March Big Brew Day

[Patrick Sundberg]

I've been tossing around some ideas for our big brew day in March.

What I'm thinking is a hop experiment.  We'll do another 20 gallon batch of a simple Pale Ale as follows:

(per 5 gallons)

11 lbs American 2-row
3/4 lb Munich
3/4 lb Crystal
Mash at 154 F

35 IBU, Hop X, 60 min
1/2 oz, Hop X, 10 min
1 oz, Hop X, 0 min

1 packet of US-05 dried yeast

A very simple recipie.  It should be easier to mash since we're not trying to hit such a high gravity like we did for the BVIP.

We'd split the 20 gallons into 5 gallon batches and proceed like a normal 5 gallon batch, using only 1 variety of hop per batch.

I'll brew-sit the fermenting beer so they'll all stay at the same temperature and ferment under the same conditions.

Since my brewing has been lacking lately, I should have 4 open kegs by then.  We'll force carbonate and bottle straight from the kegs.  We'll setup another day to bottle as I don't intend to volunteer to bottle the whole 20 gallons myself.

This will give us a side-by-side-by-side-by....  side...  comparison for hops.

If anyone has any hops they'd like to donate to the cause, send me an email.

Same goes for the grains.
I have two 6.5 gallon carboys, so I'll be looking for two more (or more if we decide we can handle a larger batch than 20).



And another thought, we should get more of a BBQ setup for this event.  We did ok last time with the randomness for food, but if anyone wants to take charge of organizing the food, feel free to speak up.  I'm taking care of the brewing logistics.

And yes, we'll have an up-front cost for this batch.

Keep Brewing!

Patrick

[JESSE HOPKINS]

Yes.  This sounds fantastic.  Looking forward to it.  Can we consider going to larger volumes in the future?  2 gallons of BVIP did not last me (friends) long.  I do have hops.  Let's discus sit.  Cheers, 

 

Patrick, would you consider a uniform boiling hop for the experiment, possibly a Northern Brewer, and rotate finishing hops?  

 

             Jesse Hopkins, AIA
               Project Architect

                 NOR-SON, Inc.
7900 Hastings Road,  Baxter, MN  56425
     218.822.2014 (o)  218.825.0253 (f)
                 218.851.6766 (c)

       jesse.hopkins@nor-son.com 
                www.nor-son.com

 

---

From: blueox...@googlegroups.com [mailto:blueox...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sundberg
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 1:04 PM
To: blueox...@googlegroups.com
Subject: March Big Brew Day

[Patrick Sundberg]

I'd be all for going to larger volumes, but I think we're limited with the equipment we have.

If anyone has any larger food grade (stainless or plastic) drums or containers they can get a hold of for cheap or free, we can definitely work on a larger setup.  This would be a great way for a few people to get together to brew a lot of beer for an event or to stock up, but would not require much more time than a typical homebrew batch.

With this experiment, it might be a bit difficult since there will be (at least) 4 different types of beer as a result.

I am leery about going with the same bittering hop for all batches.  If there's a cost savings, I think we could look into it, but there are flavor and aroma contributions from hops added at the beginning of the boil.  They may be small contributions, but you can get slightly different beers using different bittering hops.

[JESSE HOPKINS]

Possibly you end up with a better science project if you isolate the bittering variable by making it consistent among batches.  This would give you a better study of hop flavor and aroma, each flavor/aroma being overlain on the same base.  Plus it's also probably a better tasting beer with more hop complexity than singularity.  Only a few hop varieties stand out as good candidates for use as both a bittering and flavoring agent, esp. in the same beer.  Anyway, crank a cold one for me.  I'll be there. 

 

             Jesse Hopkins, AIA
               Project Architect

                 NOR-SON, Inc.
7900 Hastings Road,  Baxter, MN  56425
     218.822.2014 (o)  218.825.0253 (f)
                 218.851.6766 (c)

       jesse.hopkins@nor-son.com 
                www.nor-son.com

 

From: blueox...@googlegroups.com [mailto:blueox...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sundberg

Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 2:21 PM
To: blueox...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: March Big Brew Day

[Patrick Sundberg]

We could give it a try with a single, consistent bittering hop.  Perhaps Reg has some that he'd be willing to donate to the experiment.

