White house beer

[jimbot]

Maybe it is because I am reading this thread on my phone but can anyone tell me where the other 1oz of the fuggles goes in the honey ale? I see it has 1 1/2 oz listed but the directions only say to use 1/2 oz with a minute left. Also what is the point of using gypsum in a extract recepie?

I'm going to brew an all-grain version of this tomorrow. I'm assuming the Fuggles is all for aroma. This should make it a slightly malty instead of on the rather hoppy side.

I had a recipe worked out I was going to brew called Barocktoberfest, but this will be a great replacement instead.

I've got an ESB recipe that I've done both with and without gypsum. In my experience the gypsum brought out the hop flavor to the front in a aggressive, almost bite-on-the-tongue kind of way. I prefer the more mellow, without gypsum version. That being said, my water is nothing like DC's.

--Jimbot

 

[DaBills]

I'm going to brew an all-grain version of this tomorrow. I'm assuming the Fuggles is all for aroma. This should make it a slightly malty instead of on the rather hoppy side.

I had a recipe worked out I was going to brew called Barocktoberfest, but this will be a great replacement instead.

--Jimbot

That's awesome! Let us know how it goes.

 

[annasdadhockey]

He never brewed it !!!!

I'm pretty sure that fact has been established. Move On.

 

[Irish13]

I'm pretty sure that fact has been established. Move On.

Exactly. Who cares at this point. Its cool that home brewing was noticed on a national level or bigger. If someone takes that recipe(s) and makes an AG or makes the original better then the white house did then awesome. That's what home brewing is all about.

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

Now I can just see it turning into a "fad" or "cool thing" because the president did it, and they brew it at the white house. I can also see all my relatives finding out that I am new to brewing and saying something like "Oh, did you see that Obama is brewing beer in the white house?". As if I am doing it only because of this.

Regardless of this, I do think its great that ts getting publicity and I do think its cool that they are brewing. The recipes look pretty good and Im sure the beer will be great.

 

[phenry]

Why add the honey at the beginning of the boil for the porter? The recipe doesn't look half bad, I'll probably be giving it a go here sometime in the near future.

 

[thatjonguy]

Should we assume that the whitehouse has state of the art filtration? Maybe they are brewing with RO water and add the gypsum because of that.

I would assume for security reasons they have a water filter system to end all water filtration systems.

And probably a super secure incoming water source.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Why add the honey at the beginning of the boil for the porter? The recipe doesn't look half bad, I'll probably be giving it a go here sometime in the near future.

Adding raw honey to cold wort could result in an infection.

But i agree that adding it that early doesn't make sense if you want to taste the honey.

Add it at 5 minutes from flameout if you want the flavor.

 

[bottlebomber]

Adding raw honey to cold wort could result in an infection.

Not typically.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Not typically.

Probably true.

But it's possible, and i don't see a lot of recipes where honey is added to cooled wort. Mostly during the boil, at flameout, or in secondary.

No baddies can thrive in sugar at that concentration but some stuff can survive dormant in it. And most of that stuff can't survive in wort owing to the ph and hops.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

fwiw I'm doing some more work on my AG version in brewtarget.

Added the missing ounce of fuggles at 45 minutes, added the gypsum, added irish moss, decreased the pale quantity to adjust for the difference between steeping and mashing the specialty grains, replaced amber malt with 60L. It's now vaguely in style for an ESB. Of course, it's not like I know what I'm doing.

Checked the "late addition" box for the honey which bumped up the IBUs, I suppose to reflect a thinner wort during bittering. Not sure if this would be considered canonical because it appears that the whitehouse kitchen does not add the honey late. But they should, to preserve flavor.


