Blonde Ale Squeeze My Lemon Summer Blonde

[BlindLemonLars]

Looks alright to me...I do kind of wonder if the 2lbs of pale malt has adequate diastatic power to convert the corn. It's probably fine though. Is that a Beersmith conversion?

 

[Pete79]

Yeah I used beersmith. Here is what the direct conversion gives me.
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 3.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.043 SG
Estimated Color: 4.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.93 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 45.16 %
1.70 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 26.27 %
1.17 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 18.06 %
0.43 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.56 %
0.26 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3.95 %
0.65 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (60 min) Hops 18.4 IBU
1.31 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (10 min) Hops 7.3 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
2.00 oz Lemon Zest (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Safale S-04 Yeast-Ale

I didn't think it would work out with more corn that pale malt so I adjusted the amounts.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I didn't think it would work out with more corn that pale malt so I adjusted the amounts.

I agree...your numbers look better.

 

[Chupacabras]

Just pitched the yeast on 10 gallons of this stuff. I swapped out 5 pounds of 2-row for Maris Otter, and used .75 # of 40L malt instead of the 60, but man did this ever smell good. I can't wait to drink it. Oh and, I used Notty.

 

[jmp138]

I was wondering how you think this would do if I pitched it onto a yeast cake from my Hoegaarden clone I'm kegging this weekend. I used wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbeir Yeast, this may be a terrible idea, but times are tight and Im just trying to save some dough! Just looking for some input, hell a pack of Nottingham is only like 2 bucks. Brewing this this weekend either way. Thanks folks!

 

[GreenwoodRover]

Lars-
What's (in your experience) the optimim time for this one. Your recipe lists 14days primary and 14 days secondary, but no temps listed. I was thinking about brewing it on Friday 6/19 to be served on 7/18. Silghtly less than 4 weeks grain to glass. I keg and can force carb it my schedule was going to be...
6/19 Brew
6/19-7/8 primary at about 64dF
7/8 rack to secondary and crash cool to 34dF.
7/15 Rack to keg and force carb via shake method (thinking aiming for about 2.5vol).
7/18 serve at the block party.
Usually with that quick of a turnaround, I'd do a hefeweizen, but I want ot mix it up a bit. I'm hoping this doesn't need extra time for the flavors to mellow/blend...

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I set my chest freezer at 62° for virtually all of my ales. Lately I don't bother with a secondary for small-medium beers, and just leave them in the primary for about a month before crash cooling and kegging. Then they generally sit in the keg at room temperature for a few weeks, until a spot in my conditioning/lagering fridge opens up. There they stay, until a keg blows in the kegerator...FIFO is normally observed.

Sorry if this is kind of vague, but my timing is driven more by production vs consumption than it is by the brewing/aging process. It's not a very big or hoppy beer, and I think the timeline you laid out would probably be fine. It may not be as clear in that short a time, but you could add some gelatin in the secondary to speed that along. I'd definitely stick with the S-04, as it ferments quickly and flocculates well.

Then again, at a block party (plastic cups?) I'm guessing nobody will care too much about clarity!

 

[GreenwoodRover]

Thanks - I'm going to go for it.
If it's not ready we'll just have to sub one of my cage/conditioned kegs at the tap.
The S-04 is definately the yeast I'm going to use. Good point on the gelatin, that should hekp speed the clearing along...

 

[pericles]

I just finished up brewing 5 gallons of Pete79's partial mash version of this. Beersmith reports it'll be about 4.1% ABV, 27.5 IBU.

Not much about the experience that was particularly extraordinary to report. . . Primary for another few days, then racking to secondary. Will write with more information as I get it.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

I brewed this up last weekend. onlt had enough lemon to get 1.5oz zest so I added the zest of a few clementines. I zested while my strike water was heating then so the stuff wouldn;t dry out i added a tough of distilled water to the small tupperware contanier they were in.

My hydro sample tonight was good but really lemony. Lemon was the first taste/thought... did the 3 hour water soak turn it inot lemoncheillo ot lemon cake? or is this norman anfd it will dissipate with time....

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I doubt that cold water would extract much essential oil from the zest. How fine did you zest the rind? I just take large flat slices, using a vegetable peeler.

When I make it, there is just the tiniest suggestion of lemon. It should definitely not be overpowering.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

i used a microplane, so it was basically as fine as I could get it. Maybe the carbonation and conditioning will age drive some out.

 

[pericles]

Hm, I used a file-grater, so all the zest was in itty bitty pieces, like shredded cheese. Maybe I should expect it to be SUPER lemony then?

 

[pericles]

Bottled! This guy got 10 days in the primary, and about a month and a half in the secondary. It smelled good going into bottles. I used DME in lieu of priming sugar, in part because I was concerned about the surfeit of lemon zest I (apparently) used. So it's gonna be a while before it's carbonated long enough to drink, but I'm anticipating something great.

 

[mwhc22]

i think this might be one of the 2 next brews i do. looks pretty good to me

 

[GreenwoodRover]

I microplaned about 12 lemons to get the 2oz of "zest"
I dumped 1/2 half the batch... zesting it made it WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to lemony.....
The base beer was awesome and I'm definately going to try it again without the microplaning and just use the "slices" of lemon rind.

