White house beer

[ericbw]

Just to add my 2 cents, we have a 2.5 gallon batch of the honey ale in the works. It's been in the fermenter for 2 and a half weeks, and it will sit there for 4 weeks before bottling. Right now, it's still pretty cloudy and brown (actually looks a lot like the fermenter in the video!). Usually week 4 in the fermenter is pretty dramatic as far as color and clarity, so I am assuming it will be fine.

I made a few small changes from the recipe: 1) reversed the Fuggles and EKGs because I like the flavor/aroma of EKG better. 2) used Crystal 40L as the "amber malt." Not sure if that's close enough? 3) used US-05 yeast because that's what was available. 4) didn't add gypsum since I don't know what my water is like anyway.

Temperature has been a little low, too. Probably averaged 65.

I think those are very minor changes, right?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Just to add my 2 cents, we have a 2.5 gallon batch of the honey ale in the works. It's been in the fermenter for 2 and a half weeks, and it will sit there for 4 weeks before bottling. Right now, it's still pretty cloudy and brown (actually looks a lot like the fermenter in the video!). Usually week 4 in the fermenter is pretty dramatic as far as color and clarity, so I am assuming it will be fine.

I made a few small changes from the recipe: 1) reversed the Fuggles and EKGs because I like the flavor/aroma of EKG better. 2) used Crystal 40L as the "amber malt." Not sure if that's close enough? 3) used US-05 yeast because that's what was available. 4) didn't add gypsum since I don't know what my water is like anyway.

Temperature has been a little low, too. Probably averaged 65.

I think those are very minor changes, right?

Outside of the yeast change, yeah, I'd think they're pretty minor. I've looked at it as a distinctly English beer, and US-05 won't give you the right character. Not that it still won't be tasty, but it won't have that English ester character. When my friend and I brewed it, we used a mix of C40L and C60L to try and get close that ~55L English Crystal malt.

 

[ericbw]

You're probably right, the yeast isn't English style like the rest of the recipe.

I didn't think the recipe was written well, which always encourages me to fell better about making changes.

 

[Pappers_]

Am planning on brewing another batch of this tomorrow! http://www.singingboysbrewing.com/White-House-Honey-Ale.html Not planning on making any changes, really enjoyed the last batch.

 

[alestateyall]

I am planning to brew this for the 2nd this weekend also. Three changes:

1. Moving to caramel 40 from 60.
2. Moving the 45 min. EKG addition to first wort hops.
3. Changed to all grain. Replaced extracts w/ 10# 2-row.

I am brewing this for a Knights of Columbus social. These guys are old so I am hoping for a slightly lighter colored less bitter beer.

The change to all grain is just to save money.

 

[ericbw]

I am planning to brew this for the 2nd this weekend also. Three changes:

1. Moving to caramel 40 from 60.
2. Moving the 45 min. EKG addition to first wort hops.
3. Changed to all grain. Replaced extracts w/ 10# 2-row.

I am brewing this for a Knights of Columbus social. These guys are old so I am hoping for a slightly lighter colored less bitter beer.

The change to all grain is just to save money.

Did you think the C60 was too dark? Flavors you didn't like?

 

[alestateyall]

I think the c60 was fine. I am only moving to c40 to lighten for an audience of BMC drinkers. The white house recipe says amber crystal malt. I think c40-c60 meets that definition so I don't think I am really deviating from the recipe.

I can say that my version with c60 looked quite a bit darker than the beer in the White House video.

 

[CGVT]

I made mine with Crisp Amber (28 SRM). It is a straw/honey color, about a 5 SRM, and has a pronounced spicy nose and taste on top of the honey flavor. I added my 1.5 oz of fuggles at 5 mins. I guess that is where the spice is coming from.

 

[alestateyall]

I made mine with Crisp Amber (28 SRM). It is a straw/honey color and has a pronounced spicy nose and taste on top of the honey flavor. I added my 1.5 oz of fuggles at 5 mins. I guess that is where the spice is coming from.

Will the gentleman from Alabama yield for a friendly question?

Is Crisp Amber a crystal malt? I thought Amber malt was closer to biscuit.

PS. I've got homebrew legislation on the brain.

 

[CGVT]

No it is not a crystal malt. You are correct, it is a roasted malt, closer to biscuit.

I get it at the Wine Smith in Mobile (it is also available through Brewmaster's Warehouse)

I would have to think that any homebrewer in either of our states would be thinking legislation...

 

[CGVT]

I make mine with 8.5 lbs pale, 12 oz biscuit and 8 oz of amber. I see that Pappers makes his with caramel 20, Munich and wheat.

 

[alestateyall]

There lots of room for interpretation on this recipe.

 

[CGVT]

There certainly is. I just took what the White House released and plugged it into BeerSmith and converted to all grain. I'm pretty happy with the results, but I know there are other versions that people have made and liked, too.