Whitehouse Honey Ale - Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
================================================================================
Batch Size: 5.282 gal
Boil Size: 6.176 gal
Boil Time: 60.000 min
Efficiency: 75%%
OG: 1.066
FG: 1.020
ABV: 6.0%%
Bitterness: 36.5 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 9 SRM (Morey)

Fermentables
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pale Malt (2 Row) US Grain 10.400 lb Yes No 79%% 2 L
Biscuit Malt Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 79%% 23 L
Honey Extract 16.000 oz No Yes 75%% 1 L
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L Grain 12.000 oz Yes No 74%% 60 L
Total grain: 12.650 lb

Hops
================================================================================
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Fuggles 4.5%% 0.500 oz Boil 30.000 min Pellet 5.4
East Kent Goldings 4.3%% 1.500 oz Boil 45.000 min Pellet 18.3
Fuggles 4.5%% 1.000 oz Boil 45.000 min Pellet 12.8

Misc
================================================================================
Name Type Use Amount Time
Gypsum Water Agent Boil 2.000 tsp 45.000 min
Irish Moss Fining Boil 2.000 tsp 15.000 min

Yeast
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
Danstar - Windsor Ale Ale Dry 0.388 oz Primary

Mash
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
first Infusion 5.500 gal 201.861 F 155.000 F 60.000 min
second Infusion 2.250 gal 175.852 F 155.000 F 20.000 min

efficiency and batch size being what they are, I'd say it's likely that this is in the right ballpark to match their extract w/ steeping 5 gallon batch.

Of course, they filled their secondaries right up the neck in that video, so who knows what their volumes and final gravity really are.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

And the porter with similar revisions. Mostly just i realized that steeping grains don't add fermentable sugars but mashed specialty grains do, and brewtarget could tell me what the difference was. It's now completely within the style guidelines for a robust porter.

For these last two revisions I've also revised the equipment to a more normal 60 minute boil and 5.25g batches, since i find i don't lose anywhere near half a gallon to trub and whatnot and having an extra half a gallon when kegging is sort of a pain in the ass.


Whitehouse Honey Porter - Robust Porter
================================================================================
Batch Size: 5.265 gal
Boil Size: 6.159 gal
Boil Time: 60.000 min
Efficiency: 75%%
OG: 1.062
FG: 1.012
ABV: 6.4%%
Bitterness: 27.3 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 24 SRM (Morey)

Fermentables
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Munich Malt Grain 12.000 oz Yes No 80%% 9 L
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L Grain 16.000 oz Yes No 75%% 20 L
Black (Patent) Malt Grain 6.000 oz Yes No 55%% 500 L
Chocolate Malt (US) Grain 3.000 oz Yes No 60%% 350 L
Honey Extract 16.000 oz No Yes 75%% 1 L
Pale Malt (2 Row) US Grain 8.500 lb Yes No 79%% 2 L
Total grain: 11.812 lb

Hops
================================================================================
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Hallertau 4.5%% 0.500 oz Boil 0.000 s Pellet 0.0
Northern Brewer 10.0%% 0.500 oz Boil 45.000 min Pellet 14.9
Northern Brewer 10.0%% 0.500 oz Boil 30.000 min Pellet 12.5

Misc
================================================================================
Name Type Use Amount Time
Irish Moss Fining Boil 2.000 tsp 15.000 min

Yeast
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
Danstar - Nottingham Ale Dry 2.232 tsp Primary

Mash
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
first Infusion 5.500 gal 199.300 F 155.000 F 60.000 min
second Infusion 2.125 gal 175.590 F 155.000 F 20.000 min

(oh, and the Northern Brewer hops are theoretical but should work fine. if yours aren't 10 AAU you have an extra half ounce of hallertau you can bump up the bittering with.)

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Having a bit of a head scratch over the hops here. I realized there's that whole boil gravity vs. ibu question and tried to plug the original partial boil w/ steeping grains pale recipe into brewtarget. I'm not familiar with extract brewing at all let alone how brewtarget handles that, and I'm looking at a difference of more than 12 IBU - 19.7 for the partial boil and 32.2 for the full boil. This is assuming they meant to bitter with 1.5oz of EKG and 1oz of Fuggle.

These were starting to look like normal recipes - what brewtarget would call "balanced" in terms of ibu/gu - but now they look really malty again.

Is there a more experienced extract brewer or just more experienced brew software user who has checked the numbers on these?

 

[olefattguy]

Increases hardness, specifically sulfate. Which has some effect on hop flavor.

It's an adjustment to the water, which is tricky to put in a recipe you are handing to someone who doesn't know what your water is like.

