Well I know I haven’t posted anything in a few weeks, that’s because I’m away on work down south! I’m dying for a beer, and to get back to brewing! I do have some upcoming plans though, in fact I have five new beers I’m planning to brew starting in May! Plus I’m dying to try my Red-Eye Ale, it’s been bottle conditioning for two weeks already and I’m ready to try it!
Also, I am getting a stir plate with magnet bar and a 2-liter flask, thus allowing me to start using liquid yeast. Three of the five upcoming recipes I plan to use will use liquid yeast, and I’ll probably make a starter for the dry yeast from here on out too.
Upcoming beers to be brewed…
Al’s ESB – Extra Special Bitter
With 2-row carapils and 60, plus 6-row malt and Safale S-04 yeast, this partial mash ESB should be simple, yet delicious.
Cascade APA
I’ve still got a bunch of cascade hops in the freezer, and they are so delicious! So I’m going to try brewing an American Pale Ale using all cascade hops! The specialty grains will be bries 2-row caramel 40, also partially mashed with some regular brewer’s malt. The yeast will be Safale-05. I plan on using both late addition hops and dry-hopping for a really hoppy flavor. Bitterness will be kept pretty low though, under 40 IBUs. SRM is about 9, so it should be quite light.
Black IPA
I’m going to try a black IPA, perhaps the most complex recipe I’ve tried yet. It has four specialty grains, and six pounds of extract. Nugget, glacier and Columbus hops will be added at various stages for a pretty intense bitterness (almost 80 IBUs). SRM should be about 40, so it will be black! This one is using Wyeast 1056. It’s “gonna be interesting!”
Al’s Bleach Blonde Ale
Carapils and caramel-10 specialty grains should give this light blonde ale a nice body, and who can resist a beautiful blonde? Willamette hops will provide a light bittering, and some flavor additions should give it just a little bite! WLP060 yeast will get this one brewing just in time for summer.
Oatmeal Coffee Stout
Maris Otter, 120L crystal malt, crisp black malt and roasted barley make up a great specialty grain bill for this one. Also, don’t forget a pound of flaked oats. Fuggles and Tettnang will provide bittering and flavor. I’m going with the cold brewed coffee method for the coffee flavor, using about eight ounces of coffee (type of coffee yet to be decided though). More to come on that. WLP023 yeast for this one.
That should keep me busy for a while! The first of these batches should be brewed sometime at the beginning of May. I’ll also be reporting on how my Red-Eye ale came out!
Cheers everybody!
Beer and Stuff 