Drunken Polack Brewing

Batch 007: Till We Dance Away

Dave — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:00:52 +0000

Yeah I know I have to stop naming my beers after songs or lines in a song. If you know me, I love stouts with Coffee in them. So for my next batch I went on a search for a nice all grain recipe for a stout. Since I’ve never done one, I looked on the internet for one that someone came up with. What I found was a recipe for more of a porter. This porter would be eventually be racked with Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans, and Cold Press Coffee. So here’s the base recipe for the Porter

11.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 71.5 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 6.5 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (Dark) (20.0 SRM) Grain 6.5 %
0.75 lb Caraaroma (130.0 SRM) Grain 4.9 %
0.44 lb Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 2.9 %
0.44 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.9 %
1.02 oz Tettnang [4.30%] (60 min) Hops 14.1 IBU
1.02 oz Tettnang [4.30%] (30 min) Hops 10.9 IBU
0.25 oz Liberty [3.60%] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)Hops -
0.75 lb Milk Sugar (Lactose) (15 min) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 4.9 %
1 Pkgs German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs #WLP029)

Brew day went pretty well. I was off by two degrees of my rest and on my sparge, no matter what I do I can’t get used to this cooler =) I wanted to hit 152 for the rest and 170 for the sparge but instead I believe I hit 150 and 168. I left this brew sit in the primary for 2 weeks. It was a very healthy fermentation process as my airlock blew off and made a nice huge mess in my chest freezer. Must invest in a blow off tube =) Temp was a stable 68%. Once the gravity was nice and stable, I racked into a secondary.

In the secondary I added 8oz of Cacao Nibs that I got from Northern Brewer. The day before I added them, I soaked them in some vodka and let them sit. Vodka is used to sterilize the nibs and help bring out the flavor. If you’ve ever put your nose up to some nibs, you’ll know just how amazing they smell. Seriously I could of just sat there and smelled these things all night long. I did the same thing with the Vanilla Beans. The recipe called for 1 Vanilla Bean. Instead I did 1 and 1/2. I wish I would of stuck to just 1, Vanilla Beans are very strong. The nibs and beans sat in the secondary for 2 weeks with the beer.

The day before kegging I did a little taste test between two coffees I bought the day before. I wanted a nice dark roast. I love coffee. Strong coffee that is. So like I said I did a little taste test. Once I picked what coffee I wanted (more like the fiance picked =) I did the cold press method. I filled up a gallon jug with 1/4 coffee grounds and 3/4 water. Let it sit over night on the counter. When the next day came around, I filtered out all the coffee grounds and added the coffee to the keg with the brew. By itself, the coffee was nice and strong with no bitterness. Cold Pressing coffee totally gets rid of the bitterness because no hot water is involved.

Once kegged I took a little sample of the brew. The coffee wasn’t there yet. The beer was overpowered by Vanilla. The chocolate sweetness came through pretty nicely. Obviously it wasn’t carbonated yet. So fast forward to yesterday. The beer is now fully carbonated and it’s a totally different beer now. The vanilla has died down a lot. Chocolate sweetness now comes though most with the coffee there and mixed in well with the chocolate. It really is a nice smelling beer and the taste is pretty damn good too. It’s changing everyday. I can’t wait to try it a week from now to see how it goes. If I had to change something about this beer, well I wouldn’t make a porter this time around. I’d put more roasty malts in the recipe, cut down the chocolate a bit and add more coffee. I added about 24oz of coffee, I would easily bump it up to 30-35oz. What can I say I love my coffee. But for the first time making this beer, I’m happy with it.

Batch 006: This isn’t meant to Last (Version 2)

Dave — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:40:10 +0000

This is pretty much Version 1 but I took the advice of a friend of mine and bumped up the Caramel Malt a bit. Not by much, just a little. I don’t think I bumped it up enough honestly. Not much different than Version 1. Still a decent beer but not what I’m looking for. While I love Citra, for Version 3 (which I’ll post down the line) I took Citra out completely. Mostly because I couldn’t find any but also because I wanted to go with a totally different hop profile just to mess around. I’ll probably introduce Citra back into my next Version but only use it at burn out and some in the dry hopping.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.30 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %

11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 83.97 %
1 lbs 9.6 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 12.21 %
10.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt – 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.82 %
1.00 oz Horizon [12.00 %] (60 min) Hops 48.2 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (10 min) Hops 9.9 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (5 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (0 min) Hops –
3.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (Dry Hop 10 days) Hops -
California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

Est Original Gravity: 1.061 SG
Est IBU: 66.3 IBU

Total Grain Bill: 13.10 lb

Mash: 4.1 Gallons at 151F
Sparge: 5.1 Gallons at 170F

Ferment at 68F, 10-14 days in Primary. Secondary 10-14 days. Dry Hop for 10 days.

