Updated my website/blog with this post http://www.singingboysbrewing.com/The-Blog.html?entry=hugh-s-summer-of-brewing
My oldest son, Hugh, was home for the summer for the first time in three years. He went to school in Chicago, so he wasn't distant, but the last two summers he's been in Turkey, learning Turkish and interning at the US Embassy. In the spring, he graduated and now, in ten days, he will be leaving for graduate school at the University of Glasgow, in Scotland. Its been great having him around.
Hugh has enjoyed brewing for a number of years and this spring, as we were looking forward to the summer, he suggested that we might brew more this summer than we typically do - I usually average about one brew day a month. We came to call this intentionally more intensive plan "Hugh's Summer of Brewing."
We're nearly done - the only thing left to do is bottle a Belgian Golden Strong. We didn't get to every beer on his list, but we got through quite a few of them:
Witbier -
For his graduation party, it all got drunk in one day. Light, refreshing, made with coriander, bitter orange peel, and sweet tangerine peels.
Russian Imperial Stout for a barrel project -
Our friend Terry invited us over to brew a double batch of a Russian Imperial Stout for a barrel project, great fun to brew on a bigger, semi-automated system compared to our rustic, simple approach. Our batches got added into a 53 gallon bourbon barrel a month ago or so and should be ready to enjoy when Hugh returns from Scotland.
Midnattssol IPA -
An American style IPA, featuring organic Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo and Summit hops. Brought some of this up to our friends Lorena and Bob's cottage for a brewers gathering in July and folks drank up all we brought. Nancy loves this beer - the last batch of this I brewed won a silver medal at the 2013 Door County Beer Festival.
Russian Imperial Stout -
We brewed another batch of the Russian Imperial Stout, using the built-up yeast cake from the IPA and the same recipe (that Bill Goetz and I devised, based on Jamil Zanisheff's recipe) but not barrel aged. Even though it hasn't been aged at all, especially for such a big beer, its delightful. Roasty, hoppy, bitter, coffee, chocolate, caramel and toffee flavors all meld into a very enjoyable beer.
Cherub Nectar Belgian Golden Strong -
Its ready to bottle now, so Hugh might be able to enjoy a glass of it before he leaves. This is our second batch making this recipe, the first batch won a gold medal at the 2013 Door County Beer Festival and took the Second Best of Show prize. A strong, 10% beer that is dry, pale and very drinkable, with some enjoyable Belgian-y esters and spice flavors.
Revenge of the Kiwi Bird APA -
An American-style pale ale made with a New Zealand hop, Nelson Sauvin. The Nelson gives it more of a tropical aroma and flavor than traditional American hops, which lend more citrus notes. This is the third batch of this recipe I've made, a previous batch won a gold medal at the 2013 Chicago Winterbrew Festival. We're currently drinking this out of a keg, but also have some bottles of it put away.
In addition to these beers that we brewed this summer, we also bottled two batches of beers that we had previously brewed for long-term barrel aging projects:
Thor's Hammer -
A big, imperial porter that was aged in a bourbon barrel (the same barrel that now has the Russian Imperial Stout in it). Chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla flavors make this a really enjoyable, big beer.
Pointon's Feet -
An Old Ale that was barrel soured - a little of this goes a long way, but I enjoy it with food or at dinner, I think it pairs nicely that way. We'll let it age for a while and see how it develops.
We also made and bottled two batches of red wines, Coastal Red and Mezza Luna, both of which are blended varietals, one is oaked and the other isn't.
Maybe, just maybe, we'll brew one more batch, our version of the White House Honey Ale, but I think Hugh's Summer of Brewing is pretty much done. We've never brewed this many beers in this short of time, it was great fun.
My oldest son, Hugh, was home for the summer for the first time in three years. He went to school in Chicago, so he wasn't distant, but the last two summers he's been in Turkey, learning Turkish and interning at the US Embassy. In the spring, he graduated and now, in ten days, he will be leaving for graduate school at the University of Glasgow, in Scotland. Its been great having him around.
Hugh has enjoyed brewing for a number of years and this spring, as we were looking forward to the summer, he suggested that we might brew more this summer than we typically do - I usually average about one brew day a month. We came to call this intentionally more intensive plan "Hugh's Summer of Brewing."
We're nearly done - the only thing left to do is bottle a Belgian Golden Strong. We didn't get to every beer on his list, but we got through quite a few of them:
Witbier -
For his graduation party, it all got drunk in one day. Light, refreshing, made with coriander, bitter orange peel, and sweet tangerine peels.
Russian Imperial Stout for a barrel project -
Our friend Terry invited us over to brew a double batch of a Russian Imperial Stout for a barrel project, great fun to brew on a bigger, semi-automated system compared to our rustic, simple approach. Our batches got added into a 53 gallon bourbon barrel a month ago or so and should be ready to enjoy when Hugh returns from Scotland.
Midnattssol IPA -
An American style IPA, featuring organic Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo and Summit hops. Brought some of this up to our friends Lorena and Bob's cottage for a brewers gathering in July and folks drank up all we brought. Nancy loves this beer - the last batch of this I brewed won a silver medal at the 2013 Door County Beer Festival.
Russian Imperial Stout -
We brewed another batch of the Russian Imperial Stout, using the built-up yeast cake from the IPA and the same recipe (that Bill Goetz and I devised, based on Jamil Zanisheff's recipe) but not barrel aged. Even though it hasn't been aged at all, especially for such a big beer, its delightful. Roasty, hoppy, bitter, coffee, chocolate, caramel and toffee flavors all meld into a very enjoyable beer.
Cherub Nectar Belgian Golden Strong -
Its ready to bottle now, so Hugh might be able to enjoy a glass of it before he leaves. This is our second batch making this recipe, the first batch won a gold medal at the 2013 Door County Beer Festival and took the Second Best of Show prize. A strong, 10% beer that is dry, pale and very drinkable, with some enjoyable Belgian-y esters and spice flavors.
Revenge of the Kiwi Bird APA -
An American-style pale ale made with a New Zealand hop, Nelson Sauvin. The Nelson gives it more of a tropical aroma and flavor than traditional American hops, which lend more citrus notes. This is the third batch of this recipe I've made, a previous batch won a gold medal at the 2013 Chicago Winterbrew Festival. We're currently drinking this out of a keg, but also have some bottles of it put away.
In addition to these beers that we brewed this summer, we also bottled two batches of beers that we had previously brewed for long-term barrel aging projects:
Thor's Hammer -
A big, imperial porter that was aged in a bourbon barrel (the same barrel that now has the Russian Imperial Stout in it). Chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla flavors make this a really enjoyable, big beer.
Pointon's Feet -
An Old Ale that was barrel soured - a little of this goes a long way, but I enjoy it with food or at dinner, I think it pairs nicely that way. We'll let it age for a while and see how it develops.
We also made and bottled two batches of red wines, Coastal Red and Mezza Luna, both of which are blended varietals, one is oaked and the other isn't.
Maybe, just maybe, we'll brew one more batch, our version of the White House Honey Ale, but I think Hugh's Summer of Brewing is pretty much done. We've never brewed this many beers in this short of time, it was great fun.
