Blonde Ale Centennial Blonde (Simple 4% All Grain, 5 & 10 Gall)

[HopheadNJ]

Planning on brewing 10 gallons of this tomorrow. Pitching 5 gallons with Nottingham and 5 gallons with Mangrove Jack's M44 US West Coast Yeast that I picked up today.

So I did exactly this, pitched yeast around 7 PM last Saturday @ 63F ambient. The Nottingham was rehydrated, while the M44 was pitched dry as per packaging. They both started showing signs of activity within 24 hrs. The Nottingham took off, fermented vigorously and krausen dropped by Wed evening.

The M44 seems to be a bit slower, it still has krausen that appeared to be dropping when I bumped the temp up this morning. Looking forward to tasting both of these side by side

 

[kombat]

Kegging up my first batch of this tonight - I can't wait to taste it!

 

[bigmike99]

Hit about 1.051. Not terrible considering brew-day madness an temps of about 97 outside. Really looking forward to this one. First time I've chilled the wort to fermenting temp before pitching. In the past I've pitched once I chilled the wort to about 80'.

 

[NickinWI]

I ha have polished off the first case and then some of my first 5 gallon batch of this with the family. It is light, clean and refreshing! Followed the recipe and came out at 1.042. I was a bit surprised at the citrus flavor in it though-reminds me of a shandy almost.

Is the beer supposed to taste like that? Is it the cascades or something else in my process? I did add some saurmalz to my grain bill to get my ph right.

I'd like to make a bit cleaner tasting version of this with less citrus, any suggestions?

 

[FATC1TY]

I ha have polished off the first case and then some of my first 5 gallon batch of this with the family. It is light, clean and refreshing! Followed the recipe and came out at 1.042. I was a bit surprised at the citrus flavor in it though-reminds me of a shandy almost.

Is the beer supposed to taste like that? Is it the cascades or something else in my process? I did add some saurmalz to my grain bill to get my ph right.

I'd like to make a bit cleaner tasting version of this with less citrus, any suggestions?

Use different hops. The citrus is from the hops, so perhaps use something noble instead of Cascade and Centennials.

 

[kombat]

Just kegged this last night, sampling it tonight. It's fantastic! I'll be serving it at my birthday party next weekend, I expect it will be a hit!

 

[dracus]

I feel I need to add that this recipe ROCKS!!!!!

I made a 10g batch and split it. I did one normal, and 1 I poured over some cherry puree. I thought a cherry blond would be fun to drink.

The cherry version is dynamite as is the regular. If anyone has any doubts this a FANTASTIC beer.

 

[adriedel]

I don't have any centennial does anyone think galaxy would be good?

 

[sr20steve]

Hit about 1.051. Not terrible considering brew-day madness an temps of about 97 outside. Really looking forward to this one. First time I've chilled the wort to fermenting temp before pitching. In the past I've pitched once I chilled the wort to about 80'.

Im notorious for this too, I always get impatient. But then I have to wait till the next day to pitch lol.

 

[sr20steve]

I don't have any centennial does anyone think galaxy would be good?

Galaxy would be more tropical fruit flavor like citra which wouldn't be a bad thing, I say go for it.

 

[Cynapse]

I kegged this yesterday. Made mine a bit stronger at 4.8% and I let it sit for 3.5 weeks in the primary due to a vacation I took. We'll see how it is next weekend!

 

[rmullins]

I've probably brewed this a dozen times the past two years. Slight tweaks to the grain bill and hop schedule on different batches, but essentially the same. 1# of honey on 10 gallon batches is nice

 

[daggers_nz]

Hey, forgive me for not reading 3000+ post thread, but what are the best options for racking this onto some whole fruit? Was thinking some sort of berry, will be nice in summer. Want to avoid a sour/tart flavour too. Do you need to boil the fruit at all and keep the juice or do you just throw them in the carboy?

 

[Joakgust]

I've been brewing for quite a while and normally like to let my beers age out as I really can't stand green beer. BM's Centennial Blonde therefore sounds like a good alternative for a quick beer requested by a friend just now.

I'll be brewing this tomorrow for a going away party that this friend will be having August 17th, so that's not even 4 weeks from brew day.

Not a lot of time so I would appreciate any kind of advice on these two questions:

1. Would the following fermenting/aging/carbonating schedule be good?
My plan is to do the fermentation (primary) for 6 days and then do a "secondary" fermentation in a 5G keg for for another 6 days (might even dry hop with cascade).
Then I'll move the keg into the kegerator to start carbonating it, 11 days in total.
2 days before the party I will transfer it into a 2,5G keg and bring it over to my friends place.

