tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-322376422024-03-13T10:46:26.705-06:00Microbus BreweryHome Brewing Beer in Utah and Other StuffMicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-81544674880985306472024-02-19T12:34:00.003-07:002024-02-19T12:40:31.917-07:00Fake/Faux 'Nduja<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn2c5ozg_J5CSR3KuvfnygkENttXGg19YxFO1gvpOLb02c6BR01M0XLsvJNHeW2I4y2w3dOc__HZeMmHFZ_4VQela3AKiweIHDoMM57X33ZRbgKApp5I4jhOgTPRvAgd9YVXhj9gIrsoU3SEptpYT0mvYyJJcsJcbj-lh9mEf-gevtfGMHtVSaA/s4080/PXL_20240219_191747438.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn2c5ozg_J5CSR3KuvfnygkENttXGg19YxFO1gvpOLb02c6BR01M0XLsvJNHeW2I4y2w3dOc__HZeMmHFZ_4VQela3AKiweIHDoMM57X33ZRbgKApp5I4jhOgTPRvAgd9YVXhj9gIrsoU3SEptpYT0mvYyJJcsJcbj-lh9mEf-gevtfGMHtVSaA/w320-h241/PXL_20240219_191747438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Another food recipe! Shout out to <a href="https://www.beltexmeats.com/" target="_blank">Beltex Meats</a> who introduced us to 'Nduja a few years ago. While they do carry a different supplier's 'Nduja year 'round, my favorite is the one they make in house a couple of times per year. I remember they posted it on their IG account and I thought it sounded amazing. By the time we got there they only had a fist-sized piece left and we bought all of it. <div><br /></div><div>For the uninitiated, 'Nduja is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from the region of Calabria in southern Italy. To me it's like a spreadable cross between salami and pepperoni. I was looking into making my own when I stumbled across this recipe for "fake" 'Nduja that sounded like it was super close to the real thing. We like to spread it on a slice of baguette, often with a slice of cheese. Add some of this to your next charcuterie board and you won't be disappointed.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_EfAZUIh4GANTncCGfbHi9slKwoS9BmPyYXEQLqgnS4bA4O9hFCv_riQpeOs63ZoNP82v0kjmzwDHAX_RbxHXk_GVvhtbKRqZN-7K_ddHJn6mwe4LoUNRtlSKioy1kF7TRzNfKKFI3TqdQHjHgr2_H8xvASem7HIw0xqws1FX8449_Qcrc7H2w/s1913/PXL_20240219_190343230.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1913" data-original-width="1206" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_EfAZUIh4GANTncCGfbHi9slKwoS9BmPyYXEQLqgnS4bA4O9hFCv_riQpeOs63ZoNP82v0kjmzwDHAX_RbxHXk_GVvhtbKRqZN-7K_ddHJn6mwe4LoUNRtlSKioy1kF7TRzNfKKFI3TqdQHjHgr2_H8xvASem7HIw0xqws1FX8449_Qcrc7H2w/s320/PXL_20240219_190343230.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br />The key ingredient for both real thing and this faux recipe is Calabrian hot red peppers. Those and the Fresno pepper may be the hardest things to find, but fortunately Calabrian hot red peppers can be found in specialty grocery stores and on Amazon. I had to substitute a red jalapeno for the Fresno pepper. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the recipe as I made it:</div><div><br /></div><div>Yields about 1 1/2 cups </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients </b></div><div>200g (7 oz) Boars Head Genoa salami, cut into cubes </div><div>110g (4 oz) Volpi chopped uncured pancetta </div><div>48g Bob's Red Mill Sweet Cream Buttermilk Powder </div><div>28g Paprika </div><div>1 medium Fresno pepper (sub red jalapeno if you can't find Fresno peppers), stemmed, seeded, and chopped</div><div>2 to 4 Calabrian hot red peppers in oil - drained, stemmed, chopped (start with 2, add more for more heat)</div><div>6g Kosher salt</div><div>1 -2T Olive oil (start with 1 and add another if needed)<div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Add everything in a bowl and stir to roughly combine. You can also do this in your food processor, but I had a hard time getting the buttermilk powder mixed in uniformly. </li><li>Process in a food processor with a metal blade for about 30-40 seconds. If it seems too dry and crumbly, add a tablespoon of olive oil. It should resemble a coarse paste. You do not want it as smooth as a typical pate.</li><li>Taste it and if you want more heat, add another Calabrian hot red pepper and process again to mix.</li><li>Transfer to a small container and refrigerate to firm up.</li></ol></div><div>Serve it with bread, crackers, and cheese. I've heard it's also great added to spaghetti sauce, but haven't tried that yet. </div></div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-73028977428007672942024-02-18T13:38:00.004-07:002024-02-29T11:18:54.906-07:00Tropic Prince Saison<div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR8QKLSuTsIyDFq_E-TrZXtzjMQIwYFtuU42-i0veeGM4YAbx8gwaIOya30mHKXfGKEOaEZ59oJPc5a-8FzqgLVEhe0diuVnRfifoTepMxbz4V1zw8ruqiUlaPjzK9K2tCbKHLdduHVUHz-L6ctDCbhslc__M2WovsXJ-5wp6Gs8cURIaSAsTXw/s3023/PXL_20240218_205205163.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2900" data-original-width="3023" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR8QKLSuTsIyDFq_E-TrZXtzjMQIwYFtuU42-i0veeGM4YAbx8gwaIOya30mHKXfGKEOaEZ59oJPc5a-8FzqgLVEhe0diuVnRfifoTepMxbz4V1zw8ruqiUlaPjzK9K2tCbKHLdduHVUHz-L6ctDCbhslc__M2WovsXJ-5wp6Gs8cURIaSAsTXw/s320/PXL_20240218_205205163.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Today I'm brewing a beer inspired by Tropic King from Funkwerks out of Fort Collins, Colorado. Tropic King is an Imperial Saison and I'm shooting for something a bit lower ABV than it is, more of a table strength Saison, so I'm calling it Tropic Prince. I'm a sucker for limited release yeast, so for this beer I'm using a yeast strain I've never used before, <b><a href="https://www.whitelabs.com/yeast-single?id=164&type=YEAST" target="_blank">White Labs WLP546 Marañón Canyon Wild Cacao Yeast</a></b>. White labs describes this yeast as follows:</div><div><blockquote>This yeast was isolated from the thought to be extinct Pure Nacional variety of cacao. In 2007, this rare variety with white beans was rediscovered in the remote Marañón River Canyon in Peru. The fruity, phenolic, and wild-like characteristics of this strain make it an ideal choice for farmhouse and saison-style beers.</blockquote></div>
<div>I used to brew Saisons more often than I do now, the primary reason being I judged Belgian beers at a local homebrew comp years ago, and most of the entries were so over the top with esters and phenolics that it ruined "Belgian" character for me. They were the equivalent of early on when IPA popularity started to surge and every brewery was trying to make the most bitter, high IBU beer possible; basically the beers you don't see offered anymore because they literally assaulted your palate. I liken it to smoked foods; smoke can add complexity to food, but you have to be careful not to overdo it and end up with something reminiscent of liquid smoke, ash tray, or fire pit. A little bit can be great, but more is not necessarily better. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favorite approaches to Saisons is to use a traditional Saison strain paired with a cleaner strain or paired with brett. Blending strains and lower fermentation temperatures helps keep the esters/phenolics in check, and I've been really happy with the results. I'll be employing that same method on this beer by pitching a blend of WLP546 and US-05. US-05 will also help ensure complete fermentation as WLP546 has a reputation for stalling out a little early. Lastly, I'm excited to use Rakau hops in this beer as I don't believe I've used it anything other than my NZ Pilsner recipes in the past. It adds lots of tropical fruit notes, hence the Tropic King/Prince name, Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today: </div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Target OG: 1.050</span></span></div>
<div><span>Target FG: 1.008</span></div>
<div><span>IBU: 30</span></div>
<div><span>ABV: 5.9</span></div>
<div><span><br /></span></div>
<div>6.375# Proximity 2-row Pale</div><div>1.375# Weyermann Munich II</div><div>0.375# Rahr White Wheat Malt</div><div>0.25# Briess Cara-Pils Malt</div><div>1g BrewTan B in mash</div><div>19g Rakau (60 min)</div><div>14g Rakau (10 min)</div><div>4.66g BCAA (10 min)</div><div>Whirfloc</div><div>Yeast nutrient</div><div>19g EKG (Whirlpool)</div><div>19g Rakau (Dry-hop)</div><div>White Labs WLP546 Marañón Canyon Wild Cacao Yeast</div><div>US-05 Yeast</div><div><br /></div>
<div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Mash at 150F, 90 minute boil. Start fermentation at 65F then ramp up 1F per day over five days.</span></span></div></div></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Water Profile</b></span></div>
<div><table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="6" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Target Water Profile</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ca</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Mg</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Na</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">SO4</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Cl</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">HCO3</td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 50 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 20 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 50 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 100 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 100 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 0 </td></tr></tbody></table></div>
<div><br /></div><div>To 10 gallons RO water, add: </div>
<div><ul>
<li>4.0g Gypsum</li><li>4.3g Pickling Salt</li><li>4.2g Epsom Salt</li><li>2.5g Calcium Chloride</li><li>0.2g Chalk</li></ul>
<div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>No real issues. Out of habit, I added about 2.5ml phosphoric acid to the mash, but I should have checked the pH first. As a result, mash pH was a bit lower than usual (I usually shoot for right about 5.20). That said, it really shouldn't be a big issue. </div><div>OG came in a little higher than expected which is nice considering the last bunch was several points lower than expected. I made it a point to slow down the sparge compared to the last batch. I didn't time it, but it was in the neighborhood of 50-60 minutes which is typical for me. </div><div>It's still winter and the groundwater temps are pretty cold and I ended up slightly overchilling the wort (~58F) so I'm heating the wort back up to 65F then I'll pitch the yeasts.</div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit"> 5.04 </font></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.04 </td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 21.7 (1.088) </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 9.5 (1.037)</td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.09 </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 13.4 (1.053) </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.10 </td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div><b>Update 2/20/2024</b></div><div>I forgot to post an update yesterday but fermentation really took off and is super active. I set little bit of WLP546 aside into a 250ml starter in case I want to brew another batch with this yeast before the next time White Labs releases it. I’m guessing I’ll be dry-hopping on Friday (2/23).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 2/22/2024</b></div><div>I pulled a small sample today. Refractometer reading is ~7.0, which translates to ~1.012 after factoring in the refraction error. Both aroma and flavor present a very pleasant "Belgian" ester and phenolic profile. I think the combo of WLP546 and US-05 with coolish temps has worked well. I'll probably add the dry hops later today. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 2/29/2024</b></div><div>Dry hops were added late in the day on 2/22. I kegged it today with some Biofine and have started chilling it. I do my transfers under pressure with CO2. To accomplish this, I fitted my SS BrewTech buckets with optional domed lids and I have a ball lock keg post to tri-clamp adapter. I set the pressure just high enough that it slowly bleeds off excess pressure, so I can smell a little bit of aroma off the beer as well. This beer smelled really good...bright tropical fruit notes from the hops mixed with fruity esters from the yeast. I'm really looking forward to trying this beer once it's cleared and carbed.</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-21190109591495895042024-01-07T08:11:00.005-07:002024-01-23T18:48:14.863-07:00Czech Premium Pale Lager 2024<div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">First beer of 2024, and first brew in quite a long time. I've been wanting an easy drinking lager, so today I'm brewing a Czech Premium Pale Lager inspired by Pilsner Urquell. This recipe employs a double-decoction mash. Water is especially important with this style; you want a very soft water profile so you’ll notice below that there are only very small salt additions. Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Target OG 1.051</span></span></div>
<div><span>Target FG: 1.013</span></div>
<div><span>IBU: 35</span></div>
<div><span>ABV: 5.0</span></div>
<div><span><br /></span></div>
<div>8.375# Weyermann Barke Pilsner</div><div>1g BrewTan B in mash</div><div>2.75ml HopShot (90 min)</div><div>56.7 Saaz (20 min)</div><div>28.3g Saaz (10 min)</div><div>4.66g BCAA (10 min)</div><div>28.3g Saaz (0 min)</div><div>Whirfloc</div><div>Yeast nutrient</div><div>Wyeast 2001-PC Pilsner Urquell H Strain</div><div><br /></div>
<div><b>Decoction Mash</b></div>
<div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Protein rest at 125F for 15 min</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Pull first 1/3 decoction and heat to 158F and hold for 15 min. </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Proceed to boil and hold for 10 min.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Return decoction to main mash and hold at 148F for 30 min.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Pull second 1/6 decoction and heat to a boil.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Proceed to boil for 10 min.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Return second decoction to main mash and hold at 158F for 30 min.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Mash out at 168F</span></span></li></ol><div>90 min boil, chill to 48F. Raise temp 1F over 6 days to 54F. </div></div></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Water Profile</b></span></div>
<div><table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="6" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Target Water Profile</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ca</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Mg</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Na</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">SO4</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Cl</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">HCO3</td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 7.0 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 1.0 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 8.0 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 9.0 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 11.0 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 1.0 </td></tr></tbody></table></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">To 10 gallons RO water, add:</span></div>
<div><ul>
<li>0.7g Gypsum (CaSO4)</li><li>0.6g Pickling Salt (NaCl)</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">0.1g Calcium Chloride (CaCl)</span></li><li>0.1g Chalk (CaCO3)</li></ul>
