This week marked the first in a while that I didn't brew. But only because all my buckets and carboys are full of beer - which is a good thing. However, I will be brewing in the next day or two as I have just transferred my Contraband Chocolate Stout to the secondary. So, here's what's going on as of now:
Ad-Seg IPA - bottle conditioning. Popped one and the taste is great - a tad cloying, but I'm hoping that fades with carbonation.
Over-the-Fence Wiessbier - mostly gone due to an Oktoberfest party last night. Need to make more, though - it was a hit with a lot of people, particularly the ladies.
Contraband Chocolate Stout - transferred to secondary today. Added Belgian chocolate as I did. Smells great. Can't wait to taste it. Only about 7% ABV, which means it should be ready for Christmas.
Brevis Bock - still lagering. Still has a funny taste to it. Hope it's nothing.
Bottom Number Blonde - ready to be brewed within the next 48 hours. Can't wait.
Rolled Up Irish Red - primary fermentation is almost non-existent after a very furious beginning. Lost about 1/2 gallon of beer to fermentation. Thank God for blowoff hoses.
Showing posts with label Over-the-fence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Over-the-fence. Show all posts
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Weekly Update, 10/14/10
I haven't had much time to post my impressions on all the beers I have going right now, so here's an aggregate of what's happening:
Ad-Seg IPA - still stuck at 1.040. Cold crashed it and the sediment settled out, but no change in SG. Plan on bottling within the next couple of days. Taste is dead-on to Dogfish Head 90.
Off Paper Lager - conditioning in the bottle, though first tests show good carbonation and OK head retention. I'll probably throw in a heading powder next time. Taste is good, but less fruity than Dos Equis Lager. The fruity esters seems to have mellowed in the lagering/bottle conditioning. Still decent, for what it is.
Contraband Chocolate Stout - in the primary and fermenting like crazy. Still trying to decide how much cocoa to add to the secondary - 1oz, 2oz, 3oz, or more?
Brevis Bock - lagering away at 38 degrees. Check yesterday still had an odd grainy flavor to it. Should (hopefully) mellow out in lagering/conditioning.
Over-the-Fence Weissbier - carbed up super fast. Tasty with good head. Could be a new favorite.
Rolled Up Irish Red - just tried making this one again today after the last disaster with yeast. Did a full boil this time. Went well, OG came in higher than expected. Should be pretty tasty, if all continues well.
On deck is Bottom Number Blonde, my first attempt at all-grain brewing using the BIAB (brew in a bag) method. After that, a Guiness inspired Dry Stout, though not a Guiness clone.
Over all, the brewing thing seems to be going well. I like it, I'm learning a lot, and I'm going to have some great beers to give away for Christmas. Besides that, I'll have a lot of great beers to enjoy myself throughout the holidays. Cheers!
Ad-Seg IPA - still stuck at 1.040. Cold crashed it and the sediment settled out, but no change in SG. Plan on bottling within the next couple of days. Taste is dead-on to Dogfish Head 90.
Off Paper Lager - conditioning in the bottle, though first tests show good carbonation and OK head retention. I'll probably throw in a heading powder next time. Taste is good, but less fruity than Dos Equis Lager. The fruity esters seems to have mellowed in the lagering/bottle conditioning. Still decent, for what it is.
Contraband Chocolate Stout - in the primary and fermenting like crazy. Still trying to decide how much cocoa to add to the secondary - 1oz, 2oz, 3oz, or more?
Brevis Bock - lagering away at 38 degrees. Check yesterday still had an odd grainy flavor to it. Should (hopefully) mellow out in lagering/conditioning.
Over-the-Fence Weissbier - carbed up super fast. Tasty with good head. Could be a new favorite.
Rolled Up Irish Red - just tried making this one again today after the last disaster with yeast. Did a full boil this time. Went well, OG came in higher than expected. Should be pretty tasty, if all continues well.
On deck is Bottom Number Blonde, my first attempt at all-grain brewing using the BIAB (brew in a bag) method. After that, a Guiness inspired Dry Stout, though not a Guiness clone.
Over all, the brewing thing seems to be going well. I like it, I'm learning a lot, and I'm going to have some great beers to give away for Christmas. Besides that, I'll have a lot of great beers to enjoy myself throughout the holidays. Cheers!
Over-theFence Weissbier: First Impressions
I just bottled this beer yesterday morning. This afternoon I noticed that there was considerable yeast sediment in the bottom of the bottles. So, I tossed one in the fridge and let it chill. Imagine my surprise when I cracked it open and heard the pfft sound of carbonation. After one day!
I poured it into a wheat beer glass and the head was amazing. Aroma, color, everything is just right. Taste-wise it seems pretty good, too. I haven't had wheat beer in a long time, but this stuff tastes pretty darn good. Can't really taste the cinnamon in it, but that might come out with age. Either way, it's definitely a success.
