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

[WeissGuy]

I did a search in this thread and it seems that some people like the result from dry hopping with 0.5 to 1.0 oz of cascade or something similar. I'd also be interested in hearing about other experiences.

I just looked at my tasting notes from my first attempt at this recipe and it said to consider adding 0.25 to 0.50 at 0 minutes or dry hop. I'm brewing this on Friday and I think I'm going to dry hop with 0.25 oz of cascade and 0.25 oz of willamette, partly because that will use up all of my cascade and I have a bunch of willamette that I need to use up. I've also heard these two play nicely together. I do have 1.00 oz of citra that I could use instead.

Let me know how it turns out. I'm not brewing this for a few weeks so I'd be interested in hearing your feedback first.

 

[Rockindaddy]

I brewed this awhile back and just started drinking it. The yeast in the bottles has caked into chunks, so when you pour it in a glass it looks like oatmeal floating around in the glass. Not too appetizing, but it does taste good. Any idea why this would happen? I tried taking a picture but couldn't get a clear shot of one swimming by. If you look at the bottom of the glass on the left side you can barely see some of them. There's also one in the upper left about 3/4" below the head.

 

[brewmasterbates]

If you went from fermenter to bottles without racking off the yeast, obviously you sunk your siphon tube down into the yeast. We secondary from bucket to glass carboy, using a mesh ladies knee high stocking (new, of course) attached to the botton of the siphon hose, as well as leave about 2 qrts above the yeast cake at bottom about 1/4 inch pver the settled yeast. After racking for about 4/6 days, bottle from secondary, also attaching new stocking at bottom of siphon hose. Be careful not to disturb the maybe 1/4 inch of silty yeast at bottom of secondary and you should not have anything flaoting in your ale. We never have floaters doing this.

Remember, no matter how tasty, we first drink with our eyes and nose.... this turns most people off when they see this.

 

[orion7144]

I do not secondary. When I use my buckets I just go directly to the keg from the spigot. I do the same with my conical with a racking port. Dump first pint or so then all is good.

 

[brewmasterbates]

we have also gone from ferment bucket to bottles, but i would suggest, 1) trying utmost to not stir up yeast.. move your bucket/carboy carefully so not to disturb, 2) use the knee high panty hose attachment where tube goes into ale. We learned that tip on here I am pretty sure, and works great, & 3) don't go for every last drop, leave a little at the bottom for beelzeebub...

 

[Hawaiibboy]

don't go for every last drop, leave a little at the bottom for beelzeebub...

Got to give some to the gods!

 

[dstranger99]

I have great results when racking to a secondary carboy, The yeast cake is left behind in the bucket, and a little more sediment falls out once in the secondary after a few days, makes for a very clear glass of brew......

 

[jflongo]

I always rack into secondary as well. Also, I move my carboy onto my sink about an hour or so before I siphon, just incase things moved a bit. You could even do this a day before if you want, if you are in the same area where you siphon.

If you are going straight from Primary, I would move it to the spot you are going to siphon to a day or so ahead of time. Then when you start your siphon, start the auto siphon only half way down, and slowly move it down, so that you don't sink it into the cake, and make sure you tip it at an angle too with some books, or something similiar.

 

[woknblues]

I always rack into secondary as well. Also, I move my carboy onto my sink about an hour or so before I siphon, just incase things moved a bit. You could even do this a day before if you want, if you are in the same area where you siphon.

If you are going straight from Primary, I would move it to the spot you are going to siphon to a day or so ahead of time. Then when you start your siphon, start the auto siphon only half way down, and slowly move it down, so that you don't sink it into the cake, and make sure you tip it at an angle too with some books, or something similiar.

This is perfect advice. I BIAB, and just about everything goes into my primary. I do what is described perfectly above, and I have never had anything but crystal clear beers. Great in general, but actually my wheat beers are too clear. I have to muck around with it to get a decent wheat/yeast haze.

 

[jwalker1140]

Great in general, but actually my wheat beers are too clear. I have to muck around with it to get a decent wheat/yeast haze.

Adding 1 tablespoon of flour to the boil is an easy way to get a nice permanent haze. Can't remember where I learned that. Probably some Jamil or Palmer podcast.

 

[dstranger99]

Adding 1 tablespoon of flour to the boil is an easy way to get a nice permanent haze. Can't remember where I learned that. Probably some Jamil or Palmer podcast.

Yeah, but why even want that? Wheat or not. clearer is always better to the eyes and brain that see it first.........

 

[Paloaf]

I brewed this up on 5/5/13 and just kegged it tonight. The OG was spot on at 1.041 and the FG was 1.007. Looks and tastes great out of the hydrometer sample. I can't wait until this is carbed up. How many volumes of C02 have you all found to work well? I'm going to shoot for 2.3-2.4. Thanks for the recipe Biermuncher.

 

[jwalker1140]

Yeah, but why even want that? Wheat or not. clearer is always better to the eyes and brain that see it first.........

