Hoppy Brown

grain:

- 22 pounds Briess Pale Ale Malt

- 1 pound Briess Caramel 80
- 1 pound Briess Chocolate

hops:
- 3 ounces Nugget whole hops 90 minutes
- 1 ounce Centennial whole hops 20 minutes

- 1 ounce Centennial whole hops flame out

yeast:
- White Labs California Ale harvested
- Fermentis US-05 harvested

10 gallons

90 minute mash
0 minute mark @ 150 degrees

15 minute mark @ 150 degrees
90 minute mark @ 144 degrees

10 degree Brix pre boil

11 degree Brix post boil (gentle boil?)

Porter

grain:
- 20 pounds 6 ounces Crisp Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt

- 3 pounds Briess Pale Ale Malt
- 3 pounds Briess Caramel 60
- 2 pounds 2 ounces Briess Chocolate

hops:
- 3 ounces Nugget whole hops 90 minutes
- 2 ounces Nugget whole hops 30 minutes

yeast:
- White Labs California Ale harvested
- Fermentis US-05 harvested

10 gallons

90 minute mash
0 minute mark @ 158 degrees
30 minutes mark @ 152 degrees
90 minute mark @ 148 degrees

13 degrees Brix pre boil

15 degrees Brix post boil

American Pale Ale

American Pale Ale

grain:
- 18 pounds Crisp Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
- 1 pound Briess Caramel 60
- 2 ounces Briess Chocolate

hops:
- 2 ounces Nugget whole hops 90 minutes
- 2 ounces Nugget whole hops 30 minutes

yeast:
- White Labs California Ale harvested
- Fermentis US-05 harvested

10 gallons

90 minute mash (100 minutes actually)
0 minute mark @ 156 degrees
30 minutes mark @ 152 degrees
100 minute mark @ 148 degrees
Pre boil Brix 8 degrees ... Too much sparge water. 

American Pale Ale

American Pale Ale

grain:
- 16 pounds Crisp Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
- 2 pound Briess Caramel 60
- 4 ounces Briess Chocolate

hops:
- 2 ounces Nugget whole hops 60 minutes
- 2 ounces Nugget whole hops 30 minutes

yeast:
- White Labs California Ale
- Fermentis US-05

10 gallons

90 minutes mash @ 156 degrees

10 degrees Pre boil Brix

California Ale tasting notes:

- Dry hopped in keg with 1/3 ounce Nugget whole hop

- firmly bitter. Earthy hop flavor and aroma. Bitterness lingers. Perfect bitterness. 

- orange / copper color

- cloudy

- easy drinking

- medium to medium heavy body

- no roasty flavors from chocolate malt

- good brew. Age for 3-4 weeks before serving. Replace Nugget flavor hops with more delicate aroma hop next time. Same with aroma Nugget hops. 

American Red Ale and Pale Ale

grain:
- 14 pounds Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt blend (red ale)
- 1 pound Caramel 80 (red ale)
- 2 ounces Fawcett pale chocolate malt (red ale)

- 18 pounds Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt blend (pale ale)

hops:
- 2 ounces Colombus whole hops 90 minutes (red ale)
- 2 ounces Summit whole hops 30 minutes (red ale)

- 2 ounces Chinook whole hops 90 minutes (pale ale)
- 2 ounces Ahtanum whole hops 30 minutes (pale ale)

yeast:
- red ale American yeast from American Style English Bitter
- pale ale West Workshire yeast from American Style English Bitter

American Style English Bitter

grain:
- 18 pounds Muntons Maris Otter
- 1 pound Muntons Crystal Malt 60

hops:
- 2 ounces Centennial whole hops 90 minutes
- 2 ounces Citra whole hops 30 minutes

yeast:
- Wyeast American Ale
- Wyeast West Yorkshire Ale

5 gallons x 2 batches notes

- low mash temperature (145?)
- American ale on tap is well balanced. A bit thin. Definitely shoot higher. Good brew though.