<div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>I’m definitely a little rusty having not brewed since July, so I’m glad that there weren’t any crazy issues. I fly sparge and I definitely collected the 6.75 gallons much quicker than I normally would. I may have miscalculated the efficiency and grain bill as I came in 8 points under target. Kind of a bummer, but I’ll still have beer in the end. This is closer to a Czech Pale Lager than a Czech <i><b>Premium</b></i> Pale Lager. Also, I thought I had more Saaz on hand than I actually did. I ended up doing about 30g at 7 minutes, instead of 28g at 10 and 0 minutes. I’m toying with the idea of dry hopping with some Saaz…TBD. Long story short, not the ideal brew session but it still felt good to finally brew a batch again. I’m propping up more yeast so I’ll probably give this beer another shot in the not too distant future.</div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.52 </td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.44 </td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 22.8 (1.093) </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 8.0 (1.031) </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.58 </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 11.0 (1.043)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.58</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div><b>Update 1/21/2024</b></div><div>I transferred this beer to a corny keg fitted with a dip tube screen on top of 28g of Saaz. I’m planning on dry hopping in this keg for about 48 hours then I’ll transfer off the hops to a serving keg.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 1/23/2024</b></div><div>This beer got transferred to the serving keg along with some finings today. </div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-104455307402905642023-12-17T18:58:00.002-07:002023-12-21T12:05:16.725-07:00Canadian Bacon 2023<div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNk_3LD4PjfqIn03tvFieB27wT-MMRkOKHhjohRyuiTHsRGA0AlWc9wECk_mCbjvKKfBHuMFTdDevR5rOK_-b-d8BoWZHXHZGGeETMfsjC9gcYbCEq5OIJ2TVr0eruSxCBbmMy7P8PqA3FwcDoEHDLoq4c1Y7n2wOef1u2yDfnWun06h3QG2GaCg/s4080/PXL_20231218_014117277.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="L to R, Irish, Canadian, Maple Canadian" border="0" data-original-height="2436" data-original-width="4080" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNk_3LD4PjfqIn03tvFieB27wT-MMRkOKHhjohRyuiTHsRGA0AlWc9wECk_mCbjvKKfBHuMFTdDevR5rOK_-b-d8BoWZHXHZGGeETMfsjC9gcYbCEq5OIJ2TVr0eruSxCBbmMy7P8PqA3FwcDoEHDLoq4c1Y7n2wOef1u2yDfnWun06h3QG2GaCg/w320-h191/PXL_20231218_014117277.jpg" title="L to R, Irish, Canadian, Maple Canadian" width="320" /></a></div><br />I haven't posted much lately because I haven't brewed much lately. Long story short, too many things going on and I just haven't had the time to brew. That said, I have a few things planned so I should have a brewing post in the not too distant future. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">For today, I have a food-related post. I bought a pork loin and I'm going to be trying three variations on Canadian Bacon. The first two are based on the recipe from <a href="https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/smoked-canadian-bacon-recipe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazing Ribs</a> and are essentially the same recipe, but one is Canadian style and one is Irish style with the Irish style being roasted in the oven rather than smoked. The last one is one I found online that sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try. I plan to use these in one of our favorite dishes, Eggs Benedict but will use them in other things like breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, etc. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/smoked-canadian-bacon-recipe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Canadian Bacon</a> <i>based on Amazing Ribs recipe</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">3.0# Pork Loin, about 3.5" thick</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">9.6 Cups RO water</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">8.74g Prague powder #1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">90.0g Sugar</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">104g Kosher salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.83g Garlic powder</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix all ingredients and stir until salts and sugar are dissolved.</span></li><li>Chill brine.</li><li>Add loin to chilled brine and brine for 6.5 days in the fridge.</li><li>Rinse the loin.</li><li>Optional: truss your pork loin so that it ends up more round than oblong. </li><li>Smoke at 325F until the internal temp in the middle of the loin reaches 145F. I used apple wood and smoked it on my kamado smoker with acacia wood charcoal.</li></ol><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/smoked-canadian-bacon-recipe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Irish Bacon</a></b></span><b style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>based on Amazing Ribs recipe</i></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2.5# Pork Loin, about 3.5" thick</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">8 Cups RO water</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">7.28g Prague powder #1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">76g Sugar</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">87g Kosher salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.86g Garlic powder</span></div><div><ol><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix all ingredients and stir until salts and sugar are dissolved.</span></li><li>Chill brine.</li><li>Add loin to chilled brine and brine for 6.5 days in the fridge.</li><li>Rinse the loin.</li><li>Optional: truss your pork loin so that it ends up more round than oblong. </li><li>In the oven (no smoke), roast to 325F until the internal temp in the middle of the loin reaches 145F.</li></ol><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span><!--more--></span><a href="https://celebrationgeneration.com/back-bacon-canadian-bacon/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maple Canadian Bacon</a></b></span><b style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>based on Celebration Generation recipe</i></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">2.69# Pork Loin, about 3.5" thick</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">8 Cups RO water</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">73.96g Pickling salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">7.84g Prague powder #1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">215g Maple syrup</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.23g Garlic powder</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Whole cloves</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">2/3 Lemon, cut into wedges</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">3.77g Black pepper</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">24.21g Whole mustard seed</span></div><div><ol><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix all ingredients and stir until salts are dissolved.</span></li><li>Chill brine.</li><li>Add loin to chilled brine and brine for 6.5 days in the fridge.</li><li>Rinse the loin.</li><li>Optional: truss your pork loin so that it ends up more round than oblong. </li><li>Smoke at 325F until the internal temp in the middle of the loin reaches 145F. I used apple wood and smoked it on my kamado smoker with acacia wood charcoal.</li></ol><div><b>Update 12/21/2023</b></div></div></div></div><div>I haven't made Eggs Benedict yet with these, but all three variants turned out really well and I'll definitely be making them again. The Amazing Ribs variants (Irish vs. Canadian) are both really good. I'm surprised how different they are just because of the smoking of the Canadian version. I think the Maple one is my favorite. It has a slightly more complex flavor profile in that you get a little bit of the mustard seed character and the acidity from the lemons also brightens it up. The maple character is very subdued, so it definitely doesn't taste like maple pancakes (which I'm happy about). </div></span></div></div><div></div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-25388908518446302032023-07-03T21:43:00.005-06:002023-07-19T13:57:04.891-06:00Acid Tripp Experiment - Fruited Kettle Sour<div><div>I've been super busy this Spring so I've barely even brewed lately. I recently picked up a pouch of WLP6420 Acid Tripp which is the house kettle souring culture at <a href="https://www.trippinganimals.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tripping Animals</a> out of Doral, Florida. I reached out to White Labs because there seemed to be some contradictory information on their website, but I confirmed it's a blend of bacteria and does not contain any yeast. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm planning on this being a very fruit-forward kettle sour, but I haven't settled on which fruits I plan to use. I may split this up into smaller sized batches and put them on a couple different fruits. I have a bunch of freeze-dried strawberries, and that's definitely the frontrunner right now. Anyway, here is some info re Acid Tripp from White Lab's website:</div><blockquote><div><div><i>For the first time, Tripping Animals Brewing in Doral, FL is giving you access to one of their hottest house strains! We’re so excited to partner with our passionate and creative friends at Tripping Animals to bring you WLP6420 Acid Tripp, the ultimate blend of organisms perfect for your next kettle sour. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>This proprietary house blend is used in all of Tripping Animals’ renowned sour ales, and is now available to you!</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>This culture is unlike any other and offers an extraordinarily complex flavor profile resulting in balanced acidity with moderate tropical and pomme fruit aromas. This complexity allows for a range of flavor profiles that can be achieved depending on how it is blended with other yeasts or added to different beer styles. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Optimum fermentation temperature range is between 40-43℃/105-110℉ and typically sours the wort within 12-24 hours. </i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><i>Complex flavor profile resulting in moderate tropical (pineapple) and pomme (apple) fruit aromas.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>An extremely quick pH drop! Souring is typically achieved in less than 24 hours, dropping the wort from a pH of ~5 to ~3.5.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>It is recommended to add hops after the lactic acid fermentation so the organisms are not inhibited.</i></div></div><div></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">One note, I believe this blend contains at least one heterofermentative strain that will produce a small amount of ethanol, so don't let it go too long as you'll end up boiling off any of the ethanol that's produced. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Target OG 1.058</span></div>
<div><span>Target FG: 1.011</span></div>
<div><span>IBU: 11.2</span></div>
<div><span>ABV: 6.2</span>%</div>
<div><span><br /></span></div>
<div>8.0# Rahr North Star Pils</div><div>3.0# Spelt Malt</div><div>2.0ml Hopshot (60 min)</div><div>WLP6420 Acid Tripp</div><div>US-05</div><div>Wyeast Nutrient</div><div>Fruits TBD</div>
<div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><b>Day 1</b></div><div>Single infusion mash at 154F. Collect ~6.75 gallons. Bring to 170-180F and hold for about 15 minutes to pasteurize. Chill to 110F before pitching Acid Tripp. Check pH at least once in 24 hours.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day 2</b></div><div>Check the pH at least once in the first 24 hours. Proceed with boil when you've reached your target pH (I'm shooting for 3.50). 90 min boil, then chill to 67F and aerate well before pitching yeast.</div><div> </div></div></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Water Profile</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nothing fancy here, just 50/50 blend of carbon-filtered tap water and RO water.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div>
<div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>I got distracted and held the mash around 125F for about 10 minutes before ramping it up to 154F for the duration of the mash. I created a 1L starter of Acid Tripp, partly because I wanted to save some of the blended culture in case I really liked the results. I ended up collecting right about 7 gallons that was chilled to about 110F before pitching 500ml of starter at 7pm on 7/2/2023. I kept the souring keg in my garage because it has the warmest consistent temps right now.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>7:20am 7/3/2023</b>: 12 hours in and pH has dropped to 3.66 while gravity has dropped to 10.2 (1.039*). This is a pretty impressive pH drop. I just use ambient temps when kettle souring and with my typical cultures (Yakult and GoodBelly) I often do the first brew day on Sunday, then the second brew day on the following Friday or Saturday by which time I usually hit a terminal pH of 3.2-ish. I tasted the sample and there's some nice tartness and I can pick up some pineapple and pomme fruit character.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5:00PM 7/3/2023:</b> 20 hours in and pH is at 3.41. I lost a few points during souring (I suspect due to heterofermentative strain(s) in the blend). I'm guessing if I caught it at 3.5 the gravity drop would have been reduced. My boil also wasn't quite as vigorous as normal, so that also factors into the lower than target gravity. On the plus side, the tropical fruit aroma was super intense (more so than earlier in the morning) with huge passion fruit, guava, and pomme fruit. Based on aroma alone, I would say this blend is much more complex than a typical kettle sour culture. I think I'll try this culture in a future batch as more of a traditional post-boil sour giving this culture a 12 hour head start followed by a sacc/brett blend. </div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.60 </td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.56 </td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 16.2 (1.064) </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-souring pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.66 </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-souring gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 10.7 (1.042) </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">12-hour souring pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 3.66 </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">12-hour souring gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 10.2 (1.039*) </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 3.41 </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-Boil gravity</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 9.7 (1.036*) </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-Boil pH</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 3.42 </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-Boil gravity</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 11.7 (1.046)</td></tr><tr></tr>
