Mr. Valkyrie Goes to Secondary Fermenter and Name Change

I did something that I don't normally do last night while moving the Valkyrie to its secondary fermentation vessel. Actually, I did a couple of things that I don't normally do.

1. I took 32 ounces off the top and filled a howler with it along with 4 carbonation sugar tabs. We'll see how this goes it a couple of weeks... I'll give it 3.
2. While siphoning the ale from primary to secondary, I used a muslin cloth around the end of the siphon to filter a bit of the trub out.

I measured the specific gravity at: 4.1 ° Plato. Which at looks like we'll be getting around 8% ABV - that's a bit high for me, but in hind-sight, when I took the initial reading the temp was a bit high (80 ° F). I temperature corrected the reading, but I probably should have waited until it was a bit cooler.

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NAME CHANGE: Since the Valkyrie technically should have been an East Coast Ale, not an American Ale, I can't really call it the same thing so I've decided to call this American Ale: Proper 1420. If you get the reference then maybe I'll see you at the Green Dragon.

That's all for now - I'll update again in a few weeks when I move the Proper 1420 into a keg and carbonate it... see you then.

So yes, I know it's been a long long time, but I have started brewing again.

A few weeks ago (6/26/19) I decided to ease back into things and brew up a batch of The Valkyrie.

3lbs 6row, 5lbs Munich Light, 5 lbs of Pilsen, some Saaz and my homegrown hops.

Instead of East Coast Ale yeast, I had to use American Ale yeast due to a shortage at the local supply place.

I used a yeast starter (although I didn't need to) and fermentation started almost immediately - even though I pitched a little hot at 75° F.

My gravity was 14.7° Plato.

Since I brewed outside I used about ½ a propane tank (I used WAY more than I should have just testing the whole system out after such a long hiatus).

Next I'll be moving it over to it's secondary fermentation vessel.

Bevtoberfest/Results

Well, here it is.  Columbus Day; the day after - the day after Bevtoberfest.  We just about kicked every keg there was.  There was NO food left and my firewood has all but disappeared.  The house dropped to a bitter 58 degrees F last night and thus all hope of an extended Summer.

The results from the survey (so far): Die Valkure took first (again) this year with George II taking a close second, then the Stout and finally the Oktoplasm (which I happen to be drinking right now).

Thank you to all of those who made the day such awesome fun!  Next Saturday is the 8th Annual New England Regional Homebrew Competition and all four of our brews are entered, so hopefully, I'll be blogging about one (or more (or FOUR!)) of those next weekend!

Until Then,
-- The Bevtown Brewer

Oktoplasm and Die Valkure

October looms in the near future fraught with the bitter gusts from the north and lightless days.

Bev-toberfest is the shining light at the end of this sullen path toward winter.

For it we have made a special Octoberfest Ale that we call "Oktoplasm", and the crisp and cold "Die Valkure" that mocks this autumnal temperature anomaly.

That makes 4 kegs for October: The Stout, George II, Oktoplasm, and Die Valkure.

In addition, we have discovered the fiscally responsible 55lbs sack of grains and a Banjo Burner!  Can't wait to tap into them!

See you in October!

The King is dead, long live the King!

George I, in this younger days, was a powerhouse, strong in head and body, and he wreaked of the colonial forests.  George II shall walk but a half a furlong from his shadow and make his own mark in L'histoire du bier.

We set out to create a smoked cherry-wood ale that is smoother and more intelligent than its predecessor that starts with the crispness of a Czech pilsner, carries with earthy overtones and finishes with the aroma of home-grown hops (grown right here at the Bev'!).

Tomorrow's a Big Brew Day

Is it really August already?  Where does the time go?  Tomorrow is a big brew day.  I'll keep y'all posted!

Happy "National Beer Day"!!!

Today celebrates the 80 year anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition!  Drink up quick --- who knows when they'll make it illegal again!!!!

Raised from the Basement

While the March Hare was a complete 7.62% success... and it left everyone raving and drooling and mad as a ... I don't know... mad as a something, the real treat this weekend was when someone raised a bottle of Lit Bier and a bottle of Red from the basement after 2 years.  They were smooth and tasty and now the are in Beer Heaven.

I can't help but chuckle at the irony of all this.

March Hare Heads South

Yeah... this is the March Hare.

It's tasty. 

This squad is heading south for the holiday weekend.

None shall return.

Transfers Today

Just transferred the March Hare to keg for carbonating and transferred Blond... James Blond to the bright tank.  The Hare should be ready just in time for Easter and the Blond will be ready for the first weekend in April!  I just can't wait!  I measured their gravities and added them to the graph.

The Scoresheets Came Today!

We got a packet from the brewing competition with the AHA/BJCP score-sheets in the mail today.  I have to say, the feedback was awesome--- especially for the stout (which, I might add -- went on to the "best of show" advanced round)!

