Batch 203 Cream Ale

5 gallons

8 lbs Cargill special 2 row

4 oz mfb Cara 120

1/4 tsp gypsum

SRM 8

Mash 30 mins 146 df, 35 mins 156 df

Boil 60 mins

60 mins 7 gr Chinook 12.8%aa, 13 IBUs 

30 mins 1 oz homegrown centennials, 5 IBUs 

5 mins 1/2 oz Mt hood at 5.8%aa, 2 IBUs 

OG into fermenter 1.052, 85% bhe

Pitch at 65 df with s-04 in 2/3 at starter, leave at 65 df, runs up to 68 df.  Dry hop with 1/2 oz Chinook 4/10.  Leave at 65 df.  Rack to keg 4/18, leave at 38 df on 12 psi.

Batch 201 Saison Tasting Notes

Pours bright gold, even generous white head that laces nicely

Aroma dirty ripe pears

Mouthfeel moderate body, dry

Flavor pear nectar with a hint of horseblanket, nice bitterness in back

Finishes dry

Overall durn good.

Batch 202 Marzen

5 gallons

8.25 lbs best malz dark munich

0.75 lbs dingemanns special pils

No salts

SRM 10

Mash 144 df 10 mins, pull 1/4 for decoction, 40 mins at 154 df, pull 1/4 for decoction, mash out

Boil 90 mins

60 mins 5 gr Columbus @15.8 %aa, 12 IBUs

15 mins 1 tsp Irish moss 

15 mins 1/2 oz Mt hood at 5.8%aa, 6 IBUs

OG into fermenter 1.054, 83% bhe

Pitch with 1 pkg wyeast 2633 in 3/4 qt starter at 65 df, leave at 55 df. Move to 61 df on 3/3 am for rest.  Back to 55 df on 3/6 pm.  Drop 5 df per day, lager at 45 df starting 3/8.

Batch 200 Tripel Tasting Notes

Cellar temp

Pours clear deep gold white head with big bubbles that holds for a bit, light lacing

Aroma ripe bananas, curry, bubblegum

Mouthfeel moderate body, sweet but not clingy, cleans up well

Flavor bubblegum forward, sweet tropical fruit that leans estery, some nice spice notes

Finishes sweet with slight hop bite at the end, carb cleans up nicely, want more

Overall a little heavy on the esters, but could probably pass for Chimay white.  Fine example.

PS note after having a Chimay red a couple weeks later:  This tripel is more bitter than the Chimay.

Batch 199 Amber lager tasting notes

Cold from tap

Pours brown, hazy, transparent, very light tan fine head that stays at the edge, laces

Aroma malt forward with bright yeast fruit, subtle roast blended with spicy hops beneath

Mouthfeel light body, clean carbonation, a bit of roasty bitterness

Flavor roast forward, dominates otherwise almost dish-raggy (fruity) pils, roasty sweetness at end

Finishes with roasty edge and some malt bitterness, malt sweetness helps here

Overall this is just an odd combination here, the roasty sweetness is interesting, but the dishrag in the middle is hard to identify and off-putting.  Probably just the yeast that doesn't blend well with the roastiness.  Hops match up ok, all else considered.

Note from late March: tastes like whiskey, but a fruity beer with whiskey flavor. 

Batch 198 NEB tasting notes

Cold from tap

Pours clear, brown with orange hues, fine light tan head that drops back to the edge, laces nicely

Aroma dark roast coffee/choc, sweet caramel

Mouthfeel moderate body, coats, fairly clean at end with slight cloy

Flavor complex, roast dominant, ripe fruity underneath, mild bite at finish

Finish slight coating, hops bite but don't quite clean it up, slight astringent roastiness on back of tongue

Overall more roasty than expected, a bit dry, could use more esters (ferment a bit warmer), less roasted malt.  Otherwise bump hops and call it porter. 

Batch 197 Pilsner tasting notes

Cold from tap

Bright golden, tall fine white head that stays, laces

Aroma of fresh ripe tart apples

Mouthfeel moderate body cleans up quickly

Flavor is so melded nothing stands out, seems almost like fruit juice, except for bitterness and spice at the end.  Slight metallic.

Finishes bitter in the back, no cloy or cling.

Overall just a very good beer.