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

[midfielder5]

I dont think it is infected, looks clean and I was a stickler on sanitation.

How did it taste?
A beer won't get that low with just sacc yeast, no matter the mash temps, which is why the other poster said it might be infected (ie a bacteria like lacto, or wild yeast like brett).
We don't sterilize our equipment like with an autoclave- so even with good sanitizing, sometimes the bad bugs survive and you have to replace plastics and/or bleach bomb stuff.

Also check and calibrate your hydrometer.
good luck!

 

[Chug]

I've had this kegged for a few days now. As I'm primarily an ipa or stout type of guy, I brewed this only to appeal to my folks and bmc drinking buddies.
And dammit, I can't stop drinking it!! Its really a nice brew, and i see myself having this on tap often (maybe all the time). Its especially nice on these 80+ degree summer days, really hits the spot.
Gave my hophead buddy a glass and although he tried not to like it, he did. He said its almost like a macro lager, but without the piss. Seemed really confused about the whole situation. Next up: Cream of Three Crops.

 

[BiologistBrewer]

I've had 3 bottles of this thus far after 2 weeks conditioning. I think it taste fantastic, does everyone else get a low amount of head? If I get an aggressive pour I get nice head and retention, but anything else is fairly pitiful. It definitely taste carbonated although I'm sure more time in the bottle conditioning at room temp will continue to help with the head issue .

 

[kombat]

(Re: Why transfer to secondary if the goal is to finish the beer quickly?)

Because it will be more clean that way. Leaving more yeast, protein, hops... moving in the fermenter will take longer to clear

How so? If fermentation has finished, then any convective activity in the fermenter has ceased. Any particles remaining in suspension are falling to the bottom.

Racking to another fermenter simply mixes those particles uniformly back into solution, whereas if left in primary, the "top half" might already be clear as the particulates precipitate out.

Racking to secondary for "clarity" has been debunked.

Needing the yeast cake for another brew, of course, is a totally different, valid reason.

 

[kombat]

I brewed this for the first time on Sunday and followed the recipe exactly. I have it in a glass carboy, sitting in a laundry tub in my basement, half-filled with water. Ambient temperature of the room is 65-70° F. I've been keeping a frozen 2L bottle in the water, replacing it twice per day. The temperature of the water bath the carboy is sitting in is around 55° F. The krausen looks healthy, about 1" thick, and white with obvious chunks of yeast. The carboy is kept covered with a t-shirt, draped into the surrounding water to keep it wet.

I'm optimistic that this brew is going to be delicious - can't wait to taste it!

 

[PartTimeJedi]

Made this again last Sunday. This time I bumped up the hops slightly and split the batch and threw saison yeast in one. I'm interested to see how it turns out. The temp in my basement stays around 75 since we are in the south so I hope this is a good temp for both the notty and saison yeast.

I'm also planning on dry hopping both with about an .5 to 1 ounce of cascade each. Is that enough to dry hop with or should I bump it up some? Remember, this is a split batch so about 2.75 gallons in each.

 

[kombat]

Made this again last Sunday. This time I bumped up the hops slightly and split the batch and threw saison yeast in one. I'm interested to see how it turns out. The temp in my basement stays around 75 since we are in the south so I hope this is a good temp for both the notty and saison yeast.

It's probably OK for the saison, but Notty likes it cold. Get the Notty batch in a swamp cooler ASAP. 75° F is waaaay too hot for it.

 

[FATC1TY]

Made this again last Sunday. This time I bumped up the hops slightly and split the batch and threw saison yeast in one. I'm interested to see how it turns out. The temp in my basement stays around 75 since we are in the south so I hope this is a good temp for both the notty and saison yeast.

I'm also planning on dry hopping both with about an .5 to 1 ounce of cascade each. Is that enough to dry hop with or should I bump it up some? Remember, this is a split batch so about 2.75 gallons in each.

The saison will love the temp.

The Notty will be disgusting at that temp. You are about 10* too high!

 

[chefcurt]

My imperial version of this awesome recipe. 11 gallon batch. Added 5# of honey and an ounce of Columbus (just because I had it). 6.8% abv!
It's still light and crisp. Which is exact what I wanted. Easy drinker but ya better be careful! She'll bite ya! I love playing with this recipe! Thanks BM!

 

[chefcurt]

Sorry better pic this time.

 

[pfgonzo]

Guessing that's not the same serving

 

[chefcurt]

Guessing that's not the same serving

Nope! I needed to take another pic so another "sample" needed to be poured.

 

[pfgonzo]

First one looked better. Maybe you should pour another to try to replicate that?

 

[chefcurt]

First one looked better. Maybe you should pour another to try to replicate that?