Imperial IPA and Amber Ale

grain (both):
- 30 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt blend
- 1 pound Briess Caramel 10
- 1 pound Briess Caramel 40
- 1 pound Briess Munich

grain (Amber Ale added after first runnings taken for IPA):
- 10 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt blend
- 2 pounds Briess Caramel 40
- 2 pounds Briess Caramel 120
- 1 pound Briess Munich
- 1 pound Briess Vienna

hop (IPA):
- 1/2 ounce Columbus whole hops (60 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Columbus whole hops (30 minutes)
- 1 ounce Cascade whole hops (30 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Columbus whole hops (20 minutes)
- 1 ounce Cascade whole hops (20 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Columbus whole hops (10 minutes)
- 1 ounce Cascade whole hops (10 minutes)

hop (Amber Ale):
- 2 ounces Columbus whole hops (60 minutes)
- 2 ounces Columbus whole hops (10 minutes)
- 2 ounces Cascade whole hops (10 minutes)

yeast: White Labs San Diego Super Strain from 2012 Harvest Ale

comments:
Parti-gyle style with large addition of base malt to the second runnings to boost gravity.
batch size: 5 gallons (IPA) and 10 gallons (Amber Ale)
ambient outdoor temperature: not recorded
ambient basement temperature: 68 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity pre boil (IPA): 17.5 degrees Brix
gravity post boil (IPA): 20 degrees Brix (not recorded but fuzzy remembered)
gravity pre boil (Amber Ale): 13 degrees Brix
gravity post boil (Amber Ale): 15.5 degrees Brix
first runnings mash start at 6:50 AM at 150

7:30 AM at 148
mash end 8:20 at 148

second runnings mash start at 8:30 AM at 150

mash end 10 AM at 148

-notes:
- this about sums it up

- fall descending on the brewery

 - amber ale mash near the end ... filled to the brim

 - racking amber ale to carboy

 - lots of spent grain and hops destined for the compost

- fermentation chamber; top row left to right: 2012 Harvest Ale (Denny's Fav 50), Imperial IPA, Imperial Stout; bottom row left to right: Amber Ale, Amber Ale, Mild Ale.

The Imperial IPA and Amber Ale started fermenting within hours.  Fermentation is strong, foam blown off into unseen container to the bottom left.

2012 Harvest Ale

grain:
- 25 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 2 pounds Briess Caramel Malt 80
- 1 pound Briess Carapils

hop:
- 2 ounces homegrown Chinook wet hops (60 minutes)
- 5 ounces homegrown Cascade wet hops (20 minutes)

yeast: Wyeast Denny's Fav 50 and White Labs San Diego Super Strain

comments:
Annual 100% homegrown hop ale.  I hope it is hoppy.

batch size: 10 gallons

ambient outdoor temperature: not recorded
ambient basement temperature: 68 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity pre boil: 13.5 degrees Brix
gravity post boil: 15 degrees Brix

mash details:
- start at 6:30 AM at 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- end at 8 AM at 150 degrees Fahrenheit

2012 Imperial Stout and Mild Ale

grain:
- 35 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 2 1/2 pounds Briess Roasted Barley
- 1 pound Briess Carapils
- 1 pound Briess Chocolate malt
- 1 pound Briess Black malt
- 8 ounces Briess Caramel 120
- 4 ounces Briess Caramel 60
- 4 ounces Briess Caramel 90

hop (Imperial Stout)
- 2 ounces Columbus whole hops (60 minutes)
- 1 ounce Columbus whole hops (30 minutes)

hop (Mild Ale):
- 1 ounce East Kent Goldings whole hops (60 minutes)
- 1 ounce East Kent Goldings whole hops (flame out)

yeast: Wyeast London ESB (from English IPA via English Bitter Ale)

comments:
Not messing around. Huge roasty, rich stout with formidable strength. The 2012 incarnation of Imperial Stout will be stronger and thicker than the prior version (2010?).

