With summertime almost here our thoughts turn to the lighter side of beer. Oh, we mean that “lawnmower” beer that’s cleanly fermented and flavorful.

A nice cream ale would be delightful to enjoy on a warm afternoon. Something so drinkable and refreshing while retaining the noble hop character unlike the typical American lagers.

This beer has a mixed aroma of creamy notes and corn sweetness with very light fruity esters while maintaining low hop detail. The limited use of Magnum hops manages to hold an underlining bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malts.

Using Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale yeast lends a hand in keeping a malt character while fermenting neutral and clean.

            Cream Ale                5 G. net

 7   #   Pale 2-Row malt

1.5 #   Flaked Corn

2 oz.   Acidulated malt

15.7 g. American Magnum pellets     11.8 % AA

Mash    3 G.  Adjusted water at 164 °F in tun add grains to 153 °F

              60 min. rest – until iodine test OK  

    Add 2 G. water @ 170 °F no mash-out

Sparge   continuous 4 G. water

Boil     60 min.

Hops   First addition                   7 g      Magnum        @ 15 min.

            Second                            6 g.     Magnum           @ 30 min.

             Last                                 2.7 g.    Magnum            @   end of boil

O.G.  1.050          F.G. 1.006                3 SRM                19 IBU’s                  

Rest 5 min-chill to fermenter-oxygenate

Pitch  @  64 °F

Yeast    Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale yeast

Ferment  @ 64 °F

To make a truly different beer has always been a major test and desire for any homebrewer.  Well, there is a style that captivates many a palate enough to create a demand.  This will involve the use of a common grain in conjunction with malted barley.  Yes, think wheat added to your favorite Blonde Ale to make a twist on the traditional German style ale.  The answer lies in the yeast that will not impart clove, banana, etc. The clean fermentation character allows bready, doughy, or grainy wheat flavors to be complemented by hop flavor and bitterness rather than yeast qualities.

 Summertime invokes thoughts of a refreshing brew to counteract the heat. Give this a try and be pleasantly surprised.

         American Pale Wheat                            All Grain    5 Gal._

  5 #   Pale 2-Row malt

  3 #   White Wheat malt  2.5°L

  2 #   Flaked Wheat

10 g.  Magnum  pellets   12.4 % AA

28 g.  Sterling  pellets         8  % AA

Mash   3.5 G. water at 166 °F in tun add grains to 154 °F

            60 min. conversion rest or longer until Iodine test is OK

Sparge  5 Gal. 168°F water collect  ~ 7.5 G.

Boil        60 min.

Hops     First addition      5 g.   Magnum       @  15 min.

              Second              5 g.   Magnum        @  30 min.

              Third                14 g.   Sterling          @  45 min.

              Last                 14 g.   Sterling           @  End of boil

O.G.  1.052       F.G. 1.006         21  IBU’s            4 SRM

Rest  5 min.-chill to fermenter-oxygenate Pitch @ 66 °F         

          15 Sec. O2 flow in 1 hour

Yeast     Wyeast 1010 American Wheat Ale

Fermentation   Maintain temp, around 66°F

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Rack to Secondary ___________________________________________

Cold Crash _________________________________________________

Keg ________________________________________________________

Notes ______________________________________________________

Sometimes a change is needed. We always enjoy variety in life, so the same goes for the craft beer we drink. Homebrewing can fill in the voids where you can make a beer you can’t buy. That being said, we decided it was time to brew a honey brown ale unlike anything from the shelves at the store.

Seven different grains are used in conjunction with some local honey and English hops to result in a rich dark brew with a divine aroma. Using 50 % specialty malts goes against the norm, but stick with it because the huge body it produces will balance the drying effect of the honey. Priming with honey in the keg gives a smooth carbonation and lasting head that is appealing and delicious. Using Irish Ale yeast will help to maintain a crisp profile with subtle fruitiness. A spunding valve is needed to monitor the pressure to 15 psi and will also help in setting the final carbonation level.

    Honey Brown  Ale                  5 G. net

    5 #   Viking Red Ale malt 25-29 L

    5 #   Briess Pale Ale malt

    1 #   Briess Blonde Roast Oat malt                  

   .5 #   Victory malt 

   .5 #   Briess Caramel 10                                             

   .5 #   Briess Caramel 20          

   .25 #  Briess Midnight Wheat malt 

    1.5 #  Honey in 1°   plus 5.5 oz. primer    

    1.5 oz. Admiral hops pellets           13.3 % AA 

     1 oz.   Kent Golding pellets             4.8 % AA               

Mash   4.2 G. adjusted water at 168 °F in tun add grains to 157 °F

             90 min. rest to ensure conversion (alpha amylase @ end can help)

             Add 2 G. water @ 170 °F and vorlauf

Sparge  continuous  2.5 G.  water

Boil    60 min.