 

I would like to emphasize, however, that you will get flavor and aroma out of hops you add at the beginning of the boil.

 

And your comment about it tasting "better" with multiple varities of hops is up for argument since taste is completely subjective.  Adding the same hops at different points in the boil will also lend a complexity to the beer, even if it is the same variety of hops that is used.  This is what Dogfish Head does to their 60, 90, and 120 minute IPAs.  They continuously add hops a little bit at a time for the full duration of the boil.  They claim it rounds out the hop characteristics and adds complexity.

 

We'll see what hops we can get ahold of and go from there.

 

Patrick

[Jesse Grant]

Dan and I did an IPA over new years that we split into 2 batches.  They are both in the secondary now.  In one we left alone, their other we dry hopped.  I have to bottle this week, then I could get everybody a sample to see what you think.  My wife is on a big kick for me to do a Fat Tire Clone.  After GABF I would like to dosomething Belgium, but not Fat Tire.  Just my vote.

 

Pat,  I was amazingly surprised that we did not kill more homebrew this weekend.  I found that the average person (which most of them were) do not care for anything more than a Pils.  We went through 2 cases of homebrew and 1 case of Michgolden.   So that leaves me with I think 12 case in bottles and 2 more in secondaries (14 total!).  Yes those pictures were filled with homebrew.

 

---

From: blueox...@googlegroups.com [mailto:blueox...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sundberg
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 1:56 PM
To: blueox...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: March Big Brew Day

 

We could give it a try with a single, consistent bittering hop.  Perhaps Reg has some that he'd be willing to donate to the experiment.

[Patrick Sundberg]

All right, I just wanted to throw this out there to the group.

I've having my doubts on the Pale Ale Hop Experiment for our big brew day.  I'm a bit hesitant to put a full 5 gallons into one type of hop for experiment's sake.  I have a bunch of 1 gallon jugs that I may end up working out a few test batches with to share with the club.  It would be much more managable at this point.

So, I'm looking for suggestions for an alternate big batch, or other suggestions from the group.

What do you guys want to do?

I rolled around the idea of doing a 5 gallon batch of wheat wine and using the second runnings to pull together a few carboys full of wheat wort to play around with.

Any other suggestions?

Patrick

[Patrick Sundberg]

How about if we just get together, brew, BBQ, and sample beers?

I'm more than willing to host again.  I can supply the brewing and chilling water as well as a grill.

 

How about it?  It would definitely be in the casual style of our club.

[Halverson, Marc]

what ended up being the date, I have been to busy with the
topless gals on the beach and getting cervasa to them.

I am wanting to quickly ordser up what is needed for an
all grain wheat.

marc

[Patrick Sundberg]

Ok, here it goes.

 

The final date for the Big Brew Day will be Sunday, March 9th.

 

Mark your calendars,

change your plans,

invite your friends,

do all within your power to reserve that date. 

 

This Big Brew Day will be better that the last! 

 

Did I mention there will be door prizes???

That's right, door prizes. 

I managed to score a few leftover prizes from the Upper Mississippi Mash Out, so those will be distributed to a lucky few on the brew day.  And yes, you must be present to win!

 

by the way, you might want to check out the results at

http://www.mnbrewers.com/events/mashout/2008mashout.htm.

I heard there was an Apricot Amber that fared well in the competition!!!

 

Now onto the brewday logistics:

So we don't end up splitting carboys, which was a bit challenging for our last brew day, we'll pick a recipie, arrange to pick up the base ingredients and have them available for purchase on the day of the grand event.  Once I have the base recipie (open for suggestions, people!!), I'll set a deadline to reserve your "batch size" for the day.  Once the orders are in, we'll arrange for the supply run.

Everyone is to bring their own brew setup, or arrange to share a batch with someone.  Once we have a base recipie, you're more than welcome to add to or change as you see fit, but only the ingredients for the base recipie will be purchased with the group buy.  Cost will be calculated beforehand and payment will be due on the day of the brewday.

 

If anyone has any suggestions or questions, feel free to send them my way.

 

Keep Brewing!

Patrick