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Taking it Back

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I was going to have a long winded post about the status of the brewery and my beers. But instead, take this advise. Spend the $20 bucks on a whole house filter system. It will save you money in the end.

There is my rant. 
But next on the list is another step in the new direction of my brewing. First was 3 gallon batches. Next was going electric. Then quickly moving to BiaB. 
The next step is more of a point of focus than an actual brewing change. 
I have gotten so off the path of why I started brewing in the first place, that this step needs to be taken. 
The stout style of beers has always been, or at least once was, my number one beer to brew. You could not find a good stout anywhere unless you brewed it your self. 
And I did. And was very good at them. I was brewing the beer I wanted, the way I wanted it.

While I do like making making other beers, drinking other beers. Nothing seems to have the same.. “Vibe”. Bouncing from this style to that style to styles I didn’t even know what they were. That started to take its toll on quality.  
When I drank one of my stouts from 5 years ago, it was better than anything around. Nowadays nearly every stout is as good or better than mine. And I don’t like that. 
So in order to take back my category, I think it’s time go back to focusing on the stout. 
Remake those defining recipes. The originals, before they were changed. Adapt them to the new system and volumes. 
Sure we can brew other beers. But damn it,,, from here on out its all about the stout. 
I hereby am re-naming the brewery to clearly define our purpose. 
Today begins 9stripe Stoutery 

Crunch Time

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I swear I write this exact blog every year,, ah well. Here is goes again…
Now that we are moving quickly into February, its starts being crunch time for any entries for the TTO. The local homebrew competition that is in April.
This year I am no where near ready. The complete failure of last years brewing has left me with virtually nothing to put in.
I do have the Rye Amber and the Spiced beer. Specialty and spiced. Hmm. But as far as regular styles go,, I'm not sure about anything yet.
I have a few in the works right now I guess. The Northern Brown has been bottled and is now awaiting critique. If pre carbing samples mean anything I think it will be a decent beer. Cant wait till it is ready.
I also have a blonde that's in Primary yet. I don't have the slightest idea how this is coming along, other than the fact that I know I messed up its hop schedule. I added both the 60 and 30 minute additions at 60. But a 1/2 oz more of Cascade at 60 shouldn't be a deal breaker.
As it stands right now, I have about 8 weeks, 7 at the least to get make a few more entries. I had already been planning this weekend to re-brew Tardis. The ESB. Sure it will be an entry, but aint no ESB gonna go anywhere in this contest. but I still wanna drink this beer so its getting made regardless. Fungus will be happy.
And I just looked up my Nein Nein Nein Oktoberfest recipe. I think if I tweek it just slightly, it would make a decent Dusseldorf Alt. A bit more color and bit more hop and I think we are in. And both of these will be done perfectly in the 7 or so weeks.
And lastly,, I cant see me going into a TTO with out a stout. I do have a brew scheduled for the first week of March. And it is going to be a stout. I'm thinking that this one could just maybe be ready. It would have to ferment out and bottle condition in 4, maybe 5 weeks tops. I think it will work.
So the rest of this month I will be slowly sampling all of the other entries that I had hopes for. Maybe by some miracle they cleaned them selves up. But for most of them its been 6 months or more. If they haven't by now, there isn't much hope.

Review of last of last years beers

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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.