Wood-Aged Beer Pirate Strong Ale

[buzzen]

Both the OG and the name compelled me to brew this. I wasn't able to get the exact DME or Brown Sugar weights, and ended up with an OG of 1.085, which is higher than I've ever done (this is my 5th batch, brewed as BIAB, so that might be a factor). The LHBS didn't have the yeast specified, so I used a WYeast American Ale Puffer pack thing (can't remember the number, and didn't write it down). The guy at the LHBS also suggested, since the expected OG was around 1.100, to pitch two more rehydrated dry yeast packs (citing 1.06 OG needs one yeast pack, 1.08 needs 2, 1.100 needs 3). So given my OG I pitched one extra pack.

This was on Sunday night (2014-02-23), and in the bucket (this one apparently sealed, had problems with that in the past) it bubbled away furiously for 2 days, and is still giving a bubble every 10 seconds or so.

My only other difference was the addition of 0.5 oz Cascade hops at 60 minutes, to try to balance the sweetness.

Anyway, just wanted to report that I'm trying this brew, and many friends want to try it. Will report back when I throw in the rum chips.

And ... seriously... pineapple? at least it wasn't coconut (Hmmm... ferment in coconut shells, interesting idea... TM-20140224 )

The only thing I'm worried about is a stuck fermentation. But I should just be able to pitch another dry pack of yeast to get it started again (assuming a fermenter swirl doesn't work) right?

Dont worry you will have a great beer. Mine is at barely three week mark and it is delicous. I havent even put chips or vanilla in yet. I added two vials of liquid yeast for ten gallon batch, I dont have a stuck fermentation.

Sent from my SCH-I415 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[RTFK]

I am seriously considering brewing this but i have a few questions: (and im a newish brewer so sorry if they are basic)

has anyone calculated an all extract brew for this with maybe a little bit of specialty grains?

The brown sugar is not really listed on the brewday list. is it implied that you add it with the DME?

when it say 15min boil, is it 15mins in or 15min till flame out?

and lastly did you guys cut and scrape the vanilla bean or just cut it?

thanks and cheers

 

[Jupapabear]

Brown Sugar with the DME, 15 till flameout (boil for 15 min only), I split the bean down the middle and added, but now that I'm coming upon secondary for my 2nd batch I will try to extract more somehow for it to be more noticeable.

I have no advise on the conversion to extract btw

Jupapabear

 

[pwortiz]

All extract was the first method I used when making this - it's on one of the first few pages but basically: 8 lbs light dry extract TOTAL instead of both DME and 2-row. Torrified wheat and CaraAroma you need to get.

I used 2 grade B vanilla beans in my last batch and it's awesome - vanilla is very prominent. Not sure the seeds will get you much more and to be honest, I'd not chance additional options for infections but I'm paranoid about that crap.

Enjoy!

 

[jefffromlondon]

Hey Guys. I'm looking to brew this for our local clubs "iron brew challenge" as it incorporates two ingredients that I selected.

With the high alcohol percentage is it possible to have this bottle conditioned and ready to drink at the 8 week mark or is that pushing it? Would it have a drastic impact on the flavor if I decreased either the DME or brown sugar to get to a lower OG?

 

[pwortiz]

It will still be good. In fact, right about on target with the time to start drinking it says I. You will notice the flavors mellowing nicely as it ages though!

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Jupapabear]

It was great once it was carbed. I wish I can say I knew what an aged bottle tasted like. ;-)

Jupapabear

 

[buzzen]

I bottled my finished brew last saturday. How long did you guys leave for conditioning?

Sent from my SCH-I415 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[pwortiz]

As soon as carbed it's good as jupapa mentions. I still have one bottle of my second batch that is over a year and a half now.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[buzzen]

Tried it Saturday delicous even though not fully carbed yet. Next time I am going to add two vanilla beans to 10 gallon batch

Sent from my SCH-I415 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Jupapabear]

I just racked 6 gal to secondary on top of 4 oz dark roasted oak (soaked in dark rum) and a vanilla bean I split in two. I actually found a bottle in the pantry a few days ago from the first batch, and I could taste more vanilla and cinnamon after it had aged some. It was delicious!

