gunhaus
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I have been laid up for a few days, and have been doing all manner of things to alleviate boredom. Last night, I dug out some of my old brewing note books and started down memory lane. One in particular has a recipe that I have ZERO recollection of. I do not remember brewing it, nor do i ever remember using the techniques! I found the note taking (Or rather the pitiful lack of proper note taking, humorous as hell!) I am going to sort out a couple of things so they make sense with today's ingredients. Some real notes and better details might have been nice!!! But this must have been good stuff in some way, because the page is covered with stars, and a big WOW!!!!!!, and several plus signs. But I cannot say if i brewed this or if i had this and got the recipe because i was enthused by the beer.
The note page say:
Ken Benn's Stout
4 pounds of malt extract
2-1/4 pound of barley flakes
1 pound of roasted barley
1/8 pound of sour malteds (That is what is says!)
1 pound of regular malt grains
1-1/2 to 2 oz of hops
Yeast
Put 3 gallons of water in pot. heat to 155-160 degrees. Add malt and stir good (I assume I meant extract) put smashed grain in a grain baggie, add to water and keep at 150 to 155 for 1 hour. Drain well in a strainer. Take another pot of water that is 170 - 180 degrees, and ladle one ladle at a time slowly over grain bag till you have 6.5 gallons. (Takes a half hour - 45 minutes or longer - go SLOW)
Boil with the hops for 1 hour - cool down to 75 or so, add yeast, Put in jug with air lock, siphon to second jug after two weeks, and air lock. After one more month bottle like normal.
The only date is 1992. I was WAY scientific and scrupulous about my records as you can see!
Ken Benn was an old timer and local farmer who was a bit of a brewing mentor. He had learned from his dad, who had learned from his mom and dad who were immigrants One from Germany one from Holland. When modern material and equipment came along Ken jumped right in and brewed right up till his death about 7-8 years ago. (I believe he was 91 or 92, but there were some in his church who thought he MIGHT have been as old as 99! A month before he died he borrowed a chamber reamer from me. He was making a new deer rifle! He was still pretty spry right to the end. I like to believe it was the home brew)
ANYWAY - I have no idea what to think of this but i am gonna try it anyway. I have 4 lbs of Light DME, and i have some 2 row, a couple kinds of roast barley, aciduated malt, and flaked barley on hand so matching something up should be easy enough. I am not sure about that partial-mash, mini-mash, extracty sort of technique i outlined but it should be interesting!!!
I am thinking either an ounce and a half or so of Kent Golding or Fuggles or something along that line. Not sure what I have on hand.
Maybe WLP004?
THE LESSON: If you are just starting out - it would pay to be DETAILED with your notes. You never know when one of your home brews will sneak up and kill off a few important brain cells and you won't be able to recall WHAT the hell you were writing or thinking a gazillion years ago! Let the adventure begin!
The note page say:
Ken Benn's Stout
4 pounds of malt extract
2-1/4 pound of barley flakes
1 pound of roasted barley
1/8 pound of sour malteds (That is what is says!)
1 pound of regular malt grains
1-1/2 to 2 oz of hops
Yeast
Put 3 gallons of water in pot. heat to 155-160 degrees. Add malt and stir good (I assume I meant extract) put smashed grain in a grain baggie, add to water and keep at 150 to 155 for 1 hour. Drain well in a strainer. Take another pot of water that is 170 - 180 degrees, and ladle one ladle at a time slowly over grain bag till you have 6.5 gallons. (Takes a half hour - 45 minutes or longer - go SLOW)
Boil with the hops for 1 hour - cool down to 75 or so, add yeast, Put in jug with air lock, siphon to second jug after two weeks, and air lock. After one more month bottle like normal.
The only date is 1992. I was WAY scientific and scrupulous about my records as you can see!
Ken Benn was an old timer and local farmer who was a bit of a brewing mentor. He had learned from his dad, who had learned from his mom and dad who were immigrants One from Germany one from Holland. When modern material and equipment came along Ken jumped right in and brewed right up till his death about 7-8 years ago. (I believe he was 91 or 92, but there were some in his church who thought he MIGHT have been as old as 99! A month before he died he borrowed a chamber reamer from me. He was making a new deer rifle! He was still pretty spry right to the end. I like to believe it was the home brew)
ANYWAY - I have no idea what to think of this but i am gonna try it anyway. I have 4 lbs of Light DME, and i have some 2 row, a couple kinds of roast barley, aciduated malt, and flaked barley on hand so matching something up should be easy enough. I am not sure about that partial-mash, mini-mash, extracty sort of technique i outlined but it should be interesting!!!
I am thinking either an ounce and a half or so of Kent Golding or Fuggles or something along that line. Not sure what I have on hand.
Maybe WLP004?
THE LESSON: If you are just starting out - it would pay to be DETAILED with your notes. You never know when one of your home brews will sneak up and kill off a few important brain cells and you won't be able to recall WHAT the hell you were writing or thinking a gazillion years ago! Let the adventure begin!