A tribute ale to a lost friend

[ThatVideoKid]

Unfortunately I lost someone very dear to me last night, my cat buster. I've had some good cats, but he was in a league of his own. I want to create a beer to drink in his memory. He was a lovely orange color, so at first I thought a red/amber ale. But that would be too dark, I'm thinking something golden to a light amber in color.

I am having trouble deciding between something big and complex(he was 19lbs) to sip and remember him. But I am also thinking something light and approachable so everyone could enjoy i, and have a few pints, and maybe it could be my flagship house beer.

I prefer my beer on the drier side, I was thinking maybe a saison(though I just brewed one) or a smooth pale ale or wheat beer.

I'll attach some pictures so you can get an idea of what a handsome orange guy he was

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Oh and he was a bit goofy too

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[Precious_Paul]

Sorry for you're loss, could go with a grapefruit or citrus ipa if you're a fan. Will follow this one

 

[kev211]

Sorry for your loss man. Losing a pet always sucks. My wifes family had an orange tabby for years and he was the coolest, fattest cat around so I can picture your guy. You mentioned something light and approachable, maybe you could go with a nice, light heff and you could toss some orange in right at the end of the boil?

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Sorry for you're loss, could go with a grapefruit or citrus ipa if you're a fan. Will follow this one

While I would love that, unfortunately many people who loved him wouldn't. I am digging the idea of grapefruit/orange though.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Sorry for your loss man. Losing a pet always sucks. My wifes family had an orange tabby for years and he was the coolest, fattest cat around so I can picture your guy. You mentioned something light and approachable, maybe you could go with a nice, light heff and you could toss some orange in right at the end of the boil?

Orange sounds like a good idea, an American hefe or or orange saison sound like good contenders. The biggest thing is making sure my fiancée will like it(my moms a lost cause, and my dad will drink anything).

Her beer preferences really confuse me. She likes PBR/coors and Sapporo, she won't touch an IPA(too bitter, even NE IPAs???). She thinks stouts are okay for just a sip but won't drink a glass. One thing with wheat beers is that UFO(she loves big squeeze) and shock top give her stomach aches, so I'm wondering if it has something to do with the wheat or the yeast in suspension. She enjoyed a warm killians which was confusing.

We will definitely have to try out some test batches of a few different styles.

 

[Aristotelian]

Cats are mischevious and unpredictable, and saisons strike me that way, so I like that idea.

You could also do some kind of aged beer to break out a year from now.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Cats are mischevious and unpredictable, and saisons strike me that way, so I like that idea.

You could also do some kind of aged beer to break out a year from now.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I kindof want to make something big to last a while, but I don't think I'm ready for a big beer yet.

Something I can make year after year and tweak and perfect is what I'm thinking. Trial is going to be either a saison, wheat, or a pale ale. With or without orange/grapefruit.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Okay so what I'm thinking is an American wheat with a healthy amount of late cascades. And orange peel either in the boil or as a tincture. I'm thinking 60/40 wheat to barley. Then I just have to get the color into the 7-10 range. I normally like a dry beer, but I'm thinking some light crystal or making the base malt into something like marris to add some sweetness to reinforce the orange. What do you guys think?

 

[ThatVideoKid]

First draft!


OG: 1.051
FG: 1.012
SRM: 8-10(depends on patent)
IBU: 16

6lb red wheat malt
3.5lb American 2 row
8oz Honey Malt
1-2oz Black Patent

.25oz Horizon @ 60
.5oz Cascade @ 10

I

 

[ThatVideoKid]

I was thinking either wyeast American wheat, but leaning toward good old S04 because it floccs well and that might be better for the fiancée

 

[rhys333]

First draft!


OG: 1.051
FG: 1.012
SRM: 8-10(depends on patent)
IBU: 16

6lb red wheat malt
3.5lb American 2 row
8oz Honey Malt
1-2oz Black Patent

.25oz Horizon @ 60
.5oz Cascade @ 10

I

Sorry for your loss. I was going to suggest an American wheat with orange peel too. Couple suggestions... how about replacing the 2 Row with Vienna? It should help with the color and taste pretty nice too. Also, i don't use honey malt but I hear its potent stuff... reduce to 6 oz or so? I'd recommend a flameout cascade addition as well. US05 works well for me in American wheats.

 

[BuglessDuster]

He's an IPA dry hopped with Simcoe and Target.

 

[kev211]

Also, i don't use honey malt but I hear its potent stuff... reduce to 6 oz or so?

