So I decided to go ahead and make my 'Valentines Day' Stout, a chocolate raspberry stout. I don't know if it will be completely ready by Valentines Day, but we'll see. I might start kegging soon, and if I do it for this batch it'll help eliminate some of the time it takes to carbonate and condition in the bottle.
Another reason I decided to go ahead and brew the Chocolate-Raspberry Stout is because my Chocolate Porter didn't exactly turned out like I had planned. I finally tried a bottle the other day. The bitter coffee/chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder and the chocolate malt overpowers. It tastes more like a coffee porter, and even the coffee part tastes unrefined. I didn't get any of the sweet chocolate flavor that I was hoping for, and I'm not quite sure of the best way to do it. Maybe next time I'll try using some chocolate essence or extract in secondary.
That being said, it's not terrible, but it's not one of my favorites either. It's also not nearly as dark as I wanted - it poured a murky brown, and I was hoping for almost a stout-like color. Next time I'll have to do a better job of crushing my grains - I think that was the problem, that I didn't allow enough of the sugars to get out. That probably had a good bit to do with the taste too.
So, in hopes of making a better chocolate beer, I decided to go ahead and brew the raspberry-chocolate stout. I ordered a kit for the chocolate stout part, more for simplicity's sake and to save money. I also got some raspberry extract, so I plan on adding that either in secondary, or if I do end up bottling, at bottling. Depending on how it goes, I might get some chocolate extract as well, to enhance the chocolate flavor. I brewed that yesterday, and it's fermenting away nicely now.
I plan on getting another carboy as soon as I figure out what I want to brew next. As ya'll know, I've tossed around lots of ideas. I would love to brew an Imperial Stout, but that might be something I do this summer, or some time when I can just let it sit in secondary for a long time. Obviously the blackberry-blueberry ale is something I've talked about for awhile. I've recently gotten into Belgian beers, and I thought brewing the blackberry-blueberry ale with Belgian yeast could lead to some interesting flavors.
So we'll see what happens. The primary fermentation in the raspberry-chocolate stout is chugging along nicely - bubbles began forming in the airlock within 5 hours or so. We'll see how it turns out.
Showing posts with label porter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label porter. Show all posts
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Friday, December 19, 2008
Home for the Holidays
So I'm in New Jersey at the parents house for a few weeks. More likely than not I'll head back down to NC in time for the new year, and I'll start brewing again. My 'Chocolate Thunder' Porter will also have been in secondary for a little over a month, so I'll probably bottle that. If you've been reading, then you know I'm really excited about this beer. Part of that excitement is because its the first batch I'm brewing where I came up with the recipe, and the other part is when I tasted it, it tasted amazing.
Of course, being at the parents house means I don't have a whole lot to do, and I've had plenty of time to think about recipes, and what I want to brew next. Originally, my plan was to brew two stouts - a raspberry/chocolate stout, and an Imperial Stout. I think I'm definitely going to hold off on the Imperial Stout. I love dark beers as much as anyone else, but with my porter about to be bottled, and a raspberry/chocolate stout planned for Valentines Day, I think I'd rather try to make something lighter, or at least a little different.
Before I get to that, I was thinking more about the raspberry/chocolate stout. My original recipe and thought process had it being a very full-bodied, full-flavored stout (almost like an imperial - the other reason I didn't want to brew an imperial stout as well). But, I was sipping on a Youngs Double Chocolate the other day, and it hit me - a stout in that style with raspberry as well would taste pretty frickin amazing (or at least I think so), so I've shifted my focus. I think the raspberry/chocolate stout is going to be more in the style of a dry or sweet stout (i.e. like Youngs), rather than an Imperial. I'll post the recipe when I start brewing.
While that stout is brewing, I'd like to have something else going as well. I've come up with lots of ideas, and as much as I would love to brew all of them at once...that's not exactly an option. Every time I think I have something, I come up with something else I want to try. The most recent idea I've thought of is what I call my "Nightshade" ale. Not really sure why, since nightshade is a poisonous flower, but I like the name. I plan to brew it with blackberries and blueberries, with a little bit of honey to balance out the tanginess of the berries. I don't know if this is the one I'll brew right away with the stout, but right now I'm leaning towards it.
Not sure if I'll get another update in or not while I'm home, but in case I don't, I hope everyone has a happy holiday season :) I'll definitely update again as soon as I bottle my porter.
Until next time...
Of course, being at the parents house means I don't have a whole lot to do, and I've had plenty of time to think about recipes, and what I want to brew next. Originally, my plan was to brew two stouts - a raspberry/chocolate stout, and an Imperial Stout. I think I'm definitely going to hold off on the Imperial Stout. I love dark beers as much as anyone else, but with my porter about to be bottled, and a raspberry/chocolate stout planned for Valentines Day, I think I'd rather try to make something lighter, or at least a little different.