The second runnings of the mash produce a Mild ale. Unsure how mild-like it will be. More roast character made it through than I expected. Might resemble a dry stout.

batch size: 5 gallons (Imperial Stout); 10 gallons (Mild Ale)

ambient outdoor temperature: triple digits ... 100 degrees Fahrenheit plus
ambient basement temperature: 68 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity pre boil (Imperial Stout): 20 degrees Brix
gravity post boil (Imperial Stout): 23 degrees Brix

gravity pre boil (Mild Ale): 9 degrees Brix
gravity post boil (Mild Ale): 10 1/2 degrees Brix

mash details:
- start at 11:13 AM at 156 degrees Fahrenheit
- 11:46 AM at 154 degrees Fahrenheit
- 12:24 AM at 150 degrees Fahrenheit

notes:
- It was difficult to cool the wort to fermentation temperature on this 100+ degree Summer afternoon. 75 was the closest I could get. The wort cooled to about 70 degrees on the basement floor before fermentation started getting strong about 18 hours after pitching. A slow start due to the yeast sitting for too long before being reused. Next time I plan to make a starter from the yeast cake so that plenty of active yeast is ready to go. I think these batches will be fine but I was initially concerned.
- The London ESB yeast is extremely flocculent. I roused the yeast in all 3 carboys about 12 hours into fermentation. That seemed to help get fermentation going too. - Foam was billowing out of the kettle as I walked back into the garage after being away too long. This shot shows the dark beer boiling and the aftermath of a boil over on the garage floor.
 
- Racking the Imperial Stout to the fermenter. It was a hot day. A pint of the American Small Ale to the left.
 
- The spent grains cooling down. Destined for compost. 40+ pounds of grain!

- Racking the Mild Ale to the fermenters.
 

Chancellor Ale and American Small Ale

grain:
- 31 pounds Maris Otter Pale Ale malt (both)
- 13 ounces Briess Caramel 60 (American Small Ale)

hop (Chancellor Ale):
- 4 5/8 ounces East Kent Golding whole hops (90 minutes)

hop (American Small Ale):
- .53 ounces Columbus whole hops (90 minutes)
- 1 ounce Columbus whole hops (flame out)

yeast: Wyeast West Yorkshire (from English IPA via English Bitter Ale)

comments:
The Chancellor is another brew inspired by brew author Terry Foster.  Basically a hoppy English Barleywine.  One to age for a while.  Maybe crack one open at the first snow.

The American Small Ale was brewed in the parti-gyle style.  The second runnings of the Maris Otter was combined with the Caramel malt to produce a light gravity, slightly caramelly wort.  Hopped with a classic American variety just in time for 4th of July celebrations.

batch size: 5 gallons (Chancellor Ale); 10 gallons (American Small Ale)

ambient outdoor temperature: 80s
ambient basement temperature: 66 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity pre boil (Chancellor Ale): 18 degrees Brix
gravity post boil (Chancellor Ale): 23 degrees Brix

gravity pre boil (American Small Ale): 7 degrees Brix
gravity post boil (American Small Ale): 9 degrees Brix

mash details:
- start at 7:10 AM at 160 degrees Fahrenheit
- 7:20 AM at 154 degrees Fahrenheit
- 90 minutes at 150 degrees Fahrenheit

notes:
- Chancellor Ale racking.  Image shows yeast lineage.

- American Small Ale boil.
- The Columbus hops and an English Bitter Ale. Looks good.

- Fermentation chamber.

- Racking the American Small Ale to carboy.

- American Small Ale fermentation was weird. Hardly any foam ... but bubbles ... and a lot of movement. Never seen anything like it.

