Monday, November 14, 2005
My Beer in Review
I’ve been brewing beer for a little over a year now and thought it would be a good time to reflect on all that has come of it by looking at all I've brewed...well, almost all.**
American Amber Ale (extract brew)- This was my first solo brew and seriously the most exciting time I have had brewing…just Sara and I, fumbling through all of the instructions trying to get everything right. As for the final results, the beer turned out surprisingly drinkable and catapulted me into the hobby as a permanent member. It reminded me of a pitcher of amber ale I had with friends in a pub in NYC, I was 20 at the time and I never caught the breweries name. The beer was malty with a very subtle balance of hop action.
Oatmeal Stout (mini-mash brew)-Having completed my first beer I was ready for more; as in more complexity in the brewing process and overall a more complex beer. This beer seemed to be just the ticket. Basically, instead of dumping malt-extract syrup into the boiling water, you take several pounds of grain, convert the starches to sugar and extract them yourself, a process known as mashing. Then, being a neophyte, you dump several pounds of malt extract in to the boil for good measure. The beer turned out, as I had hoped, much better than the first and was difficult to keep around with friends and family quaffing with joy. Luckily, I came across two lost bottles about six months later. The beer was incredible and really bummed me out…I should have aged the whole batch this long.
Porter (extract brew)-For Nativity I brewed up an extract brew of Porter. I had labels made that turned out to be almost too nice, many people that I gifted the beer to thought that it was a from a commercial brewery, until upon closer inspection of the label noted the brewery name, Sweet Basil Brewers. The beer itself was good, but not nearly where I had hoped it would be.
Witbier (mini-mash brew)- “The grain bill, (grain portion of recipe) includes Oats and Flaked Barley, which, when combined with a very special non-flocculating yeast leaves a cloudy, almost-white appearance.” Wit is Flemish for white. This is a Belgian style ale but I dubbed my version to be a “California Belgian”. The style calls for the addition of bitter orange peel and coriander at the end of the boil. It sounded good to me, but I was a bit nervous because these additions replace the hops that would normally be added at this time. This beer turned out to be wonderful! Probably the best I had brewed up to that point.
Extra Special Bitter (mini-mash)-This beer turned out to be special indeed! It was an organic brew from Seven Bridges in Santa Cruz. They suggested the addition of 1-2lbs of honey, and feeling adventurous I went for it. 2lbs of Mesquite honey from Trader Joe’s was added at the boil. Not only does this sweeten the beer slightly, but it also dries the finish of the beer and increases the alcohol by 1% for every pound added. I brewed the batch in the beginning of August, racked it to the secondary two weeks later, and didn’t bottle it till the beginning of October. This was a big beer and it needed to time for a lot of the flavors to mellow and balance out. It was worth every single day of the wait! This is by far the best beer I have brewed. The head on this was a creamy off white and the beer was a light copper. Beautiful hop aroma, nicely malted for a rich full mouth-feel, fruity, noticeable hops, and a dry finish thanks to our little winged friends. The alcohol was right around 6.7-6.8% ABV, but the beer didn’t exhibit any alcohol warming on the tongue. I’ll definitely be putting another batch of this together soon. Anyone for a pint?
Upcoming Brews-For Nativity this year I’ll be brewing up an Oatmeal Espresso Stout, with some home-roasted shots of the nectar in the primary fermentor. Talk about instant breakfast! In anticipation of a great summer, I’m brewing up a Saison that includes Porto blackened raisins!
**I've done several brews with my friend who initially taught me to brew. I've also done a hard cider from local unpasteurized cider.
I’ve been brewing beer for a little over a year now and thought it would be a good time to reflect on all that has come of it by looking at all I've brewed...well, almost all.**
American Amber Ale (extract brew)- This was my first solo brew and seriously the most exciting time I have had brewing…just Sara and I, fumbling through all of the instructions trying to get everything right. As for the final results, the beer turned out surprisingly drinkable and catapulted me into the hobby as a permanent member. It reminded me of a pitcher of amber ale I had with friends in a pub in NYC, I was 20 at the time and I never caught the breweries name. The beer was malty with a very subtle balance of hop action.
Oatmeal Stout (mini-mash brew)-Having completed my first beer I was ready for more; as in more complexity in the brewing process and overall a more complex beer. This beer seemed to be just the ticket. Basically, instead of dumping malt-extract syrup into the boiling water, you take several pounds of grain, convert the starches to sugar and extract them yourself, a process known as mashing. Then, being a neophyte, you dump several pounds of malt extract in to the boil for good measure. The beer turned out, as I had hoped, much better than the first and was difficult to keep around with friends and family quaffing with joy. Luckily, I came across two lost bottles about six months later. The beer was incredible and really bummed me out…I should have aged the whole batch this long.
