Author: stoutmaker

Brit IPA 2015 hops

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Not as good as last years, but this years hops were ready to go.

I was going to brewing anyway so why do a wet hop IPA. 
11 lbs- 2 row
1 lb- Victory Malt
3/4 lb- 80L
1 oz Galena @60
1 oz Cascade @10
Fresh picked Mt Hoods steeped 10 min at flame out. About 3/4 of a 5 gallon bucket. 
Mashed at 154 and used 04 yeast 
I have used my own hops before. But they were dried. These were right off the vine. 
I made a slight miscalculation and did not factor that in. The dried ones soak up tons of water. These do not. In fact they lowered my OG. I was sitting at 16.5 brix, but ended up at 15 after steeping. 

I did learn one thing. I was planning on sun drying the hops as much as I could before I had to use them. But everytime I walked by them while the sun was baking the water out, I could smell them getting stronger.

Since I am using them for aroma, so why bake those smells out of them. I brought them in out of the sun to try and preserve as much of that as I could. 
I think it turned out pretty good. We will see in a few short weeks

The Storm Hammer Stout Mystery

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After a slight break in the action, I was able to get a batch brewed yesterday. 

Storm Hammer Stout
11 lbs 2 row
1 lb roast barley
1/2 lb black patent
3/4 lb 40L
1 oz magnum 60
1 oz chinook 15
1 oz centennial 0
Notty yeast mashed at 153
Petty much maxed out the 5 gallon tun. But everything must have been working as I some how managed to get a preboil of 1.070. (Yes I checked that about 10 times)
As I was skeptical of the reading I was really watching the boil off. Everything seemed to be exactly where they needed to be. 
I ended up just slightly over the predicted OG, and right on the nuts volume. So I cannot figure where the +.020 preboil came from. 
Tried a few changes in procedure to get the chaos of brewing outside back under control. Definately need to tighten up the process out here. It’s utter confusion out here. 
I need to get back to the basement where everything is where I need it

Weissenberg wheat

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As we are coming into summer, I need to have a beer that’s just for swilling out in the heat. 

One of the best beers I’ve had for that was Horney Goat wheat. I wasn’t even a fan of wheat beers when I first had this. But since then it’s been one of my goto beers when the Mercury hits 90.
I didn’t look for a clone, I just took my old American wheat and changed the hops. Wanted to get a little german feel to it. 
Weissenberg wheat. 5 gallon
4 lb 2 row
4 lb wheat
4 oz 20L
.25 oz magnum 60
1 oz Spalt 15
1 oz Spalt flame out
Muntons yeast. (Boycotting 05)
Mashed at 150
Just to try something new I put my biab bag into the mashtun instead of wrapping the manifold. 
Worked quite well I must say. I was expecting some stuckage with the wheat. But i had no problems running wide open. If it ain’t sticking with 50/50 wheat,,, it ain’t gonna stick in a normal batch. 
I believe I will be doing this from now on. 
These wheats are quick turn around beers, so should be ready for that first heatwave.