</tbody></table>*<i>Corrected gravity</i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7/4/2023</b></div><div>I was only able to chill down to about 75F, so I left it overnight to get down to 67F. Yeast was pitched this morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7/9/2023</b></div><div>Fermentation has slowed so I pulled a sample this morning. The tropical fruit character is amazing on this beer; definitely much more complex than your typical kettle sour. I’ll probably let this go for a week then I’ll transfer onto fruit. I may even leave part of it unfruited as the base beer is really interesting.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Updated 7/15/2023</b></div><div>I kegged this beer into two 3.5 gallon kegs that are fitted with dip tube screens just like my Kegmenters that I use for fruiting. It's based on <a href="https://scottjanish.com/my-favorite-way-to-dry-hop-loose-in-primary-and-kegs/" target="_blank">Scott Janish's method for dry hopping in the keg</a> and really helps minimize losses due to clogged dip tubes and/or posts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Keg #1 that I'm calling Citra Tripp got treated with 0.33g lime zest, 0.33g orange zest, 0.66g grapefruit zest, and 3g Citra hops in 2.25 gallons of base beer. Basically I'm looking for some interesting citrus and Citra hop character to compliment the big tropical fruit character from the souring blend. Since there aren't additional sugars being added to this version, it should be ready to drink as soon as it carbs up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Keg #2 that I'm calling Strawberry Tripp got treated with 1# of freeze dried strawberries (10# fresh fruit equivalent) into 2.5 gallons of beer. I most worried about this one due to the issues in fruiting beers with strawberries. I'm really hoping the strawberry character doesn't turn into something farty or fade too much. I should get a secondary fermentation from all the sugar in the fruit, so this will probably go a few weeks to allow that to wrap up and maximize extraction.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7/19/2023</b></div><div>I pulled a small sample of Citra Tripp. I went pretty conservative on the citrus peels primarily because I just want some fruity complexity rather than it being a citrus bomb. So far so good, there's pleasant citrus character but you don't feel like you're drinking furniture polish/stripper.</div><div><br /></div><div>I pulled a small sample of Strawberry Tripp the day after transferring onto the fruit, and both the aroma and flavor were great. The secondary fermentation kicked off pretty quickly and I haven't tried it again since then. I'll probably let it go a few more days before trying it again.</div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-60786099101610455702023-04-02T16:18:00.001-06:002023-04-08T07:16:04.272-06:00Golden Solera 2023<div><div><div><span>Today I'm brewing another 10 gallons of my Golden Sour Solera. This will be the "fresh" beer that's replacing the ~10 gallons I'll soon be pulling off the barrel for the next variant. </span>For anyone stumbling across this recipe, you'll want to plan on fruiting and/or dry hopping the finished beer as this recipe is boring without some kind of secondary treatment. Think of it as a canvas that works really well with secondary treatments.</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>I'm mixing up the yeast a little on this batch. I'm using Wyeast 5112 but I also have some Embrace The Funk Culture from Bootleg Biology that I'm planning on using this round. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Wyeast describes 5112 as follows:</span></div><div><span><blockquote><i>This strain of wild yeast was isolated from brewery cultures in the Brussels region of Belgium. It produces the classic “sweaty horse blanket” character of indigenous beers such as gueuze, lambics and sour browns and may form a pellicle in bottles or casks. The strain is generally used in conjunction with S. cerevisiae, as well as other wild yeast and lactic bacteria. At least 3-6 months aging is generally required for flavor to fully develop.</i></blockquote></span></div><div><span>Bootleg Biology describes BBXETF as follows:</span></div><div><span><blockquote><i>Source: A unique blend of ale yeast, Brett and restrained LAB curated by Embrace The Funk – Yazoo Brewing in Nashville, TN, USA. This is a specially curated blend of house saison yeast and multiple Brettanomyces strains that creates a floral bouquet of tropical fruit and black pepper.</i></blockquote></span></div><div>Hopefully the combination of these two plus the resident barrel cultures will result in some complex funky character in the final beer. Here are the details for today's brew session:</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Target OG 1.044</span></div></div>
<div><span>Target FG: 1.005</span></div>
<div><span>IBU: 0</span></div>
<div><span>ABV: ~6.0%</span></div>
<div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><div><span>12.0# Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt</span></div><div><span>3.0# Spelt Malt</span></div><div><span>56g Aged Hops (60 min)</span></div><div><span>Yeast Nutrient</span></div><div><span>Whirlfloc</span></div><div><span>Wyeast 5112 Brettanomyces bruxellensis</span></div><div><span>Bootleg Biology BBXETF – Embrace The Funk Culture</span></div><div><br /></div></span></div>
<div><div><span>Mash at 160F. Collect ~10.0 gallons, then top up to ~12 gallons. 90 minute boil, ferment at room temp.</span></div></div></div><div><span><br /></span></div>
<div><div><span><b>Water Profile</b></span></div><div><span>50/50 blend of carbon filtered tap water and RO water.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div></div><div>No issues. The first mash pH sample was a little higher than I prefer. I rarely document exactly how much phosphoric acid I use to acidify my mash, but based on experience I typically add ~1.5ml for pale beers (per 5 gallons). Since this is 10 gallons, I initially added ~3ml. After the 5.47 reading I added an additional 1ml.</div><div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit"> 5.47</font></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.35</td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 21.8 (1.088)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 10.2 (1.040)</td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.35</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 11,4 (1.045)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.45</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div><b>Update 4/7/2023</b></div><div>This fermentation took a bit longer to get going than I’m used to. I forgot to mention, I’m fermenting this at room temp in a 15 gallon Kegmenter fitted with my spunding valve. Yeast was pitched late Sunday and it seemed like there was a little bit of positive pressure developing over the next few days, but it was a very small amount. I was starting to worry a little and even started to propagate a Bootleg Biology Black Project pouch, just in case it was needed. Then this morning I noticed a jump in pressure in the kegmenter. I dialed it in to about 6PSI and it seems to be happily fermenting away.</div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-7588822370335459892023-02-20T11:44:00.004-07:002023-02-20T11:44:41.193-07:00Homemade Refried Beans<div>One more food-related post today. This one is for Homemade Refried Beans. This dish is super easy to make, it just takes a little bit of prep time, and while I don't think there's anything wrong with a can of Rosarita Refried Beans, these are definitely better.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are great as a side dish (we had them with lobster tacos). They're also really good paired with a can of Stokes Ranchero Sauce for a semi-homemade take on huevos rancheros.</div><div><br /></div><div>1# Dried pinto beans (or black beans)</div><div>2 T Vegetable or olive oil</div><div>1 Large sweet onion</div><div>6 Garlic cloves, minced</div><div>1/3 c Cilantro, chopped</div><div>1.5 t Chili powder (e.g. McCormick chili powder)</div><div>1.5 t Cumin</div><div>0.5 t Cayenne pepper</div><div>3 Cubes pork bouillon (substitute chicken or vegetable if you can't find pork)</div><div>2 T Lime juice</div><div>0,5 t Salt</div><div>Pepper</div><div>Water</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The day before, place dried beans in bowl and cover with 1" or so of water. Allow to soak overnight.</li><li>The next day, drain off any excess water.</li><li>Using a large saucepot, heat oil over medium-low heat then add onion, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. </li><li>Sauté for about 15mins, remembering to stir frequently to avoid burning.</li><li>Add beans to pot along with bouillon, 8 cups of water, and salt.</li><li>Cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the beans on the bottom of the pot.</li><li>Remove the lid and continue to simmer at least 15 minutes or the desired amount of liquid remains.</li><li>Use a potato masher or hand blender to mash the beans to the desired consistency. </li><li>Stir in lime juice and add additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.</li></ol></div><div></div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-65641077664195464742023-02-20T11:09:00.003-07:002023-02-20T11:10:10.728-07:00Mexican Style Rice<div>Here's a Mexican-style Rice recipe I stumbled across recently when I decided to make lobster tacos for my wife's birthday dinner. I really liked how this turned out, so as usual, I'm posting the recipe here so that I don't run the risk of losing it. </div><div><br /></div><div>One thing I particularly like about this recipe, even though it incorporates tomato sauce, the finished product isn't saucy. Super saucy Mexican rice kind of grosses me out; if you feel the same way, give this one a try. One note, the first time I made it I didn't use low-sodium broth and I felt like it was too salty right after it came out of the pan. It seemed better the next day, like it had mellowed a bit. Either use low-sodium broth or skip the Kosher salt until you've had a chance to taste it.</div><div><br /></div><div>2 c Long grain white rice</div><div>1/8 c Vegetable oil</div><div>8 oz Tomato sauce</div><div>6 Cilantro stems, chopped</div><div>1 t Kosher salt</div><div>1 t Minced garlic</div><div>4 c Low-sodium chicken broth</div><div>1/8 t Cumin</div><div>1/8 t Garlic pepper</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Heat oil in large pan over medium heat.</li><li>Add rice and cook until golden brown</li><li>Add remaining ingredients to pan, and mix well.</li><li>Bring to a simmer then cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed.</li><li>Fluff with a fork before serving.</li></ol></div><div><br /></div><div></div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-37302111694331319092023-02-20T10:39:00.002-07:002023-02-25T11:13:21.610-07:00Chinese Take-out Fried RiceHere's a really good Chinese Take-out Fried Rice recipe that I originally saw on a sub-Reddit a little while back. I've made it once so far and it's really good. It may look complicated, but it's actually a fairly simple dish to make. <div><br /></div><div><div>Credit to Jason Farmer for doing a bunch of research into the recipe and for documenting it very well on his YouTube channel. <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qURmdmgCCOI" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> and I recommend watching it all the way through before attempting the recipe. The key to this recipe is preparation. Things move quickly as you start cooking, so have everything ready to go before you start.</div><div> </div><div><b>Ingredients</b> - Here's everything you'll need. You'll only need small amounts of the soy sauces, so I'd recommend getting small-ish bottles rather than Costco-sized ones. Also, as noted in the video, you want Chinese style soy sauce, not Japanese style.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 parts standard long grain white rice</li><li>1 part Jasmine rice</li><li>Lee Kum Kee or Pearl River Bridge light soy sauce</li><li>Lee Kum Kee or Pearl River Bridge dark soy sauce</li><li>Shaoxing Cooking Wine</li><li>Toasted Sesame Oil</li><li>1 - Chicken breast</li><li>Baking Soda</li><li>Sugar</li><li>Corn Starch</li><li>Kosher Salt</li><li>MSG</li><li>Vegetable oil</li><li>Sugar</li><li>White pepper</li><li>2 - Eggs, beaten</li><li>1 - medium onion, diced</li><li>Diced carrot</li><li>Frozen peas</li><li>Bean sprouts </li></ul></div><div><b>Prepare Rice</b> - The recipe calls for 2 cups of cooked rice. Since 1 cup raw rice is ~3 cups cooked rice, we need about 2/3 cup uncooked rice. That means 4/9 cup long grain white rice and 2/9 cup Jasmine rice. <strike>Since I've never seen measuring cups in the ninths, I just convert it to metric volumes. In this case it's 105ml of long grain white, and 52.5ml of Jasmine.</strike> <b>Update</b>: To be more precise, I converted volume to weight; use 47.3g Jasmine and 94.6g long grain white rice.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Wash rice under water until it runs clear.</li><li>Cook rice 1:1 with water (142ml)</li><li>Cool to room temp then chill overnight in the refrigerator.</li></ul></div><div><b>Prepare Chicken</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Slice chicken into small pieces.</li><li>Wash chicken under cold water and squeeze out excess water.</li><li>Add 1/2 t baking soda to chicken and mix in.</li><li>Add 1/2 t light soy sauce to chicken</li><li>Add 1/2 t sugar to chicken.</li><li>Add 1/2 t corn starch to chicken.</li><li>Add 1/4 t Kosher salt to chicken.</li><li>Add 1/8 t MSG to chicken</li><li>Add 1 t vegetable oil</li><li>Mix well and marinate from 15 mins to overnight.</li></ul></div><div><b>Prepare Sauce Mixture</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:</li><li>1/2 t sugar</li><li>2 t light soy sauce</li><li>1/2 t dark soy sauce. </li><li>Stir until sugar is dissolved and set aside.</li></ul></div><div><b>Prepare Dry Spice Mixture</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:</li><li>1 t Kosher salt</li><li>2 pinches of white pepper</li><li>1/2 t MSG</li><li>Set aside</li></ul></div><div><b>Prepare other ingredients</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To 2 beaten eggs, add a pinch of kosher salt and a pinch of MSG.</li><li>1/2 cup diced onion</li><li>2 T diced carrots</li><li>2 cloves garlic, chopped</li><li>2 T frozen peas</li><li>Handful of bean sprouts</li><li>2 T Shaoxing wine</li><li>2 T sliced green onion</li><li>1 T toasted sesame oil</li></ul></div><div><b>Bring It All Together</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Heat wok, pan, or griddle over medium-high heat.</li><li>Add 1 T vegetable oil to pan</li><li>Turn heat down to medium and add eggs.</li><li>Cook eggs for about 15-20 second then carefully move them around to start scrambling. </li><li>Cook eggs to slightly undercooked then transfer to a bowl.</li><li>Add 1 T oil to pan</li><li>Cook chicken to slightly undercooked then transfer to bowl with eggs.</li><li>Add 1 T oil to pan</li><li>Toss in diced onion and diced carrots.</li><li>Cook for a minute or two until onion is beginning to look translucent, then add garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds.</li><li>Add 2 cups of the rice and stir constantly for about 2 minutes.</li><li>Add chicken and eggs to mixture and incorporate well.</li><li>Add sauce to mixture and incorporate well.</li><li>Add dry spice mixture and incorporate well.</li><li>Add frozen peas and bean sprouts, and gently mix them in.</li><li>Deglaze with Shaoxing wine and immediately stir into rice. </li><li>Cook off the alcohol for about 20-30 seconds then turn off the heat.</li><li>Add green onion and toasted sesame oil and mix in.</li><li>Add salt and white pepper to taste.</li></ol></div></div><div><br /></div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-75465124565738952022023-02-19T15:37:00.086-07:002023-04-13T16:45:22.494-06:00Cold IPA - It Just Works Clone<div><div><div><div>Today I'm brewing an experimental beer, a "Cold IPA". This is an emerging style that is still being defined, even in the commercial market. From the commercial examples I've tried, I would describe the style as hop-forward with firm bitterness and with a very clean and crisp fermentation profile. Grain bills are usually highly fermentable and closer to something you'd use for a crisp lager, employing things like flaked rice and steering clear of any crystal malts. </div><div><br /></div><div>You may ask yourself, what's the difference between a Cold IPA and an IPL (India Pale Lager). The answer is open to interpretation, but IMO I'd say the grain bill of an IPL is usually closer to that of an American IPA, whereas the grain bill of a Cold IPA is closer to that of an American Lager. So you could probably say an IPL is an IPA fermented with lager yeast (and slightly dialed down hop character to keep it balanced). A Cold IPA is closer to an American Lager with hopping rates on par with an American IPA and fermented with lager yeast or on the cold side of an ale yeast's range. Clear as mud? </div><div><br /></div><div>This beer is based on <a href="https://untappd.com/b/green-cheek-beer-company-it-just-works/4287509" target="_blank">Green Cheek Beer Co.'s It Just Works</a> and the commercial version is brewed with ale yeast. Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today:</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Target OG 1.059</span></div><div><span>Target FG: 1.007</span></div><div><span>IBU: 100+</span></div><div><span>AVB: 7.0</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>7.025# Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt</div><div>3.0625# Flaked Rice</div><div>7.3ml HopShot (75 min) </div><div>28g Pahto (HBC 682) (75 min)</div><div>4.66g BCAA</div><div>Yeast nutrient</div><div>Whirlfloc</div><div>37g Amarillo (Whirlpool)</div><div>1 Dropper of ALDC (Dry hop)</div><div>119g Ekuanot (Dry hop)</div><div>79g Mosaic (Dry hop)</div><div>40g Amarillo (Dry hop)</div><div>US-05</div><div>15ml Biofine at packaging - I've actually had better results lately with gelatin (my Biofine might be expired)</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mash at 148F, 90 min boil, chill to 64F then raise to 66F over two days and hold at 66F for an additional 2-3 days. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">On day 4-5, transfer to a purged vessel with dry hops and ALDC and hold at 68F until fermentation is complete. For my setup, I plan to use a purged keg with a dry hop screen fitted over the pickup tube and a spunding valve to regulate CO2 pressure. The ALDC isn't required, but it is intended to reduce diacetyl production when dry hopping. This will be my first time giving it a try.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Water Profile</b></div></div></div><div><b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b></div><div>
