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

[jflongo]

I just brewed this yesterday, ended up with about 4.8 gallons in the fermenter, OG was 1.048. I also used washed yeast from the last time I made this, and it's already going crazy 12 hrs later.

 

[FATC1TY]

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,

You can use 1, as the gravity isn't that high, and will be plenty of yeast.

I'd skip nottingham though, and use something cleaner like US 05.

 

[CGVT]

I use one package of Notty when I make this, ferment at 65 and can go grain to glass in about 10 days. No esters to speak of and it clears nicely after a couple days in the keg.

 

[PartTimeJedi]

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!

Speaking of Belgian-ness, I just had a Schlafly Golden Ale and was inspired to possibly try this recipe with a Belgian yeast. I think this beer would pair well with a belgian yeast. What belgian yeast do you guys think would really shine with this recipe other than a saison yeast?

 

[artyusmc]

A quick update. After waiting another week or so, the sulfur smell is pretty much gone and the beer is delicious. It was carbonated after a week, decent after 2, but I guess the 3 week rule really does hold true. It's crazy how much of a difference that third week makes.

Status ?
I'm about to keg mine this afternoon

 

[UNIbrewster]

Brewed it up Saturday. OG came in low 1.038. Second all grain so I'm still figuring out my system. Still excited!!!!!!

 

[Setesh]

I know this has been sufficiently proven but DAMN THIS IS GOOD! It even won over my father in law who is a die hard lager man. I forgot to add any irish moss so it's a bit hazy but it sure does taste good. I didn't tap the keg till it had aged for 6 weeks (was in primary for 3 weeks) and I don't think it will last long. I had 3 after mowing the lawn yesterday. So refreshing and you can still function since its low ABV. Properly good stuff BierMuncher!

 

[gcdowd]

I kicked my keg of this last night. Time to brew it again!

 

[MASHturbator]

Hi guys, i just brewed a five gallon batch of this ale on sunday which was my first attempt at all grain. I hit the temps and hydrometer reading right on the nose and am currently waiting patiently for it to ferment. My question was if anyone had tried this recipe with honey and if so what kind and whether the honey was put into the boil or primary. Thanks for your time!

 

[Johnnyhamer]

Hi guys, i just brewed a five gallon batch of this ale on sunday which was my first attempt at all grain. I hit the temps and hydrometer reading right on the nose and am currently waiting patiently for it to ferment. My question was if anyone had tried this recipe with honey and if so what kind and whether the honey was put into the boil or primary. Thanks for your time!

If you just want to up the abv you can toss the honey in the end of the boil. It will dry your beer out some with minimal to no taste.

I have heard you can toss the honey in after primary fermentation and it will retain some taste but very little. I'm sure there's plenty of thread about using honey but the recipe really doesn't need anything else. It is essentially liquid perfection.

 

[SteveHeff]

This is a very good brew for such an inexpensive grain list. As soon as I'm finished unpacking, I will make another batch.

 

[Jayhem]

I am taking a 6-pack of Centennial Blonde to my Uncle this weekend for Memorial Day. He is a die hard Miller Lite drinker and will drink nothing else.

He said he tried "homebrew" before and didn't like it. Let's see if Centennial Blonde can crack this old dog!

 

[Johnnyhamer]

I am taking a 6-pack of Centennial Blonde to my Uncle this weekend for Memorial Day. He is a die hard Miller Lite drinker and will drink nothing else.

He said he tried "homebrew" before and didn't like it. Let's see if Centennial Blonde can crack this old dog!

If he doesn't appreciate it I surely will.

 

[sa1126]

Brewed Saturday, transferred to carboy this evening. OG was 1.041, gravity today was already 1.009

 

[s4l]

How long did y'all's take to carb up? Mine has been sitting 3 weeks in bottles with very little to show..

 

[Johnnyhamer]

How long did y'all's take to carb up? Mine has been sitting 3 weeks in bottles with very little to show..

7-10 days. What temp are they at and how long did you ferment?

 

[s4l]

They're at 70-75*, spent 2 weeks in primary at 62-66. Primed and bottled with 3/4c of corn sugar.

Edit: I did the extract version with Notty.

 

[hops2it]

I was also thinking about:

1 lb Vienna
.5 lb Victory

Just to make sure its not lacking maltiness

I was just about to post a similar thought and found this post in a search. Although the posted recipe does indeed seem like an ideal Blonde that would appeal to the BMC crowd, I think I might want to deepen the flavor profile just slightly for my tastes. Nothing crazy, I was even thinking keep the same hops schedule.

Any other ideas for this? I was even thinking of a little (5-10%) biscuit or wheat malt? All opinions welcome. A little more color wouldn't bother me and is likely with what I'm wanting here.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I bottled a batch of Centennial Blonde this Monday. I wanted to re-use the yeast (Nottingham) but there was a ton of hop gunk all over so I racked off the beer and washed the yeast by pouring a gallon of bottled water in, stirring up the trub and letting it sit for 30 minutes. I then poured off a gallon of the suspended liquid, cleaned and sanitized the fermenter, and added the wort and make-up water (extract recipe), then decanted the gallon of suspended yeast back into the fermenter.