Some highlights...

Regarding Young George:

• "Enjoyable beer."
• "Nice complex yeast profile"
• "Nice drinking beer, lots going on with the subtle smoke character"

Regarding the Stout:

• "Great full mouth-feel"
• "Very pleasant beer, lite chocolate subtle roast, super mouth-feel - don't change that!"
• "Very drinkable"
• "Nice job cracking a smooth mouth-feel."
• Scored on the higher end of the "Very Good" beer rubric... 36/50.

Probably the most useful feedback was to "watch fermentation temperatures", a known problem in our current operation.

"Onward and Upward", as they formerly said in the ladder building industry.

What's next?

Get that kegerator built!  Then, ferm. temp. won't be such a challenge!

This ain't the Mudclub...

What a GREAT open house at C.B.Fisk today!  Opus 141 meets Hopus 141!  Thank you to all who helped make this happen... that would be Emily and everyone up there in Gloucester!

Mr. Smith Goes to Gloucester

I'm thinking of keeping a yeast strain in a refrigerator in the basement: "Andromeda".
Today is the day... the Opus 141 open house and I'm bringing 5 Gallons of "Hopus 141" up to Gloucester!

In other news, the "March Hare" is safely conditioning in the conditioning room in secondary and a co-brew with Aaron called, "Blond... James Blond" is getting moved this weekend to secondary.
Not much else going on except we're still waiting on the score-card from when we submitted a couple of beers to a competition last month.

Other than that, I've been having dreams about pallets of Sanke kegs laser etched with "The Bevtown Brewer".

February Update

"Febrewary" is indeed a cliché, but we are indeed brewing quite a bit this month.  Yesterday - we created the "March Hare" - it'll be ready just in time for everyone's favourite holiday involving rabbits and hard-boiled eggs.  It's bubbling away in the fermenting room already - remember a happy yeast is an active yeast - and this yeast is at least ecstatic!

Hopus-141 is on track for the Opus-141 party.  This custom hand-crafted lager will be earthy and lite with delicate hints of smoked beechwood.

2 of the 6 remaining bottles of the stout are in the fridge.  1 is in storage, and 3 are awaiting the competition this coming Saturday.

Young George (Smoked Cherry-wood Ale) is truly in his prime today... President's Day.  I cannot tell a lie, this beer is awesome.  We've got some in a growler, one in storage, three (along with the stout) down in Boston for the competition, and some on tap.

Speaking of taps... our in-house sampling station is ready for installation (in the form of a kegerator in the dining room)... we just need to pick up the correct size hole saws!

Also this week we'll be making a brew for April... just not sure what to make just yet.

The Stout: an update

Well... a while back, we brewed a stout; a Vanilla Latte stout.  Jason... 'twas a great idea that spawned this delicious and dark delight.  I've put some in a growler for you. :)  So, we've got some in the keg, some in a growler, and the rest in bottles for a home-brew competition.

We tried a couple of different things as far as bottling for the competition.  The first was to take the stout right from secondary and put it in bottles with carbonation tablets... there are 4 of those (one to test and 3 for a competition if they're carbonated correctly) and there are 9 bottles that went from keg into the bottles (after forced CO₂)... 3 for a competition and 6 for friends and family.  The growler is for Jason and the keg... well... the keg is for a party!

We also took 4 bottles of Young George right out of primary and put it into bottles with carbonation tabs... we'll see what happens with this!?!

Young George

We're ringing in the new year with a new beer... new year; new beer!
We're calling it, "Young George" in honour of our first president and his alleged culling of his father's prize prunus avium.  The hop additions (all prime @ 61, 37, and 3) were of Saaz, Liberty, and Kent Goldings, and the malt was created with the smoked variety of aforementioned tree.
Our intent is to enter "Young George" in the Boston Homebrew Competition in Fe-brew-ary!

The Vanilla Latte Stout is waiting patiently in Der Fermenting room until further notice.

Two brews move to secondary

Today we put the Valkyrie and the Doomsday Lager into secondary.  Their gravities were as expected, but the Valkyrie was a bit like the Franken-bier (pronounced "frahnken-bier") from Octoberfest.  I also bottled 4 bottles of the Doomsday Lager in hopes that it will bottle condition and Naturally carbonate.

Today is Stout Day at the Brewery!  We're brewing our first stout and we need a name... any suggestions?

Die Valkure is now upstairs basking in the balmy 70 degree weather of Der Fermenting Room, and the Lagering is still taking place in the space below my face next to the chase in the base... ment.  Now it's time to kick back and wait.

The Doomsday Lager is in the basement in full fermentation swing... bubblin' and lagerin' away!  It started slowly yesterday morning.
I'm heading to the supply store tomorrow afternoon to get some ingredients for a stout and for another batch of the Valkyrie.