Porter (extract brew)-For Nativity I brewed up an extract brew of Porter. I had labels made that turned out to be almost too nice, many people that I gifted the beer to thought that it was a from a commercial brewery, until upon closer inspection of the label noted the brewery name, Sweet Basil Brewers. The beer itself was good, but not nearly where I had hoped it would be.
Witbier (mini-mash brew)- “The grain bill, (grain portion of recipe) includes Oats and Flaked Barley, which, when combined with a very special non-flocculating yeast leaves a cloudy, almost-white appearance.” Wit is Flemish for white. This is a Belgian style ale but I dubbed my version to be a “California Belgian”. The style calls for the addition of bitter orange peel and coriander at the end of the boil. It sounded good to me, but I was a bit nervous because these additions replace the hops that would normally be added at this time. This beer turned out to be wonderful! Probably the best I had brewed up to that point.
Extra Special Bitter (mini-mash)-This beer turned out to be special indeed! It was an organic brew from Seven Bridges in Santa Cruz. They suggested the addition of 1-2lbs of honey, and feeling adventurous I went for it. 2lbs of Mesquite honey from Trader Joe’s was added at the boil. Not only does this sweeten the beer slightly, but it also dries the finish of the beer and increases the alcohol by 1% for every pound added. I brewed the batch in the beginning of August, racked it to the secondary two weeks later, and didn’t bottle it till the beginning of October. This was a big beer and it needed to time for a lot of the flavors to mellow and balance out. It was worth every single day of the wait! This is by far the best beer I have brewed. The head on this was a creamy off white and the beer was a light copper. Beautiful hop aroma, nicely malted for a rich full mouth-feel, fruity, noticeable hops, and a dry finish thanks to our little winged friends. The alcohol was right around 6.7-6.8% ABV, but the beer didn’t exhibit any alcohol warming on the tongue. I’ll definitely be putting another batch of this together soon. Anyone for a pint?
Upcoming Brews-For Nativity this year I’ll be brewing up an Oatmeal Espresso Stout, with some home-roasted shots of the nectar in the primary fermentor. Talk about instant breakfast! In anticipation of a great summer, I’m brewing up a Saison that includes Porto blackened raisins!
**I've done several brews with my friend who initially taught me to brew. I've also done a hard cider from local unpasteurized cider.
Comments:
If you can a copy of the 3rd edition of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing, from Ron Papazian, i'd say pick it up. He's very serious about getting you started actually making good beer fast...and then refining and working out the finer points as you go. For me that was very helpful, just jumping in, sink or swim. Lots of great mead recipes in there as well.
Regarding equipment for brewing...hit the thrift shops and yard sales for two items, 5-7 gallon glass carboys and 5-12 gallon kettles. Many people have come up with very creative means of obtaining great equipment for brewing that has cost them very little. OR, check out morebeer.com for some full set ups ranging from $69 ad infinitum. I bit the bullet and bought my kettle and equipment in one pop for about $205 that included shipping etc. http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=15911
Of course e-mail me, i'd love to help if i can!
Is this what you were asking?
Regarding equipment for brewing...hit the thrift shops and yard sales for two items, 5-7 gallon glass carboys and 5-12 gallon kettles. Many people have come up with very creative means of obtaining great equipment for brewing that has cost them very little. OR, check out morebeer.com for some full set ups ranging from $69 ad infinitum. I bit the bullet and bought my kettle and equipment in one pop for about $205 that included shipping etc. http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=15911
Of course e-mail me, i'd love to help if i can!
Is this what you were asking?
oooh, the Oatmeal Espresso Stout sounds lovely (in theory, I actually don't like the taste of beer).
Sounds like a wonderful way to work through the year, with the special brews.
Sounds like a wonderful way to work through the year, with the special brews.
you know Mimi, i'd love to introduce you to better beer. Perhaps, I'll send a bottle up for you to share with Dawn and whomever.
Maybe it's bad beer, I don't know, but I live near some supposedly good microbreweries, and I think it's just a taste thing.
But, I'm game to try, really!
But, I'm game to try, really!
Ok, I got into comment mode before I read the rest, yes, I'd love to share one with Dawn and try it! Thanks!
Yes...HOPS for all love. How about an IPA Aaron...oh if I had time, there'd be chunks of the stuff floating in my brew.
And IPA to end all IPA's.
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And IPA to end all IPA's.