If I didn't know better. I think you guys are tryin to get a feller dunk.

 

[user 78027]

If I didn't know better. I think you guys are tryin to get a feller dunk.

I was going to scold him for forcing you to drink another beer, once you poured it for another picture.

But instead, I went to the garage fridge and got another brew to join you

 

[chefcurt]

I was going to scold him for forcing you to drink another beer, once you poured it for another picture.

But instead, I went to the garage fridge and got another brew to join you

Cheers to you then!

 

[12ozcurls]

Just brewed second batch of CB. Great beer and centered on all fronts so I'm gonna play with it just for fun. Great beer. I've upped the 2row to 8 pounds both times and landed closer to 5% abv which is IMHO perfect for this flavor. Russian IPA in the secondary.......

 

[PartTimeJedi]

The saison will love the temp.

The Notty will be disgusting at that temp. You are about 10* too high!

It's actually been cooler than expected. It's only reached a max of 70 degrees in my basement during the day. Still to hot for the Notty?

 

[kombat]

It's actually been cooler than expected. It's only reached a max of 70 degrees in my basement during the day. Still to hot for the Notty?

If the ambient is 70, then the beer is likely at least 75 (read, "too hot"). Fermentation produces its own heat.

 

[jflongo]

I dried hopped this and just tried it the other day, it was great. I like the original and dry hopped version I did.

Going forward, I am ALWAYS going to dry hop this, I like it much better.

 

[FATC1TY]

It's actually been cooler than expected. It's only reached a max of 70 degrees in my basement during the day. Still to hot for the Notty?

Yep... Too hot. You will have some off flavors like bananas, and fusel alcohol tasting.

If it's 70 ambient, it could be anywhere from 75-80 depending on how active the fermentation is.

 

[shadows69]

My basement is running 70 degrees right now, however my basement floor cement/dirt is about 60 degrees. So i am able to keep my fermentation between 67-68, which is on the high side but still works. I have no source of heat in my basement example oil furnace.

 

[geoffm33]

Wow, I am excited to drink this in a few weeks! Tested a sample (fermented for 13 days) and it's at 1.004 down from 1.044. Tasted fan-effing-tastic too. Was my first AG batch and the best tasting coming out of the fermenter of all my beers.

 

[dukedevil0]

Plan on brewing the extract version today. Any recommendations a for fermentation and bottling schedule if I need this ready to drink in 4 weeks?

Or just follow the original post - 4 days primary, 5 days secondary, then bottle and drink when I need 4 weeks from now?

 

[jflongo]

Plan on brewing the extract version today. Any recommendations a for fermentation and bottling schedule if I need this ready to drink in 4 weeks?

Or just follow the original post - 4 days primary, 5 days secondary, then bottle and drink when I need 4 weeks from now?

Make sure you use your hydrometer to take readings. Secondary is not needed. I would let this go at least 7 days in primary then take a reading to see where the gravity is. If it's not low enough yet, and it seems like it's still going, then let it go longer.

 

[Quaffman]

Just kicked my first keg of this. Will be brewing again soon. Entered into the San Diego county Fair; being judged tomorrow. Will post results once received.

 

[annoyingrob]

I brewed 5 gallons of this about a month ago, and have had it sitting in a carboy awaiting a free corny. Racked and force carbed it over the last 3 days, and it's finally reaching the proper carbonation level. It had a little BMC-type taste to it when it was just freshly racked, but after properly carbonating the flavor has completely changed. This beer is fantastic. I had to double-check my OG and FG readings, I couldn't believe this is only 4%. Very flavorful beer, a great beer to have on-tap at all times. This is definitely going to be one of my staple recipes. I think I'm going to have to make another 10 gallons of this next weekend.

 

[zach1288]

I brewed this tonight but my boil was too vigorous. I ended up with an OG of 1.050. I topped of the carboy with filtered tap water so that it was 1.040. Do I have anything to worry about with using tap water to top off? I have never done this before?

 

[annoyingrob]

I brewed this tonight but my boil was too vigorous. I ended up with an OG of 1.050. I topped of the carboy with filtered tap water so that it was 1.040. Do I have anything to worry about with using tap water to top off? I have never done this before?

To be perfectly honest with you, I've topped off batches with tap water literally since I started brewing, and have NEVER had a problem with it. Relax, don't worry.....

 

[theCougfan97]

I brewed this tonight but my boil was too vigorous. I ended up with an OG of 1.050. I topped of the carboy with filtered tap water so that it was 1.040. Do I have anything to worry about with using tap water to top off? I have never done this before?

Am I the only one who sees higher alcohol content as a good thing?