Nita Nee Stout - Irish Dry Stout - 4/25/15

Second brew of day - Irish Dry stout.
I was going to do a no sparge but I forgot to add roasted barley at mash out so I did a batch sparge.
Overshoot target will have to cut with boiled water to drop the alcohol level.
Used a 3/4# rice that we didn't like - it should be just sugar in the boil.
London Ale - wlp013, flaked barley, 2 row, roasted barley - EKG.
Was fermenting in a few hours and is pretty much at terminal gravity in 3 days.
Counterflow chiller.
No issues on brew day.
The new grain mill is great.

All Nighter - English Standard Bitter - 04/25/15

Today is a double brew day to build the pipeline for Shannon's graduation party.

First up an English Standard Bitter.

Hoped with Bramling Cross - mildly hopped. Hoping for a little interesting flavor.

My favorite "English malt" - Golden Promise, 1/2# of English C120, 1/4# of special roast, and 1/4# of invert#2. 

Yorkshire Yeast -repitch from English Brown Ale - 3 week old yeast.

New mill - Monster mill - used standard gap setting and it is a much better mill.

Used counterflow chiller and no sparge to speed up brew day.

No issues - was fermenting in a few hours.

Summer Session - Kolsch 04/18/15

Brewed a Kolsch today. I actually made a double batch and split the fermentation between WLP003, WLP029, Wyeast 2565. I have heard that 2565 is sometimes preferred over WLP029 so I wanted to check that out and wlp003 is a platinum White labs Kolsch strain that I happened to pick up.

I had some mill issues again and I've decided to replace my mill with a different brand.
I ordered a Monster Mill at the end of this brewday. I was tired of fighting with the other mill.

Had to double grind the grain because the mill was not crushing the kernels. I ended up overshooting my conversion efficiency and will add boiled water back to cut the alcohol level back down to a more session beer. This is beer three for Shannon's graduation party, three more to go.

I used Kolsch malt, it's a little like a vienna but not as sweet.
Hallertauer Mittelfrueh hops.

Lady Luck Lager - Munich Helles - 4/3/15

I brewed a Munich Helles tonight. Munich Helles is one of my favorite styles.
Easy drinking malt focused pale gold clean lager.
This beer will be on tap for Shannon's graduation party.


Summary of brew Day:
I'm still using the Northern Brewer mill. The problem is that the rollers don't always grab the grain and if they do the husk isn't always broken. Once I get a coupon I'll be getting a Monster Mill.

Over the Wall (Berliner Weisse) and Don't Get Grahammed (English Brown Ale) 3/21/15

Double batch brew day. The next 5 or 6 beers are to be served at Shannon's graduation party June 13.

A couple problems on brew day (mill, mash tun temperature probe):

1. The Northern Brewer mill that I bought to replace the barley crusher is not very good. I had to keep playing with the gap to get it crush. That will be going up on eBay. I'm going to purchase a Monster Mill and hopefully that will resolve my ongoing mill issues.

2. The temperature probe on my mash tun has been finicky. It was giving all kinds of strange readings on brew day the last few brew days. I ordered a new probe and sent the other back for repair. I should have a spare anyway.

Here are the beers brewed:

Berliner weisse:

Berliner weisse was 50%pils, 40% wheat, 10% flaked barley.

Mash hop - 15 minute boil

Split fermentation

4 day .75L starter of Omega Labs Lactobacillus blend for 72 hours at 67F

4 day .75L starter of White Labs Lactobacillus Brevis for 72 hours at 67F

Then split 1L starter of Wyeast German Ale into each.

4% ABV

English Brown Ale:

83% Maris Otter/Golden Promise

4% special roast

4% victory

4% c60

5% pale chocolate

EKG 25 IBU - First wort, then 14 grams at 20 min.

Split fermentation wlp013, wlp037

4.5% ABV

Next up: Kolsch

Utepils!

Utepils!

“… utepils simply means any beer enjoyed outside, at any time of the year, but it is true that the first one of the season is a much anticipated ritual.” Inspired by http://thebeerengineblog.com

Amen Brother.  All the snow isn't gone, but it's been a long winter. Two days of 50 plus weather and some of the lawn is visible and the garden is only 6" deep. It's been a long time since I raised a glass to the setting sun after work. Come on spring...
I'm looking for aparagus shoots before hop shoots...

This particular beer is a 1890 recipe from Whitbread brewery - Mild X.
See Ron's blog for "The Homebrewers Guide To Vintage Beer":
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/p/book-shop.html 

Shut up about Barclay Perkins: Let's Brew Wednesday - 1911 Heineken Pils

Shut up about Barclay Perkins: Let's Brew Wednesday - 1911 Heineken Pils

Multiple LBW posts? Something must be lurking for the finale!