Stuck in a rut- need advice!

[Yooper]

For the first time, I'm in a brewing slump. I can't even come up with an idea of anything to brew and need some of your ideas.

I don't like hefes, and I don't want a stout/porter. Anything else would be considered! Right now I have an English ale bottled, the Oktoberfest lagering, and Edwort's pale ale in primary. I have a couple of my cream ales, Orfy's Hobgoblin and DFH clones left.

So, what sounds good? What are you all brewing for September?

 

[brewt00l]

Barleywine!

 

[brewitnow]

I see the comment about Hefes, but perhaps consider this: a wheat IPA. I have a friend who makes one, and it kicks ass. Not fruity like some hefes, just a big IPA with an interesting character from the wheat malt. Kind of a hoppy weizenbock. Of course, you can do like all micros are doing now to get market share: "A double, extra heavy, super-duper hopped, IIIIIIIPA Dunkel-bock infused midnight Stout, aged in 10 year bourbon barrels and transferred to cherry casks with vanilla beans and asparagus extract"

I've got a euro ale next up, which I hope will have good body and light hops. After that, not sure. I'm switching to all grain soon, so might have some interesting results. I don't want to tackle anything crazy till I get some AGs under my belt.

 

[the_bird]

Well, I'm doing an oatmeal stout next, for fall

It's the weather, Lor. I haven't brewed since I was down at Dude's, and haven't done a batch since my Belgian (which is still lagering). Lots of stuff going on during the summer, too.

What about a barleywine? Age it for six months or so, something to look forward to in the dead of February. Maybe oak it.

Doesn't sound like you've got an IPA going right now - what about Pliny?

C'mon - that is, seriously, you have to trust me here - the absolute best beer I've ever had, both the "real" thing from Russian River and Dude's clone. Plus, it's like a POUND of hops. Screw your adversion to Centenial (it was Centenial, right?), just jump into that bad boy feet first. HELLUVA beer!

 

[rdwj]

Bourbon barrel old ale!

 

[dblvsn]

Tis the season for a Rich Brewer Pumpkin Ale Mine finally hits the burner this weekend!

 

[zoebisch01]

Yoops, I think you should think outside of the box.

 

[Beerthoven]

Whip up some Apfelwein. Just having something fermenting will boost your spirit.

Can you lager? How about a Munich Helles, like Augustiner.

 

[the_bird]

Belgians are neat, too, just 'cause they're so different from anything else out there. I was in a mini-rut before, which is why I brewed the Dark Strong.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Yoopsy- I've been working up an Oatmeal Cookie Ale recipe (based on the Radical Brewing recipe). It's sort of a brown ale. We could collaborate on it...

 

[Brewer3401]

Do a blonde and ferment cold.

I did one and started the ferment at 50 F (kind of by mistake), and it made the beer cleaner and a little crisper. Used Safale US-56 and let it rise to 62 F for 3 days, raised to 70 F for 2 days (D-rest), started clarifying 2 days at 70 F, then crashed to 36 F.

I have used Hallertau Hersbrucker on my last 3 blondes (instead of cascade) and I really like the German hops better. Cascades (and Columbus, etc) rule in APA/IPA styles.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Do a blonde....

And take pictures....

 

[Brewer3401]

And take pictures....

Prefer reds.

But, if you insist !!!

 

[Drunkensatyr]

2nd the blonde. Here in Dallas, it stays hot until October, so we are still cranking out American wheats, Kolsch, and Blonde. Got several great recipe's if ya want em. Ed's Haus Pale is great as well. Real mellow bite of hops, and the Vienna really brings a lot of flavor to the party.

 

[Beerthoven]

Here's another idea: Buy some new equipment! Maybe a nice new boil kettle, or a fermentation fridge. Seeing something new will make you want to use it.

 

[Mutilated1]

So, what sounds good? What are you all brewing for September?

