Lemon Wheat

Knocked out the lemon Wheat for the summer this afternoon due to thunderstorms and good-ol desire. FG again ridiculously low. I guess it is the wheat?

5lbs 2 row pale
5 lbs wheat
1 oz Hallertau (used tettnang the last time, grabbed the wrong thing, go back to tettnang, more AA) 60
.5 oz Saaz Chech 20
.5 oz Saaz Chech 5
Zest of 1 lemon 5
1007 German Ale

3.25 Gals @ 162 for 60 mins
1.25 gals @212 for 15
Runoff
3 gals sparge @ 168


First runnings 1.040 hot, 1.052 room
Second 1.010 hot, 1.022 room
FG 1.044
Pitched @76

Kegerator out of CO2. Must check for a leak. No reason the 20# should have kicked on 5 kegs.

Didn't secondary this, after all, it's a wheat. Kegged 7/3/10 1.008. We'll see. Very light and refreshing, hint of lemon to the nose.

Petite Porter

This is intended to be a lighter version of the potbelly porter. Suitable for the post lawn mowing or motorcycle rides of summer. Left everything the same, but backed down the specialty grains with the exception of the crystal and ditched the carapils.

1.3:1 liquor/grist ratio 4 gals @169 1 hr for 155. 1.75 gals boiling added and let sit 15 minutes. Got 4 gals runoff at 1.064 adjusted. Batch sparge with 3 gals @ 170 for 15.

10lbs British 2 row pale
5 oz Chocolate
4 oz Brown
3 oz Black Patent
.5 Crystal 60



60 1oz Challenger 7%
10 1 oz UK Kent Golding 5%
5 .5oz Fuggles 4.8
3 .5oz Fuggles 4.8


Pitched Wyeast 1028 @70

Totally forgot to take OG. Transferred to secondary 2/24/10 1.016

5/18/2010 Transferred to keg. FG of 1.017? Way high, not sure why. Warm and flat it's a winner. Pancake syrup kind of color, very smooth, very excited to get back from Canada and wack a few cold and carbonated. Maybe push the Kent Golding back to 30 minutes? It could use some more hops early and late for a more Americanized version, but it is very English ale'y, exactly like I like it.

Climbing

I have been indoor climbing now since right after Thanksgiving at North Summit Climbing Gym in Wind Gap, PA. It has been nothing short of fantastic. Starting with the staff, they have been incredibly helpful and eager to share knowledge. The people who go are are just a really nice group of similar souled people that make it a pleasure without exception.

Initially it was tough. These keyboard hands with years of abuse were not up for the task and the first month was rife with forearm aches and slow moving fingers the next day. It took about a month for that cycle to subside. I learned the hard way that I need at least a 3 day break between visits or I was shot for a while. Gradually that shifted and the finger and forearm piece improved drastically and now it is about the core and flexibility.

Still have not done a lot of top rope stuff. Stamina isn't there for a lot of it, but bouldering is really fantastic. This week was the start of the bouldering league. I had some hesitation going in since it is team based, but decided to do it anyway and quite glad that I did. Curious what my thoughts will be if spring ever arrives, but for now, it was money well spent and a decision with no second guessing.

Irish Christmas Red Ale

OK, so I'm not irish, but it is christmas, and what's more festive than red ale and green hops?

Found the grain bill and inspiration for the hops from a Smithwicks clone. Only 5 more months...

8lbs Marris Otter
.75 Crystal 60
.5 Carapils
.16 Roasted Barley

60 1oz Kent Goldings 5%
20 .5oz Fuggles 4.5%
5 .5oz Fuggles 4.5%

Preheated with 2 gals boiling
3 gals @ 167 for a 154 mash 1 hr 1.3:1 ratio
1.5 gals boiling mashout 15
3 gals @170 sparge

FG 1.045
Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale @68
Fermenting happily @64

1/3/10 - Moved to secondary 1.010. Not really red, we will have to see in a pint glass. Curious why fg is so high again. Perhaps the higher mash temps?

INTP

I am working on a post here. For now, I am amassing resources and I have too many computers and browsers for that job.

Pretty much perfect.
http://www.intp.org/intprofile.html

This should be required reading material, should I ever happen upon a girlfriend:
http://homepage.mac.com/bahlberg/iblog//B1386252977/C707866389/E1956473041/index.html


http://www.personalitypage.com/INTP_rel.html


http://intp.tribe.net/

Potbelly Porter

Great day of brewing. Not even any mini disasters and I will take that every time. Porter turned out fantastic, though way over gravity 1.058 (planned 1.052). 1.3:1 liquor/grist ratio 4 gals @169 1 hr for 155. 1.75 gals boiling added and let sit 15 minutes. Got 4 gals runoff at 1.064 adjusted. Batch sparge with 3 gals @ 170 for 15. 65.2% efficiency!

Finally got to use brown malt!
10lbs British 2 row pale
.5 Chocolate
.5 Brown
.25 Black Patent
.5 Crystal 60
.25 Carapils

Changed up the Hops quite a bit
60 1oz Challenger 7%
10 1 oz UK Kent Golding 5%
5 .5oz Fuggles 4.8
3 .5oz Fuggles 4.8


Pitched Wyeast 1028 @70


1/6/2010 - Just had to comment for when I looked this up again. Friggin fantastic. Wouldn't change a thing.

Yup

Fat, drunk and stupid is a great way to go through life actually.