Sam Adams Summer Ale Clone

4.5 lbs 2 Row Malt

4.5 lbs Wheat Malt

1 oz lemon peel at 5 min

3 g grains of paradise at 5 min

Mash temp 153°

I’ve wanted to try brewing with grains of paradise, so I’ve finally gotten my chance.

Now there was a bit of a mixup between this brew and my quadro-smash, and this may have been dry-hopped with the hops from that one!  Oh well, we’ll find out when the time comes.  Although I didn’t mean for this to be dry hopped, if ti was, it should merely be “extra tssty.”  The quadro-smash will just be more like any other IPA that’s not dry hopped, so no biggie there. Can’t wait to taste them!

Queen’s Limited Release Wheatwine from Texas Big Beer

I knew Texas Big Beer had another beer coming out soon, and now it’s out.  And it’s gooooood!  Very nice, a tasty wheatwine/barleywine hybrid, but it’s really more of a wheatwine.  And it’s a big, topping off at 11.39% ABV. 

It pours an orange, almost red color, kind of a deep amber.  The head and lacing weren’t that impressive, but there’s ample carbonation, giving it a creamy mouthfeel that’s almost chewy. 

Aroma is this one’s strong point, with a great fruity, floral treat for your nose.  Flavor begins with a solid malt/wheat backbone, a good balancing dose of very floral hops, and plentiful fruitiness. 

Very enjoyable, hats off to Texas Big Beer once again.  I can’t wait to try their new IPA that’s coming out!

Queen’s Wheatwine

 

Elderberry wheat IV

Well, 4th time I brewed this one.  Grain bill identical.  Added a little extra hops this time, same kind of hops as last time (serebrianka), just for the heck of it.  I was thinking “maybe a little hoppier, just a touch,” but didn’t want to make a “hoppy wheat” (I’ve not been too impressed with hoppy wheat beers, to be honest).  Also, a touch more hops is good, but with the elderberries I don’t want to produce a huge clash of flavors.  We’ll see what happens!

Also, mixed yeast this time, just for the heck of it (Bavarian wheat yeast mixed with US-05).  Let’s see how this yeast combo goes with this grain and hops profile.  I’ve never mixed yeasts before, and don’t really know what it will do, but… I don’t have any worries… it will be good!

• 4 lbs, 8 oz pilsner malt
• 4 lbs wheat malt
• 1 lb flaked wheat
• 0.5 lbs 20L crystal malt
• 1 oz Serebrianka at 30
• 1.5 oz Serebrianka at 10
• 1.5 oz Serebrianka at FO
• 8 oz dried elderberries at 20 minutes
• Bavarian wheat yeast + US-05

• OG 1.054
• IBUs 20
• SRM ??
• ABV 5.1%

As usual, 8oz of dried elderberries turned the wort nice and purple.  It’s a really cool thing to have purple beer.

Elderberry Wheat III

Brewing Elderberry Wheat again!  It’s a great recipe and I’m ready for some more of it now that it’s getting warm outside.  Base malts identical to last two times, this time will use serebrianka hops.

• 4 lbs, 8 oz pilsner malt
• 4 lbs wheat malt
• 1 lb flaked wheat
• 0.5 lbs 20L crystal malt
• 1 oz Serebrianka at 30
• 1 oz Serebrianka at 10
• 0.5 oz Serebrianka at FO
• 8 oz dried elderberries at 20 minutes
• Bavarian wheat yeast

• OG 1.054
• IBUs 20
• SRM ??
• ABV 5.1%

Boulevard! Harvest Dance Wheatwine

Boulevard Brewing, from Kansas City, is some awesome stuff!  Today I’m having one of their smokestack series, Harvest Dance Wheatwine.  I love this stuff!  Wheatwine isn’t a very common style, and I think I’ve only actually ever had a few examples of the style.  But the ones I’ve had are delicious!  Especially this one!

http://www.boulevard.com/BoulevardBeers/harvest-dance-wheat-wine/

A very delicious beer indeed.

Wheatwine pours a beautiful orange-ish tan color, just a little hazy, with a wonderful white head that lasts forever and leaves great lacing.

