What the world needs now is another beer blog.
After 4 weeks, the Scottish Wee Heavy (target is 1.018-1.025) = 1.018 (1.020)
After 2 weeks, the Bavarian Hefeweizen (target is 1.009) = 1.008 (1.010)
Updated: Just learned that I need to add .002, so I added the calibrated/adjusted numbers in parenthesis.
Northern Brewer Bavarian Hefeweizen extract kit. Here is their description:
A medium-bodied, effervescent ale practically exploding with yeast and wheat malt character – kind of like a liquid multigrain bread. One of the signature brews of Bavaria, Hefeweizen is a medium-bodied, effervescent ale practically exploding with yeast and wheat malt character – kind of like a liquid multigrain bread. Our kit is 100% traditional—cloudy, malty, and spicy, with a smooth mouthfeel and dense, whipped-cream head. Serve in a tall glass “mit hefe” – swirl the bottle to make sure you get all the yeast!
Bavarian Hefeweizen
Extract kit from Northern Homebrewer, Milwaukee, WI
Target OG: 1.049
Malt 1: 6 lbs. Gold Malt LME (60 min)
Malt 2: 1 lb. Wheat dry DME (60 min)
Adjunct: 1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
Hop 1: 2 oz Tettnang (60 min)
Yeast: Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Wheat Yeast (64°-75°F)
Boiling Schedule:
Collected 2.5 gallons of water. Steep grains at 125°F for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil. Remove water from heat and mix Malt. Add 6 drops of Fermcap to reduce boil foam. Bring water back to a boil. Add Hop 1 @ 60 minutes. Add malt 1 and malt 2 addition at 15 minutes. Add Irish Moss with 15 minutes left in the boil.
Notes:
I’ll leave in the primary for about 2 weeks and then begin taking daily hydrometer readings – when hydrometer readings are the same on consecutive days, primary fermentation is complete. Bottle with 6 oz of corn sugar. Bottle condition for up to 2 weeks.
My actual OG was 1.049. I pitched @ 64° and fermented @ 66-68°.
This kit was compliments of my good friend Kaytee, who I plan on sharing with.
Northern Brewer Big Honkin’ Stout extract kit. Here is their description:
We took inspiration from American-style foreign stouts for this recipe, combining high bitterness and gravity and an intense roasted grain character to make a pitch-black ale that can’t be ignored. Strong, dark roast coffee with a shot of hops and background notes of tar, dark fruit, and caramelized sugar in the nose, giving way to a big mouthful of malt, roast grain, and more hops with a lingering bittersweet finish. Recommended: 2-stage fermentation and yeast starter.
Big Honkin’ Stout
Extract kit from Northern Homebrewer, Milwaukee, WI
Target OG: 1.068
Malt 1: 3.15 lbs. Dark Malt LME (60 min)
Malt 2: 6 lbs. Dark Malt LME (15 min)
Adjunct: 1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)
Grain 1: 0.5 lbs Simpsons Roast Barley
Grain 2: 0.5 lbs Simpsons Black Malt
Grain 3: 0.25 lbs Weyermann Carafa III
Grain 4: 0.25 Briess Caramel 120
Hop 1: 2 oz Willamette (60 min)
Hop 2: 1 oz Cascade (15 min)
Hop 3: 1 oz Cascade – (1 min)
Yeast: Safale Us-05 Ale Yeast(59°-75°F)
Boiling Schedule:
Collected 2.5 gallons of water. Steep grains at 155°F for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil. Remove water from heat and mix Malt. Bring water back to a boil. Add Hop 1 @ 60 minutes, Hop 2 @ 15 minutes, add Hop 3 @ 11 minutes. Add Irish Moss with 15 minutes left in the boil.
Notes:
I pitch yeast @ about 60°. My fermentation temps are 61-62°. I’m not going to transfer to secondary fermenter on this stout as suggested. I’ll leave in the primary for about 6 weeks and then begin taking daily hydrometer readings – when hydrometer readings are the same on consecutive days, primary fermentation is complete. Bottle with 6 oz (3/4 c.) of corn sugar. Bottle condition for up to 2 weeks.
My actual OG was 1.067. I pitched @ 60° and fermented @ 61°. It was suggested to use a yeast starter but I simply pitched the single packet of yeast since I had a pretty close amount of dry yeast for this gravity.
Bottled the Double IPA after a couple weeks of dry hopping with an ounce of Cascade. Not much aroma as I was expecting. Used T-58 for bottling yeast along with 5 oz of corn sugar and 1 oz of table sugar in 16 oz of water.