KevinWP
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2007
- Messages
- 38
- Reaction score
- 2
Well,
The bug bit me... and I went ahead and scratched that itch. I received a Mr. Beer (That I asked for) for Christmas. That batch is into it's 8th day now and will get bottled in another week or so..... Meanwhile, I converted the flat green Christmas presents I received (and secured SWMBOs approval) into a much upgraded beginning setup.
I went out and bought 6.5 Carboy, Ale Pale/Bottling Bucket, 20Qt Pot, Carboy Accesories, etc etc, and an overpriced but all inclusive 'Brewers Best Bold Series' Extract + Steeping Kit for American Nut Brown Ale at my not so local HBS about 100 miles away in a day trip on Monday.
It's a nice kit box. (Picture me unpacking it Monday evening when we got home).... Comes with Danstar Nottingham yeast, 13.2 lbs in cans of Amber Extract, 2lbs of Dry Amber Extract, 4 oz of Crystal 60L Malt, 4 oz of Chocolate Malt, 1 oz of Black Patent Malt, 1 oz of Galena Hops for an aroma addition, 1 oz of Williamete for a Bittering addition, and...
Wait a second....
There was supposed to be a third package of hops, a 2nd oz of Williamette for a flavoring addition.
n00b lesson #1 - For every 10 minutes it takes you to drive to the Not-so LHBS, you should spend at least 1 minute opening every closed box (even if factory closed) to ensure that what is supposed to be in there, is in there.
I learned this lesson very harshly after dark, on New Years Eve, 100 miles away from, and 3 hours after the store closed. It wasn't going to be open again until Weds, and it seems pathetic to drive 200 miles round trip for a $1.50-$3.00 worth of hops. I had planned to brew this up and have it in the primary by years end.....
(Insert the sight of a large grown man, in a set of pink pajamas, NOT getting his Red Ryder BB Gun with a Compass in the Stock for Christmas)
But I persevere.... I think I remember seeing something about Late addition (of the Extract) and something about calculating timings on HBT. So I postpone the brewing session to New Years Day and spent some time Monday night doing more research and playing with BeerSmith.
So I started with a basic American Nut Brown Ale recipe with 3 oz of hops (but 1 oz missing) and I 'think' I redesigned the recipe, using only what was in the kit, to achieve something darn close.
What do you all think? (PS This is Armchair Brewmastering - It's in the Primary and beginning to bubble as I type this - I designed it, I'm gonna drink it (or at least some of it))
I changed to late extract addition for most of the extract, in order to increase the hops utilization. I increased the boil volume to increase the hops utilization. I decreased the Boil Time due to the higher utilization. I tinkered with the hopping schedule, and then I tinkered some more to get a little more hops use. (In another thread, the Brewers Best has been characterized as under hoppy)
According to BeerSmith, this no longer meets the style definition of an American Brown Ale, and I overshot the OG so it's probably going to be a fuller beer than planned.
3.5 Gallon Boil
Steep 9 Oz crushed grains (Described above) between 160-170°F for 20 minutes
Bring to a Boil
at 45 Minutes add 1/2 oz Williamette @ 4.5% AA for Bittering
at 45 Min add 8 oz Amber Dry Extract
at 15 Min add 1/2 oz Williamette @ 4.5 % AA for Flavoring
at 15 Min add 24 oz Amber Dry Extract
at 15 Min add 3.3 lbs Amber Liquid Extract
at 10 Min add 1/8 oz Galena @ 13.1% AA (For Flavoring and Aroma)
at 5 Min add 7/8 oz Galena @ 13.1% AA for Aroma
at 0 Min add 3.3 Lbs Amber Liquid Extract
and remove from heat
Add volume to equal 5 gallons, cool, and pitch yeast.
According to BeerSmith
OG Estimate: 1.065 (Style is 1.040-1.060)
FG Estimate: 1.016 (Style is 1.010-1.017)
Color Estimate: 21.3 (Style is 15-22.0)
IBU Estimate: 26.9 (Style is 25-60.0)
I took an SG in the Bottling Bucket on the way to the Primary (I neglected to purchase a siphon, and my funnel would not seat all the way in the carboy so I had to add a step)
SG @ 84°F = 1.072 Correcting for Temp Yields SG = 1.075
I moved to the Carboy at 81°F and pitched the rehydrated yeast into the Primary halfway through the transfer. Also removed a bunch of trub in this transfer with a straining funnel... but there was still alot that got through.
Took another SG @ 81°F = 1.072 or a bit below I figure a little less correction ( My hydrometer syas add 3 at 84, add 2 at 74) and that puts me at....
OG: 1.074 :rockin: Wow That seems big. But I admit there is about a quarter to a half inch of junk sitting at the bottom of the carboy after 6 hours of settling (Actually most of it was there after an hour of settling). I'm thinking that those suspended solids pumped up that OG just a wee bit.
It is now bubbling away at 70°F and I can see the yeast blooms floating to the top to let go of the CO2 and sinking back down.
So anyway.... Thoughts?
I know it's going to be beer. I know it's going to be related to a Brown Ale.
Beyond that... I dunno.
