Note: I am no longer writing a blog. I am only providing observations and data records of my homebrew batches. I am exploring a variety of ingredients, brew waters, yeasts and temperatures (as found in recipes found in the books by Drew Beechum and Randy Mosher). I will be analyzing taste and possible improvements I can make to the next batch. I may make some yeast reviews here. Authors Nick Moyle and Richard Hood, in their recent book, Brew It Yourself: Make Your Own Wine, Beer, Hard Cider & Other Concoctions state that taste is subjective where what I like to drink may be what another person doesn't like to drink. Check out the foreword in their book where they spell out their manifesto - I really believe that. Draw your own conclusions...
Dry Festbier - Brewed 6-21-16
Goal: Brew a dry beer as illustrated by Randy Mosher - 3 quarts brew water for 1 pound of malt (small batch)
Real Objective: See how dry/alcoholic the batch turns out
Malt: American Pale Ale, Light Munich and Carapils totaling 2 lbs (some of the American Pale Ale in the receipt above used in my gruit recipe)
Brew Water: Started with Lansing Water (pH 9.1), used RO water to dilute it further. pH was measured at 5.3 after adding minerals.
Mash: 2 hours rest at 145 degrees F
Mash Out: 169 degrees for 10 minutes
Hops: YCH Hops Cluster (bittering at beginning of 60 minute boil) and German Perle (15 minutes to end of the boil)
Yeast: 1/2 package leftover of Safale K-97
Failure: During sparging/lautering phase added too much brew water back in and ended up with too much water for the boil. Won't be able to see how dry or alcoholic it could have been.
Fermented: 61 F, 2 gallon barrel Mr. Beer fermenter has spigot gives me better control to get it into the bottles than the siphon and hose allowing beer to go down the drain.
Bottled 6-30-16 (9 days)
Conditioned: On work bench of basement, 1 day 64 degrees F
Lagering: In mini-fridge on 7-1-16, warmest setting 46 degrees for 4 days, will dial down 1 notch on the refrigerator every 2 days afterwards until I get it to 32 F for 4 weeks. Can't wait to taste a few bottles at this time. Remainder of bottles will go 5 weeks before drinking and the final 2 bottles will go 6 weeks to see if there is a difference.
Dry Festbier - Brewed 6-21-16
Goal: Brew a dry beer as illustrated by Randy Mosher - 3 quarts brew water for 1 pound of malt (small batch)
Real Objective: See how dry/alcoholic the batch turns out
Malt: American Pale Ale, Light Munich and Carapils totaling 2 lbs (some of the American Pale Ale in the receipt above used in my gruit recipe)
Brew Water: Started with Lansing Water (pH 9.1), used RO water to dilute it further. pH was measured at 5.3 after adding minerals.
Mash: 2 hours rest at 145 degrees F
Mash Out: 169 degrees for 10 minutes
Hops: YCH Hops Cluster (bittering at beginning of 60 minute boil) and German Perle (15 minutes to end of the boil)
Yeast: 1/2 package leftover of Safale K-97
Failure: During sparging/lautering phase added too much brew water back in and ended up with too much water for the boil. Won't be able to see how dry or alcoholic it could have been.
Fermented: 61 F, 2 gallon barrel Mr. Beer fermenter has spigot gives me better control to get it into the bottles than the siphon and hose allowing beer to go down the drain.
Bottled 6-30-16 (9 days)
Conditioned: On work bench of basement, 1 day 64 degrees F
Lagering: In mini-fridge on 7-1-16, warmest setting 46 degrees for 4 days, will dial down 1 notch on the refrigerator every 2 days afterwards until I get it to 32 F for 4 weeks. Can't wait to taste a few bottles at this time. Remainder of bottles will go 5 weeks before drinking and the final 2 bottles will go 6 weeks to see if there is a difference.