Review of last of last years beers

Time to do a little review of the last couple beers. The Nebula Stout
and Donatello Dubbel

Both of these were brewed later on December, and we’re the first beers
using the new water filter system.

I can sure say I’m glad to be getting back to making decent beer again.

The Dubbel used the T-58 yeast. I loved this yeast in the Dark Strong
we made at Heritage Hill. It lends a very interesting tone to the
beer. Got just enough hops to knock down the sweet. And taste wise you
get flirts of hop, but they disappear just when you try to nail them
down. Which is good because I didn’t use german hops. I used
Willamette to make it a bit more American.

This is one of the best beers I have brewed in a while.To bad I only
made 3 gallons. But its not a perfect beer. In fact I don’t think its
even near Dubbel. Almost no raisin or plum. It definitely is fruity.
Apple, cherry, banana. But not the raisiny you get with a Dubbel. It
would be an excellent Golden Strong, except there is no doubt that’s
its dark brown and not golden.
On my remake list. And will be a full batch. And will need to decide
to push it to Dubble or push it to Golden.

The Nebula started out to be one beer, but turned into one that used
up all the loose bits of grains I had laying around.
At first I was worried because it didn’t taste anything like I thought
it would. But soon as it carbed up it really got good.
Is it a stout though? I’m not sure. With all the extra stuff I added I
think it morphed into a Porter. Not that there is anything wrong with
that.
I think if it were mashed higher for a bit o body, and a tad more
roast barley I think it would have been a whole lot better.

Oh,, and get rid of that damn Munich. For some reason I always think I
like Munich. Until I use it. Then I hate it. I’m not sure I even like
it in a Bock! Keep that crap out of a stout.

2015

Happy New Year!

I was gonna brew today, but I decided to drink up some of 2014’s brews:
Harbor Lights Brown
Iron porter
Apple Cranberry Cider (oh did this change for the better,, wow)

Got a busy brew schedule the next couple of months so stay right here.

Mini Dubbel and stout. New filter.

I found time to get a couple of brews in before the end of the year. 

I had to get the last of the TMNT beers in, so last weekend Donatello hit the kettle. Not my first Belgian, but the first with the T-58 yeast. And yet another mini batch. 
Donatello the Dubbel.
5.5 lbs pale malt
4 oz aromatic 
4 oz special B
8 oz melenoiden 
1 lb dark candi sugar
1/2 oz willamette 60
1/4 oz willamette 30
T-58 yeast mashed 152
First time actually using the fermentation chamber. Got it set at 61. Everything looks good so far. Smells Belgiany in there. Far far better than the last Belgian.
And the second brew was yesterday. I started out making a dry stout. Yep another mini batch.  
I had some extra grain left over so I threw them in as well. An extra 1.25 lbs in a 3 gallon batch is quite a bit. So decided to also bump the hops as well and turn this into an American Stout. 
This smelled Sooo good. Wanted to crawl right in there. 
Nebula. Mini batch
4.75 pale malt
.5 lb Munich malt
.5 lb roast barley
.5 lb flaked barley
1 oz willamette 60
.5 oz cascade 60
.25 oz willamette 10
.5 oz cascade 10
05 yeast and mashed high 158
Pulled a .062 OG.
This was also the test run for the new water filter we put together. 
Can’t wait to see the results.