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

Plan for the Staples

So, while there are several unique beers I would like to make throughout the year, I am formulating a plan to brew a particular batch each month as staples to have around for general consumption, leaving my second fermenter to hold some higher alcohol beers (not for daily use) or specialty beers that I might experiment with. This is subject to change, but here's what I am going to look at trying over the next year or so.

July - India Pale Ale
August - Dunkelweizen
September - Nut Brown Ale
October - Scottish Heavy
November - Holiday/Celebration Ale
December - Porter
January - Irish Stout
February - Irish Red
March - Mild or Honey Brown
April - Kolsch
May - Belgian Wit
June - Pale Ale

Additionals to be thrown in there where I can: Tripel, Cherry Beer, Strong Ale/Old Ale

Batch 7 - III Tripel

OK so at Meredith's suggestion made a Tripel today - Took this recipe as a start and made a few substitutions/changes.

4 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
4 oz Carafoam
10.666 lb Pale Malt Extract Liquid
4 oz Malto Dextrin
1 lb Belgian Candi Sugar (brown, not clear)
1.5 oz Styrian Goldings hops (60 min)
0.5 oz Styrian Goldings hops (15 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)

Wyeast 3787 Trappist Slap Pack

Wow, that's a lot of LME - I put a bit too much water in to start, and as a result had a whole MESS of boilovers. Oh well, after about 45 minutes it finally settled down - I need to remember that LME adds liquid. Well I am an idiot, but it seemed to turn out OK.

OG: 1.080 (10.5% potential abv)
Brew Day: 6/22/2008

Bottled: 7/21/2008
Bottled at FG 1.020
ABV - 7.875%

Wort tastes good - caramel deliciousness. A little lower alcohol than I'd have thought...

ONWARD!!!