Week of Brewing: Day Seven

Day Seven: Saison (WLP566)

Today wraps up my little brewing challenge. I decided to brew a Saison using a yeast I haven’t used in a while, the WLP566 (Belgian Saison II). So far this summer I have brewed with WLP670 (American Farmhouse Blend) and WLP565 (Belgian Saison I). As it is my favourite style of beer, I am intrigued with how the different strains of yeast taste in the beers.

Today, again, was a test of keeping my cool when things don’t work out. Our trusty mash tun, which has served us very well for about 2 years, decided that today was the day to no longer strain wort properly. We had to scoop the grains our of the tun, and use a strainer. I lost heat, and I lost sugar. This little disaster knocked my pre-boil gravity down too. Everything still tasted fine pre-boil, so I will wait to see if this particular Saison will be good enough my post-fermentation plans (french oak flakes).

It also started to rain this afternoon. Not wanting rain water in the boil, we brought it inside. Thankfully the rain was early this afternoon, well before the wart started to boil.  

 

 

Week of Brewing: Day 6

Day 6: Blonde Ale (Again..I know I know.)

Today’s one gallon brew was another Blonde Ale. I realize I may not get points for diversity, but I really enjoy lighter malt beers. My hope is that some of these one gallon batches would make great 5 gallon batches with more distinctive yeasts. This particular Blonde was brewed to be more of a Belgian style Blonde. And, if you know me, you know that I love Belgian beers. Unfortunately I have yet to start my yeast harvesting game (but that’s coming), so I only used Safale US-05 for these one gallon batches. If this beer has some nice character to it, I will certainly scale it up and give it a proper yeast.

 

 

Week of Brewing: Day Five

Day Five: Low abv IPA

I’m a huge fan of high alcohol beers. They can have some amazing flavour, depth, and be extremely well crafted. That being said, one too many high abv beers can really ruin your next day. Low abv beers that are high in flavour are becoming more and more trendy, and I am very grateful for it. Some days, especially in the summer, you might want to sip on beer well before 5. For those days, something low in alcohol, is perfect.

Today’s low abv IPA used German Pilsner malt, Crystal 40L, Vienna malt, and 1% Acidulated malt.  My bittering hop were Magnums and Citra hops were used for the aroma.

While mashing, I made the mistake of walking away from the stove while the burner was on. I came back to a boiling mash. I hauled it off the stove to prep for sparge. Hopefully I caught it in time, but we will see how this will alter the taste. Thankfully my pre-boil gravity was very close to BeerSmith’s estimate. Here’s the beauty of one gallon batches – you can make mistakes without breaking the bank or your supply. If this tastes really off, I’m not out too much grain or hop.

 

Week of Brewing: Day Four

Update on days one, two, and three:

 

Everything is coming along nicely. The safale us-05 hasn’t caused any crazy fermentations, so my small apartment isn’t smelling like a brewery, much to the pleasure of the residents of the apartments above and below me.

 

Day Four: Blonde Ale (One Gallon)

Today was the first day I woke up regretting this challenge. It’s not the brewing itself that I am regretting, but the heat in my apartment that the brewing is causing. Our AC has been acting up, and ~5 hours of stove use makes for a sweltering home. I knew this would be difficult, but the best way for me to learn is to actually do the thing I am learning. So, I turned on the fans, put ice in the cat’s water bowl, and got to brewing.

Today I brewed a Blonde Ale. It’s more of an American style, with bright hops at the end to make it more summery. I used Tettnang, Simcoe, and Citra hops. My malts were very simple with German Pilsner and just a touch of Crystal 40L.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of Brewing: Day Three

Update on Day One and Two:

The Amarillo IPA and Simcoe + Mosiac PA are still fermenting and the krausen on the Amarillo looks so much fluffier. I’m only using Safale US-05 for these one gallon batches, so I am expecting a nice layer of krausen on the SM PA soon!

Sorry for the poor light for this photo update!

Day Three: Robust Porter (One Gallon)

Today I brewed a robust porter. I know it’s really not the season for porter, being in the middle of July. That being said, porters are one of my (many) favourite styles. I’ve done a couple of Founder’s porter clones, and I have brewed a porter aged on Newfoundland Partridge berries. It’s a fun and easy style to make, and it’s lovely when aged with fruit. I’m thinking post fermentation I will throw some seasonal fruit to age with this beer. That way I can still pay homage to the summer.

This porter used Marris Otter, Victory Malt, Crystal 120L, Chocolate Malt, Crystal 65L, and Black Patent Malt. It was lightly hopped with some Northern Brewer at the start of the boil and then some East Kent Goldings throughout. Like all my one gallon batches, I used Safale US-05 yeast.

The mash!

Beautiful looking boil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day one, two, and three.

Week of Brewing: Day Two

Update on Day One’s Amarillo IPA:

After a tiring first day of this challenge, the Amarillo IPA started a quiet fermentation and is looking good.