Before I get to that, I was thinking more about the raspberry/chocolate stout. My original recipe and thought process had it being a very full-bodied, full-flavored stout (almost like an imperial - the other reason I didn't want to brew an imperial stout as well). But, I was sipping on a Youngs Double Chocolate the other day, and it hit me - a stout in that style with raspberry as well would taste pretty frickin amazing (or at least I think so), so I've shifted my focus. I think the raspberry/chocolate stout is going to be more in the style of a dry or sweet stout (i.e. like Youngs), rather than an Imperial. I'll post the recipe when I start brewing.
While that stout is brewing, I'd like to have something else going as well. I've come up with lots of ideas, and as much as I would love to brew all of them at once...that's not exactly an option. Every time I think I have something, I come up with something else I want to try. The most recent idea I've thought of is what I call my "Nightshade" ale. Not really sure why, since nightshade is a poisonous flower, but I like the name. I plan to brew it with blackberries and blueberries, with a little bit of honey to balance out the tanginess of the berries. I don't know if this is the one I'll brew right away with the stout, but right now I'm leaning towards it.
Not sure if I'll get another update in or not while I'm home, but in case I don't, I hope everyone has a happy holiday season :) I'll definitely update again as soon as I bottle my porter.
Until next time...
Monday, December 1, 2008
Review: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (2008)
My first review. I'll try to intersperse these once in awhile.
I had one of the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale's on tap at Recreation Billiards in Winston-Salem, NC a few weeks ago. I liked it, so I picked up a sixer.
It pours a very nice reddish-gold (amber?) color, with a very thick, creamy and lasting head. Down to the last sip there was a good 1/4 inch of head. Started off with an inch of foam or so. Left a very high amount of lacing down the glass as well.
A strong aroma of hops and a slight citrus aroma pervades. First sip was very hoppy - I love IPAs, and am what would be considered a "hophead", so naturally I enjoy this beer. As the beer warmed, the hops mellowed out slightly. A bare hint of citrus can be tasted in the background as the beer warms, but for the first few sips, all there are are hops, hops, and more hops (not that that's a bad thing...).
Overall, I really like this beer - but it's nothing particularly special. To me, it tastes just like any other IPA - there's nothing in particular that makes it stand out. Personally, since I thoroughly enjoy hops, if I want something like this, I will just get an IPA to get the full-blown hop flavor. However, that being said, this is still a beer I enjoy. It's something I would definitely order again, but if there are other IPAs on tap, I would probably choose them instead. In fact, I would probably choose Sierra Nevada's "Anniversary" Ale - I don't have any in front of me so I can't compare directly, but from what I remember, it was hoppier (just the way I like it!).
As I said, it's definitely a quality beer, and one I would drink again, but there's nothing particularly spectacular about it. If you like IPA's and hops, you will enjoy this beer. If you're not particularly fond of hops, I wouldn't reccomend it.
On a home-brew note, my batch of Charlie Papazian's "Cherries in the Snow" has been bottled, and I hope to open the first one in a week or so. I brewed the "Chocolate Thunder" I wrote about last time a few days ago, and I'm excited about it. When I was brewing it, I was skeptical about the amount of chocolate - once I put the cocoa in, the chocolate was all I smelled. However, once the beer went in the primary, the hops and malt began to come through. I definitely want the chocolate flavor to come through, but I want beer, not hot chocolate. I think it should turn out pretty good. When I rack it to secondary in a few days, I'll post another update.
The semester ends in a week or so, so I won't be brewing anything else until after the new year. I threw around a few ideas I was considering last time, but I'm also considering now brewing a pale ale/ESB/IPA (something in that general area). Generally, if I'm out somewhere, I'll order an IPA over a pale ale simply because I love the hops. However, I'm thinking about making something thats still hoppy, but smoother, and has a greater depth of flavor. That's why I'm thinking about cutting down the hops a little bit and allowing some of the malt to come through, and making a pale ale. Something like that is more of an "everyday" beer, something that one could pretty much grab whenever they want a beer, whereas my other recipes have been more "specialty" (at least to me), and are things you have to be in the mood to drink.
That's all for now. I picked up a bottle of Sam Adams Chocolate Bock the other day, and I'm really excited to try it. However, I'm waiting for a night when I really want it - it's too expensive, and too specialized, to drink just for the sake of having a beer. I'll post a review for that when I eventually try it - hopefully sooner than later.
I had one of the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale's on tap at Recreation Billiards in Winston-Salem, NC a few weeks ago. I liked it, so I picked up a sixer.