This is true. Just did a honey blonde ale with 10 oz of the stuff and NO honey and it tastes as if it had a pound of pure honey in it (which is what I was going for). I second the reduction to 6oz

 

[MollyHatchet]

First, I would like to say, I am sorry for your loss of Buster. I think you are on track with a delicious Hefeweizen style to match your boy Buster. I lost my best friend, Bubb last October, as he was always my assistant brewer. I formulated and beer in his honor a year or two before he passed. I call it Bubb's Brown Ale, everyone really enjoys it, as I was surprised how well it came out myself, ( I am my own worst critique) but take your time and make a beer as great as Buster was/is, and everyone will enjoy. I can't think a better way to say thank you to a fried for all the unconditional love he gave. Cheers and best wishes on your quest!!
PS: here is a picture of my boy Bubb.
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[ThatVideoKid]

Sorry for your loss. I was going to suggest an American wheat with orange peel too. Couple suggestions... how about replacing the 2 Row with Vienna? It should help with the color and taste pretty nice too. Also, i don't use honey malt but I hear its potent stuff... reduce to 6 oz or so? I'd recommend a flameout cascade addition as well. US05 works well for me in American wheats.

Okay I've never used honey malt either but have seen people love a good half pound, but maybe they're crazy! That's okay I think I'll leave experimenting with that to another time.

Here's a second draft of Fat Cat Ale

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.013
IBU: 16

6lb - Red wheat
3.5lb - Vienna
1oz - Castle Black
4oz - Caramel Wheat (sounded good, has anyone used weyermann's?)

.25oz Horizon @ 60
.5oz cascade @ 10

Yeast: S04 fermented cool

I'm trying to keep the hops pretty light to start, it will hopefully have a good amount of aroma from the orange anyways.

 

[rhys333]

Okay I've never used honey malt either but have seen people love a good half pound, but maybe they're crazy! That's okay I think I'll leave experimenting with that to another time.

Here's a second draft of Fat Cat Ale

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.013
IBU: 16

6lb - Red wheat
3.5lb - Vienna
1oz - Castle Black
4oz - Caramel Wheat (sounded good, has anyone used weyermann's?)

.25oz Horizon @ 60
.5oz cascade @ 10

Yeast: S04 fermented cool

I'm trying to keep the hops pretty light to start, it will hopefully have a good amount of aroma from the orange anyways.

Looks pretty good to me. Good luck and cheers to Buster!

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Does anyone know what a good water profile for this beer would be? I haven't done much with water but I want this beer to have the best chance of being great. I'm going to build from RO this time. There doesn't seem to be a distinct "wheat beer" water profile. A lot of people seem to go with hoppy American, but this isn't hoppy and I'm not trying to really accentuate that. Maybe something towards a pilsen water profile would be nice? Something to bring a soft mouthfeel would be good too.

 

[rhys333]

Does anyone know what a good water profile for this beer would be? I haven't done much with water but I want this beer to have the best chance of being great. I'm going to build from RO this time. There doesn't seem to be a distinct "wheat beer" water profile. A lot of people seem to go with hoppy American, but this isn't hoppy and I'm not trying to really accentuate that. Maybe something towards a pilsen water profile would be nice? Something to bring a soft mouthfeel would be good too.

Pilsen water is almost RO (single digit ppm for Cl and SO4), some arguing for a bit higher. I would just add enough calcium chloride to get your calcium up between 50-75 ppm, then lactic acid as required for mash pH.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Yesterday was brew day, came pretty close to OG, 1.048 so just a hair short, but I ended up with about 1/4 gallon over. I decided I didn't want any leftover cascade so I added 1/4oz FWH and 1/4 while it was chilling.

I zested 2 large oranges right into the boil between 5 and knockout. Smells good!

 

[ThatVideoKid]

I was really hoping to bottle this today, but it still appears to be chewing at the last couple points, very infrequent but still bubbling, and it hasn't cleared to s04 standards yet. Attenuating more than I expected as well. Color is really solid though! I'm thinking of dry zesting for the next couple days while it finishes up.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

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Forgot the pic!

 

[ThatVideoKid]

It is still slowly working, sitting at 70 for a week now. I don't like touching my beer much and losing it to samples, but I have my non-scientific test of pushing down the inflated lid of the bucket, and checking on it 20-30min later and so far it has been making enough CO2 to repressurize the bucket and raise the airlock back up. I've been getting higher than average attenuation about 90% of the time so I guess it'll get down pretty low. Doesn't help that I mash at 152 and let it drop to about 148(BIAB)

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Bottled today! It only went down maybe 1-2 more points over all that time. Boy did it condition up though. It has a nice malty wheat flavor, and smelling the open bucket was like smelling an orange dipped in LME. I was cautious and went for 2.7 volumes. Can't wait until 2-3 weeks from now

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Sample at 4 days warm, some number of days in the fridge. Good! Nice orange though I may do a tincture next time for more freshness. Correct level of bitterness, definitely subtly sweet reinforced by the orange. I think people will like this. Especially when it gets up to 2.7-2.8 volumes.

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