Edit: D.C. water quality report here: http://www.dcwater.com/news/publications/DC_Water_Annual_WQReport_2012.pdf

Also says that the D.C. water system uses chloramine. Should someone tell the whitehouse kitchen that they should really be treating their water with k-meta? Or should we assume that the whitehouse has state of the art filtration? Maybe they are brewing with RO water and add the gypsum because of that.

Not sure about a lot of things, but here goes:
From what I could see in the vid, they use water from plastic carboys, right? Is it normal in the US to use these for your tap water? Or is it just a simple way for the kitchen staff guy to transport the water from the tap to the pot?
Or is it that they are using some type of bought water?

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Not sure about a lot of things, but here goes:
From what I could see in the vid, they use water from plastic carboys, right? Is it normal in the US to use these for your tap water? Or is it just a simple way for the kitchen staff guy to transport the water from the tap to the pot?
Or is it that they are using some type of bought water?

I didn't catch that part of the video, maybe I'll watch it again.

Water from plastic carboys in the USA generally means purchased drinking water - which is often reverse-osmosis water with a mineral mixture added.

 

[signpost]

So, has anybody deduced the brand of extract they use? As was posted earlier, the video shows them squeezing the extract out of a bag. However, the recipes refer to cans of extract in 3.3 lbs. increments. When I've used LME, it has been Northern Brewer which comes in 3.15 lbs. jugs. When I did a quick search on Northern Brewer's site, Munton's extract is listed as being 3.3 lbs. cans. Midwest has Briess LME in 3.3 lbs. jugs. But as far as I know, neither of those has the LME in a bag inside of the can/jug.

Any LME experts out there that can identify the brand? Maybe it was actually purchased in bulk from a DC area HBS that pumps the LME from a large barrel into plastic bags when they sell it.

While the brand of extract might not be a huge factor in the flavor of the end product, it would be nice to know anyway. I guess the 3.3 lbs. increments and referring to cans would lead me to think they used Munton's, based on the information I've found. It's just the extract in a plastic bag thing that is a bit confusing.

 

[RScottyL]

looks like some good stuff

 

[biestie]

Maybe they should show the video to the Mississippi and Alabama lawmakers.

 

[jldc]

Probably true.

But it's possible, and i don't see a lot of recipes where honey is added to cooled wort. Mostly during the boil, at flameout, or in secondary.

No baddies can thrive in sugar at that concentration but some stuff can survive dormant in it. And most of that stuff can't survive in wort owing to the ph and hops.

I've added it after cooling on several occasions without any problems but I added it when fermentation is up and going when infection is less likely anyway. I've decided it doesn't add much/any honey flavor whenever you add it, so I've gone back to adding it with 2-3 min to go. It dissolves easier in hot wort.

Threadjack aside, I'm almost sorry the mods have deleted all the political posts. I saw the tread title and was going to get some popcorn and sit back and enjoy... OTOH it's probably for the best.

L

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Near as i can tell from the googles, HBU is a way of referring to the equivalent AAU of 1 ounce of hops at a given AAU.

I could be wrong, but using that logic i came up with a recipe at ~25 IBU, which is the bottom of the range for a robust porter. And as porters go it is very, very robust.

Yes. Multiply AA% by ounces for AAU or HBU. http://brewwiki.com/index.php/Alpha_Acid_Units

 

[signpost]

At about 20-25 seconds into the video, they show what I'm guessing were the boxes of ingredients for a Honey Brown and Honey Porter. On the Honey Porter box is has written "add 1 1/2 lb honey." As somebody else commented, the carboys have stickers on them with dates in 2011, though. So, either they left old stickers on the carboys, or they have altered the recipe between the time the video was shot and the yesterday when the recipe was made public.

 

[djfake]

Question about the water quantity in the Honey Ale. In the directions Step 1. has one using 1.5g for the boil, the rest added for chilling. That doesn't seem like enough water....

I think like the idea however of adding the hot wort to cold water immediately and then hitting the ice bath. I normally cool the wort first and then add the top off water. Any potentional problems?

Sorry if these are n00b questions btw.This is fantastic that the White House is brewing beer!

