Three New Brews

So I've been a little busy lately, but I've still managed to brew three new beers in the last two weeks. Right now, I have a Belgian Triple, a Pumpkin Ale, and a Porter fermenting. They should be good.



Belgian Triple


Ingredients:

• 6 pounds Light Dry Malt Extract
• 0.5 pound Aromatic 
• 2 pounds Table Sugar
• 2 ounces Fuggles hops (bittering)
• 1 ounce Saaz (aroma)
• 1 package liquid Belgian Ale yeast
• 1 package dry Belgian Ale yeast

Instructions:

• Steep Aromatic grains at 150-160 degrees for 30-60 minutes
• Add Fuggles, extract, and sugar. Boil for 1 hour.
• Add Saaz in last 10 minutes.
• Cool wort to 65-72 degrees. Pitch yeast.
• Ferment for 14-21 days.

I know a lot of recipes call for Belgian Candy Sugar as opposed to regular table sugar, but there's really not a whole lot of difference between them. Also, a lot of recipes and sites I've seen recommend table sugar to candy sugar because there's no difference. It's also a lot cheaper.

OG: 1.071

"The Great Pumpkin Ale"

Ingredients:

• 3.3 pounds Amber Liquid Malt Extract
• 3 pounds Light Dry Malt Extract
• 1 pound Crystal Malt (60 L)
• 0.5 pound Chocolate Malt
• 2 ounces Goldings (bittering)
• 1 ounce Fuggles (aroma)
• 1 tablet Whirlfloc
• 8-9 pounds fresh pumpkin
• Pumpkin Pie Spice (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger)
• Light Brown Sugar
• 4 Cinnamon Sticks
• 3 Whole Nutmegs
• 6 Whole Allspice
• 1 package London Ale Yeast

Instructions:

• Cut the pumpkin into large pieces and sprinkle with the pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar.
• Bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees until tender.
• Remove from oven and cut into 1-inch cubes. Remove peel. 
• Mash slightly.
• Steep grains at 150-160 degrees for 30-60 minutes. Remove spent grains
• Add dry extract, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and Goldings hops. Boil for 60 minutes.
• Add liquid extract at last 15 minutes.
• Add Fuggles and whirlfloc at last 5 minutes.
• Remove whole spices and pumpkin.
• Cool wort and pitch yeast.
• Ferment for 14-21 days.

*Use 3/4 cup of corn sugar to 2 cups boiling water f3or priming solution if bottling.

OG: 1.042

"Black Cat Halloween Porter"


Ingredients:

• 6.6 pounds Amber Liquid Malt Extract
• 1 pound Chocolate Malt
• 0.5 pound Black Patent Malt
• 1 cup Black Strap Molasses
• 1.5 ounces Vanilla Extract
• 2 ounces Willamette hops (bittering)
• 1 ounce Tettnanger hops (aroma)
• 1 package London Ale yeast

Instructions:

• Steep grains at 150-160 degrees for 30-60 minutes.
• Add half of the extract, molasses and Willamette hops. Boil for 60 minutes.
• Add remaining extract at 15 minutes left.
• Add Tettnanger hops in last 5 minutes.
• Cool wort and pitch yeast.
• Add vanilla (you can add this in secondary process if you plan to use a secondary).
• Ferment 14-17 days (Secondary for last 7 days if using a secondary).

Use 1.25 cups dry malt extract to 2 cups boiling water for priming solution if bottling.

OG: 1.048

I will update once they are ready. Also, I only have 2 kegs, so I need to figure out which batch I'm bottling.

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Big Dan's Brew Shed

A new home-brew store opened in NC over the summer in the Triad area. It's called "Big Dan's Brew Shed." I've been there a couple of times and I have to say that it's pretty nice. It's privately owned by one person (Big Dan), which means you get a lot of individual customer attention. If he doesn't have it, he'll get it for you or he'll let you know where you can get it for the best price. I love that about him. He's not afraid to be honest with the customer about the different products because he's all about providing a service for the customer. He told me directly that you can't make money if no one wants to come back in the store. Also, I love that he sells a lot of miscellaneous items that no one would really think about. For instance, he has the plastic washers for CO2 regulators, air-line splitters, tape for the fittings, hose clamps, etc. He has the best prices on O-rings I have ever seen; you can get a complete set of O-rings for about $3.  He also does tank exchanges and sells kegs. A lot of stores don't sell either of those items anymore, especially kegs. It's just a great store. However, what really set this store apart is the owner. He's perfectly willing to sit and talk to you about your beer or anything beer related. He'll help you work out a recipe and work with you until you are satisfied. He won't make you do it his way if you don't want to. After all, it's about your beer. My favorite thing so far has got to be that if he'll help you out even if he's closed. If you have an emergency and really need some help, he'll help you out. He stays there long after closing, so he'll help you out if he's there. It really is a great experience that I recommend to anyone who can make the trip.

