August 17th, 2014 - Hop Rod Rye (clone)

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye - Clone
Batch 32

Ingredients:
13.5# Pale Malt
3# Rye Malt
0.5# Crystal 80
0.375# Crystal Rye
0.19# (3 oz) Carafa I
--total grain bill ~17.5#

1 oz Columbus x 60' (15% AA)
1 oz Centennial x 30' (10% AA)
1 oz Cascade x 20' (6% AA)
1 oz Columbus x 10' (15% AA)

White Labs WLP 001 (4th recycle)

Stats:
OG: 1.072* (estimated?); 1.056 (measured)
FG: 1.015 (estimated?); 1.010 (measured)
ABV: 7.2% (estimated); 6% (measured)
*Estimated based on other recipes online. From calculator (brewersfriend.com), using grain bill and assumed efficiency of 65%, estimated OG 1.080

Brewing Steps:

• Heated 5.5 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 164 degrees
• Target mash temperature 152; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Used 5 gallons of RO water, the rest was tap water
• Added water to mash tun first (water, then grains)
• Mashed 75 minutes
• Initial temperature 153 degrees (middle); initial pH 5.4
• 35': pH 5.8, stirred then went down to 5.6; temperature 152 degrees
• 75': pH 5.8, stirred and went down to 5.5; temperature 152 degrees
• Note: front of mash tun in sun - very warm / almost hot to the touch. Helped to keep temperature essentially unchaged?
• After 75 minutes lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Lautered over 15 minutes
• Heated 3.7 gallons of sparge water to approximately 175 degrees and added to mash tun
• Took 0.3 gallon off Sparge Pal calculation 
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 6.25 gallons
• Had two pitchers remaining
• Boiled for 60 minutes
• Added hops
• Chilled
• Pitched yeast and aerated wort 
• Pitched yeast from starter
• Harvested some yeast from starter for future batch
• Poured into fermenting bucket 
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary

Notes:
-Slower lautering seemed to help with efficiency. Had valve open just above a trickle essentially.
-pH values seem within reason.
-Stirring at mid-point and at time 0' of mash helped? Likely will continue with this.
-Potential for water content of RO water to make a difference?

Yeast Washing

First Attempt - Saison Yeast from "What the Fox Saison" (brewed 7/4/14; harvested 8/3/14)

Yeast harvested:
-WLP560: AHS Classic Saison Blend (Austin Home Brewing)
-WLP565: Belgian Saison Yeast

Steps:
-Boiled about 1 gallon (?) of water (large pot)
-Sanitized four mason jars with StarSan
-Cooled water then transferred into mason jars
-After racking from fermenting bucket into keg, poured the four mason jars of water into the fermentation bucket, shook, then let sit 10-15 minutes
-Poured contents of fermentation bucket into 1 gallon carboy (all of it)
-Let carboy sit about 1 hour at room temperature; covered opening
-Poured off top layer into the four mason jars, getting as little trub as possible
-Put jars into fridge

Next day (8/4/14):
-First two jars from pouring look to have about 1/4" - 1/2" layer of yeast on bottom. Still cloudy above yeast layer (more solid to settle out?)
-Third jar has some yeast and some trub; still cloudy above
-Fourth jar has mostly; cloudy above

Day 2 (8/5/14):
-Cleared up more.
-Two of the four jars (first two poured) looked to have best yeast; about 1/2" layer of yeast on bottom.
-Jar 3 had 1/4 - 1/2" layer of yeast but also had some trub throughout.
-Jar 4 had 1/2" of trub on bottom then 1/4" of yeast on top.

Kept only jars 1 and 2. Will use for next saison via starter.
--> plan on harvesting yeast from starter to keep strain/mix going forward.


Notes:
-Probably best to pour water into fermentation bucket, let sit for 30 minutes, then try to pour off as much liquid and as little trub as possible into carboy
-Maybe use about 3/4 gallon of water to pour into fermentation bucket to help create more distinct layers prior to pouring off liquid into carboy to separate further?
-Only retain first two jars of the 4? Further and better separation in fermentation bucket prior to carboy/mason jars help to increase yield in relation to trub?

