Roggenbier

This is actually a first for me as I haven't yet had the pleasure of using an ingredient that, to me, Denny Conn made famous. Denny, also of the batch sparging fame, has won a few awards for his Rye IPA, if memory serves me, and it was the mention of "spiciness" that the rye added that made this beer interesting to me.

In the years that I spent haunting the Goose Island on Clybourn (who, by the way, have reached an agreement to renew their lease, thereby avoiding the need to find a new locale and resort to the one location in Wrigleyville) I seem to recall them making a few different beers with rye, one of which I believe was a Roggenbier. The number of different beers required to earn my Goose Island MBA was substantial, and I'm certain I've forgotten at least half of them. But I digress....

My recent "studies" of German beers have taken me into some areas I've never delved, but others that just hadn't been visited in quite some time, one of them being Dunkelweizens. This Roggenbier was a 5 gallon batch, using 11.5 pounds of grain, of which almost 44% was made up of Rye Malt. Definitely a difference there. I made a conscious effort to be as careful as possible with my volumes, because of late I'd been lax and just kept running my sparge until I hit around 1.010 on the second runnings. This led to larger than planned for batch sizes and lower gravities. I'd also tried to recirculate as much as possible to put the clearest possible wort in the boil, but with a weizen I guess it isn't as critical. I'm using the WYeast 3638 Bavarian Wheat yeast, which I haven't had any experience with, but so far is running like a champ. A 1000 ml starter had fermentation going within 3 hours of pitching and is already kicking out great banana and clove aromas. I tend to run my weizens in the higher end of the temperature range for these very reasons.

Had some crazy numbers come out of the efficiency calculations, but I use those generally as a ballpark to see if I was somewhere in the right process consistency. This seems to be my biggest weakness, and part of that is because of my setup, which I am constantly tweaking to improve. Who knows, maybe some day I'll hit the jackpot and can afford one of these.

11-29-2008 Roggenbier

A ProMash Brewing Session Report

Brewing Date: Saturday November 29, 2008
Head Brewer: Mike Ring
Recipe: Roggenbier

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
17-B Wheat Beer, Bavarian Dunkelweizen

Min OG: 1.040 Max OG: 1.056
Min IBU: 10 Max IBU: 20
Min Clr: 10 Max Clr: 23 Color in SRM, Lovibond


Recipe Specifics
Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 11.50
Anticipated OG: 1.058 Plato: 14.25
Anticipated SRM: 13.9
Anticipated IBU: 21.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.062 Plato: 15.21
Estimated Alc by Weight: 5.16 by Volume: 6.60 From Measured Gravities.

Actual Mash System Efficiency: 96 %
Anticipated Points From Mash: 57.90
Actual Points From Mash: 74.38


Pre-Boil Amounts
Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour

Raw Pre-Boil Amounts - only targeted volume/gravity and evaporation
rate taken into account:

Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.47 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.045 SG 11.13 Plato

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
43.5 5.00 lbs. Rye Malt America 1.030 4
34.8 4.00 lbs. Munich Malt Germany 1.037 8
17.4 2.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
2.2 0.25 lbs. Chocolate Rye Malt Germany 1.029 260
2.2 0.25 lbs. Caramel Wheat Germany 1.035 46

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Pellet 5.20 16.9 60 min

Extras
Amount Name Type Time
0.25 Lbs Rice Hulls Other 60 Min.(mash)
1.00 Tbsp 5.2 Mash Stabilizer Other 60 Min.(mash)
1.00 Tsp WYeast Yeast Nutrient Other 15 Min.(boil)


Yeast
WYeast 3638 Bavarian Wheat


Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Single Step
Heat Type: Direct (HERMS)
Grain Lbs: 11.50
Water Qts: 15.53 Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 3.88 Before Additional Infusions
Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.35 Before Additional Infusions
Tun Thermal Mass: 0.25
Grain Temp: 68 F Before Additional Infusions

Rest Temp Time
Dough In: 170 0 Min
Saccharification Rest: 152 60 Min
Mash-out Rest: 168 5 Min
Sparge: 170 0 Min

Total Mash Volume Gal: 4.80 - After Additional Infusions

Runnings Stopped At: 1.010 SG 2.56 Plato

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

Efficiency Specifics
Recipe Efficiency Setting: 75 %

At 100 percent extraction from the maximum mash potential:
Total Points: 77.20
Points From Mash: 77.20
Points From Extract/Sugar: 0.00