Check out the store at http://www.bigdansbrewshed.com/.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Busy Summer

So it's been about two months since my last post. I would love to say that I've been brewing a lot since then, but I really haven't. This summer was really busy and just got away from me. There were a couple of festivals and new breweries that I tried this summer that I meant to blog about, but never got around to doing it. I will hopefully catch up on those. I hope to be brewing a Belgian style tripel pretty soon. I'm kind of excited about it and will post about it soon. I've also discovered a new home-brew store that I will blog about soon. I've been behind on all of the blogs I read and comment on, as well. Hopefully I will get back in the swing of that pretty soon. Stay in touch and keep commenting.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Pale Ale Update

Okay, so this didn't turn out extremely well, but it isn't a total waste, either. Two of my friends who are big pale ale fans said that it wasn't too bad; it's drinkable. It has a nice hoppy aroma, a nice pale ale taste up front, but it apparently has a sweet finish that is overpowering (too much malt, or not enough hops, or a combination of both). It has a little too much head, but that's something I can adjust (I'm still getting used to forced carbonation). My biggest complaint is that it is way too cloudy. There are definitely some things I need to experiment with. Next time, I think I will leave out the 6 oz of crushed 2-row and maybe add an extra half-ounce of Cascade hops somewhere in the boil. I would also transfer it over to the secondary for a least 3-4 days so as to let it clear up some more. I think it would have a clearer body and not be so sweet on the finish that way. Ultimately, it's not a bad beer. I could definitely drink it (if nothing else was around :) ). However, I think in my attempt to make a more balanced pale ale, I went a little too far in the other direction. If I try this again, I will try to go back a little in the direction of a traditional pale ale.

OG: 1.038
FG: 1.008
ABV: 4%

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Hard Cider Update

I recently tried both the flat and sparkling cider. Both turned out very nicely. The sparkling cider is a little sweeter and has an extra little kick that the flat cider doesn't have. They are both very smooth and crisp. They are both on the dry side, which I like. A friend of mine called it "Sneaky Cider" because it packs quite a punch. I misplaced my hydrometer while I was making this so I have no clue what the ABV is on this batch, but if I had to guess, I would say it is high--over 6% probably (especially since the airlock bubbled constantly for about 12 days).  I like this and would experiment with it again, especially since it was so easy to make.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Porter Update

I force carbonated the porter last night at about 26-28 psi for 14 hours at about 38 degrees. This morning, I turned the pressure down to about 10 psi (serving pressure) to let it keep going for a few more days. I poured a small glass just to see how it was coming along and I dare say it is ready. I'm sure that after another couple of days, it will be perfectly carbonated, but it's very nicely carbonated now. I think it carbonated so quickly because the gas is denser the colder it gets.

The porter itself turned out nicely. It has a nice nose; you can immediately smell the chocolate and you get a nice smoky, roasted aroma which I'm assuming is the nuts. Considering it has a large portion of hops, it is not overly hoppy, which I like. The flavor is a little lacking, which is surprising considering the amount of ingredients that went into this beer. There is a little chocolate on the tip of the tongue followed by a bitter-sweet finish. It has a nice mouthfeel and a long-lasting consistent head (thank you, CO2).  It is definitely on the bitter side (not necessarily a bad thing, but it feels too much like a stout as opposed to the porter it is supposed to be), so I might try milk-chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate instead of the bitter-sweet I used if I were to try this recipe again. This bitterness takes away from the smoothness a little. Overall, I would give this beer a solid B. Not great, but not awful, either. It is something I would definitely like to play around with in the future. However, none of my friends have tried it, so I'll let them judge it as I am probably my worst critic. Also, it has only been in the keg for a day. As it conditions further, the beer may begin to show some more mature characteristics.

On a side note, I am in love with kegging already. It presents new challenges and problems (like making sure everything is hooked up properly, securing leaks, getting the regulator to work, etc.), but it is very nice to just walk up to the tap and pour off a nice cold beer whenever I want. Gotta love it!

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Hard Cider

I "brewed" (not really sure this term applies here) this cider over a month ago and am bottling it today. There are so many ways to make cider,  and there are tons of recipes out there. This is my first attempt at making cider, so I decided to take an easy route.

Ingredients:

• 5 gallons Apple Juice
• 2 lbs Honey
• 1 lb Brown Sugar
• 1 package Champagne Yeast
• 3/8 or 3/4 cup corn sugar

Instructions:

• Heat one gallon of juice on stove.
• Add honey and brown sugar. Stir until completely mixed together.
• Add to fermenter with remaining 4 gallons.
• Pitch yeast.
• Ferment in primary for 2 weeks.
• Ferment in secondary for 2 weeks.
• Bottle with corn sugar for carbonated cider, or without for flat cider.

My plan is to carbonate half of the batch, which is why I have 3/8 cup of sugar listed (you will use 3/4 cup if you plan to carbonate the entire batch). I will transfer the cider to the bottling bucket and bottle half the batch into wine bottles. Then I will add the solution, stir, and let sit for about 15-20 minutes. Then I will bottle the rest into beer bottles. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Pale Ale

As most of you probably know, I am not a fan of pale ales, and I definitely don't like IPAs. I don't like the overly bitter punch of hops without any malt body to back up the hops. However, a lot of people do like them. Just go look at all the craft beers in the grocery store beer aisle. So many of them are IPAs and pale ales. A lot of my friends like them, so I decided to try my hands at making one. My goal was to make a pale ale that has a nice balance between the hops and the malt. I don't have a lot of experience with pale ales, so the guy at the local HBS took a pale ale kit and helped me customize a recipe to basically make a balanced batch of beer that I would like, but that pale ale drinkers would also like. I brewed today, and it smelled surprisingly good. It looked a little dark for a pale ale, but they all look a little darker in the bucket than they end up looking in the glass. I was also amazed at how easy this batch was to make. This may have been the easiest batch I've ever brewed.