English India Pale Ale

grain:
- 21 pounds Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 4 1/2 ounces Briess Caramel 60

hop:
- 4 1/2 ounces East Kent Golding whole hops (90 minutes)
- 2 ounces East Kent Golding whole hops (flame out)

yeast: Wyeast London ESB and Wyeast West Yorkshire (both from English Bitter Ale)

comments:
Under-gravity for the style (English IPA often in the 5 -  6% abv range.  I added too much sparge water.  This will be more like a very hoppy, clean English Pale.  You dig?

batch size: 10 gallons (the yeast split between 5 gallons)

ambient outdoor temperature: 60s
ambient basement temperature: 64 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity pre boil: 9.25 degrees Brix
gravity post boil: 11.25 degrees Brix

mash details:
- start at 6:30 AM at 156 degrees Fahrenheit
- 7:20 AM at 154 degrees
- 8:30 AM at 160 degrees after sparge water added

notes:
- Check out all those Goldings at the bottom of the kettle.  6 1/2 ounces.

- Fermentation started in a few hours.  This is an image at about 18 hours.  The London ESB on the left and the West Yorkshire on the right.  Good thing I went with the blow-off setup.  This is a good example of the unpredictability of needing a blow-up.  Exact same wort, exact same conditions, very similar yeast yet one ends up with a lot more krausen.  Use a blow-off set up.  Peace of mind.

-  A close up of the West Yorkshire fermentation ... taking care of business.

English Bitter Ale

grain
- 13 pounds Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 1 pound Briess Caramel 80

hop
- 1 1/2 ounces East Kent Golding whole hops (90 minutes)
- 1 ounces East Kent Golding whole hops (dry)

yeast: Wyeast London ESB and Wyeast West Yorkshire

comments:
Low gravity bitter ale.  Simplest grain and hop bill to date?  I have not been more excited about a beer.  A return to simple recipes and a desire for balanced beers.

The yeast propagated in this batch is planned to be pitched into a near-future batch of English IPA. The yeast from the IPA will be pitched into near-future Imperial Stout, English Mild, Chancellor Ale, and English Pale Ale.

Two yeast starters were created on the previous Sunday.  Tuesday they were stepped-up.  The beer was poured off the yeast cake on brew day until only enough remained to loosen up the yeast by shaking and swirling the solution.  That solution was pitched separately into the two 5 gallon batches of Bitter.  The ESB yeast is extremely flocculant.  Looked like chunks of tofu in the starter.

The West Yorkshire shows obvious signs of fermentation 6 hours after pitching.  The ESB is a little slower ... I agitated the carboy in hopes of getting more of the yeast into suspension.  The ESB is working ... just more slowly.

batch size: 10 gallons (the yeast split between 5 gallons)

ambient outdoor temperature: upper 80s
ambient basement temperature: 64 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity pre boil: 8 degrees Brix
gravity post boil: 10 degrees Brix

final gravity (West Yorkshire): 1.010 (3.75% abv)
final gravity (London ESB): 1.010 (3.75% abv)

Imperial Common and Small Common

grain (first runnings)
- 30 pounds Briess 2 Row Brewer's Malt
- 3 pounds Briess Carapils

grain (added after first runnings)
- 3 pounds Briess Carapils
- 1 pound Briess Caramel 60

hop (Imperial Common)
- 3 ounce Northern Brewer whole hops 60 minutes
- 1/2 ounce Northern Brewer whole hops 30 minutes
- 1/2 ounce Northern Brewer whole hops 20 minutes

hop (Small Common)
- 2 ounces Northern Brewer whole hops 60 minutes
- 1/2 ounce Northern Brewer whole hops 30 minutes
- 1/2 ounce Northern Brewer whole hops 20 minutes

yeast: Wyeast California Lager (from California Common 2012)

comments:
Parti-gyle style.  Big Imperial Common with first runnings.  Small Common with second runnings. 