Brew Day August 10th, 2014

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Will it Blend Black IPA (Hoggetowne Recipe)
Batch 31

Ingredients:
US 2-row
US C-40
Weyermann Chocolate Wheat
Weyermann Carafa Special III
--total grain bill 12.5#

Aussie/Nz Bittering
Falconer's Flight
Falconer's Flight 7C
Zythos
Blend Blend (FF, FF7Cs) for dry hopping

White Labs WLP 001 (3rd recycle)

Stats:
OG: 1.070 (estimated); 1.056 (measured)
FG: 1.015 (estimated); 1.011 (measured)
ABV: 7.2% (estimated); 5.9% (measured)


Brewing Steps:

• Heated 3.9 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 162 degrees
• Target mash temperature 152; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Added water to mash tun first (water, then grains)
• Initial temperature 154 degrees (middle), 152 (sides)
• Mashed 75 minutes; final temperature about 152 (middle)
• After 60 minutes lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Heated 4.5 gallons of sparge water to approximately 175 degrees and added to mash tun
• Took 0.3 gallon off Sparge Pal calculation 
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 6.25 gallons
• Only 1/2 of pitcher remaining (if that) 
• Added hops
• Chilled
• Pitched yeast and aerated wort 
• Pitched yeast from starter
• Harvested some yeast from starter for future batch
• Poured into fermenting bucket 
• Filtered (Hain dropped stir bar into boil kettle and had to filter wort to get bar)
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary (8/24)
• Secondary about 1 week; dry hop starting 8/26ish; keg 9/10

Notes:
-Efficiency poor - not sure for the reason. Volume and temperature were correct. Too fast of lauter? Water chemistry off (calcium and pH?) May look into grain mill to help, but more concerned with batch-to-batch consistency vs. actual efficiency numbers. 

Brew Day July 4th, 2014 - America!

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

What the Fox Saison (Austin Homebrew recipe)
Batch 30

Ingredients:
Pale Ale Malt
Crystal 20L Malt
--total grain bill 10.5#

Cane Sugar
Kent Golding Hops
Spalt Hops
Bitter Orange Peel

White Labs WLP 560 Saison Ale Yeast Blend (5 mL) and WLP 565 Saison Ale Yeast
Note: tried to make starter on 7/2 but didn't have DME. Had to buy more yeast and brew store did not have WLP 560 so had to use 565

Stats:
OG: 1.060 (estimated); 1.059 (measured)
FG: 1.012 (estimated); 1.008 (measured)
ABV: 6.3% (estimated); 6.7% (measured)


Brewing Steps:

• Heated 3.1 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 162 degrees
• Target mash temperature 150; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Added water to mash tun first (water, then grains)
• Mashed 70 minutes; final temperature about 152
• After 60 minutes lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Heated 5 gallons of sparge water to approximately 175 degrees and added to mash tun
• Took 0.1 gallon off Sparge Pal calculation 
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 6.25 gallons
• Only 1/2 of pitcher remaining 
• Added hops
• Chilled
• Pitched yeast and aerated wort 
• Pitched yeast from yeast bottles
• Poured into fermenting bucket 
• Did not filter prior to putting into fermentation bucket; wanted to keep Orange Peel with beer for flavoring
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary
• Secondary about 2 weeks then keg

Notes:

-Two different yeasts - flavor change?
-Seems like mashing for extra 10 minutes for every 0.010 points above 1.050 helps attain target OG better vs 60 minute mash
-Left in garage to ferment (average temp above 80?)
-Cold crashed on 7/29; kegged on 8/3
-Washed yeast to save for future batch due to "unique" blend

Brew Day June 22, 2014

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Orange IPA (Austin Homebrew recipe)

Ingredients:
Pale Malt
Crystal 20L Malt
Carapils Malt
--total grain bill 11.25#
Note: added 16 oz dextrose to boil for some added ABV (and to get rid of excess dextrose)

Apollo
Summer
1/2 oz Sweet Orange Peel

White Labs WLP001 California Ale (2nd degree yeast. Used yeast harvested from Plinian Legacy --> Chipotle Porter)

Stats:
OG: 1.057 (estimated); 1.048 (measured)
FG: 1.014 (estimated); 1.011 (measured)
ABV: 5.6% (estimated); 4.9% (measured)


Brewing Steps:

• Heated 3.5 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 162 degrees
• Target mash temperature 150; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Added water to mash tun first (water, then grains)
• After 60 minutes outside of mash (near cooler walls) was approximately 149-150 degrees; middle of mash tun around 146 degrees
• After 60 minutes lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Heated 5 gallons of sparge water to approximately 175 degrees and added to mash tun
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 6.25 gallons
• maybe .25 gallons remaining in mash tun - likely not diluted
• Added hops
• Chilled by putting pot into tub with ice and water (filled about 6-8 inches of tub with water) and wort chiller/pre-chiller to 75 degrees in about 15 minutes
• Pitched yeast and then aerated wort by transferring between brew pot and bucket 6 times
• Pitched yeast from starter (yeast from previous starter for Plinian Legacy --> Chipotle Porter)
• Poured into fermenting bucket 
• Did not filter prior to putting into fermentation bucket; wanted to keep Orange Peel with beer for flavoring
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary
• Secondary about 2 weeks then keg