Ingredients:

• 6.3 lbs Light Malt Extract
• 0.5 lbs Crystal Malt (40 L)
• 6 oz 2-Row Malted Barley
• 1 oz Cascade Hops
• 1 package English Ale Yeast

Instructions:

• Steep grains at 150-160F for 30-60 minutes
• Stir in extract and half of the hops. Boil for one hour.
• At 30 minutes, stir in the remainder of the hops.
• After one hour, remove from heat and cool the wort.
• Pitch the yeast.
• Ferment for 10-14 days.

OG: 1.038

Once again, I plan to keg this batch and force carbonate. If you are going to bottle, you will want to use 3/4 cup of corn sugar to 2 cups of water for the priming solution. I will let you know in a couple of weeks how it turns out.

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Craft Beers

What is a craft beer? There are actually a lot of definitions, and there is even a legal definition, apparently. A craft beer is basically a beer that does not use rice or corn as a major ingredient. The craft beer movement started in the 1970s to get away from the beer created by the mega breweries (such as Budweiser, Miller, Coors, etc.). The problem with craft beers these days is that they are trying to do exactly what they originally were trying to get away from. They are trying to take over the market and become leaders in the industry. They started as regional breweries that provided original high quality products to the people of that region. I recently read a blog post from "Top Fermented" about this subject that I really liked. He stated that these breweries are throwing around the word "consistency" lately. This is the same word that the mega breweries throw around. Each Budweiser is supposed to taste exactly the same. It's not necessarily about making good beer as much as it is about making consistently tasting beer. What about consistently good beer?

The blogger even states that making a product that tastes exactly the same year after year shouldn't really be possible. Think about it. You're using organic materials that change from year to year, not to mention that yeast is a living organism, which reacts differently from batch to batch. Even if you use the same materials each time, there will most likely be a slight taste difference. Will it be similar? Of course. The same? No. And it shouldn't be expected to be. This is one of the principles behind home-brewing. One of the exciting parts of creating your own beer is that even if you make the same batch again, it will probably display different characteristics each time. The craft beer industry started with this idea in mind, but these companies have basically become smaller versions of the mega breweries. They are more interested in creating a flagship beer with a few supporting styles and marketing them across the country and even world-wide. Don't get me wrong; you start a business to make money. No one ever goes into starting a business with the intent to lose money. And people typically don't like change, so they don't want their favorite beers to change. However, I feel like this makes it harder for smaller, truly local breweries to provide their craft beers to the community.

I like the idea of craft beers. The whole idea of using corn or rice is to control the flavor of the product. Using malted barley and wheat, without using rice or corn, allows for the unique complexities of the beer to come out. I even think it's okay for the beer to be different from batch to batch. Isn't this the same for the wine industry? The same style of wine from different years is not expected to be exactly the same. That's why we put emphasis on labeling the years of the wine. Why can't we do this for beer?

The author of "Top Fermented" is starting a small brewery in NC. His mission is to create good beer that has variability, as all good beer does. I really like this and am excited about his brewery. If more breweries took this chance with their beers, the beer industry would be completely different. They would be getting back to actually creating "craft beers."

Check out his post at http://www.topfermented.com/2011/06/01/real-beer-has-variability-or-mystery-brewings-mission-statement/.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Stupid Bucket Lid...

Imagine what you would say if something suddenly went wrong with a project you had been working on for weeks...and that is probably what I said this past Friday night. After I transferred the porter (see Chocolate Macadamia Nut Porter post) from the primary to the secondary, something horrible happened. As I was placing the airlock into the rubber ring in the top of the lid, the ring fell into the batch. Panic ran through my mind like never before. I cursed...and then cursed some more. I quickly opened the bucket; maybe it was floating.

No such luck. It sank to the bottom.

I suddenly began thinking about having to toss the batch due to it being completely contaminated. However, I realized that there is a reason why I sanitize the entire lid and not just the underside that comes in contact with the beer (as a few people have told me is all that is necessary). I quickly washed and sanitized the primary and tubing, and re-transferred the beer back into the first bucket. I guess in the grand scheme of things, this was not the worst thing that could have happened, but what upsets me the most is how much beer I lost in the process. You always lose a little volume in the transfer, but I went from just over 5 gallons to less than 4.5 gallons on Friday. Hopefully, this won't contaminate the batch and it will still turn out well. It's just extremely irritating.

