Pete made me beer and didn't fail this time! This beer is awesome!
Thanks! Glad you like it.
I tried my latest incarnation of Bitter Black Existence last night, with Rym and Emily and folks. It's pretty good! Still a little more oaky than I wanted, but that can mellow out. Definitely needs to chill overnight to settle out all the yeast, and it should be served around 55 - 60 F for optimal flavor. About 20 minutes out of the fridge should do it. Next time, though, I'm going with a fruitier-tasting Belgian yeast; this guy got mostly drowned out by roasty flavors.
So at least one forumite has requested a beer recipe of mine. This is what I concocted as a prospective saison recipe, though I've yet to actually brew it. I think that'll be my next project: a good sturdy saison that could be drunk at almost any time of year.
I came up with the recipe after reading over roughly 2 dozen other saison recipes and picking up on some common elements, as well as adding my own touches here and there. So for anyone who's doing all-grain, try it and let me know how it works!
Batch Size: 10 Gallons Grain Bill 14 # pilsner malt (use Belgian malt for authenticity/pretention, or cheapass Canadian pilsner malt because it's fucking cheap - me, I lean cheap) 2 # wheat malt (plain ol' malted wheat) 2 # rye malt (mmmmm...rye) 2 # Munich malt (for a rich toasty flavor) 2 # CaraMunich 60 (for color and delicious caramel notes) 1 # candi/white sugar (for extra alcohol and that characteristic Belgian "hotness")
Water Schedule: Strike: 7.25 gallons 1st running (est): 4.5 gallons 1st sparge: 4.5 gallons 2nd sparge: 4.5 gallons -note: may want to go with smaller boil volume to prevent boilover
Hop Schedule @60 minutes: 4 oz Styrian Golding @20 minutes: 3 oz Saaz @flameout: 1 oz Saaz
IBU: 35.9
EDIT: Ferment with a saison yeast. Make sure it's a hot ferment.
Thanks man. I haven't tried that bottle you left me yet, I have to cook something bloody to go along with it. If i can figure out how to maintain a high enough temp I'll do that saison this month, but of course the weather turned and now my attic is at a chilly 68F. Go figure.
Welp, I know what I'm buying and drinking a case of the moment I get off that plane in 10 days.
Newcastle brown, it's good shit. Also, anything from Black Sheep Breweries is pretty ace. I know a good specialty beer and spirits store, I'll see if they deliver to geordieland.
I was chatting to WUB the other day, and I worked out - I can make 20 liters of home-brew for about 10 bucks, assuming I already have the equipment. Not bad.
Yes, it's actually an economical hobby, if you remember to keep it that way.
Oh, that's pretty easy - Those cans I've linked a picture of before, the Coopers Brew-cans? They're ten bucks a pop, and have everything you need ingredients wise to make 20 liters per can. Considering a carton of beer here - 24 bottles - is usually about $25-30 bucks for the basic stuff, it's wildly economical - You're making 40 litres of beer per cheapest carton, nothing to sneeze at.
Of course, if you want to get serious about it, it can run you up a fair old bill, but just to get into it, and to make beer from the brew-cans, for $115 bucks, you've got everything you need to start brewing pretty good beer.
Tried this shit at a pub the other day. Pretty boss.
I was introduced to it by a friend of the Ex, Samba, he loves the stuff. It's pretty ace.
Read this in an article today. I believe this needs to be researched further.
A guy with a serious beard suggested I try [Duck Rabbit Milk Stout]. When a guy with a serious beard recommends you try a beer, you listen. When you listen to a guy with a serious beard recommend a beer, you end up having one of the best beers you've ever had in your life and wish that you were capable of growing a serious beard so that you could recommend awesome beers to people and have them listen . . . and learn.
Comments
I tried my latest incarnation of Bitter Black Existence last night, with Rym and Emily and folks. It's pretty good! Still a little more oaky than I wanted, but that can mellow out. Definitely needs to chill overnight to settle out all the yeast, and it should be served around 55 - 60 F for optimal flavor. About 20 minutes out of the fridge should do it. Next time, though, I'm going with a fruitier-tasting Belgian yeast; this guy got mostly drowned out by roasty flavors.
So at least one forumite has requested a beer recipe of mine. This is what I concocted as a prospective saison recipe, though I've yet to actually brew it. I think that'll be my next project: a good sturdy saison that could be drunk at almost any time of year.
I came up with the recipe after reading over roughly 2 dozen other saison recipes and picking up on some common elements, as well as adding my own touches here and there. So for anyone who's doing all-grain, try it and let me know how it works!
Batch Size: 10 Gallons
Grain Bill
14 # pilsner malt (use Belgian malt for authenticity/pretention, or cheapass Canadian pilsner malt because it's fucking cheap - me, I lean cheap)
2 # wheat malt (plain ol' malted wheat)
2 # rye malt (mmmmm...rye)
2 # Munich malt (for a rich toasty flavor)
2 # CaraMunich 60 (for color and delicious caramel notes)
1 # candi/white sugar (for extra alcohol and that characteristic Belgian "hotness")
Color: 10.5 SRM
SG (est, 80% BHE): 1.065
Boil Time: 90 minutes
Water Schedule:
Strike: 7.25 gallons
1st running (est): 4.5 gallons
1st sparge: 4.5 gallons
2nd sparge: 4.5 gallons
-note: may want to go with smaller boil volume to prevent boilover
Hop Schedule
@60 minutes: 4 oz Styrian Golding
@20 minutes: 3 oz Saaz
@flameout: 1 oz Saaz
IBU: 35.9
EDIT: Ferment with a saison yeast. Make sure it's a hot ferment.
On top of that awesomeness, it's pretty damn tasty.
Better?
Also, there's a great pub in Hull and a beer shop in leeds I should direct you to, both most excellent.
It's amazing having one of the best new breweries in the country essentially right around the corner. Kegs reach Atlanta this week!
Of course, once you start, the tendency is to remove all sense of economy from it and make ridiculous stuff.
Of course, if you want to get serious about it, it can run you up a fair old bill, but just to get into it, and to make beer from the brew-cans, for $115 bucks, you've got everything you need to start brewing pretty good beer. I was introduced to it by a friend of the Ex, Samba, he loves the stuff. It's pretty ace.