All-Grain - Roasted Blackberry Ale

MichaelsBrewing · 01-03-2012, 02:40 AM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: US-05
Yeast Starter: No
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 31.4
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 18.7
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 @ 72F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 @ 72F
Tasting Notes: Aroma: Smell is very toasty with a fruity yet roasty nose throughout.

Aroma: Smell is very toasty with a fruity nose throughout.
Appearance: Thick off white head that slowly dissipates as it warms. Beer body is dark with a reddish hue from the blackberries. IMHO the color reminds me of merlot.
Taste: Has a berry tart flavor right up front but diminishes over the tongue to bring out the roasted malt. Not too warming but is quite fruity. Very pleasant after taste that is neither harsh nor bitter. Mouthfeel has a nice carbonated tartness that is cleaned up quickly by the roasted malt. I feel this beer has a perfect balance.
Overall: A wonderful beer to call my 2011 Christmas Ale!! One of the best I have ever brewed!

I have to give it up to eschatz and his Requiem Raspberry recipe: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f75/extract-requiem-raspberry-56285/
This brew is modeled off his original recipe. I encourage all of you to try it as well.

Recipe:

Amt Name Type

10 lbs - Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 69.0 %
1 lbs - Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 6.9 %
8.0 oz - Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.4 %
0.50 oz - Columbus (Tomahawk) [10.90 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 20.0 IBUs
0.50 oz - Cascade [6.40 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 5 9.0 IBUs
0.50 oz - Cascade [6.40 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 6 2.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 7 -
3 lbs Fruit - Blackberry (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 8 20.7 % (Secondary)

If you brew it please let me know what you think!

Cheers

IIINuns · 02-14-2012, 03:42 PM

This looks great! Only change I'll be making is using 5 lbs of Marionberry puree in the primary, and will go all Columbus in the boil. Not sure if I'll use some harvested California Ale yeast or Super San Diego yeast.

MichaelsBrewing · 02-17-2012, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IIINuns

This looks great! Only change I'll be making is using 5 lbs of Marionberry puree in the primary, and will go all Columbus in the boil. Not sure if I'll use some harvested California Ale yeast or Super San Diego yeast.

It really is a great recipe... I have made it with the California Ale yeast with great results. Let me know how it turns out for you. One thing I will add is the blackberry will fade over time bringing out the roasted barley a little more.

Cheers!

zaxsan · 02-29-2012, 09:08 PM

If you were to enter this beer into a competition what would you enter the seconday/underlying beer as? 10B?
Main : 20A Fruit Beer
Secondary: 10B American Amber Ale

or perhaps 11A - Mild?

American Ales have high hop additions. The Mild will not, and a mild can be roased.

Any sugestions?

MichaelsBrewing · 03-06-2012, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaxsan

If you were to enter this beer into a competition what would you enter the seconday/underlying beer as? 10B?
Main : 20A Fruit Beer
Secondary: 10B American Amber Ale

or perhaps 11A - Mild?

American Ales have high hop additions. The Mild will not, and a mild can be roased.

Any sugestions?

Hi.

That is a great question. I just finished perusing my BJCP iPhone app and I guess I'd go with the 11A -Mild. Good call on that one.

MichaelsBrewing · 03-07-2012, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IIINuns

This looks great! Only change I'll be making is using 5 lbs of Marionberry puree in the primary, and will go all Columbus in the boil. Not sure if I'll use some harvested California Ale yeast or Super San Diego yeast.

Did ya get a chance to brew it up? If so, how is it?

zaxsan · 03-09-2012, 03:25 PM

I ended up going with 10B. It was really a guess and I hope it is just more of a guide to the judges. You really would not want a strong hop bitterness or aromma with this beer. I tasted some hop bitterness and was afraid the mild classification would get the style classification points reduced. I really just guess though.....

I have not had a bottle yet. My only samples have been from racking. It did have a great toasty smell and also hit you with the tart fruit flavor right away. Aslong as I hit the carbonation ok i expect this to be very good.

The only change I made was to sub out th ebittering hops to 1oz Ahtanum 5.2%AA. I mashed at 153* in the hopes to give it some more body. I racked the beer onto 3.1lbs blackberry puree for 14days at 67deg. There was some additional fermentation, but only slightly.

It was entered in the 2012 NHC. I am sending it to the Philadelphia location for judging. I am brewing on a very simple system.....no pumps....nothing special. Just me, my cooler, pot, and a burner. I do not expect to be a winner, but I hope to hit 35pts. That would mean I did something right!

I will get back to you after my first taste.

MichaelsBrewing · 03-17-2012, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaxsan

I ended up going with 10B. It was really a guess and I hope it is just more of a guide to the judges. You really would not want a strong hop bitterness or aromma with this beer. I tasted some hop bitterness and was afraid the mild classification would get the style classification points reduced. I really just guess though.....

I have not had a bottle yet. My only samples have been from racking. It did have a great toasty smell and also hit you with the tart fruit flavor right away. Aslong as I hit the carbonation ok i expect this to be very good.

The only change I made was to sub out th ebittering hops to 1oz Ahtanum 5.2%AA. I mashed at 153* in the hopes to give it some more body. I racked the beer onto 3.1lbs blackberry puree for 14days at 67deg. There was some additional fermentation, but only slightly.

It was entered in the 2012 NHC. I am sending it to the Philadelphia location for judging. I am brewing on a very simple system.....no pumps....nothing special. Just me, my cooler, pot, and a burner. I do not expect to be a winner, but I hope to hit 35pts. That would mean I did something right!

I will get back to you after my first taste.

Sounds Great!!! I think I may have gone 10C. Hrm....

Keep us posted for sure and GOOD-LUCK!!!!

Cheers

zaxsan · 04-07-2012, 01:20 PM

Well, the judging did not go so well. The judges thought there was a low flavor profile and overall hop characteristics. A slight tart/sour generic fruitiness. They would have like more malt and hop character. The roasted barley character as coffee really dominates. Very dry.

24/50. Most points were lost on the flavor section.

The thing is some of the points they bring out as problems are what I was looking to shoot for. The nice barley flavor and low hop characteristics. Perhaps I would have done better in the mild sub category. Anyway, I am very happy with my results as are most who try the beer so I will brew again. I could bump up the amount of base grains and some late aroma hop additions and see how that shakes out. You never know! Anyway, thanks for the brew. We love it here!

MichaelsBrewing · 04-07-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaxsan

Well, the judging did not go so well. The judges thought there was a low flavor profile and overall hop characteristics. A slight tart/sour generic fruitiness. They would have like more malt and hop character. The roasted barley character as coffee really dominates. Very dry.

24/50. Most points were lost on the flavor section.

The thing is some of the points they bring out as problems are what I was looking to shoot for. The nice barley flavor and low hop characteristics. Perhaps I would have done better in the mild sub category. Anyway, I am very happy with my results as are most who try the beer so I will brew again. I could bump up the amount of base grains and some late aroma hop additions and see how that shakes out. You never know! Anyway, thanks for the brew. We love it here!

Thanks again. Me too, I am quite a big fan of this one. I get the tart fruitiness up front that fades to the roasted malt. It is always a big hit with friends and family. I appreciate the feedback and your support by entering this into a competition.

Cheers!!