With the recipe efficiency setting, you should have achieved:
Total Points: 57.90
Points From Mash: 57.90
Points From Extract/Sugar: 0.00

Actuals achieved were:
Actual Points From Mash: 74.38
Actual Mash System Efficiency: 96 %

Generated with ProMash Brewing Software

Pubs in London

In today's Chicago Tribune there is an article regarding the "best" pubs in London. I'd be interested in getting some feedback from those who actually frequent them (and those like Stonch who run them) as to the validity of the statement "six-pack of the best". They are as follows

1. Angel
2. Paxton's Head
3. Jerusalem Tavern (this one I've read about on various blogs)
4. Old Bell Tavern
5. Ye Olde Mitre
6. Nell Gwynne

I have an old college friend who's decided to be an expat in London, and my wife and I thoroughly intend to visit (some day), and it would be nice to know where to find good beer.

Haand Bryggeriet Norse Porter

I don't usually review beers on this site, but maybe I'll start. I've been coming across some rather interesting beers lately and I think they're worth sharing, or at least recording.

This one is batch no. 78 brewed in May 2007. As with my porter, it pours a bit over carbonated with a three-finger head that's sort of a thick, fluffy chocolate ice cream. The head mostly diminishes in a few minutes, but remains as a small, thin head on the beer.

This beer is dark. So dark, in fact, that even when back lit with a halogen bulb I can't see through the bowl of my Sam Adams glass, and the lower portion of the glass shows blood red around the edges, and still more darkness in the center. Black Hole might have been an appropriate name choice for this beer.

The typical porter aroma is definitely there, with hints of chocolate, licorice, malt, a bit of dark fruit (plums, currants), and no hops to speak of. Roast flavors are at the fore, with some sweetness and chocolate, and a bit of espresso-like bitterness. This beer is not thick or heavy, nor is it thin and lifeless. The body is that perfect combination of full body and smoothness that makes you want another, even at 6.5% ABV.

Overall, I really like this beer. Aside from the beer itself, I really like what the guys there are doing. They brew in their spare time because they like brewing, not because they have to. The history of the building is also pretty interesting. Should I ever get to Norway, I'll definitely add this brewery to my itinerary (wife willing, of course).

Imbibers 100

Instructions:

1) Copy this list into your blog, with instructions.
2) Bold all the drinks you’ve imbibed.
3) Cross out any items that you won’t touch
4) Post a comment here and link to your results.

OR

If you don’t have a blog, just count the ones you’ve tried and post the number in the comments section.

List of Drinks You Must Try Before You Expire

1. Manhattan Cocktail
2. Kopi Luwak (Weasel Coffee)
3. French / Swiss Absinthe
4. Root beer
5. Gin Martini
6. Sauternes
7. Whole Milk
8. Tequila (100% Agave)
9. XO Cognac
10. Espresso
11. Spring Water (directly from the spring)
12. Gin & Tonic
13. Mead
14. Westvleteren 12 (Yellow Cap) Trappist Ale
15. Chateau d’Yquem
16. Budweiser
17. Maraschino Liqueur
18. Mojito
19. Orgeat
20. Grand Marnier
21. Mai Tai (original)
22. Ice Wine (Canadian)
23. Red Bull
24. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
25. Bubble Tea
26. Tokaji
27. Chicory
28. Islay Scotch
29. Pusser’s Navy Rum
30. Fernet Branca
31. Fresh Pressed Apple Cider
32. Bourbon
33. Australian Shiraz
34. Buckley’s Cough Syrup
35. Orange Bitters
36. Margarita (classic recipe)
37. Molasses & Milk
38. Chimay Blue
39. Wine of Pines (Tepache)
40. Green Tea
41. Daiginjo Sake
42. Chai Tea
43. Vodka (chilled, straight)
44. Coca-Cola
45. Zombie (Beachcomber recipe)
46. Barley Wine
47. Brewed Choclate (Xocolatl)
48. Pisco Sour
49. Lemonade
50. Speyside Single Malt
51. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
52. Champagne (Vintage)
53. Rosé (French)
54. Bellini
55. Caipirinha
56. White Zinfandel (Blush)
57. Coconut Water
58. Cerveza
59. Cafe au Lait
60. Ice Tea
61. Pedro Ximenez Sherry
62. Vintage Port
63. Hot Chocolate
64. German Riesling
65. Pina Colada
66. El Dorado 15 Year Rum
67. Chartreuse
68. Greek Wine
69. Negroni
70. Jägermeister
71. Chicha
72. Guinness
73. Rhum Agricole
74. Palm Wine
75. Soju
76. Ceylon Tea (High Grown)
77. Belgian Lambic
78. Mongolian Airag
79. Doogh, Lassi or Ayran
80. Sugarcane Juice
81. Ramos Gin Fizz
82. Singapore Sling
83. Mint Julep
84. Old Fashioned
85. Perique
86. Jenever (Holland Gin)
87. Chocolate Milkshake
88. Traditional Italian Barolo
89. Pulque
90. Natural Sparkling Water
91. Cuban Rum
92. Asti Spumante
93. Irish Whiskey
94. Château Margaux
95. Two Buck Chuck
96. Screech
97. Akvavit
98. Rye Whisky
99. German Weissbier
100. Daiquiri (classic)

