Home Brew Batch #11: All Grain Pale Ale #2

So I accomplished my goal of actually getting the first all-grain batch to convert properly. It was way too bitter and light on the maltiness, so I went ahead and picked up a pound of Munich malt to add to this second batch. When I looked in the hop cooler I also noticed that they had Citra hops in stock. These are my favorite type of hops and I thought they would add some nice flavor and dry hop aroma, so I grabbed a few ounces. Here is the revised recipe that I made (2.5 gallon batch):

- 3.5 pounds British 2-row malt
- 1.0 pound Munich malt
- 0.5 pound Biscuit Amber
- 0.75 oz. N. Brewer 10.6% AA (60 minutes)
- 0.25 oz. N. Brewer 10.6% AA (30 minutes)
- 0.5 oz. Cascade 6.2% AA (2 minutes)
- 0.5 oz. Citra 13.5% AA (flame out)
- 1.5 oz. Citra 13.5% AA (dry hop)
- 1/2 vial White Labs WLP001
- 1/4 oz. Irish Moss (15 minutes)

I used essentially the same brew process as the prior batch. I added a bit more strike water as the prior mash consistency was a little thick. I set the oven at 190 degrees right off the bat and that seemed to work to hold the 150 degree mash temperature. With the addition of the extra Munich malt the color and body were a bit better than the first batch. The Citra dry hopping gave it a great aroma.

Update: When the OC Fair home brew competition submission time rolled around this was the only one I had ready to put in 12 oz. bottles, so I went ahead and entered it. Did not score well at all though, apparently there was an issue with the carbonation. I think I had some inconsistency with priming sugar because some of the bottles foamed up a bit. I had experienced this with some of my bottles too. Need to stir in the priming sugar next time...

Home Brew Batch #10: All Grain Pale Ale #1

Ever since I started homebrewing, I have had an interest in trying an all grain batch. I was hesitant to do this though because of the additional equipment needed, but thanks to posts online like this one on Home Brew Talk and this one on Menu in Progress, I gained the courage to try my first all grain via the stove top / brew in a bag method.

My main goal with this batch was really to see if I could successfully convert the grains to fermentable sugars using my existing equipment. The only thing I had to buy for the stove top all grain method was a large grain sack that would completely fill my pot. I found nylon strainer bags at my local hardware store that were designed for filtering paint into a five gallon bucket, so I thought those would work fine in my 4 gallon brew kettle.

I was concerned that my brew kettle wasn't going to be big enough to fit all the grain I purchased, so I decided to cut the batch back to 2.5 gallons and it actually turned out to be a great idea. Not only did the necessary grains fit into my available brew kettle easily, but the smaller batch enabled me to do a full boil with the hops and just made life easier when transferring, cooling, etc. And I get to experiment twice as much without having to wait to finish off 5 gallons of beer before starting my next batch.



The recipe I used was very simple (2.5 gallon batch):

- 3.5 pounds British 2-row malt
- 0.5 pound Biscuit Amber
- 0.75 oz. N. Brewer 10.6% AA (60 minutes)
- 0.25 oz. N. Brewer 10.6% AA (30 minutes)
- 0.5 oz. Cascade 6.2% AA (2 minutes)
- 1/2 vial White Labs WLP001
- 1/4 oz. Irish Moss (15 minutes)

With the help of some online calculators, I was able to figure out that 1 gallon of strike water at 183 degrees would result in a mash temperature of approximately 152 degrees. I was looking to do a 60 minute mash, but was having quite a bit of trouble holding my temperature. I didn't think that it would be a good idea to blast the bottom of my brew kettle with fire because I was worried about melting the nylon bag, so instead I tried to put the kettle in the oven. Setting the oven at 160 degrees didn't even hold the temperature though, so I ended up having to set it almost all the way to 200 degrees to hold the temperature. This didn't seem to be as big of a problem with the posts that I had reviewed online. Then I rinsed my grain bag in a separate pot with 2 gallons of 180 degree water and then drained.