2. Is Nottingham or US05 to prefer? I'll be able to keep fermentation temperatures down to 17 C the first 48 hrs before needing to use the kegerator for other beers. After that I won't be able to keep ambient temperatures below 21 C. I would rehydrate both.

Thanks!

 

[sfgoat]

Hey, forgive me for not reading 3000+ post thread, but what are the best options for racking this onto some whole fruit? Was thinking some sort of berry, will be nice in summer. Want to avoid a sour/tart flavour too. Do you need to boil the fruit at all and keep the juice or do you just throw them in the carboy?

I like to put the frozen strawberries that you can get from any grocery store into my carboy and just rack onto them for a few days to a week. I think it's less tart. Don't have to boil or anything. I like to use like 6-8 lbs when I do it.

 

[CGVT]

I've been brewing for quite a while and normally like to let my beers age out as I really can't stand green beer. BM's Centennial Blonde therefore sounds like a good alternative for a quick beer requested by a friend just now.

I'll be brewing this tomorrow for a going away party that this friend will be having August 17th, so that's not even 4 weeks from brew day.

Not a lot of time so I would appreciate any kind of advice on these two questions:

1. Would the following fermenting/aging/carbonating schedule be good?
My plan is to do the fermentation (primary) for 6 days and then do a "secondary" fermentation in a 5G keg for for another 6 days (might even dry hop with cascade).
Then I'll move the keg into the kegerator to start carbonating it, 11 days in total.
2 days before the party I will transfer it into a 2,5G keg and bring it over to my friends place.

2. Is Nottingham or US05 to prefer? I'll be able to keep fermentation temperatures down to 17 C the first 48 hrs before needing to use the kegerator for other beers. After that I won't be able to keep ambient temperatures below 21 C. I would rehydrate both.

Thanks!

I have gone 10 days grain to glass. I didn't dry hop and carbed at 30 psi for about 36 hrs. It is good but clears up nicely and is very good at three weeks.

4 weeks is plenty. I would forgo the secondary and not bother with the dry hop.

Notty will be done in three days, maybe less. The higher temp after initial fermentation should not be a problem.

IMO, it is absolutely doable.

 

[Xtant]

This is quickly becoming my go-to beer for events that just pop up. Just two week's notice and I can have a keg of it ready to go anywhere...

 

[CGVT]

This is quickly becoming my go-to beer for events that just pop up. Just two week's notice and I can have a keg of it ready to go anywhere...

Mine too. I've brewed it a couple of times on short notice for parties. It is always a hit, even if it is a touch green or a bit cloudy.

 

[Joakgust]

I have gone 10 days grain to glass. I didn't dry hop and carbed at 30 psi for about 36 hrs. It is good but clears up nicely and is very good at three weeks.

4 weeks is plenty. I would forgo the secondary and not bother with the dry hop.

Notty will be done in three days, maybe less. The higher temp after initial fermentation should not be a problem.

IMO, it is absolutely doable.

Thanks for the reply!

So I should aim for 2 weeks in the primary? I normally do 3 weeks primary and then keg, so I really wouldn't mind. I just figured that the secondary would help it clear up faster.

 

[Mozart]

Just another relatively new brewer who wants to thank Biermuncher for this recipe!

I chose it as my first BIAB mini-mash, and bottled it yesterday.

The hydrometer sample was quite tasty, even warm and flat. Can't wait until it's carbonated and chilled!

Thanks again Biermuncher!!

 

[enrybwerd]

I brewed this on the 4th of July (surprisingly made it through the entire brew day ), and just pulled the first glass from the tap. All I can say is I'm blown away. I can't really say what I was expecting, but this is down right one of the best blonde beers I've ever tasted.

So crisp. So refreshing. Presence of honey and lots of citrus. Everything I was hoping for and more in a summer beer. Even better knowing my office is 84 degrees all day, so this definitely won't last long. Must get to brewing it again ASAP!

Cheers

 

[PeteNMA]

So I actually splashed a bit of cash and bought some kegs last week, so after a week's cold crash/dry hop I racked it over to one of my new old cornys. A taste of the stuff on its way over wasn't exactly confidence inspiring, however after hooking up the gas, a quick shake at 12psi and left overnight it's really become something very lovely.

Somehow I managed to rack a bunch of dry hop over so the first few pulls have been somewhat leafy, but the citrus notes have really leapt forward. I went a bit off recipe with my hop additions (0.75oz Centennial @ 60min, .5 Centennial @ 30, .5oz Falconers Flight 7Cs at 15 and 5, dry hopped with 1oz Centennial) but it's got the malt body to back up the hops.

I'll definitely brew this one again, I suspect that it will make an excellent base for dipping into some more hops as well. Amarillo and Citra are both on the list for the final additions to future batches.