Damn.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Beer Blogging Buddies

I recently joined this social network for beer bloggers called "Beer Bloggers Unite." It's a very cool site where all kinds of beer bloggers can get together and share ideas, recipes, beers they like/dislike, etc. I was immediately welcomed by a gentleman named Marcus who owns his own restaurant in Ellenville, NY. He has a video blog called "Beer Blogging Buddies," where he and two friends sample different beers and rate them on a score from 0-100. It is hilarious. Not only do they appear pretty knowledgeable about beer, but you can tell they really enjoy beer. You can also tell that they really enjoy each other's company. The one thing I really liked about them is that they don't appear to subscribe to trends. They like what they like and are unapologetic about it (that also goes for what they don't like). I really like this blog and have added it to the list of blogs I'm following. It's a lot of fun and I recommend everyone give it a try. You can follow the link below:

http://beerbloggingbuddies.blogspot.com

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Kegerator

Over the past couple of weeks I have been looking into kegging my beer. I have come to the conclusion that bottling is tedious and takes a really long time. Beer usually has to condition in bottles for at least 10-14 days, whereas keg conditioned beer only needs about 5 days. Also, force carbonating the beer is really the only way to ensure that each beer is consistently carbonated. I recently purchased a keg refrigerator, or kegerator. I've been pricing kegerators, online and on Craig's List, and finally came across one for sale at an antique shop in Raleigh. The owner wasn't even really aware of what he had. It is an old U-Line "Keg-Meister" complete with tower and CO2 tank. This model was discontinued around 1994 or 1995. It was rusted, dirty, and in need of lots of work, but worked fine and got cold in a hurry. It also has tons of space. It will easily hold two 5-gallon Cornelius (corny) kegs. He was asking $295, but I got him down to $250 once I told him about all the parts I was going to have to replace and modify for home-brew kegs (it was set-up for commercial kegs). I jumped on it immediately.

What I've Done So Far:

• Scrubbed down all the exterior metal--it looks silver again
• Scrubbed the interior--it's still rusted, but not as bad as it was
• Cleaned and scrubbed the drip tray and drain
• Replaced the beer line
• Soaked and cleaned the shank and faucet
• Replaced the commercial couplers (gas-in and beer-out) with ball-lock couplers for corny kegs
• Replaced the regulator and gas hose for the CO2 tank.
• Found a Sam Adams tap handle and put it on instead of the little black knob it came with

I eventually want to replace the tower with one that has two faucets so that I can tap two kegs at once. I'm not sure that I'll keep this one forever, but it's a great start. I already have a keg and am planning to keg condition my latest batch (see the Chocolate Macadamia Nut Porter post). It's a great investment and I've been told by many who have made the same leap that I got a great deal. Pictures below.

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Porter

This past Friday, a group of friends came over and helped me brew this latest batch. I've been trying ever since Beer Fest to create a recipe for this type of porter after I tried the Gallows Point Dead Man's Porter, which was a chocolate macadamia nut flavored beer. Since then I have been anxious to find a recipe that recreates this beer. I couldn't find one anywhere. I looked through various recipe books and even online to no avail.  So, this is basically an original recipe that I came up with based on a couple of basic porter and chocolate porter recipes.

Ingredients:

• 4.3 lbs Dark Malt Extract
• 3 lbs Amber Malt Extract
• 0.5 lb Crystal Grain (90 L)
• 0.5 lb Chocolate Malt 
• 0.25 lb Black Patent Malt
• 1.5 cups Molasses
• 9 oz Bittersweet Baking Chocolate (60% Cacao) (melted) (adjust amount based on desired sweetness)
• 1 cup Chopped Macadamia Nuts (roasted)
• 1.5 oz Northern Brewer Hops 
• 1.5 oz Cascade Hops
• American Ale Yeast

Instructions:

• Steep grains at 150-160F for 30-60 minutes.
• Bring to boil and stir in extract, molasses, and Northern Brewing hops. Boil for one hour.
• At 45 minutes left, stir in half of the macadamia nuts.
• At 30 minutes, stir in the melted chocolate. Stir frequently to prevent the chocolate from burning.
• At 15 minutes, stir in the rest of the nuts.
• After one hour, remove the wort from heat and steep the Cascade hops for 10 minutes.
• Chill wort quickly and add to fermenter.
• Pitch yeast.
• Ferment in primary for 7-10 days.
• Transfer to secondary for 7-10 days.

OG = 1.060

I have invested in a kegging system (blog post on the way), so I will not be bottling this batch. I will transfer to a keg and force carbonate for about 5 days. However, if you want to bottle, you will boil 3/4 cup of corn sugar to 2 cups of water for a priming solution and bottle for 10-14 days. I am very excited about this batch, especially since I will be kegging. Once it is ready, I will post an update.

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Weekend Update

A lot happened this past weekend, so I'm just going to combine it all into one post. Sorry if it's kind of long.

Citrus Wheat Beer:
The wheat beer I posted about earlier is ready.  It's got a nice citrus aroma and the right amount of hops up front, but the finish is a little weak; there's something missing on the end. I like some of the changes I made from the first batch, but I think I may need to go revisit my first recipe and mix and match a little. Overall this is a nice beer, and is very refreshing. It's not too sweet or bitter. It really would be perfect if it had the right finish.

Beer Fest:
Some friends and I went to Beer Fest in Gastonia, NC at the Gastonia Grizzlies minor-league baseball park. Aside from some rain, it was a pretty fun event. There were over 100 beers, some wine, and cider from various breweries and wineries present. I stuck mostly with the beer, though I did try some of the other options available. I do not really remember all of the beers I tried, but several do stick out in my mind (good and bad).