I was successful in getting the grains to convert into sugar (OG was low though), so that goal was accomplished and I gained some all grain confidence for my next batch. I think I was a bit aggressive on the bittering hops (I was just eyeing it because I don't have a scale yet) because it came out really bitter. For the next batch I think I will cut back on the bittering hops and throw them in as dry hops.





This was also my first attempt to cold crash to see if I could get some additional clarity in the finished product. I discovered that I need a two way air lock because my existing air lock kept trying to suck in the sanitizer as it cooled...














Update: I'm actually finishing up this post almost 9 months after actually brewing the batch... After now having completed a few all grain batches I noticed that the grain bill looked really light. I went back and took a look at the original recipe that I was using and it looks like I must have cut that grain in half when purchasing at the homebrew store knowing that I was going to be doing a 2.5 gallon batch, but I still purchased enough hops and yeast for a 5 gallon batch. Oops... So much for having my brewing recipe book right out on the counter. This goes a long way to explain why the OG was low and why it was so bitter!

North San Diego Trip: Pizza Port Carlsbad, Belching Beaver, Aztec Brewing

Just a quick trip down to San Diego County with some friends on a Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks ago.

We started off at Pizza Port - Carlsbad because we know that they always have a great selection of beer, awesome pizza, and a relaxed atmosphere (although it was really crowded). The Grapefruit Puncher was probably my favorite. Instead of the grapefruit coming from the hops, it tasted like they used real grapefruit juice. My other favorite was the Schanerberry (Belgian blond with passion fruit & blackberries). For pizza we knocked out a large Lahaina (Canadian bacon, pineapple, green bell peppers & onions).


While eating, we took a look at the Pacific Beer Map and noticed that there were about 5 breweries within a mile or so of each other in an industrial area just a few miles inland in Vista, CA. So we headed out for a little adventure...

First stop was Belching Beaver. I suppose we couldn't resist the name! They have a nice little set up going on there with the brewery in view in the back and a tasting counter and tables in the front. Outside they had a food vendor cooking up so good smelling snacks.

We went ahead and tried samplers of all 11 beers they had on tap that night. We liked the Saison de Beaver, Me So Honey (honey wheat), and the Peanut Butter Milk Stout was also interesting. After enjoying the tasters, picking up a few souvenirs, and posing for some pictures with the comical beaver art... we were off.






The next closest place we saw on our map was Indian Joe Brewing. We were excited to try the place because you could see the flashing LED open sign from way down the street. Sadly though we were met head on at the front door at 8:57 pm where we were told that they were closed. The half way open front door was pulled out of our hands and then the lady walked over and turned off the open sign. It actually worked out well though because.....


Right down the street was Aztec Brewing. We didn't realize it, but it was their 2nd Anniversary party and the place was busy. They had live music and food for the party. I saw a flyer that said they were selling tickets for the event, but I guess they just let us in because it was getting later in the evening.

We went for a taster of all 12 of their beers on tap (there was a lager that wasn't on the tasting menu). They were all nice beers and did a great job of showcasing different malt profiles. I'm not a big coffee fan at all, but surprisingly on of my favorites was the Coffee Blond. We also liked the Sacrifice Red IPA and the Poco Gigante IPA.

Too much fun for one night. Hopefully we will get a chance to make it back down to San Diego County soon. It seems like new breweries pop up faster that I can visit them. I will accept the challenge though!

Bootlegger's: Pumpkin Ale

6.1% ABV    17.8 IBU's

Tis' the season..... to drink pumpkin beer!

Let me start off first by saying that I love pumpkin pie. I have had a number of pumpkin beers over the years and I never seem to be satisfied with the pumpkin taste. Until now....

Bootlegger's Pumpkin Ale is by far the best pumpkin beer that I have had. It started off well, pouring a color that was just right. The pumpkin and spices were apparent in the aroma. The best part though was the taste. The pumpkin tasted very fresh and the spices were just right. Not super strong like eating a piece of pumpkin pie, but just the right amount where you could really enjoy drinking the beer.

Now my challenge is to find another bottle......