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

[andrewmaixner]

I'd like to brew this but I don't have a way to do any temperature control on fermentation... is there a yeast I can use that won't give too many off flavors when fermented at room temperature? I was planning to use HotHead ale yeast for my first brew but idk if it would work here.

This is what you seek for most ale yeasts:
https://www.google.com/search?q=swamp+cooler+fermentation&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&biw=993&bih=909

But I'm interested how that strain works out, had not heard of it before!

 

[brokebucket]

Those asking about dry hopping with this beer, here is my .02:

-it makes the beer better in my opinion, but just know that it bumps it out of style for a blonde. I entered mine in a contest and was told by all judges too much hop character. Also of note, still took third in the light ale/hybrid category, losing out to 2 cream ales (yuck). One judge in the comments said "I could drink alot of this".

So unless you are a hard core style guy, or are trying to win a home brew competition (with a blonde ale), an ounce of hops (5Gal) will really turn this beer from great. to great!

 

[vance]

Vance what temperature are you dealing with?

Not 100% sure, I just moved and I haven't tested ambient temperatures in various parts of my house - however I'd assume mid 70s, maybe a few degrees lower in the basement, but the yeast activity will raise it a bit anyways. I live in central OH so it's in the 80s every day and the new place doesn't have AC, just window units.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

If I had no temp control and limited AC, I would use the dry belle saison yeast. It is going to change the flavor profile but it should still make a very tasty beer.

Read on this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=522455

 

[chlehb]

Not 100% sure, I just moved and I haven't tested ambient temperatures in various parts of my house - however I'd assume mid 70s, maybe a few degrees lower in the basement, but the yeast activity will raise it a bit anyways. I live in central OH so it's in the 80s every day and the new place doesn't have AC, just window units.

I don't think you'll have much trouble fermenting with most ale yeasts in your basement.

Nottingham ale yeast:

The recommended fermentation temperature range of this strain is 14° to 21°C (57° to 70°F)

I'd at least try once before you look for alternatives.

 

[Rivenin]

Few days ago,

Sparging away!

20160703_121845 by Noah Scott, on Flickr


10 gallons blub blub blubbing away!
20160704_221840 by Noah Scott, on Flickr

 

[Jiffster]

I brewed this on 6/26/16, kegged it on 7/5/16 and carbed it at 30psi for 36 hours, set it at 12psi and just tasted it 14 hours later and it's delicious!

11 days grain to glass.

I'm really focused on consuming it on 7/10 so it should even be just a tad better.

 

[tjosborne]

@Rivenin
What's that that you have the sanke in?

 

[Jwin]

@Rivenin
What's that that you have the sanke in?

Looks like a collared mini fridge (depth)

 

[imafan]

Hello,
I just brewed my first beer batch ever using this recipe with a biab setup on my stove top and got pretty good beginner's luck . It fermented furiously (2burb/sec) for last 3 days using safale s05 at room temperature(72ish) and now slowed down to a burb every few seconds. OP said kegging in 4 days, should i start looking into bottling it soon? Do I need to check FG? OG was 1.045. It doesn't look very clear yet (but smelled great!) like in the pic below.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=361251&stc=1&d=1467962162
Thanks!

my brew night (4hrs from turning on element)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=361253&stc=1&d=1467962972

 

[andrewmaixner]

Hello,
I just brewed my first beer batch ever using this recipe with a biab setup on my stove top and got pretty good beginner's luck . It fermented furiously (2burb/sec) for last 3 days using safale s05 at room temperature(72ish) and now slowed down to a burb every few seconds. OP said kegging in 4 days, should i start looking into bottling it soon? Do I need to check FG?
......

not necessarily.
always.
have patience, check the gravity, check again in 3 days, verify no change, then you can bottle.

 

[Rivenin]

@Rivenin
What's that that you have the sanke in?

Looks like a collared mini fridge (depth)

@tjosborne
@Jwin wins!

It's indeed a collared mini fridge. Welded a stand out of some 1" 16g tube so i can wheel it over to my brew stand, pump in and siphon out to kegs without having to lift 10 gallons of wort.

 

[Calaeb]

Has anyone kettle soured this beer? Want to try my hand at a sour using oyl-605, and thought this might be a good one to try it with.