It pours a very nice reddish-gold (amber?) color, with a very thick, creamy and lasting head. Down to the last sip there was a good 1/4 inch of head. Started off with an inch of foam or so. Left a very high amount of lacing down the glass as well.
A strong aroma of hops and a slight citrus aroma pervades. First sip was very hoppy - I love IPAs, and am what would be considered a "hophead", so naturally I enjoy this beer. As the beer warmed, the hops mellowed out slightly. A bare hint of citrus can be tasted in the background as the beer warms, but for the first few sips, all there are are hops, hops, and more hops (not that that's a bad thing...).
Overall, I really like this beer - but it's nothing particularly special. To me, it tastes just like any other IPA - there's nothing in particular that makes it stand out. Personally, since I thoroughly enjoy hops, if I want something like this, I will just get an IPA to get the full-blown hop flavor. However, that being said, this is still a beer I enjoy. It's something I would definitely order again, but if there are other IPAs on tap, I would probably choose them instead. In fact, I would probably choose Sierra Nevada's "Anniversary" Ale - I don't have any in front of me so I can't compare directly, but from what I remember, it was hoppier (just the way I like it!).
As I said, it's definitely a quality beer, and one I would drink again, but there's nothing particularly spectacular about it. If you like IPA's and hops, you will enjoy this beer. If you're not particularly fond of hops, I wouldn't reccomend it.
On a home-brew note, my batch of Charlie Papazian's "Cherries in the Snow" has been bottled, and I hope to open the first one in a week or so. I brewed the "Chocolate Thunder" I wrote about last time a few days ago, and I'm excited about it. When I was brewing it, I was skeptical about the amount of chocolate - once I put the cocoa in, the chocolate was all I smelled. However, once the beer went in the primary, the hops and malt began to come through. I definitely want the chocolate flavor to come through, but I want beer, not hot chocolate. I think it should turn out pretty good. When I rack it to secondary in a few days, I'll post another update.
The semester ends in a week or so, so I won't be brewing anything else until after the new year. I threw around a few ideas I was considering last time, but I'm also considering now brewing a pale ale/ESB/IPA (something in that general area). Generally, if I'm out somewhere, I'll order an IPA over a pale ale simply because I love the hops. However, I'm thinking about making something thats still hoppy, but smoother, and has a greater depth of flavor. That's why I'm thinking about cutting down the hops a little bit and allowing some of the malt to come through, and making a pale ale. Something like that is more of an "everyday" beer, something that one could pretty much grab whenever they want a beer, whereas my other recipes have been more "specialty" (at least to me), and are things you have to be in the mood to drink.
That's all for now. I picked up a bottle of Sam Adams Chocolate Bock the other day, and I'm really excited to try it. However, I'm waiting for a night when I really want it - it's too expensive, and too specialized, to drink just for the sake of having a beer. I'll post a review for that when I eventually try it - hopefully sooner than later.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
And so it begins
Well, I've been home brewing for a couple of months now. After a couple of successes (and one epic failure), and countless hours perusing other home brewer's blogs and websites, I'm ready to start formulating my own recipes. This is a hobby I am very glad I got into - a bunch of my friends brew their own beer, and they got me hooked on it. The entire process is something I enjoy (well, except for maybe the bottling...that can be a pain), and the rewards are well worth it.
So far, I've made two beers from kits (both from TrueBrew). The first one, their Amber Ale, turned out better than I could have expected for my first batch, and each bottle tastes better than it lasts (I guess it makes sense why brewers have to be so patient). The next batch, the TrueBrew Irish Stout...did not turn out so well. I tried to add too much to it, and was definitely in over my head with that little experience brewing. Furthermore, I don't think everything was sanitized properly. Needless to say, that's one batch I'm glad I didn't have my friends over to try.
Just the other day I bottled my "Cherries in the Snow", based off of Charlie Papazian's recipe in "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing". I had to modify the recipe slightly, due to what was available in my local store. Right now, I'm really excited for it. I tasted a little bit of what was left after I bottled, and I can't wait to taste how it is fully carbonated and chilled. A mild cherry flavor pervades, with just a hint of soft hoppiness in the background.
Until this year, I primarily drank lighter beers (in color, not in the Bud/Miller/Coors variety). I was a big fan of Amber Ale's and IPA's especially. This year, I've finally gotten into darker beers - Porters, Stouts (though I'm still not really a Guinness fan, as much as I try), and Bocks. I'm fortunate enough to live near a microbrewery, Foothills, and their Total Eclipse Stout and People's Porter have become two of my favorite beers. So, after much research, and discussion with other home-brewers online, I've decided to make a porter, with hints of chocolate in the background, my next venture:
Starlight Brewing's "Chocolate Thunder" Porter:
6.6 lbs Muntons extra-lite Liquid Malt Extract
1 lb Crystal Malt
1 lb Dark Crystal Malt
8 oz Carapils Malt
4 oz Black Patent
1 lb Chocolate Malt
1 lb baker's cocoa powder
1.5 oz Fuggles (boiling)
I realize there's going to be a lot of malty flavor, but I want a good, strong porter, with a lot of depth of flavor. I had originally planned on using a lot less chocolate, but after discussion with other brewers online, one reccomended upping the amount to make sure it comes through, even with all of the malts. If anyone has any recommendations, before I brew, I'd love to hear them. My local store is waiting on a shipment of chocolate malt, so I'm not doing anything until they get it in.
