My Hop Vines

I planted some hop rhizomes (root stocks) last spring and hope to plant some more this year. Currently have one vine each of Tettnang, Cascade and Willamette. I planted a little late so they stayed slightly small. Hopefully they should start coming up again in a month or so. I got about half an ounce of fine Cascades off of this vine, and I'm drinking the pale ale they were used to dry hop right now! See the yellow lupulin glands which contain the resins and oils we use to flavor beer. 

Making Hard Apple Cider

Making two kegs of Hard Apple Cider - Nothing but apple juice and yeast!

Made using WLP007 Dry English yeast. After just a couple weeks they went into the kegs. One batch was "Apple Juice", and the other was "Apple Cider", both from the grocery store. The only difference is that the Apple Cider has not been filtered, so it's more hazy and has a slightly different taste. I preferred the apple juice and that's what I will get next time. I think the 007 yeast was great, I liked mine dry, I didn't try to cold crash at 1.10FG or backsweeten or anything like that to keep it sweet. I just let the yeast do its job and kegged it. It didn't even need much time to condition, it was great from day one.

Founders Breakfast Stout

I've never been too big into stouts but this particular recipe looked pretty yummy to me. I adjusted the ABV down to about 7%, it is originally about 8.5% but that's just too strong for my tastes. I know it isn't 'true to the recipe', but it's my beer so I think I will do it this way and see what I think. Yes it has Chocolate grains in the mash for that coffee taste but it also includes a liter of cold-pressed coffee made from 4oz of Kona beans and 2oz of cocoa powder added right to the keg before serving. Might take some conditioning time too. I don't know about 'breakfast' but it should be yummy.

Founder's Brealfast Stout Clone

American Stout

Type: All Grain	Date: 9/18/2011
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal	Brewer: MikeRoBrew1
Boil Size: 6.95 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
End of Boil Volume 6.24 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 78.5 %
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage	Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 72.8 % 1 lbs 5.9 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.1 % 1 lbs Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.6 % 12.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.0 % 9.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.7 % 7.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.9 % 0.80 oz Magnum [9.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 22.0 IBUs 1.00 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [3.40 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 8 7.6 IBUs 1.00 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [3.40 %] - Boil 2.0 min Hop 9 0.8 IBUs 2.0 pkg Nottingham Yeast (Lallemand #-) [23.66 ml] Yeast 10 -
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.069 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.3 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 30.5 IBUs	Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 47.5 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out	Total Grain Weight: 15 lbs 1.9 oz
Sparge Water: 4.29 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Mash In Add 18.90 qt of water at 165.3 F 150.0 F 75 min
Sparge Step: Fly sparge with 4.29 gal water at 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg	Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 12.54 PSI	Carbonation Used: Keg with 12.54 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F	Age for: 30.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage	Storage Temperature: 65.0 F
Notes
-Misc Final Additions- -4oz of coffee, cold-pressed into one liter of boiled and cooled water. Add at bottling/kegging. -2-2.5oz cocoa powder. Add at bottling/kegging. Flaked Oats can be Quaker Oatmeal if needed

Surly Five Sour and Surly Darkness Russian Imperial Stout

I got my hands on some Surly Five Sour and Surly Darkness Russian Imperial Stout and wanted to post some pictures. The RIS was one of the richest beers I have ever tasted. Massive waves of raisins, prunes, dark spices, hints of many other flavors. Very complex taste and every sip gave hints of different tastes. I still have one bottle of RIS I have been saving, and I haven't tasted the Sour yet!

Yeast Washing

I've been washing yeast for a while now, it's fun and easy and saves money. More pics to follow.

Scottish Light Oaked Ale

Here is recipe I did for a Light Ale using Scottish grains and yeast. It was oaked with American Oak chips, medium toasted.

This unique recipe offers a heavy malt taste but has a clean tasting finish. A lightly hopped beer that is surprisingly full bodied. Our 60/- recipe is a nice introduction to IPAs and Strong Ales. 60/- = 60 shillings.
Ingredients: 7 lbs. Domestic 2-Row barley, 2 oz. Caramel 10L, 4 oz. Chocolate, 1 oz. Golding, maltodextrin, brown sugar, hops, 1 oz. oak chips, priming sugar, and yeast.

Surly Furious Clone

This clone came from Midwest, it's a clone of Surly Furious. The recipe was given to the LHBS to sell (they call it Ferocious). It's my favorite IPA right now, and tastes like grapefruit. The Simcoe hops are hard to get ahold of sometimes.

Created with the brewers of Surly Brewing in Minnesota, this IPA uses 6 ounces of hops to create a bold brew that is rich in malt sweetness infused with bright hop flavor and aroma. Our ingredients for this recipe kit include 11 lbs. Golden Promise base malt, 1 lb. Munich 10L, 4 oz. Medium Crystal 50-60L, 1 oz. high-alpha bittering hops, 2 oz. Amarillo, 2 oz. Simcoe, 1 oz. Ahtanum hops, priming sugar, and WLP007 Dry English yeast.

Starter with WLP007 Dry English Ale yeast