Spring Brews

Anyone have any ideas for Spring/early Summer brews? I'm looking for ideas.

 

Edelweiss would be my first choice - or any hefeweizen...maybe a Belgian Blonde or California Common?

 

I have 2 recipes that I really like in the spring and all summer long. A Citrus Wheat and a White IPA. Both are light (wheat) and have plenty of flavor. You doing 5 or 10 gallons?

 

An ale-ager (ale-ah-grrr) is great on spring days for me. Any lager recipe brewed as an ale (ale yeast and ale temps).

 

I made this last year and plan on making it this weekend if it does not rain too much.

Water Tower Wheat
4.5 lb of 2 row
4.5 lb white wheat
.5 Flaked wheat

1 oz of cascade at 60 min
lemon zest at 5 minutes

Use WLP 400.

OG of about 1.051 and FG of about 1.012, ABV around 5% with 70% Eff

 

Just brewed a hefe. Will probably do a honey blonde in a few weeks. Both seem like nice spring-y type beers to me

 

All are good ideas. Thanks. One thing that I forgot to mention is that I can't do lagers. My lager room is out of commission for a while. Edelweiss sounds good though. I have a hefe keg conditioning now, a Blonde Ale fermenting, and we're drinking a habanero wheat. I was thinking about a cream ale, but that seems like more of a summer beer. I can make most anything that will ferment between 60-72F.

 

It sounds to me like you have your spring brews done and should look to a summer or late summer brew. A low ABV pale ale or for the later summer - an Amber or mild brown? In not too long you should be looking at Pumpkin ales and Stouts.

 

pilz man

 

I have an American Lager in the keg.
The Dude's Lake Walk Pale Ale in primary.

 

A vote for kölsch! I like rye kölsch.

 

here are some ideas:

http://beersmith.com/blog/2009/10/18/seasonal-beer-brewing/

http://www.homebrewing.com/images/home-brewing-calendar-l.pdf

 

Right you are. I do plan on attempting a mole' stout sometime soon, and also a pale ale.

 

I just happen to have a Kolsch that is cold conditioning. It should be ready in 2-3 weeks. But a Rye Kolsch, now that sounds interesting.

 

Thanks, brewbama, I'll take a look at those links.

 

I checked out the two inks and saw a few brews that sound interesting for late Spring/early Summer brews:

Saison - a session lemon Saison (when the weather warms a bit)
Scotch Ale - I love these, but it's time to replace my slurry with new yeast
Steam Beer/Cal Common - It's about time to brew another one of these
Cream Ale - I really want to brew this, and probably will again soon
Irish Stout -Mole' Stout - is really what I want to brew when I get all the right ingredients together

Actually, I'd like to brew all of these. Being a prolific brewer, I like to brew something different every time. I do have seasonal and rotating favorites that I brew throughout the year, though.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Keep 'em coming if you have more. :rockin:

 

If you want to give this a go, let me know; I've got recipe, notes etc.

 

How bout a kolsch

 

Currently I cannot lager. I hope to have that remedied in a month or two , hopefully. When I do, I very much would like to brew your recipe. Thanks!

 

Good idea, but I have a Kolsch cold conditioning in the serving fridge. It should be ready in a bout 2 weeks.

 

A Gose is a nice spring-summer beer.

 

Never tried one of those. I think I'll have to try and find a good one to buy and try. Any preferences or suggestions?

 

Dry hopped kettle sour, I recommend Amarillo. Well really I recommend a German pils followed by a dopplebock, but until you can lager that's a no go.

 

I just looked your OP and noticed that this is a Weisssbier, not a lager. I already have a hefe in the fermentor.

 

I don't know how many commercial examples I've had; offhand just Sierra Nevada's Otra Vez and Real Ale Gose (Texas brewery). I liked the Real Ale better, but Otra Vez is alright too, I just think it would be better without the grapefruit. Anderson Valley Gose is another very highly-regarded one that I believe doesn't really mess with the formula like Otra Vez does, so that might be the best one to try.

Piggybacking on @dryboroughbrewing, Lagunitas Aunt Sally is a dry-hopped kettle sour that's also quite good if you want to try something of that variety. I consider it in roughly the same category of light sour beers with Goses. If you brew either type, I would encourage a kettle sour and also add that there's nothing wrong with adding some lactic acid after fermentation if it's not sour enough for your preference, though that preference varies widely from person to person and it's good to remember that it will taste a bit more tart when it's carbed up.

 

if anyone wants barley wine or a strong winter warmer or a imperial stout now is a good time to brew them and let them age so they go down smooth

 

Out here, the weather is warming a little, but its still kinda cold and rainy. I decided to brew a pale weizenbock. I'll save the dark version for fall. This will have all those classic hefeweizen flavors, but amplified and at 8.x% alcohol will keep you plenty warm.