• The Good
• Gallows Point Dead Man's Porter by Skull Coast Ale Company
• Jah*va Imperial Coffee Stout by Southern Tier Brewery
• Endless River by Mother Earth 
• Copper Ale by Old Mecklenburg Brewery
• Harpoon's Summer Seasonal
• Woodchuck Summer
• Shocktop and Shocktop Summer

The Gallows Point porter was my favorite followed closely by the Jah*va stout. The porter had a great flavor and wasn't overly bitter or thick as porters can be. It had great chocolate and macadamia nut flavors that I've just never tasted before in a beer. I immediately wanted to begin experimenting with this to create my own version. 

The Jah*va was also amazing. You could taste the coffee right up front, with some subtle chocolate and even raisin flavors in the back. This was very nice--almost like a novelty coffee drink. I also noticed some caramel flavors. However, at 11% ABV, this is something to sip, maybe as an after-dinner drink. 

Endless River, Copper Ale, Harpoon's Summer and Woodchuck Summer were all very nice, smooth beers (and one cider). They weren't the same type, but they are widely available so I won't go into much detail. Try them for yourself.

 I have actually begun to like Shocktop here lately. The seasonal was also good, which is saying a lot because it was a raspberry wheat beer, and I don't like raspberries. There's just something very refreshing about Shocktop--I really like that they have stayed true to the original style of wheat beers and have left it unfiltered. That's a nice touch not a lot of breweries do.

• The Bad
• Olde Hickory Brewery
• eBrew.com
• Foothills Brewery
• Blueberry Porter from Ass-Clown Brewery
• Bottle-Tree Blonde

I want to clarify that I am listing OHB on this list not necessarily because their beers were the worst I tried, but because of how disappointed I was. I love this brewery. They have a huge beer selection at their brew-pub in Hickory, yet they only brought two beers: a pilsner and an IPA that I honestly think might have been the same beer. They tasted so similar and overly hoppy that it was hard to tell them apart.

 EBrew.com is a distribution company that purchased home-brew beer and wine for this event. As a home-brewer, I was insulted at what they brought. I didn't like any of it, particularly this Black-Eye PA. It was basically a stout and an IPA combined and was rather horrid. 

The Foothills Brewery did not impress me. I had never tried any of their beers, but nothing really stood out. They were all incredibly hoppy; even their hefeweisen was very hoppy. 

The Blueberry Porter from Ass-Clown was probably the worst beer of them all. It just didn't taste right. The flavors were out of order. I think I would have rather had the bitter dark chocolate taste up-front with a smooth, sweet finish. Instead, you get a jolt of sweet blueberries right up front, which is off-setting because of the bitter aroma, followed by an extremely bitter chocolate after-taste. It just didn't sit right on the palate. 

The Bottle Tree Blonde is really only on this list because they served me a warm Carolina blonde ale, and did so knowingly. "Oops, this bottle's warm, but it'll be all right. Here you go!" Not okay. It probably would have been a very nice beer.

Overall, I really enjoyed this festival.  It was a nice atmosphere and a lot of fun. Some things that would have made it better: food vendors, and smaller samples. It would have been nice to get a snack in the middle of the tasting. As far as the sample sizes go, we were only given 6 oz tasting glasses, but so many of the people were filling them to the brim. This is a tasting. I'm not ordering a drink. What if I don't like it? Now, I have to drink the rest of it, or go out of view to dump it so as not to offend anyone. I was even dumping beers I liked because I wanted to be able to taste a lot of different beers. I can't do that if I'm drunk. Also, I will say that there were a lot of IPA's at this event. I am not an IPA fan, as you can probably tell. I just don't like the upfront bitter punch of hops. I don't mind bitter beers, but I like the flavor of malts and hops...not just hops. I like stouts because that dark malt flavor counteracts the   bitterness of the hops. However, there were still plenty of beers at the festival that were right up my alley.

Glass Carboy

Two of my friends, who went to Beer Fest with us, gave me a 6 gallon glass carboy for my birthday over the weekend. This is an awesome addition to my equipment, which I'm sure I will be able to use very soon!

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Citrus Wheat Beer (Round 2)

This is a revised version of a wheat beer I made last fall. You can find the post here on the blog entitled "Citrus Wheat Beer." I made a few changes, trying to play off the great flavor I got last time while trying to add more wheat flavors to make it more of an "authentic" wheat beer. I brewed this batch last Thursday. Hopefully it will turn out as successful as the first try.

Ingredients:
6.6 pounds Wheat Malt Extract
1 pound Wheat Grain (85 L)
1 pound Flaked Wheat (2 L)
1 ounce Liberty Hops
2 Oranges, Sliced
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 package (11 g) of American Ale Yeast (S-33)
3/4 cup of Corn Sugar (priming)

Instructions:

• Steep grains and wheat at 150 F for 30-60 minutes.
• Stir in malt extract. Bring to boil for 1 hour.
• Once wort begins to boil, add hops.
• Add oranges in last 10-15 minutes of boil.
• Add lemon zest in last 5-7 minutes of boil.
• Chill wort quickly and add to fermenter.
• Pitch yeast and seal fermenter.
• Ferment in primary for 7 days.
• Transfer to secondary fermenter. Let sit for 7 more days.
• Boil corn sugar in 2 cups water for priming solution.
• Pour priming solution into bottling bucket.
• Transfer wort from secondary to bottling bucket. Let sit for 2-5 minutes. Bottle.
• Let beer stand in bottles 10-14 days.