What does it say about me that there are very few on this list that I haven't tried?

Winter Warmer and Grain Mill Update

The winter warmer was cooking along nicely, what with a nice healthy fast-starting fermentation, when all of a sudden it just kind of crapped out. Just stopped at 1022. This is my first go-around using Wyeast 1028 Scottish Ale yeast, and I think for the most part I was right in the wheelhouse as far as optimal temperature, but it just kind of pooped out on me. Brewed on Saturday, by Tuesday it was done. I tried warming it, I tried rousing the yeast again, but nothing. What I decided to do today was take the 6+ gallons and split it into 2 glass carboys, then pitch about a half sachet of S-04 in each to try to bring it down. 1022 would be fine if I was making a barleywine or some other high-gravity beer starting above 1080, but not for a beer that starts at 1052 with 85% efficiency.

As for the grain mill, I decided I needed a motor with a little more oomph, so I've ordered a 1/3 hp motor for a band saw. That should have the torque and power to run a grain mill and crush even the hardest of grains. We shall see once it arrives and I get it put back together.

As for Adeptus, fear not, everything is boxed and should be heading to the post in the next few days. I've included one of my Survey Porters and a good sized bottle of my Belgian black ale, my take on the New Belgium 1554 black ale.

Winter Warmer and Grain Mills

I've been using an electric drill to power my grain mill (a JSP maltmill) for quite some time now, so I decided to motorize the mill. Using the instructions I found from someone else who'd motorized the same mill, I acquired a 1/40 HP electric motor,  a few sheaves and a belt. After wiring things together, I was ready for the maiden crush, as it were, with the winter warmer, an 8% ABV Old Ale. 

I finished the assembly this morning and had everything going, the mill was running perfectly, and as my buddy Dana started pouring in the almost 12 pounds of Maris Otter, it stopped. Nothing. No noise, no slowing, just stopped. I'd run into issues like this with other grains before that were a bit draker (and presumably harder grains) while using the drill, but I was just confounded. 

Okay, not really. I had actually half expected this to happen, and I imagine that it's from the undersized motor. Since the motor itself only cost me $3.50, it's no big deal, it's just more deflating than anything.

Grain mill aside, things went well and I ended up with 7 gallons of 1.050 OG beer fermenting with a 1500 ml starter. Should do just fine and be ready for Christmas as this one requires an extended aging period.

If anyone else out there (all two of you) have run across this grain mill issue before, I'd love to hear your solutions. And Adeptus, don't worry, I'm getting things packed up this weekend.

Time For Some International Trade

Given the state of the global economy (no thanks to the banks, brokerage houses, short sellers, junkies, winos, caucasians, politicians and everyone else in the world) I have decided to try to spur on international trade on my own. Seems that the good majority of the blogs about beer that I follow are written from the eastern side of the Atlantic, and there is a certain lack of availability of certain American beers on the continent. Conversely, I find myself completely at sea (although very welcome for the eye-opener) when it comes to many of the beers mentioned in the Euro-centric blogs, almost all of which are unavailable here in the states. 

Therefore, I propose something of a beer swap between continents (and I know there's a certain Irishman who's dying for a Goose) to further the expansion of beer education, foster some international trade, and get good and pissed from - I mean learn about - beers which I have no current knowledge of. Send me a list of your wants and possible swap suggestions, and I'll respond likewise.  I think it was Ron Pattinson that I first read mention of de Molen, and now I look for it in every beer store I enter.

