Palm

Today I had my first taste of Palm, a Belgian Amber ale. It pours a golden copper color with a small foamy, white head. Right away the scent of Belgian yeast comes through the delicate lacing around the glass. The nose is Belgian, fruity, lightly hopped and crisp. The taste is very smooth, almost lager like in it's rounded, dry finish. Absolutely delightful and a home run in the world of Belgians. I can't believe it took me this long. I grabbed a six pack, so I plan on enjoying them for those moments that call for a really nice, smooth ale that scratches my itch for classic Belgians.

2 Hours

Well, I did it. Last night, with a few close friends, I opened one bottle of Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. I followed Sam's instructions, and served it after letting it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes. It poured beautifully into a brandy snifter a wonderful gold with a very quickly dissipating head. I braced myself as the nose screamed of hops, but was taken aback by the massive amounts of malts. The grain bill cut through the bitterness and made rather sweet taste, followed by a very present alcohol warming. Since this one was bottled in 2011, I will keep the second one until at least late 2012 or longer if I can stand it. Be forewarned though, make sure you eat well when consuming this IPA, it will knock your socks off in a hurry. However, I must say that at $10 a bottle, it is definitely a must try and the recapped empty bottle now adorns the bookcase in the office. A one of a kind brew that is super malty, ridiculously hopped, and drinks like a liquor.

Long Time

It has been quite a while, so I thought I'd post something to let everyone know that I have not stopped. We have been trying a few new things, and though nothing is quite ready, I am really excited about a number of them.

First, is the Lindeman's Framboise pseudo clone. I call it a pseudo clone, because we are doing our version of it. We took a basic Belgian wheat recipe, fermented with Belgian Ale yeast, and then racked it onto 6 pounds of sweet dark cherries, and then added a lambic bacteria blend (Wyeast 3278). It currently still resides in the secondary, until I can rack it into a third carboy for a few weeks to clear and get really happy. We will prime with DME, and most likely bottle in large Belgian corked bottles.

The next great thing is a Baltic Porter. This is still several months from being ready, but I attempted a step mash of this through decoction. It did not go even remotely according to plan, but my numbers ended up being only slightly off. While aiming for 1.070, I ended up around 1.064...not bad despite the fact of having to fight through a stuck sparge and making quite the mess. This big ale is fermented with lager yeast to keep the fruity esters at bay, and make it nice and crisp. This will be sampled in the early spring, with the majority saved until next winter.

Following close behind is a nice American lager. While I forgot to add the pound of carapils (providing for some frustration mid brew), this may very well become the house lager. Still in the primary, I am going to keg it and put it in the garage for a few weeks to keep it nice and cool before tapping.

And finally, on the wine front. The blueberry still wine is just about ready to be bottled after having relaxed in the secondary since August. I have high hopes for this one, and maybe even a few lucky individuals will be able to procure a split for the holidays.

That should just about catch everyone up. Since December is a rather hectic month, things may be on hold a bit, but perhaps a Sunday brew of a black lager will happen...

A Brave New World

Today I entered the realm of the big boys. My loving wife purchased my birthday/anniversary gift in the form of an all-grain brewing set up. We are still awaiting the kettle, but I am really excited. Now the challenge to take my brews to the next level. Everyone knows that all-grain is the way to go if space and money allow. I guess we found a way for both. I look forward to spending weekends on the deck concocting new and wonderful ales and lagers.

Two Bottles

Wine Reviews

Dry Creek Old Vines Vinfandel 2007- this wine pours a dark purple in the glass, and the young vintage shows. The nose is rich with ripe figs and dried dates. A big, luscious mouthfeel and a dry tannic finish make this one worth every last drop. I would like to keep a bottle of this for another two or three years and compare the notes, as I think it has a lot more to offer as it matures.

