Brew Day - Big House Ale V

When I first got my keg system I decided I wanted to have a house ale that was always on draft. My love of pale ales combined with my love of the University of Michigan and from that my Big House Pale Ale was born. Over the following generations it grew away from the parameters of a classic style and more into what I wanted it to become. I still make small tweaks from brew to brew, and (purposefully) I have not brewed the exact same beer twice. This version, number 5, incorporates Chinook and water chemistry manipulation for the first time. (This is the first beer that I've ever changed the chemistry for.)

Sparge water on top of mash

Recipe:

78% Pale malt (9 lbs)
13% Rye malt (1.5 lbs)
7% Crystal 40 (12 oz)
2% Wheat (4 oz)

0.5 oz Chinook (14.2) 45 min
0.5 oz Chinook (14.2) 30 min
1.0 oz Cascade (6.2) 15 min
0.5 oz Cascade (6.2) 5 min
0.5 oz Cascade (6.2) Dry Hop

Safale US - 05

Like all my summer beers I used a longer Beta rest (148-142) to encourage fermentability and "drinkability" (to steal a word from our big beer friends). I also raised the sulfate of the wort in an attempt to give it a cleaner bitterness.

My washed sample of US - 05 did not do well last time, so I pitched a fresh package into Big House V. I brewed this yesterday and am happy to say that it is fully fermenting today. I hope to get this into the keg in three weeks and be drinking by Memorial Day.

Primary fermentation in action

4/30/2013 - Fermentation temps got up to 76, due to abnormally high temps outside (85*) and me not having the AC in the window yet.  So I moved it to the basement where it fell to 64 overnight... just can't win in this old house.  More evidence that I need to build my ale fermentation chamber.

For The Love of The Process

You can tell a lot about a home brewer by how and what they brew. The two extremes are the brewers that brew the beers that they love in the most efficient way that they can, and then there are the brewers who brew beers that they've never tried, and they do it the "hard way." I'm that second one. For me brewing is more about the journey than the destination; I love the process.

If you've been following along at home than you have probably figured that out by now. I didn't need to do a decoction mash for my Munich Helles. I could have just added a few ounces of Melanoidin malt and made my brew day about an hour shorter. Why brew a sour beer, or a mead, that won't be ready to drink for 2 years? Why boil for 90 minutes when 45 would do? With all the high quality extract out now, why brew with all grain? Why? Because I love the process.

When I taste my beer I love to remember what I did to get those flavors into that beer. The beer becomes more enjoyable to me when I remember all the extra work that I did to get it into the bottle; how I tried to shape it in unconventional (or perhaps more conventional) ways. Sure, sometimes my brew day can push 8 hours, but what a way to spend 8 hours. I love the process.

Perhaps you're that first kind of brewer. You know exactly what you like and exactly how to make it. If so you can probably go from a 3 hour brew day to a glass in under a month, and in some ways I envy that. For example, the spring weather has put me in the mood for my summer line up, but they won't be in the glass for another 2 months. But what can I say? Lagers take time, and I only have one primary fermenter. So I wait patiently, because I love the process.

There is plenty of grey area in brewing philosophy. There are people who only brew their favorite beers, but do it the "hard way." And people who love to experiment with new beers the easy way. And probably a lot of others in between. On which side of the fence do you lie. Do you love the process?

Hop Garden 2013

Today my final rhizome arrived from fresh hops; my Cascade. Looks like a really good rhizome this year; good and thick, plenty of buds and shoots, and a few roots (I'm optimistic). Last year I planted Williamette, Centennial, and Cascade, but the Cascade never grew. In June I tried to dig it up to see if something got to it, but it was gone. I blame squirrels... damn squirrels.

My Centennial have been coming in well so far, so no shortage this year... I hope.

My method for planting (which is far from the only method) is to dig a decent hole; maybe 12 - 18 inches in diameter and about as deep.  (There is loose soil in the picture that comes into play in the following step.)

I then fill with a compost soil mixture of at least 8 inches. I compost my spent grains after brewing for use in this and other gardening needs. I feel like this helps with drainage and provides some food for the hops. I plant my rhizome vertically, shoots pointing up, so that the top is at ground level. Some prefer to plant horizontally and have success that way.  I did that my first year and all three of my plants died.  The following year (last year) I planted vertically and only one didn't grow, and that one disappeared... damn squirrels.  It is far more likely that it was due to other factors than how I planted, but this is the method that has worked for me.

To finish I add soil to bring everything to ground level and then add a good mound of cow manure compost on top; maybe 4 to 6 inches. Over time the level will settle, and I will add more manure compost to continue organically feeding my hops. I also add a squirrel deterrent. :-)

This is a picture of my hop trellis. Hopefully later this summer I can post some pictures of four hops meeting at the top of it (though it's way more likely that only my 2 second years will make it. From last year I have my Centennial and Williamette. This year I planted Chinook (thank you travis) and Cascade.

Brew Therapy - Growing Hops

You - "Rob, as you know I have really gotten into brewing.  I enjoy working outside and playing in the dirt.  Do you think that it would be a good idea for me to grow my own hops?"

Me - "Yes."

There is a lot of front end work to growing hops, but once they get started it's fairly easy and rewarding for the average home brewer.  The hop plant loves to climb, so the first thing that you'll need is a trellis or some other support for the bines (not vines) to climb up.  I have seen people who tie some rope to their roof line, build elaborate trellis systems, buy (or make) an archway for their front walk, or just plant it by their fence and let it go.  I'll probably post on my method when my hops start their journey up their ropes, but since the rhizomes (baby hop plants) are on sale now, I thought this was the best time to put your mind at ease on this topic.

When you decide on what you want your hops to grow on, you should decide what hops to grow.  My advice is to purchase hops that you know you'll like to use.  The hops that I use most often are Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Williamette; so that's what I grow.  Your rhizomes will be sent to you and you can either plant immediately or put them in the fridge until you're comfortable that it's warm enough in your area to plant.

Eventually the little beauties will start to grow.  With some gentile coaxing they will naturally climb, clockwise, up your support.  The first year will probably not provide many hop cones, but this is an investment.  Year two and beyond will likely provide more hops than you'll know what to do with.

Every third year you should dig them up and split the crown, but this provides you the opportunity to spread this wonderful hobby to your friends.  So order, build, plant, and enjoy.

Orange Craisin Mead - Brew Day

Having just recently tried some mead that I made two years ago, Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (not the raspberry cranberry mead), and I found myself disappointed that I had not brewed more of it.  To fix this problem I have decided to brew some wonderful delicious mead at least once a year.  A few days ago I brewed, what I consider, an updated version of Joe's Ancient Orange.

Zest from 3 Cuties
Juice from said Cuties
Pulp from 1 Cutie
Handful of Craisins
1 cinnamon stick
3.5 lbs of Clover Honey
1 package of Lalvin 71b-1122 yeast

Procedure: I boiled 0.75 gallons of water.  At flame out I threw in the Craisins (to sanitize them a bit).  I then moved the water to a cold bath and added the honey.  While it was cooling I zested, juiced, and removed the pulp from the cuties; adding them to the primary along with the cinnamon stick.  When it came to temp I took my gravity, aerated, and pitched my yeast.  As per usual my gravity came in high.

Update: It took about four days but fermentation has finally taken off in full.  The only trick is keeping the fruit out of the airlock.

5/1/2013 - A month later the bubbles are still flowing.  The gas venting from the airlock smell wonderfully of oranges.