And that Ladies and Gents, is the tale of my 2nd Batch, My 'In a Pinch' Brown Ale
The bug bit me... and I went ahead and scratched that itch. I received a Mr. Beer (That I asked for) for Christmas. That batch is into it's 8th day now and will get bottled in another week or so..... Meanwhile, I converted the flat green Christmas presents I received (and secured SWMBOs approval) into a much upgraded beginning setup.
I went out and bought 6.5 Carboy, Ale Pale/Bottling Bucket, 20Qt Pot, Carboy Accesories, etc etc, and an overpriced but all inclusive 'Brewers Best Bold Series' Extract + Steeping Kit for American Nut Brown Ale at my not so local HBS about 100 miles away in a day trip on Monday.
It's a nice kit box. (Picture me unpacking it Monday evening when we got home).... Comes with Danstar Nottingham yeast, 13.2 lbs in cans of Amber Extract, 2lbs of Dry Amber Extract, 4 oz of Crystal 60L Malt, 4 oz of Chocolate Malt, 1 oz of Black Patent Malt, 1 oz of Galena Hops for an aroma addition, 1 oz of Williamete for a Bittering addition, and...
Wait a second....
There was supposed to be a third package of hops, a 2nd oz of Williamette for a flavoring addition.
n00b lesson #1 - For every 10 minutes it takes you to drive to the Not-so LHBS, you should spend at least 1 minute opening every closed box (even if factory closed) to ensure that what is supposed to be in there, is in there.
I learned this lesson very harshly after dark, on New Years Eve, 100 miles away from, and 3 hours after the store closed. It wasn't going to be open again until Weds, and it seems pathetic to drive 200 miles round trip for a $1.50-$3.00 worth of hops. I had planned to brew this up and have it in the primary by years end.....
(Insert the sight of a large grown man, in a set of pink pajamas, NOT getting his Red Ryder BB Gun with a Compass in the Stock for Christmas)
But I persevere.... I think I remember seeing something about Late addition (of the Extract) and something about calculating timings on HBT. So I postpone the brewing session to New Years Day and spent some time Monday night doing more research and playing with BeerSmith.
So I started with a basic American Nut Brown Ale recipe with 3 oz of hops (but 1 oz missing) and I 'think' I redesigned the recipe, using only what was in the kit, to achieve something darn close.
What do you all think? (PS This is Armchair Brewmastering - It's in the Primary and beginning to bubble as I type this - I designed it, I'm gonna drink it (or at least some of it))
I changed to late extract addition for most of the extract, in order to increase the hops utilization. I increased the boil volume to increase the hops utilization. I decreased the Boil Time due to the higher utilization. I tinkered with the hopping schedule, and then I tinkered some more to get a little more hops use. (In another thread, the Brewers Best has been characterized as under hoppy)
According to BeerSmith, this no longer meets the style definition of an American Brown Ale, and I overshot the OG so it's probably going to be a fuller beer than planned.
3.5 Gallon Boil
Steep 9 Oz crushed grains (Described above) between 160-170°F for 20 minutes
Bring to a Boil
at 45 Minutes add 1/2 oz Williamette @ 4.5% AA for Bittering
at 45 Min add 8 oz Amber Dry Extract
at 15 Min add 1/2 oz Williamette @ 4.5 % AA for Flavoring
at 15 Min add 24 oz Amber Dry Extract
at 15 Min add 3.3 lbs Amber Liquid Extract
at 10 Min add 1/8 oz Galena @ 13.1% AA (For Flavoring and Aroma)
at 5 Min add 7/8 oz Galena @ 13.1% AA for Aroma
at 0 Min add 3.3 Lbs Amber Liquid Extract
and remove from heat
Add volume to equal 5 gallons, cool, and pitch yeast.
According to BeerSmith
OG Estimate: 1.065 (Style is 1.040-1.060)
FG Estimate: 1.016 (Style is 1.010-1.017)
Color Estimate: 21.3 (Style is 15-22.0)
IBU Estimate: 26.9 (Style is 25-60.0)
I took an SG in the Bottling Bucket on the way to the Primary (I neglected to purchase a siphon, and my funnel would not seat all the way in the carboy so I had to add a step)
SG @ 84°F = 1.072 Correcting for Temp Yields SG = 1.075
I moved to the Carboy at 81°F and pitched the rehydrated yeast into the Primary halfway through the transfer. Also removed a bunch of trub in this transfer with a straining funnel... but there was still alot that got through.
Took another SG @ 81°F = 1.072 or a bit below I figure a little less correction ( My hydrometer syas add 3 at 84, add 2 at 74) and that puts me at....
OG: 1.074 :rockin: Wow That seems big. But I admit there is about a quarter to a half inch of junk sitting at the bottom of the carboy after 6 hours of settling (Actually most of it was there after an hour of settling). I'm thinking that those suspended solids pumped up that OG just a wee bit.
It is now bubbling away at 70°F and I can see the yeast blooms floating to the top to let go of the CO2 and sinking back down.
So anyway.... Thoughts?
I know it's going to be beer. I know it's going to be related to a Brown Ale.
Beyond that... I dunno.
And that Ladies and Gents, is the tale of my 2nd Batch, My 'In a Pinch' Brown Ale