India Pale Ale

grain:
- 20 pounds Muntons English Pale Ale Malt (Maris Otter)
- 8 ounces Muntons Crystal Malt (60 Lovibond)

hop:
- 3 ounces Nugget (whole hops) 90 minutes
- 1 ounce Amarillo (whole hops) 30 minutes
- 1 ounce Amarillo (whole hops) 20 minutes
- 1/4 ounce Cascade (whole hops) 0 minutes
- 1/3 ounce US Goldings (whole hops) 0 minutes
- 1/4 ounce Cascade (whole hops) dry hopped
- 1/3 ounce US Goldings (whole hops) dry hopped

yeast: White Labs Dry English Ale Yeast from Pale Ale; wort dumped directly onto trub

comments:
A strong India Pale Ale showcasing high bitterness, citrus flavors, and floral aroma.

batch size: 5 gallon

ambient outdoor temperature: 55 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 60 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (9:30 AM) mash start @ 148 degrees Fahrenheit
- (10:00 AM) @ 146 degrees Fahrenheit (stir and add 2 - 3 quarts hot water)
- first sparge at 17.25 degrees Brix
- second sparge at 14 degrees Brix

boil notes:
- (12:30 PM) boil start
- (2:10 PM) boil end
- post boil Brix reading: 19 degrees (about 9.5% potential abv)

brew date: 3/19/2010
secondary date: 4/3/2010 (15 days in primary)
bottled date: 5/29/2010 (45 days in secondary)

notes:
- a bitter mouthful of hop flavor mingles with an obvious alcoholic bite at bottling time ... just as drawn up
- overall a good, strong IPA ... very bitter ... but lacks fruity and floral hop aroma ... use only American hops next time

Pale Ale

grain:
- 10 pounds 4 ounces Muntons English Pale Ale Malt (Maris Otter)
- 8 ounces Muntons Crystal Malt (60 Lovibond)

hop:
- 1 ounce Brewers Gold (pellets) 90 minutes
- 1/4 ounce Fuggles (whole hops) 0 minutes
- 1/4 ounce Cascade (whole hops) 0 minutes
- 1/3 ounce US Goldings (whole hops) 0 minutes

yeast: White Labs Dry English Ale Yeast

comments:
This Pale Ale is based on a recipe in Terry Foster's book Pale Ale. A lower gravity, dry Pale for the tap. Quickly conditioned brew targeted for release in about a month. The first ale of 2010.

batch size: 5 gallon

ambient outdoor temperature: 46 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 55 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (1:10 PM) mash start @ 154 degrees Fahrenheit
- (2:20 PM) @ 150 degrees Fahrenheit (stir and add 2 - 3 quarts hot water)

boil notes:
- (3:40 PM) boil start
- (5:15 PM) boil end
- post boil Brix reading: 12 degrees (about 5.5% potential abv)

brew date: 3/7/2010
keg date: 3/19/2010 with about 1/2 cup priming solution in 2 cups water
tap date: 4/6/2010

notes:
- natural carbonation worked well
- beer has an earthy aroma ... i prefer flowery and citrusy more than this aroma ... must be from the Fuggles and US Goldings
- overall an enjoyable beer ... though was not ready for basketball

California Common - Steam Beer

grain:
- 22 pounds Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 1 pound 4 ounces crystal 40 malt
- 1 pound Dingmans Carapils malt

hop:
- 3 ounces Northern Brewer 60 minutes (whole hops)
- 1/2 ounce Northern Brewer 30 minutes (whole hops)
- 1/2 ounce Northern Brewer flame out (whole hops)

yeast: White Labs San Francisco Lager Yeast

comments:
Finally a California Common true to style. Big body from Pale Ale and Carapils malts with an assertive bouquet of Northern Brewer hops.