I will let you know how it turns out once I've tried it.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Chocolate Coffee Milk Stout

This is my latest batch. In fact, I just opened the first bottle yesterday. A friend of mine and his girlfriend gave me some grains and lactose for Christmas with the hope that I would make a stout. I had to collect the rest of the materials (malts, yeast, hops) on my own because they wanted to plant the idea, not tell me how to do it. I really appreciated that. This is my own creation that I put together from several different recipes.

Anyway, this beer turned out nicely. I'll have to play with it in the future, but it's not bad for a first attempt. Hopefully, they only get better the longer they sit in the bottles. It has a nice smooth texture, and tastes pretty much the way a stout should. It has a nice bitter punch (but not too bitter) up front, but it actually doesn't have a terribly bitter aftertaste that a lot of people complain about with  stouts. My first complaint was that although I added actual chocolate and coffee to the brew, I couldn't really taste them. As I continued drinking it, however, I noticed that these flavors were present as an aftertaste, which was actually very nice. I am not completely satisfied, but that in no way means I won't try again. Also, I am probably my own worst critic, since I made the beer. My wife, who doesn't like stouts at all, says that this wasn't too bad. The true test will come tonight: we're having a group of friends over for dinner tonight, and I usually try out my new creations on them. They love beer just as much as do and will tell me whether or not this is any good. I also can't wait for my friends who planted the seed to come over so they can try it.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Coffee Malt
• 1/2 pound Chocolate Malt
• 1/2 pound Crystal Malt (40 L)
• 1/4 pound Roasted Barley
• 6.6 pounds Dark Malt Extract
• 1 ounce Fuggles Hops (bittering)
• 1 ounce Tettnanger Hops (aroma)
• English Ale Yeast
• 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa 
• 1/2 cup good quality ground coffee
• 1/2 pound Lactose
• 1 1/4 cup dry Dark Malt Extract (for priming)

Instructions:

• Steep grains and barley at 150F for about an hour.
• Stir in extract. Bring to a boil for one hour.
• At 60 minutes (beginning of boil), put in Fuggles Hops.
• At 15 minutes, put in Tettnanger Hops.
• Stir in the cocoa at 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat after one hour.
• Once the wort has cooled a little, steep the coffee for 15 minutes.
• Pour into primary and pitch yeast.
• Primary for 7-10 days.
• Boil Lactose in 1 1/2 cups of water for several minutes and pour into secondary. Transfer beer to the secondary.
• Secondary for 7-10 days.
• Boil dry dark malt extract in 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water. Pour into bottling bucket. Transfer beer to bottling bucket and bottle the beer.
• Let stand in bottles for 10-14 days.

There are a few things I want to try differently next time. The local brew store did not have Irish Ale Yeast, so I settled for English, but I would like to get my hands on Irish Ale Yeast before I make this batch again. Also, I forgot to put the lactose in the boil at the last 15-20 minutes, so I put it in at the secondary process. I might try putting it in during the boil next time. A lot of recipes I have read say to put the lactose in with the priming sugar during the bottling process. I'm not sure what this would accomplish since lactose is not a fermentable sugar, and you're only adding it for flavor. Also, I think I might try adding a full cup of cocoa next time, and maybe some more coffee, even. I really want these flavors to be present in the beer, but not overpowering, so it will be a balancing act. I can't wait to try it again!

OG: 1.058
FG: 1.038
ABV: 3%

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Valentine's Day

I get to cross one major thing off of my wish-list today! My wife gave me a 21 quart (5 gallons, 1 quart) brew pot with lid! It's awesome, and it will make for much easier brewing. Inside the brew pot were many goodies, including a set of 4 Guinness collectible pub glasses. Awesome!

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Citrus Wheat Beer

This is a nice crisp beer. It is comparable to Blue Moon, but not quite as sweet. I was able to get a nice citrus after-taste. Over-all, I was very happy with this beer. This was my first "kit-free" recipe that I put together from a mix of recipes. This recipe makes a 5-gallon batch. It has an approximate ABV of 3%.

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds Wheat Malt Extract
• 1 pound Crystal Grain (60 L)
• 1 ounce German Wheat Hops
• 2 Oranges, sliced
• 1 package (11 g) American Ale Yeast
• 3/4 Cup Corn Sugar (for priming)

Instructions:

• Steep grains in 2-3 gallons of water at 150 F for 30 min to 1 hour
• Stir in malt extract. Bring to boil for 1 hour.
• Once wort begins to boil, add 1/2 ounce hops (bittering)
• Add 1/4 ounce hops at 30 minutes into boil (flavor)
• Add 1/4 ounce hops at 45 minutes into boil (aroma)
• Add oranges in last 10-15 minutes of boil
• Chill wort quickly and add to fermenter with remainder of water.
• Pitch yeast and seal fermenter
• Ferment for 10-14 days. *Note: I did not use a secondary. If you wish to secondary, you'll want to rack to a secondary after 4-5 days, and then leave it in the secondary for 7-10 days.
• Boil Corn Sugar in 2 cups of water for priming solution.
• Pour priming solution into the bottling bucket.
• Transfer the wort from the fermenter to the bottling bucket. Let sit for 2-5 minutes. Bottle.
• Let beer stand in bottles for 14 days.

