All posts by jon

Brew #3 – Whisky Barrel Stout

Brews

#3 - Whisky Barrel Stout - Secondary 

Type: Kit (Brewer's Best)
Brew Date: 1/7/2012
Secondary Date: 1/13/2012
Bottle Date: 2/10/2012
OG: 1.064  FG: 1.020
IBUs: 40  ABV: 5.78% *

Fermentables
3.3 lb. Special Dark LME
3.3 lb. Light LME
1 lb. Amber DME

Grains
6 oz. Roasted Barley
8 oz. Dark Chocolate
8 oz. Caramel 90L

Hops
Bittering: 0.5 oz. Millennium
Flavoring: 0.5 oz. Mt. Rainier

Yeast
Safale S-04

* The oak chips were soaked in 1 cup of Basil Haden bourbon for about a week prior to adding them to the secondary. The chips and bourbon were added together. So I’m not sure if the gravity calculation is an accurate measure of the ABV, since this beer has been fortified. (Something for me to research.)

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Brew #2 – Rye Pale Ale

Brews

#2 - Rye Pale Ale 

Type: Kit (Brewer's Best)
Brewed: December 11, 2011
Secondary: December 16, 2011
Bottled: December 30, 2011
OG: 1.054  FG: 1.015
IBUs: 45  ABV: 5.12%

Fermentables
6.6 lb. Light LME

Grains
12 oz. 2-row
1 lb. Flaked Rye
8 oz. Honey Malt
4 oz. Munich
2 oz. Vienna

Hops
Bittering / Flavoring / Dry
(Didn't write down specifics.)

Brew #1 – Imperial Pale Ale

Brews

#1 - Imperial Pale Ale 

Type: Kit (Brewer's Best)
Brewed: November 21, 2011
Secondary: November 26, 2011
Bottled: December 11, 2011
OG: 1.085  FG: 1.024
IBUs: 70  ABV: 8.0%

Fermentables
6.6 lbs. Light LME
3 lbs. Golden DME

Grains
1 lb. Caramel 80L
8 oz. Victory
4 oz. Carapils

Hops
Bittering: 2 oz. Columbus
Flavoring: 1 oz. Columbus
Aroma: 1 oz. Columbus

Hello (beer)world!*

Brewing

I was told, “It’s easier than you think.” That was enough to truly ignite the interest in brewing. At the present, this site will be used to document both the good and the bad, in an attempt to learn through trial and error. Who knows what the future will bring.

While I do believe that the original quote to spark my interest was an oversimplification, in a way it’s very true. It is easier than one might think to make beer that is far superior to the MBCs of the world…but I can already see that doing so in a consistent way takes quite a bit of planning and skill.

*The programming pun is intended.