Batch 17 - Sionnach Rua Irish Red

6.0 lb Pale LME
0.60 lb Paul's British Crystal 50L
0.25 lb Briess Crystal 10L
0.25 lb Paul's Roasted Barley

1.5 oz Golding 4.5% - 60 minutes
0.5 oz Golding 4.5% - 15 minutes
1 tsp Irish Moss - 15 minutes

Pitch with Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale (smackpack)

OG: 1.054
FG: 1.012
ABV:5.51%

Competition Notes:
Bluebonnet Brew-off (2009)
Category: 11 Scottish and Irish Ale - first round 41.8/50 second round 29/50
Got high marks in the first round, not sure why the big drop off
Category: 42 New Entrants - first round 32 - didn't make second round cut
Overall Notes: Might be a little too hoppy - could use more roasted barley to pop up the color, the first round judges thought it was excellent, but the overall feel of the second round was that the caramel notes were too low, and that it was slightly undercarbonated. Also some haze and weak head noted - hopefully would improve with aging.

Celtic Brew-off (2009)
Category: 9D Irish Red Ale - first round 41/50
Overall Notes: Clean, nice style, good color, good use of hops.

Batch 16 - Simple Shamrock Irish Stout

Tried to get a fairly straightforward Irish Stout recipe going. Here goes:

0.75 lb Paul's Roasted Barley
0.75 lb Paul's Black Patent Malt
1.0 lb Briess Crystal 40L
8.25 lb Pale LME

1.0 ounce Northern Brewer Hops (45 min)

Pitch with Wyeast Irish Ale #1084 (smack pack)

OG: 1.0728
FG: 1.020
ABV: 6.93%
Foreign Extra Stout

Competition Notes:
Bluebonnet Brew-off (2009)
Category: 21 Strong Stout - first round 34/50, second round 31/50
Generally determined to be a good beer but not a Foreign Export Stout in flavor
Category: 42 New Entrants - first round 40.5/50, second round 25.5/50
Judged more as a sweet stout
Overall Notes: Low Hop aroma, some roasty aroma, probably could use more roastiness in the aroma somehow. Color and appearance perfect generally across board -clear, dark, ruby highlights. Sweet and mild chocolate flavor, not assertively roasty - Caramel, Toasty, Dark Fruit, Earthy Hop Flavor is mild, with Dried Fruit esters. Generally recommended that the recipe be entered as a sweet stout, or beefed up in roastiness and alcohol for a Foreign Extra Stout.

Batch 15 - Dead of Winter Porter

December (and one of the first cold days in a while) is time to brew a delicious brown porter.

Here goes:

7.5 lb Dark LME
0.50 lb Paul's Black Patent Malt
0.50 lb Dingmann's Chocolate Malt


1.00 oz GR. Pearle [9.30 %] (45 min)

Wyeast 1028 Smackpack London Ale yeast

OG: 1.072
FG: 1.014
ABV: 7.6125%

Batch 14 - Not Plain Vanilla Cream Ale

So as a companion to the Christmas Beer.... Here's an American Cream Ale with vanilla added.


0.5 lb Briess Dextrin Carapils (30 min @ 155)

4.0 lb Pale LME
1 cup corn sugar (for Alc. w/o body)
1.0 oz. Willamette (4.6%) (60 min)

3.5 tbsp Vanilla Extract (15 min)

1.0 oz. American Hallertauer (3.6%) (5 min)

Wyeast American Ale smackpack #1056

OG: 1.035
FG: 1.008
ABV: 3.54%

*Note: This recipe is HORRIBLE.... maybe reduce to 0.5 tsp of Vanilla (or get rid of it altogether) and it may be OK.

Batch 13 - St. Nick's Secret Spiced Ale

OK I love Christmas and winter seasonal beers. They are probably my favorite beers of a seasonal variety overall (I know, Oktoberfest lovers - I am a blasphemist). Something about the spices and everything make me really enjoy them whether overly spicy, or with juniper or whatever. Here's my first take at a Christmas Celebration Ale.

1 lb Briess Dextrin Carapils
1 lb Briess Crystal 60L
0.12 lb Paul's Black Patent Malt
Steep 30 min at 150 degrees.

6.6 lb Amber LME (60 min)

Remove from heat to stir in honey. Bring to boil and add Cascade Hops.
1.5 lb Wildflower Honey (45 min)
2.0 oz. Cascade 6.3% (45 min)

1.0 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)

0.12 oz Sweet Orange Peel (10 min)
2.0 tsp Cinnamon (powdered) (10 min)
1.5 tsp Cloves (ground) (10 min)
0.25 tsp Ginger (powdered) (10 min)
0.25 tsp Allspice (powdered) (10 min)
3.0 tsp Vanilla Extract (10 min)

1.0 oz. German Hallertauer 3.7% (5 min)

London Ale Yeast (Wyeast SmackPack #1028)

OG: 1.066
FG: 1.011
ABV: 7.22%

Batch 12 - Wee Beastye Wee Heavye

Oh what a beastye.