Bethel Heights Estate Pinot Noir 2009-also a young wine, the color was definitively pinot, nose of ripe berries and currant, with a nice even oak. Light on the tongue, this wine surprised me most with the long legs left on the glass. A finish that seemed to last forever, it is a wonderful compliment to lean beef or mixed cheese platter.


All in all for both wines, I was very satisfied. They are further proof that America can produce some fantastic wines that can and do rival any European house.

Troegs Perpetual IPA

I picked up a 22oz. bottle at Al's and for $6, I figured it would be worth a go. I can't remember the last time Troeg's disappointed, and this surely was not one of them. The pour was a nice golden amber, and a nice head that quickly dissolved leaving some beautiful cobwebs on the glass. The nose was pine and malt, with a hint of spiciness I wasn't really expecting. First sip was big on citrus with an alcohol finish. It was lighter than anticipated but an easy drink for a big IPA.

Well done boys, this one is very refreshing.

Sunday Afternoon

My wife and I were sitting around earlier today, and since the weather cleared and there was nothing on the docket, we did what any beer loving couple would do; we grabbed a mixed sixer over at Al's.

Breckenridge Brewery Regal Double Pilsner Small Batch Series 7% ABV- pours a yellow gold with almost no head at all. It's hearty build of malt is similar to other big beers and the hoppiness crashes through like an IPA but keeping a crisp pilsner flavor all the way through. It is a nice warming brew, and goes down smooth.

Shipyard Brewing Company Pumpkinhead Ale 5.1% ABV- this beer pours a very light gold, almost oddly so. The head dissipates within minutes, and carbonation seems to be low. First impression is the smell that is literally pumpkin pie. The flavor is nothing short of a fork full of sweet homemade pumpkin. Sweet and full of body, it would be perfect companion for dessert at Thanksgiving. I may pick up a six pack for that exact purpose.

We had a few others, but nothing out of the ordinary. I did indulge in my first Sam Adam's Oktoberfest of the year. As usual, Jim never disappoints.

Pear Cider

Today I played gofer and picked 45 pounds of Bartlett pears. They were washed and bagged and placed in the freezer to chill them before being moved to the refrigerator to ripen a bit more. Once that occurs, I'll update as to the progress.

Irish Love

Last year I made a batch of dry Irish stout because of my affinity for dark dry beers. What I did not figure on was this brew needing about a year to really get happy. So yesterday as my wife was recovering from her surgery, I was looking for a little libation to make me happy. I found it in a dusty bottle that had been hanging out in the basement for nearly a year. I actually thought it was a different beer than the stout.

Regardless, I poured it and walked away only to come back and take a swig. WOW! The dryness had balanced into a nice semi-dry roasted flavor and the once bitter toasted background came forward in a much more mellow almost chocolate body.

I have to dig around to see if there are any remaining bottles, but this is one I will have to remember to leave it sit around for some more Irish love a year later.

Skeeter Pee

I love the name. I have a feeling that I will enjoy the beverage. It is basically lemon juice and sugar fermented out. Do not confuse this with hard lemonade though, those are malt beverages with a wimpy 5% ABV. We used champagne yeast slurry from a batch of sparkling wine I will attempt to make in the methode champanoise, but I digress. This little insect excrement should close out around 10%, and pack a mammoth wallop. Back to the pee. I found the recipe online, compliments to the author and contributor at http://www.skeeterpee.com/. I started it last week, and pitched the yeast on Friday. There was a short lag, but using a wire whisk, a little elbow grease, and a healthy dosage of yeast nutrient, we have a rolling ferment going now. OG was 1.068, and as of Sunday was down to 1.060, so progress is happening.

The website and most sources of recipes call for it to be a still beverage, but I want to take things to another level. We are going to carbonate this. And the best part is that it will be ready in time for the beach trip (hopefully).

Once the gravity it down closer to 1.000, we can transfer it to the carboy for clearing and bottling prep. The key here will be timing, so as not to add too much food at bottling and creating glass grenades. But this wouldn't be as much fun if there weren't some element of danger and risk involved.

