November 30th, 2014 - Barley Wine

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Old Stoner - Pacific Northwest Barley Wine
Batch 35

Recipe from: http://www.tastybrew.com/brews/view/50

Ingredients:
20# Rahr 2-row (from 50# bag; crushed ourselves)
4.5# Munich Malt (2-row) (the rest from Hoggetowne; came crushed but we re-milled)
1.75# CaraMunich 80
0.75# Crystal 60L
--total grain bill 27#
Assumed 65% efficiency

2 oz Columbus (whole) 18.30% AA
3 oz Chinook (whole) 14.5% AA
1 oz Centennial (whole) 7.8% AA

California Ale Yeast WLP 001
-- Via 4 L starter (2 L on stir plate, 2 L in 1 gallon jug)
Danstar Nottingham dry yeast (for bottling)

Stats:
OG: 1.105 (estimated); 1.180 (measured)
FG: 1.024 (estimated); 1.018 (measured)
ABV: 12% (estimated); 21.2% (measured)

Brewing Steps:

• Heated 8.4 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 165 degrees
• Target mash temperature 152; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Added to mash tun (water, then grains)
• Couldn't add all 8.4 gallons because not enough space
• Mashed 90 minutes
• Initial temperature 153 degrees (middle)
• Stirred twice
• Final temperature 149-151 degrees
• After mash lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Lautered slowly
• Final volume lautered about 4 gallons
• Heated remaining water from initial mash PLUS one additional gallon to 175 degrees and added to mash tun 
• Given large amount of initial sweet wort lautered (about 4 gallons) thought that adding the remainder of the initial mash volume PLUS the additional 2.4 gallons for the sparge would lead to a lot of remaining water in the mash tun (and a diluted sweet wort)
• Total water volume used about 9.5 gallons
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then lautered until we had about 6.25 gallons (maybe a little more?)
• Didn't measure remainder, but seemed like it was minimal
• Boiled for 70 minutes
• Added Columbus at hot break
• Added Chinook at 60
• Added Centennial at 2
• Chilled
• Pitched yeast and aerated wort 
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary
• Plan for secondary of about 2-3 months
• Plan to bottle then let sit for another 6 months at least
• Plan to try Thanksgiving weekend 2015

Notes:
-OG likely a little bit higher due to lower water volume (9.5 vs. planned 10.8)?
-Calculated efficiency about 81%

-Max grain/water equipment seems to be able to handle would be about 25# of grain (if not a little bit less)

-Jug worked adequately for yeast starter

-Probably won't be able to recycle this yeast
-Checked gravity on 12/6/15: 1.042

-Racked to secondary on 12/26/14
-Gravity 1.024

-Went to bottle on 5/17/15. FG 1.018 (estimated ABV ~21%). Decided that ABV likely too high to prime in the bottle for carbonation. Will plan on force-carbonating in the keg then bottling (within next 4 weeks).
-Force carbonated for ~7 days then bottled on 8/20/15. Got 42 bottles + 2/3 of a bomber. Gravity prior to force carbonating 1.018.
-Will let sit until Thanksgiving before trying out of the bottle.
-Tasted some when testing the gravity and with the small amount left during bottle. Strong, complex, pretty good.

October 25th, 2014 - Dead Ringer IPA (NB)

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Dead Ringer (Northern Brewer)
Batch 34

Ingredients:
Rahr 2-row
Briess Caramel
--total grain bill ~12#

Centennial

California Ale Yeast WLP 001 (5th [last] recycle)

Stats:
OG: 1.064 (estimated); 1.054 (measured)
FG: ??? (not provided); 1.010 (measured)
ABV: ??? (not provided); 5.8% (measured)

Brewing Steps:

• Heated 3.8 gallons of water to a strike temperature of approximately 166 degrees
• Target mash temperature 152; volume at 1.25 quarts/pound
• Used Sparge Pal app for volume calculations
• Used Publix "Spring Water" for about 5 gallons; tap for 2.6 gallons
• Added to mash tun (water, then grains)
• Mashed 60 minutes
• Initial temperature 153 degrees (middle)
• Stirred at 31'
• Final temperature 152 degrees
• After mash lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Lautered slowly
• Heated 4.6 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 (maybe a little more?)
• Didn't measure remainder, but seemed close
• Boiled for 60 minutes
• Added hops
• Chilled
• Pitched yeast and aerated wort 
• Ferment about 2 weeks then rack to secondary
• Recommended for 2-4 weeks secondary then 2 weeks bottle conditioning 

Notes:
-Used unmilled grains and crushing with grain mill. Crush was very fine (mill set on smallest width)
-Using brewersfriend.com estimated efficiency:
--60%: 1.051
--65%: 1.055 --> about our efficiency
--70%: 1.059
--75%: 1.064

August 23, 2014 - Rye Stout

Slightly Confused Brewing Company

Rye Stout (Northern Brewer)
Batch 33

Ingredients:
Rahr 2-row Pale
Briess Rye Malt
Briess Caramel 40L
Weyermann Chocolate Rye
English Black Malt
English Dark Crystal
--total grain bill ~9.5#

Warrior hops

Wyeast 1450 - Denny's Favorite 50

Stats:
OG: 1.045 (estimated?); 1.043 (measured)
FG: ??? (not provided); 1.015 (measured)
ABV: ??? (not provided); 3.7% (measured)

Brewing Steps:

• Heated 3 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 Publix "Spring Water"
• Added to mash tun (water, then grains)
• Mashed 60 minutes
• Initial temperature 153 degrees (middle)
• Stirred at 42'
• Final temperature 149 degrees
• After mash lautered into bucket (to measure volume)
• Lautered over 9 minutes - total volume about 1.75 gallons
• Heated 5.1 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 1/2-1/3 pitcher 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:
-First batch getting unmilled grains and crushing with grain mill; hoped to improve efficiency. Crush was very fine (mill set on smallest width)
-Using brewersfriend.com estimated efficiency:
--60%: 1.037
--65%: 1.040
--70%: 1.043 --> looks like what we hit
--75%: 1.046

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