Today, less than 48 hours later, the ferment is stone-cold DONE. Gravity is at 1.007 and krausen is completely gone. That was impressive. I'm amazed I didn't blow out my airlock - it was bubbling furiously Tuesday morning, and there was a ring of krausen gunk just shy of the fermenter lid when I opened it. Ferment was at 63F ambient and the beer tastes just fine, so I think all went well.

I'll have to let this one sit for a while until I empty enough bottles. I'm enjoying my first batch of Centennial now and I am so glad that I decided to brew several back-to-back batches. This is just good beer.

 

[sa1126]

I bottled a batch of Centennial Blonde this Monday. I wanted to re-use the yeast (Nottingham) but there was a ton of hop gunk all over so I racked off the beer and washed the yeast by pouring a gallon of bottled water in, stirring up the trub and letting it sit for 30 minutes. I then poured off a gallon of the suspended liquid, cleaned and sanitized the fermenter, and added the wort and make-up water (extract recipe), then decanted the gallon of suspended yeast back into the fermenter.

Today, less than 48 hours later, the ferment is stone-cold DONE. Gravity is at 1.007 and krausen is completely gone. That was impressive. I'm amazed I didn't blow out my airlock - it was bubbling furiously Tuesday morning, and there was a ring of krausen gunk just shy of the fermenter lid when I opened it. Ferment was at 63F ambient and the beer tastes just fine, so I think all went well.

I'll have to let this one sit for a while until I empty enough bottles. I'm enjoying my first batch of Centennial now and I am so glad that I decided to brew several back-to-back batches. This is just good beer.

Score! Five more days until I keg and I cannot wait.

 

[jflongo]

I'm going to dry hop mine this time around. I didn't the first time I brewed it.

 

[jflongo]

I bottled a batch of Centennial Blonde this Monday. I wanted to re-use the yeast (Nottingham) but there was a ton of hop gunk all over so I racked off the beer and washed the yeast by pouring a gallon of bottled water in, stirring up the trub and letting it sit for 30 minutes. I then poured off a gallon of the suspended liquid, cleaned and sanitized the fermenter, and added the wort and make-up water (extract recipe), then decanted the gallon of suspended yeast back into the fermenter.

Today, less than 48 hours later, the ferment is stone-cold DONE. Gravity is at 1.007 and krausen is completely gone. That was impressive. I'm amazed I didn't blow out my airlock - it was bubbling furiously Tuesday morning, and there was a ring of krausen gunk just shy of the fermenter lid when I opened it. Ferment was at 63F ambient and the beer tastes just fine, so I think all went well.

I'll have to let this one sit for a while until I empty enough bottles. I'm enjoying my first batch of Centennial now and I am so glad that I decided to brew several back-to-back batches. This is just good beer.

The last time I brewed this I washed the yeast as well. Use that on this batch, and it's still going after 5 days slowly. I'm in the same situation as you with bottles, I don't have enough, and my IPA is in terciary because of that, then this brew will be dry hopped in secondary, until i can get more bottles. or finally start kegging.

 

[geoffm33]

Planning the AG (BIAB) version of this for Father's Day weekend. Hoping to get 3 generations involved.

 

[jeetaman]

Did I miss the post on what to use for priming sugar?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Did I miss the post on what to use for priming sugar?

Doesn't really matter as long as it ferments dry and doesn't add flavor. I use table sugar, ~ 30 grams per gallon. Nice level of carbonation for this beer; not quite champagne-like but plenty of carbonation.

 

[WarEagle1]

Can anyone give me a rough idea of how long they are running in the fermenter before transferring into carboy? It seems as the yeast has finished doing its thing. It was bubbling furiously the next morning.

 

[Johnnyhamer]

Can anyone give me a rough idea of how long they are running in the fermenter before transferring into carboy? It seems as the yeast has finished doing its thing. It was bubbling furiously the next morning.

Id go 7/7 or more on the Carboy if you like waiting.

 

[sa1126]

Can anyone give me a rough idea of how long they are running in the fermenter before transferring into carboy? It seems as the yeast has finished doing its thing. It was bubbling furiously the next morning.

Three days in the fridge

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I've settled into a 3-week cycle where I bottle and brew on the same day, while drinking my first carbed beers from the last batch. 3 weeks in primary, 3 weeks bottle conditioning, 3 weeks to drink 2+ cases of beer. Beer quality is excellent and I am producing beer just about as fast as I can drink/share it.

My cellar is warming up though so my ale-brewing days may be numbered. I might have to do a couple more quick batches to get me through the summer. I'm thinking of switching to US-05 instead of Nottingham for my next batches as I hear it is cleaner in the high 60s temperature range.

 

[woknblues]

Planning the AG (BIAB) version of this for Father's Day weekend. Hoping to get 3 generations involved.

I sure wish I had the opportunity to do this.