Author: stoutmaker

Zerg Rush

stoutmakerLeave a comment

Time to get the Zerg Rush Steamroller into a keg. Looks really clear so far. I took the FG reading as 1.008 so the crunched down quite a bit. The OG was 1.047 so we are looking at about 5.2%

I have been drinking a few of the Fogger Stouts, and have decided 2 things. I sorta like it, but I’m not sure its what I would call a stout. Seems a bit thin. not black, a bit sweet and not roasty enough.
I do like the taste direction its taking with the roasted barley, so I will brew this again, but with a bit of black Patent to fill in the gaps. Maybe some sugar to dry it out, but I think thats all it will need.
One last bit, Getting ready to rack the Ginger mead. Just not confident in my 3 gallon corny. She is scratched up pretty good from the brush. Gonna giver a good soak in bleach first, but i dunno if I like it. might have to replace this one

6-1-11 the Bock and Steam

stoutmakerLeave a comment





The bock seems to be just fine so far. Dont think I have seen a better ferment so far. Pitched the dry Munich as I was goin to bed, and by morning she was just about to the top lip. Had to install the blowoff. She chugged away at top speed for almost 3 days. Finally fell and is still going pretty good.

Although I am getting the banana smells from it, Its sitting at 64 degrees so I dont think i need to worry about getting those flavors, but the style does allow for them. Which is ok because I am planning on entering this recipe.
She was also qite dark going into the fermenter, but as everything is starting to drop out now, its getting to the color I was hoping for. more twards the 20 ish SRM instead of the black that it was.

The Steam beer has finally stopped airlock bubblin. I think it needs one more week before I keg it. Hard to get a good look at it as the carboy is in a bucket, but it really looks clear.

Starting to plan out my first 10 gallon batch. Its gonna be the upscaled Cropcircles It will need to be another partial mash because of mash tun size, but thats ok. But I really need to up size my cooler pretty soon.

Woot!zenBock

stoutmakerLeave a comment

Woot!zenBock

6-27-11 Lots of stuff goin on today. Its the Friday of Memorial Weekend so I’m off for 4 days.
Picked, cut up, and froze about 12 lbs of rhubarb for wine. Looks like I got quite a bit. Been thinking this over, and decided that I might wanna use some grape juice in there with the wine. maybe.

Ok on to the brew. wer gonna be brewing My Woot!zenbock. pretty big for what I normally do.

Woot!zenbock
5 lbs munich
1 can of wheat LME
3 lbs wheat malt
2 lbs pilsner
.5 lbs special B
.5 lbs Chocolate malt
1 oz Pearle @ 60
1 oz hallertaur @ 15
1 packet munich wheat yeast

think I am gonna try to slightly step mash this up. gonna mash at 152 for 30 then take some out and reheat it and raise to 157. gonna give it a shot any way.

Ok lookin at 3 ½ gallons at 165 in my pre heated tun.
just a bit shy. got 151 but gonna leave it. I dont really know how much more boiling water to add to hit 158 but gonna start at about ½ gallon.
found a claculator for it at the Rackers site.
Yep got 158. another 30 min.
Got 2 ¾ gallons first run. filled mash tun to top again and got 3 gallons in second.
whoops I think I got too much now. will have to boil down.
Dont think It really lost a whole lot, gonna go another ½ hr.
still quite a bit. filled my 6 gallon carboy and still a gallon left

OG 1.075 a bit low but had to much volume. but, works for me