WhoDat, once we get through C-R's beer class, we should think about the next step.  I will not have time in the foreseeable future to make the jump into beermaking on my own, both due to the research on how to do it right and getting all of the equipment together.

However, I already have a LOT of the necessary equipment as it overlaps with winemaking.  And I have the space, and temp control if needed (I have the kegerator plus a dedicated alcohol making fridge in the shop).  In other words, a group effort is not out of the question.  What better excuse to get together and drink beer, than making beer.

It is about to begin. Based on the Hunahpu's recipe from Wayne Wamble, a dark chocolate spiced imperial stout.

 

Grain bill:
- 17.1 lbs 2 row
- 3.1 lbs roasted barley
- 0.3 lbs black patent barley
- 2.1 lbs chocolate malt
- 1.6 lbs cara 60% malt
- 1.2 lbs cara 120% malt
- 2.4 lbs munich 20% malt
- 1.2 lbs flaked barley

 

Hops bill:
- 2 oz first gold for 60 minutes
- 3 oz fuggles for 20 minutes

 

Yeast: Thames Valley by Wyeast or WLP029 [using White Labs Dry English Ale, WLP007]

 

Adjunct Bill:
- 1/2 lb. crushed cacao nibs
- 1 split open Ancho pepper
- 1 split open Pasilla pepper
- 2 split and scraped vanilla beans
- 5 small cinnamon sticks

 

Mash in 8.5 gallons at 110°. Triple decoction mash with boilings close to 30-40 minutes:

- Acid rest 97° x 90 minutes
- Protein rest 122-133° x 85 minutes
- Saccrification rest 149-158° x 65 minutes

 

Sparge with first runnings at 19 plato. Then boil the shit out of it till you hit 26.9 plato.

 

Pitch a two liter starter using yeast nutrients and energizer, oxygenate with pure O2 (or vigorous agitation) for one minute at 70°.

Use a blowoff tube to starsan setup and ferment at 65° for 3 weeks.

 

After 3 weeks, pitch adjuncts. Let sit an additional 2 weeks, then rack to a bottling bucket for bottles (3/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water simple syrup) or keg set to 10 psi at 40°. for 3 weeks.

 

This is for a 5.5 gallon batch.

This was very good.

 

So this coming Saturday marks the 5th anniversary of this, my first batch of beer.  I guess that I am no longer a newb.  Gonna have to drink a homebrew to celebrate.

things at the UF house that have made it into the wort: water from the hose (stupid hoseclamps on the wort chiller), dirty frying pan. neither of those batches turned on me miraculously.

lolz

I was on the road yesterday. I received this text message from my 16 year old daughter -

 

Grapefruit Citra IPA

 

I have a few ideas for adding citrus zest so this is sort of a test run.  Not sure how much flavor I will get from the grapefruit zest.  The Citra hops may dominate.  Or, the hop flavor may be enhanced.  Either way I love Citra hops so I am thinking that this will be good.

Just got done bottling this. The grapefruit is easily distinguishable. I am very pleased with this. I think that I got myself a bitter grapefruit bomb. FG 1.011.

 Can't wait to try this. How does it compare to something like GFJ?

Not sure if GFJ has any actual grapefruit in it.  I'd have to do a side by side.  With mine tho I can positively say that I was getting grapefruit flavor from the zest.  My wife said the same, and she generally is not very good at picking flavors out in a beer.