Some beers are supposed to be hazy when brewed to style (e.g., Hefeweizen, Belgian Wit, etc.). For these styles, clear is not better, at least to my eyes and brain. YMMV....

 

[jflongo]

I am getting ready to brew this again, in a couple of days. I harvested the dry yeast from my last batch, and I'm going to try and use that harvested yeast with this batch.

 

[brewmasterbates]

we did the "big brew day" at our local brew shop about 10 days ago, we made the "more fun" blonde ale. But we tweaked it to suit our liking. The grain bill was 8lbs of Pils, 3 lbs of canadian 2 row, we added 1lb of honey malt to it. The hops were willamette & cascade pellet, and we added 5 oz of our own home grown cascades to the hop spider with 10 minutes left, and let them go for around 10 after flame out.

The yeast was supposed to be the belgian, but we switched to the danstar notty. Well, we kegged 3 gallons and bottled the other 2, gotta tell ya, this stuff smelled and tasted unbelievable. I can't wait to be sipping this. Gotta say, this one smells like a real winner.

 

[jflongo]

I am getting ready to brew this again, in a couple of days. I harvested the dry yeast from my last batch, and I'm going to try and use that harvested yeast with this batch.

Just started my yeast starter for this, so I'm brewing this on Friday again!

 

[Johnnyhamer]

Seriously considering grains and hops in bulk specifically for this beer. Definitely my favorite homebrew. Biernuncher, have you considered this for the Longshot Competition?

 

[carlk47]

Seriously considering grains and hops in bulk specifically for this beer. Definitely my favorite homebrew. Biernuncher, have you considered this for the Longshot Competition?

Agreed.. this is the only brew that I have made multiple times.. I'm brewing up my 4th batch of CB this weekend, and I've only been brewing since this past November! good stuff BM

 

[Johnnyhamer]

Definitely. It's unbelievably good. I barely dry hopped with cascade.

 

[Johnnyhamer]

I'm sucking down a hydro sample from my first custom recipe

 

[Jayhem]

Just tasted this beer for the first time after 10 days of bottle conditioning and it is already drinkable! after another week or 2 this is going to be awesome!
Can't think of a better summer beer than this and it was super cheap to brew!

 

[jflongo]

I'm brewing this again tomorrow. I may dry hop it this time too with 1oz cascade 1oz centennial.

 

[TrainReck]

2 days to the family party. I know this blonde will be a hit.

 

[WeissGuy]

^^ Absolutely gorgeous

 

[Evan_L]

Just bottled my batch of this last night. Very happy with the recipe! Although I tried to stick to it, I did dry hop with 2.5oz cascade and used 1272 which took it from 1.042 to 1.006. Hydro sample tasted really good, can't wait for it to carb up. I brewed it for a grad party to please the masses and it looks like it will do just that!

 

[GR22]

Gonna brew this tomorrow. I read a lot of the posts, but not all 313 BeerSmith seems to be calling for 1 1/2 packages of Nottingham dry yeast, but it looks like everyone's just using 1 package? I'm brewing all grain, but haven't been at it for all that long and want to get this right.
Thanks,

 

[sa1126]

Brewing this tomorrow as well. Anyone used the Whitelabs california ale V as substitute? It is going to be near 100 the next two weeks and I can't keep the house at 65

 

[gcdowd]

Gonna brew this tomorrow. I read a lot of the posts, but not all 313 BeerSmith seems to be calling for 1 1/2 packages of Nottingham dry yeast, but it looks like everyone's just using 1 package? I'm brewing all grain, but haven't been at it for all that long and want to get this right.
Thanks,

One pack is more than enough. Happy brewing!

 

[Hawaiibboy]

Brewing this tomorrow as well. Anyone used the Whitelabs california ale V as substitute? It is going to be near 100 the next two weeks and I can't keep the house at 65

For a cheap(er) way to keep your fermentation cool you could use a swamp cooler. The other option is to use a temp-controlled fermentation chamber. I have to deal with constant high temps in Hawaii so I went with a chest freezer off CL.

Your other option is to try out a saison yeast. I have heard of people here in Hawaii fermenting at rather high temps. If you could keep the house/room you are fermenting in at about 75-80 you should be fine. Might get some funky Belgian-ness, but that could turn out good!

 

[sa1126]

For a cheap(er) way to keep your fermentation cool you could use a swamp cooler. The other option is to use a temp-controlled fermentation chamber. I have to deal with constant high temps in Hawaii so I went with a chest freezer off CL.

Your other option is to try out a saison yeast. I have heard of people here in Hawaii fermenting at rather high temps. If you could keep the house/room you are fermenting in at about 75-80 you should be fine. Might get some funky Belgian-ness, but that could turn out good!

Scored a garage fridge today! Brewed and ended up at 1.041 og.

The fridge is set at 61 degrees so hopefully I'll have bubbles tomorrow