Double Chocolate Stout - 12-30-2012

Today, we went to visit a guy with his own brew room, and made a double chocolate stout using all grains.  It was the first time I've made an all grain batch of beer.  It takes a lot more time than using extracts and malts because all of the sugars come from the grains.   You have to run water through the grains and maintain the water temperature.  It requires a bit more precision.  It was definitely fun, but definitely longer.  We also had a chance to sample some of his other beers and met his two dogs, who like to drink beer.  Photos below.

Honey Amber - Version 2

On Saturday, 12/22/2012, I went to the homebrew store and the liquor store and picked up more oak chips and Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon.  My amber ale that fermented with the oak chips that were soaked in Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon was so popular that I decided to make another batch of that ale.  It was also one of my personal favorites.  The oak chips soak in the bourbon for 2 months, so it will be at least February before I can make this batch of beer.  Add 4 weeks for fermentation and another two weeks in the bottle, so it probably won't be until April when it's ready.

My Beer of the Year

It's official!  The feedback on the Honey Bourbon Amber Ale is the best I've received of anything I've made this year.  All of my tasters have really liked it.  I'm going to have to make that one again.  Gotta get some oak chips and some more Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon.  Have to soak them for two months before I can make the beer.  A three month process, but worth the wait.

Non-Alcoholic Sangria - 12-14-2012

Today, I gave out multiple samples of my home brew, sangria, lemon cello, and a non-alcoholic sangria.  At the request of some of the samplers, I am attaching the recipe for the non-alcoholic sangria

4 cups cranberry grape juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 pear, diced
1 apple, diced
3 cups carbonated lemon-lime beverage

Refrigerate all ingredients except the lemon-lime beverage for 2 hours.  Right before serving, add the lemon-lime beverage.

Holiday Cheer!!!

Today, I was finally able to bottle my home brew that has been fermenting for 8 weeks.  It was a seasonal called Saison De Noel.  It was fairly complicated because it actually had a "malt schedule", which is basically putting in different malts during different times of the cooking process.  I was used to a "hop schedule", which is hops at different times of the boil, but this was the first "malt schedule".  It had a lot of ingredients in it, and was very aromatic when I was bottling it.  

I also bottled a Lemoncello that has been fermenting for several weeks.  I was able to find 12 oz wine bottles that I could cork.

I made a non-alcoholic Sangria, which is a recipe I made last summer and was very popular.  

Last, but not least, I made the real Sangria recipe.  This one is loaded with wine, triple sec, and brandy.  The taste is fantastic.

The plan is to distribute these to friends and co-workers based on preference.  It's been a lot of fun making everything.  I love the process of experimenting with different recipes and combinations.  I probably missed out on a career as a chemist, but I think I like it better as a hobby anyway.

Brewing Activities - 12-2-2012

Today, I made the final kit that I ordered a couple of months ago.  It's called the Brickwarmer Holiday Red.  Reds are one of my favorites as far as boldness of taste and not as strong on the hop end of things.  This one had the malt added all at the beginning of the boil, while the other winter and seasonal ales had the malt added in different phases.  Also, this one had a spice pack of sweet orange peel that is in during the fermentation.  The aroma is excellent!  I think that has been my favorite part of making the winter and holiday ales is the fact that the aroma and spices are very pleasant to the smell.  More than likely, bottling will be the end of December, and then distribution in mid-January.

Here are the ingredients

.5 lb of English Dark Crystal
.25 lb Baird's Carastan
.25 lb Pale Chocolate

6 lbs NB Gold malt syrup
1 lb Wheat dry malt extract
1 lb Amber dry malt extract

1 oz Brewers Gold (60 minutes in boil)
1 oz Styrian Goldings (10 minutes in boil)
1 oz Sweet Orange Peel (add at the end of the boil)