Honey Ale. September is national bee-keepers month, or honey month, or something like that.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for the ideas! I like all the ideas, and I DO need to start thinking outside of the box a bit. I'm thinking I'll do the Dude's Pliny clone, and the honey ale for starters.

Bird, you've convinced me that I might not hate the centennial hops. I'll look up some recipes and get cracking on this in the next two weeks.

Maybe it is the weather- I'm loving drinking beer but it seems like a chore to brew it and all the commerical beers have me going "eh".

Sunday is the day we're "christening" the cottage. The previous owners have until noon Saturday to be completely out. Maybe I'll drink wine, just to get over my beer slump.

 

[RadicalEd]

Wait, Yoop, you're in the UP...and your getting a cottage? You're already in one of the most "away from it all" areas in the nation (absolutely beautiful up there, I've backpacked the Porkies). Unless...Your cottage is further south to extend the summer ?

 

[homebrewer_99]

A Belgian Dubbel for after dinner in winter...

 

[david_42]

How about a Black ale using de-husked Carafa III? An interesting flavor you don't run across much.

 

[Glibbidy]

I double the Dubbel

 

[BierMuncher]

My Litehaus Wheat (aka Boulevard) went over like gangbusters two weeks ago.

We polished off nearly two kegs and this was a large non-homebrew drinking crowd. Very bright, clean, non banana-clove, american wheat...very clean taste and I tossed in an Oz of cascade at flameout for a bit of a twist.

It's a nice beer to have on hand when you want to offer something to a non-IPA, stout, wiess, porter, PA, brown ale...drinker.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I'd go trappist style belgians.

That said.. I'm in a bit of a rut too. I've brewed a number of beligains and am sort of bored again. I have two empty 10g fermenters awaiting beer!

 

[Orpheus]

There's only one solution Yoops! You have to start brewing in the buff and taking lots of pictures!

Oh, and one other thing, embrace the Centennial hops!

 

[Yooper]

Wait, Yoop, you're in the UP...and your getting a cottage? You're already in one of the most "away from it all" areas in the nation (absolutely beautiful up there, I've backpacked the Porkies). Unless...Your cottage is further south to extend the summer ?

Yeah, you missed the thread about it I guess. My avatar is a picture taken from my dock. I backpacked the porkies last week (only went 20 miles of it) when it was actually over 90 degrees up here and Lake Superior was warm enough to swim in for over two hours. My gallery has some of the pictures I took last week up there.

Brewing in the buff? Hmmmmmm. The neighbors would think I've lost my mind totally now. And yes, I'll try to embrace the centennial hops. The f***ing flowers taste did fade in the Lil Bastard and I actually did enjoy it after that. Biermunchers wheat could be a possiblity- I've never liked wheat beers but I think it was more the "flavors" of the hefes that turned me off. I did use wheat in the Lil Bastard and liked it.

 

[dantodd]

Hi Lorena,

Try something completely different than your usual brews.

It looks like you do a fairly broad range of beers. I'd probably do a very low hop beer if I were in a rut just because I never brew them. Maybe try a sour beer. How about working on a gluten free beer for BrewPastor? If you don't usually do lagers you might try one, especially if you get to buy new gear to do it, someone else already suggested new equipment might get you out of your rut.

Maybe do an experiment, take the same wort and make 3 completely different beers out of it. one lager, one Ordinary Bitter and one sour Belgian beer.

Good luck and have fun in the new cottage.

 

[Jeff48]

Hopless Heather tip ale (not a Froach clone which has hops) its about as outside the box as you can get and still call it a beer.

Very different and wildflowery.

 

[Orpheus]

Very different and wildflowery.

Yoops would love a beer actually made with flowers, wouldn't ya Yoops!

 

[landhoney]

I'm way late on this but I don't care - how about a sour beer?
Once you go sour you never go back.....literally all your equipment gets contaminated and everything you brew will be sour. Why do I try to be funny?