Monthly Archive for March, 2009

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Bière de Garde

Published on March 8, 2009 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: .

I’m really getting into trying as many styles as I can, appropriate to my fermentation temps in my basement. I’m not content on just brewing one style or recipe over and over and perfecting it. I feel there are so many recipes and styles to try. My next home brew was a Biere de Garde kit that I purchased through Northern Brewer out of St. Paul, MN. Biere de Garde is a farmhouse ale originating from northern France’s border with Belgium. I brewed it today with an OG of 1.60 (target was 1.063), balling was 15%, and potential alcohol was 8% per the hydrometer. I pitched the yeast with the wort at 64 degrees. I’m trying something new that I read on a forum to keep my fermentation temps higher in my 59 degree basement. I placed my carboy in a tubberware container where I have a 100 watt aquarium heater keeping the water at 69 degrees.

NB’s catalog and customer service were great and very helpful. Their own description says:

OG: 1063 / Ready: 3 months

Bière de Garde is a beer that has its origins in the northern region of France known as Nord-Pas de Calais. This style is intended to be cellared for many months, and is brewed relatively strong. Bronze in color, this beer has clean fermentation properties and a caramelly profile from a longer-than-usual boil. Our Bière de Garde kit is intended to be fermented ‘steam style’, by a lager yeast fermented at warmer ale temperatures. To enhance the cleanliness, this beer should be cold-conditioned in the bottle for two months before serving.

BeerAdvocate.com‘s description of the Belgian hybrid:

Description:
The Biere de Garde is golden to deep copper or light brown in color. They are moderate to medium in body. This style of beer is characterized by a toasted malt aroma, slight malt sweetness in flavor, and medium hop bitterness. Noble-type hop aromas and flavors should be low to medium. Fruity esters can be light to medium in intensity. Flavor of alcohol is evident. Earthy, cellar-like, musty aromas and flavors are okay. Diacetyl should not be perceived but chill haze is okay. Often bottle conditioned with some yeast character.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 6.0-8.0%

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about this beer, with a nice photo of 3 Monts.

As you may have noticed, I’ve begun posting my current and past recipes. You can view all my recipes that I’ve tried from local and national home brew suppliers by simply clicking the “recipe” tag.

Recipe – Vanilla Bean Porter

Published on March 3, 2009 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Vanilla Bean Porter
The Homebrewing Depot, West Allis, WI

Malt 1: 2 Qts. Amber LME (or 6 lbs of LME)
When I convert from LME to DME, I multiply the LME by .75. Going the other way I multiply the DME by 1.25.

Grain 1: 1 lb. 40L Crystal Malt
Grain 2: 1/2 lb. Chocolate Malt
Grain 3: 1/4 lb. Black Patent

Hop 1: 1 oz Challenger
Hop 2: 1/2 oz. Argentine Cascade

Yeast: Wyeast #1098 British Ale (65-75)

Adjunct 1: 1 Whole Vanilla Bean

Boiling Schedule:
Steep Grains for 30 to 45 minutes in 1.5 gallons of water @ 155-170F. Remove grains. Bring water to a boil. Remove water from heat and mix malts until dissolved. Bring water back to a boil and add Hop 1 @ 60 minutes and Hop 2 @ 10 minutes left in the boil.

Notes:
Transfer to secondary fermenter after 7-10 days. Split vanilla bean length wise and add to the secondary fermenter for 10 days. Bottle with 1.25 cups of wheat DME or .75 cups of corn sugar. Bottle condition for 2-3 weeks.

Recipe – Goosebrau

Published on March 3, 2009 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Goosebrau (Lakefront Brewery Riverwest Stein clone)
Frugal Homebrewer, Waukesha, WI

Grains + Hops: 4# John Bull Lager extract kit

Malt 1: 3# LME

Yeast: Dry (can’t remember type)

Boiling Schedule:
Bring water to a boil. Remove water from heat and mix malts until dissolved. Bring water back to a boil and add kit and malt extracts and boil for 30 minutes.

Notes:
Two weeks in primary. Bottle with 1.25 cups of wheat DME or .75 cups of corn sugar. Bottle condition for 2-3 weeks.

Vanilla Bean Porter – tasting (part deux)

Published on March 3, 2009 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , .

After waiting roughly 3 weeks more for my beer to condition, I’m happy to post that my results were positive. I brought the bottles upstairs into warmer conditions. I belive that, with the extra time allowed the priming sugar to do its job.

The beer was sitting in about 59 degrees while in the basement. The temp upstairs was averaging about 63 degrees (we keep our home cool).

There is a nice head to the beer and actually a lot better taste. I’m very please with my first porter considering the errors that I’ve noted on this beer. The alcohol feels very light but since I never took an OG reading, my only gage is “am I feelin’ it?”. I’d definately brew this again and I know that I could provide a better batch by avoiding some growing pain mistakes.