Anyone From Ireland Out There? (Updated)(

I'm starting to form my Spring brewing game plan and first think to get done or at least started is a recipe for a true Irish beer. Being not from Ireland I'm looking for a little help to get the ball rolling. I like the idea of going with something like Ohara's Celtic Stout or Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale to represent my beer. 

Seeing that I have never had either beer but hear good things I'm hoping the the brewers of Ireland can help direct me what's fun and traditional or just the best beer maid over there right now..... I was thinking about Beamish  too or to get right down to it any good Irish beer that I haven't had before. That could be a local favorite or a big name.... Please tell me your Irish thoughts and opinions and together we'll build my Irish beer!! Thanks for the help in advance

New Lesson Learned About Mashing (EDITED)

The new Mash Tun I built a few months ago works Great and we're still using the heck out of it! Last Sunday I was making a batch of spiced winter ale off a recipe I made up and mashed in my grain the same as I always do. Smelled wonderful, not to thick, to to thin, I had nothing to worry about.... or so I thought. after the sixty minutes were up, I opened the bottom valve to start recirculation before I started my sparge and all I got was a trickle. I had a stuck Mash. A VERY stuck mash. which brings me back to a question I asked someone about 3 years ago while reading an all grain recipe. "why do I always see rice hulls as an ingredient on all grain beers and never on extracts?" and if I would have remembered the answer while I was constructing this recipe I probably would have tossed in half a pound and not had my problem. What I had learned and since forgot is that rice hulls help separate the mash and provide the room needed for the water to run through, collect the converted sugars and make it to the bottom valve without turning into a solid mess.

We did finally get a flow started and got the 5 gallons of sweet wort out that we wanted but it took about two hours after everything. It was a simple reminder of how important cleanliness is and all those little things you may sometime forget while tossing together a recipe. The rest of the brew went great and the primary just finished so it turned out to be a nuisance and nothing else but if you have the ability to avoid it, I recommend doing to.

OK, it's been a while...

I could give you a bunch of excuses on why I haven't been updating lately, but I won't...  Brewing hasn't stopped though, The Chocolate Bock was bottled and turned out delicious! My two Meads are still bubbling along. I just started a Honey Cream Ale. and ESB is still aging. I have some big aspirations for the rest of this year with the ultimate goal of making a Vintage Ale and aging in in an oak cask. I'll be back on here more often throught this spring and summer! Thanks for reading!

A problem with Consumption Vs. Production

I pride my self in using some decent equations in order to hit my numbers on my beers. Science is a big part of being able to produce the same product (or know what you did wrong) in each batch. While I don't feel I've compromised any batch of beer, my Dirty Snowman Ale was prepped for this weekend for consumption.   The next beer I started was my Choco-de-Bock-Ale which I projected at about 6-7 weeks fermentation. Then I recently started an ESB that had about a 3-4 week ferment time. Of course when I planed them out I didn't have the foresight to plan when the two would be done. With several bottles in use with my ale, two ales ago, I guess I have no option but to drink up and free up some bottles! That and maybe recycle a few more from the Christmas Cheer.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah or any thing else you celebrate! Just be safe and enjoy! 

Beer of the night!

Tonight I'm trying Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Ale. 8% ABV and a ridiculous 102 IBU or International Bitterness Unit (i.e. Hops) The top of the stale of IBU is technically 100 making this beer "technically" impossibly Hoppy. Tasting it would make you believe the above statement. From the aroma, the beginning, end, and the mouth feel, pretty much all you get is hops. All of this said, I'm really enjoying it, and Bamforth says hops are good for you. just be prepared. It has a bite! 

Dirty Little Snowman Ale is Bottled and ready to Carbonate!

 DLSA is in the bottle and awaiting it's fate around Christmas. The aroma is awesome and the flavor is Great! I'm the proud dad of 5 gallons of beer! It will probably mellow a little in the bottle but like an anxious father, I'm waiting to get the final grade card of their kid in the mail... Bottling took about an from cleaning out the first bottle to capping the last. I'm beginning to use more of the PET plastic bottles which I have has good success with so far. They are NOT dishwasher safe just in case you were curious. They turn shapes non-conducive to refilling with beer! I fill at least 1 bottle of each batch with them because they are a very easy great way to gauge how well a batch is conditioning once bottled. I also love my flip top bottles. They are easy to use and clean and they have a fun look to them. This will be the first batch that I've used my printable labels I mentioned in a previous blog. I'll post pictures and a review as soon as I have some bubbles!

I also had a primary fermenter malfunction and went ahead and moved the Choco-de-Bock-Ale into a Better Brew Bottle to insure that the seal is good. I look forward to buying a new Primary on Friday. Not sure where the air leak was but I'm confident that the amount of Co2 being produced in it's first days would have kept positive pressure in the primary until I moved it today. I went ahead and added 2 more ounces of the cocoa nibs since this is kinda sorta not really a secondary? But as far as color goes, it's chocolate through and through! And I just checked on it and it seems to be very happy with it's new home. It may blow out it's trap tonight....