Hops  First addition         .25 oz. Admiral             @   First Wort

           Second                  .25 oz. Admiral              @  15 min.

           Last                         1 oz.  Admiral, Kent Golding @ End of boil

O.G.  1.053           31 IBU’s   

Rest  5 min.-chill to fermenter-oxygenate Pitch @  63°F

Yeast   Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale

Ferment @ 66 °F in primary 7-10 days

Honey Addition to 1.060  day 4  in primary

Rack to secondary rest 14 days  F.G. 1.012

Keg  adding  5.5 oz. priming honey calc. 2.4 Vol. CO2 – attach spund

Cold crash  when pressure balances at 15 psi. usually 14-20 days

Notes  

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Bringing a keg of your homebrew to a wedding is a great gift to those special people that invited you, well bringing two of your beers is even better. I usually include fruit beers because they quickly become a crowd favorite. One is always the Cherry Gala Ale while the other is a Hibiscus Mango Wheat Ale. The hibiscus is derived from a tea of dried flowers and to be consistent in flavor use a mango puree. Keep the amount of puree listed and the hibiscus tea could be reduced to your personal preference for color and flavor.

     Hibiscus Mango Ale          5 Gal. net

5 #   Briess brewers malt

1 #   Golden Promise malt

1 #   Briess Caramel malt 10

1 #   Briess Caramel malt 20

1 #   Red Wheat malt

.4 oz.  Galena pellets                  14  % AA

1 oz.  Cascade pellets                5.7  % AA

8 oz.   Amoretti Mango puree

6.5 oz. Dried Hibiscus flowers

Mash    3 G.  Adjusted water at 167 °F in tun add grains to 155 °F

              2 G.  water @ 170 °F to 154 °F 5 min.

Sparge   continuous 4 G. Stokes water collect ~ 7 G.

Boil     60 min.

Hops   First addition         .4 oz.      Galena             @ 20 min.

            Second addition     .5 oz.      Cascade           @ 30 min.

            Last                         .5 oz.       Cascade           @ end

O.G.  1.044               29 IBU’s                         

Rest 5 min-chill to fermenter-oxygenate Pitch @ 66 °F

  add O2 in 1 Hr.

Yeast    1272 American Ale II

Ferment @ 64 °F

Rack to secondary day 7 onto mango puree 

FG ________

Cold Crash when terminal gravity is reached

Keg_______Add hibiscus flower tea  3 c. boiling water over flowers in                  muslin bag – pour 1 pint tea into keg when cool then carbonate

Notes  ______________________________________________________

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            7 #   Briess Brewers malt

            1 #   Briess Caramel malt 60 °L

            2 #   Blonde RoastOat malt 4 °L

            3 oz. Country Malt Red X malt

            6 #  Frozen Cherries defrosted

            1 #  Honey

            3 oz. Belma hops pellets          8.5  % AA

Mash   3 G. 50 oz. adjusted water at 168 °F in tun add grains to 157 °F

Rest     60 min.

             Add  2 G.  water @ 170°F

Sparge 3.5 G.  water collected  ~ 7  G.

Boil     60 min.

Hops    First addition            .2 oz.          Belma        @ 15 min.

              Second                      .2 oz.          Belma         @ 30 min.

              Third                            .6 oz.         Belma          @ 45 min.

              Last                                1 oz.         Belma           @ end

 O.G.  1.044     F.G. 1.012          27 IBU’s            .545  BU:GU – Mash side

Rest 5 min – chill to fermenter – oxygenate – Pitch @ 66 °F  

Yeast    1272 American Ale ll

Fermentation  Primary 10 days or when activity slows

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Dry Hop in Primary 1 oz. Belma day 7  

Rack to secondary  

Macerate cherries w/ hand blender then heat to 150 °F

place pot into ice bath  ~ 20 min. – add honey @ 100 °F  chill down to 70°F then pour into 2°

            rack 1° on top                      overall O.G. 1.05_   to 1.01_        

Cold crash _________________________________________________

Keg________________________________________________________

Notes  ______________________________________________________­­­­­­

Trickster’s Wit is an enticingly robust White IPA brewed using Belgian Pilsner malt, 2-Row barley, and Torrified Wheat to create a silky smooth palate and body. Belgian Wit yeast, Chinook, Centennial, and Cascade hops for bittering, Amarillo for aroma with more Chinook and Cascade plus Azacca dry hop result in a beer with a fruity citrus sweet herbal and floral honey-like sustenance.

