Tag: Homebrew

The Beet Saga

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The beet Saison was released this past Friday at Copper State Brewing. 


For this Wort challenge, Copper State made a huge batch of wort, then the local homebrewers were each given enough to make a 5 gallon batch. We could do anything or add anything to the wort to make our beer, Then 4 weeks later the local pro brewers picked the best of the bunch. The winning recipe was to be made and served at Copper State Brewing

My beet Saison was picked as the winner!
I got to go to Copper State and brew it on their system a few weeks ago.  It was fun to get to brew something on a bigger scale, and work on pro equipment.

I had not had a chance to get down there and check on it before it was released, so I was just as surprised at how it turned out as everyone else.

It was just as good as the first small batch! If you can get down there, let me know what you think of it…. Cheers!

What’s to come

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Since I am restarting and revamping this 10 year old blog, I thought maybe a  re-introduction would be a good idea.

I am a homebrewer. Been at it for nearly 30 years. I’ve learned a lot in that time.

My actual brewing process has changed very little since I first started. In fact I still have and use some of my original equipment.

Basic techniques and principles don’t really change, but the means to get there sometimes do.

Now days there seems to be a bigger push for complete automation, but I still love the process. I want to control the beers creation, so I am a bit more hands on than most because I think that is the best way to understand what is going on and why. That is how you become a better brewer.

I will admit that I am slowing down in production now days. Twice a week brewing has turned in to twice a month brewing. And 5 gallon batches have mostly turned into 3 gallon batches.

This also means I have more time for editorials, education pieces, and maybe some outside the brewery interviews of other homebrewers and their specialties.

Plus just in the 10 years this blog has been around quite a few things have changed in media and social tech. So I should probably go back into the vault of posts and re-examine them for updates, corrections or just filling in of the blanks.

In other words.. there will be a lot more content in various forms showing up in the near future.

As always.. stay tuned.

Alt

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A couple of us are planning on entering the Germanfest Stein Challenge. A beer contest for only German style beers.

I chose to brew an Alt Bier. I have brewed Alts a couple of times and they have been good beers,, not sure how they would score against the guidelines,, but we will see I guess.

I also used this beer to start messing with water. We do have decent water here, but a few things can be done. I didn’t go all out on the water,, so I went with just a 1/4 tsp Gypsum, and a 1/4 tsp calcium chloride.. oh and 2oz of acid malt.

The rest was just an old Alt recipe that I’ve made before except I used Maris Otter instead of the Pilsner malt. just because I wanted the malt to stand out a bit more than usual since its going to a contest.

  • 4.5 lb Munich malt
  • 4 lb Maris Otter
  • 2oz black pat
  • 4oz crystal 40
  • 2oz Acid malt
  • 1oz Perle @60
  • 1oz Spalter @15

Went with a Medium body mash of 154, And used Munich dry yeast. Munich Dry yeast?… aint that a wheat yeast? Yep. But it gives that certain “Germanish” aroma and flavor profile.

Skipping ahead to today,, I just kegged this beer and it is what i was looking for in the malt, hop and yeast profile,, but I do have to say that it does seem a bit,, mineraly or something in the feel of it. I am assuming from the water additions.

I’m not yet saying that its a bad thing,, just that I did notice it right away. And since I have been brewing with this same water for 25 or so years,, pretty sure I would notice something different. I will how ever, be keeping track of this one a bit closer and see how those additions affect the final beer.