All posts by jon

Brew #6 – The Pink Elephant

Brews

#6 - Pink Elephant - Bottles 

Type: All Grain
Style: Belgian Golden Ale
Brewed: February 18, 2012
Secondary: March 3, 2012
Bottled: March 15, 2012
OG: 1.062  FG: 1.004
IBUs: 25  ABV: 7.6%

Fermentables
1.75 lb. Light Candi Sugar

Grains
11 lb. Belgian Pils 2-Row

Hops
Bittering: 1.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (Pellet)
Flavor: 0.83 oz. Saaz (Whole Leaf)

Adjuncts
4 gr. Ginger Root
4 gr. Seeds of Paradise
12 gr. Coriander Seed

Yeast
Wyeast Belgian Strong Ale (1388)
SafAle S-04

The first attempt at All Grain brewing. A Delirium Tremens clone.

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Label:

#6 - Pink Elephant

Rude Awakening

Brewing

Rude awakening

When I came downstairs this morning to let the dogs out, I decided to check on the fermentation of yesterday’s beer (Fat Tire clone). It’s not what I had expected to find.

It turns out the Wyeast American Wheat Ale yeast that we used is a VERY active yeast, active enough that it blew the lid right off the fermenter. What’s really shocking is that I figured this sort of thing typically happens for higher gravity ales, where this one’s gravity was 1.050.

I was able to quickly switch from an airlock to a blow-off.

Quick Blow-off

Beer, meet biochem.

Brewing

Recently picked up a magnetic stir plate and Erlenmeyer flask from Stir Starters.

In a few weeks we’re going to try and brew a beer with an estimated original gravity of 1.107! (Largest we’ve tried yet.)
From my research, one thing is recommended more than all others…a yeast starter. And one of the most efficient ways to make a starter is using a stir plate.

Brew #5 – Old Mellow English Barley Wine

Brews

#5 - Barley Wine - Bottles 

Type: Kit (Brewcraft)
Brewed: February 4, 2012
Secondary: February 18, 2012
Bottled: March 3, 2012
OG: 1.078  FG: 1.017
IBUs: 63  ABV: 8.13%

Fermentables
7 lb. Golden Light DME
1 lb. Brewers Crystals

Grains
1 lb. Crystal 40L
0.5 lb. Crystal 150L
0.5 lb. Special B

Hops
Bittering: 1 oz. Magnum
Flavor: 1 oz. Fuggles

Yeast
2 packets Safale S-04

 

Label:

#5 - Barley Wine

Brew #4 – Kölsch

Brews

SONY DSC 

Type: Kit (Brewer's Best)
Brewed: January 28, 2012
Secondary: February 4, 2012
Bottled: February 25, 2012
OG: 1.044  FG: 1.013
IBUs: 28  ABV: 4.06%

Fermentables
3.3 lb. Pilsen LME
2.0 lb. Wheat DME

Grains
12 oz. Carapils

Hops
Bittering: 1 oz. Mt Rainier
Aroma: 1 oz. Willamette

Yeast
Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast

 

Label:

#4 - Kolsch