-
Hey everyone - wife get's her chance to make her first brew. This is based off one of our very first home brewing experiences where we rediscovered a Mr. Beer kit my bro-in-law gave me for Xmas a few years before. We had zero clue what we were doing, weren't feeling too good about it being older, - it was a Canadian Ale that she wanted to up the abv and give it a molasses-like taste. She dumped a cup of a light/dark brown sugar mix into the boil and decided at the last second to throw in some leftover raisins, probably about 8oz, right into that Mr. Beer 2.5er'. It smelled awful in the ferm, sat for a few weeks, smelled like brown sugar and raisiny, put in the bottle for a few weeks, put it in the fridge and forgot about it. We rediscovered those plastic liter bottles a couple months later and it was a crystal clear copper color and sure enough was a drinkable ale with molasses on the tongue, a little raisny and probably a little too cidery tasting but hey she was proud. Fast forward, she wants to take the same idea to our all-grain abilities and named it after one of our mini-dachshunds, Bella. Here it is. She wants that molasses, chewyness and didn't mind the cider so if she's happy, then I'm happy, and will gladly partake in her brew. If I can get her to enjoy the process and be hands-off at the same time then I'm hoping she wants to make a few brews a year and learn what she likes, doesn't like and what does and doesn't work.
OG: 1.059
FG: 1.018
ABV: 5.3%
IBU: 26.6
SRM: 24.75
BU/GU: .45
Wyeast - Northwest Ale 1332
Ferm at Room Temp (70F)
FERMENTABLES:
4 lb - Belgian - Pilsner (37.4%)
1.5 lb - German - CaraMunich II (14%)
1 lb - Belgian - Special B (9.4%)
1 lb - Belgian - Unmalted Wheat (9.4%)
0.75 lb - United Kingdom - Coffee Malt (7%)
0.5 lb - Flaked Oats (4.7%)
1.61 lb - Brown Sugar (15.1%)
0.33 lb - Cane Sugar (3.1%) - both sugars mixed together, - 10 min boil
HOPS:
1 oz - Glacier for 23 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 5.6, IBU: 13.64)
1 oz - Columbus for 6 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 15, IBU: 12.96)
MASH STEPS:
1) Temperature, Temp: 125 F, Time: 25 min
2) Temperature, Temp: 135 F, Time: 25 min
3) Temperature, Temp: 150 F, Time: 75 min
4) Sparge, Temp: 170 F, Fly Sparge, Batch Sparge
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
Puree 8oz raisins, 8oz dried plums with 4 oz of amaretto, add to ferment for 10 days. -
Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
-
CZs said:
Sorry fellas, no brewcast, but there will be pics - just barely squeezing this in this evening - will update later on. We ended up doing a raisin / plum puree, mixed in with Barista Prima Italian Coffee and Coke Zero!
coke zero? what's in that stuff? sorbitol, aspertame?The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake -
CZs said:
Here's the wife and the dog who gets more lovin' than I do. I know it looks like I'm sniffing my dog instead of the other way around - odd self-pic angle in front of the tun
the wife and dog are sharing the same conspiritory look. beware the morning cup of coffee from now on. they're up to something!The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake -
CZs said:
Here's the wife and the dog who gets more lovin' than I do. I know it looks like I'm sniffing my dog instead of the other way around - odd self-pic angle in front of the tun
Further confirmation that homebrewers are overchicked.
"On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants -
C_B said:CZs said:
lol hilarious - I was overchicked the day I was born. My father is praying we have a son - all women in my family. Outnumbered for sure.
Outnumbered isn't quite what I was talking about....
ha!
hey, he's still kinda new here after all...Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. -
yeah, pretty sure everybody in here married well out of our league.
How does this coincide with homebrewing, you might wonder.....well, it has something to do with the mind of the homebrewer being all about "just going for it". Need a piece of equipment but don't want to spend the cash?..."i could probably make something that works". Want a special beer not available in your area (or very expensive)?... "i could probably make something similar"...See a hot chick everybody else is too intimidated to hit on?....."i bet i could get her to marry me". See? It goes hand in hand.
