Brewing an Ale today ...

bombo80 · Jan 5, 2008

Well, I'm not smoking anything today, but I have decided to brew a batch of beer. I have been brewing beer for almost 20 years now. I have graduated to doing all grain batches, and usually kegging them. With my vast collection of brewing books, I use them mostly for guides as to what I can throw together and make a beer. Sometimes though, I will take an follow a recipe just to see how it will turn out.

I have quite a selection of grains to choose from, as well as hops. Today I have decided to make my own version of a dark, American Ale. Here is the recipe I have come up with for today:

10# 6-row malted barley
.75# Belgian Biscuit Malt
.5# 80*L Caramel Malt
.3# Chocolate Malt
3 oz. Nugget hops
1.5 oz Cascade hops
Whitebread Ale Yeast

I'm going for a bit stronger, hoppy beer, with hopefully a nice aroma. The Nugget hops I grow in my backyard. I also have several other hop plants growing too.

I like to brew all grain batches, especially in the winter, because I don't really have to much else going on, now that all the hunting seasons have closed. It is also a good way to burn up an entire day, without being a couch potato. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

So, for those who like to see pictures, here ya go ......

Enjoy

white cloud · Jan 5, 2008

Yea I miss brewing. I remember the one and only time a friend and me tried a all grain version of loenbrough ( I forgot even how to spell it ) I had grown the hops which went crazy in the back yard. Well the recipe called for gypsum as the clarifying agent, and I think it went in later but anyway we needed to hang the grain bag so I put a hook in the kitchen ceiling and hung the bag over the primary to drip. Sure enough it wasn't in the stud to good and kurplunk. That sticky mess was all over we both said well I guess we added the gypsum.

junoblow · Jan 5, 2008

Good stuff!

This is something Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m dying to try this myself â€“ I mean, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve been drinking it long enough!

Good luck with the batch Bombo. Is this something that will be ready relatively quickly or is there a waiting period involved like wine? Whatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the secret to a tasty dark stout?

Take care,

Jeff

bombo80 · Jan 5, 2008

Thanks guys,

It is along the same lines, as a wine. Primary fermentation takes about a week, generally. Then it gets siphoned into the secondary, where it will stay until it clarifies. Periodic checking of the specific gravity will give a good indication when the fermentation has completed. This isn't always necessary, because the fermentation will finish before it clarifies anyway. This can take anywhere from a week to several months, depending on the type of beer being made. Since this is an Ale, I can just keep it in the cool basement, just not sitting directly on the concrete floor. Ale yeast is a top fermenting yeast, and likes temps in the 50* - 60* range. Lagers like it cold - 35ish.

After the Ale has cleared up, it gets siphoned out of the secondary, and a small portion (quart) is heated up and corn sugar is dissolved into it. This is then added back to the beer as a priming agent, prior to bottling. In essence, it is put in so the remaining yeast still in the beer, will have more food to create CO2, to pressurize the bottles, and carbonate it at the same time. Too much sugar, and bottles start to explode. Ales are usually not very carbonated anyway, so it won't take too much. Usually a cup is enough for a 5 gallon batch of Ale.

Once it is bottled, it then must mature before it is ready to drink. This can take, again, anywhere from a couple weeks, to several months. With an Ale, I will try a bottle after a week, then judge it once a week from then on until I feel it's good to go.

Later guys,

Bombo

bob marsh · Jan 8, 2008

Hi Bombo,

I brew a bit along with winemaking but haven't done any in awhile - But I have a question: A friend of mine who built a small automated brewery ( I saw an avatar on the forums that looks just like it - maybe there's a fellow Brewminator out there) and he said that Hops are scarce this year - Have you had trouble finding quality Hops?

B

payson · Jan 8, 2008

Hops are indeed scarce. The prices have skyrocketed. From what I understand it's become far more profitable to grow biofuel crops coupled with a large hop-warehouse fire. Additionally, the higher alpha acid hops are proportionally more profitable than the middle of the road alphas; consequently, hops like Cascades will or may become the hardest hit.

bob g · Jan 11, 2008

Brewer and BBQ'r here too. Nice looking recipe.

Here's some beer pics.
A Rye IPA

And a Hefeweizen. This one was called "The Monkey's Naner". I fermented it warm and got HUGE banana smell and taste.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with the both hobbies!

Cheers
Bob

redbrinkman1955 · Jan 11, 2008

Bet that tasted good,Myself I just got ito to making beer The easy way My wife bought me a Mr. Beer (I know Its not Brewing But had to start somewhere) My first batch wasn't too Bad a Canadian Draft see Pic,
also doing a Honey Mead,and Jamaican Run had to do a batch of Cream soda for the Grandkids.
Good luck and Good Brewing
Redbrinkman1955

payson · Jan 14, 2008

Just brewed a 10 gallon all grain batch of old ale. Going to add bourbon soaked oak after primary fermentation. Original gravity was dead on, 1.080. A big and hopefully soon to be tasty beer!

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Brewing an Ale today ...

bombo80

Smoke Blower

white cloud

Master of the Pit

junoblow

Newbie

bombo80

Smoke Blower

bob marsh

Fire Starter

payson

Meat Mopper

bob g

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redbrinkman1955

Smoking Fanatic

payson

Meat Mopper

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