MetuchenBrewerNJ
Well-Known Member
A few weeks ago I did my second all-grain. My first was a Sam Adams Summer Ale clone. I hit 63% efficiency, not too shabby, and brewed this second one before I ever tasted the first (which I have since tasted - almost dead on to the real thing).
This second one was a Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale Clone, and was a near disaster. After mashing and sparging (BIAB), I calculated about 30% efficiency. I seriously considered just tossing it, but instead decided to take a change and mess around with it. I went inside and took out anything sugary. I added 5 oz of dextrose and about a pound of honey (note: Im not experienced enough to think of keeping DME or anything on hand beforehand, so I improvised).
After all was said and done, I had an OG of 1.058, but was obviously worried that there would be no body to it. Well, I tasted it yesterday, and wow, what a miracle. Decent body (not as much as I would like, but certainly enough) and no strong alcohol taste, despite the 6.2% ABV with no body to back it up. It was light and refreshing, exactly what a summer ale should be. It has a very very very slight honey aftertaste, but not so much to actually notice it without knowing honey was in it (Im not a big fan of honey, but I still really like this beer). So all in all, I averted what appeared to be a disaster and made a really solid, light, refreshing Summer Ale. And so, I'm now calling it the Miracle Ale!
This second one was a Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale Clone, and was a near disaster. After mashing and sparging (BIAB), I calculated about 30% efficiency. I seriously considered just tossing it, but instead decided to take a change and mess around with it. I went inside and took out anything sugary. I added 5 oz of dextrose and about a pound of honey (note: Im not experienced enough to think of keeping DME or anything on hand beforehand, so I improvised).
After all was said and done, I had an OG of 1.058, but was obviously worried that there would be no body to it. Well, I tasted it yesterday, and wow, what a miracle. Decent body (not as much as I would like, but certainly enough) and no strong alcohol taste, despite the 6.2% ABV with no body to back it up. It was light and refreshing, exactly what a summer ale should be. It has a very very very slight honey aftertaste, but not so much to actually notice it without knowing honey was in it (Im not a big fan of honey, but I still really like this beer). So all in all, I averted what appeared to be a disaster and made a really solid, light, refreshing Summer Ale. And so, I'm now calling it the Miracle Ale!
