Tasting - "The Drama"

Holy Mamma did I knock this one out of the freak'n ballpark!  I sampled a 341ml bottle of "The Drama" tonight.... speechless.  50g's of Cascade at knock-out + 56g Cascade + 56g Columbus dry-hop, the aromatics make my toes curl.

S04 yeast worked amazingly well.  The brew is crystal clear when served near room temps (as any IPA should).  When I racked from secondary to the bottling bucket, I tied a homemade hop bag to the end of my auto-siphon (article to come).  The result is a brew clear of any hop bits; impressive considering I use pellet hops.  Colour is nothing fancy and in line with the commercial OCB IPA's that I've sampled.

A single 10 minute, 50g addition of Cascade did a beautiful job rounding out the hop flavour which is pure Cascade... I love it.

At 50.3 IBU:1.061, the BU:GU ratio is on the low side for an IPA (0.82); however, near 42 IBU of Columbus @ 60 minutes hits above it's weight class. The bitterness is sharp, aggressive, pungent yet remains in balance because of a slightly heavier gravity ratio.  Honestly, it's everything I crave in an IPA.  The bitterness lingers on and on.  The malt is there for balance and nothing more.  The Melanoidin adds a little something, something but is by no means the star of the show, that honour goes to my favorite hop... Cascade.

This one's going into the recipe book, without question.

Brewday - "Yeast/Salt Test"

Notes
Essentially the same recipe (modified hop schedule) as "Little Devil" albeit with some significant yeast and miscellaneous ingredient changes.  An attempt to go back to basics, I rely completely on the addition of Acid malt for mash pH adjustment.  I used EZWater calculator to decide on the amount of Acid Malt, 90grams accordingly to the spreadsheet.  I am re-pitching the US05 from my Centennial BSB2012 IPA.  This is the third time I've brewed this basic recipe.  Each time I've used a different yeast with a slightly different hopping schedule.  Interested in seeing how this one turns out.

American Pale Ale (10A)

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: US-05
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast : Re-pitch
Batch Size (Post Boil): 26L
Original Gravity: 1.054

Final Gravity: 1.011 (est)
IBU: 35.5
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 5.4 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 @ 65-68F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 12 @ 65-68F
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21'ish @ 65-68F

Ingredients

89.0% Canadian Two-row (OiO)
05.0% CaraFoam (Weyermann)
04.0% CaraMunich I (Weyermann)
02.0% Melanoidin (Weyermann)

24.8 IBU Warrior (17g @ 60 min)
17g Cascade @ 20 min

17g Amarillo @ 10 min
17g Cascade @ 0 min

17g Amarillo @ 0 min

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Acid Malt added, pH 5.49
City of Ottawa tap water (Campden treated)

Mash Instructions
Single Infusion, 60 minutes (153F), 1.25qt/lb
Double batch sparge, collected ~27.6L into the boil kettle

23/06/2012 - Recipe brewed

24/06/2012 - Yeast pitched, wort aerated

10/07/2012 - Racked to secondary

01/08/2012 - Bottled

Favorites - "Centennial Blonde"

Blonde Ale (6B)

Notes
A very popular Blonde Ale recipe created by BierMuncher from Homebrewtalk.com.  There is actually a thread which is totaling the amount of Centennial Blonde brewed to-date.  Last I checked, it was into the thousands of gallons!

Light, crisp and very well balanced.  A beautiful summer beer!
Homebrewtalk.com - Centennial Blonde Discussion

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Fermentis Safale S-04
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast : Pitched onto a S-04 yeast cake
Batch Size (Post Boil): 26L
Original Gravity: 1.041
Final Gravity: 1.011
IBU: 20.8
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 3.2 (est.)

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 @ 64-70F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 @ 64F
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21 @ 68F

Ingredients

80.0% Canadian 2-Row (OiO)

08.6% CaraFoam (Weyermann)

05.7% CaraHell (Weyermann)
05.7% Vienna (Weyermann)
9.3 IBU Centennial (11.1% AA), @ 55 min

8g Centennial (11.1% AA), @ 35 min
8g Cascade (11.1% AA), @ 20 min
8g Cascade (11.1% AA), @ 5 min

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salt added

Mash
Single infusion,  60 minutes (150F)
Mash-out (170F) , double batch sparge, collected ~30L into the boil kettle

Update - Hydro Samples

Left to Right:
#20 American Red (1.019), BSB 2012 Centennial IPA (1.016), Wheat on Rye (1.016).

