Sick Puppy IPA Kegged!

Wow, what a fun brew this has been. I let it sit on the dry hops for 10 days instead of my usual 7 before crash cooling to 32 degrees on Monday. I finally got around to kegging it today (Friday) where it will sit on the CO2 for 7 days before it goes in the keezer.

I took the liberty to ramp up the fermentation temp to 75 degrees for one day just to make sure the yeast attenuated all the way. well, it did and then some. Instead of 1.016 for the FG I ended up at 1.014. 78.125% attenuation out of that yeast that's supposed to attenuate at 67-71%. I guess I don't have to ramp up to 75 degrees next time! The hydro sample taste great!

Here are a couple of pics of the carboy after draining off 5 gallons of beer to the keg:
































Up next: A pale ale. I'm almost out of Evil Twin.

Sick Puppy Brew Fun

Yesterday was a nice brew day! It wasn't too hot (90's), no interruptions, and the outcome couldn't have been more perfect. Here are the pics!

Boiling the starter in the house Thursday night. Sharon was gone so I didn't have to worry about the beer smell that seems to permeate everywhere in the house. Smells good to me!














Some folks ask "Why go to all the trouble to make a starter?" These pics should clear that up.

The starter Thursday night. If you look really, really closely you can see little white flecks of yeast in there.


















The yeast Friday morning. Looks like those yeasties procreated just a little! ;-)


















Cleaning a few kegs while the grain is mashing. It sure is nice having a hot water spigot outside.














My OG was supposed to be 1.064. Nailed it!

Sick Puppy IPA Brewday Planned

This Saturday is my 3rd IPA brew day! I'm going to be switching back and forth between the Surly Sow and Sick Puppy IPAs to have on tap. I'll make notes each time I make these and hopefully each will become better and better! The Surly Sow will be more bitter/hoppy/piney while the Sick Puppy will have more emphasis on the malt and flavor hop additions. Definitely two different ends of the IPA spectrum.

This will be my first take of the Sick Puppy which is a take-off of the Lagunitas IPA from the CYBI episode on The Brewing Network. I've made a couple of changes depending on ingredients that I have on hand as well as making this just a few IBUs higher than the original.

Here's the recipe that I'll be brewing on the 15th.

Sick Puppy IPA
14-B American IPA
Author: Wade L. Williams

Size: 11 gal
Efficiency: 64.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 213.01 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.064 (1.056 - 1.075) (Lagunitas = 1.059)
Terminal Gravity: 1.016 (1.010 - 1.018)
Color: 13.48 (6.0 - 15.0)
Alcohol: 6.29% (5.5% - 7.5%) (Lagunitas = 5.07%)
Bitterness: 48.1 (40.0 - 70.0) (Lagunitas = 45.6)

Ingredients:
15.12 lb Pale Ale Malt (It's what I have left)
9 lb American 2-row (I ran out of Pale Ale and regular 2-row was all that B3 had in stock)
2.0 lb White Wheat Malt
1.8 lb Munich Malt
1.2 lb Crystal Malt 60°L
2.75 lb Crystal 15
1 oz Vanguard (4.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min (I had it on hand so figured I'd use it)
.75 oz Magnum (14.4%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1.3 oz Glacier (6.0%) - added during boil, boiled 30 min (Supposed to be Wilamette, but B3 was out so I subbed Glacier)
1.0 oz Centennial (9.1%) - added during boil, boiled 30 min
1 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
2.0 tsp Yeast Nutrient (AKA Fermax) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
2.5 oz Cascade (7.8%) - added during boil, boiled 1 min
1.5 oz Cascade (5.5%) - added dry to primary fermenter
1.5 oz Centennial (10.0%) - added dry to primary fermenter
2.0 ea Wyeast 1968 London ESB

Notes
Mash temp 158-160 (Yup, that's high!)

Ferment temp: 66F for three days - slowly raise to 70F over the next 3-4 days

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3

Amber Brew Day

Today was my first venture into the world of Amber Ale. I was supposed to light the burners at 4:30 AM, when Sharon left to climb Half Dome, but I hadn't filtered my water or ground my grain last night, and at that time of the morning I started to doubt my choice for an Amber Ale so I started researching recipes and taking inventory of all my grains and hops on hand. After a few cups of coffee I decided to stick with the original plan and brew the Amber.