 

[Starderup]

I'm brewing this today. 9 lbs of 2-Row, 1 lb of 10L, .5 Carapils. Simcoe for bittering, and Palisades dual purpose.
Labor Day Honey Ale - American Pale Ale
================================================================================
Batch Size: 5.085 gal
Boil Size: 6.294 gal
Boil Time: 60.000 min
Efficiency: 70%%
OG: 1.059
FG: 1.015
ABV: 5.8%%
Bitterness: 36.1 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 5 SRM (Morey)

Fermentables
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
2 Row Base Grain 9.000 lb Yes No 80%% 2 L
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L Grain 1.000 lb Yes No 75%% 10 L
CaraPils malt Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 70%% 2 L
Honey Extract 1.000 lb No No 75%% 1 L
Total grain: 11.500 lb

Hops
================================================================================
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Simcoe 13.0%% 0.500 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 21.0
Palisade 8.0%% 0.500 oz Boil 30.000 min Pellet 9.9
Palisade 8.0%% 1.000 oz Boil 5.000 min Pellet 5.2

Misc
================================================================================
Name Type Use Amount Time
Epsom Salt Water Agent Mash 1.000 tbsp 0.000 s
Gypsum Water Agent Mash 2.000 tbsp 0.000 s
Whirlfloc Tablet Fining Boil 0.018 oz 10.000 min

Yeast
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
Wyeast - American Ale Ale Liquid 1.000 qt Primary

Mash
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
Conversion Step, 68C Infusion 3.750 gal 167.100 F 154.400 F 60.000 min
Final Batch Sparge Infusion 4.284 gal 177.760 F 165.200 F 15.000 min

Instructions
================================================================================
0) Add 9.000 lb 2 Row Base, 1.000 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L, 8.000 oz CaraPils malt, 8.000 oz CaraPils malt, to the mash tun.

1) Bring 3.750 gal water to 167.100 F, 4.284 gal water to 177.760 F, for upcoming infusions.

2) Add 3.750 gal water at 167.100 F to mash to bring it to 154.400 F. Hold for 60.000 min.

3) Add 4.284 gal water at 177.760 F to mash to bring it to 165.200 F. Hold for 15.000 min.

4) Put 1.000 tbsp Epsom Salt into mash for 60.000 min..

5) Put 2.000 tbsp Gypsum into mash for 60.000 min.

6) Bring the wort to a boil and hold for 60.000 min.

7) Boil or steep 1.000 lb Honey, .

8) Put 0.500 oz Simcoe into boil for 60.000 min.

9) Put 0.500 oz Palisade into boil for 30.000 min.

10) Put 0.018 oz Whirlfloc Tablet into boil for 10.000 min.

11) Put 1.000 oz Palisade into boil for 5.000 min.

12) Stop boiling the wort.

13) You should have 5.460 gal wort post-boil.
You anticipate losing 1.500 qt to trub and chiller loss.
The final volume in the primary is 5.085 gal.

14) Cool wort and pitch Wyeast - American Ale Ale yeast, to the primary.

15) Let ferment until FG is 1.015.

16) Transfer beer to secondary.

 

[PKLehmer]

Anyone watch the video to the point where they racked to secondary? It sounds and looks like he said they add water to the secondary until it fills up the neck. Aren't they just watering down their beer at that point? We need to let the President know he's drinking weak beer!

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Anyone watch the video to the point where they racked to secondary? It sounds and looks like he said they add water to the secondary until it fills up the neck. Aren't they just watering down their beer at that point? We need to let the President know he's drinking weak beer!

Unless it was brewed at a higher strength than desired with plans to cut it down.

 

[ryno84]

I'll bet Stalin had a mean RIS recipe.

No way. Stalin and the Bolsheviks hated the Imperials, in fact they murdered them. They would have called it Russian Bolshevik Stout or The People's Stout of Russia

 

[MisterTipsy]

In Russia, stout drink you!

 

[Starderup]

The wording in the recipe is for 'sterile water'. Clearly, these guys are just getting started. I would expect that working for the President, they will be doing homework and refining this. With Kent Goldings (unspecified US or UK) and Fuggles, this is more like an english beer, but when I think about my first batch, I was doing the same sort of thing. (Not knowing the difference between top and bottom fermenting yeast, cane sugar vs corn, etc.)

 

[Chriso]

I came to ask about the missing 1oz of Fuggles as well - I was not disappointed - good work HBT.

