Thursday, December 29, 2011

Malt Bomb Pale Ale

Its been a while since I have brewed so I decided to make a malt bomb of a pale ale. I was planning on doing it all grain but I had 3lbs dme on hand so I threw that in as well. I am brewing this with my homegrown goldings hops as well! The recipe follows:

5gal Batch
10lbs pale malt
1lb crystal 60 malt
3lbs pale DME
3 oz goldings hops
american ale yeast

  • Mash grain with 16.5 quarts (15.5L) of water @ 150F. Mash for 60min, stiring every 15min well maintaining the mash temp.
  • Collect wort and sparge remaining grain with 24.75 quarts (23.5L) @ 170f
  • Add all collected wort to your brew pot along with the DME and bring the a boil.
  • Boil for 45mins dividing 2oz of hops at :45, :15 and flame out.
  • Cool wort in an ice water bath.
  • Transfer cooled wort to a carboy and pitch yeast.
  • Primary ferment for 1 week.
  • Rack beer into a secondary onto the last 10z of hops and dry hop for one week.
  • With dry hopping complete rack again and allow the beer to settle out for another week.
  • Once the beer has cleared, rack off the lees, mix in prime sugar (3oz sucrose dissolved in 2 cups water) and bottle.
  • Bottle carbonation should take another week.
  • Enjoy!

Mashing

Boiling

Hot Break

Carboy after pitching the yeast.

The Malt Bomb came out at 1.075 OG, a big pale indeed!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Pedigree V.S.O.P.

Pedigree V.S.O.P.

Pedigree Very Special Old Pale | Marstons plc. | English Strong Ale | 6.7% abv: lost my notes, check out ratebeer.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Tree Hophead

Tree Brewing Hop Head IPA

Tree Hophead | Tree Brewing | India Pale Ale | 5.8% abv: An excellent IPA with a robust malt body and a nice level of hopping. Lots of pine and citrus hop notes finishing with a good amount of bittering.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Funnel Blower

Box Steam Funnel Blower

Funnel Blower | Box Steam Brewery | Porter | 4.5% abv : A well balanced porter with a good amount of vanilla mixed in. Low bittering, creamy & sweet.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Porter Baltique 2011

Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique 2011

Porter Baltique 2011 | Les Trois Mousquetaires | Baltic Porter | 10% abv: This is one big beer! Rich roast malt dominates the flavor along with espresso, coco, smoke, licorice and dried fruit. Thick, smooth body with a good amount of residual sweetness. Finish is very roasty, sweet and somewhat boozy. I'll be tucking a few of these into the cellar.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Maple Stout

Cannery Brewing Maple Stout

Maple Stout | Cannery Brewing Company | Sweet Stout | 5.5% abv: Big maple aroma with a hint of chocolate and black malt. The flavor is dominated by maple and vanilla with a light stout lingering in the background. Great stuff, as advertised.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin | Shipyard Brewing Co. | Pumpkin Ale | 9% abv: Spicy, sweet aroma with clove and nutmeg. It one is quite strong in flavor with hits of clove, nutmeg, pumpkin, booze and malt. Finish is boozy with a good amount of hop bittering.