Brewing Links

I stumbled across this awesome comprehensive list brewing grains.
http://oldrepublicbrewing.wordpress.com/malt-and-grain-guide/

The same blog includes a similarly comprehensive list of hops:
http://oldrepublicbrewing.wordpress.com/hop-guide/

Some of the Internet's most popular homebrew recipes:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/beer-recipes-how-to-home-brew
http://realbeer.com/hops/sister.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/87499820/1Pliny-the-Elder-Clone-PDF-1

Looking for recipe ideas for your next brewday, check out this extensive database:
http://www.tastybrew.com/newrcp/styleview.html

The same site offers a nice variety of online homebrewing calculators:
http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/

The quintessential online guide/introduction to homebrewing:
http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

Like podcasts?  Check out the following homebrewing favorites:
http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio
http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php?board=19.0
http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows

Brewday - "Little Devil"

Notes
Named after my second son, this is the second time I've brew this recipe.  Based on the awesome Amarillo hop, the goal is a hop forward ale without the sharp bite of an IPA.

For round 2, I've made some minor tweaks.  I changed up the hop schedule a touch.  Increasing the initial 60 minute charge, I deleted the previous incarnation's 30 minute addition.  Late hops have been simplified additions at 10 and 0.   I am undecided whether or not to dry-hop, I did in the v1 recipe.  I suppose it will depend on the availability of a carboy...  I am brewing at capacity for the timing being.

I will also be using a different yeast.  The previous version was pitched onto a S-04 yeast cake.  I do not have much experience with Danstar Nottingham yeast.  I understand it to be a neutral yeast with wide a temperature range.  Attenuating on the high side (75%+), it's appropriate for American Ales.  I harvested this yeast from a friends completed Festa Brew kit.

American Pale Ale (10A)

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Nottingham
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast : Nope
Batch Size (Post Boil): 24L
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.011 (est)
IBU: 35.7
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 5.3 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 @ 65-68F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 12 @ 65-68F
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21'ish @ 65-68F

Ingredients

89.0% Canadian Two-row (OiO)
05.0% CaraFoam (Weyermann)
04.0% CaraMunich I (Weyermann)
02.0% Melanoidin (Weyermann)

26.1 IBU Amarillo (27g @ 60 min)
28g Amarillo @ 10 min
28g Amarillo @ 0 min
28g Cascade @ 0 min

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salt added, pH 5.50

Ca-93/Mg-15/Na-18/Cl-105/S04-147

Mash Instructions
Single Infusion, 60 minutes (152F), 1.25qt/lb
Double batch sparge, collected ~27.6L into the boil kettle

Brewday - "77 Ringwood Stout"

Notes
A fellow homebrewer provided a 2ml sample of the infamous Ringwood yeast.  Using my newly acquired stir plate (also donated), I was able to gradually step this to a final 1L starter volume.  Initial plans were to pitch to a pale ale; however, upon researching suggested styles for the yeast, I opted for a Stout.  Stout in the middle of summer?  Hell ya!  The photo below was taken approximately 15hrs from pitching.  I aerated the hell out of the wort.  I attacked it for 5 minutes with my Fizz-X (which I love BTW).  Open vessel fermentation FTW!

I plan to go direct from Primary to bottle.  Hydro sample was outstanding.

Dry Stout (13A)

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Ringwood
Yeast Starter: 1L
Additional Yeast : Nope
Batch Size (Post Boil): 24L
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.016 (est)
IBU: 40.8
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 34.3 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 15 @ 68F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): N/A 
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21 @ 68F

Ingredients

77.0% Maris Otter (Muntons)
07.7% Chocolate Malt (Muntons)
07.7% Roast Barley (Muntons)
07.7% Flaked Barley (Muntons)

40.8 IBU Challenger (59g @ 60 min)

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salt added, pH 5.47

Ca-52/Mg-15/Na-18/Cl-80/S04-81

Mash Instructions
Single Infusion, 60 minutes (152F), 1.25qt/lb
Double batch sparge (170F), collected ~27.6L into the boil kettle

Brewday - "Impromptu Red"

Notes
My 20th All Grain batch!  The Red Ale style is my wife's fav and I love american hops.  This brew was totally impromptu.  While my wife was watching some prime-time cheese on the tube, I decided to fire up the strike water, 4hrs later I had another batch in the primary.  Dry-hopping will depend on the availability of a carboy.

American Amber/Red Ale (10B)
Recipe Type: All Grain

Yeast: Fermentis Safale S-04
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast: Re-pitch (cake from Wheat on Rye)
Batch Size (Post Boil): 24L
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.013 (est)
IBU: 34
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 12 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 @ 65-68F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): TBD
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21'ish @ 65-68F

Ingredients

81.0% Canadian 2-Row (OiO)
18.0% Crystal 110 (Muntons)
01.0% Roast Barley (Muntons)

35.5 IBU Summit (17g @ 60 min)
28.0 grams Cascade @ 5 min
28.0 grams Cascade Dry-hop (10 days)

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salt added, pH 5.43

Ca-93/Mg-15/Na-18/Cl-105/S04-147


Mash Instructions

Single Infusion, 60 minutes (154F), 1.25qt/lb
Double batch sparge (170F), collected ~27.6L into the boil kettle