 

[Rivenin]

Has anyone kettle soured this beer? Want to try my hand at a sour using oyl-605, and thought this might be a good one to try it with.

you would need to do it before any hops were added.;
even though the hops in this recipe are very small additions, it will still make a huge difference as lacto hates hops.

take a look at this starting recipe for a berlinerweisse from milkthefunk.
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Berliner_Weissbier

 

[Calaeb]

you would need to do it before any hops were added.;
even though the hops in this recipe are very small additions, it will still make a huge difference as lacto hates hops.

take a look at this starting recipe for a berlinerweisse from milkthefunk.
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Berliner_Weissbier

I'm familiar with the process of souring, have read quite a bit about it just haven't tried it yet. Just not sure of a recipe and thought this would work well.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

First pull from the keg! Brewed July 4th. Wife likes it and I will be serving it at a party in a week or so!View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468451308.448962.jpg

 

[andrewmaixner]

Made this again for the first brew on my new 20Gal eBIAB rig, in an 11gal batch, as it's an almost foolproof recipe to learn with. Used .5oz/5gal centennial at first wort hop with a 30 min boil, then cooled to 165F and added another 1oz/5gal centennial for a 30 minute whirlpool. Efficiency into the fermentor was 77% using filtered/softened house water and no water adjustments (pH stabilized at 5.5).

Hoping that with this higher hopping rate I'll not feel the desire to dry hop it at all, and can get it on tap inside of 2 weeks.

Success. cold crashed with gelatin on day 9, carbed and on tap on day 10, no extra hopping needed.

 

[vance]

Are there any additions to this recipe that people really like? I feel the urge to dry hop it.

 

[Rivenin]

when DONT you dry hop something?! hahah - dry hops play well for sure. i just wouldn't over do it

 

[chlehb]

So I guess I'm one of the only people who didn't have success with this brew (I'm not blaming the recipe!).
Mine is 2 weeks in the bottle now and it just tastes like a weird mix between sweet, malty and Cascade from the dry-hop. There's a good beer hidden in there somewhere but with the off flavours it's not great. I know 2 weeks isn't much and it could still turn out ok but I'm not very hopeful.

One problem is definitely that my mash temp was around 75° for the first 15 mins. Fermentation was probably a bit too warm as well.

My buddy and I are in the process of upgrading pretty much everything (GF, fermentation fridge and kegs) though so there's hope for the future

 

[Sadu]

This was one of the first recipes I came across and I have been hanging out to brew it since. Planning to have a go next month.

How long does this keep before it's past it's prime?

 

[Jwin]

My buddy and I are in the process of upgrading pretty much everything (GF, fermentation fridge and kegs) though so there's hope for the future

Upgrading your mutual girlfriend?

 

[Hayden512]

So what are the chances I can have this kegged by the 25th? I'm going on a month long trip on the 26th and would like to have something carbed up when I get back

 

[Jiffster]

So what are the chances I can have this kegged by the 25th? I'm going on a month long trip on the 26th and would like to have something carbed up when I get back

I fermented mine for 9 days, kegged from primary with gelatin at fermentation temp, put in keezer and carbed at 30 psi for 36 hours while it chilled to 40 degrees. I tasted on day 11 and it was delicious.

11 days grain to glass.

 

[andrewmaixner]

I fermented mine for 9 days, kegged from primary with gelatin at fermentation temp, put in keezer and carbed at 30 psi for 36 hours while it chilled to 40 degrees. I tasted on day 11 and it was delicious.
11 days grain to glass.

95%. I had mine kegged and and serving on day 10. This has to be one of the fastest-turnaround, most-foolproof recipes there is.

 

[whovous]

Start today and I think better than 95%, given that you simply want it kegged by the 25th, not carbed.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

So what are the chances I can have this kegged by the 25th? I'm going on a month long trip on the 26th and would like to have something carbed up when I get back

As others have said brew tonight or tomorrow and you will be fine to keg the 25th. I served a glass on day 11 with a 48 hour cold crash and 36 hour force carb.

 

[jmill]

I took a keg of this to a party last night and it was a hit! Finished off 5 gals in about an hour.

First time trying the recipe, brewed as outlined in the original post. Looking forward to brewing this again and doing some additions....maybe some basil and/or jalapenos from the garden.

 

[jjackel53]

What do you think about putting this recipe in some fruit? Like peaches or apricots?

 

[olotti]

First go around of this beer was a hit. Brewing up batch two as I type. I like to bump it up a little to the 5.5% 50ibu range so its prob more a pale than a traditional blonde, using some centennial and citra this go around.