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| Brewing for Fun and Flavor by Jeff Gill Reprinted with Permission of the Author First Printed in June-July 2006 Issue of SevenEightFive |
One of the most intriguing aspects of brewing your own beer or wine is shaping a recipe to your own individual tastes. Unless you get really lucky, this process takes plenty of patience. Most homebrewers are pretty laid-back, but adjusting a recipe to hit the perfect combination of hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness in a pale ale, or getting rid of a funky aftertaste can be “dump-the- bottle” frustrating. Hey, don’t stress about it though. I’ve found that the challenge of trying to find the perfect recipe is one of the things that keeps me making batch after batch. Besides, your neighbors won’t complain too loud if you screw up a recipe adjustment. Its free beer, right? If you run into brewers-block on a recipe, just remember that consistency in the brewing process is the single most important aspect of recipe formulation. This process begins when you crack the grain and ends when the mug goes bottom up. Consistency combined with one or two variations in a recipe per brew will allow you to hone in on what affects the taste of the final product. Noting how the changes affect the taste from batch to batch will help you adjust the recipe for the better and improve your brewing skills. It will also probably have you boring your friends with endless, one- sided discussions of topics like buttery off-flavors, esters, and lag times; but, hey, they’ll be getting even better free beer by then, right! A good place to start building a recipe for your own tastes means asking for the recipe of a beer style you like from a good, experienced homebrewer. For you experienced brewers out there, I encourage you to seek out people who are interested in beer and homebrewing and bring them into the fold. For you brewers who feel like you could use a little mentoring, ask around at the local homebrew supply store or brewpub. You’ll be surprised how many people, young and old, around Topeka are brewing quality beers and want to share their experience with you. If you don’t have a brewing mentor a place to start may be the example recipe I’ve included with this column, if you like pale ale; which I’m betting you do if you are reading this column. Just remember the fundamentals of consistency, cleanliness, quality ingredients, and plenty of yeast to start fermentation quickly and you will soon be enjoying gallons of great beer tailored to your exact individual taste! You may want to try this little brew, aptly named for the inaugural issue… Seveneightfive Pale Ale This beer is a hoppy, crisp ale with a strong citrus/hop aroma. It is robust beer that will age well, being at its peak around 1-2 months after bottling. A good brew for the summer months! Malt 11 # 2-Row Base Malt 1 # 20L Crystal Malt 0.5 # Wheat Malt Hops 1 oz. Northern Brewer 7-10% AA 60 min .5 oz. Northern Brewer 7-10% AA 30 min .25 oz. Cascade 4-6% AA 30 min .25 oz. Cascade 4-6% AA 15 min 1 oz. Cascade 4-6% AA Dry Hop Yeast Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast Boil for 20 minutes prior to adding first hops. At the end of the boil let it steep for about 20 minutes prior to quickly chilling and adding to the fermenter. Don’t forget irish moss in the boil! For an extract brew, use about 8.5 # of high quality liquid extract, and steep 1# of 20L crystal malt in 165degF water for 20 min and then add that “tea” to the wort with about 20 min remaining. Mmmmmmm! Happy Brewing! The Brew Dude Feel free to ask the Brew Dude questions about brewing at brewdude1@gmail.com. Your question might be featured in an upcoming column! |
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