Barelywalk Barleywine 2012

Brewed this Superbowl weekend, great day, great brew session and not a bad game either.  Restarting an old tradition of brewing a barleywine every year on Super Bowl Sunday, Cheers Magnet!

This is a unique Barleywine as it's modeled somewhat after Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine, one of my favorite beers. BIG and HOPPY, but then is ageable.  My 2009 version was delicious for the first 5 months then the hops started to fade and tasted a little old.  I put it in the cellar and tried one every now and then.  after about 2 years it really started to get good, the third year it was even better.  Too bad I only have 6 left!!! Here's to brewing more.

Barely Walk Barleywine 2012

American Barleywine

Type: All Grain	Date: 2/2/2012
Batch Size (fermenter): 10.00 gal	Brewer: Brady Brew
Boil Size: 12.00 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min	Equipment: My Equipment
End of Boil Volume 11.23 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 68.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 10.00 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 68.0 %
Fermentation: My Aging Profile	Taste Rating(out of 50): 50.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 1.4 % 4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 0.7 % 8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 5 1.4 % 1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs 2.50 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 13.8 IBUs 24 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 68.1 % 3.00 oz Chinook [11.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 8 53.1 IBUs 2.00 oz Centennial [8.90 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 25.6 IBUs 2.00 oz Centennial [8.90 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs 1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21 ml] Yeast 12 - 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 1.4 % 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.4 % 9 lbs Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) Extract 7 25.5 %
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.097 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.094 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.025 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.5 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 10.0 %
Bitterness: 92.5 IBUs	Calories: 327.5 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 15.3 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge	Total Grain Weight: 35 lbs 4.0 oz
Sparge Water: 6.95 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Mash In Add 32.81 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Sparge Step: Drain mash tun, Batch sparge with 2 steps (6.95gal, 3.47gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Bottle	Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 7.56 oz	Carbonation Used: Bottle with 7.56 oz Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F	Age for: 66.50 days
Fermentation: My Aging Profile	Storage Temperature: 64.0 F
Notes
Created with BeerSmith

Homebrew Awards Update

2012 Upper Mississippi Mashout

   - 2nd place American Barleywine 
(Barelywalk Barleywine 2009)

Pretty Proud of this one as the UMMO is one of the largest homebrew competitions in the nation annually receiving 1000 entries.  Entries are received from coast to coast.  Placing in American Barleywines has inspired me to get back into my annual tradition of brewing a Barleywine.  Something I used to do with friends every Superbowl Sunday, therefore I will be rebrewing my Barelywalk Barleywine 2012 version.

2012 Beerdabbler Winter Carnival Homebrew Competition

  - 2nd place Spice, Veggie, Xmas Beers 
        (A Very Brady Xmas Winter Warmer)
  - 1st place Fruit Beers   
       (entered under The woman, K. Petersen Lazy Cherry Sour)
  - 3rd Best of Show  
       (Lazy Cherry Sour) 

 

3rd B.O.S. not only earned me some sweet bling, but also some nice gift certificates to Stanley's Bar, Northern Brewer and best of all two tickets to The 2012 Beerdabbler Highlandfest this summer.

Finally some Brewing BLING

Old news I know, but with the little one having arrived, my free time has diminished a little.

  

A very unique homebrew competition that takes place at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Byggvir's Big Beer Cup is a style appropriate event, only open to historically appropriate styles.

Huzzah! Huzzah!

Judging for the 2011 Byggvir's Big Beer Cup has ended.  

Not only did I enter some beers into this competition I also had the pleasure to judge this competition as it was put on by our Homebrew Club, Jack of all Brews. Was a very laid back relaxed competition as 1) it was outside in a big event tent, and 2) it was at the Minnesota Renaissance fair, which if you have never been to Renfest, you should make it once in your life.

Only at Byggvir's Big Beer Cup can you judge beer while people walk around dressed up in the most awesome costumes while the air is filled with the smell of smoked Big Ass Turkey Legs!  Try judging beers when all you can smell is Smoked Turkey, mmm mmm mmm Challenging!

Not to mention access to craft beer donated by Harriet Brewery.

Thank you Harriet Brewery!!

Anyway I had the privilege of judging the the "Specialty" along with the "English Strong" category.  Both great categories.  The specialty was fun because pretty much any beer could be entered in this category as long as it was special and didn't conform to the other styles.  The beers in this category ranged from an apricot Lambic aged on oak to a Chocolate Coffee Porter.  A really hard category to judge due to the wide variety of beers that can make up this category.  There ws some great one, some good ones, and some "Interesting" ones!  As for the English Strong category, this style rocked and all the beers we judged in this category were actually really good making it hard to pick out the winners. The coolest thing about judging this category was that i actually judges (and tasted!!!) the eventual Best of Show winner:

Best of Show - Beer

	Brewer	Entry	Brew Style
1st Place	Brett Glenna; Pete Wasko	Old, old ale	19A - Old Ale
2nd Place	John Barlow	Uncle Herb Likes Beer Too	15C - Weizenbock
3rd Place	William Schmiedlin	Smokin' Ruins Porter	22B - Other Smoked Beer

So how did My Beers do you ask?  Well Thanks for asking.