Notes:

-Hot: 93-95 degrees outside? Temperature in garage 95+?
-Kegged 8/1
-Unsure why OG was low

Brew Day - June 8, 2014

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Smoke Bomb (Northern Brewer recipe)
Chipotle Smoke Porter

Ingredients:
Briess 2-row
German Munich Malt
Briess Cherrywood Smoked Malt
English Dark Crystal
Fawcett Pale Chocolate
English Black Malt
Breiss Midnight Wheat
--total grain bill 12.75#
Note: added 16 oz dextrose to boil for some added ABV (and to get rid of excess dextrose)

Nugget
East Kent Goldings
1 oz Chipotle Peppers (to add during secondary)

White Labs WLP001 California Ale (used yeast harvested from Plinian Legacy starter)

Stats:
OG: 1.066 (estimated original; 1.073 after dextrose administration); 1.067 (measured)
FG: 1.020 (estimated? Not provided); 1.022 (measured when put into secondary)
ABV: 6.6% (estimated? Not provided); 5.9% (measured)


Brewing Steps:

• Heated 4 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 166 degrees
• Target mash temperature 154; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Added water to mash tun first (water, then grains)
• After 75 minutes lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Heated 4.8 gallons of sparge water to approximately 175 degrees and added to mash tun
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 6.25 gallons
• maybe .75 gallons remaining in mash tun - diluted sweet wort?
• Added hops, but messed up schedule 
• Added '10 EKG addition at '60
• Added double the Nugget addition at '5
• Chilled by putting pot into tub with ice and water (filled about 6-8 inches of tub with water) and wort chiller/pre-chiller to 75 degrees in about 12 minutes
• Pitched yeast and then aerated wort by transferring between brew pot and bucket 6 times
• Pitched yeast from starter (yeast from previous starter for Plinian Legacy)
• Poured into fermenting bucket 
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary
• Will do 2+ weeks on secondary
• Will put peppers into muslin bag (2 peppers) and add to secondary for 2 days prior then let sit for 4 days (?) prior to kegging

Notes:

-Harvested small amount of yeast from starter to save for future batch (same yield as Plinian?)
----worked well
-Put into secondary on 6/22/14
-Plan on using chipotle peppers (1 oz) for about 2 days prior to kegging
--Put 1 oz dried smoked chipotle peppers in on 7/4/14 at 1205
--Kegged on 7/6/14 at 1630 (about 50.5 hours)

Brew Day - May 4, 2014

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

The Plinian Legacy (Northern Brewer recipe)

Ingredients:
Malteurop American 2-row
Briess Carapils
Bairds Carastan
Corn sugar
--total grain bill 15.25#

Hopshot x2
Columbus
Simcoe
Centennial

White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Stats:
OG: 1.070 (estimated); 1.072 (measured)
FG: 1.015 (estimated? Not provided); 1.009 (measured)
ABV: 7.2%% (estimated? Not provided); 8.3% (calculated)


Brewing Steps:
Note: recipe states calculations are based on 6 gallons due to expected losses from hops

• Heated 4.8 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 163 degrees
• Target mash temperature 151; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Added water to mash tun first (all water, then grains)
• After 75 minutes lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Heated 5.5 gallons of sparge water to approximately 175 degrees and added to mash tun 
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 7.25(?) gallons
• Added hops according to schedule
• Chilled by putting pot into tub with ice and water (filled about 6-8 inches of tub with water) and wort chiller/pre-chiller to 75 degrees in about 10 minutes
• Pitched yeast and then aerated wort by transferring between brew pot and bucket 6 times
• Pitched yeast from starter
• Poured into fermenting bucket 
• Ferment about 2 weeks in primary
• Will do 2+ weeks on secondary to do dry hopping
• Dry hop (first addition) for 14 days
• Dry hop (second addition) for 5 days)

Notes:

-Harvested small amount of yeast from starter to save for future batch (worked well)
-About 5 days after first dry hop addition moved across town; carboy in passenger seat so everything was very well mixed
-After second dry hop addition complete transferred into another carboy because couldn't cold crash fridge because had just put new brew into it. Will let sit overnight and then keg following day (6/9/14)