As for what comes after this, I've already been thinking ahead. I'd like to try making a variation of Charlie Papazian's "Cherry Fever Stout", except with Raspberries instead, and perhaps some chocolate undertones. I think the combination of raspberries and chocolate would make a perfect beer for around Valentines Day.
I also want to brew something I wish I had thought of sooner. There are Pumpkin Ales for Halloween, and Winter Warmers and Christmas Ales for around Christmastime, but there are very few 'Thanksgiving' themed beers that I've found. The flavor that comes immediately to mind for Thanksgiving is cranberry, so I want to find a way to incorporate that into a beer. I've thought about a Cranberry Wheat, but if my 'Cherries in the Snow' batch turns out well, I might try to modify that and use cranberries instead of cherries.
Either way, I have my next few weeks of brewing pretty much set. I'm going to try to contain myself for another week while the Cherries in the Snow batch bottle-conditions, but I'll let you know how everything turns out.
Happy Thanksgiving, and happy brewing!
So far, I've made two beers from kits (both from TrueBrew). The first one, their Amber Ale, turned out better than I could have expected for my first batch, and each bottle tastes better than it lasts (I guess it makes sense why brewers have to be so patient). The next batch, the TrueBrew Irish Stout...did not turn out so well. I tried to add too much to it, and was definitely in over my head with that little experience brewing. Furthermore, I don't think everything was sanitized properly. Needless to say, that's one batch I'm glad I didn't have my friends over to try.
Just the other day I bottled my "Cherries in the Snow", based off of Charlie Papazian's recipe in "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing". I had to modify the recipe slightly, due to what was available in my local store. Right now, I'm really excited for it. I tasted a little bit of what was left after I bottled, and I can't wait to taste how it is fully carbonated and chilled. A mild cherry flavor pervades, with just a hint of soft hoppiness in the background.
Until this year, I primarily drank lighter beers (in color, not in the Bud/Miller/Coors variety). I was a big fan of Amber Ale's and IPA's especially. This year, I've finally gotten into darker beers - Porters, Stouts (though I'm still not really a Guinness fan, as much as I try), and Bocks. I'm fortunate enough to live near a microbrewery, Foothills, and their Total Eclipse Stout and People's Porter have become two of my favorite beers. So, after much research, and discussion with other home-brewers online, I've decided to make a porter, with hints of chocolate in the background, my next venture:
Starlight Brewing's "Chocolate Thunder" Porter:
6.6 lbs Muntons extra-lite Liquid Malt Extract
1 lb Crystal Malt
1 lb Dark Crystal Malt
8 oz Carapils Malt
4 oz Black Patent
1 lb Chocolate Malt
1 lb baker's cocoa powder
1.5 oz Fuggles (boiling)
I realize there's going to be a lot of malty flavor, but I want a good, strong porter, with a lot of depth of flavor. I had originally planned on using a lot less chocolate, but after discussion with other brewers online, one reccomended upping the amount to make sure it comes through, even with all of the malts. If anyone has any recommendations, before I brew, I'd love to hear them. My local store is waiting on a shipment of chocolate malt, so I'm not doing anything until they get it in.
As for what comes after this, I've already been thinking ahead. I'd like to try making a variation of Charlie Papazian's "Cherry Fever Stout", except with Raspberries instead, and perhaps some chocolate undertones. I think the combination of raspberries and chocolate would make a perfect beer for around Valentines Day.
I also want to brew something I wish I had thought of sooner. There are Pumpkin Ales for Halloween, and Winter Warmers and Christmas Ales for around Christmastime, but there are very few 'Thanksgiving' themed beers that I've found. The flavor that comes immediately to mind for Thanksgiving is cranberry, so I want to find a way to incorporate that into a beer. I've thought about a Cranberry Wheat, but if my 'Cherries in the Snow' batch turns out well, I might try to modify that and use cranberries instead of cherries.
Either way, I have my next few weeks of brewing pretty much set. I'm going to try to contain myself for another week while the Cherries in the Snow batch bottle-conditions, but I'll let you know how everything turns out.
Happy Thanksgiving, and happy brewing!
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