Kolsch 1/5/2013

I decided to brew a Kolsch but I really wanted an American Pale Ale as well.
So I did a mash for a 10 gallon batch, made a Kolsch starter for 10 gallons.
Then I split the mash runnings and hopped one as a Kolsch and one a Pale Ale.
The grain bill was 85% Pils, 10% wheat, 5% sauer malt.
I then hopped the Kolsch with a traditional 60 minute noble hop and then hop blasted the pale ale with 8 oz of Simcoe/Amarillo tossed at flameout.

The Kolsch was a normal Kolsch.
The Pale Ale had great aroma but took 5 weeks to clear. The sulfur for the yeast was gone after 2 weeks lagering. Hop blasting is a technique I really like for hoppy beers.

Bottom line the Kolsch yeast is a fine yeast for American Pale Ales.

Brewery Under Construction 2/16/13

I've been building another brewery system, so not much has been posted over the last month.

I had to brew something with the Mrs. out of town this weekend, so I whipped something up Saturday morning.

More to come tomorrow.

Cask Ale, Bangers, fish & chips 1/26/13

Brought the boy down to the Dandelion in Philadelphia for lunch.
I had Fish and chips and Joe had his first bangers and mash.
I had a cask bitter from Sly fox and a Yards IPA.
All were good.
I think the kid may like proper English food.

Farraigi Dorcha 12/21/12

Dark Seas
What a better way to welcome the winter solstice ( or the end of the Mayan calender) than brewing a stout. A belgian stout. Maybe with some funk later on...
If the wind dies down, I'm going to give it a shot later.

I see a little lunchmeat is on the menu...
It must be a sign from the ancient Mayans to brew.

Evil Dawson lives!

Just found the beer engine blog a few nights ago.
Evil Dawson lives!

Belgian Tripel - 12/16/12

I brewed a belgian tripel last night. The grain bill consisted of 99% pilsener and  1% aromatic malt. Pitched a nice fresh slurry of wlp530, and it was fermenting when I woke up this morning. Pitched at 64F and I'm letting it free rise.
OG was 1.072, so it's a big beer but on the low side for a Belgian tripel.
While I was brewing I decided to brew one more Belgian in this series. I'm going to brew something for the Dark Irish.

Starting to read an old book on my family's history. Turns out my family surname is from a long line kings/chiefs/warlords in ancient Ireland.  Huh, my wife or mother wouldn't be surprised.  My mother has been calling me Lord Muck for a long time and my wife has to live with me ;).

Belgian Blonde - 12/8/12

I harvested some yeast from my Consecration brew day last week (prior to brett) and brewed a Belgian blonde. I bumped the gravity down for the style, so we can have more than one.
Normal brew day- except for a little rain when I was racking.
I pitched a big yeast pitch and it was fermenting in a few hours. Pitched at 64 and I'm capping to 72 for the first two days - then I'll let it free rise.