<div><table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="6" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Target Water Profile</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;">Ca</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;">Mg</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;">Na</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;">SO4</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;">Cl</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;">HCO3</td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"> 72.3 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"> 18.8 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"> 52 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"> 150.8 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"> 153.8 </td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black; text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm shooting for 150ppm each of Chloride and Sulfate for a 1:1 Chloride/Sulfate ratio, To 10 gallons of RO water, add:</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.2g Gypsum</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.0g Pickling salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">7.2g Epsom salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.6g Calcium chloride</span></li></ul></div></div><div>
<div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>No real issues other than I didn't realize my kettle ball valve was open when I was filling the kettle. As such, I probably lost about 4 oz of first runnings wort. Even with the target gravity exactly despite losing a little bit of wort on the garage floor. Clarity on this wort was amazing before adding the hops. As expected, the color is very light due to the pilsner and flaked rice grain bill.</div><div><br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit"> 5.27</font></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.39 </td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 19.9 (1.080) </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 11.6 (1.045) </td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.40 </td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil gravity </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 15 (1.059)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil pH </font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.32</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div><b>Update 2/25/2023</b></div><div>I’m transferring to a keg today and adding the ALDC and dry hops. Technically day 5 was yesterday, but fermentation was a little slow to start, so I think I’m still within the 4-5 day window specified in the recipe. I realized my dry hop dip tube filter is in use, so I’m using the floating dip tube assembly that came with my Kegmenter instead. I’m planning on dry hopping for a maximum of 6 days.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 4/13/2023</b></div><div>I forgot to post an update when I kegged this beer. I really dig the way it turned out. It's very drinkable, especially for ~7%. Hop flavor and aroma are on par with a modern American IPA. Bitterness is definitely firm, but not harsh, so I'm really digging the water profile. All transfers were done closed into purged vessels so as to minimize O2 exposure. The hop character has held up really well. </div><div>The only hiccup I had was with the floating dip tube. It clogged, so I probably lost half a gallon of beer in the keg (secondary). Next time I'll try the dip tube screen and see if it works better. Also, I tried using gelatin rather than Biofine and clarity is decent, but not great compared to most of my lagers. Next time I'll probably go with Biofine and see how it does.</div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-34649546684923483322023-01-02T14:29:00.007-07:002023-02-17T22:51:13.423-07:00Tmavé Pivo - Czech Dark Lager<p style="text-align: left;">First brew of 2023 and I’m getting an early start because I want to be done in time to watch the Utes in the Rose Bowl. Today I’m brewing a style I’ve never brewed before. This recipe is based on Tmavé Pivo from Pivovar Hostomice in the Czech Republic, and it’s a Czech Dark Lager. This style is much less common than the more iconic pale Czech Pale Lagers, but I'd argue they're every bit as drinkable. Locally, Offset Bier in Park City, Utah won a silver medal at the North American Brewers Association competition (part of the Mountain Brewers Beer Fest) with their version of the style, also named Tmavé Pivo.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Here’s the BJCP description of the style:</p><p></p><blockquote><p>A rich, dark, malty Czech lager with a roast character that can vary from almost absent to quite prominent. Malty with an interesting and complex flavor profile, with variable levels of hopping providing a range of possible interpretations.</p><p>This style is a combination of the Czech styles tmavý ležák (11–12.9 °P) and tmavé speciální pivo (13–14.9 °P). More modern examples are drier and have higher bitterness while traditional versions often have IBUs in the 18–20 range with a sweeter balance.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today:</p><div style="text-align: left;">Target OG: 1.056 <br />Target FG: 1.012 <br />IBUs: 41 <br />ABV: 5.8% <br /><br />3.6625# Czech floor-malted pilsner <br />3.6625# Munich I <br />1.675# Weyermann Caramunich III <br />1g BrewTan B in mash</div><div style="text-align: left;">2.2oz Weyermann Carafa III (added at sparge)<br />8.6g Magnum (60 min)<br />10.5g Magnum (30 min)<br />54.2g Czech Saaz (15 min)<br />4.66g BCAA</div><div style="text-align: left;">White Labs WLP800 Pilsner Lager</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Keeping with tradition, I'm employing a double decoction mash for this session. If you don't want to go to the trouble of a decoction mash, I'd probably do a single infusion mash at ~149-150F.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Mash In</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mash in at 99F then raise temp to 126F and hold for 5 minutes before pulling first decoction. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>First Decoction</b><br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Pull a one-third decoction, raise temp to 145F and hold for 5 minutes.</li><li>Raise temp to 162F and hold for 15 minutes. </li><li>Bring decoction to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes. </li><li>Return decoction to the main mash and maintain at 144F. </li></ol><b>Second Decoction</b><br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Pull a second one-third decoction, raise decoction temp to 162F and hold for 15 minutes. </li><li>Bring decoction to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes. </li><li>Return decoction to the main mash and maintain at 165F for 10 minutes.</li></ol>Add the Carafa III at sparge. 90 min boil. Chill to about 46F then increase temp to 50F over two days. Hold at 50F until primary is complete, then cold crash and lager for at least a few weeks. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Water Profile</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a super soft water profile as recommended by Gordon Strong via a BYO article. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Add 2.26 ml of Phosphoric Acid per 10 gallons RO water. </li><li>Add 2g calcium chloride per 10 gallons RO water.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">No issues other than my arm was really tired from the constant stirring during the decoctions…I might even have a blister. For anyone interested, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm7Gw9zpqkl/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here's a short video</a> I posted on Instagram for this brew session.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gravity came in a little below target on this batch, but it’s still within guidelines. Decoction temps were pretty spot on. I love our cooktop, it provides really nice even heating. Also, my wife bought some wooden cooking spoon/scraper utensils called Spurtles and they work amazing for decoction mashes. The color on this beer is gorgeous. Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks. I chilled down to ~55F before transferring to the fermenter. I’ll continue chilling down to 46F before pitching yeast.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div>
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<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit"> 5.24</font></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.29</td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 20.3 (1.082)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 8.8 (1.034)</td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.32</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 12.5 (1.049)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.27</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><b>Update 1/2/2023 5:40PM</b></div><div>Yeast was pitched.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 1/4/2023</b></div><div>Fermentation was a little sluggish to get going, but I did pitch at 46F and the low temp on this yeast’s range is 50F. I finished ramping the temps up from 46F to 50F today and fermentation activity seems to be ramping up. This morning there was a glug about once every 10-ish seconds and this evening it’s closer to once every 5 seconds.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 1/23/2023</b></div><div>This beer was kegged tonight along with gelatin for fining.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 2/17/2023</b></div><div>This beer has dropped crystal clear and is a really beautiful dark garnet color. It's a super easy drinking beer, yet it has some nice malty character. I'm going to be entering this beer in two competitions, NHC and Lagerpalooza.</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-74722350016087453532022-12-26T16:20:00.004-07:002023-01-14T15:58:52.895-07:00Kellerbier 2022<div>I haven’t brewed a ton in 2022, so I figured I’d do one last brew before the end of the year. This will also allow me to fine tune this recipe in preparation for some upcoming competitions. </div><div><br></div><div>Today I’m trying a slight variation of my Kellerbier recipe. I really like this beer because it's so easy to drink; great on its own after working in the yard, as part of a michelada, or just any time you want a nice drinkable beer. This beer is inspired by Russian River’s STS Pils and I was listening to a recent BN podcast with Vinnie Cilurzo where he mentioned they use Augustiner yeast. L17 is reportedly the same strain as Augustiner, so I figured I'd give it a try (in the past I've used Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager) and see how it compares.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Target OG 1.051</span></div><div><span>Target FG: 1.010 </span></div><div><span>IBU: 21</span></div><div>ABV: 5.4%</div><div><br></div><div>8.25# Root Shoot Pilsner<br>0.25# Weyermann Munich I<br>1g BrewTan B in mash<br>20g Hallertauer Mittelfruh (FWH)<br>14g Aramis (60 min)<br>24g Aramis (0 min)<br>4.66g BCAA <br>Imperial Yeast - L17 Harvest <br>Whirlfloc<br><br></div><div><b>Single Decoction Mash</b></div><div><b><br></b>Mash in at 132°F and hold for 10 minutes.<br>Increase mash temps to 147°F, then pull 1/3 of mash for decoction. <br>Heat the decoction to 156–158°F, hold for 10 minutes.<br>Bring Decoction to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes.<br>Raise mash to 156–158°F.<br>Return decoction to mash and mashout at 168F.<br><br></div><div>90 minute boil, ferment at 50°F<br><br></div><div><b>Water Recipe - </b>To 10 gallons of RO water, add:<br><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>3g Epsom Salts</li><li>3g Calcium Chloride</li></ul><div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div></div><div>No issues, but I totally forgot to add the BrewTan B to the mash. I’m testing out a little pH meter accessory I designed and printed using my 3D printer. It’s basically a holder for a beaker and the two probes from the pH meter (temp and pH probe). I partially fill the beaker with water and ice, then I have a smaller beaker that I fill with the sample. The smaller beaker fits in the larger one and the sample gets cooled by the ice water to ensure accurate pH readings.</div><div><br></div>
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<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit"> 5.36</font></td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.29</td></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 16.7 (1.066)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 8.9 (1.034)</td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-Boil pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.34</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil gravity</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 12.7 (1.050)</td></tr>