Mashing out at 9 AM. The first runnings were dark and sweet!















I took this picture for two reasons. First, I put a new piece of brewing equipment into rotation: The Ove Glove! It's much more convenient to grab hot pieces of aluminum, etc with this then trying to use a regular, square hot pad. Second, notice that there is NO BOIL OVER on the edges of the brew pot or on the ground. Why? I started using Foam Control on this brew and even though I had a great rolling boil, I didn't have all the foam associated with it. This stuff ROCKS!















11.5 gallons of Amber Waves of Grain in glass where it will sit for the next three weeks. I used a few drops of foam control in each carboy and it started eating through the foam from the aeration right away. 1/2 hour after pitching the 2 liter starter I had visible yeast activity.















Oops! I boiled off a little too much and over shot my starting gravity. Was supposed to be 1.055. As Mark would say, "This is going to be a big ole ale!"

Amber Waves of Grain - Amber Ale

This Saturday I'll be lighting the burners at 5 AM and brewing an Amber. I'm still waiting for the keg of Pale Ale to blow before I hook up the Summer Sunset Orange Wit. Man, oh man, I can't wait to taste that beer!

Here's the recipe planned for the 11th:

















Amber Waves of Grain
10-B American Amber Ale
Author: Wade L. Williams

Size: 12.0 gal
Efficiency: 64.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 173.16 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.052 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.013 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 17.8 (10.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 5.12% (4.5% - 6.2%)
Bitterness: 35.8 (25.0 - 40.0)

Ingredients:
20.78 lb Pale Ale Malt
2.19 lb Munich Malt
2.46 lb Crystal Malt 40°L
1.59 lb Crystal Malt 120°L
1.59 lb Victory® Malt
3 oz Vanguard (5.4%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1 oz Cascade (7.8%) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
1 oz Centennial (9.1%) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
.5 oz Cascade (7.8%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
.5 oz Centennial (9.1%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
2.0 ea White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3

Summer Sunset Orange Wit Brewday Planned

For those followers of this blog I'm extending an open invitation to come brew with me on May 16th at 9 AM. I'll be brewing up a great session beer, a Belgian Wit. Two other folks who want to learn to brew will be there and I have room for many more. Plus, I'll have three beers on tap for everyone to enjoy. Just submit a comment on this blog with your info and email address and I'll send you directions to my house.

Here's the recipe planned for the 16th:












Summer Sunset Orange Wit
16-A Witbier
Author: Wade L. Williams

Size: 10.56 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 162.08 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.049 (1.044 - 1.052)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.008 - 1.012)
Color: 3.69 (2.0 - 4.0)
Alcohol: 4.79% (4.5% - 5.5%)
Bitterness: 17.3 (10.0 - 20.0)

Ingredients:
8 lb Pale Ale
9 lb Wheat Flaked
2 lb White Wheat Malt
2 tsp 5.2 pH Stabilizer - added during mash
1.3 oz Sterling (7.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
7 oz Orange zest - added during boil, boiled 10 min
.5 oz Corriander crushed - added during boil, boiled 10 min
2.0 ea Chamomile Tea Bag - added during boil, boiled 10 min
1 tsp Yeast Nutrient (AKA Fermax) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
1 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
2.0 ea White Labs WLP400 Belgian Wit Ale

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3

B2D2 - The Better Beer Dispensing Device

Nope, it doesn't look anything like R2D2, but the 4 tap draft box is FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here she is in all her 4 tap glory!

The collar that started it all.













The freezer fitted with a collar for the bottom to raise the unit up to acceptable (for me) pouring height, and for the top for the taps to fit through. I also added non-marring casters so it could roll around the house without scuffing up the floor.

















1x3s installed to secure the freezer to the collars to the freezer, create airflow between the freezer and the outside plywood, and to be used as nailers for the plywood.













Skinned with 1/4" plywood and dry fitted with taps and CO2 distribution unit.


















An inside peek before all of the hoses are installed.














Building the top.













After the stain and first coat of varnish is applied.

















The finished unit sans drip tray (that will come next month).


































Yes, I know that's a crappy ol' staining job but the drip tray will sit right at the bottom of those stain lines so I'm hoping it will mask it some.

Three of the taps are pouring Scottish Wee Heavy, Red Ale, and Pale Ale. Yippee!