Recipe for 5.5 gallons:

OG: 1.080
IBU: 21
SRM: 8
ABV: 8.5%

10 lbs Wheat malt
3 lbs Munich II (Weyermann)
2.5 lbs Pilsner
0.8 lbs Carahell

.75oz Perle @ 60
.5oz Hallertau @ 30
.5oz Hallertau @ 5

Wyeast 3068 with 2L starter

Mash:
I did a tripe decoction, hopefully all that work pays off. If you're not feeling that frisky, maybe just a protein rest then infuse to 152F

 

Good news - it's not a lager, just a hefeweizen!

In fact, it's bottled just 3 days after pitching the yeast, but if you are kegging, I'd suggest sticking to your normal schedule.

If you'd like it, send a PM ~ or check out this link:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=585203

Cheers ~

Ron

[EDIT]Whoops, just saw your other reply. disregard this post. Let me know how your weissbier goes! [/EDIT]

 

I have a Mosaic & Galaxy Spring Amber Ale fermenting now... Aiming for a 6.2% Could be more of an Amber IPA hybrid but should be good. Made it once before but using different hops.

 

Fatdragon, thanks for the recs for Gose (Gueuze). I've seen Otra Vez (one more time) on the store shelves. Anderson Valley should be available here in california.

 

Sounds great! When I get ready to brew my next hefe, I'll get back toi you. But for now, I'm waiting for my current hefe to finish keg conditioning before starting the chill down for serving.

 

What I have been considering is a Better'n Bud Ale. I had previously worked up a recipe for a lager version. But since I currently can't lager, I converted it to Ale. My beer line is calling for an Amber though. That gives me 2 choices: My Cal Common, or My Pacific Amber. Eventually, I may end up brewing most of the brews you guys have suggested.

Isn't it fun being a home brewer? I can spend an hour or two on the computer, and it perplexes my wife that I've spent all that time researching, formulating and setting up just one brew. I have to admit though, she's very supportive, and loves my beers.

 

For some strange reason this style of beer has been linked to winter (I think because of New Belgium's Accumulation) but one of my favorite styles for this time of year is a "White IPA" which basically is an ipa hopped belgian witbier... Here's the recipe I've been brewing for years.

It's light and crisp, and kind of fruity like a wit, but packs a nice hoppy bite.


5 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1
2 lbs Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 2
2 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 3
1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 4
0.51 oz Target [11.0%] - First Wort Hops 5
0.26 oz Centennial [10.0%] - First Wort Hops 6
8.96 oz Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 7
0.51 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Boil 60 min Hops 8
0.51 oz Target [11.0%] - Boil 60 min Hops 9
0.26 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Boil 30 min Hops 10
0.26 oz Target [11.0%] - Boil 30 min Hops 11
0.26 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Boil 5 min Hops 12
0.26 oz Target [11.0%] - Boil 5 min Hops 13
1 pkgs Belgian Ale (White Labs #WLP550) Yeast 14
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.5%] - Dry Hop 7 days Hops 15

Mash at 156.0 F


Notes add ounce of mosaic or sub along with amarillo for dry hopping.

 

^^^ Accumulation is a great bear. The crispness goes with winter.

I brew a variation of Blueflint's dark cream ale every spring (well ok! Maybe some other times too during the summer and maybe fall!)

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=6600695&postcount=227

 

Could you share the recipe?

 

Just a note: Gose and Gueuze are different things:

https://drewsbrewsreviews.com/2014/07/22/beer-style-explanation-gose-vs-gueuze/

Basically, one's a light, salty, somewhat citrusy sour wheat beer, often quickly made with a kettle sour and normal fermentation. The other is a type of lambic, so also a light, sour wheat beer but made very differently. Gueuzes are delicious, but if you're making one as a spring beer, starting now you should be able to have it ready to drink in Spring 2019. You could have a Gose ready in a couple weeks or less.

 

Revvy, that looks like a tasty brew. I did brew a White IPA about a year ago. It was good. My son really like it, but it was a bit hoppy for my wife.

 

This is really a very simple recipe:

Scatter Brain Kolsch - All Grain
Brewhouse efficiency: 85%
SG: 1.047
FG: 1.010
IBU: 23.5
BU/GU ratio .500

Grist
7.0 lbs Pilsner malt
1.0 lbs White Wheat malt
0.1875 lbs Acidulated malt

Mash @ 152F

Boil
.75 oz. AA% 5.87 Tradition FWH 90 min. (20.1 IBU)
.5 oz. AA% 3.75 Hersbrucker Boil 15 min. (3.3 IBU)
.5 oz. AA% 5.87 Tradition Flame Out (0.0 IBU) I assume .5 IBU

Finings: Irish moss/whirlfloc boil 15 min/10 min.
Yeast Nutrient boil 5-15 min.

Yeast: Wyeast 2565

Ferment @ 60F, Keg or bottle condition, then cold condition for at least 4 weeks.

 

Fatdragon, thanks! I just assumed they were variations of the same beer. After taking another look though, Gose sounds kind of interesting. I'll have to put one on my "to brew" list.

 

For expediency, and because I have all the ingredients, I have decided to brew a Better'n Bud Ale tomorrow. I am not a fan of BMCC, a couple of people I know are. I'm hoping this will broaden their beer perspective a bit.

There are lots of brew days left though, so keep'em coming if you have'em. Thanks!