<tr></tr><tr></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-Boil pH</font></td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"> 5.39</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br></div><div><b>Update 12/26/2022 7:20PM</b></div><div>Wort temp was down to 50F so I aerated and pitched the yeast.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 12/27/2022 7:00PM</b></div><div>There are active signs of fermentation with a bubble out my blow-off tube, about once per 4-6 seconds.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 1/14/2023</b></div><div>I kegged this beer today along with 10ml of Biofine. I let this go for 24-48 hours before drawing off a pint or so. It should be carbed and ready to drink within a few days.</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-22832617746435100872022-12-25T10:36:00.003-07:002022-12-26T15:50:33.821-07:00Spaghetti Pomodoro from The BearThis recipe is based on the red sauce as featured in the family dinners in the FX television series The Bear. Granted, I haven't made a whole lot of marinara recipes from scratch, but I really liked this sauce and it's way better than bottled sauces. This recipe is based on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-YArz4h1xc" target="_blank">this YouTube video</a> where real-life chef Matty Matheson and Courtney Storer from the show walk you through the process. I'd definitely advise checking out the video but if you're used to the typical step by step recipe instructions that you usually find on the Internet, it'll be a different experience. So, this is my attempt to translate the recipe into the more traditional format.<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><div>2 - 28oz cans Centro crushed tomatoes</div><div>6 tablespoons butter</div><div>1 yellow onion, halved</div><div>1 - 6oz can of Cento tomato paste</div><div>8-10 cloves garlic, chopped/minced/sliced </div><div>Olive oil</div><div>Crushed red pepper</div><div>Kosher salt</div><div>Black pepper</div><div>Fresh basil</div><div>1 box spaghetti (I actually like angel hair pasta more)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Instructions</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Halve your onion and peel it. It's ok to trim a little off the top and bottom, but leave enough of the core on the bottom so that it holds together. You’re going to be removing the onion later, so this is why you want to keep it intact.</li><li>To a medium/large pot, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium high heat.</li><li>Add 6T butter to pot.</li><li>Once the butter has started melting, add onion halves (flat side down).</li><li>Add garlic and adjust heat as necessary so as not to burn the garlic.</li><li>Add one or two "chef pinches" of kosher salt. (It's probably at least a teaspoon)</li><li>Reduce heat to medium low.</li><li>Add a pinch or more of crushed red pepper (more of you like some heat in your red sauce)</li><li>Add anywhere from 3-6oz of tomato paste to the pot and cook it off for a few minutes. This will help avoid the metallic character often associated with tomato paste.</li><li>Tear a few basil leaves and add them to the pot. If you decide you want more basil, you can also add it later. </li><li>Add crushed tomatoes to pot. </li><li>Add about half a can (14oz) of water to the pot.</li><li>Add a couple more chef pinches of kosher salt.</li><li>Add black pepper to taste. I probably start at about 1 teaspoon worth, and go from there. </li><li>Stir to mix and taste. If it's too acidic, add more salt (a little at a time).</li><li>Continue to cook over low medium heat until the onions are fully cooked through and translucent. I've let it go over an hour without any issues. Just remember to stir occasionally and make sure the heat is low enough that it doesn't burn/scorch the sauce.</li><li>When the onion is cooked all the way through, remove the onions and discard. Taste the sauce again and add salt, pepper, and more fresh basil to taste. </li><li>Prepare your pasta per the package directions.</li><li>In the video they combine the pasta and sauce then serve. I love a ton of sauce on my spaghetti but my wife likes less sauce on hers, so we add the sauce at serving time. </li></ol><div><b>Options</b></div></div><div>I love meatballs and this sauce goes well with them for spaghetti and meatballs or for a meatball sandwich. One time I added some crumbled spicy Italian sausage and it also was really good.</div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-18336286304020177312022-11-27T11:06:00.005-07:002022-11-27T11:30:00.101-07:00Easy Chicken and Waffles<p>I’m a breakfast guy, and I’ve been known to be a little grumpy in the morning if I don’t get something in my belly before starting my day. Sometimes it’s something as simple as a bowl of cereal or buttered toast with McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning (trust me, I discovered this when I was a kid). On weekends I like to step it up a little and make a hot breakfast. </p><p>Here’s an easy chicken and waffle recipe that I made over Thanksgiving weekend that turned out really well. This is more of a semi-homemade dish because for the chicken I’m using <b>Just Bare Chicken Breast</b> from Costco. These chicken patties and their chicken nuggets are a favorite around our house because they’re lightly breaded and seem much more like homemade chicken than most store-bought breaded chicken. </p><br/>
<p><b>Waffles</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2 ¼ c All-purpose flour<br />1 T Baking powder<br />¼ c Sugar<br />½ t Kosher salt<br />1 t Cinnamon<br />2 eggs, separated<br />½ c Vegetable oil<br />2 c Milk<br />2 t Vanilla extract</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well.</li><li>Beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.</li><li>In a separate bowl, coming egg yolks, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well blended.</li><li>Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until most of the lumps have disappeared. Gently fold in the egg whites with a spatula.</li><li>Cook the waffles in your waffle maker to desired doneness. On mine, a setting of 3.5 on the dial that goes from 1-5 results in a golden brown crust.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>Spicy Syrup </b></p><p style="text-align: left;">1/2 c Honey or maple syrup<br />1 t Chile powder<br />1 t Kosher salt<br />1 Stick of butter</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Combine all ingredients in a small pan over medium heat. </li><li>Stir until butter is melted and all ingredients are well incorporated. </li><li>Reduce to low heat to keep warm until ready to serve.</li></ol><div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chicken</b></div><div>For the chicken, just prepare per package directions. I usually heat it in our air fryer.</div><div><br /></div><div>To serve, slice chicken breast and arrange it on top of the waffle. Drizzle the chicken and waffle with the syrup and enjoy.</div><p></p>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-66651116170156820212022-09-04T09:08:00.010-06:002022-11-18T08:18:42.027-07:00Kölsch<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today I'm brewing a Kölsch, a style I can't believe I've never brewed before. The BJCP guidelines describe the style as follows:</span><div><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>A subtle, brilliantly clear, pale beer with a delicate balance of malt, fruit, and hop character, moderate bitterness, and a well-attenuated but soft finish. Freshness makes a huge difference with this beer, as the delicate character can fade quickly with age. </span></span> </blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Köln has a top-fermenting brewing tradition since the Middle Ages, but the beer now known as Kölsch was developed in the late 1800s as an alternative to pale lagers. Bottom fermentation was actually prohibited in Cologne. Kölsch is an appellation protected by the Kölsch Konvention (1986), and is restricted to breweries in and around Köln. The Konvention simply defines the beer as a “light, highly attenuated, hop-accentuated, clear, top-fermenting Vollbier.”</span></span></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jamil Z has a good article that he wrote about the style for BYO Magazine years ago. The BJCP guidelines mention subtle fruitiness (I think it used to omit the word “subtle”) and Jamil talks about how some homebrewers tend to run with that and brew an overly fruity and estery beer. This is a hybrid ale/lager beer and as such it should not lean too far either way. One of my complaints after judging a Belgian category years ago at a comp is that homebrewers tend to focus on a key characteristic (e.g. Belgian phenolics) and overdo it; “if a little bit is good, then more must be better”. IME this is rarely the case and I tend to shoot for balance. That will be the goal with this beer, some light fruitiness with a clean and crisp lager-like character, well attenuated and super drinkable. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">You could say it's a little late in the year to be brewing something this crisp and drinkable, but I'm the type that enjoys crisp drinkable beers year round (and Imperial Stouts too). If this turns out well, I'm planning on entering this beer in Beehive Brew-off. Here's the recipe as I'm brewing today:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Target OG 1.051</span></span></div><div><span>IBU: 21</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>7.8# Weyermann </span>Cologne/Kolsch Malt<br></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">6.5oz Proximity White Wheat Malt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">42g Tettnanger (60 min)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">14g Tettnanger (10 min)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wyeast 2535 Kolsch Yeast</span></div><div><span>Wyeast Nutrient</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Step mash at 142F (30 min), then </span>raise to 154F over 60 min</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mashout at 168F</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">90 minute boil</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chill to 58F, ferment at 60F</span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Water Profile</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a pretty soft and balanced water profile. To 10.5 gallons of RO water, add 3 grams each of:</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Epsom Salts</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Calcium Chloride</span></li></ul><div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>No real issues with this brew session. Beginning mash temp was 141F so I pretty much hit my initial strike temp close to perfect.</div><div><br></div><div>While sparging, I went inside for a minute and ended up accidentally collecting a tad over 7.5 gallons rather than my targeted 6.75 gallons. To compensate, I boiled a little harder than normal. This worked out perfectly as I hit my target OG exactly at 1.051. The wort is currently chilling down to my pitch temp of 58F.</div><div><br></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session Readings</font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">5.33</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">16.6 (1.066)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-boil gravity</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">9.2 (1.036)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-boil pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.46</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-boil gravity</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">13.1 (1.051)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-boil pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.42</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div>
<div><br></div></div><div><span><b>Update 9/4/2022 10:30PM</b></span></div><div><span>Wort was aerated and yeast pitched.</span></div><div><div><span><span style="font-weight: bolder;"><br></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-weight: bolder;">Update 9/5/2022</span></span></div><div><span>I was seeing signs of fermentation this morning with a bubble through the blow-off about every second.</span></div></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span><b>Update 9/25/2022</b></span></div><div><span>I kegged this beer today. Gelatin was added to the keg for fining and I’ve started dropping the temps.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span><b>Update 11/18/2022</b></span></div><div><span>I entered this beer in Beehive Brew-off and while it didn't medal, it scored fairly well with a composite score of 39; not bad for my first attempt at the style. About the only thing I didn't like about the beer was I couldn't get it to clear. I may try a different yeast next time and see if that helps. One other thing, I might try dialing the grain bill back slightly for a little bit lower gravity. My starting OG of 1.051 is a point higher than the high side of style guidelines, and I think this detracts a little from the drinkability of the finished beer (higher alcohol can increase perceived sweetness).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-43940640847881443002022-08-07T23:38:00.012-06:002022-10-19T15:08:46.318-06:00Imperial Stout 2022<div><font face="inherit">For this post I'm rebrewing the <a href="http://www.microbusbrewery.org/2021/05/weldwerks-achromatic-stout.html" target="_blank">Weldwerks Achromatic Stout</a> recipe that I brewed back in May of 2021. For the original brew session, I used Mecca Grade Lamonta for the base, and I split it in half and fermented on two different yeasts. I also did two different treatments (TX Bourbon and Cacao). This time I only have about 17 pounds of Lamonta available, so the rest of the base malt will be Crisp Maris Otter. Also, I'm using A01 only for this fermentation. Lastly, the beer will age in a Garrison Bros Single Batch Bourbon barrel that was then used at The Bruery for a special single barrel Black Tuesday release. I'm super excited to put a beer in this barrel. This is a 15 gallon barrel, so it'll be brewed in two sessions. Here is the recipe for the first 10 gallons:<br /></font></div><div><span><font face="inherit"><br /></font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">10 gallon batch</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">OG: 1.105</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">FG: 1.030</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">IBUs: 45</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">ABV 10-ish%</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit"><br /></font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">27.25# Mecca Grade Lamonta</font></span></div><div><font face="inherit">1.75# Simpsons DRC</font></div><div><font face="inherit">1.375# Simpsons Light Crystal</font></div><div><font face="inherit">1.375# Flaked Oats</font></div><div><span><font face="inherit">1.75# Simpsons Chocolate Malt (*cold steeped)</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">1.75# Weyermanns Chocolate Rye Malt (*cold steeped)</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">1.75# Crisp Pale Chocolate Malt (*cold steeped)</font></span></div><div><font face="inherit">0.375# Simpsons Roasted Barley (*cold steeped)<br /></font></div><div><span><font face="inherit">Imperial A01 House</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">84g Magnum (FWH)</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">Yeast Nutrient</font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit"><br /></font></span></div><div><font face="inherit"><span>Cold steep roasted grains (1lbs/2qts RO water) overnight. </span>Add cold steeped extraction with 10 minutes left in the boil.</font></div><div><span><font face="inherit"><br /></font></span></div><div><font face="inherit"><span>Mash at 153F, 90 minutes. Collect ~12.33 gallons pre-boil volume (assuming boil-off rate of ~1.16 gallons/hour), 120 minute boil. Aerate well; 2 minutes at 0.5l/m. Start</span> fermentation at 60F, ramping up to 65F over 5 days.</font></div><div><font face="inherit"><br /></font></div><div><span><b><font face="inherit">Water</font></b></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit">Carbon-filtered tap water treated with Campden (extra precaution against chlorine and chloramine). </font></span></div><div><span><font face="inherit"><br /></font></span></div><div><span><b><font face="inherit">Brewing Notes</font></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">For round 1 I added the cold steeped dark malts right near the end of the boil. This ended up diluting the gravity much more than I was expecting. Round 1 was brewed 7/17/2022. For round 2, I added the dark grains at the end of the mash so I was much closer to my target gravity.