Weekly Update, 10/23/2010

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.

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!

Updates on All Brews

Last night I checked all my brews with the following results:

Ad-Seg - fermentation stuck at 1.040 for the last five days.  To be a proper Dogfish Head clone, it needs to get down to at least 1.020 and preferrably 1.010.  I'd like at least 8%ABV or else this can't be called anything like a clone.  So, tonight I'm going to make a 1/2 gallon wort with .5# of DME and pitch 12g Muntons Brewer's Yeast I have on and in it.  Once it begins to ferment, I'm going to pitch the whole thing into the Ad-Seg primary and see what happens.

Brevis - fermenting great!  Down to 1.012.  Shooting for 1.010, but should be there by the end of the week.  Then I rack it to the secondary and lager for 36+ days.  Taste out of the hyrdo test is a little grainier than I expected, but pretty good.  I'm hoping the grainy taste mellows out in the lagering process.

Off-Paper - this stuff is my crown jewel as of now.  It's the first brew I made with my own recipe rather than a kit.  I bottled it on Friday last week at 4.1%ABV.  It tastes almost exactly like I remember Dos Equis tasting.  My neighbors should be happy.  It's also the right color.  Once I finish bottle conditioning it, I will post some pics and final thoughts.

Brevis Bock: The Name

Brevis is one of those obscure terms that someone who thought they were being clever came up with.  It is actually found most often linked with other terms in medical jargon and generally means "short" or "small."  However, since the corrections department by which I am employed got ahold of it, Brevis became a classification of inmate based on his predilection towards violence.  A "Brevis" classified inmate is on the low end of that spectrum and will most likely not cause much trouble in the prison setting.   Brevis inmates are generally the first to be cleared for minimum security as they are deemed less of a threat to other inmates or the institution as a whole.

My plan is to name three beers after this classification system.  Brevis, then, will be the beer with the lowest alcohol content of the three - Brevis Bock.  More on the others as I brew them.

Brevis Bock: First Brew

So, I'm now trying my hand at a clone of Michelob Amber Bock for my cousin who loves the stuff.  This recipe isn't a perfect clone, but it's pretty close.  I've just started steeping the grains, so we'll see how it goes.


Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 3.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.068 SG
Estimated Color: 9.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.6 IBU
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 66.67 %
2.00 lb Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 22.22 %
0.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.56 %
0.40 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 4.44 %
0.10 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.11 %
1.00 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (60 min) Hops 8.5 IBU
1.00 oz Northern Brewer II [7.40 %] (30 min) Hops 11.3 IBU
1.00 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (10 min) Hops 3.1 IBU
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
0.26 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs German Bock Lager (White Labs #WLP833) Yeast-Lager


Mash Schedule: None
Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb
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Steep grains as desired (40 minutes)