 

[bleme]

My first thought would have been honey malt.

 

[KYchemBrewer]

Brewed the Honey Ale this past weekend with my dad in addition to an American Wheat (trying to be efficient with what none of have enough of...time).

Thought the OG would be higher but it came out a 1.050.

Living in Louisville with rather hard water, I skipped the gypsum. Also cut the Fuggle back to 1.0 instead of 1.5.

I found the recipe odd. Talks about adding flavoring Fuggles at boil off THEN adding the honey and boiling another 5 minutes.

We added 0.5oz Fuggle at 10min and the other 0.5oz at flameout. Honey went in at about 10min.

Still in Primary...

 

[alestateyall]

Brewing White House Honey Ale right now in honor of our (Mississippi) historic vote legalizing homebrewing.

Cheers to personal freedom!

 

[Pappers_]

Brewing White House Honey Ale right now in honor of our(Mississippi) historic vote legalizing homebrewing.

Cheers to personal freedom!

Did it pass?!?!

 

[alestateyall]

Did it pass?!?!

Yes, it passed the Mississippi House today by a vote of 73-36. The bill now goes to the governor. He is expected to sign it (he has signed 5 beer bills before), plus we got 2/3rd majority in both houses.

 

[Pappers_]

Yes, it passed the Mississippi House today by a vote of 73-36. The bill now goes to the governor. He is expected to sign it (he has signed 5 beer bills before), plus we got 2/3rd majority in both houses.

WooooHooooo!!!!!

 

[Hogarthe]

Yes, it passed the Mississippi House today by a vote of 73-36. The bill now goes to the governor. He is expected to sign it (he has signed 5 beer bills before), plus we got 2/3rd majority in both houses.

that is awesome

 

[DaBills]

Yes, it passed the Mississippi House today by a vote of 73-36. The bill now goes to the governor. He is expected to sign it (he has signed 5 beer bills before), plus we got 2/3rd majority in both houses.

Congratulations that's awesome news.

 

[BaltimoreBrau]

Congrats!

I got the WH Honey Ale kit for Xmas, hope to brew it up early next month.

 

[ericbw]

Thanks! Just wondering what rate other people were fermenting at. It's only been 3 days and I can hardly stand it. Need to go purchase another fermenter this weekend so I can get started on my second brew.

M

I went 4 weeks and bottled today. FG was 1.012, but I am not sure of the OG. It calculates to about 1.064 I think, but my reading was 1.052. Prob from top off water not mixing.

What are others getting for OG/FG?

 

[BansheeRider]

I plan on making the Porter soon. My LHBS do not have the recommended hops for the recipe so I am going to use some left over hops I have in the freezer. Let me know if you think this sounds good....

Boil .5oz Columbus Hops 45min
Flameout use .5oz Willamette for aroma.

My IBU is 37 with this hop schedule. The recipe calls for an IBU of 25-45, so I think I'll be good with this. What do you guys think?

 

[passintyme1]

I actually brewed the honey ale all grain 7 mo ago and it's a good beer,but give about 1 mo to mello out a liittle after kegging or bottleing.

 

[mlgtrumpet]

Question about the White House Honey Ale. Is this supposed to be a very "heady" beer? I have very little foam and it's been bottled for almost 2 months. I have to pour pretty heavy to get a half inch or so of foam. Thoughts? Experiences?

 

[BansheeRider]

Question about the White House Honey Ale. Is this supposed to be a very "heady" beer? I have very little foam and it's been bottled for almost 2 months. I have to pour pretty heavy to get a half inch or so of foam. Thoughts? Experiences?

How much priming sugar? How long in the fridge? It could also be how you clean your glass.

 

[sweetcell]

I plan on making the Porter soon. My LHBS do not have the recommended hops for the recipe so I am going to use some left over hops I have in the freezer. Let me know if you think this sounds good....

Boil .5oz Columbus Hops 45min
Flameout use .5oz Willamette for aroma.

My IBU is 37 with this hop schedule. The recipe calls for an IBU of 25-45, so I think I'll be good with this. What do you guys think?

should be great. willamette is pretty mild so you probably won't get a whole lot from it, but that's ok since porters aren't supposed to be heavy on the hop aroma anyways. go for it.

 

[KYchemBrewer]

Ericbw,

Had the same issue almost exactly.

I calculated the OG to be just above 1.060 but it measured at 1.050-1.052.

Still in the primary so not sure how far down the gravity will drop.

 

[alestateyall]

Ericbw,

Had the same issue almost exactly.

I calculated the OG to be just above 1.060 but it measured at 1.050-1.052.

Still in the primary so not sure how far down the gravity will drop.

If you brewed an extract batch then the main variable which can cause you to miss your gravity is final volume. If you under boiled (too much wort left after boil) or added too much top up water then your gravity will be low.

As Ericbw mentions not vigorously stirring the top up water can lead to a low gravity reading also.