Batch 004: This isn’t meant to last

Dave — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:14:31 +0000

This is the 4th all grain recipe I ended up doing. I wanted to create an IPA that really showcased Citra Hops. Which I believe did in the end. I hit everything pretty much on when it came to mash temps. My friends loved the aroma of this beer and I agreed it was fantastic. I’m sure the 3oz of Citra added to the dry hopping did it’s job. Issue is, the taste didn’t match the aroma. I changed the recipe a bit when I tried this the next time. A friend mentioned adding more of a caramel malt backbone so I did that in my second version of the recipe which I’ll post later. But for now here is the recipe. I named the beer after a line in one of my favorite NIN songs. Well all know an IPA is meant to be enjoyed fresh, hence the name of the the beer.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.30 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %

11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 83.97 %
1 lbs 9.6 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 12.21 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt – 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.82 %
1.00 oz Horizon [12.00 %] (60 min) Hops 48.2 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (10 min) Hops 9.9 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (5 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (0 min) Hops –
3.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (Dry Hop 10 days) Hops -
California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

Est Original Gravity: 1.061 SG
Est IBU: 66.3 IBU

Total Grain Bill: 13.10 lb

Mash: 4.1 Gallons at 151F
Sparge: 5.1 Gallons at 170F

Ferment at 68F, 10-14 days in Primary. Secondary 10-14 days. Dry Hop for 10 days.

Yeast Starters

Dave — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:56:31 +0000

Yeast Starters I’ve learned are very important for beers period. The amount of cells you get in a smack pack or any other package usually isn’t enough. Making a starter helps out this process. Basically you’re making a little beer to help your yeast take off. It adds a little bit of work to the brewing process but honestly it’s 100% worth it. They say you don’t need a yeast starter if your starting gravity is below 1.080. But I do one for each batch. I think it’s just a good habit and the fermentation process. Instead of waiting overnight to see the airlock bubbling away, it usually takes just a few hours to start bubbling. I’m writing this post to post a few videos oh how to do it and what you’ll need. I’m also going to post a link to where I got my Stir Plate I use. Now you don’t need a Stir Plate. For my first 5 or so batches I didn’t use one and my beer fermented just fine but it also helps out the process. Some research has shown that a stirred starter produces considerably more yeast than one that is just left to sit. I think this is the case for sure, my last two batches took off like a bat out of hell. So anyway, here’s a few videos.

How to make a yeast starter (I’ve used this video to get started)

How to make a Stir Plate

Now like I said before I ordered my Stir Plate. I got a link from another video I watched where they mentioned that someone built the Stir Plate for you, included a Stir Bar, another magnet to keep the Stir Bar in place, and it was free shipping. All of this for 45 dollars. Score for me since I’m not really a handy kind of guy. So I bought from Dan at http://www.stirstarters.com. On the site he actually has instructions on how to build one also but like I said I bought from the guy. Really good product, works fantastic and can get bigger starters going. Also you’ll need a flask. The bigger the starters you want to make the bigger the flasks you’ll need. I went with the 2000ml one to be safe. You can also use a growler but I don’t think that would work to well on the plate. If anyone uses one let me know. You can get flasks here or I’m sure like me you can get it from your local Homebrew store. Bottom line is, doing a starter will help your beer out big time.

It’s been a while……….

Dave — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:10:06 +0000

Hey there folks. It’s been a while since I posted on this blog but I plan to post more and more from here on out. Between I posted last I’ve done a few batches of beer. I made a Pumpkin Ale that didn’t turn out quite the way I wanted it to. The pumpkin I used actually came through pretty well but I could of used more spices. I baked two pumpkins, took out the insides, and added it into the boil. I’ll post the full recipe soon. I also made a second batch of my Citra heavy IPA. I took some ideas from my fellow beer drinkers and changed the recipe on that. Changed my bittering hop on that one, bumped up the amount of caramel malt. Still didn’t think it came out to great. So back to the drawing board on that one. I was going to brew it again soon but Citra is hard to find these days so I’m totally revamping my hops and hop schedule for the next batch. Might keep the same grain bill for the most part.

This past weekend I brewed a Milk Stout that will eventually be dosed with Vanilla Beans, Cocoa Nibs, and Cold Pressed coffee. It took off like a bat out of hell when it comes to fermentation. You can see the picture above. I plan on brewing like a mad man. It’s cheaper for one then buying from a store and I feel like I get a lot more pleasure out of drinking my own stuff. Expect some updates to the site this week, post some of the recipes I used and I’ll be adding some other stuff.

Laziness has set in…….

