Xmas Beer (2011)

The holidays! Well i'm not much of a holiday person but when given the opportunity to make a holiday beer I suddenly became excited. So with a new found appreciation for being in a holiday spirit I began to formulate a recipe for a holiday beer. With no prior knowledge of this new landscape I completely "winged" it with a little help from "Brewing Classic Styles".

The recipe is as follows:


Xmas 2011 Recipe
Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

Recipe Specs
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Batch Size (G): 2.4
Total Grain (lb): 3.500
Total Hops (oz): 0.92
Original Gravity (OG): 1.051 (°P): 12.6
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.01 %
Colour (SRM): 27.3 (EBC): 53.8
Bitterness (IBU): 45.2 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 70
Boil Time (Minutes): 90

Grain Bill
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3.000 lb Liquid Malt Extract - Light (85.71%)
0.250 lb Black Patent (7.14%)
0.250 lb Crystal 80 (7.14%)

Hop Bill
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0.42 oz Magnum Pellet (12.5% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (0.2 oz/Gal)
0.50 oz Magnum Pellet (12.5% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil) (0.2 oz/Gal)

Misc Bill
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Single step Infusion at 151°F for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 73°F with Danstar Nottingham

The beer tastes great but has some really low carbonation, The alcohol comes on a small note with the nutmeg and cinnamon coming right at the tip of the tongue. But with time this should wrap up the holiday season on a high note!

"Ego"

Let's face it we all have a "Ego"! The size of of your ego will vary from time too time and it will vary on how an drinks you have consumed during the day and for some who are influencing you at the time!

My latest request was a beer for a friend who needed help, one of the great things of Facebook is that it will allow you to peak into the drinking habits of others. One night while on that randomness of a website one of my dear friends was spotted drinking a Bud Light (oh dear)! I quickly protested and demanded she thew that can way, after probing and thorough questioning I finally was able to button down the source of her drinking habits and I took on the brewing challenge of brewing her own beer (small batch).

The recipe is as follows:

"Ego Ale"

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (G): 2.4
Total Grain (lb): 4.224
Total Hops (oz): 1.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.064 (°P): 15.7
Final Gravity (FG): 1.016 (°P): 4.1
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 6.29 %
Colour (SRM): 7.1 (EBC): 14.0
Bitterness (IBU): 16.9 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 70
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
3.984 lb Liquid Malt Extract - Light (94.32%)
0.240 lb Crystal 15 (5.68%)

Hop Bill
----------------
0.20 oz Willamette Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (0.1 oz/Gal)
0.80 oz Styrian Golding Pellet (4.4% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (0.3 oz/Gal)

Misc Bill
----------------

Single step Infusion at 151°F for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 70°F with Danstar Nottingham

The smell comes through with a faint floating smell of strawberries and finishes with a small hop finish, the beer has a great golden ale color and finishes smooth on the tongue.

Contract Brewing (Friend Requests)

For over a year now, I inevitably always here the same over and over, "hey can you make this for me"? Probably so but why? Though I have never replied with that answer (I'm jus way to nice to say no). More often than not I find myself completing these requests but now I hav found mself education my friends who request one of my beers. Whenever I see one of my kick ball friends of fellow co-workers drinking a mass market beer wth no flavor/taste I cringe the very moment that golden liquid hits their lips.