Recent content by johnnychicago

Falconers is kickass, but since it is a hop blend, I don't think I'll be using it. Galaxy is pretty much decided on, though.

I totally forgot about Sixpoint! I had a few of them when I was living in Queens and they were pretty tasty.

The fact that we cannot come to agreement here, illustrates my point. There isn't a 'right' amount of dry hops, just like there isn't a 'right' IPA. The desirable IPA flavors of today were off-flavors 25 years ago. One person's 'great commercial example' is another's nasty, dank, cat-pissy mess...

I'm going to 'sorta' agree with this. I don't however, think that an oz or two of dry-hops can overwhelm a quarter lb. of whirlpool hops. Also, if you bitter with a ton of low alpha hops (or a ton of hops high in cohumulone), you are probably going to taste vegetal or astringent flavors...

I certainly don't think there is any "magical mark of 20-10 minutes" and I know that there is a ton of variables in boil extraction (boil temp/turbidity, wort specific gravity, hop surface to wort contact, etc.) but I don't agree that a dry hop is the best way to gauge hop character. Hop...

Ha! Yeah I remember that podcast. It's a cool idea, but dry-hopping is just one way to taste a hop; I want to see the full range of each strain's potential: bittering, flavor, aroma, AND dry hopping!

magnetic stirring is a very good aeration technique. I haven't used oxygen at pitching since I started using the stir plate. I do, however pitch some of the starter (not all, but some). As far as working for a 1 gal. jug, that would entirely depend on whether the bottom of the jug is flat or not.

Hawks. /

Yeah, not a ton of widely available commercial examples. I know Mikkeller did a full single-hop series, but like Brewdog, I'm wary of buying imported beers in a style built for freshness. I did single hop Saisons last year using Amarillo, Nelson, and Sorachi, hop bursting and dry hopping...

I typically use some wheat or rye in my IPA. I get a nice spicy flavor from them and the sugar helps dry it out from getting too heavy, but there is a smoothness to the mouthfeel as well. Out of force of habit, I usually use at least some adjuncts - I rarely make all-barley beers. Amarillo...

I'm going to be brewing some pilot batches for my upcoming wedding reception in November. I thought I'd try out a couple of batches of IPA with single hops using some new and newish special flavor hops. Here is the base recipe I'm going with: SHWIPA - X variety American IPA Recipe...

Yeah, the honey is fine I'm sure. It's more for the water, stir bar, and nutrients. Coming from a brewing background instead of a wine background has made me pretty anal about sanitation. I figure the If I keep it below the steam release heat point, I shouldn't be blowing off too much of the...

I'm trying out a new way of making 1 gallon batches of mead. Rather than messing with sanitation and transfers initially, I am using the below method: I clean and sanitize a 5L flask, then fill with 3lb of honey, yeast nutrient and enough water to reach 4L. I then heat it to 150F for 45...

I actually have not brewed this yet. I'm saving the recipe for a major event. When I do get around to it, I will post the results. I have my BCBS clone bubbling away now, so I will be collecting the oak and some beer from that fermenter and using it in this recipe. I'll keep you posted.

If anyone has had this amazing beer and discovered that they immediately retired it, you know why a proper clone is absolutely necessary. Just working off info from Goose's website, random interviews of brewers and techniques they've used in other English style and Imperial beers. My computer...