esb

Huxley’s ESB
(5 gallon/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.045
FG = 1.011
IBU = 34 SRM = 13
ABV = 4.4%
There’s really no debate – a great "just-plain-beer" beer is something every homebrewer should have in his recipe file. This extra special bitter (ESB) — well-balanced, with a nice hop flavor and aroma from First Gold hops — will make you a believer in batch sparge partial mashing. 40% of the extract comes from the partial mash.
Ingredients
3 lb. 2 oz. (1.4 kg) 2-row pale ale malt (Maris Otter)
14 oz. (0.40 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
0.50 lbs. (0.23 kg) Munton’s Light dried malt extract
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Munton’s Light liquid malt extract (late addition)
7 AAU Kent Goldings hops (60 mins) (1.4 oz./40 g of 5% alpha acids)
3.3 AAU First Gold hops (15 mins) (0.66 oz./19 g of 5% alpha acids)
3.3 AAU First Gold hops (2 mins) (0.66 oz./19 g of 5% alpha acids)
1 tsp. Irish moss
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB) or White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) yeast (1 qt./~1 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Put crushed grains in a large nylon steeping bag. Heat 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water to 165 °F (74 °C) and pour into your 2-gallon (7.6-L) cooler. Slowly submerge grain bag, using a large brewing spoon to ensure that grain mixes completely with the water. Let mash rest, starting at 154 °F (68 °C) for 30 minutes. While mash is resting, heat 0.75 gallons (2.8 L) of water to a boil in your brewpot and 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water to 180 °F (82 °C) in a large kitchen pot. Recirculate by drawing off a pint or two of wort from the cooler and returning it to the top of the mash. Repeat until wort is clear or 3 quarts (~3 L) have been recirculated. Next, run off entire first wort and add to boiling water in kettle. Add 180 °F (82 °C) water to cooler until liquid level is the same as during the first mash. Let rest for 5 minutes, then recirculate and run off wort as before. Bring wort to a boil, add dried malt extract and bittering hops and boil for 60 minutes. Add liquid malt extract, Irish moss and flavor hops with 15 minutes left in boil. Add aroma hops with 2 minutes left in boil. After boil, cool wort until side of brewpot is cool to the touch. Transfer wort to fermenter, add water to make 5 gallons (19 L), aerate well and pitch yeast from yeast starter. Let ferment at 70 °F (21 °C). Once wort falls clear after primary fermentation, bottle beer. (I.e. no need to do a "secondary fermentation.")

Batch #2 - Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale - Day 5

Talked to some brewers and suggested that I take it off of primary fermentation. I will do this Sunday morning once I have Jailbreak IPA bottled and carboy cleaned.

Today we finished cicerone training by Ray Daniels at Dogfish Head.

Learned lots from him. About flavors and styles.

This weekend chores.
    -peel beer labels off of beer
    -sanitize beer bottles
    -Rack IPA off of secondary.
    -bottle jailbreak
    -clean car boy
    -rack red to secondary
    -clean carboy
    -brew stout

Batch #2 - Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale - Day 4

As of 9:40am the beer is back down to 68F. Not a lot of activity going on though. Did I ferment to high and kill the yeast? It is only 60 hours in and not lots of bubbles. Kind of freaked out by this. What did I do wrong.???

Batch #2 - Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale - Day 3

Woke up this morning around 8:00am. Temperature up to 77F. Guess the change in the weather heated up the room a little too fast. Came home from work at 1:00pm still at around 75F. I realize there is more sugar than the last batch but this is a lot faster fermentation. Oh well, hope it turns out!!!

Batch #2 - Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale - Day 2

Looks very good. Fermentation in as little as 8 hours. Pitched at 9:15pm last night. By 7am starting to bubble. First blow off at 3:00pm. Still within first 24 hours. Can't wait to drink this one as well.

Batch #2 - Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale - BJCP Guidelines

Strong Scotch Ale

Aroma: Deeply malty, with caramel often apparent. Peaty, earthy and/or smoky secondary aromas may also be present, adding complexity. Caramelization often is mistaken for diacetyl, which should be low to none. Low to moderate esters and alcohol are often present in stronger versions. Hops are very low to none.
Appearance: Light copper to dark brown color, often with deep ruby highlights. Clear. Usually has a large tan head, which may not persist in stronger versions. Legs may be evident in stronger versions.
Flavor: Richly malty with kettle caramelization often apparent (particularly in stronger versions). Hints of roasted malt or smoky flavor may be present, as may some nutty character, all of which may last into the finish. Hop flavors and bitterness are low to medium-low, so malt impression should dominate. Diacetyl is low to none, although caramelization may sometimes be mistaken for it. Low to moderate esters and alcohol are usually present. Esters may suggest plums, raisins or dried fruit. The palate is usually full and sweet, but the finish may be sweet to medium-dry (from light use of roasted barley).
Mouthfeel: Medium-full to full-bodied, with some versions (but not all) having a thick, chewy viscosity. A smooth, alcoholic warmth is usually present and is quite welcome since it balances the malty sweetness. Moderate carbonation.
Overall Impression: Rich, malty and usually sweet, which can be suggestive of a dessert. Complex secondary malt flavors prevent a one-dimensional impression. Strength and maltiness can vary.
Comments: Also known as a “wee heavy.” Fermented at cooler temperatures than most ales, and with lower hopping rates, resulting in clean, intense malt flavors. Well suited to the region of origin, with abundant malt and cool fermentation and aging temperature. Hops, which are not native to Scotland and formerly expensive to import, were kept to a minimum.
Ingredients: Well-modified pale malt, with up to 3% roasted barley. May use some crystal malt for color adjustment; sweetness usually comes not from crystal malts rather from low hopping, high mash temperatures, and kettle caramelization. A small proportion of smoked malt may add depth, though a peaty character (sometimes perceived as earthy or smoky) may also originate from the yeast and native water. Hop presence is minimal, although English varieties are most authentic. Fairly soft water is typical.