Focus on the malt.  Less hop character than previous Commons.

batch size: 5 gallons (Imperial Common) and 10 gallons (small common)

ambient outdoor temperature: cold
ambient basement temperature: 58 degrees Fahrenheit

gravity: 1.075 OG / 18.5 degrees Brix (Imperial Common); 1.040 OG / 8 degrees Brix (Small Common);

notes:

California Common 2011

grain
- 20 pounds Briess 2 Row Brewer's Malt
- 2 pounds Briess Caramel 60
- 2 pounds Briess Carapils

hop
- 1 ounce Northern Brewer whole hops 60 minutes
- 2 ounces Northern Brewer whole hops 30 minutes
- 2 ounces Northern Brewer whole hops 20 minutes

yeast: Wyeast California Lager

comments:
Plentiful hops in this thick, caramelly rendition of an old school west coast lager.

batch size: 10 gallons

ambient outdoor temperature: 23 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 60 degrees Fahrenheit

notes:
- 2 ounces of Northern Brewer hops.  Some are a little brown.  I do not know why.  They taste good.

- Wheel barrow after adding the spent grains to the compost.  I thought this looked wintery.  It was cold this day but still no snow.

- This was right after a boil-over.  I may never learn not to turn my back on the boil.

- Wheat wine to warm me up.

- Transfering the first 5 gallons to the fermenter.

- One day later the fermentation is going well.  It was slow to start ... about 16 hours.  Once it started it went from nothing to krausen in a flash.  Note the blow off hoses in the foreground.  I do not think I will need them for this batch but the added security is worth it.  Plus it might be less work than using an airlock.

Old Romantic Ale and 2011 Harvest Ale

grain (Old Ale and Harvest Ale)
- 36 pounds and 10 ounces Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 1 pound Briess Caramel 60

grain (Harvest Ale - added to second mash)
- 4 ounces Briess Roasted Malt

hop (Old Ale)
- 3 ounces Willamette whole hops 60 minutes
- 3 ounces Willamette whole hops 30 minutes

hop (Harvest Ale)
- 3 ounces homegrown Chinook wet hops 60 minutes
- 1 3/4 ounces homegrown Chinook wet hops 30 minutes
- 5 1/8 ounces homegrown Cascade wet hops 30 minutes

yeast: Wyeast Irish Ale from Red Ale

comments:
Malt-forward pale Old Ale featuring mild, foral Willamette hops.  Harvest Ale is a session pale ale spiced with 2011 homegrown hops.  The third installment of parti-gyle style brewing.

batch size: 5 gallons (Old Ale); 10 gallons (Harvest Ale)

ambient outdoor temperature: 60 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 70 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes
- (8:45 AM) mash start at 156 degrees Fahrenheit
- (9:10 AM) at 154 degrees Fahrenheit
- (10:15 AM) end at 154 degrees Fahrensheit

- pre boil Brix reading (Old Ale): 17.5 degrees
- pre boil Brix reading (Harvest Ale): 9 degrees

boil notes
- 60 minute boil (both)

- post boil Brix reading (Old Ale): 20.25 degrees
- post boil Brix reading (Harvest Ale): 10.25 degrees

brew date: 9/17/2011
keg date:

notes:
- harvested homegrown hops.  Chinook on top and Cascades on the bottom.

- Adding wet hops to the Harvest Ale: 

- fresh, green wet hops in the boil

- harvest ale is a decent, pale ale.  could be hoppier.  use a clean american yeast next time

2011 American Red Ale

grain

- 19 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt

- 2 pounds 2 ounces Briess Caramel 80
- 1 pound 2 ounces Fawcett Amber malt

- 4 ounces Briess Roast malt

hop

- 1/2 ounce Columbus whole hops 60 minutes

- 2 ounces Columbus whole hops 30 minutes

- 2 ounces Cascade whole hops 20 minutes

yeast: Wyeast Irish Ale (two packs)

comments:
Thick, hop-bursted malty American-style autumn ale

batch size: 10 gallons

ambient outdoor temperature: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 72 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes
- (8:00 AM) mash start at 156 degrees Fahrenheit