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Wishlist

Things I would like to have in the near future (some are rather important and some are novelties):

• 5-7 gallon brew-pot
• Wort Chiller
• Another 6.5 gallon bottling bucket
• Auto-siphon
• Floating Thermometer
• Bottle Rack
• 6 gallon glass carboy
• Carboy Dryer
• Wine Bottle Corker
• Keg System (5 or 10 gallon)

Things I would like to have when I decide to brave all-grain brewing:

• Outdoor Propane Burner
• 15-20 gallon brew-pot or kettle (with an installed spigot)
• Super Chiller

Things I would like to do:

• Start a hop garden
• Grow my own barley (so I can make my own grain or extract)
• Collect my own yeast (this probably won't happen until I get a more advanced fermenter)

Things I would like to have that are probably a long way off:

• Thermostat controlled Refrigerator for controlled fermentation temperatures (easier for lagers)
• Stainless Steel Conical Fermenter (at least 6.5 gallons, but 10 or more would be better) 

Until Next Time, 

RHSC

NC Brewers Guild

I joined this group back in December. I haven't actually had an opportunity to use any of the benefits that come with the membership, yet, but I felt like it was more than worth it. There is a list of breweries, wineries, pubs, and restaurants that offer discounts for members on the website. Also, a lot of supply stores will give you a discount if you are a member of any brewing club or association. I haven't really looked at a lot of the other guilds or associations, but this one seemed pretty extensive, and it only costs $30 per year.

Image from www.ncbeer.org

Until Next Time,

RHSC

Do's and Don'ts

When I started my first batch, I was under the assumption that there was only one way to brew beer and have it come out perfectly. Everything needed to be done a certain way. You had to use precisely this much water, this much grain or extract, exactly this amount of hops, etc. I realized, however, after doing a lot more research that it really isn't like that at all. There is hardly a single thing that everybody agrees on when it comes to home brewing. There are so many people that have a different system they swear by, and they all work...or they wouldn't swear by them. The trick is trying a few different things and finding out what works for you. Once you have consistent tasting, quality beer, you probably don't need to change your strategies. These are some issues I had a lot of questions about. I've outlined what some of the research says and what I have found to work for me.

Steeping
Steeping grains is a lot like making tea. You put the grains in the bag, and dip them in the water once it gets to a certain temperature. If you are using extract and grains, you'll steep first, before you begin your boil. If you are using only extract, you don't need to worry about steeping.
-At what temperature do I begin steeping? There are a lot of answers to this question. Most people agree that somewhere between 140 and 155 degrees Fahrenheit is the proper temperature.
-Do I need to keep the water at this temperature for the entire steeping process? Some would say yes. You don't want the water to get too hot because you risk damaging the grains, but as long as it doesn't begin to boil, I usually don't worry about it. I try to keep the temp from going too high, but you'll frustrate yourself easily if you constantly try to change things to keep the temp perfect.
-How long do I need to steep the grains? That ultimately depends on how much you are using. If you are using about a pound or less, I have found that 30 minutes or so is fine. Much more than that and you'll want to steep for closer to an hour. Play with it. See what works. Steeping is all about getting the flavor out of the grains. How much more flavor will a little extra time actually get you? If you truly want every last drop of flavor from the grains, go for the longer time period.

Pitching the yeast
-Do I really need to rehydrate the yeast before putting into the cooled wort? Some people swear by this. If you don't rehydrate, they feel you'll kill the yeast. You might, but not all of them, unless your wort is too hot, and then you'll kill the yeast even if you do rehydrate it. The ultimate answer is no, you don't need to rehydrate it. I have never rehydrated the yeast, and my beers have turned out fine. A guy who owns a local home brew store told me that he has had more reports of contamination with rehydrating then from just dumping the dried yeast right into the wort. Think about it; you're adding an extra step. Every time you do something extra, you are adding opportunities for contamination. And since sanitization is the one thing everyone who home brews definitely agrees on, I have come to the conclusion that it is not worth the extra step.

Fermenting
-How long do I need to ferment? This is one of the most debated ideas or concepts. Literally everyone will tell you something different. Honestly, you'll need to find what works for you. I always let my wort sit for at least 7-10 days. Some say at least 14 days. Depending on the type of beer you are making, or the recipe you are using, you may need to let it ferment for longer. One thing everyone agrees on is that the longer you let it sit, the better it will turn out. Letting it age is not a bad thing.
-Do I need to use a secondary fermenter? Some say yes--always. I disagree. The purpose of secondary fermentation is to let the sediment fall out further and to make the beer clearer. The process achieved by using a secondary will still happen if you leave the wort in the primary. It may not be as effective, but it will still happen. Think about this: the more you expose the beer to air, the more risk you are taking with it becoming contaminated. Some don't think it is worth the risk. For a lot of ales, it is not necessary to secondary. Some recipes require additions that are added in the secondary process (like dry hopping). For these recipes, you probably do want to use a secondary. You'll want to secondary for at least 7 days, probably, since this is where a lot of the aging takes place. A lot of people who secondary, move the beer to the secondary fermenter after about 4-7 days, and then leave it in the secondary for the remainder of the fermentation period.