Fermentation!

Day Two: Simcoe and Mosaic Pale Ale

After the mess with my specific gravity during day one, I bought a copy of BeerSmith to work out my recipes. It’s a great program, but I am going to need more time playing with it before I am really confident with it. I have a feeling this challenge will be more about me learning software than brewing itself.

This one gallon batch uses German Pilsner, Vienna, and Caramel Vienna. I am going to use Simcoe for my main bittering hop, with some additional Simcoe and Mosaic for aroma.

Ace, our very energetic cat, has to see what’s going on at all times.

After mashing, my pre-boil gravity had a more respectable reading – not exactly where I would have liked it, but good enough to not have to supplement with malt extract!

Not bad looking boil.

The 90 minute boil went as smoothly as it could have gone. I really prefer brewing outside, but one gallon’s worth of liquid is not worth setting up the propane burner. The cat and I will suffer through the heat. Thankfully there are lots of cold beers and salmon treats to make up for it.

 

 

 

 

 

A Week of Brewing: Day One

Amarillo IPA (Monday, July 14)  

I’ve decided to brew once a day for a week. Much like a 30-day yoga challenge, I can only assume this will be messy, more stressful than calming, and cause a few tears. Hopefully it will also be a bit rewarding and educational. Hopefully. My first batch was supposed to be a one gallon SMaSH (single malt – German Pilsner malt and single hop – Amarillo) IPA. I was too generous with the efficiency of my one gallon setup. First lessoned learned, my specific gravity was way too low and I should be aiming for a 60% efficiency. In love, work, and now brewing, pride must be checked and set aside enough to ask for help and advice. My very first brew may have lost its SMaSH status, but it did not need to be tossed: two cups of malt extract to allowed my specific gravity to have a more reasonable reading. During this brew, I moved the cat about 30 times (he was also locked up in the bedroom twice), spilled half a pack of Safale S-05 on the floor, and got water just about everywhere. One gallon brewing is only easier because the lifting is a little lighter. Here’s hoping this Amarillo IPA ferments, doesn’t have DMS, and hasn’t completely drained me and the hot water.

Thoughts on Adopting a Young Cat

A few weeks ago we started fostering a little silver-brown tabby. Then, within the week, we adopted him. Here are some thoughts on adopting a young cat, from a first time cat owner.

Some Thoughts on Adopting a Young Cat:

1. Much like dating, your foster cat will show you his best self for the first couple of days. Once you submit the adoption papers, your newly adopted cat will show off his crazy, hyperactive traits.

2. Everything you buy him will either be destroyed or lost, within days. This includes his collar, ~15 balls, and four foam footballs.

3. Colourful tattoos are toys. Best to dress like it’s tick season.

4. Kitty litter will, eventually, find its way to every part of your home. Hopefully your newly adopted cat isn’t too afraid of the vacuum.

5. He is always watching you. Even if you head outside to the deck for a moment of peace, he has his little eyes on you.

6. He will try to climb over everything, including hangers on your dress rack. He’ll fall, and maybe learn to not climb there again. Maybe.

7. If he is getting between your feet while you walk, that means he both loves you and absolutely needs wet food right away.

8. Running water from a tap must be inspected via swatting, in case it needs attacking.

9. Finding cat treats/ toys/ laser pointers in your pockets while at a bar with friends is just going to always happen from now own.

10. When he eventually tires himself out, and snuggles up to you, it makes all the frustrations of training a young cat so worth it.

 

 

 

Fighting Mint with Gin

My landlord planted mint in the backyard last year, in what I can only imagine, for the same reasons Dave planted Mexican Climbing Mint for Morely. 

Either way, I have it and there’s no stopping it. Instead of attempting to fight the mint, I’m going to drink it. 

I snipped a bunch of mint, washed it, and made it into a simple syrup (here’s a good guide to make your own!).

The syrup was excellent in a cocktail!

Mint, Cucumber, and Strawberry Cocktail

• Mint Simple Syrup
• Gin (I used Dillon’s Unfiltered Gin – They are a small batch distillery in Ontario)
• Chopped strawberries
• Peeled and chopped cucumber
• Soda water

Macerate cucumber in a shaker. Add chopped strawberries. Add about one once each of mint simple syrup and gin. Shake. Pour into glass. Add the contents of shaker to glass (optional). Pour soda water over contents until glass is full and stir. 

 

2014 Backyard Hop Garden!

Today is very exciting. After ordering four hop plants in January (fuggle, centennial, chinook, and glacier), we were finally able to pick them up in and get them in the ground! In order to keep the roots from taking over the yard, Doug buried four garbage bins in the ground. I built a two tent pole trellises that are around 8 feet tall. 

 

Hops in box!

 

 

We’re not expecting much of a harvest this year, but it would be amazing if we got a few cones out of it. Here’s hoping the fall comes with a pale ale, dry hopped with backyard hops!