- (8:50 AM) at 154 degrees

- (9:30 AM) ended

- pre boil Brix reading: 12 degrees

boil notes

- 60 minute boil

- post boil Brix reading: 13.25 degrees

brew date: 9/3/2011

keg date:

notes:
- low volume yield; approximately two 4 gallon batches; should have added enough sparge water to reach the top of the mash tun
- White Labs yeast is excellent and I have used it most of my beers. I tried the Wyeast Activator yeast this time for convenience (no need for a yeast starter). I activated the yeast the night before brew day. The next morning the Activator packs were fully expanded and the yeast was ready to get to work. Excited to taste test the resulting beer.
- lots of hops in the boil:

- draining from kettle into fermentor:

- this red turned out brown.  likely the amber  malt.  clearly inappropriate for this style.  hoppy with lingering grainy, caramel flavor.  "it's alright".  exclude the amber malt and reduce the dark caramel malt next time.  hard to judge the yeast ... it's an after thought in this brew dominated by hops and malt.

American Strong Ale 2011 and American Dry Stout

grain (American Strong Ale; American Dry Stout)
- 36 pounds Briess Pale Ale malt
- 1 pound Special B
- 4 ounces Chocolate malt

grain (American Dry Stout; added to mash after first runnings became American Strong Ale)
- 2 pounds Briess Roasted Barley
- 13.5 ounces Chocolate malt

hop (Amercan Strong Ale):
- 3 ounces Appollo whole hops 60 min
- 3 ounces Appollo whole hops 10 min

hop (American Dry Stout):
- 2 ounces Columbus whole hops 60 min

yeast: White Labs California Ale from American Pale Ale 2011

comments:
Strong and hoppy; dry and roasty. An ode to things past.

batch size: 5 gallon (Strong Ale); 10 gallons (Stout)

ambient outdoor temperature: 90 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 68 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes (American Strong Ale; American Dry Stout):
- (7:20 PM) mash start at 156 degrees Fahrenheit
- (7:55 PM) at 152 degrees
- (9:00 PM) ended
- pre boil Brix reading (American Strong Ale): 16 degrees

mash notes (American Dry Stout)
- Roasted Barley and Chocolate malt added for 40 minutes at 160 degrees Fahrenheit
- pre boil Brix reading (American Dry Stout): 10 degrees

boil notes (American Strong Ale):
- 60 minute boil
- post boil Brix reading: 18 degrees

boil notes (American Dry Stout):
- 60 minute boil
- post boil Brix reading: 12 degrees

brew date: 7/16/2011

keg date:

bottled date:  11/7/2011 (strong ale)
notes:
- Parti-gyle technique; Strong Ale with the first runnings and Dry Stout with the second. The second running also received 2 pounds roasted barley and 13 ounces of Chocolate malt. The Chocolate was added to adjust color.
- Lots of activity in the fermentation chamber:

- Late night brewing.

- Mash

- Transfering the second 5 gallons of the stout ... its late.

American Pale Ale 2011

grain:
- 16 pounds Briess Pale Ale
- 1/2 pound Briess Caramel 20
- 1/4 pound Briess Red Wheat

hop:
- 1/2 ounce Appollo whole hops 60 minutes
- 3 ounces Appollo whole hops 30 minutes

yeast: White Labs California Ale

comments:
Modest body; immodest hops.

batch size: 10 gallon

ambient outdoor temperature: 90 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 68 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (9:15 AM) mash start at 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- (9:28 AM) at 156 degrees (opened lid to cool off)
- (9:43 AM) at 154 degrees
- (10:03 AM) at 152 degrees
- (10:20 AM) at 150 degrees
- (10:42 AM) mash end at 150 degrees (after adding sparge water)
- pre boil Brix reading: 7.25 degrees

boil notes:
- 60 minute boil
- post boil Brix reading: 8.75 degrees

brew date: 7/6/2011

keg date: unknown; but loose hops clogged the system and much of the beer was lost to foam; laziness ... i did not use a hop bag in the keg