-
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's no verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer -
CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hookedNever attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. -
CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
Homebrewers consistently marry out of their league. Meaning your wife is hot stuff and you are mediocre stuff. Don't take that as an insult. It is the case with all of us.
"On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants -
ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ." -
CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ."
you, my friend, are treading down a dangerous path.The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake -
CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ."
Won't be long before you are brewing with her hand me downsNever attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. -
ceannt said:CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ."
Won't be long before you are brewing with her hand me downs
That's Friday Nights
-
CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ."
Won't be long before you are brewing with her hand me downs
That's Friday Nights
With, not in. Freak.The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny -
Lakewood said:CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ."
Won't be long before you are brewing with her hand me downs
That's Friday Nights
With, not in. Freak.
Ha!Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. -
Lakewood said:CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:ceannt said:CZs said:
yea sorry CB not quite following you - whipped perhaps? Overly sensitive and emotional perhaps? I'm a little dense - you'll have to spell it out for me
ceannt, oddly enough the wife is obsessed with cleaning the sides of the carboy at the site of any ugly krausen - there's n
verbal communication with it - just hand gestures . . .the beer
Ha!
When she starts "baby talking" to the fermenter .... you know shes hooked
she's gettin' there - she was texting me krausen pics while I was away on business - "Excellent, most excellent . . ."
Won't be long before you are brewing with her hand me downs
That's Friday Nights
With, not in. Freak.
S'how I roll . . . -
CZs said:
I am, btw this thing smells slightly nutty and fruity - def a slight raisin/plum mixed in there and I get slight coffee in the nose - should be a nice one to enjoy as the nights get cooler here in a couple months - i know, don't bring it up yet
we've still got a couple months, but im already looking forward to it.
The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny -
FromZwolle said:ceannt said:
I love the fall .... and fall beers ...
i hate the fall. ugly as can be in my opinion. love those fall beers though.
But you're inside all the time in the dark ... how can you tell if you hate it or not?Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. -
ceannt said:FromZwolle said:ceannt said:
I love the fall .... and fall beers ...
i hate the fall. ugly as can be in my opinion. love those fall beers though.
But you're inside all the time in the dark ... how can you tell if you hate it or not?
radio signals from the foil hat. ;)The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake -
FromZwolle said:ceannt said:FromZwolle said:ceannt said:
I love the fall .... and fall beers ...
i hate the fall. ugly as can be in my opinion. love those fall beers though.
But you're inside all the time in the dark ... how can you tell if you hate it or not?
radio signals from the foil hat. ;)
lies! all lies!Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity. -
you crazy mofos - sorry I haven't been on in FOR-EV-ER, FOR-EV-ER, FOR-EV-ER. We've got TWINS and I just brewed a Tripel yesterday - first brew I believe since December.
Got my Ocean Front Grisette in the pipeline (with some revisions), however - I'm more excited about what I'm doing next weekend - making a 120 min Belgian IPA with leftover hops of other brews (8 hop varieties to be exact). Also, have a 100 minute Farmhouse IPA on board.
I think the last thing I brewed was my Walking Dead inspired Saison - "Dead Weight Saison" with the Wyeast PC 3726 strain - I liked the brew, but don't like the strain at all compared to 3711 and 3724. It probably is the most balanced between pepperyness and fruit - so if you're going for phenols and esters balance - might want to try 3726. I think there was a Bier De Garde in there somewhere too - which I used the 3725 and thought it was "eh" - a little too vinous tasting (it is supposed to be I guess from what people tell me - supposedly mixed with wine strains over time?)
who the hell knows - anyways, I believe I got some messages and honestly never got to them because I'm an SOB - but sorry for the absenteeism and wazzup? -
Looks like you are back to brewing in style there. Im not much od a wyeast afficianado so I dont really know their strains. But using lots of different strains to get a feel for them is definitely the way to go.
The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
The wife's first brew - Bella's Brown Ale