</span></div><div><span><font face="inherit"><br /></font></span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b><font face="inherit">Session 1 Readings</font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Beginning mash pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">5.32</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Ending mash pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">5.35</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">1st running gravity</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">25.7 (1.106)</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-boil gravity</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">19 (1.076)</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Pre-boil pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.26</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-boil gravity</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">21 (1.085)</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><font face="inherit">Post-boil pH</font></td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.12</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Round 2 Notes</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">For round 2 (8/6/2022) I added the dark grains at the end of the mash before sparging. This didn’t dilute the wort as much, so OG was much closer to target (24.2/1.099). I also only had about 14# of Maris Otter left so this got about 2# each of Avangard German Pale Malt and Great Western California Select Malt. Rahr North Star Pilsner filled the remainder of the base malt bill. Round 1was transferred to a 10 gallon holding keg until round 2 is done fermenting and the barrel is ready for filling. I also had three of my friends over to help brew round 2, so I wasn’t as good about taking readings throughout the brew day. Mash pH was right at 5.24 before adding darker malts and starting the sparge.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Update 8/19/2022</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This beer went in the barrel tonight. </span></div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-49465988774136549172022-07-10T08:22:00.007-06:002022-10-19T15:09:45.069-06:00Golden Solera 2022<div><span>Finally, a new brewing post! First brew of 2022 and first brew since November of 2021! I've mentioned in a couple times, but I've been working on a kitchen remodel project that's finally wrapping up, so it's time to brew some beer!</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Today is a another 10 gallons of my Golden Sour Solera. I'm bumping up the grain bill a little and using different base malt for this round. </span><a href="http://www.microbusbrewery.org/2021/02/golden-sour-solera-2021.html?m=0" target="_blank"><font>See the last version here.</font></a></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>12.0# Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt</span></div><div><span>3.0# Spelt Malt</span></div><div><span>56g Aged Hops (60 min)</span></div><div><span>Yeast Nutrient</span></div><div><span>Whirlfloc</span></div><div><span>Inland Island Brett Barrel III</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Mash at 160F. Collect ~10.0 gallons, then top up to ~12 gallons. 90 minute boil, ferment at room temp.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Water Profile</b></span></div><div><span>50/50 blend of carbon filtered tap water and RO water.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>Thankfully no issues during this session, especially since I considered myself a little rusty. I may have cur my sparge a little short (~9.5 gallons), but post-boil gravity came in same as the last batch. I'm fermenting this at room temp in a half barrel Torpedo Keg with a floating dip tube. When ready, I'll be able to push it straight into the Solera barrel for extended aging and souring. Here are this session's key readings:</div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brewing Readings</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.28</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.32</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">20.5 (1.083)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">9.5 (1.037)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.58</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">11.2 (1.044)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.64</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div>
<div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7-11-2022</b></div><div>I went to check and fermentation is super active this morning. As I mentioned, I'm fermenting in a half barrel Torpedo Keg with a floating dip tube. In order to vent CO2, I connected a gas quick-disconnect with a short section of 1/4" tubing that runs into a cup filled with sanitizer. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7-18-2022</b></div><div>Activity started decreasing about 3 days in, but there’s still some activity today; about a glug per minute.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7/30/2022</b></div><div>On 7/27/2022, I transferred 10 gallons from the Solera barrel onto a combination of homegrown sweet cherries from my buddy Brandon’s tree, sour cherries from my tree, and dried Montmorency cherries for a total of about 30 pounds of fresh fruit (3#/gallon). I’ve used dried zante currants before in a Consecration clone, but this is the first time trying dried cherries. My thought process is even though you’re adding sugar with fresh fruit, the amount of water in fresh fruit usually ends up diluting the finished beer. By adding dried fruit, I should be getting fruit sugars without dilution. </div><div>Also, the 10 gallons of fresh beer from this session wasn’t enough to top off the barrel due to angel’s share losses, so I brewed up another 10 gallons on 7/30 that’s currently fermenting. OG on the last batch was a little higher at 11.7 (1.046) and will give me enough to finish topping off the barrel plus some extra for future topping off.</div>MicroBus Breweryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13489345481865612374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-23315721941103936032022-03-01T09:10:00.001-07:002022-03-03T16:20:39.802-07:00Chilean Carmenere 2022As I mentioned in the previous post, I've been busy since...I think December, working on some remodeling projects. This wasn't just a simple paint refresh. We ended up taking out a bar and putting in a new one. I moved a bunch of electrical, added new lighting, moved drain lines, etc. Our kitchen cabinets were long overdue for replacement and dogs and kids had taken a toll on our flooring, so all that was torn out as well. Long story short, lots of trips to the dump spread over lots of weekends. <div><br></div><div>We're kind of at the end of all the destructive work and moving on to putting things back together. New flooring is going in this weekend (pretty much the only thing I'm paying someone to do for me) and I'll start installing new cabinets and appliances shortly after that. I feel like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, the point of my long-winded intro is to point out the probably obvious fact that I haven't had a chance to brew in a long time. Because the time commitment is so much less and because my wife likes wine, I'm about to start on my second batch of wine, a Chilean Carmenere.</div><div><br></div><div>This is another Wine Expert kit. For this one, I'm using the yeast supplied with the kit (EC-1118) and per my usual beer brewing process, I'm making a yeast starter to help ensure a healthy fermentation. For the yeast starter, I'm using 1 quart of Knudsen Concord Grape because it's 100% juice and it's preservative free. To this I added 1/2t of Fermax Yeast Nutrient and 4t of granulated table sugar. This was boiled to sanitize then allowed to cool overnight before pitching yeast. I'll let this go for a day or two before pitching. </div><div><br></div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gh_3biMPtR8/Yh5Jrt4mcmI/AAAAAAAAP34/v7eRjZcUfGUE-wXjn2bDuTkSayLsEvPewCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/PXL_20220301_160031899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=" margin-right: 1em;margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gh_3biMPtR8/Yh5Jrt4mcmI/AAAAAAAAP34/v7eRjZcUfGUE-wXjn2bDuTkSayLsEvPewCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/PXL_20220301_160031899.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="3072" data-original-height="4080" width="240" height="318" class=" " title="Yeast Starter in Grape Juice" alt=""></a></div><br></div><div><b>Update 3/3/2022</b></div><div>The krausen on the yeast starter (is it called krausen when making wine?) looked like it was starting to drop a little bit, so I decided to proceed today. I'm doing primary for this one in my SS Brew Bucket. Here's the process I followed today:</div><div><ol><li>I added 8 cups of hot water then bentonite to the fermenter and stirred well. I used RO water for this part and ask other water additions.</li><li>I added the concentrated must from the kit then topped up to the 5.5 gallon mark. The instructions call for topping to 6 gallons, but I felt comfortable going to 5.5 since I'll be adding my yeast starter, and I suspect the bucket cone will do a good job containing sediment.</li><li>Next, I added the granulated oak. </li><li>Lastly, I took a gravity reading: 21.3 (1.086). I should end up with a wine around 12.1% ABV.</li><li>I pitched the yeast and am fermenting at 63F.</li></ol><div>Stay tuned for more updates.</div></div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-36648164842463702852022-02-28T22:16:00.003-07:002022-02-28T22:23:47.913-07:00Pinot Noir 2022<p>I’ve been busy working on some home projects, including a full kitchen remodel, so I haven’t had any time to brew in a while. I’d purchased a Wine Expert Pinot Noir wine kit way back in July of 2019 that I’ve been planning on making this wine and blending it with some of my barrel-aged sours for a beer-wine hybrid. I’ve never tried making wine before, but these kits seem pretty straightforward and the time commitment is substantially less than brewing an all-grain batch, so I was able to fit it in one evening after work.</p><p><br /></p><p>For these wine kits, pretty much everything that you need is included, from finings to sulfites to yeast. The only things you need to provide is some basic equipment like a carboy, racking cane, etc. Since mine had been sitting in a dark corner of my basement for over two years, I opted to purchase a fresh pack of yeast. I went with Red Star Premier Cuvée. I also picked up some Fermax Yeast Nutrient. The only other thing needed is enough good quality water to bring the volume up to about 6 gallons. </p><p><br /></p><p>After doing a little Googling, it seems most wine makers ferment at warmer temps compared to your typical beer fermentation. I opted to ferment at room temp which ended up being about 68F-70F this time of year. Visible signs of fermentation wrapped up in a little over a week. Beer kit instructions are notoriously vague and often outdated compared to current best practices (e.g. no need to rack beer to secondary in most cases). The wine kit instructions seemed a little more detailed so I followed them fairly closely. The biggest difference was I left the wine in primary for about 3.5 weeks rather than the 2weeks in the instructions. The wine is currently sitting in secondary. The kit didn’t come with any oak, but I have a bunch of Medium+ French Oak, so I’m toying with the idea of aging it on an ounce-ish. Stay tuned for more updates.</p>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-11373326918683467152021-11-06T11:43:00.001-06:002022-10-19T14:52:56.691-06:00Paloma BeerToday's brew is a group collab, kettle-soured Imperial Gose that will be aged in my newly acquired Desert Door Texas Sotol barrel. This is a 12 gallon batch that will need to be brewed at least twice in order to fill the Sotol barrel (~25 gallons). The inspiration for this beer is a Paloma cocktail. I haven't played around much with grapefruit zest, so I may need to add more and/or add some grapefruit juice to get the level of grapefruit that I'm after. <div><br /></div><div>For those not familiar, Sotol is similar to Tequila but to me it comes across as a bit more fruity, floral, and slightly herbal. Kind of like a combo between tequila and gin with a little extra fruitiness thrown in. I'm hoping it'll work really well with the fruity character in the base beer. </div><div><br /></div><div>I really liked the results of the recent Catharina Sour, so this recipe is kind of based on that one; here's the recipe as we're brewing it today:<div><br /></div><div>Target OG 1.074</div><div>14.4# Root Shoot Pilsner</div><div>14.4# Best Malz Spelt</div><div>Rice Hulls as needed</div><div>2.4ml Hopshot (60 min)</div><div>26.4g Pickling Salt (5 min)</div><div>33.6g Indian Coriander (5 min)</div><div>(3) Yakult Probiotic Drinks</div><div>Safale US-05</div><div>12oz Grapfruit peel ("Dry-hop" after fermenation slows)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Step Mash</b></div><div>122F for 5 min</div><div>153F for 70 min</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Water Profile</b></div><div>0.31g/gallon Gypsum</div><div>0.36g/gallon Calcium Chloride</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Brew Day 1</b> </div><div>Collect 13.75-14 gallons and raise to 170F for about 5-10 minutes to pasteurize. Chill to 100F then pitch Yakult to kettle sour for a couple days.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Brew Day 2</b></div><div>Boil</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 11/14/2021</b></div><div>I went to proceed with the boil today. As soon as I started loosening the tri-clamp fitting, it was apparent that something was wrong; a ton of pressure had built up in the souring keg and it started in with a high pitch whistle. Sadly, the only cause is the wort must have been contaminated with yeast because this particular strain of lactobacillus does not produce CO2 during fermentation. I checked the pH (reading 3.19) then the gravity, and it had dropped significantly. Again, this is not characteristic of a 100% pure lactobacillus fermentation, so definitely a bad sign. Aroma-wise, it smelled “meaty”. Long story short, things didn’t go as planned and I decided to dump the unknown beer. I’ll start with a replacement batch shortly.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 11/17/2021</b></div><div>Today is batch #1 re-brew session. I’ve cleaned and sanitized the crap out of my souring keg, even running it through a steam session. Here are today’s readings:</div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b>Session 1 Re-brew Readings</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.48</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">25.6 (1.105)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">14.9 (1.059)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">4.90</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity (post-sour)</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">14.5 (1.057)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil pH (post-sour)</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.34</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">15 (1.068)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.40</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 11/20/2021</b></div></div><div>I pulled a sample to check pH and it was about 3.51, so I decided to let it ride a little longer. Thankfully this time there was no pressure on the keg, so no unintentionally introduced yeast.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 11/26/2021</b></div><div>I started round 2 yesterday. I threw in a little more Pilsner malt this time since gravity was a little lower than target on round 1. Also forgot to mention, I’ve been using a pound of rice hulls to prevent compacting the grain bed while recirculating. Here are the readings from the second session.</div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b>Session 2 Readings</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.34</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">25.6 (1.105)<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">16.2 (1.064)<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">4.80</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity (post-sour)</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">16.0 (1.064)<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil pH (post-sour)</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">17.9 (1.072)<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.39</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><b>