I poured it into a wheat beer glass and the head was amazing. Aroma, color, everything is just right. Taste-wise it seems pretty good, too. I haven't had wheat beer in a long time, but this stuff tastes pretty darn good. Can't really taste the cinnamon in it, but that might come out with age. Either way, it's definitely a success.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Over-the-Fence Wiessbier: The Name
Most prisons that people think of have high fences with concertina razor wire at the top and guard towers all around. The prison I work at is a minimum security facility and has none of those things. The only barbed-wire fence we have is to keep the cows in and the only razor-wire we have is around the facility generator to prevent sabotage. The fence at our outer perimeter is a 4-foot pipe fence and the fence around the inmate living quarters is a 6-foot chain link fence with nothing on top.
Needless to say, escaping from our institution is very simple - one only needs to go "over the fence" and one is free. However, no one who has ever gone "over the fence" has been free for long. And, once they are caught, their prison stay is usually lengthened and they are sent to a maximum facility with all the standard security - high razor wire fences, guard towers, and the like. So, going "over the fence" is a bad idea.
Most inmates at our institution understand this and have reconciled themselves to knowing that, while supposed "freedom" is only a short fence or two away, greater freedom will come if they just stay put and finish out their time. Once in a while, though, an inmate gets a burr under his saddle and goes "over the fence."
Needless to say, escaping from our institution is very simple - one only needs to go "over the fence" and one is free. However, no one who has ever gone "over the fence" has been free for long. And, once they are caught, their prison stay is usually lengthened and they are sent to a maximum facility with all the standard security - high razor wire fences, guard towers, and the like. So, going "over the fence" is a bad idea.
Most inmates at our institution understand this and have reconciled themselves to knowing that, while supposed "freedom" is only a short fence or two away, greater freedom will come if they just stay put and finish out their time. Once in a while, though, an inmate gets a burr under his saddle and goes "over the fence."
Friday, October 8, 2010
Over-the-Fence Wiessbier: First Brew
So I just finished my first full-boil of my next brew, Over-the-Fence Weissbier. It's the first brew that actually hit my target OG head on. Which is kind've nice. I wondered if that ever actually happened or if it was just a theory.
Anyway, here is the recipe for Over-the-Fence Weissbier:
Recipe: Over the Fence Weissbier
Brewer: Dechert
Asst Brewer:
Style: Weizen/Weissbier
TYPE: Extract
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.01 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 6.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.6 IBU
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 80.00 %
1.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 16.00 %
0.25 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4.00 %
1.00 oz Hersbrucker [2.40 %] (60 min) Hops 8.3 IBU
1.00 oz Hersbrucker [2.40 %] (10 min) Hops 3.0 IBU
0.10 oz Cinnamon Stick (Boil 45.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 7.0 days) Misc
1 Pkgs Bavarian Wheat (Wyeast Labs #3638) Yeast-Wheat
I tried a partial-mash type thing with the Munich Malt. I dropped it (in a grain bag) in a gallon of 160 degree water and let it sit for 45 minutes. It stayed between 150 and 160 the whole time. After 45 minutes, I sparged the grains in a separate pot in 168 degree water for about 5 minutes. I then mixed the two, brought the volume up to 5.5 gallons of water, then added 1 lb. of DME for the boil.
At 45 minutes, I added the other 5 lb. of DME and finished the boil. Everything went perfectly. Here's hoping it's actually worth drinking . . .
Anyway, here is the recipe for Over-the-Fence Weissbier:
Recipe: Over the Fence Weissbier
Brewer: Dechert
Asst Brewer:
Style: Weizen/Weissbier
TYPE: Extract
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.01 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 6.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.6 IBU
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 80.00 %
1.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 16.00 %
0.25 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4.00 %
1.00 oz Hersbrucker [2.40 %] (60 min) Hops 8.3 IBU
1.00 oz Hersbrucker [2.40 %] (10 min) Hops 3.0 IBU
0.10 oz Cinnamon Stick (Boil 45.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 7.0 days) Misc
1 Pkgs Bavarian Wheat (Wyeast Labs #3638) Yeast-Wheat
I tried a partial-mash type thing with the Munich Malt. I dropped it (in a grain bag) in a gallon of 160 degree water and let it sit for 45 minutes. It stayed between 150 and 160 the whole time. After 45 minutes, I sparged the grains in a separate pot in 168 degree water for about 5 minutes. I then mixed the two, brought the volume up to 5.5 gallons of water, then added 1 lb. of DME for the boil.
At 45 minutes, I added the other 5 lb. of DME and finished the boil. Everything went perfectly. Here's hoping it's actually worth drinking . . .
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