Dave — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:33:03 +0000

Sometimes I just forget to blog when I have something new to say. At the moment I have a Citra IPA sitting in the primary that I’ll be racking into a secondary tomorrow night and dosing it with an extra 3 oz of Citra. I love the hop and plan to try to tweak the recipe over and over until I’m 100 percent happy with it. I’ll post the recipe in a bit.

I think I’m going to make one more batch of something else and then attack a few batches of the Pumpkin Ale I want to make. I love a really good Pumpkin Ale so I’m excited to do it. Just havent not decided if I want to do a straight up Pumpkin Ale or a Pumpkin Porter. Pumpkin Porter would be the best of both worlds as I love both ideas. My friend Cattina made a label for my first attempt at a Pumpkin Ale and I just love the label. I named the beer after a line from one of my favorite songs of all time. I won’t tell you what song it’s from but if you do a quick google search I’m sure you can figure it out.

Click here to check out the label.

Bloody Ale (pronounced like a Scot. “Bloody ‘ell!”)

Dave — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:28:11 +0000

Damn it’s dangerous having homebrew on tap. Now that I have two sitting there it’s even more dangerous. I kegged my Blood Orange Hefeweizen last night. It’s Sam Calagione’s recipe from his Extreme Brewing book but turned into a all grain recipe. The picture you see there is from last night. Beer isn’t carbonated yet but I had to give it a try, even in it’s flat state. I was hoping the oranges would really take over but they don’t. Instead it’s noticable on the aftertaste but just a little bit. It didn’t add much to the color either. Instead we have a very yeasty, spicey brew. Full of banana and a slight taste of bubblegum. It’s tasty and will be kicked pretty quick I think. Especially with these 90 degree days were getting now. I’m bringing over a full growlers to a friends house this weekend so see what people think. Up next for me is a Citra IPA. I’m in love with the hop and can’t wait to get it started.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Dave — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:16:36 +0000

OK I know that’s a horrible title for this thread but ever since I first brewed I’ve always wanted to try the Blood Orange Hefeweizen recipe from Sam at DFH. It’s in his Extreme Brewing book. This past weekend we found Blood Oranges and game on! In the book the recipe is extract but I found a all grain version on a forum.

Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 5.88 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
5.09 lb Pale Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 61.46 %
3.19 lb Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 38.54 %
0.50 lb Rice Hulls
0.50 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 10.1 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.30 %] (20 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [4.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.0 IBU
4.00 items Blood Orange
1 Pkgs White Labs WLP300 Hefeweizen yeast

Once again my trusty false bottom sucked. Don’t buy that piece of shit from Northern Brewer. I have something coming in the mail that hopefully will fix my problem. Thanks for markmier. It seems a truck could drive through my old false bottom. So far my fermenter isn’t bubbling which worries me a bit but we shall see! 10-14 days hopefully I’ll have some lovely summer time beer. Oh and this beer is called Bloody Ale. (pronounced like a Scot. “Bloody ‘ell!”) Thanks to my buddy Aaron for the sweet name =)

Round two in the books

Dave — Thu, 12 May 2011 13:29:41 +0000

So here is All Grain finished product number two. Northern Brewer’s Surly Bitter Brewer Pro Kit. I love big beers but this beer from Surly is one of my favorite sessionable beers ever so I was pretty damn excited to have it on tap in my house, if I did a good job that is. In the end I think I did an OK job but I knew this beer wouldn’t quite be the same right from the start. I made a really big rookie mistake when I didn’t have enough sparge water to get the wort up to 6.5 gallons like I wanted to.

Also once again to much grain got through the false bottom and into the pot even though I thought I recycled enough. Avid homebrewers is the grain in the wort the problem with the dryness in the mouthfeel? I hit my mash temps pretty much right on. Once again I didn’t use a secondary here. I just did everything on the primary and this time I cold crashed which helps out tons. I didn’t write about it but the Furious kit tasted great but I ended up not cold crashing and a ton of the hop matter got into the keg which eventually clogged up the keg. This time around, thanks to the cold crash the beer flows like a madman.

Possible Citra IPA?

Dave — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:53:54 +0000

Ever since having Kern Rivers DIPA I’ve been in love with this hop. While I know anything I make won’t be as good as that beer (maybe one day) my goal in the next few weeks is to brew a decent IPA showcasing those hops. Here’s a little recipe I found, let me know what everyone thinks. If you would add, remove, or change something please let me know.

Recipe Specifications
—
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.30 gal
Estimated OG: 1.061 SG
Estimated Color: 7.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 66.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
—
Amount Item Type % or IBU
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 83.97 %
1 lbs 9.6 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 12.21 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt – 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.82 %
3.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (Dry Hop 10 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Horizon [12.00 %] (60 min) Hops 48.2 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (10 min) Hops 9.9 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (5 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [12.30 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [Starter]

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 13.10 lb