Update 11/30/2021</b><div>I checked the pH tonight and it's sitting at 3.41, so it will probably be ready for the boil in 24-48 hours max.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 12/3/2021</b></div><div>I did the boil today for session #2. No issues in this session.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Update 12/23/2021</b></div><div>I started round 3 today after work. The brew evening (after work) started off a little rough; my wireless bridge to my BCS-460 seemed to have died. Fortunately I was able to run an ethernet cable to it so that I could continue with the brew session. At the end of the sparge, it seemed like my pump (mash tun to boil kettle) had run out of wort and was pulling air. I shut it down and only collected a touch shy of 10 gallons. As a result, the pre-sour gravity was quite a bit higher compared to the two previous batches. I also got myself a new pH meter, so this was the first time trying it out. One other thing, I decided not to pre-acidify the wort before pitching the lactobacillus this time. Details below:</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b>Session 3 Readings</b></td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.34</td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.38</td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">25.8 (1.106)<br /></td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour gravity</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">19.6 (1.079)<br /></td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour pH</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.38</td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity (post-sour)</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">19.5 (1.078)</td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil pH (post-sour)</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.70</td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">20.2 (1.081)</td></tr><tr><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil pH</td><td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.73</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><b>Update 12/26/2021</b></div><div>I checked the pH of batch #3 today and it was down to 3.91. I won't have any time next weekend, so I plan on proceed with the boil tomorrow after work. Long story short, the pH probably won't get quite as low on this batch, but it'll still be decently sour; especially after blending with batch 1 and 2.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 12/27/2021</b></div><div>I finished up the boil tonight. No major issues. I’m planning on filling the barrel in a couple weeks.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 6/15/2022</b></div><div>This beer went into the barrel on 1/17/2022. Beer was kegged tonight.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 7/6/2022</b></div><div>I'm really digging this beer. It's super drinkable, kind of dangerously drinkable. I wouldn't mind a bit more grapefruit character, but it's definitely there. Sotol character also comes through really well in both flavor and some. Salt level is just about perfect, minerally but not salty. All said and done, I think it's a really good interpretation of a Paloma cocktail and I'm pretty excited how well it turned out. My buddies got to try it for the first time over 4th of July weekend and they all really liked it too. My buddy Nate said this was probably in his top 5 favorites of all the beers I've ever brewed.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update 10/19/2022</b></div><div>This beer won Silver for Smoked and Wood-aged Beer at the 2022 Beehive Brew-off. This beer was really well-received by the judges and I think the only reason it didn't take gold was because Mike J (also from ZZHOPS homebrew club) entered an amazing barrel aged RIS. Mike's beer not only took Gold for the category, it took Gold for Best of Show, so overall a pretty good showing for our club in this category.</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-13355112036539598202021-10-03T14:03:00.007-06:002021-10-13T08:29:17.227-06:00Catharina Sour 2021<div>Today I'm brewing a style I've never brewed before, a Catharina Sour. This is a style that originated in Brazil and is along the lines of a heavily fruited Imperial Berliner Weisse. I haven't come across an actual Brazilian Catharina Sour at any bars or bottle shops, but I've definitely had lots of very fruit-forward sours, so I feel like I have a decent understanding of what the style is supposed to be. The BJCP guidelines describe the style as follows:</div><blockquote><i><b>Impression<br></b>A light and refreshing wheat ale with a clean lactic sourness that is balanced by a fresh fruit addition. The low bitterness, light body, moderate alcohol content, and moderately high carbonation allow the flavor and aroma of the fruit to be the primary focus of the beer. The fruit is often, but not always, tropical in nature.<br><b>Comments<br></b>If a Berliner weisse type beer was made with fruit, it should be entered as a Fruit Beer. This beer is stronger and typically features fresh fruit. The kettle souring method allows for fast production of the beer, so this is typically a present-use style. It may be bottled or canned, but it should be consumed while fresh.</i></blockquote><div>This is a kettle sour beer, and as a general rule kettle sours tend to have less complexity compared to traditional sours (e.g. post-boil mixed fermentations). Sometimes kettle sours result in one dimensional lactic sourness, but in this case the heavy fruiting contributes complexity. The version I'm brewing will feature pink guava and passionfruit at a rate of close to 2 lbs per gallon. I've had mixed experiences with guava in commercial sours, so I’m rolling the dice on this beer. For example, the first guava beer I had from The Bruery had a character that I would describe as baby-poop...not super pleasant. Later on I tried a different guava beer from them and it was absolutely amazing, so I'm guessing (hoping) maybe that first one had some over ripe fruit or was a different variety (fingers crossed). Passionfruit is a favorite of mine in sour beers and tiki cocktails. It can add a fair amount of acidity, so you have to be careful that it doesn't result in an acid bomb beer. I'm brewing this as we're heading into Fall, so this beer will kind of extend summer a bit as the weather starts to cool.</div><div><br></div><div>This recipe is based on the <a href="https://byo.com/article/catharina-sour-brazilian-kettle-soured-fruit-beer/" target="_blank">BYO recipe, here</a>. Here it is as I'm brewing it today:</div><div><br></div><div>4.6875# Root Shoot Pilsner</div><div>2.375# Best Malz Spelt</div><div>1ml Hop Shot (60 min)</div><div>4.4# Pink Guava aseptic puree (Secondary)</div><div>4.4# Passionfruit (Secondary)</div><div>(3) Yakult Probiotic Drink</div><div>Safale toUS-05</div><div><br></div><div><b>Water Profile</b> - To RO water, add:</div><div><ul><li>0.31g/gallon Gypsum (CaSO4)</li><li>0.36g/gallon Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)</li></ul></div><div><br></div><div><b>Brew Day 1</b></div><div>This recipe incorporates a step mash consisting of the following steps:</div><div><ul><li>Mash in at 122F for 5 min.</li><li>153F for 70 min.</li><li>Mash out at 169F for 10 min.</li></ul><div>Collect about 6.5 gallons of wort and bring to 175F for 15 minutes to pasteurize. Chill to 98F to 109F and adjust pH to 4.5 before pitching Yakult Probiotic Drink. Hold at warmish temps until desired pH is reached; for me that's in the neighborhood of 3.2-3.3. Note: Most lactobacillus cultures will sour just fine at room temp, it just may take a few days. If you have the ability to apply gentle heat, shoot for a constant temp around 109F. If you don't have the ability to heat, let it ride in the warmest room in your house.</div></div><div><br></div><div><b>Brew Day 2</b></div><div>Transfer soured wort to boil kettle and proceed with boil. Chill to 65F before pitching yeast. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Fruiting in Secondary</b></div><div>I prefer to go with fresh fruit whenever possible, but there are some really good aseptic purees nowadays, so that's what I'm using for the guava. For the passionfruit, I went with frozen 100% passionfruit pulp that I found at a local Asian grocery store. </div><div><br></div><div>I usually rack onto fruit towards the end of fermentation to get the beer off the trub. Since fermentation isn't as active, there's less risk of blowing off fruit aromatics. I'm going to rack onto fruit in a keg and that's been set up to use the pickup tube screen I outlined in <a href="http://www.microbusbrewery.org/2021/06/fruit-beers-minimizing-loss.html?m=1" target="_blank" style="font-size: 1.25em;">Minimizing Loss post</a>. I'm going to use my spunding valve to regulate pressure during the fruiting stage, and will probably force carbonate and bottle right off the same keg when this beer is "done".</div><div><br></div><div><b>Brew Day 1 Notes</b></div><div>I ended up collecting a little over 7 gallons in the boil kettle so my pre-boil gravity was a little more diluted than planned. Other than that, no issues. </div><div><br></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b>Readings</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.28</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.46</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">18.3 (1.073)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">6.5 (1.025)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-sour pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">4.54<br></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity (post-sour)</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">7.0 (1.027)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil pH (post-sour)</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">11 (1.043)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">3.20</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br></div><div><b>Update 10/5/2021</b></div><div>I pulled a small sample today to check on the souring process and the pH reading was 3.37. I didn't have time tonight, but I'll probably finish up boiling tomorrow night.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 10/7/2021</b></div><div>I didn't have time to do the boil yesterday either, so I'm doing it today. Notice in the table above I took another gravity reading and it's actually higher than the Day 1 reading. This is most likely due to temp differences and/or the wort not being uniformly mixed on the Day 1 measurement. pH has dropped to a surprising 3.20; that's great but I wasn't expecting it to get quite that low. The soured wort has been transferred to the BK so I'm starting Brew Day 2.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Brew Day 2 Notes</b></div><div>No issues. I boiled an extra 20 minutes to get the gravity to 11 (1.043) so the total volume is about 4.4 gallons which should be great once the fruit is added.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 10/8/2021</b></div><div>Yeast was pitched about 7:30pm yesterday. This morning I'm seeing a glug out the blow-off assembly about once every 10 seconds. Oh, I really doubt I'll have any blow-off due to the lower volume, they just work really well so that's what I usually use until I'm ready to come crash a beer.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 10/11/2021</b></div><div>Gravity was down to 1.010 today so I started prepping the fruit. The guava puree is aseptic and the fruit has been pasteurized, so I didn't have any worries there. On the other hand, the passionfruit didn't have anything on the packaging indicating it had been pasteurized so I added 1/4t potassium metabisulfite dissolved in 1/4c of RO water to sanitize. This will be left overnight to offgas the sulfur. Tomorrow I'll rack onto the fruit in the keg. I also treated the fruit with 1ml of pectinase hopefully avoid any chill haze in the finished beer.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 10/13/2021</b></div><div>I racked the beer onto the fruit in the keg last night. It basically filled the keg to the brim, so I had to draw off about a 10oz to make sure secondary krausen doesn't push up through the gas post where the spunding valve is attached. The sample tasted amazing. The spunding valve is currently set to about 2.5 PSI and the beer will sit on the fruit for at least a couple weeks to ensure all fruit sugars have fermented out. Also, no baby poop character from the guava!</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-60771378708846682262021-09-19T18:07:00.006-06:002021-09-25T09:33:31.163-06:00Flanders Red 2021<p>Today I'm brewing up 10 gallons of base beer that will go into my 30 gallon Red Solera (Aging Barrel #04). I previously filled it with recipes based on the Rare Barrel's Red base, but this round it's closer to my original Flanders Red base. This means I'm also getting ready to do the first pull off the Solera, so this is replace the amount pulled off (plus a little extra for an occasional top off. Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today:</p><p>6.5# Root Shoot Pilsner Malt<br />4.0# Best Malz Chit Malt<br />10.5# Avangard Vienna<br />2.00# Weyermann Munich II<br />1.0# Best Malz Spelt<br />1.0# Monastique Aromatic<br />1.0# Weyermann Caramunich III<br />1.0# Castle Special B<br />Yeast Nutrient<br />56g Aged hops (60 mins)<br />Inland Island Brett Barrel III</p><p>Mash at 158F, 90 minute boil, ferment at room temp. </p><p><b>Water Profile</b><br />I don't go too crazy on my sour beer water profiles. For today, I used about a 50/50 blend of RO water and carbon-filtered tap water. </p><p><b>Brewing Notes</b><br />No issues. Since this was a larger batch, I used my 20 gallon Blichmann Mash Tun. Starting mash temp was a little low at 152F, but I was able to raise it to the desired 158F fairly quickly. I ended up with a little under 10 gallons total.</p>
<p>
</p><div>
<table cellpadding="9" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" padding="5px" style="text-align: center;"><b>Readings</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">5.26</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">25 (1.102)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">16.2 (1.064)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td>
<td padding="5px" style="border: 1px solid black;">19 (1.076)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p></p><b>