If all goes as planned, next year there may be a lime version making its debut. And no, I am not waiting for radioactive mosquitoes to go number 1.


On Saturday the 20th, we finally bottled the skeeter. I added 1/2 cup of sucrose for carbonation. Initial tasting at bottling showed maturation from what it was during the transfer. Nose is that of a very young wine, but the flavor is that of fresh lemon. Not bad at all. I will be interested on how it tastes after a week carbonating in the cellar.

Into the Secondary

This is the blueberry wine. I originally had planned on transferring it to a 3 gallon carboy, but the extra pectic enzyme really pulled every last drop out of those berries. From 9 pounds of fresh blueberries, we only had about 2 fists full of pulp when it was all said and done. So, I opted for a 6 gallon carboy and even though there is a ton of head space, it is fermenting fast enough to negate any ill effects.

Update: I bottled 6 champagne bottles and added 2 carb drops per bottle and two drops of yeast slurry from primary. Each bottle was capped and set horizontal on the wine rack. The remaining was racked to the 3 gallon carboy to age for a few months before being bottled as a still wine.

Blueberries

On Sunday we started our blueberry wine. Nine pounds of fresh blueberries, and within 12 hours, fermentation had begun. Since the total yield would be only about 3 gallons, I am torn with how to prepare it. Part of me says make a bottle or two into sparkling, maybe a bottle or two combined with another fruit wine, or maybe just bottle the whole batch as a still wine.

I am open to suggestions, so feel free to cast your vote.

Brewer's Fest

Last Saturday we made the annual trip to downtown Harrisburg for Brewer's Fest sponsored by Troegs. This an outdoor activity, rain or shine, and some of the best craft brewers show up here. The entire event benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, so you get to feel good about feeling good.

Some of the highlights were:

Oskar Blues. This brewery continues to impress me with their consistent good tasting beer. They push the limit of styles, with Imperial Reds (G'Knight) and stout (Ten Fiddy), and cram more hops than previously thought possible in the Gubna.

Duquesne Brewing Company. This small newcomer revived the old Rolling Rock Brewery, and their one on-hand brew was refreshingly good. Even better, is the relatively inexpensiveness for a case of it.

Straub. Even though it always seems like your grandfather was the only one who drank the stuff, it still is one of the freshest beers around. Of particular interest was the Special Dark. Those who typically turn their noses up at darker grogs, really should put this one on the "Need to Try" list.

Nodding Head. Every time I try one of their beers I am reminded why I don't like it. Always unimpressive, and the bobble head is more annoying than anything else. Sorry, not digging this one.

Dogfish Head. I love how Sam always tries something different, incorporating odd and unique ingredients. The Brown Ale is still great, the Festina Peche is still terrible.

Original Sin Cidery. More often than not, I steer clear of ciders. The sickeningly sweet ones more than something dry and less sugary. Their Pear Cider was outstanding, and I will look to make a batch of it myself.

Obviously I didn't try every beer there....or did I and I just can't remember??

Brown Ale

I have really grown to enjoy brown ales. The complexity produced by the roasted grains and malts are impressive, and limited only by the imagination of the brewer. Even with an extract recipe, I can't wait to try this. Brewed 4 weeks ago, it is currently getting some quality time in the secondary. Once bottled, I think I will be hard-pressed to wait the full two weeks before sneaking a taste.