Anyhow, that's my proposition. I know of one taker so far, so feel free to shoot me your thoughts.

F(l)at Tire

Well, the Fat tire clone I had done is now in kegs, but it seems at first (and second) glance that either ProMash has some difficulty with their color scale or I am just using the completely wrong malts. While formulating this recipe (from an established recipe, I might add) it seemed I was a bit weak on the color, so I added a WEE bit of debittered black malt. Doesn't really add to the bitterness but is great for adjusting color. Seems now my amber ale is more of a brown ale. Oh well, guess I'll just have to adjust for the next time. I've got 5 gallons carbonating naturally and about a gallon and a half being forced, so we'll leave the side-by-side tastings for another post.

Beer Blogs

So this blogging thing has really opened up my eyes (and brain) to quite an array of opinions and thoughts on beer, not to mention beer I've never even heard of before. Just goes to show how very little I know about the subject. If you want to read a guy who really knows his stuff, try either Tandleman or Ron Pattinson. These guys really know their stuff, and they're pretty entertaining to boot, although they both reside on the other side of the pond. There are plenty more out there as well. Once you start looking, you find more and can't stop.

Good Beer, Good Times

We took the crew down to North Avenue Beach today to watch the Red Bull Flugtag, and afterwards were obviously a bit parched, so we headed over to Uncommon Ground at Clark & Grace, unfortunately in Wrigleyville. Sox/Cubs aside, the food at this joint is always first class, as is their wait staff, and they have some of THE best beers on their menu. I had a great Two Brothers Farmhouse, and the wife had the Left Hand Milk Stout. She's had a thing lately for the milk stouts, and it's obviously the lactose that really does it for her. I wonder if I could add some to the upcoming oatmeal stout brew?

Anyway, last night we settled on some Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald porters, but killed them off, so tonight it's Bell's Porter. I can't tell you how happy I am that Larry Bell is once again distributing in Illinois.

Certified Beer Server

I decided after doing some reading about Ray Daniels to apply to the Cicerone program. For those of you unfamiliar with this program, it's kind of like a sommolier for beer. Check it out at www.cicerone.org. Anyway, the first step in the process is to pass the Certified Beer Server exam, and as you can see, I passed it today. Now it's on to the BJCP Guidelines and intense study of the different beer styles.

As an update to the hop story, the hops have been drying well and I've packaged both Nuggets and Cascades. My neighbor, while doing us a HUGE favor and cutting down the mulberry trees that have been growing like weeds, accidentally snapped my one good Wilamette bine, so I'm hoping the laterals will produce some cones. Anyway, thanks, Tom, for ridding both our yards of those horrific trees.

Hops Update #3: They're HERE!!!!

Looks like the cascades are crossing the finish line first this year, probably due to the sunlight they've received and their conduciveness to the midwestern climate. I have about a dozen full-sized cones that I'm watching carefully to determine harvest time. There are burrs on the nuggets, and the wilamettes are producing laterals at an almost alarming rate, so there's plenty to look forward to in the coming month.

Hops Update #2: Here Come the Hops!

As of today, the Cascades and Nuggets are almost to the top of the trellis, with the Wilamettes not too far behind. I think since the Cascades get the most sun they're the farthest along, which is why I've got cones on the Cascades. Burrs have started on the others, and if these are any indication I should start seeing cones in another 10 days or so on the other two varieties.

Hops Update #1

Here is a picture taken this morning of the current state of my hops. I've got 2 each of Cascades, Nugget and Wilamette, and the Cascades seem to be doing the best, but I think this may be a matter of light as the mulberry tree growing in our neighbor's yard is shading a good portion of the hop yard.

Zymurgy, Volume 31, No. 4

This was the result of Chris Frey's inquiry on the AHA Tech Talk board as to some of the more stupid actions of brewers. Mikey wasn't actually there for the event, but his brother John was, and as I recall him telling the story he just couldn't understand what I was doing. Neither could I.

Hooray For Larry Bell, and Up Yours Union Bev

I think everyone by now knows the saga of Larry Bell (aka Bell's Brewing) and the reason that Bell's is no longer sold in Illinois. To no one's surprise, Larry figured a way around Union and Chicago Beverage Systems, and decided to start another "brewery", Kalamazoo Brewing. I was fortunate enough to sample their "Hopsolution" at the Gingerman last weekend, and man, is it good. Kudos to Larry for sticking it to the man and doing what he wanted in spite of having to walk away from his biggest market.