Update 9/25/2021</b><div>I'd grown up a super healthy pitch of the Brett Barrel III yeast and had a blow-off the morning after pitching. Fast forward to today and I'm swapping out the blow-off for an airlock. I haven't taken a gravity reading yet, but there's still an occasional glug out the airlock.</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-31850547053469238932021-09-11T07:14:00.001-06:002021-10-13T09:11:38.527-06:00NZ Pils 2021 with NZH-107Today I'm brewing a variant of my New Zealand Pilsner. The primary difference this round is I'm trying out some new hops, NZH-107. As stated on the BSG website:<blockquote>NZH-107 is a proprietary experimental hop blend developed jointly between New Zealand Hops, Ltd. and Brewers Supply Group and showcases intense tropical fruit and citrus character. <br><b>Sensory:</b><br>Intense tropical fruit (guava/passion fruit) and citrus (grapefruit/lime) aroma characteristics. <br><b>Brewing Application: </b><br>NZH-107 is an excellent hop solution for many applications from first kettle to dry hop additions. Given the big character of NZH-107, early trials are focused on intensely hop-forward styles like IPAs, pale ales, and dry-hopped pale lagers.<br></blockquote>I figured my hop-forward NZ Pils would be a good candidate to showcase this hop blend. I'm also dialing the amount of hops back a bit; just an experiment.<div><br></div><div>Here's the recipe as I'm brewing it today:</div><div><br></div><div><div>6.75# Root Shoot Pilsner Malt</div><div>0.75# Avangard Pale Malt</div><div>0.3125# Weyermann Cara Red</div><div>0.25# Weyermann Pale Wheat Malt</div><div>1.0g BrewTan B</div><div>3ml Hopshot (60 min)</div><div>4.66g BCAA</div><div>35g NZH-107 (1 min)</div><div>2g Loral Cryohops (1 min)</div><div>63g NZH-107 (Whirlpool @170F)</div><div>4g Loral Cryohops (Whirlpool @170F)</div><div>(2) Saflager S-189</div><div>Whirlfloc</div><div>Yeast Nutrient</div><div>56g NZH-107 (Dry-hop</div><div>7g Loral Cryohops (Dry-hop)</div><div><br></div><div>Mash at 150F, 90 minute boil, start fermentation at 47F then ramp up to 52F over a few days.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Water Profile -</b> To 10 gallons of distilled water, add:</div><div>4.0g Gypsum</div><div>2.8g Epsom Salt</div><div>4.8g Calcium Chloride</div></div><div><br></div><div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>Usually I set up my brew system the night before. I didn't do that this time, so I'm a little later starting my brew day than normal. </div><div><br></div><div>No real issues during this brew session. I didn’t have quite as much boil-off so the gravity is a little lower than normal. I chilled down to 72F and decided to use the ferm chamber to finish the chilling. I’ll pitch once it’s chilled to 47F.</div><div><br></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid black; width: 50%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"><b>Readings</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">Beginning mash pH</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">5.20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">Ending mash pH</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">5.33</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">1st running gravity</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">13.2 (1.052)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">Pre-boil gravity</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">8.6 (1.033)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">Post-boil gravity</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid black;">11.1 (1.043)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div><br></div><div><b>
Update 9/12/2021
</b></div><div>I left this batch to cool overnight. Wort was aerated and yeast pitched this morning.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 9/13/2021</b></div><div>Slight gravity change and an occasional glug this morning.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 9/14/2021</b></div><div>Gravity is down to 1.036 this morning, so fermentation is moving right along.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 9/16/2021</b></div><div>Gravity is down to about 1.020 this morning. I'll probably start ramping up the temp tonight for a diacetyl rest.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 9/18/2021</b></div><div>Gravity is reading 1.006 this morning. Dry hops added.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 9/25/2021</b></div><div>I swapped out the blow-off for my CO2 reservoir and started cold crashing this morning.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 10/5/2021</b></div><div>I kegged this beer tonight.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 10/13/2021</b></div><div>I haven't put this beer on tap yet, but I forced carbed it in one of the fermentation chambers. I pulled a sample using a picnic tap and there's some really nice hop flavor and aroma. I'm kind of thinking I'll be fine dialing the hop rates back so that I'm not wasting hops on this style.</div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-58326368490135120602021-08-01T08:18:00.001-06:002021-11-17T22:44:58.733-07:00First Attempt at Hop WaterExperimentation time! One of my taps on my keezer is reserved for carbonated water. It's really nice for cocktails or just when you want a refreshing fizzy drink without any calories. I think it was a little over a year ago that I discovered Lagunitas Hop Water which is essentially carbonated water with hops. I usually buy it by the case and I've turned a bunch of my friends onto it too. Like carbonated water, it's also great for cocktails (I recommend making Ranch Water with Desert Door Texas Sotol) or just when you want something hoppy but can't have or don't want a beer.<div><br></div><div>This is my first attempt at making hop water, so this recipe will likely change as a refine it. Anyway, here's attempt #1:</div><div><br></div><div>5 gallons Walmart brand Spring Water</div><div><div>Phosphoric acid to adjust water to 4.5pH</div><div>1t Nutritional Yeast</div><div>6g Waimea (whirlpool)</div><div>6g BRU-1 (whirlpool)</div><div>6g Rakua (whirlpool)</div><div><div>6g Waimea (added to keg)</div><div>6g BRU-1 (added to keg)</div><div>10g Motueka (added to keg)</div></div><div><br></div><div>Water was heated to 170F while whirlpooling to sanitize everything.</div><div><br></div><div>Add nutritional yeast and whirlpool hops.</div><div><br></div><div>Chill then transfer to keg with dry hops. In this case, I used a stainless mesh tube for dry hopping in the keg.</div><div><br></div><div>Force carb for a few days and (hopefully) enjoy.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Brewing Notes</b></div><div>You couldn't ask for an easier brew session. Your basically just heating the water then chilling it back down and transferring to keg. Stay tuned for tasting notes.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 8/2/2021</b></div><div>It's still not carb'd yet, but I pulled a sample today. Appearance-wise, it has a slight greenish tint similar to Lagunitas. Aroma is definitely more intense than Lagunitas. Flavor...well it's kind of like chewing on a hop pellet; I may have overdone it on the dry hops. I've seen other folks comment that the first few pints were too intense on hop character, including bitterness, and that it got better the further into the keg they went. So, I'm not giving up on this batch quite yet, but I definitely may need to dial things back a bit.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Update 8/3/2021</b></div><div>Ok, the flavor is much improved today. A lot of the raw pellet character is fading. I left my sample glass on my desk for about 45 minutes and noticed a bunch of hop debris had settled out, so I think that most of the harsh bitterness and tannic character is coming from hop debris in suspension. This seems to be consistent with the experiences reported by others (e.g. <a href="https://brulosophy.com/2021/02/11/bru-it-yourself-h-bru-o-hop-water/" target="_blank">Brulosophy</a>). Yesterday I was thinking this might be a dumper, but today I'm very optimistic. Carbonation is still a little low, but I filled this keg to the brim so I was expecting it might take a little longer to carb due to reduced headspace and the fact that it took a while to chill down to serving temp.</div><div><br></div></div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32237642.post-12841159941311507462021-06-30T20:50:00.007-06:002022-10-19T15:27:53.238-06:00Becoming a BJCP JudgeI took the BJCP Tasting Exam at the end of 2019, just a couple months before COVID shut down everything including homebrew competitions. I've been judging comps since 2013 and homebrewing since 2000 (or thereabouts...I always forget exactly when). My homebrew club is pretty competition-focused and within the club we have numerous BJCP judges. For anyone that sticks with the hobby there tends to be a natural progression towards becoming a certified judge. I kept planning on taking the exam but other things would always come up. In the Fall of 2019, I finally decided I'd put it off long enough. I’m hoping this post might help motivate those that have been sitting on the fence about getting certified.<br />
<br />
First off, if you're not familiar with the BJCP, it's the Beer Judge Certification Program. The purpose of the BJCP is:<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<li>Encourage knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the world's diverse beer, mead, and cider styles;
</li>
<li>Promote, recognize, and advance beer, mead, and cider tasting, evaluation, and communication skills; and
</li>
<li>Develop standardized tools, methods, and processes for the structured evaluation, ranking and feedback of beer, mead, and cider.</li>
</blockquote>Style guidelines are one of the important contributions of the BJCP from a competition perspective because they serve to define characteristics for recognized beer styles. The BJCP also focuses on developing a common beer vocabulary which is important for being able to describe virtually everything about a particular beer, including its appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel. This is important because it doesn’t matter how great your palate is if you can’t describe what you’re tasting.<div><br /></div><div>So, let’s say you’re to the point that you’re hooked on the hobby and you want to dive a little deeper and learn about the various beer styles around the world. Or let’s say you’re a seasoned homebrewer that’s stewarded or even judged in a competition and wants to dive deeper into the brewing hobby. If either of these statements describe you, then you’re probably a good candidate for taking the exam. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Step 1 - Entrance Exam</h3><div>The overall process for becoming a certified judge starts with the entrance exam which is a timed online exam. The BJCP’s site has plenty of details about the exam, so I won’t get too detailed here. The only thing I’ll say is it’s open book, but I wouldn’t recommend taking it without studying. It consists of 180 questions in 60 minutes. That’s 20 seconds per question. There are some questions that everyone gets, then other questions that are pulled from a pool of available questions. Long story short, you won’t get the same test as your buddy. Some people I know have passed without studying, but for the majority of us it would be a waste of money to take the exam without prepping. </div><div><br /></div><div>Numerous questions will focus on style comparisons and typically involve popular/common classic styles. One funny note, I had multiple questions re 19B California Common (Steam Beer) and 10A Weissbier, two styles I rarely drink because they just aren’t favorites of mine. I'd spent a lot of time studying American Pale Ale, Porters, and Stouts...but definitely not California Common or Weissbier. One nice thing, you immediately find out at the end of the hour whether you passed.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Step 2 - Tasting Exam</h3><div>After passing the entrance exam, the next step is to take the Tasting Exam. Although this may seem intimidating, it's really not too bad, especially if you’ve judged in a competition before. Personally, I was much more nervous about the Entrance Exam due to the time limitation than the Tasting Exam. Although the Tasting Exam also has a time component. The Tasting Exam is similar to judging a competition, so if you've done that before, you should be familiar with the process. A few tips:</div><div><ul><li>Make sure you’re familiar with the BJCP scoresheets.</li><li>Practice judging at home with various styles and time yourself. You’re shooting for a 100% completed scoresheet in no more than 15 minutes. That seems like a lot of time but it goes by quick.</li><li>If you can pair with an experienced judge for some practice sessions, do it. They’ll help you validate and describe what your tasting.</li><li>Re the scoresheets, focus on completeness. Whitespace is bad. Use all available lines for each section.</li><li>Get familiar with common terminology/vocabulary to describe malt, hops, and yeast-derived characters. For example, bready, floral, fruity, phenolic, estery, etc.</li><li>Use quantifying descriptions with your malt, hop, and yeast descriptors. For example, low fruity hop aroma.</li><li>If you get hung up on something, skip it and come back to it after a minute or two.</li><li>Practice writing legibly. My penmanship used to be incredible. Years of working on computers and tablets have definitely had a negative impact. Write clearly so the exam graders can easily read your comments.</li>
</ul><div>The Tasting Exam is not open book, in fact no phones or reference materials of any kind are allowed. It’s just you, your pencil, and the beers you’re judging. You’re not allowed to discuss the beers with anyone until after the exam concludes. For the Tasting Exam itself, you’ll be judging side by side with about a dozen other examinees. There will also be a couple proctor judges as well, but they won’t be seated with the examinees. You get 15 minutes per beer, 6 beers overall, so a total of 90 minutes. 15 minutes flies by, so make sure you’re timing yourself during your practice judging sessions. At the end of the exam after everyone’s scoresheets had been collected by the administrator, we talked about each beer with the proctors. This will give you an idea of how well you did by how close your scores and comments matched up with the proctors.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Post-exam</h3><div>Ok, so now you’ve made it through the Entrance Exam and the Tasting Exam. Here’s the hardest part…waiting for your exam results. The tasting exams are individually graded by volunteers, experienced judges who are also graders that will evaluate your feedback compared to the proctor judges. Timelines vary a little, but I wouldn’t expect to get your results any sooner than 3 months from the exam date. That seems like a long time but try to remember it’s a volunteer organization and the graders are literally reading through all comments from all examinees. Mine ended up taking about five months if I remember correctly but that seems to be longer than most.</div><div><br /></div><div>That’s about it. If you don’t score well the first time, try not to beat yourself up over it. I mean, it’s just beer after all. You can always retake the exam, plus you do earn points for judging which will help you advance if you struggled with the exam. Cheers and happy brewing and judging.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Resources</b> - Below are some resources I found helpful in studying for both the Online Entrance Exam and the Tasting Exam:<br /><ul><li>Barleypopmaker's free BJCP prep course videos. I found these videos very helpful. They give you a great overview of the process and help you focus on key points. Take notes, especially for things he tells you will be on the test. Edit: This website seems to no longer be available, but the videos are still on YouTube.</li><li><a href="https://www.beersyndicate.com/app/Tool" target="_blank">Beer Style Compare-O-Matic from beersyndicate.com</a> - I didn't see this one until after I'd already passed the Entrance Exam, but it would have been very helpful during the open book exam. This tool really makes it easy to compare styles on the fly. You <u><i>will be</i></u> comparing styles during the test...the only question is which styles will you be comparing? </li><li><a href="http://BJCP.org" target="_blank">BJCP.org</a> - The BJCP has published numerous materials that will help you pass both the Entrance and Tasting exams.</li></ul></div>
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<br /></div></div>rob@microbusbrewery.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261273114348502850noreply@blogger.com0