Vital Statistics:	OG: 1.070 – 1.130
IBUs: 17 – 35	FG: 1.018 – 1.056
SRM: 14 – 25	ABV: 6.5 – 10%

Commercial Examples: Traquair House Ale, Belhaven Wee Heavy, McEwan's Scotch Ale, Founders Dirty Bastard, MacAndrew's Scotch Ale, AleSmith Wee Heavy, Orkney Skull Splitter, Inveralmond Black Friar, Broughton Old Jock, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale, Dragonmead Under the Kilt

Batch #2 - Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale - Birth 1/24/10

Today we did Red Headed Step Child Scotch Ale (thanks Paulie).

I wanted to recreate a red mo with a little more hops. Well this one came in a little heavier than I had imagined. Somewhere around 1.090 for original gravity which is gonna end up being much higher than 5%...somewhere close to 10%.

Thanks again to Patton, Joe, Doug, and Patty. Couldn't have done it without you. Of course Maizie as well.

 

More malts and the grain bill!

5 gallons cool water
3 oz. Chocolate Malt, crushed
8 oz. Aromatic Malt, crushed
1 lb. Cara Munich malt, crushed
8 oz. smoked Malt, crushed
1 grain bag
1 t. gypsum

5# Light Dry Malt Extract
3# Amber Dry Malt Extract

1 1/4 oz Vanguard (bittering) 60 min
1/4 oz Vnguard (flavor) 20 min
*1/4 oz Vanguard (aroma) 4 min

1 t. Irish Moss

1 safeale D 33 or WLP028 English Ale Yeast

 

Batch #1 - Jailbreak IPA - Day 14 - Rack to secondary

Today I racked Jailbreak IPA - a lot easier than I thought it would be. Thanks to Patton and Joe for their help in this stage.

I have lots of questions of this new hobby we call brewing.

It looks good. Original Gravity going into secondary is at 1.020. So still needs some time to chill on the dry hops.

I dry hopped with 1 oz of cascade hops.

Batch #1 - Jailbreak IPA - bjcp

American IPA

Aroma: A prominent to intense hop aroma with a citrusy, floral, perfume-like, resinous, piney, and/or fruity character derived from American hops. Many versions are dry hopped and can have an additional grassy aroma, although this is not required. Some clean malty sweetness may be found in the background, but should be at a lower level than in English examples. Fruitiness, either from esters or hops, may also be detected in some versions, although a neutral fermentation character is also acceptable. Some alcohol may be noted.
Appearance: Color ranges from medium gold to medium reddish copper; some versions can have an orange-ish tint. Should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. Good head stand with white to off-white color should persist.
Flavor: Hop flavor is medium to high, and should reflect an American hop character with citrusy, floral, resinous, piney or fruity aspects. Medium-high to very high hop bitterness, although the malt backbone will support the strong hop character and provide the best balance. Malt flavor should be low to medium, and is generally clean and malty sweet although some caramel or toasty flavors are acceptable at low levels. No diacetyl. Low fruitiness is acceptable but not required. The bitterness may linger into the aftertaste but should not be harsh. Medium-dry to dry finish. Some clean alcohol flavor can be noted in stronger versions. Oak is inappropriate in this style. May be slightly sulfury, but most examples do not exhibit this character.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-light to medium-bodied mouthfeel without hop-derived astringency, although moderate to medium-high carbonation can combine to render an overall dry sensation in the presence of malt sweetness. Some smooth alcohol warming can and should be sensed in stronger (but not all) versions. Body is generally less than in English counterparts.
Overall Impression: A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale.
History: An American version of the historical English style, brewed using American ingredients and attitude.
Ingredients: Pale ale malt (well-modified and suitable for single-temperature infusion mashing); American hops; American yeast that can give a clean or slightly fruity profile. Generally all-malt, but mashed at lower temperatures for high attenuation. Water character varies from soft to moderately sulfate. Versions with a noticeable Rye character (“RyePA”) should be entered in the Specialty category.

Vital Statistics:	OG: 1.056 – 1.075
IBUs: 40 – 70	FG: 1.010 – 1.018
SRM: 6 – 15	ABV: 5.5 – 7.5%

Commercial Examples: Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale, AleSmith IPA, Russian River Blind Pig IPA, Stone IPA, Three Floyds Alpha King, Great Divide Titan IPA, Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, Victory Hop Devil, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Anderson Valley Hop Ottin’, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Founder’s Centennial IPA, Anchor Liberty Ale, Harpoon IPA, Avery IPA

Batch #1 - Jailbreak IPA - Day 3 - Thoughts on next brew!

Still looking good, Bubbling nicely. Can't wait to drink!

Starting to think of next beer to do today. Maybe chili hefeweizen/wit???

List is




Chili Whit beer – (Dead Heat)  roast and add to second fermentation. possibly frozen?

Wormwood Beer – psychoactive properties..... more than 3 inabreated..? (lllegal Smile)

Lemongrass Rye - Love the lemongrass and also the rye.

Vanilla Cream Stout - need i say more. haven't played with lactic yet.
Coconut Porter  - again all food influence beers..except this first IPA I guess.