I set out to brew 5 gallons of Kolsch tonight.
Wyeast 2565 (stored in a refrigerator for 8 months)
½ lb corn sugar
6lbs. Pilsen DME
1 oz. Cascade
I smacked the pack and laid out the other ingredients. After two hours the yeast still wasnt swelled up but I had already set the hops to boiling. Ive never made a Kolsch before and I really didnt know what to expect for flavors but I expected the yeast to do the work and flavor the brew. However, now I cant trust my expired yeast.
The other yeasts I have on hand are Safale05 and Safbrew33. Ive used 05 dozens of times but havent tasted 33 yet. I know what 05, Pilsen and Cascade will taste like; Ive had hundreds of bottles of it. Its good but I want something new.
Spices! The voices in my head suggested nutmeg. The spice drawer yielded a nut of meg and I found one of SWMBOs graters. While grinding the nutmeg into the chilled wort I dropped it. Crap. The only thing I can think of is to rinse my hairy arm and fish out my nutmeg. I finish adding nutmeg but it still doesnt seem right.
Color! I add 3 lbs. of Sparkling Amber DME for color. Of course this also bumps the gravity a bit further than I like.
More spices! Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to go with the nutmeg.
Since the gravity is too high I also add more water.
The finished recipe is this;
Safbrew33
½ lb corn sugar
6lbs. Pilsen DME
3lbs. Sparkling Amber DME
1 oz. Cascade
1 teaspoon nutmeg (approx)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 gallon batch
So, I know I made beer. Ill drink it because I made it. This is the first time Ive ever had a brew day go so wrong though.
Did the voices in my head steer me wrong? Since I (eventually) tried to make a holiday spice beer, are these spices enough? Too much?
BTW when I opened the expired yeast it smelled like an MRE entrée. Id eat it but I wont put it in my beer!
Wyeast 2565 (stored in a refrigerator for 8 months)
½ lb corn sugar
6lbs. Pilsen DME
1 oz. Cascade
I smacked the pack and laid out the other ingredients. After two hours the yeast still wasnt swelled up but I had already set the hops to boiling. Ive never made a Kolsch before and I really didnt know what to expect for flavors but I expected the yeast to do the work and flavor the brew. However, now I cant trust my expired yeast.
The other yeasts I have on hand are Safale05 and Safbrew33. Ive used 05 dozens of times but havent tasted 33 yet. I know what 05, Pilsen and Cascade will taste like; Ive had hundreds of bottles of it. Its good but I want something new.
Spices! The voices in my head suggested nutmeg. The spice drawer yielded a nut of meg and I found one of SWMBOs graters. While grinding the nutmeg into the chilled wort I dropped it. Crap. The only thing I can think of is to rinse my hairy arm and fish out my nutmeg. I finish adding nutmeg but it still doesnt seem right.
Color! I add 3 lbs. of Sparkling Amber DME for color. Of course this also bumps the gravity a bit further than I like.
More spices! Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to go with the nutmeg.
Since the gravity is too high I also add more water.
The finished recipe is this;
Safbrew33
½ lb corn sugar
6lbs. Pilsen DME
3lbs. Sparkling Amber DME
1 oz. Cascade
1 teaspoon nutmeg (approx)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 gallon batch
So, I know I made beer. Ill drink it because I made it. This is the first time Ive ever had a brew day go so wrong though.
Did the voices in my head steer me wrong? Since I (eventually) tried to make a holiday spice beer, are these spices enough? Too much?
BTW when I opened the expired yeast it smelled like an MRE entrée. Id eat it but I wont put it in my beer!