Bottling
-The ultimate thing to remember about bottling is to make sure everything is clean and sanitized. I wash mine in the dishwasher on the high-temp setting with the sani-rinse option to make sure they are ready to go. Some scrub for hours. I don't have the patience for that. I don't usually have any issues with the dishwasher. Just inspect the bottles afterward and make sure they are clean.
-Some people add priming sugar to each bottle for carbonation. Others add a carbonation tablet to each bottle. I make a priming sugar solution and add it to the bottling bucket. I then siphon the beer into the bucket. This mixes up the solution pretty well. I let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then I bottle. This just seems easier and works fine. The amount and type of sugar you use will depend on the recipe.
-Some people swear by a racking cane for bottling. This is what you have to use if you are bottling from a glass carboy or a solid plastic bucket. I have bottling bucket with a spigot on the bottom. I can just pour the beer right into the bottle. This is easier, but it is a matter of preference.
-How long do I leave it in the bottles? You need to give the priming sugar solution time to carbonate the beer. I know it's hard to look at the bottles and not open one up, but it does get better with age. I have heard some say that if it sat for a really long time in the fermenter, then it doesn't need to sit in the bottles as long. I have even seen some recipes that have really short bottling times. I usually swear by about 14 days. I would not open up one any sooner than about 10 days. However, the last beer is usually the best one, which sits for a lot longer than 14 days, so just keep that in mind.

These are just some things that I had some questions about early on. Once you come to terms with the fact there is no one way to do these things, you'll probably sleep a lot easier. It will also let you be more comfortable with making the beer, which will allow you to be more creative and make better beer. Start out slow. Make it as easy as possible to begin with. Once you get comfortable, then you can get fancy and start using more grains, secondary fermenters, etc.

I really recommend the following book for anyone who home brews, or who wants to start: How to Home Brew by John Palmer. It addresses a lot of the questions I have posted here (and much more) and guides the reader to finding a system that works for him or her individually.

Until Next Time,
RHSC

Why I Brew (Purpose of the Blog)

I come from a very big family. I have a lot of siblings (some full, some half, and some step). If you come from a big family, you know that there a lot of get-togethers and lot of reasons for celebrations. I grew up in a very strong Irish-Catholic household, so celebrations were always synonymous with beer and wine, but mostly beer. It wasn't just something to drink; it was an experience.

In my family, beer is not a method of getting drunk. If you're drinking to get drunk, you're missing the point of beer. Beer is good. It is meant to be savored and enjoyed. It can almost be a conversation piece when someone brings a beer to a party no one else has tried. Everyone takes a sip and comments on its flavor, aroma, texture, and (most importantly) whether he/she likes it enough to buy it for themselves later.

After I graduated from college, I began to take pleasure in discovering new beers for myself, and ultimately sharing these discoveries with my dad. My dad has always been the ultimate beer connoisseur, and like any son, I guess I try to live up to his image.

I started home brewing for a couple of reasons: to save money and for ownership over the product. A friend of mine has been experimenting with it for some time and had been trying to convince me that I should try it for a while. It always seemed like a lot of work to clean the materials, brew the beer, ferment it, and then bottle it. Not to mention that this whole process takes about a month. Who wants to wait that long for beer? It just seemed easier to go to the store and buy it. However, I finally decided to give it a try in August of 2010, when I realized that the cost, if I stuck to it, would ultimately be less if I made my own. For the cost of about 4 or 5 quality six-packs, I can make about 8 six-packs. I also wanted to experiment--making my own beer just seemed really cool. Think about the possibilities. The ability to experiment with my own ingredients and to try different recipes really began to appeal to me. So, in September, I made the initial investment in a beer brewing kit, and made my first batch. I was hooked. While it is a long, tedious process, it is worth it to be able to say "I made that." Think about that conversation piece when you have friends and family over.

A few months and batches have gone by since I started, and I can honestly say I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. The first batch I made was an Irish Stout that came completely from a kit. It turned out great, but it was ultimately nothing special. Since then I have experimented with my own recipes and I have to say the results have been rather nice. The point of this blog will be to chronicle my attempts at making my own beer. I will post recipes, and even some tips and advice, but ultimately it will be a record of what I am doing. I am not an expert. I have some experience with it now, but I don't have all the answers. All I can offer are my opinions and experiences, which might prove to be helpful to you in your endeavors. A lot of the knowledge you gain about home brewing comes from doing it; you have to find out first hand what works and what doesn't. You can't be afraid to fail. I'm not going to lie; it helped a lot that my first batched turned out to be very good, but I have had some disappointments since then, and those disappointments have only made me want to make better beer.

I hope you find this blog to be interesting and useful in your own attempts at home brewing.

Until Next Time,
RHSC