Pretty Damn Good actually!! 4 of 5 placed.

No first places, three 3rd places and a 2nd place medal.  Really proud of my Orange Blossom Mead getting 3rd place.  This was my first attempt at making a mead and it turned out pretty damn good (despite fermenting in my bathroom for 6 months!!).  Also my Belgian IPA v2 got 2nd place, this is one of my favorite beers I brew and I'm glad that it placed.  As for the Porter, this was a beer my Brew Mentor and I brewed way back in 2009 that I had a few bottles of left chilling in my cellar.  Pretty proud of that one as if it wasn't for Magnet, I wouldn't be brewing beer today, Thanks my Man!!!

So all and all a great experience and a great day.  I highly recommend entering, attending and volunteering for next years Event, I know I will!

Slainte`

New Brews is good News!

Figured I'd update quickly on some beers I've recently had, how they are and how they rate.

1.  This one isn't a new one, but one of my favorites and it only comes out this time of year.  Tyranena's Scurvy, this American IPA is brewed with Orange peel to give a nice citrusy, bitter flavor.  Aroma is a little less citrusy than one would think having been brewed with orange peel, but the flavor is amazing.  Great hops that dominate the flavor, though enough malt in the background to not make this Hop Water.  The balance of this beer changes as it warms up, so if at first it seems too bitter, let her sit a bit and the malt will come through.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

2.  This was a new one I've never had before out of Salt Lake City, UT,  Epic Brewing's Imperial IPA.  It weighs in at giant 9.9% ABV, IBUs unknown at a moderate price of $6.99 a bomber.  The cool thing about this beer it is one of Epics Exponential Series beers.  Beers in this series are brewed  and released in batches with each batch being slightly different than the previous allowing Epic to fine tune their recipe, improving the brew with every batch.  The beer I had was batch #4.  

Here's the release notes on batch #4: Imperial IPA Release #4

Brewed on April 18, 2011. For release four we lowered the added mass amounts of Simcoe hops. The Malts Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt and Muntons Carapils. The Hops Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo. ABV 9.9% 

 

This beer was enjoyable, aroma-wise this beer smelled like an Imperial.  Hops present, slightly earthy and citrusy, slight caramel malt aroma detected.  Flavor-wise the hops were slightly more present than the malt, but not a bitter bomb. This imperial started slightly bitter, but ended very sweet and malty.  Alcohol was surprisingly subdued for 9.9%, probably due to the lingering sweetness.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

 

3.  Stone's Imperial Russian Stout (2009).  I know, not your usual summer beer, but who can resisting drinking this bad boy, especially when it's not yours!  Recently attended a nice tasting at a friends house and this beer was the final act. This beer was freakin amazing!  Pours black as oil with a nice thick dark brown head and excellent lacing.  Aromas and flavor are all that you would expect, roasted, toasted, chocolate, coffee, caramel, toffee etc.  Just cannot say enough about this beer as it is just so damn delicious.  Careful though,  you may be tempted to down a bottle of this on your own, note that the bottle states a 10.5% ABV, Stone might as well have said "DON"T MAKE ANY F$%KING PLANS".   Damn good beer and there's no way this bottle would have lasted in my cellar for 2 years.

Overall Rating: 9.999/10

 

Slainte`

Brady's Orange IPA / Belgian IPA experiment

It's been a while, but hey whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you..........

Here's to it.

Brady's Belgian IPA/Orange IPA

American IPA

Type: All Grain	Date: 7/3/2011
Batch Size: 10.00 gal	Brewer:
Boil Size: 12.00 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 45.0	Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU 20.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 90.91 % 1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 % 1.00 lb Caramunich II (Weyermann) (63.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 % 2.00 oz Summit [17.50 %] (60 min) Hops 59.6 IBU 1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (30 min) Hops 17.0 IBU 1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (30 min) Hops 11.1 IBU 1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 5.2 IBU 1.00 oz Summit [17.50 %] (10 min) Hops 10.8 IBU 1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (10 min) Hops 8.0 IBU 1 Pkgs Denny's Fav 50 (Wyeast #1450) [Starter 50 ml] Yeast-Ale 1 Pkgs Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast Labs #3522) Yeast-Wheat
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.060 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.061 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.92 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.2 %
Bitterness: 111.8 IBU	Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 11.0 SRM	Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge	Total Grain Weight: 22.00 lb
Sparge Water: 7.77 gal	Grain Temperature: 66.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp 60 min Mash In Add 27.50 qt of water at 166.8 F 154.0 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: Corn Sugar	Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 7.6 oz	Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F	Age for: 7.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F
Notes
Created with BeerSmith You may notice from the Recipe that two different strains of yeast were used in this recipe, I split this batch into 2 - 5 gallons primaries. Pitched Wyeast 3522 on one batch and 1450 on the other batch and fermented at 63 degrees. Transferred the 1450 batch to secondary and added sweet orange peel and 1oz. Amarillo.  Trying my best to recreate Tyrennena's Scurvy. Transferred the 3522 batch and dry hopped with 1oz. Amarillo. Both of these beers are by far one of my best, but the batch pitched with the Belgian Ardennes 3522 strain was amazing.  I will re-brew this again as a 10-gallon batch very soon!  Rating: Brady's Blegian IPA:  42 Brady's Orange IPA:  40 Slainte`

I've got a GOLDEN TICKET......