        White IPA      21 B.           5 Gal. net

          8 #   Belgian Pilsner malt

          6.5 # Torrified Wheat

          2 #   Briess Brewers malt

          1 oz.  Centennial pellets   9.9 % AA

          1 oz.  Chinook pellets    12.7 % AA     1 oz. Cryo Chinook Dry hop

          1 oz.  Cascade pellets      6.5 % AA      1 oz. Cryo Cascade Dry hop

          1 oz.  Amarillo pellets Cryo 17.4 % AA    1 oz.  Azacca Cryo Dry hop

Mash   5.5 G. adjusted water at 166 °F in tun add grains to 156 °F

          90 min. rest no mash out

          2 Gal.  water @ 170°F to mash yields 156 °F 5 min.

Sparge continuous 3 G.  water

Boil        75 min.

Hops First addition         .25 oz.  Chinook         @ 10 min.

           Second addition     .5 oz.  Centennial      @ 45 min.

                                          .5 oz.  Cascade

                                         .75 oz.  Chinook

           Third addition         .5 oz.  Centennial       @ 60 min.

                                          .5 oz.  Cascade

           Last addition           1 oz.  Amarillo            @ Whirlpool

O.G.  1.066        FG 1.010    64 IBU’s                  .969 BU:GU             5 SRM

Rest cool wort to 170° add whirlpool hops – continue chill –

rack to fermenter oxygenate well

Yeast   Wyeast 3944 Belgian Wit – Pitch @ 64°F 

Fermentation 4 days @ 64°F then ramp up 1 degree per day to hit 73°F then back down to 66°F over next 5 days and rack to secondary

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Dry hop in Primary day 9 _______     1 oz. Azacca

14 days in  Secondary _______ Dry hop Cryo Chinook/Cascade day 5  ___        

Cold crash__________________Keg _____________________________

Notes _______________________________________________________

70.6 Ca mg/l  5.0 Mg mg/l  15.8 Na mg/l  50.5 Cl mg/l  86.2 SO4 mg/l

Alkalinity 76.1 ppm as CaCO3

What at first seems like a strange brew will evolve onto a unique experience that is truly refreshing. In attempting to duplicate the famous beers of Bamburg we combine 2-Row barley and Caramel 10 with 26% Rauch malt balanced by Pioneer and Ultra hops.

    Smokin’ Blonde Ale     

7.5 #  Briess Brewers malt

  3 #   Weyermann Rauch malt

  1 #   Briess Caramel 10L

.5 oz.  Pioneer hops pellets                 9.3 % AA

 2 oz.  Ultra hops pellets                      9 % AA

Mash    4 G. water at 167 °F in tun add grains to 156 °F 60 min.

                          2G. water @ 170°F no mash out

Sparge   continuous 3.5 G. water

Boil         60 min.

Hops       First addition           .5 oz.        Pioneer       First Wort

                 Second addition     .25 oz.      Ultra           @ 45 min.

                 Last                         .75 oz.      Ultra             @  end

O.G.  1.053                 5 SRM                24 IBU’s       5.6 % ABV

      Yeast   1272 American Ale IIF

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Rack to secondary______________Dry Hop 1 oz. Ultra day 7 _______

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Sometimes we need to make a beer that can be a part of any new trend showing up in our beer world.

Well this beer, as in IPA is created using a process where hops are whirled in the kettle to infuse their own flavor characteristics.

Using hops donated to the cause like Falconer’s Flight and Simcoe finishes in a melded blend of fruit and pine.

Hop Whirled IPA                                                        5 Gal. yield

13 #  Pale Ale malt

.625 #  Caramel malt  20 L

.5  # Flaked Oats

1.5 oz. Midnight Wheat

.64 oz. Magnum pellets

2 oz.  Falconer’s Flight pellets

3 oz.   Simcoe pellets

Mash   5 Gal.  water at 167° chem adjusted

   60 min. rest

   Add 2 Gal. water @ 170°F 5 min. no mash out

Sparge continuous 3 Gal. water

Boil     60 min.

Hops    First addition                  

    .25 oz.  Magnum  @   first wort

.39 oz.  Magnum  @ 15 min.

1 oz.  Falconer’s Flight @ 40 min.                     1 oz.   Falconer’s Flight @ 55 min.             1 oz.   Simcoe       Whirlpool

O.G.   1.070                 10 SRM                 58 IBU’s               6.8 % ABV

Yeast  1272 Wyeast or equivalent

Ferment 65°F – 68°F

Rack to Secondary day 10-13 ­­­Dry Hop _______ 2 oz Simcoe day 10 in 2°

Cold condition 2 weeks – Keg