Larry, along with Jim Koch, should be in the Brewmaster's Hall of Fame.
Here's a little tidbit he offered to KalamaBrew recently:

A Toast with Larry Bell

Better Late Then Never...

Funny thing, when you accept the inevitable, the opposite happens. I had resigned myself to the fact that the few beers I had entered in homebrew contests were always going to come in at the "good, but not great" score level and I'd jest be an average brewer, brewing for myself and friends, but a little package arrived today that raised my spirits a bit.

I guess my beers aren't so crappy after all. I guess I'll keep trying.

Hops

Well, the weather has finally broken and warmed enough where there's no fear of planting, although we've come close with some overnight lows. I've got 6 rhizomes total, 2 each of cascades, nugget and wilamette, and I've got shoots coming up already, having finally put them in the ground last week. Once I get the trellis up and wired I'll post some pictures.

Meanwhile, we're getting ready for some beer and barbecue next weekend, with a menu consisting of a porter brined pork shoulder, peach lambic ribs and scottish ale beans. Pictures of that will be posted as well.

New Beer Labels

National Homebrew Competition

Monday starts the entry window for the National Homebrew Competition, and the Great Lakes Region dropoff point is Two Brothers. Darn, I guess since I'm there I might as well sample their fare.....Entering the Survey Porter, but this time in the Robust Porter category, not the Baltic Porter. Also entering the Butthead Maibock and the Cherry Wheat, but I'm afraid the wheat will be under-carbonated. We'll see what happens.

30 Days in the Hole....

Well, so far the maibock is turning out pretty nicely. The color is good, there are no off flavors (that I've detected yet) and there are no unwanted esters. The hop presence is good, but not overpowering, and overall it's a pretty clean beer. I'll give it another month at 35°F and see how it is at the beginning of April...if I can wait that long.

Out of Primary, Into the (Secondary) Void...

Never having brewed a lager before, this is just kind of trial by fire as I'm fumbling my way through this process using only what I've read. At this moment in time, however, things are looking promising. I've progressed past the diacetyl rest into lagering and now have until May to hope this beer turns out well. No off flavors, good malt presence and a wee bit of hop presence, which I understand to be part of the Maibock style guidelines. There are some esters, though, which I'm hoping will get cleaned up in the lagering process. The sample I pulled during transfer was pretty darn tasty. We'll see what happens.

One other little side note: on Friday, I stopped by the Two Brother Tap Room in Warrenville, which just opened up this past week. They'd encountered countless construction and regulatory delays, but the end result was worth the wait. Their brewery is up and running, and as a fan of their less-than-popular styles, I'm very happy to have this place so close. Imperial and standard versions of their Cane and Ebel red Rye PA and Hop Juice make it a must if in the area.

It's Lagering Time...Butthead Maibock

After my lovely bride finally relented and allowed me to purchase the chest freezer and external temperature controller (you ARE the best, baby!) I figured that it would be the least I could do to try it out as a lagering chamber. After doing a little light reading on the subject, one of the first things I knew that had to be done was to make a starter. On Wednesday I put together a double starter using 2-125 ml packs of WYeast 2124 Bohemian lager, 2 pints of water and 2 cups of DME. I ended up with about a 1400 ml starter that was cooking a few days prior to brewing. Since I was brewing on Saturday, I thought I'd poke around the 'net a little to see what was out there on the subject. Stupid me, I came across Jamil's site a wee bit late. I think his calculator said for a lager of the volume and gravity I was making I'd need a starter of about 2300 ml. Needless to say, another lesson learned.

The brew day itself went well, aside from the temperature dropping to below freezing and my water line freezing up right as I was cooling out of the boil kettle. One other thing that I've learned that I need to pay more attention to is the actual volume produced. While the target OG on this was 1.079, I oversparged and had too much actual wort in the boil, thereby reducing my OG to 1.052. Normally the volume wouldn't be an issue, except since I'm lagering I need to ferment in a carboy, which does NOT have a 14 gallon capacity and has a real capacity of about 5.5 gallons.

Aside from those issues, fermentation was going the next day, and is still going as you can see by the blowoff tube. Hopefully all will continue along, and come May this beer will be something to remember. If I'm lucky, I can propagate what little bit of the yeast I didn't use to brew my New Belgium 1554 Black Ale clone.