I was beginning to think it wasn't meant to be

Entrance to the land of Surly for me
But suddenly I begin to see

A bit of Cynicale luck for me

'Cause I've got a Surly Ticket

I've got a Bitter Brewer in my hand

I never had a chance online

Never a Surlyfest song to sing

But suddenly Surly Brewery is mine...........(for 2 hours)

Surlys an amazing thing

'Cause I've got a Surly Ticket

I've got tickets to the Surly Tour.

I never thought I'd see the day

When I would face Omar and say

Good evening, your Furious rocks my face off

I never thought that I would be

Slap in the lap of Surly
'Cause I'd have said:

It couldn't be done

But it can be done.

I never dreamed that I would drink

In the birth place of Surly

But nevertheless, it's there that I'm

Shortly about to be

'Cause I've got a Surly ticket

I've got a 2 hour Bender to drink my way

And with a Surly Ticket, it's a Surly day!

(Gaining access to the Land of Surly Friday, April 8th 6-8PM  I hope they have Everlasting Hopstoppers!)

Let you know how it goes!

Slainte`



Lager or Not, here I come.....

I've always wanted to try my hand at Lagering, but was unwilling to spend the big bucks and purchase a lagering fridge/freezer.  That and living in IOWA, the temperature swings can be pretty drastic day to day not ideal for maintaining a constant temperature.  Having moved up to the Arctic north (Minnesota) I thought I would try my hand at some garage floor lagering, well to be more specific, 4-seasons floor lagering.  We have a 4 seasons porch which we decided not to heat this winter but I noticed that despite no heat, it hovers around 40 degrees pretty consistently.

Besides always wanting to lager, I've always wanted to try brewing a Light Lager (Pilsner, Classic American?), so I figured now's my chance.  Below is the recipe I used, pretty basic for a Light Lager.  I wanted a light beer like the common American commercials (Miller, Coors, Bud), but with the malty hoppy tastes of a German style Pilsner.   I didn't have much in terms of Noble hops so I couldn't make a true German Pilsner so I decided to use ingredients common to both a Pilsner and an American Classic Lager. Next, I  spiced it up a little bit with the hop additions.  I used Citra hops for bittering these hops are supposed to be very citrusy and Saaz for the late addition.  Saaz has a very distinctive flavor. When used in beer, the resultant aroma is very mild, earthy, herbal and spicy.  

Brady's Lager or Leave it

Classic American Pilsner

 

Type: All Grain	Date: 1/9/2011
Batch Size: 10.00 gal	Brewer: Brady Brew
Boil Size: 12.00 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: 16 Gallon modified Commmercial Keg
Taste Rating(out of 50):	Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU 4.75 lb Pilsner Liquid Extract (3.5 SRM) Extract 28.79 % 2.00 lb Rice Extract Syrup (7.0 SRM) Extract 12.12 % 7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 42.42 % 1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.06 % 1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 6.06 % 0.50 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 3.03 % 0.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 1.52 % 1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (60 min) Hops 22.9 IBU 1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (10 min) Hops 2.0 IBU 1 Pkgs American Lager (Wyeast Labs #2035) [Starter 125 ml] Yeast-Lager
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.90 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.82 %
Bitterness: 25.6 IBU	Calories: 217 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.0 SRM	Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Double Infusion, Full Body	Total Grain Weight: 9.75 lb
Sparge Water: 7.56 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Double Infusion, Full Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp 30 min Protein Rest Add 8.78 qt of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F 30 min Saccrification Add 7.80 qt of water at 206.7 F 158.0 F 10 min Mash Out Add 5.85 qt of water at 199.4 F 168.0 F
10min           Batch Sparge        Add 26.0 qt of water at 190.0 F       175.0 F
Mash Notes: A full bodied mash profile for beers requiring a protein rest. Used for beer with large portions of unmodified adjuncts such as unmalted wheat.
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Forced	Volumes of CO2: 2.4
	Carbonation Used: -
Kegging Temperature: 45.0 F	Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 40.0 F
Notes
I fermented initially at 55 degrees F for 6 days then moved to 68 degrees F for 36 hours (diacetyl rest).  Transferred to Secondary and lagered at 40 degrees for 4 weeks.  Depending on the flavor of this I may dry hop half of this batch.
Created with BeerSmith Slainte`