 

[FATC1TY]

I've been brewing for quite a while and normally like to let my beers age out as I really can't stand green beer. BM's Centennial Blonde therefore sounds like a good alternative for a quick beer requested by a friend just now.

I'll be brewing this tomorrow for a going away party that this friend will be having August 17th, so that's not even 4 weeks from brew day.

Not a lot of time so I would appreciate any kind of advice on these two questions:

1. Would the following fermenting/aging/carbonating schedule be good?
My plan is to do the fermentation (primary) for 6 days and then do a "secondary" fermentation in a 5G keg for for another 6 days (might even dry hop with cascade).
Then I'll move the keg into the kegerator to start carbonating it, 11 days in total.
2 days before the party I will transfer it into a 2,5G keg and bring it over to my friends place.

2. Is Nottingham or US05 to prefer? I'll be able to keep fermentation temperatures down to 17 C the first 48 hrs before needing to use the kegerator for other beers. After that I won't be able to keep ambient temperatures below 21 C. I would rehydrate both.

Thanks!

I've taken this beer from grain to glass in 12-14 days I think, fully carbed with a set it and forget it. I don't do the shake method.

With this beer, I personally think it needs the full 2 weeks to come into it's own, 3 weeks even and it clears and taste better.

However, it's good right off the bat as well. If you dry hop, don't expect a clear brew, so if thats the goal, toss it out. That quickly it won't be clear with a dry hop.

I'd use US05 since you can't control the temp as long or well. Nottingham will be disgustingly bad if you let it get warm.

I'd brew it, and after 7 days, put it in the keg and carb it while you chill it down. Leave it be for as long as you can. After a week, pull a pint or two of the yeasty crap from the bottom and leave it be until you need to take it to party. Use a jumper if you want to put it in another smaller keg to take with you obviously.

 

[ph0ngwh0ng]

Oooooooooook!

Quick turnover?

10 days in carboy, 10 days in bottle. I'm drinking it right now and it's perfect!

:rockin:

 

[NewkyBrown]

I've taken this beer from grain to glass in 12-14 days I think, fully carbed with a set it and forget it. I don't do the shake method.

With this beer, I personally think it needs the full 2 weeks to come into it's own, 3 weeks even and it clears and taste better.

However, it's good right off the bat as well. If you dry hop, don't expect a clear brew, so if thats the goal, toss it out. That quickly it won't be clear with a dry hop.

I'd use US05 since you can't control the temp as long or well. Nottingham will be disgustingly bad if you let it get warm.

I'd brew it, and after 7 days, put it in the keg and carb it while you chill it down. Leave it be for as long as you can. After a week, pull a pint or two of the yeasty crap from the bottom and leave it be until you need to take it to party. Use a jumper if you want to put it in another smaller keg to take with you obviously.

I have a batch of this in the primary now. It has been at 70-72F for a week or so. Do you think that's too warm?

 

[NewkyBrown]

I have a batch of this in the primary now. It has been at 70-72F for a week or so. Do you think that's too warm?

...using Nottingham yeast.

 

[FATC1TY]

...using Nottingham yeast.

Yes, 72 is too high for Nottingham in my opinion.

Is it actively fermenting, as in, the first roughly 3-4 days? Or is this the temp it's at now that it's slowing down and cleaning up?

If it's 72 now, and it's not actively fermenting early on, then chances are if you didn't control the temp, you got somewhere in the high 70's during the most active time.. You will have some off flavors from that. Whether you detect them, or find them and don't find them offensive is another story.

 

[dukedevil0]

Yes, 72 is too high for Nottingham in my opinion.

Is it actively fermenting, as in, the first roughly 3-4 days? Or is this the temp it's at now that it's slowing down and cleaning up?

If it's 72 now, and it's not actively fermenting early on, then chances are if you didn't control the temp, you got somewhere in the high 70's during the most active time.. You will have some off flavors from that. Whether you detect them, or find them and don't find them offensive is another story.

Hmmm. I just fermented mine in 68 F ambient assuming that would be OK. Is the temperature in the recipe supposed to be ambient temp or fermenter temp?

Finally popping open a bottle tomorrow so we'll see how it is.

 

[Xtant]

SWMBO and I fight over the thermostat. I put it at 70* and she sneaks it up to 71* and sometimes all the way up to 72*.

I ferment in a closet and have not had any issues with Notty and this blond. YMMV. And RDWHHB...

 

[FATC1TY]

Keep in mind the temps for yeasts aren't in ambient. It's wort temp. 68 ambient will have the wort assuming it was cooled to 68 or lower before pitching somewhere around 5-8 degrees warmer during active fermentation.

Ambient means that's the absolute lowest it can be with no reactions taking place in the fermenter.

You might taste some solventy hot fusel alcohol flavors and some other phenols.