Fruity and spicy on the nose and taste, with great citrus and floral components as well.  Hops aren’t real forward, nor should they be for this style, but they’re pleasantly accenting of the taste and aroma.  Honestly, the commercial description pretty much describes the beer perfectly:

John Barleycorn is memorialized in English folk tradition as the personification of the barley plant, sacrificed at harvest time and then reborn as beer or ale. Our Harvest Dance Wheat Wine is a celebration of John’s Midwestern cousin, wheat. Beginning with a large portion of wheat malt, we add an equally generous helping of Hallertau and Citra hops and age the ale on both French and American oak. The result is a big, warming burst of tropical fruit flavors, highlighted by subtle wine-like notes, and rounding slowly to a long, dry, oaky finish.

I am not one to take anyone at their word on what I should think of a beer without trying it myself, but this description is pretty accurate (and I’ve had this beer multiple times).  Boulevard isn’t blowing their own horn on this one, this beer actually is really good!

Citra hops, eh?  I just brewed with them for the first time today.  Haven’t tasted the results yet.  My next blog will chronicle the event (it was an odd brew day, fittingly for citra, which has so much myth and hype around it, lol).

Why not toss in a nice bit of music to listen to whilst enjoying this delicious beer?

If you like wheatwine, or if you’re just a fan of great beer, you should try this beer!

Freetail Brewery

Freetail Brewing in San Antonio Texas is a wonderful spot for beer lovers.  They have about 10-11 different beers on tap at all times, plus usually a cask of something tasty.  They serve food and have TVs and such, and the food is quite tasty, especially the pizza.  They now have 22oz bombers for take-out too!

Today I’m having a nice lunch and trying their St Patrick’s day special: Spirulina Witbier.

Well this was a St Patrick’s Day special here, I could tell immediately when I saw the color: GREEN.  Nicely green too, slightly cloudy, had a decent head and left great lacing behind.

Had a typically witbier aroma, wheaty and spicy with cloves and yeast.  Flavor followed suit in spades, if I didn’t see the color it would be hard to tell this was a specialty brew and not just a delicious witbier.
Body was light and very drinkable, I dare to say it’s the perfect St Patty’s beer (especially with the low ABV, 3.9%, so you could pound many of them and still remain standing!).

Always recommend a trip to Freetail for their great beers, this one is no exception.

Oh, and amazingly The Mars Volta was playing on the overhead music!  That’s friggin’ awesome!!

Breckenridge Small Batch 471 IPA

One of my favorites from Breckenridge Brewery, 471 IPA is a nice IIPA/Imperial double.  Coming in at 9.2%, it’s got some kick too!

Light orange in color and almost clear. Head was pretty good at one finger, and lasted. Lacing was good. It’s certainly a pretty color, and not the typically color you’d expect from a DIPA.

Hops and citrus dominate the nose, along with a touch of pine.

Tastes bold and fresh, very darn tasty. Piney hops is the predominate flavor, but citrus (grapefruits, lemon peel) and a light fruitiness come through as well. It’s kind of sweet and has a nice light malty background too. A light spiciness finishes things off.

Feel is quite light and refreshing for a double IPA, yet the body is still medium and amply carbonated. The finish is semi-dry and slightly oily with fruity hops.

I like various Colorado breweries, and this beer racks up another winner for Colorado!   It’s a pretty good price for a four pack too.

Elderberry Wheat Beer II

Well the first batch of Elderberry Wheat beer came out great, so I figured to try it again, this time all grain.  Note that beersmith II doesn’t account for color with elderberries, so I don’t have an expected SRM.  It should be fairly purple again though!  Here’s the ingredients:

• 4 lbs, 8 oz pilsner malt
  4 lbs wheat malt
  1 lb flaked wheat
  0.5 lbs 20L crystal malt
  1 oz Fuggles at 30
  1 oz Fuggles at 10
  8 oz dried elderberries

Yeast: Bavarian Wheat Yeast, with starter

Targets:

• IBUs 19.8
• OG 1.054
• FG 1.015
• SRM ?
• ABV 5.1%

Note: They only had 8 oz packages of elderberries at the LHBS.  Whoa!  Not sure if I’m going to add the whole thing and boil for less, or just add half of them and boil same as last time (20 minutes).  I’m also tempted by all sorts of experimental things I could do with them, so I’ll have to make up my mind before brew day!