Grains:
1.0 lb Weyermann's Light Munich Malt
0.05 lb Simpson's Peated Malt
0.25 lb Dingman's Special B
0.25 lb H Baird Carastan
0.25 lb Briess Crystal 120L
0.13 lb Dingman's Biscuit Malt
0.25 lb Paul's Roasted Barley

Steep 45 min at 150-160 degrees.

12 lb Pale LME

Boil for 1 hour before hopping.

Hops:
1 oz Nugget (alpha 12.8%) - 60 min
0.5 oz Willamette (alpha 4.6%) - 60 min
0.5 oz Willamette (alpha 4.6%) - 20 min

Boiled 3.5 gallons. Top off to 5 gallon batch.

Pitch with:
Wyeast Labs #1728 Scottish Ale (I like the smack packs)

OG: 1.090
Bottled 11/3/2008
Bottled 20 bombers, 11 regular bottles.

FG: 1.022
estimated ABV: 8.925%

Bam.

Batch 11 - Texas Firewater Hand-Picked Jalapeno Pale Ale

We have a jalapeno plant in the back yard that produced several more jalapenos than we could possibly use in cooking and recipes, so I decided to try to throw a couple into a basic pale ale. I used a very small one in the boil - one that had already ripened to a bright red color. The plan is to use a slightly larger roasted one in the fermenter after primary fermentation is complete. Hopefully it won't be TOO hot, and will just leave a small bite after the refreshment. Sure - this is a novelty beer, but it could be fun, so I'll post how it goes.

0.5 lb Briess Carapils
0.5 lb Briess Crystal 60L

Steep grains 30 min

6.6 lb Pale LME
1 oz. Chinook (alpha 12.0%) - 60 minutes
1 small (1.5 inch) jalapeno, washed and quartered - seeds included - 60 minutes
1 oz. Cascade (alpha 6.3%) - 15 minutes
1 oz. Cascade (alpha 6.3%) - 5 minutes

Pitch with LeSaffre Safale US - 05 dry yeast (rehydrated)

OG: 1.059

After 1 week in fermenter, roast a second jalapeno (1-2 inches) on grill until tender. Split and add (seeds included) to fermenter. Let rest for 5 more days.

Bottled 11/7/2008
40 bottles - a little light on the production, but heavier on the ABV.
FG: 1.010
ABV: 6.43%

You can taste the jalapeno, which I didn't think you would be able to, but it does not taste bad - and there's only a mild heat to it. Enjoy!

Batch 10 - Honey Nut Bear Brown

6 lbs. Amber LME
0.5 lb Briess Crystal 10L
0.12 lb Paul's Black Patent Malt
0.13 lb Paul's Chocolate Malt

2 lbs Wildflower Honey

1 oz Willamette Hops
1 tsp Irish Moss

Wyeast 1028 London Ale Smackpack

Don't boil honey - add in last 5 minutes of boil. Steep grains at 150 for 30 minutes. Boil for 1 hour.

OG - approx 1.071 - adjusted for top-off - not entirely sure...
Adjusted OG: 1.0426
Bottled: 10/13/2008
FG - 1.011
ABV estimate - 4.1475%
48 bottles and a splash extra :)

Batch 9 - Biggie Dawg Dunkelweizen

Brew Day: 8/17/2008

.38 lb Weyermann's Caramunich II
.12 lb Gambrinus Honey Malt
.25 lb Dingman's Cara-Vienne
8.25 lb Wheat LME
1 oz GR Hallertau Hops - 3.7% alpha (60 min)
White Labs WLP380 Hefeweizen IV

Steep grains on way up to 150 - hold for 30 minutes
Bring to boil, add extract - boil w/ hops 60 minutes
Chill, pitch.

OG 1.080 - seems a bit high for a dunkelweizen... next time need to cut the LME perhaps? Will see with the FG...
Bottled: 9/10/2008
FG - 1.022 FG

ABV - 3.625%

now comes the wait

Batch 8 - IPA IPA

OK so it is a late post:

Brew Day:
7/27/2008

Brewed low with about 3 gallons water after marking fill line on carboy

1 lb Crystal 40
1 lb Pale 2 Row Malt
9 lb Amber Liquid Malt Extract
2 oz Cascade Hops (60 min)
1 oz Amarillo Gold (15 min)
1 oz Cascade Hops (3 min)

Filled to 5 gallons

Pitch with Wyeast London Ale (1028) at 74 degrees.
OG: 1.060

Bottling Day:
8/13/2008
FG: 1.018
ABV: 5.51%
Yield: 45 bottles