Bear's Bollocks
Flanders Brown Ale/Oud Bruin

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (G): 5.0
Total Grain (lb): 8.250
Total Hops (oz): 2.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.054 (°P): 13.3
Final Gravity (FG): 1.014 (°P): 3.6
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.31 %
Colour (SRM): 29.0 (EBC): 57.1
Bitterness (IBU): 34.1 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 70
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
6.000 lb Liquid Malt Extract - Light (72.73%)
0.750 lb Crystal 60 (9.09%)
0.500 lb Carapils (Dextrine) (6.06%)
0.500 lb Special-B (6.06%)
0.250 lb Black Roasted Barley (3.03%)
0.250 lb Chocolate (3.03%)

Hop Bill
----------------
1.00 oz Styrian Golding Pellet (7% Alpha) @ 45 Minutes (Boil) (0.2 oz/Gal)
1.00 oz Styrian Golding Pellet (7% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (0.2 oz/Gal)

Misc Bill
----------------

Single step Infusion at 151°F for 30 Minutes.
Fermented at 68°F with Wyeast 1469 - West Yorkshire Ale

Season of the Ninja

Two weeks ago, I tried my hand at a Sapporo style lager. For summer, few things are as refreshing as the Japanese brew with some great sushi. Since I don't have a full sized secondary fridge for lagering, I go the more low-tech route. Once the primary fermentation is complete, I transferred to my secondary which is placed in ice water in a cooler. Every day, ice is added to keep the temperature down. Then, I transferred to the keg for a final two weeks of lagering in the kegerator. It does not produce quite the lager like the filtered commercial version, but I am pretty excited to give this a swig.

Ninja

Original Gravity (OG): 1.058 (°P): 14.3
Final Gravity (FG): 1.015 (°P): 3.8
Alcohol (ABV): 5.70 %
Colour (SRM): 5.8 (EBC): 11.4
Bitterness (IBU): 41.0 (Average)

52.94% Dry Malt Extract - Light
23.53% Flaked Rice
23.53% Rice Syrup Solids

0.2 oz/Gal Sorachi (11.8% Alpha) @ 25 Minutes (Boil)
0.2 oz/Gal Sorachi (11.8% Alpha) @ 12 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 151°F for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 48°F with WLP802 - Czech Budejovice Lager

In the Meantime

Since we have planted only one grapevine this year, and it will be a little while until there is a full harvest, I have decided that we will make do with other fruits to make some wine. In a few weeks, several large mulberry trees will be ripening at my in-laws. For those who have experienced mulberries in season, it is a love-hate relationship.

The juice and fruit is bright, sweet, and purple. It's a lot like honey; you can't get close to them without getting it all over the place. With a few reluctant volunteers, we will attempt to make a full 5 gallon batch. I have resigned myself to the fact that nearly every item used in the process will most likely need to be trashed due to the juice staining everything it touches.

We will need approximately 20 pounds of berries to get to the 5 gallon mark, and probably 5-6 pounds of sugar since the berries won't contain all that much natural sugar that will ferment.

I've read to give it two years in the bottle, but we will see about that. In the meantime, I'll be caught purple-handed.

What A Difference A Year Makes

Last spring I made a batch of elderberry wine from concentrate. No oak, nothing fancy. I wanted to try my hand at making it, because years ago my late grandmother talked about elderberry wine. It sounded like the perfect compliment to a hot summer day and something on the grill. So not long after bottling, we popped one to see what it was like. My disappointment paled in comparison to my wife's totally disgust. Since I figured that it was one of those batches that you end up giving away, I did just that. I gave away a case of the stuff.

This past weekned, I decided to give it another shot. At worst, I would have an empty bottle. So I poured a glass and WOW!! The bitter, stingy sourness was gone. All that was left was a wonderful, semi-sweet berry that was bright, and danced on your palate. What's more, my wife was really upset that we had not given it a chance to mature and instead basically handed it out.

All in all, a valuable lesson was learned. If in doubt about a wine, wait. If it doesn't get better in a year, wait another. Some of the best wines never reach drinkability in the lifetime of the vinter.

First of Many

A few weeks ago, my wife and I planted our first grape vine. It is a small, 2 year old Concord. The weather here has been wonderful, and the vine is growing like a weed. Just this past weekend, I installed the first wire to help train the vine. Stay tuned, as we will be posting pictures shortly.