1. prepare checklist
2. lay out ingredients and equipment
3. Add grains to mash tun
4. bring 3.3 gallon spring water to 166 F
5. Add 3.5 gallons of 166F spring water to mash tun on top of grains, then stir well
6. add more water to boil pot, bring to near 172F and hold for sparging
7. measure temperature after temperature equalizes in mash
8. adjust mash temperature using either heated mash water or cool spring water as needed to reach 155F, if necessary
9. mash for 75 minutes at 155F
10. during mash, stir about every 15 minutes or so, checking temperature and adjusting if needed
11. at end of mash, begin draining wort into pitcher
12. allow first runnings to drain into a pitcher until clear
13. pour first runnings back on top of mash
14. drain remaining wort into boil pot until mash tun is near empty
15. add 2 gallons 172F water (adjusted as needed)
16. stir well
17. drain first runnings of first batch sparge into pitcher until clear (or close to it)
18. pour first runnings of first batch sparge back on top of mash
19. drain wort into main boil pot until near empty
20. add another 2 gallons 172F water to mash tun (adjusted as needed)
21. stir well
22. drain first runnings of second batch sparge to pitcher until clear (or close to it)
23. add first runnings back into mash tun
24. drain wort into main boil pot
25. bring main boil pot to a boil
26. when boil is reached, boil 60 minutes total
27. at 30 minutes, add 1 oz Fuggles
28. at 25 minutes, add about 1/4 tsp Wyeast nutrient blend to a small amount of spring water and dissolve
29. add wort chiller to boil pot
30. add nutrient blend at 20 minute mark
31. add elderberries at 20 minute mark
32. add 1/8 tsp Irish moss powder at 15 minute mark
33. add 1 oz Fuggles at 10 minutes
34. begin sanitation procedures on spoon, thermometer, bucket, wine thief
35. stir occasionally with sanitized stainless spoon during cooling
36. ensure bucket, wine thief, thermometer, strainer, spoon are sanitized
37. when wort gets to about 70F, add to fermentation bucket, pouring through sanitized strainer to catch any extra solids and to help aerate.  If necessary, clean strainer during process and re-sanitize to remove most of the hop trub and berries before fermentation
    
38. take OG reading with sanitized wine thief
39. thoroughly aerate wort with sanitized stainless steel spoon again
40. ensure wort is 68F or a little less before pitching yeast
41. ensure yeast is a little cooler than wort before pitching
42. pitch yeast
43. gently stir using sanitized stainless steel spoon
44. install sanitized bucket lid and airlock
45. ferment in freezer chest w/Johnson controller for 14+ days at 66F
46. after 14+ days, add dry hops, 1 oz chinook, 0.5 oz willamette
47. ferment a total of 21+ days
48. take FG sample and bottle
49. use 5 oz corn sugar at bottling

Actual OG:

Actual FG:

Notes:

American Stout – All Grain

This one is somewhat planned, somewhat on the fly.  It was originally planned as an American stout, and will still be exactly that.  However, I have a little bit of leftover wheat that I want to get rid of, so I just decided to toss it in this one for the hell of it.  So in that respect, it’s a bit on the kitchen sink side…
Batch size is 3.5 gallons

• 6 lbs maris otter
• 10 oz crystal malt 120L
• 10 oz chocolate malt 350L
• 10 oz roasted barley 300L
• 10 oz flaked oats
• 7 oz pale wheat malt
• 7 oz flaked wheat
• 0.75 oz Columbus (1 hour)
• 1 oz Willamette (10 minutes)
• 1 oz Hallertau (5 minutes)
• 1oz Hallertau and 1oz chinook dry hop
• Us-05 yeast

Targets:

• OG 1.067
• FG 1.012
• IBUs 70.5
• ABV 6.3%
• SRM 41

Procedure:

1. prepare checklist
2. lay out ingredients and equipment
3. reconstitute dry yeast using 95F boiled spring water and allow to cool to room temperature
4. Add grains to mash tun
5. bring 3 gallon spring water to 169 F
6. Add 2 3/4 gallons of 168F spring water to mash tun on top of grains, then stir well
7. add more water to boil pot, bring to near 172F and hold for sparging
8. measure temperature after temperature equalizes in mash.  this has been prretty spot-on the last few batches, so I don’t anticipate having to boil extra water, but I will be ready just in case
9. adjust mash temperature using either heated mash water or cool spring water as needed to reach 152F
10. mash for 75 minutes at 152F
11. during mash, stir about every 15 minutes or so, checking temperature and adjusting if needed
12. at end of mash, begin draining wort into pitcher
13. allow first runnings to drain into a pitcher until clear
14. pour first runnings back on top of mash
15. drain remaining wort into boil pot until mash tun is near empty
16. add 1.5 gallons 172F water (adjusted as needed)
17. stir well
18. drain first runnings of first batch sparge into pitcher until clear (or close to it)
19. pour first runnings of first batch sparge back on top of mash
20. drain wort into main boil pot until near empty
21. add another 1.5 gallons 172F water to mash tun (adjusted as needed)
22. stir well
23. drain first runnings of second batch sparge to pitcher until clear (or close to it)
24. add first runnings back into mash tun
25. drain wort into main boil pot
26. add wort chiller to boil pot, filled with hot water
27. bring main boil pot to a boil
28. when boil is reached, add bittering hops, 0.75 oz columbus at 60 minutes
29. at 30 minutes, add about 1/4 tsp Wyeast nutrient blend to a small amount of spring water and dissolve
30. add nutrient blend at 15 minute mark
31. add 1/8 tsp Irish moss powder at 15 minute mark
32. add 1 oz Willamette at 10 minutes
33. add 1 oz hallertau at 5 minutes
34. at flameout, turn on water for wort chiller
35. begin sanitation procedures on spoon, thermometer, bucket, wine thief
36. stir occasionally with sanitized stainless spoon during cooling
37. ensure bucket, wine thief, thermometer, strainer, spoon are sanitized
38. when wort gets to about 72F, add to fermentation bucket, pouring through sanitized strainer to catch any extra solids and to help aerate
    
39. take OG reading with sanitized wine thief
40. thoroughly aerate wort with sanitized stainless steel spoon again
41. ensure wort is 72F or a little less before pitching yeast
42. ensure yeast is a little cooler than wort before pitching
43. pitch yeast
44. gently stir using sanitized stainless steel spoon
45. install sanitized bucket lid and airlock
46. ferment in closet for 14 days at 67F ambient air temp.
47. after 14 days, add dry hops, 1 oz hallertau and 1 oz chinook
48. ferment a total of 21 days
49. take FG sample and bottle
50. use 3.5 oz corn sugar at bottling

Actual OG: 1.058

Actual FG: 1.014

Notes: Sparge was difficult.  I had to stir it around the strainer hose frequently in order to get the wort flowing, and had to keep stirring it.

Also I had just a little bit of oatmeal left at home, not enough for a bowl, so I tossed that into the mash too, perhaps 2-3oz

Elderberry Wheat Beer

Well I’m going to try a very simple wheat beer, with a few elderberries added for color and flavor.  The final SRM is only supposed to be about 4 (according to the calculator, lol) but I’m quite sure the elderberries will add quite a bit of color.  There are no specialty grains for this one, so it should be quick and easy.  I’ll be using Wyeast Bavarian Wheat Yeast on this one, along with a good amount of wheat extract, and some Saaz and Hallertau hops.  Easy as pie!

1. prepare checklist
2. lay out ingredients and equipment
3. Bring 4 gallons water and wort chiller to a boil
4. add liquid wheat extract and boil one hour
5. add 1 oz hallertau at 60 minutes
6. add 4 oz dried elderberries at 20 minutes
7. add 1/4 tsp Irish moss powder at 15 minutes
8. add 1 oz saaz at 10 minutes
9. turn on wort chiller and cover at 0 minutes
10. sanitize spoon, thermometer, bucket, wine thief
11. when wort gets to about 70F, strain into fermentation bucket using sanitized strainer
    
12. take OG reading with sanitized wine thief
13. thoroughly aerate wort with sanitized stainless steel spoon
14. ensure wort is 70F or a little less before pitching yeast
15. pitch yeast
16. gently stir using sanitized stainless steel spoon
17. install sanitized bucket lid and airlock
18. ferment in closet for 12-15 days at 67F ambient air temp.
19. use 4 oz corn sugar at bottling

Targets: OG: 1.055    FG:  1.015     IBU: 20    SRM: ?    ABV: 5.2

Actual OG: 1.052

Actual FG: 1.018

Notes: