So who's brewing this weekend?

[Broothru]

Lodo-ites are losing their poopy right about now

Not really. I’m good with folks drinking oxidized beer, if that’s really what they want. Just don’t p*SS in my sparge bucket and try to convince me that it’s raining ️.

 

[jcav]

Today I brewed a German Altbier and a friend came over to see the process. He particpated in all phases from weighing out the grain to cleaning up and pitching the yeast. We drank my Munich Dunkel that I had on tap afterward and it was a really enjoyable brew day. I think he is hooked!

John

 

[seatazzz]

*deleted because didn't realize it wasn't my post being commented on*

 

[TexasTea]

Doing my last extract batch tomorrow, using my rinsed yeast and adding my bountiful handful of hops harvest after the boil.

 

[DuncB]

Thomas Hardy ale clone,
Pitched with the yeast from mild of last weekend from the Burton solo.
Partigyle an ESB from second runnings.
Barley wine kicked off within 8 hours first picture and trying to break out 8 hours after that.
Conical same yeast smaller pitch going well.

The conical is not sealed so open ferment as well.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Today I brewed 19 litres of a Leffe Blonde Clone

Malts (5 kg)​

4 kg (80%) — Crisp Europils Malt — Grain — 1.7 SRM
500 g (10%) — Crisp Light Munich Malt — Grain — 11 SRM
300 g (6%) — Crisp Torrefied Wheat — Grain — 2.5 SRM
200 g (4%) — Crisp Flaked Torrefied Maize — Grain — 0.3 SRM

Other (300 g)​

300 g — Lyle's Golden Syrup — Liquid Extract — 0 SRM — Boil — 10 min

Hops (70 g)​

35 g (18 IBU) — Styrian Goldings 4% — Boil — 60 min
35 g (7 IBU) — Saaz 3.1% — Boil — 15 min

Miscs​

2 ml — CRS/AMS — Mash
2 ml — Phosphoric Acid 75% — Mash
0.5 ml — CRS/AMS — Sparge

Yeast​

1 pkg — Crossmyloof Flushed Nun 75%

 

[Broothru]

Today I brewed 19 litres of a Leffe Blonde Clone

Malts (5 kg)​

4 kg (80%) — Crisp Europils Malt — Grain — 1.7 SRM
500 g (10%) — Crisp Light Munich Malt — Grain — 11 SRM
300 g (6%) — Crisp Torrefied Wheat — Grain — 2.5 SRM
200 g (4%) — Crisp Flaked Torrefied Maize — Grain — 0.3 SRM

Other (300 g)​

300 g — Lyle's Golden Syrup — Liquid Extract — 0 SRM — Boil — 10 min

Hops (70 g)​

35 g (18 IBU) — Styrian Goldings 4% — Boil — 60 min
35 g (7 IBU) — Saaz 3.1% — Boil — 15 min

Miscs​

2 ml — CRS/AMS — Mash
2 ml — Phosphoric Acid 75% — Mash
0.5 ml — CRS/AMS — Sparge

Yeast​

1 pkg — Crossmyloof Flushed Nun 75%

Leffe Blonde was my go-to beer when traveling to Belgium, after having a bad encounter with one-too-many Chimay Bleu on an early trip there (my traveling partners were quite amused, however).

I’ve never tried to brew one. What would be an alternative yeast, since I’m not familiar with Crossmyloof?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Leffe Blonde was my go-to beer when traveling to Belgium, after having a bad encounter with one-too-many Chimay Bleu on an early trip there (my traveling partners were quite amused, however).

I’ve never tried to brew one. What would be an alternative yeast, since I’m not familiar with Crossmyloof?

Crossmyloof are a repacker of yeast so Flushed Nun is an Abbey yeast from some other manufacturer.

 

[Zadkiel]

Just got dispatch notification for all my ingredients for a Belgian Quad I'm planning to make this weekend.
70% Dingemans Pilsen
11% Munich I
4% Aromatic
4% Special B
11% Dark Candi (sadly can't seem to source syrup, having to use rocks)
26 IBU Hallertauer Mittelfrueh
Wyeast 3787
Recipe ABV 10.5%

So very excited. This type of beer is what I imagined I wanted to be able to make when I started this hobby at the start of this year. After learning with 5 brews, starting with extract and eventually up to simpler grain recipes, I finally feel confident enough to try and make it happen.

Worst part is going to be waiting the 6 months to let it condition!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Just got dispatch notification for all my ingredients for a Belgian Quad I'm planning to make this weekend.
70% Dingemans Pilsen
11% Munich I
4% Aromatic
4% Special B
11% Dark Candi (sadly can't seem to source syrup, having to use rocks)
26 IBU Hallertauer Mittelfrueh
Wyeast 3787
Recipe ABV 10.5%

So very excited. This type of beer is what I imagined I wanted to be able to make when I started this hobby at the start of this year. After learning with 5 brews, starting with extract and eventually up to simpler grain recipes, I finally feel confident enough to try and make it happen.

Worst part is going to be waiting the 6 months to let it condition!

That’s a difficult beer to make after 5 previous brews. Maybe a Belgian beer at 5-6% would be easier. Have you used liquid yeast before?

 

[Zadkiel]

That’s a difficult beer to make after 5 previous brews. Maybe a Belgian beer at 5-6% would be easier. Have you used liquid yeast before?

yeah I know it's difficult, and maybe too soon, but the crushed grain is already on it's way, so too late to change my mind now. I feel reasonably confident it'll at least be drinkable. Yeast is going to be the hardest part for sure, so I've been studying up hard.

Also helps that it's basically a copy (small grain ratio tweak, and switch to what I think is a more appropriate hop) of this:

and so I have this video to use as a guide/reference in case I need it.

 

[DuncB]

Put the Candi crystals in a hop spider or dangling bag to dissolve. Rather than fall to the bottom of the kettle and cook during the boil.
Dial back your expected efficiency it will probably drop 10 or 15%.

 

[Zadkiel]

using my hop spider is an interesting idea. I had read up on candi rocks forming a mass on the kettle bottom and burning on the element - I wasn't so worried about that as I have a false bottom, but was still going to add them slowly over a 5 minute period to try and stop them melting into a large lump on top of the false bottom.

I already dialed back my efficiency by 7% on what I usually get, based purely on the fact that I'm using a coarser crush for this than I usually do, because of the much higher grain bill and thicker mash, out of fear of getting a stuck mash. I'm adding rice hulls too. The fact this is a step mash for a total of 75m +15m mashout, vs my usual 60+15, was why I took it down by 7% rather than 10%.

 

[jdauria]

Brewing a clone of a beer Sacred Profane, a Czech lager brewery in Maine did with a Czech Brewery recently. Recipe was in the summer issue of CB&B. They call it an IPA because it drinks like one, but it's technically a lager.

3 gallon batch, 68% BHE, 1.061 OG 53 IBU
75 min Boil

75.5% Floor Malted Bohemian Pils
20.3% Barke Munich
4.2% Carafoam

18 IBU Cz Angus at FWH
28 IBU Cz Agnus at 15
7 IBU Cz Agnus in Whirlpool (Whirlpool for 10, let settle for 15).
1.6 oz Cz Kazbek DH for 4-7 days

TMB313 Juzan (Recipe calls for Wy2278, but Juzan is basically an OG version of Budvar yeast available to Patreon members of the Low Oxygen brewing site. whose name gets blocked in posts on this site.

Double Decoction mash

 

[Brockness Monster]

Brewing a Belgian Blond this weekend

60% Belgian Pils
30% Munich I
10% Raw Cane Sugar
18 IBUs Magnum @ FWH
1 oz. Amarillo @ 0
WLP 500
OG: 1.058
FG: 1.005

I was planning on brewing another Belgian Single to compare WLP500 to WLP530. However, since the temps here are starting to drop, and I have convinced myself that I don't want to deal with WLP530 (Westy) anymore, I am going to be comparing WLP500 (Chimay) and WLP550 (Achouffe) using Belgian Blonds with my next two batches. Also, this is my first time using my new 1/4 BBL Sanke Keg fermenters, so I have some processes I have to work on.

 

[elproducto]

Session American Brown from the Session Beers book.

https://share.brewfather.app/D8Kk7K6YVvfXxt

 

[Broothru]

Brewing a clone of a beer Sacred Profane, a Czech lager brewery in Maine did with a Czech Brewery recently. Recipe was in the summer issue of CB&B. They call it an IPA because it drinks like one, but it's technically a lager.

3 gallon batch, 68% BHE, 1.061 OG 53 IBU
75 min Boil

75.5% Floor Malted Bohemian Pils
20.3% Barke Munich
4.2% Carafoam

18 IBU Cz Angus at FWH
28 IBU Cz Agnus at 15
7 IBU Cz Agnus in Whirlpool (Whirlpool for 10, let settle for 15).
1.6 oz Cz Kazbek DH for 4-7 days

TMB313 Juzan (Recipe calls for Wy2278, but Juzan is basically an OG version of Budvar yeast available to Patreon members of the Low Oxygen brewing site. whose name gets blocked in posts on this site.

Double Decoction mash

I’m familiar with Kasbek (and Lublin), but Angus is new to me. Also, White Labs has produced a Budvar yeast for quite some time. In fact I remember it from when I first started brewing at least 30 years ago in the early 90s.

 

[DuncB]

I've used the budvar white labs and it worked well at cool ferment.

 

[jdauria]

I’m familiar with Kasbek (and Lublin), but Angus is new to me. Also, White Labs has produced a Budvar yeast for quite some time. In fact I remember it from when I first started brewing at least 30 years ago in the early 90s.

Agnus has been around since 2000, though not found much here in US. It's a bittering hop with high alpha acids (10.1% for the batch I got) unlike Saaz these days,with spicy/woody charateristics. It's supposedly comparable to Nugget and Magnum. The same issue of Craft Beer and Brewing that had this recipe in it, had an article "Beyond Saaz", where it mentioned Agnus and other little know Czech hops, so I made it a mission to get some. Had to order the Agnus & Kazbek from Northwest Hop Farm in Canada. They I order Sladek (aroma hop, citrus and passionfruit), Bohemie (aroma hop, sort of a blend of Saaz and Sladek) and Premiant (bittering hop, mild fruitines) from Hop Alliance In Michigan.

Yeah the White Labs Budvar strain has been around a long time. The one I got is supposed to be an older Budvar strain, not the one that is currentl;y commerically available. They have a second Czech strain that is basically the Gambriius strain from the 1970's too.

 

[Broothru]

Agnus has been around since 2000, though not found much here in US. It's a bittering hop with high alpha acids (10.1% for the batch I got) unlike Saaz these days,with spicy/woody charateristics. It's supposedly comparable to Nugget and Magnum. The same issue of Craft Beer and Brewing that had this recipe in it, had an article "Beyond Saaz", where it mentioned Agnus and other little know Czech hops, so I made it a mission to get some. Had to order the Agnus & Kazbek from Northwest Hop Farm in Canada. They I order Sladek (aroma hop, citrus and passionfruit), Bohemie (aroma hop, sort of a blend of Saaz and Sladek) and Premiant (bittering hop, mild fruitines) from Hop Alliance In Michigan.

Yeah the White Labs Budvar strain has been around a long time. The one I got is supposed to be an older Budvar strain, not the one that is currentl;y commerically available. They have a second Czech strain that is basically the Gambriius strain from the 1970's too.

Perfect! I’ll look into trying some.

I did get several ounces of Lubelski (Lublin) from Northwest earlier this year for a Polish Pivo but don’t remember any others like Sladek, but the Bohemie from Hop Alliance looks just like what I was looking for.

Do you remember which issue of CB&B had that article of “Beyond Saaz”? I’d like to check it out. I’m a big fan of Saaz in Balkan lagers and would like to try some hops with a bit more depth than the recent crop years of Saaz have been delivering.

 

[jdauria]

Perfect! I’ll look into trying some.

I did get several ounces of Lubelski (Lublin) from Northwest earlier this year for a Polish Pivo but don’t remember any others like Sladek, but the Bohemie from Hop Alliance looks just like what I was looking for.

Do you remember which issue of CB&B had that article of “Beyond Saaz”? I’d like to check it out. I’m a big fan of Saaz in Balkan lagers and would like to try some hops with a bit more depth than the recent crop years of Saaz have been delivering.

It was the Summer 2025 issue.

 

[jdauria]

Perfect! I’ll look into trying some.

I did get several ounces of Lubelski (Lublin) from Northwest earlier this year for a Polish Pivo but don’t remember any others like Sladek, but the Bohemie from Hop Alliance looks just like what I was looking for.

Do you remember which issue of CB&B had that article of “Beyond Saaz”? I’d like to check it out. I’m a big fan of Saaz in Balkan lagers and would like to try some hops with a bit more depth than the recent crop years of Saaz have been delivering.

I had the issue at work, so scanned it for you. First page may be tough to read as it was a dark colored page.

 

[Brockness Monster]

Premiant (bittering hop, mild fruitines) from Hop Alliance In Michigan.

Thank you for posting about this. Didn't know about Hop Alliance, and now I have a local (in state) go to for bulk hops. Just ordered 3 lbs. Magnum (bittering) and 3 lbs. Mackinac to try out.

 

[Broothru]

It was the Summer 2025 issue.

Can’t believe I missed this. Thanks.

 

[Steveruch]

British porter for the next round of my club's 2025 competition. So far I'm in third place after the first two rounds.

 

[Broothru]

I had the issue at work, so scanned it for you. First page may be tough to read as it was a dark colored page.

WOW! Just, WOW!

Terrific article. On today's updated ToDo list:

1) find and order some Kasbek and Agnus hops
2) plan a side trip to Biddeford, ME, on this Fall's RV pilgrimage to New England
3) schedule a Brew Day for Sacred Profane

I don't know whether to thank you profusely or curse you profanely for, in effect, throwing down the gauntlet on this brew challenge. I'm-a-gonna' fall down the rabbit hole on this one.

 

[jdauria]

WOW! Just, WOW!

Terrific article. On today's updated ToDo list:

1) find and order some Kasbek and Agnus hops
2) plan a side trip to Biddeford, ME, on this Fall's RV pilgrimage to New England
3) schedule a Brew Day for Sacred Profane

I don't know whether to thank you profusely or curse you profanely for, in effect, throwing down the gauntlet on this brew challenge. I'm-a-gonna' fall down the rabbit hole on this one.

You're either welcome or I am sorry! I am in Mass and we get up to Portland ME once or twice a year, I was so pissed last time because I wanted to stop in at Sacred Profane on the ride home, but after hitting dozens of the many great breweries in Portland the day before, I was too under the weather for it. Turns out they have a tap room in Portland now too, but I still want to hit the Biddeford location just to see the serving tanks over the bar.

If you are not familiar with the brewery, they really only make 2 beers, a Czech Pale and Czech Dark, then they will serve a blend as a Czech Amber. Have had them in cans and they were great. Big fan of one of the owner/brewers, Brienne, as she was the brewery at Notch here in Mass for quite some time. They are a lager centric brewery that make great stuff too. Would recommend putting their brewery in Salem MA on the RV stop too, it's just a cool spot and Salem is a great tourist city, with an eclectic population as it's the witch capital of the world, (Salem Witch trials and all that). In October, the city is a zoo as tourists flock there for Halloween celebrations for the whole month. Notch has a second brewery on the outskirts of Boston, but that location is more modern and doesn't have the people watching like the Salem one.

 

[jdauria]

Thank you for posting about this. Didn't know about Hop Alliance, and now I have a local (in state) go to for bulk hops. Just ordered 3 lbs. Magnum (bittering) and 3 lbs. Mackinac to try out.

You're welcome!

 

[Broothru]

You're either welcome or I am sorry! I am in Mass and we get up to Portland ME once or twice a year, I was so pissed last time because I wanted to stop in at Sacred Profane on the ride home, but after hitting dozens of the many great breweries in Portland the day before, I was too under the weather for it. Turns out they have a tap room in Portland now too, but I still want to hit the Biddeford location just to see the serving tanks over the bar.

If you are not familiar with the brewery, they really only make 2 beers, a Czech Pale and Czech Dark, then they will serve a blend as a Czech Amber. Have had them in cans and they were great. Big fan of one of the owner/brewers, Brienne, as she was the brewery at Notch here in Mass for quite some time. They are a lager centric brewery that make great stuff too. Would recommend putting their brewery in Salem MA on the RV stop too, it's just a cool spot and Salem is a great tourist city, with an eclectic population as it's the witch capital of the world, (Salem Witch trials and all that). In October, the city is a zoo as tourists flock there for Halloween celebrations for the whole month. Notch has a second brewery on the outskirts of Boston, but that location is more modern and doesn't have the people watching like the Salem one.

Yes indeed. I was stationed just up the road from Portland in the mid 70s in Brunswick,ME. Always enjoyed Portland, and all of Maine for that matter. Great summers as well, provided you don’t have to work on that day.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I ended up with a bunch of czech hops are the Craft Brewers Convention here in Nashville a few years back. The local clubs all volunteered and when the convention closed a bunch of us went booth to booth asking for leftovers. The czech hops booth gave me tons of stuff. A lot of experimental hops, hard to research as the czech websites did translate well. Anyway, huge czech beer fan and been using them up the last few years. Only have a few onces left
-Vital 10.3 alpha
-Permiant 8.7
Anyway, great article. Thanks for posting. Gets me motives to try what I have left.

 

[WesBrew]

The heat has me down but with a spark of motivation and delivery of malts today, a crisp German Pils this weekend.

 

[Alfgs]

Simple small batch stovetop biab ipa today.
Still fairly hot here so going with pressure fermenting in keg.
Nothing fancy. Equal parts pilsner and 2row, 27% oats, a bit of dextrine malt and a pinch of honey- and caramel malt.
Cleaning out hop bags so citra, cascade, altus and bramling cross in.. last minute decision quantities.

Edit: Og sat at 1.064. Opened a can of dipa (omnipollo three times three) while brewing that was just a smidge too dry so threw in 2 points of maltodextrine.

 

[Broothru]

You're welcome!

Crazy how things work out. I just received my online notification of the Summer (latest) edition of the CB&B issue. Is eMail becoming as unpredictably inconsistent with delivery as USPS?

I miss the tactile feel of a printed page, especially when it gets to me a week or so after everyone else electronically.

 

[Willy]

Gonna do my biggest batch size ever tomorrow. A 16.5 gal batch of Irish Mocha Stout. Grains have all been measured out - using Carolina Gold as my base malt in lieu of the usual blend of Baird's MO & Simpson's Golden Promise. I like Carolina Gold a lot. Very aromatic and has a taste profile a lot like the Baird's/Simpson's blend.

All the grains are weighed out and ready to crush. Weather should be overcast, temps at 72-74. Nice to get a break from the heat.

 

[Halfakneecap]

Cascade pale

80.4% Atlas pale malt
10.7% Dark munich
8.9% sugar

Cascade 60 mins
Big dry hop

1.053
38 IBU

Verdant.

 

[Zadkiel]

Just got dispatch notification for all my ingredients for a Belgian Quad I'm planning to make this weekend.
70% Dingemans Pilsen
11% Munich I
4% Aromatic
4% Special B
11% Dark Candi (sadly can't seem to source syrup, having to use rocks)
26 IBU Hallertauer Mittelfrueh
Wyeast 3787
Recipe ABV 10.5%

So very excited. This type of beer is what I imagined I wanted to be able to make when I started this hobby at the start of this year. After learning with 5 brews, starting with extract and eventually up to simpler grain recipes, I finally feel confident enough to try and make it happen.

Worst part is going to be waiting the 6 months to let it condition!

Sadly this is being delayed. Brewday was supposed to be tomorrow, but I had a horrible 40 hour lag on my starter, well, starting, and my yeast isn't going to be ready in time. it's a 2 step starter to go from 76B cells to 400B, and my first step only just started a few hours ago, instead of 2 days ago, breaking my timetable.

I *might* be able to do it on monday (it's a national holiday here in the UK, 3 day weekend) but that's going to depend on this starter acting perfectly from here on out and I have little faith in it right now. Sadly if I don't manage it for Monday then It'll be delayed 2 whole weeks, as I can only brew on weekends due to work constraints and next weekend SWMBO and I are off to Brussels.

 

[Halfakneecap]

Sadly this is being delayed. Brewday was supposed to be tomorrow, but I had a horrible 40 hour lag on my starter, well, starting, and my yeast isn't going to be ready in time. it's a 2 step starter to go from 76B cells to 400B, and my first step only just started a few hours ago, instead of 2 days ago, breaking my timetable.

I *might* be able to do it on monday (it's a national holiday here in the UK, 3 day weekend) but that's going to depend on this starter acting perfectly from here on out and I have little faith in it right now. Sadly if I don't manage it for Monday then It'll be delayed 2 whole weeks, as I can only brew on weekends due to work constraints and next weekend SWMBO and I are off to Brussels.

Bad news on the brew, totally out shined by the trip to brussels !!!!

 

[Zadkiel]

Bad news on the brew, totally out shined by the trip to brussels !!!!

It's only a 2 hour train ride away used to go to Brugges or Brussels at least once a year, although did fall out of the habit since Covid so nice to start it up again.

 

[PokerDad]

Brewing a Festbier, my first lager, from a recipe on AHA site.

 

[Halfakneecap]

It's only a 2 hour train ride away used to go to Brugges or Brussels at least once a year, although did fall out of the habit since Covid so nice to start it up again.

Jealous. I live in australia, its an 8 month journey to anywhere lol. Feels like anyway haha. Enjoy the trip!

This is how long i'd spend in a train to get to the interstate border. Mostly due to our old, slow trains, and going to Sydney first, but you can see why i'm jealous of your 2hr train trip to brussels ! Only 5 hours in the car