 16.95%aa, 8 IBUs
60 mins 1.5 gr sorachi ace 11%aa, 2 IBUs
40 mins 12 oz white table sugar, 6 oz brown sugar
20 mins 1 oz centennials, 9%aa, 18 IBUs
5 mins 3/4 tsp irish moss

28 IBUs

OG est 1.083, not measured

Pitch with 1 packet of w1214 3 hours into starter, at 65 df, put in 65 df chamber.  Seems under pitched. No activity in 24 hours, bump to 69 df, get good activity at 36 hours.  Bump up 2 df per day to get to 75 df.

Bottle 6/24 with 90 gr table sugar, 2.2 vols co2, yield 528 oz.

Batch 108 Saison Tasting Notes

Cellar temp

Pours clear gold color, healthy light tan head that drops back, some big bubbles

Aroma thick malt with esters, wet hay behind, slight brightness

Mouthfeel crisp and dry, some body noticeable, but pretty clean

Flavor, big pleasant malt upfront, subtle yeast phenolics and esters blended nicely, solid balanced  bitterness, very subtle earthy barny at the end.

Finish clean with hop bitterness, pretty crisp.

Overall, very good beer.  OYL500 is morphing a bit, more into a belgian than a saison yeast.  Still, good for another use in this application: delicious stuff.

Batch 102 Schwartzbier tasting notes

Cold

Pours opaque black, orange brown at edges, very clear, nice manageable tan head that drops back, stays around rim

Aroma roast malt, balanced off curry/spicy hops

Mouthfeel light roast malt coating, but light body and cleans up well

Flavor roast bitterness without astringency, hop bitterness meets it for nice balance, not really malty at all.

Finish, clears with roast note, then hop bitterness lingers beyond.

Overall, best roasty beer yet, flavorful yet refreshing, could bring forward malt flavor and drop back on dark malt.  Could increase sweetness, but hop level correct.

Batch 112 wit

3 gallons

3.5 lbs avangard pils German
2.25 lbs flaked wheat
6 oz best malz vienna
1/2 tsp cacl

SRM 4

Mash 130 df 10 mins, 148 df 30 mins, 154df 40 mins

Boil 75 mins
60 mins 3 gr sorachi ace 11.9%aa, 8 ibus
10 mins 1/2 oz hallertau mittelfruh 3.2%aa, 4 IBUs
10 mins 8 gr crushed toasted coriander

12 IBUs

Og into fermenter 1.052 @ 3.2 gallons, 74% bhe

Pitch with fresh pack of w3944 sitting in starter wort 2 weeks, start primary at 65 df.  Rack to secondary 5/29, move to chamber and step up 2 df per day until 75 df.

Bottle 6/12 with 80 gr table sugar, 2.9 vols co2, yield 350 oz.

Batch 105 Tripel tasting notes

Cellar temp

Pours clear golden, substantial white head that stays, laces better than grandma.

Aroma fruity fruit, apples on bananas, nice malt base, hops lend the tartness to the apple/pear aroma, slight earthy hop edge.  Almost liqueur.

Mouthfeel thicker than it looks, full feel upfront that cleans up rapidly, crisp finishing

Flavor nice sweet yeasty flavor with banana bias, hop/malt balance in background works well, can tell it is strong, but not boozy.

Finishes surprisingly pleasant and crisp without coating or cloying, definitely want more, some heat at the back.

Overall, another winner with the w1214, could bias the fermentation a little cooler to control the esters and bring out more phenolics.

Batch 103 nut brown tasting notes

Cellar temp

Pours nice clear orange amber, ample light tan head that falls back slowly, billowy, lace-o-rama.

Aroma heavy spice like cumin, light earth tones, big sweet malt

Mouth feel nice tooth, big carb, cleans up moderately, some cling

Flavor spice jumps up front, cumin/malt blend is in front, nice malt backbone, earthy hops at the end

Finish, sweet malt gets cleared by carb, leaving dirt flavor, sweet impression

Overall, very nice interpretation here, not really nutty, but pleasant.  Could drop the Cara120 by an ounce or two, cut the Willamette with mt hoods.  IBUs are OK, could bump a tad, but not more than 10%.  Yeast character is neutral, works here with spicy hops.