Jupapabear

 

[cdspace]

Bottling this in the next few days. I was wondering what would be a good carb level to shoot for? In past batches, I've either used what came with the kit, or used a calculator for 2.0-2.3 volumes, and it came out a little flat. I want to shoot for about 3 volumes this time.

Had a taste when I threw in the chips, very good beer. Thanks for the recipe!

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[pwortiz]

I'm horrible with volumes so far. My typical method has been 1 oz per gallon and it comes out right where I want it. My serving pressure in the keg is 13 though...whatever that translates into for a total volume of CO2.

 

[pwortiz]

Brewing today for my buddy's wedding in June. I've been doing some research on grains and their attributes and realized I should have gone to the brew store to pickup some supplies. I've been using Marris Otter because I picked up a 55 lb bag last year. I didn't realize the different taste factors (ah, the voice of inexperience) existed and just thought of it as 2-row. My last batch was AG with that. This time around though, I'm using the following because the LHBS was closed; I hope the flavors all make sense.

Grains below mashed at ~ 155 for nearly 2 hours
10 lbs Pilsner
4 lbs Marris Otter
1 lb Torrified Red Wheat
.5 lbs Cara Aroma - my last batch was .5 lbs of C120 provided by LHBS...based on the scent, these are WAY different and I will not sub in the future.

During sparge, I'll toss in the 1 lb light brown sugar so it will dissolve a bit in the pot pre boil
13 oz Pineapple (last 15 mins)
1 Cinnamon Stick (last 15 mins)

I thought I had the right hops, but apparently did not :/ So I have to sub
.5 oz Nugget (in place of the Galena) @ 60
1 oz Simcoe (in place of the Citra) @ 5

I'm not sure I've ever made this recipe the same each time but I'm happy with all the differences (mango is it's own beer)

I'll also use Hungarian Oak shavings in the dark rum this time around.

Brix was ~19 or 1.079 with 5.25 gallons of wort. I managed to break my hydrometer somehow when holding it....literally. My thumb and index finger shattered it and this was right as I was about to take the gravity reading. So I used a refractometer.

I pitched a decanted 1.5l starter of the WLP060 @ ~ 75*

Looking forward to the results!

 

[mister704]

Brewing this weekend. Lets see how it goes. I went for the all grain and used

13lb of 2-Row
0.5 lb Weyermann CaraAroma®; Weyermann
1 lbs Torrified Wheat
1 lbs Light Brown Sugar
0.5 oz Galena (Pellets, 14.1 %AA) boiled 60 min.
1 oz Citra™ (Pellets, 14.0 %AA) boiled 5 min.
1 ea. Cinnamon (stick) (15 min boil) (not included in calculations)
10 oz. Pineapple (fresh) (15 min boil) (not included in calculations)
1 tbsp. Yeast Nutrient (AKA Fermax) (15 min boil) (not included in calculations)
4 oz. Oak Wood Chips soaked in Myers Dark Rum (French Oak secondary) (not included in calculations)
1 ea. Vanilla (whole bean) (Secondary) (not included in calculations)
Yeast : White Labs WLP060 American Ale Yeast Blend info

Brewers Friend calculations

 

[mister704]

Sooo I totally forgot to add the brown sugar. I ran into a hot water heater issue during my brewing today and the sugar totally slipped my mind.

Would of never noticed if wife had not asked "why is this sugar sitting here"

So question is can I boil it now, chill it then add to the wort. I just finished brewing so no yeast has been pitched yet.

 

[aggiejason]

No guarantee that the result will be exactly same but it won't hurt anything and is probably better than leaving it out. Just my 2 cents...take it for what it's worth

 

[BPal75]

Yes you can totally still add it. Some people intentionally hold off on adding simple sugars until after fermentation kicks off so that yeast start on the maltose before going after the easier to digest simple sugars. It helps with attenuation.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[mister704]

Yes you can totally still add it. Some people intentionally hold off on adding simple sugars until after fermentation kicks off so that yeast start on the maltose before going after the easier to digest simple sugars. It helps with attenuation.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Cool thanks. I just boiled it in 1.5L like I do my starters. Got it cooling now. I knew it would kick off fermentation seeing the yeast are going to attack it quickly.