ambient outdoor temperature: 25 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 55 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (1:15 PM) mash start @ 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- (1:45 PM) @ 150 degrees Fahrenheit (stir and add 2 - 3 quarts hot water)
- (2:20 PM) @ 152 degrees Fahrenheit (stir and add 2 - 3 quarts hot water)
- (2:50 PM) first sparge @ 19.5 degrees Brix
- (unknown) second sparge @ 15 degrees Brix
- (unknown) third sparge @ 13 degrees Brix (estimating about 6% abv)

boil notes:
- (4:30 PM) boil start
- (5:45 PM) boil end

brew date: 2/6/2010
keg date: 2/23/2010 (half); force carbonate under 10 PSI at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit
secondary date: to be determined
bottle date: to be determined

photos:
- from left to right: two Steam Beer (Commons), Common, Baltic Porter, and another Common. Fermentation of the Steam Beer has started. Notice the blow off hose setup. Required for sure in the 5 gallon but probably not the 6 1/2 gallon (update: blow off in 6 1/2 gallon proved wise. Krausen grew close to the top). Fermentation is slow but growing about 36 hours after pitching the yeast.

notes:
- very good Common ... continue to use Northern Brewer hops in the future

Two a Day Baltic Porter

grain:
- 8 pounds 4 3/4 ounces Weyermann Pilsner malt
- 4 pounds Weyermann Vienna malt
- 4 pounds Weyermann Munich malt
- 1 pound Dark Munich malt
- 3/4 pound Caramel 80
- 3/4 pound Caramel 120
- 3/4 pound Black Patent
- 3/4 pound Chocolate malt

hop:
- 2 ounces Perle 60 minutes (whole hops)
- 1/2 ounce Mt. Hood 15 minutes (pellet hops)
- 1/2 ounce Mt. Hood dry (pellet hops)

yeast:
- White Labs San Francisco Lager Yeast (yeast cake from Earthy)

comments:
A continental Porter nearing Imperial Stout strength. Most complex malt bill I have ever used. A recipe from MoreBeer altered slightly.

ambient outdoor temperature: 21 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 52 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (1:20 PM) mash start @ 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- (1:50 PM) @ 152 degrees Fahrenheit
- (2:20 PM) @ 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- (2:50 PM) @ 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- (approx 3:30 PM) first and only sparge @ 15.5 Brix (estimating about an 8% beer)

boil notes:
- (4:05 PM) boil start
- (5:10 PM) boil end

brew date: 1/9/2010
secondary date: 1/31/2010 (22 days in primary)
bottle date: 4/11/2010 (70 days in secondary)
first bottle opened: to be determined

notes:
- minty, roasty, and chocolately flavors mingle at bottling time ... a good brew is anticipated after a few months in the bottle.
- a dark brew enjoyed as the Summer sun sets one July evening

Earthy and Girthy

grain:
- 20 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 2 pounds 1 1/2 ounces Briess crystal 60
- 2 pounds 1/2 ounces Munich malt

hop:
- 1 1/2 ounces Amarillo (60 minutes)
- 1 1/4 ounce Amarillo (30 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Fuggle (dry)

yeast:
- White Labs San Francisco Lager Yeast

comments:
Pale, clean lager with a caramel sweetness and earthy, floral hop flavor.

ambient outdoor temperature: 31 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 56 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (1:45 PM) mash start @ 148 degrees Fahrenheit
- (1:57 PM) @ 152 degrees Fahrenheit after hot water infusion
- (2:15 PM) @ 148 degrees Fahrenheit
- (2:50 PM) @ 144 degrees Fahrenheit
- (3:30 PM) first sparge @ 19 degrees Brix
- (4:00 PM) final sparge 13 1/4 Brix ... estimating about 6.5 abv

boil notes:
- (4:30 PM) boil start
- (5:45 PM) boil end

notes:
- vigorous boil
- delicious caramel aroma during the mash
- was planning to brew this batch last weekend but the outdoor spigot was frozen
- on the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ... five brews conditioning. Merry Christmas from the cellar. From left to right: Earthy and Girthy #1 and #2 (primary fermentation), Nugget at Both Ends, Imperial Stout and Porter (all in secondary). Dry hops visible in secondaries. This is quite a rare sight with so many brews conditioning at the same time. The Commons are much lighter than the image indicates.