I think I'm going to brew one, or both, of these sometime before election day, so that my friends and I can have a White House beer on tap while we watch the poll results.

As far as All Grain conversion goes, here are the versions I came up with...

Honey Ale:
10# Pale 2-Row
12oz Caramel 60*L
8oz Biscuit Malt
1.5oz EKG @ 45min
1.5oz EKG @ 7min
1# Honey @ 5min
Nottingham, because I hate buying Windsor.

Honey Porter:
8# Pale 2-Row
1# Caramel 20*L
1# Munich
8oz Black Patent Malt
4oz Chocolate Malt
.37oz Green Bullet 13.5% @ 45 min
.37oz Green Bullet 13.5% @ 30 min
1# honey @ 5 min
.5oz Hallertau @ flameout

 

[MisterTipsy]

At least they are following the kit recipe instructions. :cross:

 

[jmm20010]

Is it ironic that you can brew beer in the White House but not in Alabama?

 

[DaBills]

In Russia, stout drink you!

Haha I chuckled at this one.

 

[chessking]

Who knows if Obama will brew in the future, but those Navy Stewards looked like they will be brewing for the rest of their life. They may be hooked.

Also, it appears that I'm not the only one who brews on one level, and ferments in the basement. I'm sure they have an elevator, but humping up and down the stairs is familiar.

 

[DaBills]

Who knows if Obama will brew in the future, but those Navy Stewards looked like they will be brewing for the rest of their life. They may be hooked.

Also, it appears that I'm not the only one who brews on one level, and ferments in the basement. I'm sure they have an elevator, but humping up and down the stairs is familiar.

That's what I do too. Good for the health.

 

[DaBills]

Is it ironic that you can brew beer in the White House but not in Alabama?

So if you live in Alabama or Mississippi... Will a place like Austin Homebrew Supply or Northern Brewer not ship to you? Just curious. Super lame that there are homebrewing laws BTW.

 

[winvarin]

So, Obama isn't really a homebrewer. He just had the kitchen make him some beer.

So what you're saying is "He didn't brew that. He didn't make that happen"?

Not trying to start a political riot. I just know funny when I see it

 

[alestateyall]

So if you live in Alabama or Mississippi... Will a place like Austin Homebrew Supply or Northern Brewer not ship to you? Just curious. Super lame that there are homebrewing laws BTW.

They ship to us. It is not illegal to posses malt, yeast, and hops. We can make bread out of those.

Also, in MS the head of the Alcohol Beverage Control department said in our largest paper that home brewing is illegal but it is not seen as a problem and therefore the ABC does not enforce that law. She did say she can't stop local DA's and Sheriffs from enforcing the laws.

 

[DaBills]

They ship to us. It is not illegal to posses malt, yeast, and hops. We can make bread out of those.

Also, in MS the head of the Alcohol Beverage Control department said in our largest paper that home brewing is illegal but it is not seen as a problem and therefore the ABC does not enforce that law. She did say she can't stop local DA's and Sheriffs from enforcing the laws.

Ohh ok somewhat decriminalized in MS. Glad to hear you can get equipment/supplies shipped to you. You're a modern day bootlegger! Hahaha

 

[iBrewBeer]

Anyone else notice the Assistant White House Chef used a "paddle thermometer" in his brew kettle? Now I'm wondering why I waste time with a standard probe type?

Paddle thermometers run around $10 online......Prolly work good inside a mash tun too.

 

[winvarin]

Ohh ok somewhat decriminalized in MS. Glad to hear you can get equipment/supplies shipped to you. You're a modern day bootlegger! Hahaha

Homebrewing is legal in Oklahoma, but you're supposed to apply for a free homebrewer and wine maker license. When talking to an employee of our state's alcohol licensing commission, I asked him if he would ticket or arrest me if I was brewing without a license. His answer? "I've got 3000 plus bars and restaurants and a dozen new breweries in this state and less than 10 inspectors. As long as you're not selling your beer out of the trunk of your car, you'll never even hit my radar."

We are by and large an easy going bunch who just love our craft. I think, in most cases, the authorities are content to look the other way, regardless of the letter of the law where homebrewing is cncerned