The Complete Bliss of Homebrewing

[-PO-]

I have a Red Ale and a Pale Ale fermenting right now, when those are done I'll take a few pics.

Right on , who are you getting your supplies from?  Local or Internet?

I try to support the local guys, so I get my stuff from http://www.beer-wine.com  They are about 10 mins from me.  If they don't have what I need I will get the rest from http://www.northernbrewer.com since I use their forum as well.

Nice, I like Northernbrewer.  I have a local shop that grinds fresh grains every week so the grains I will get locally but most of the other stuff will come from Northern

 

Well, get brewin' then!

~Your taste-tester 

Another project in the works, I need to fab up a three tier all gravity system and than you shall try the holy grail

[Mark]

Post pics of your sysytem when your done PO.  I'm going to do a 10gal single tier system when I have the funds.

[-PO-]

Post pics of your sysytem when your done PO.  I'm going to do a 10gal single tier system when I have the funds.

That will be sweet Mark.  I was just trying to avoid additional cost for pumps, etc.  I used to brew on a three tier system and really liked it.  But going with a one tier would be much easier.  I will post before during and finished pics of the project.  I need to lay it out so I can get the tube steel and get working on it.

[LC stogiechat homebrew gnome]

well, after way too damn long, I got the brew kettle back out, dusted off the grain crusher, and boiled away!  The day kinda got away from me, which resulted in a longer boil than I intended, but it was a much more relaxed brew day than some previous, so that was great.  I had trouble hitting my temps, which i should expect on my first time trying to do a protein rest.  I wanted it to be about 125, and was way above on that one, and then I couldn't get the temps to hit 150 with the next addition.  I hope I didn't turn this into a sour beer or anything, but I removed some of the mash liquid and re heated it so that I could get to my temperature.  Other than that and a 90 min boil instead of a 60, the day went smoothly, and had a real nice Joya De Nic Antano lancero during the process.

Lefse belgian blonde ale kit from Northernbrewer

boil  volume: 7 gal
batch size (accidently) 4.5 gal
OG: 1.068
est FG: 1.014
est IBU: 32
mash schedule:
2 gal @ 140 F  - drop to 135 and sit for 30 min
1.2 gal @ 160 F  - drop to 140
recirculate 2 gal at 180 F - drop to 150 and sit for 45 min
1 gal @ 210 F - drop to 160 and sit for 10 min
sparge with 3.5 gal water @ 210 F

10lbs Belgian pilsner
.5 lb   crystal 10L
1 lb belgian blonde candy sugar

1.5 oz spalt 4% AA (90 min)
.5   oz spalt 4% AA (15 min)

1 tsp irish moss 15 min
1 tsp yeast energizer

[Mark]

Hop Update:

[Mark]

Going to fire up the brewery this weekend......FINALLY!!!!

Planing on atleast one batch Sat, but depending on what happens this week it may turn into a double brew day if I can't brew on Sun as well.

Batch #1 - Belgian Pale Ale

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Jamil Belgian Pale
Brewer: Mark
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 24.00 qt     
Boil Size: 36.00 qt
Estimated OG: 1.055 SG
Estimated Color: 7.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU     
11 lbs        Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM)             Grain        89.80 %      
12.0 oz       Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)                Grain        6.12 %       
8.0 oz        Munich Malt, Light (6.5 SRM)              Grain        4.08 %       
0.80 oz       Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %]  (60 min)    Hops         11.6 IBU     
0.50 oz       Saaz [4.00 %]  (40 min)                   Hops         5.7 IBU      
0.50 oz       Saaz [4.00 %]  (15 min)                   Hops         3.2 IBU      
1 Pkgs        Belgian Ale (White Labs #WLP550) [Starter Yeast-Ale        

Batch #2 - American Blonde Ale

     BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Blondiebier
Brewer: Mark
Asst Brewer:
Style: Blonde Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 24.00 qt     
Boil Size: 36.00 qt
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 4.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 17.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU     
10 lbs 6.4 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            Grain        95.24 %      
8.3 oz        Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)     Grain        4.76 %       
1.03 oz       Tettnang [5.00 %]  (60 min)               Hops         17.3 IBU     
1 Pkgs        California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [StartYeast-Ale                  


    

[Mark]

Well, just finished cleaning up after a long ass brew day.  Did two batches today, a Belgian Pale Ale and an American Blonde, all while drinking lots of my House Pale Ale.   It's looking like tomorrow the brewery will be fired up again, went through all of the inventory and I have more than enough to make a pretty good looking American Amber Ale.

[Mark]

Banged out my Amber Alert Ale today.  It's great having all the ingredients you need around the house.

[LC stogiechat homebrew gnome]

got the belgian blonde and the rye pale ale in secondary.  the motor on the beer fridge went out last week, so I am going to look at getting it fixed, but in the mean time, all that beer is going to have to sit at room temp.

Just waiting for a chance to do this IPA I've got a bunch of grain for.  Still undecided on the hop set up.  I have a bunch of hops that came with the grain, and a bunch that I ordered from fresh hops, as well as the first two harvests from the cascade plant.  I've been thinking about doing something with a lot of centennial, which is what Stone brewery uses in thier pale ales and IPA's, along with magnum. 

Looks like the hops are coming along really well there, Mark, congrats!  I have had a recent infestation of some tiny green worms that are eating the hop cones, so I am pretty pissed, probably going to spray a mixture this week using some of the collected worms put in a blender with water, then spray that on.  Tends to work well with tomato worms, from what I understand.

[Mark]

That sucks about the worms Grant.  I had a spider mite problem with my hops.  They were eating the leaves, so I went out and purchased 2000 Ladybugs, let the "Red Army" go in my hop garden and a few days later, no more spider mites!  The Ladybugs now wander up and down the vines patrolling for more mites.