1st 3 batches bottled: a self-critique

[McCall St. Brewer]

I began homebrewing late this past summer. I now have my first three batches in bottles and feel it's time for a bit of a self-review of my results.

First Batch: Milwaukee Amber Ale. Made with extract and part grain. Everything went pretty smoothly. Initial fermentation was pretty vigorous, but didn't really last a long time. The beer has been in bottles for a couple of months now. The result? Pretty much tastes like a brew-pub beer. A bit on the sweet side. Biggest complaint: not very carbonated. A few of the bottles form a head when poured, but some of them do not. In general, though, I am pretty happy with this one as a first effort. In fact, despite all I read about how good home brews could be, I must admit I was surprised at the results.

Second Batch:Oktoberfest Style Ale. WOW! Now this is what homebrewing is all about. Everything went well with brewing this batch. Nice, vigorous blow-off stage, followed by a long, slow ferment after that. Made my whole basement smell delicious for at least a week. After about 3 weeks in bottles I popped one open (well, maybe even 2 or 3 ). I poured some of mine in a glass alongside a glass of Paulaner Oktoberfest and had my wife do a blind taste test. She picked the homebrew hands down. In fact, the flavor of the two is almost identical, although the homebrew tasted fresher. This one pours an excellent head with every bottle. If I could make every batch as good as this one I think I would have to think seriously about starting my own micro-brewery!

Third Batch:Kolsch Lager. The jury is still out on this one. I think it needs a bit while longer in the bottles, but I'm a little unsure about this one. Things did not go as smoothly as with my first two batches. I forgot to add irish moss, so it is a little cloudier than the first two batches. Also blow-off fermentation stage was very short (but very vigorous-- too much beer went out the blow-off tube on this one). I don't have a secondary carboy yet and there was lots of sediment in the bottom. I got a little too much in the bottles. Preliminary taste: strong hops taste and a little yeasty when first poured. Improves a lot though after a few minutes in the glass. I think to be fair I should wait a couple more weeks to really judge it. I'm not sure this one is a good one, though.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Congrats! Sounds like you have some winners...now how about the O'fest recipe?

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Let me see if I can find it. I'll be happy to share it with you.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

I'm still looking for the recipe for you. I haven't forgotten about it

 

[BlightyBrewer]

I'd sure like to see the recipe too.

Congrats on your brews!

 

[Dude]

Sounds awesome!!!

I love the idea of a Milwaukee Amber....makes me miss Sprecher SO MUCH!

I felt the same way about most of my first batches--I liked them better than most of the stuff you can buy, but I knew there was always room for improvement!

 

[ScottT]

Do I understand that you did an Octoberfest beer without lagering? I too am very interested in the recipe and notes on fermentation temps and times.

Thanks in advance.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Yes, it is an Oktoberfest made with Wyeast ale yeast and not lagered.

I will be happy to share the recipe, but my problem is that the recipe was written on a form by the home brew supply dealer and he gave me the ingredients. I can't read what he wrote regarding the exact types of grains and extracts he gave me. As soon as I have time to take it to the store and ask him I will post the recipe. I want to make more of it myself, too!

Regarding the Milwaukee Amber ale, it tastes pretty good, but basically what it reminds me of is what you get when you go to a brewpub and get their "house" amber ale. It's not bad, though.

 

[Exo]

ehh, bump...ever get that recipe? If it's from Waukesha's Frugal Homebrewer or the Kettle Moraine shop on National...I'd be VERY interested in the recipe!

 

[Exo]

:rockin:

 

[homebrewer_99]

Do I understand that you did an Octoberfest beer without lagering? I too am very interested in the recipe and notes on fermentation temps and times. Thanks in advance.

That's what drew me to the recipe also...ale, not lagered.

I have a batch of lagered O'fest I made during the winter (it's been in the fridge a month or so already), but I won't touch it until September.

 

[Exo]

Well, I'll give my Oktoberfest Ale recipe I hashed out today in excruciating detail. Not "my" recipe. And After this batch I made a batch of Winter Ale...and of course I was drinking brew throughout both batches so here it goes:

SG: 1.063
Grav upon secondary rack: 1.022

5gal. Artesian Water (yea out of the ground, not the tap) in a 6gal pot. 2gal boiling in separate pot for top-off

1/4# Caravienne
1/4# Caramunich
1/4# 60L
1/4# Carapils
dash of chocolate malts

Dunked in w/ steeping bag at room temp water and brought to 150degrees. Held at 150degrees for 20minutes, dunking the bag occasionally, never squeezing.

Brought to 160degrees or so and the grains removed and saved for a buddy's livestock.

Temp. brought up to 210 degrees and removed from heat. Allowed to rest for about 5min due to a thick bottomed pot.

9# Light Extract added and stirred for 10 or so minutes.

Brought to a boil. 60min total boil. Hot-break at 44min.

At 50min added 1oz Northern Brewer hop pellets for bittering
At 10min added 1oz Spalt hop pellets for flavor
At 0min added 1oz Tettnang hop pellets for aroma, steeping for 5min

30ft of copper tubing for a wort chiller with a nice cold-break.

Starting Gravity was= 1.063 (which I hope is close)

Hours prior to this I smacked my Wyeast pack of 1007 German Ale Yeast. Pitched the yeast at 75degrees.

Immediately placed a blow-off tube on, expecting some vigourous blow-off. Other end about 1/2" under water to keep a seal.

Significant signs of fermentation at 4hrs...she's bubbling away.

I've never made this before, but expect that it's going to be good! I don't have lagering equipment...but hope to by this late winter to do a "proper" Oktoberfest.

EDIT:

Since brewing this beer I've placed the carboy in a water-bath and put a black/wet t-shirt around it. Temps have been steady at 62deg which is supposedly perfect for this yeast.

The blow-off was indeed vigorous for almost two days.

I racked at 12 days and the yeast was still very top-heavy w/ no signs of falling. Secondary rack gravity was 1.022. The taste was just delicious for this young of a beer. The gravity tube was drank right on down.

1 day after a secondary rack and it's still bubbling away and a very happy beer with another top-heavy yeast starting up.

I plan on 2-3wks in secondary followed by a fairly lengthy bottle-conditioning at a lower temp...55deg or so.

 

[mysterio]

Sounds awesome. I reckon the German Ale Yeast was the key for that one.

I'm brewing an Oktoberfest lager with my salvaged fridge in a few days hopefully. 1.063 is perfect for an Oktoberfest BTW.

 

[Exo]

Hey thanks. Also forgot to add that a dash of chocolate malts was in there as well during the steep. Some nice color from this recipe, that's for sure.

<12hrs and she's really blowing off good.

As for the German Ale yeast, it prefers some colder temps...and supposedly does well as far down as 55deg? My ale temp is 66deg. Think I'll try to get this batches temp down a bit.