bottle date: 8/26/2011

notes:
- summery out there

- the boil

Wheat Wine and Small Wheat

grain:
- 35 pounds Briess Red Wheat Malt
- 15 pounds Briess Pilsen Malt

hop:
- (Wheat Wine) 3 ounces Willamette whole hops (60 minutes)
- (Wheat Wine) 2 ounce Willamette whole hops (flame out)
- (Small Wheat) 1 ounce Willamette whole hops (60 minutes)
- (Small Wheat) 1 ounce Willamette whole hops (flame out)

yeast: White Labs German Ale/Kolsch from Wheat Ale 2011

comments:
The parti-gyle brewing technique involves making multiple beers from a single mash. In this case a strong, malt focused Wheat Wine with the first runnings and a small, doughy Wheat Ale from the second.

batch size: (Wheat Wine) 5 gallon (Small Wheat) 10 gallon

ambient outdoor temperature: 84 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 63 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- mash start at 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- at 30 minutes at 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- at 60 minutes at 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- at mash end (90 minutes) at 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- first runnings brix reading: 18 degrees Brix (Wheat Wine)
- second runnings brix reading: 7 degrees Brix (Small Wheat)

boil notes:
- 60 minute boils
- post boil Brix reading: (Wheat Wine) 19.25 degrees Brix (Small Wheat) 8.75 degrees Brix

brew date: 6/18/2011
keg date: unknown; wheat flavor dominates
bottle date: 8/13/2011 (wheat ale)
bottle date: 11/5/2011 (wheat wine)

notes:
- Cracking 35 pounds of wheat malt is no small task. Shortly after starting I considered bringing the malt to Sicilianos (my local homebrew shop) and cracking it there with their motorized grain mill. But I toughed it out.
- 6:30 AM. All that grain to crack ...

- Huge mash. Almost time to sparge the Wheat Wine.

- Transfering Wheat Wine to fermenter post boil.

- Still transfering the Wheat Wine. The Small Wheat is firing up for the boil on the right.

- Transfering the second 5 gallons of the Small Wheat.

- Trio of fermenters in the basement. The Wheat Wine on the right started bubbling in less than an hour. Incredible. The Small Wheat was well under way the next morning. Make no mistake ... there is barleywine in the Sunset Wheat case on the shelf. :)

- The first bucket of grain. There was probably another half bucket.

Wheat Ale - American Wheat 2011

grain:
- 14 pounds Briess Red Wheat Malt
- 6 pounds Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt
- 5 pounds Briess Pilsen Malt

hop:
- 1 1/2 ounces Willamette whole hops (60 minutes)
- 1 ounce Willamette whope hops (flame out)

yeast: White Labs German Ale/Kolsch

comments:
- wheat dominates; hops to balance and bouquet; its summer summer summer time

batch size: 10 gallon

ambient outdoor temperature: 82 degrees Fahrenheit?
ambient basement temperature: 63 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- ( 7:45 AM) mash start @ 148 degrees Fahrenheit
- ( 8:30 AM) @ 148 degrees Fahrenheit (added hot water)
- ( 9:15 AM) no-sparge mash out
- no-sparge reading @ 12 degrees Brix

boil notes:
- 60 minute boil
- post boil Brix reading: 13.75 degrees

brew date: 6/4/2011
keg date: 6/18/2011 (one 5 gallons carbonated naturally with priming sugar and the other 5 gallons force carbonated). Enjoyed the forced on 6/21/2011.

notes:
- 5:45 AM wake up this morning; I dig it. Brewing operations finished around 2 PM. Maybe the earliest in history. Here is a shot early as the sun begins to rise.

- Draining the second 4 or so gallons of the 8 or so gallon batch. Lots of stuff happening in this photo.

- 2011 hops! New trellis system is better ... a win. Plants grew beyond capacity though. So improvement next year is a lock.
The Chinook again is stronger. Cascade is on the right ... More Cascades this year but still obviously weaker than the Chinook. I do not know why. Looking forward to the Harvest Ale in September or early October.

- Refreshingly citrusy; flowery wheat aroma; thick bodied ... use less malt next year but keep the % wheat the same.