- half bottled on 2/21/2010
- 5/29/2010 update: as the warmer than usual Spring warmed the basement to 70 degrees, refrigerating these beers became necessary.  Surprisingly this beer tastes great at near freezing temperatures.  Hop flavors are somewhat subdued but the brew is much cleaner than it was in the 60 - 70 degree range.  A winner.

Michigan Real Ale

An experiment: naturally carbonate the Common in the keg. I expect an interesting carbonation. A touch of authenticity. Commons where krausened on packaging which resulted in a naturally carbonated and often highly carbonated "real ale". Though my technique does not involve drawing krausen from fermenting beer, it does provide the necessary sugars to naturally carbonate the beer.

equipment:
- small pot (I use a 3 quart pot)
- stove

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cups light dry malt extract

Process:
- draw 1 1/2 cups water into pot and place on stove and heat over medium to medium-high heat.
- as water heats, stir the water to wet the inside of the pot. this helps against burning the extract on the side of the pot later on.
- add the 3/4 cups dry malt extract and stir thoroughly. stop stirring when all the clumps of extract dissolve.
- boil for 8 minutes.
- sterilize the lid of the pot by placing it onto the pot and continue boiling for about 2 minutes. be sure it does not boil over. as foam increases, lifting the lid usually reduces it. heat lid enough to sterilize the surfaces.

Then prepare your keg as usual and add the solution to the keg prior to racking the beer into the keg. Purge oxygen as usual after filled and then pressurize to about 3 PSI. Monitor for high pressure for about a 2 week period and purge as necessary. Beware: pressure could reach dangerous levels during this period. Proceed at your own risk. (This is actually untrue ... I would not purge during conditioning ... or any time until enjoying. Conserving the note for nostalgia).

Notes:
In this case, I dry hopped 1/4 ounces of Nugget. Nugget has quite a earthy flavor for an American hop. I am interested to see if I can capture some of that in the aroma.

I estimate between 1 to 2 weeks aging period. Hoping to have it on tap for Christmas celebrations.

After notes:
By the way, the California Common or "Steam Beer" is amongst the most fitting beers to brew in Michigan. It has a long season, assuming you ferment in a basement. Basement temperature is between 55 and 65 from late November through March. Brave the cold. Beer some beer. Every Michigan brewer should brew Common.

Here is the first draw from under high pressure. Silky smooth topped with a frothy head. Very nice.

Nugget at Both Ends

grain:
- 18 pounds Muntons Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
- 2 pounds Briess crystal 60
- 2 pounds Munich malt

hop:
- 1 1/2 ounces Nugget (60 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Amarillo (40 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Amarillo (30 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Amarillo (20 minutes)
- 1/2 ounce Nugget(dry)

yeast:
- White Labs San Francisco Lager Yeast

comments:
Sweet, malty, hoppy pale ale / lager hybrid. The temperature and yeast suggests a California Common. The hops, however, a Pale Ale.

The Nugget dry hops is an experiment. I think they smell good.

The long Ale season was fun this year. Brewed the last ale in early November (Imperial Stout). Now the basement is about 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideal fermentation temperature for Commons.

ambient outdoor temperature: 39 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient basement temperature: 62 degrees Fahrenheit

mash notes:
- (10:20 AM) mash start @ 146 degrees Fahrenheit
- (10:40 AM) @ 148 degrees Fahrenheit
- (11:00 AM) @ 146 degrees Fahrenheit
- (11:25 AM) sparge water added; mash @ 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- (12:10 PM) first sparge @ 18 degrees Brix
- second sparge @ 12 Brix after water added to increase volume; estimating a 6% beer

boil notes:
- (1:30 PM) boil start
- (2:40 PM) boil end

notes:
- boil not as vigorous as it probably should have been. check for issues in final product.

tasting notes:
Strong bitterness, bright and fruity hop flavor with moderate aroma.

- half bottled on 2/21/2010