Saison

Saison
(10 gallons)
9/30/2012

12.0 lbs Belgian Pale Malt
8.0 lbs Franco-Belgian Pilsner Malt
1.0 lbs Fawcett Crystal Rye Malt
1.0 lbs Fawcett Optic Malt

4.0 oz German Tradition (60 min)
1.0 oz Kent Golding (15 min)
1.0 oz Styrian (2 min)

yeast:
Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison
Wyeast 3711 French Saison (carboy)
Infusion mash 152 for 60 min
60 min boil

1.055 OG on 9/30
1.040 secondary on 10/7
1.040 secondary on 10/14
(pitched additional yeast)
1.015 FG on 10/20
1.009 FG on 11/7
74% mash efficiency

Fresh Hop Ale 2012

2012 Fresh Hop Ale

Harvested hops on 8/20/2012
     30 oz wet weight
     6.5 oz dry weight  8/29/2012

Grain bill
     Maris Otter             12#
     Briess caramel 60   1#
     Briess carapils        1#

Hops
     60 min       4.5 0z
     15 min       1 0z  (from 2011 harvest)
     1 min         1 oz
     secondary  1 oz

Brewed 8/29/12
     single infusion at 154*
     boil 60 min
     OG 1.056
Transfer to secondary 9/5/12
     1 oz hops added
     SG 1.020
Kegged 9/26/12
     SG 1.020

Single Hop Un-Kolsch

Single Hop Un-Kolsch
(10 gallons)
8/19/2012

15.0 lbs Best Mahr Pilsen Malt
1.0 lbs Weyermann Carafoam
1.0 lbs German Vienna Malt

2.0 oz Saphir (first wort)
2.0 oz Saphir (30 min)
1.0 oz Saphir (10 min)
1.0 oz Saphir (dry)

yeast:
Wyeast 2575 Kolsch II
Infusion mash 149 for 60 min
60 min boil

1.045 OG on 8/19
77% mash efficiency

Surly Furious IPA

Surly Furious IPA
(10 gallons)
6/24/2012

15.0 lbs Canada Malting Pale Ale Malt
6.5 lbs British Golden Promise
1.76 lbs English Medium Crystal
1.26 lbs Belgian Aromatic Malt
0.25 lbs English Roated barley

1.0 oz Amarillo (first wort)
3.5 oz Warrior (60 min)
4.0 oz Amarillo (0 min)
10.0 oz Simcoe (dry)
5.0 ox Ahtanum (dry)
1.0 oz Warrior (dry)
1.0 oz Amarillo (dry)

yeast:
Wyeast 1335 British Ale II
Infusion mash 153 for 60 min
60 min boil

1.060 OG on 6/24
74% roasted barley

Bavarian Hefeweizen

Bavarian Hefeweizen
(5 gallons)
7/08/2012

5.5 lbs Weyermann Pale Wheat malt
4.0 lbs German Pilsner malt

1.0 oz Tettnang (60 min)

yeast:
Danstar Munich German Wheat Beer Yeast

Step mash 122-149-158
60 min boil

1.040 OG on 7/8
60% mash efficiency
1.010 keg/bottle on 7/17

Competition Hefeweizen

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Clone, with adaptations
5 gallons
6/28/2012

Steep for 30 min. at 155F:

4 oz aromatic malt
4 oz acidulated malt

Then add:

5.75 lb Wheat DME
2 oz malto-dextrin
1 oz Hallertau hops @ 4.1% AA (60 min.) [dried whole hops]

1/4 oz Perle hops @ 8.9% AA (15 min.) [pellet hops]
1/4 oz Spalt hops @ 4.0% AA (15 min.) [pellet hops]

Whitelabs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale Yeast

Pitched: 6/28/2012 1.050 SG
Secondary: 7/9/2012 1.010 SG
Kegged: 7/16/2012 1.014 SG (with priming sugar)

Notes: I've usually had very, very vigorous fermentation with hefeweizens but this time was more normal, with steady bubbling for a week or so and no blowout. The smell of the hefeweizen is unmistakable even through the airlock.

I bottled six bale-top bottles and kegged the rest.

From Ben, the brewer at Gritty's in Auburn, taken without permission from Maine Brews.com

HERE’S THE RECIPE FOR CZECH PILSNER WITH AN AMERICAN TWIST (ALL-GRAIN RECIPE FOR 5 GALLONS):

Note: This recipe is highly dependent on soft water, so if yours is high in minerals I strongly recommend diluting or substituting with distilled water. Portland’s water is very soft, so I add either a few ounces of acidulated malt or 15 mL lactic acid to the mash.

Grain:
9# German Pils malt
0.5# Munich malt
0.5# Caramel Pils malt
0.75# Carapils malt

Hops:
Crystal Whole Flower (or other noble variety), 4%AA, 1 oz, added first wort
Saaz Pellets, 3.9%AA, 1 oz, boil 60 min
Saaz Pellets, 3.9%AA, 1 oz, boil 20 min
Saaz Pellets, 3.9%AA, 1 oz, boil 5 min
Summit Pellets, 18.5%AA, 0.5 oz, boil 5 min
Saaz Pellets, 3.9%AA, 1 oz, boil 1 min
Summit Pellets, 18.5%AA, 0.5 oz, boil 1 min
Saaz Pellets, 0.5 oz, dry hop in secondary (lagering) vessel
Summit Pellets, 0.5 oz, dry hop in secondary (lagering) vessel

Yeast:
WYeast 2278 Czech Pils – I strongly recommend making a very large starter for this beer (as for all lagers). I typically make 1.5 gallons of starter well in advance, then decant the beer before adding the slurry to the wort.

Other ingredients:
1 Whirlfloc tablet, boil 15 min
1 tsp WYeast yeast nutrient, boil 15 minutes

Procedure (single decoction mash):
Mash in with 3.2 gal of 138F degree water for a protein rest of 122F. After 15 min infuse 2.2 gal 212F water for saccharification rest at 154F. After 20 min pull 1.5 gal of the mash, heat to boil while stirring almost continuously, boil 30 min then add to back to main mash for mashout at 165 F. Vorlauf, then lauter to get 8.75 gal in kettle (predicted gravity with 83% efficiency, 1.037). Boil 90 minutes, adding hops. Chill as quickly as possible to 52F.
Note: you will likely have to adjust times and temperatures to account for your system.

Ferment at 52F until fermentation appears to be slowing dramatically, then raise temperature to 60F for two days. If this is your first lager, don’t be alarmed by disgusting smells coming from the fermenter – this is normal and the beer will end up ok. Rack to secondary with dry hops (I use Cornelius kegs, because I can keep pressure on them and not worry about an airlock during cooling), then drop the temperature about 2F per day until you reach 35F. Lager for at least 3 weeks (5 is ideal), then keg or bottle. Prost!