 

[pericles]

My label for the new bottles is here.

 

[Llama]

It's finally done and ready to drink!

I was very skeptical when I tasted it while racking-- it frankly tasted weird. It tasted strange when I bottled it too. I think it's because I used nottingham and my living room was just a tad too warm for that yeast. The beer also changed colors! I don't know what that was about... it was first very light in the carboy, then became much darker post fermentation.

But when its cold and carbed it tastes really good. Does not taste anything like any other beer I've made. Going to be great drinking this on the porch on a hot summer day (it's been 105 here in OR)!

I made the lemoncello with the left over zest, too! I've never had lemoncello either, so that taste is also new. Used everclear as to your suggestion. Very tasty stuff!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Cool beans Llama, I'm glad you're enjoying both the beer and the limoncello!

 

[Saint Aardvark]

I microplaned about 12 lemons to get the 2oz of "zest"
I dumped 1/2 half the batch... zesting it made it WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to lemony.....
The base beer was awesome and I'm definately going to try it again without the microplaning and just use the "slices" of lemon rind.

Hm...I just brewed this on Monday, and I used a MicroPlane and 8 lemons too. It was definitely lemony, but I don't think overly so. My sense of smell isn't that great, so maybe I just can't smell it as much.

Anyhow, it's fermenting with Notty right now and I can't wait to taste it. Hopefully it'll still be summer enough here when it's done -- we just got out the other side of a big heat wave, and the forecast for the next week or so is definitely fall-like.

 

[pericles]

It's been a while, but I think I'm throwing in the towel: my batch didn't turn out good at all. It's drinkable, but the lemon is overpowering.

I think that the flaw was probably in the execution. I grated the zest instead of slicing it, and as a result there was MUCH more surface area. Plus, it basically didn't filter when I transferred to the carboy, so it had a LONG time to leach flavor into the beer.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

It's been a while, but I think I'm throwing in the towel: my batch didn't turn out good at all. It's drinkable, but the lemon is overpowering.

With my last batch, I steeped the zest in everclear while the beer was fermenting, filtered it and added it while kegging. Way too lemony!!

I couldn't bear to throw the batch away, so I brewed another without any lemon and mixed the two together. Ended up with two kegs that were about right. Just a thought.

 

[Lilahblossom]

You know as it ages the lemon flavor lowers. Don't toss in the towel too quick. Just my opinion.

 

[d510addict]

Is there an extract version of this?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Is there an extract version of this?

Try substituting 4lbs of extra light DME and a pound or so of corn sugar for the 2-row and flaked corn.

That's exactly how I made it, before converting to all-grain.

 

[d510addict]

Also what kind of lemons are you using? A good meyer lemon zest sounds like it would work great for this.

 

[Stuntman]

This sounds great! Read whole thread...Down here in Houston area, this stuff will go good. Even now it is only 45 today and tommorrow, slightly colder at night. I love the heavy darks, but I am thinking of making this one next, so that I have a good grip on it for next summer when it is over a hundred, every day, off and on, for several months.....Did I mention that we actually LIKE snow down here!:rockin:

 

[user 47131]

LemonLars,
I'm planning on brewing this over the weekend, but am a little concerned with it turning out too lemony like some of the posters... I am brewing a half batch so was planning on using 1 oz (by weight) of lemon zest (most likely from myer lemons). I see that some of those whose ended up too lemony seemed to microplane the lemons. I was originally planning on doing this but saw that you do large flat slices with a vegetable peeler. So, my assumption is as one person stated that there is less surface area and the flavors won't extract as much and that you are able to filter the peel out more easily before transferring to the fermenter. Am I correct that you filter or fish the peel out before transferring to the fermenter? Also, how many lemons does it usually take for you? It seems like the average is 6 for the full 5g batch.

Thanks for your assistance, I just want to get this right as I am brewing it to be ready in time for my girlfriend's birthday.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

LemonLars,
I'm planning on brewing this over the weekend, but am a little concerned with it turning out too lemony like some of the posters...

You know, it's tricky...the lemon zest is a bit of a wild card. Every lemon is unique, and I'm sure different varieties will lend significantly different levels of flavor. I definitely need a more precise means of integrating the lemon component.

When boiling the zest, I put it in a nylon paint straining bag, just like I do with my hops. But the next time I brew this, I'm going to go with the zest steeped in vodka/everclear approach. However, I'm going to slowly and incrementally add the vodka in a bottling bucket until I'm just tasting a hint of it...then it's into the keg or bottles. The lemon is definitely intended to be a subtle complement to the hops, and not a strong part of the overall flavor.

 

[user 47131]

Thanks, I brewed a batch yesterday (modified to include some yerba mate and other herbs with saaz and cascade) and went with .4 oz microplaned lemon zest from meyer's lemons. I ended up using what the woman had leftover from baking and wanted to be better safe than sorry. At taste before adding to the fermenting carboy, it had a nice slight lemony character, but definitely not overpowering. So, we'll see after fermenting, but I think I should be fine. Let us know how the new and improved Everclear process works! Thanks again LemonLars for the inspiration and quick response...