Kaiser's Maerzen-Brew

[the_bird]

Well, I haven't even decided what I'm brewing yet. An English bitter/special bitter can stand a hard water profile, can't it? Isn't that the idea of Burton salts?

 

[Kaiser]

Well, I haven't even decided what I'm brewing yet. An English bitter/special bitter can stand a hard water profile, can't it? Isn't that the idea of Burton salts?

Yes and no. Water can be hard and have a low residual alkalinity (mostly permanent hardness -> high sulphates/chloride) or it can be hard with high RA (mostly temporary hardness -> high bicarb). The former allows you to brew relatively pale beers and the latter requires more colored malts in the grist to get the pH into the correct range.
I have a water report that can guide us in making adjustments and I can also test pH and adjust from there.

Kai

 

[babalu87]

I had snow for chilling the beer in my yard last Saturday. But now I don’t and I acyally brought 2 big tubs to work to get snow from one of the old snow piles here at work. I think we should make that a tradition: the Maerzen wort needs to be chilled with the last snow of the season.

Kai

I made ice for the immersion chiller from my well water................ at one time it was snow

Once it hits 65 or so it gets whirpooled, drained into the carboys and then into a GIANT cooler full of ice

 

[the_bird]

I've been busting ass all day so that I can feel OK about not coming into the office tomorrow... I still have a buttload to do, but it should be managable for Sunday. Dammit, I need to brew!

 

[Vermicous]

The beer selection wasn't as good as I hoped, but I grabbed some beer that I've had before and liked. Allagash Curieux, Victoria, and Dogfish Red and White. The only Smutty big beer I could find is the Gravitation, not their best.

I'll be bringing a friend, not a homebrewer but has always been interested. His favorites are German beers. I've never done one so this is his chance to see one being made.

 

[the_bird]

OK, the car's packed. I'm in!

Still have to figure out my recipe....

Don't have a crapton to share, although I've got a couple things I've been cellaring for a while. '07 Three Philosophers, probably been cellared for about eighteen months, I'm hoping I like it better after a little more age it on it. And, a present from Dude almost two years ago, Williamsburg Alewerks Wolfe's Trap Ale, a limited-edition quasi-American Barleywine. Also '07 vintage, I believe. Both should be pretty much near their peak.

It's about 2.5 hours for me, so I'm going to try and leave around 6:00-ish to get there a bit before 9:00.

Kai, I'm bringing along my hose splitter; I'll toss an extra garden hose in the car, too (although they're a 50% chance my hose is shot from being left out all winter).

 

[kappclark]

Kai -

Will not be able to make it ... but I do look forward to other chances to brew with you guys.

Post pics !

 

[Kaiser]

Sorry to hear that. I'll get the camera now.

Kai

 

[the_bird]

Very good time today, Kai! Thanks again for hosting.

So, you Boston boys - what are your handles on here? I need to update my "HBT members you have met in person" list, but I can't remember.

 

[babalu87]

Thanks for hosting Kai.
The weather held and made for a nice day.

Jay, I was the one in the ORANGE pullover. Frank doesnt post here.

 

[Kaiser]

Thanks for coming, guys. I haven't gotten around to loading the pictures onto the computer but I hope to post them tonight.

I'm so glad the weather held. I don't have any kraeusen on the Maerzen yet but the pH is down to 5.84. I schould see some when I get home tonight. I guess I didn't have as much yeast as I thought and should have pitched only half the wort first.

Kai

 

[babalu87]

Thanks for coming, guys. I haven't gotten around to loading the pictures onto the computer but I hope to post them tonight.

I'm so glad the weather held. I don't have any kraeusen on the Maerzen yet but the pH is down to 5.84. I schould see some when I get home tonight. I guess I didn't have as much yeast as I thought and should have pitched only half the wort first.

Kai

I could just see signs mine was starting to ferment this morning. Had foam on the edges of the carboy that wasnt there the evening before.

We hit 1.055 OG right on the nose, will know the fast-ferment results Tuesday evening.

 

[the_bird]

I had foam by Sunday morning and bubbles by mid-day Sunday. That US-05 is a beast. I know it's not appropriate for the English style, but I'm also planning (preliminarily) on doing a big-ass American IPA to use up some ingredients (including those hops I grew last year but haven't been able to brew with yet), so I'll probably re-use the yeast cake immediately after primary. Besides, I've had such bad luck with the English yeasts, I wanted something clean; I don't like drinking fruitcake!

 

[babalu87]

I had foam by Sunday morning and bubbles by mid-day Sunday. That US-05 is a beast. I know it's not appropriate for the English style, but I'm also planning (preliminarily) on doing a big-ass American IPA to use up some ingredients (including those hops I grew last year but haven't been able to brew with yet), so I'll probably re-use the yeast cake immediately after primary. Besides, I've had such bad luck with the English yeasts, I wanted something clean; I don't like drinking fruitcake!

You would be suprised what some of the guys on jims beer kit dot com think

That is a great resource for all brews UK

Join up and ask about US-05 in UK brews :rockin:

 

[the_bird]

Seems to be a mixed bag. I'm looking, though, for English hop character without necessarily a lot of flavor coming from the yeast, I actually brought along some S-04 and some Windsor in case I changed my mind. I really want it clean and on the dry side.

EDIT: I do wish now, though, that I had targetted a higher mash temp. I missed my gravity by a small amount (1.045 versus 1.048), mostly because I sparged too much and had too much wort (didn't boil down quite as much as I expected). I had mashed at 152°; using the US-05, I probably could have bumped that a couple degrees for a few more unfermentables. We'll have to see how dry it gets.

 

[Kaiser]

I didn't take too many pictures. Here are the few I have

The weather held which was better than what I expected.

the_bird

from left. the_bird, babalu87, Vermicous, Frank, and Vermicous's friend (I forgot his name, shame on me). I left myself out of the picture.

Kai

 

[Hippie]

I may be wrong, but in the second picture, it looks like you have only one snow shoe...

I wish I could have attended, and I am glad that you guys had a fun day!
-Hippie