| Irish Stout Feb-2011 |
Hoping this will be ready for St. Patrick's Day, but I am cutting close.
Liquid Malt extract: 2 cans Coopers Light malt extract |
| Lawnmower Lager May-2010 |
I applied for and got permission to use the clam chiller
to do a little lagering. So a kit has been ordered, and the plan is to brew over the upcoming holiday
weekend. I'll bottle it and let it mature for a few weeks at room temp, then move the brew in with the
clams for a few months of secondary fermentation. Details to follow.
Postscript: this beer (technically, a Czech Pilsner) turned out extremely well! |
| Irish Stout Jan-2010 |
The plan is for this to be ready for St. Patrick's Day.
Liquid Malt extract: 2 cans Coopers Light malt extract |
| Irish Stout Jan-2009 |
This was ready for March 17th, and although a few bottles exploded on opening (just ask Jeannie), most did not
and this was a wonderful brew - a nice smooth (potent) stout.
Liquid Malt extract: 2 cans Coopers Light malt extract |
| Pete's Wicked Ale Clone Feb-2008 |
I have a good feeling about this brew, which is maturing in the basement now.
Taste testing will being sometime within the next 4-6 weeks.
Liquid Malt extract: 2 cans Alexander's pale malt extract |
| Non-alcoholic Sarsparilla May-2007 |
This was a soda flavor Michael picked out. I sterilized everything, had it all mixed and ready to bottle, and suddenly everyone disappeared. Apparently canoeing with daddy has more appeal than bottling soda with me. So I had to do it myself (once everything is ready to go, you kind of have to finish, before it all gets contaminated). I'll let this mature for a couple of weeks, and then we'll have a taste test. |
| Hefeweizen, Apr-2007 |
This is supposed to be a classic Hefeweizen, should be good if the weather
ever warms up. I actually got the fermenter all set up and the temperature was just
perfect (69 degrees F) when I added the yeast, but when I checked it the next day, it didn't
look like fermentation had started. I was bumming a bit, but then the next day,
the lid looked like it was going to pop off, the fermentation went wild. So wild, in fact,
that Chris put a bin under the bucket to catch run off. I had visions of wort all over the ceiling
and wall, so I burped the bucket a few times - probably not a good idea (and Chris has to be on
the record as being against this), but time will tell whether it got contaminated or not.
Liquid Malt extract: 2 cans Munton's wheat malt extract |
| Non-alcoholic Ginger Beer Apr-2007 |
This was an Easter week project one evening with the kids. I let them
each pick a flavor, and this was Erika's choice. (Michael picked Sarsparilla and when we
have enough empty bottles, we'll make that one as well.) I sterilized everything and got
it all prepped and ready to go before I had the kids come and help. When I told them to go
wash their hands, they jumped to it, they were so eager and anxious to do this. They did a
great job mixing the sugar, water, yeast, and soda extract. Then they even took turns filling the
bottles, and for some reason they found this fascinating. Fortunately I have two bottle
cappers, so Michael was able to run with that on his own while I helped Erika. In a couple of
weeks, if the bottles don't explode, we'll be taste testing this soda.
Note, this soda turned out very well! It's not as carbonated as I'd like, but it tastes really good, very gingery and very refreshing. |
| IPA, Jan-2007 |
Apr-2007: Quick update, I've taste tested a couple of bottles of this and it turned out
pretty well. I think it needs another month or two to mature, I am going to try to keep
my hands off it for a little longer.
Thanks to all those family members who gave me gift certificates for Keystone Homebrew for Christmas. I've started cashing them in. I brewed this on a very cold night, and I actually think the temp was a little too cold to add the yeast; the fermentation never really seemed to take off. This is supposed to be a very hoppy, low alcohol content brew, but I'm not sure how it will turn out due to the wort temperature. We'll have to wait and see. The item of note (so far) related to this batch is that Michael helped me cap some of the bottles - he thought it was the coolest thing, and he really did make it go a lot quicker than if I'd been doing it myself. I may make a batch of homemade (non-alcoholic) soda with him sometime. But anyway, here are the details on this batch of beer: Grains: 3/4 lbs. munton & fison crystal malt, 1/2 lb. munton & fison carapils |
| IPA, Apr-2006 |
Someone gave me this kit for my birthday last year
and I finally got around to brewing it. I taste tested it, and it seems
pretty good. Here are all the details for all you beer nerds out there:
Grains: 1 lb. crushed crystal malt 60 L, 8 oz. crushed victory |
| Manasquan Amber, Nov-2002 |
Brewed on Black Friday, and hopefully will be ready in time for Christmas: Grains: 1 lb. Munich, 1 lb. crystal Hops: 1 oz. golding at 60 minutes, 1 oz. Initial SG 1.050 (at 62 degrees F). Fermentation started within 24 hours, the carboy is bubbling away. Bottling took place on day 8 with a final SG of 1.010 at 61 degrees F.. |
| Sarsparilla, Nov-2002 |
Non-alcoholic soda made on Thanksgiving Day with help from, and for the benefit of Chris' cousin Matt, who expressed lots of interest in seeing how this is done. Michael helped also by filling the buckets with water so we could sterilise the bottles, and also standing the sterilised bottles up in the dishwasher prior to filling them up. |
| Ale, Feb-2001 |
I had a can of malt extract for ale that someone
gave me a while ago, and finally had time to make it. The S.G. was pretty
low (1.044), so this won't be a very strong brew. It tasted pretty bitter,
even though I threw the bittering hops were only thrown in for the very
last minute. I'll post details after this ages a little more and we have
a taste test.
Note: I discovered almost an entire case of this hidden away in the basement sometime around April, 2006! So of course I taste tested it, and it was outstanding. It definitely aged gracefully (and was pretty potent). I guess it went through a long, drawn-out second fermentation. |
| Ginger Ale, Feb-2001 |
So far, this soda (unlike the one below), is staying in the bottle. This was left at room temp for a few days, then transferred it to the fridge to stop the fermentation. This soda is receiving rave reviews! A little stronger ginger taste than regular ginger ale, but not quite as strong as a true ginger beer. Stop by for a taste. |
| Lager, Nov-2000 |
This was a thrown-together batch of lager. I have no idea what all the ingredients were. The original S.G. was 1.056 and it was 1.020 on the nose when bottled. No taste tests yet, but the results will be posted here. |
| Sarsparilla Soda, Oct-00 |
I regret to report there were too many explosions in this batch and it had to be "put down." Oh well. |
| German Dark Lager, Nov-99 |
Oct-2001: We just finished the last few bottles from this batch, and it was DELICIOUS. Wish there was more left. Grains: 1 lb. 120L, 2 oz. chocolate, 1/4 lb. black Hops: 2 oz. Hallertau hops at 60 minutes, 1/2 oz. |