Really appreciate it folks

 

[pwortiz]

Update to my buddy's wedding brew - kegged today at 1.012 for a 9.2% abv. Strongest I have made to date of this stuff and all relatively correctly. I will be looking forward to seeing how all mellows over the course of the next 5 weeks. Think I may want to sample it prior to the wedding just to see how it ended up.

 

[alby44]

Joined HBT in January and have been watching/reading through this particular thread for awhile now. Finally got around to it and made my starter and brewed 'The Pirate' two weeks ago and man did it smell great!

OG rating was......1.100! Initial thinking was that this was off with water mix-in, but man, that's high!

Took a sample last night, and it shot down to 1.010ish. Loved the taste, had that 'strong ale' taste to it, but did not pick up on the pineapple. Plan to throw in the oak chips next week, but this could bottle w/o it at this point.

Great recipe!

 

[mister704]

Well, my OG was no where near that high as most but that is fine because I wanted this to be a lighter beer for the wife and friends to drink on. I did all grain and used something like 13lbs of 2-Row where I see other say they used 15lbs. So that is where my extra alc % went which I am fine with.

I believe my OG was around 1.077 and it is roughly 1.018 which is still on the stronger than Bud list at around 7.7%.

NOW the issue(or sort of issue) - The wife likes beer to be a little sweater so I decided to up the aroma and sweetness and used 2 vanilla beans. I purchased these Madagascar beans off Amazon that came in vacuum sealed package so they weren't dry. They were thick and sort of juicy. Anyways, I split them open, scraped out the insides and sliced the hull in 1 inch sections. Tossed it all in a dab of Svedka vodka and let it sit over night.

Next morning, tossed it all in with the 4oz of wood. BOY IS THAT VANILLA STRONG. Can smell it but can definitely taste it for sure(almost over powering but she liked it).

Wondering does the aroma and taste die off any or will it continue to get more vibrant as time goes on. I plan to stir it up a little bit tomorrow to get that wood evenly distributed then cold crash tomorrow and bottle on Sunday. Oh yea....and can I add some of the Myers that I drained off the wood during the bottling phase when I add my priming sugar?

 

[pwortiz]

I suggest leaving the rum out. As for the vanilla, it won't really go away........but it will Mature nicely. That's my opinion. I also used the 2 beans but didn't process them that much; split dunked in star san, tossed into the beer. But, I like that level of vanilla in this beer. Cheers!

 

[mister704]

I suggest leaving the rum out. As for the vanilla, it won't really go away........but it will Mature nicely. That's my opinion. I also used the 2 beans but didn't process them that much; split dunked in star san, tossed into the beer. But, I like that level of vanilla in this beer. Cheers!

Hmmm sounds good. I may or may not add anymore Myers. If I did it would only be something like a shot worth. I need to swirl that wood around and see what tastes come from it today.

 

[mmlipps]

Do you add the wood chips to the primary at 3 weeks or rack to a secondary with the wood chips?

 

[pwortiz]

I used to rack...The last 3 times I have made this I kept in the primary. Now, I pretty much dry hop and have oaked other beers all in primary. If I am using a bunch of fruit, like a strawberry beer I just made with 6 lbs in secondary, I racked. Otherwise I do all same vessel if I can now.

 

[pwortiz]

Jason, this beer was a hit at the wedding. I brought a keg of jasmine wedding beer (from hbt) and a the keg of this I brewed on 3/30. Pirate kicked first and I received a lot of compliments! First time to showcase home brew in "public" and it went great. Great recipe man! Well received and well liked!

 

[FunCat1828]

This should be called Shipwreck ale! That's how a few of my guests have been after a couple of glasses! Will brew this bad boy again, great beer!

 

[pwortiz]

Agreed. I am wondering how long the praise lasted the morning AFTER

 

[mmlipps]

OG and FG?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew