Red is Bottled

Bottled the red today. It tastes great so far, cannot wait for it to be fully conditioned and chilled. Even Kate is looking forward to it, which is a pleasant surprise for me. Specific gravity is still at 1.014, which is not surprising. This means a final ABV of about 3.4%.

I am thinking the next will be a dark hefeweizen. The citrusy notes combined with a hint of roasted barley. =)

St. Patty’s Day Beer pt. 2

Well, the Red is currently cooling on the counter, waiting for the addition of the yeast which will make it (eventaully) into a delicious ale that I will drink on, and after, St. Patrick’s day.

The Stout is still very delicious and I am looking forward to not only making an Imperial version of it, but also brewing a peppercorn stout (or porter) later on. This will be different from my pepper-infused red that I will also be making, but I expect both to be popular in their own circles.

No gravity readings yet, the sample is still cooling down, but I will give it once I have it.

Don’t worry, have a home brew!

New Beer

Well, I’m trying to figure out what kind of beer to brew next. I have done an IPA, two stouts and a Holiday (honey, orange, cinnamon, etc) and am not sure if I should go for the red (which I would like to have around for St. Patrick’s Day) or another IPA (I drank the last one last night). Any suggestions from out there in the interwebs?

Cracked the First Stark Stout

Stark Stout

I had a long day of moving furniture and rearranging our living room, so I decided it was a good time to see if the stout was properly conditioned. I cracked one and poured it gently, hoping for a good head and that thick aroma of roasted malts and licorice. I was not disappointed, as you can see. It tastes as good as it looks and I have like 30 more bottles! Yay!

Stark Stout Bottled!

The first run of Stark Stout is bottled and is conditioning now.  It’s final SG was about 1.022, down from the initial 1.042, making the final ABV about 2.2, similar to domestically served Guinness. On a related note, it tastes much like Guinness, but with a distinct licorice taste at the end. I do believe that next time I brew this beer I will use more malt and a stronger yeast, if I can obtain some “pacman” I may use it. Overall a very satisfying first run with lessons learned and Christmas bottles used. =D

Stark Stout is Here…

I did indeed receive a kit for Christmas (from my good friends Rachel and Ian!) and will be making it today. As of right now it is boiling away on the stove. It is a variation of the Toad Spit Stout listed in the Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. I am adding about an inch and a half of brewer’s licorice to the mix. I am waiting for the wort to cool then I will take a SG reading, pitch and let everyone know how awesome it tastes!

Holiday Beer Racked

In preparation (and hope) of getting more ingredients for Christmas, I have racked the Holiday Spice Beer into a carboy to continue its fermentation until right before New Year’s Day. It’s coming along very nicely and reached a SG of approximately 1.014. I am very pleased with the liquid yeast strain I purchased this time and will continue to do so.

It tastes very good. It is mellow and has a light honey tang which will make it very satisfying.

Holiday Spice Beer Begun

We started a holiday spice beer today. It is comprised, in addition to the malts, of honey, orange peel, cloves, coriander and cinnamon. It smells great and will be a nice beer for the remainder of the winter. Specific Gravity of 1.064

Bottling Report

We have the first batch of beer already bottled and it’s conditioning now. Racking and bottling went well, though inexperience did cause the loss of about 3 bottles of delicious, delicious beer. The taste is bold and hoppy, very good even before conditioned and properly chilled. I (and others promised tastes) eagerly await this weekend, which should be the culmination of the conditioning.

It had to begin sometime…

This is the first of possibly many entries in the world of Stark Stout, my quest for a dark and bitter beer that will keep my whistle wet and my belly warm and full.

On the 17th of October I began my first batch of home brew. Using a kit that was included with the equipment I purchased from the Home Fermenter Center. Sadly, my first few batches are more about learning the process than creating my delicious drink, though I imagine I will make plenty of good beer in their making. I am fortunate enough to have friends who can offer help with brewing processes and techniques and many more who will gladly be my test subjects.

In addition to the high-gravity,dark, hoppy creation that will be Stark Stout, I will also develop recipes for Sunspear Rye (a rye in the style of a hefe) and Targaryan Amber (I need to find a way to make it spicy but not overpowering). A Kraken Pale Ale would be interesting as well as an Old Town Barley Wine. Any noticing a pattern gets a free sample of each brew as it’s finished. =)

Also, one or more of these may end up as a gruit beer. I have a friend who is allergic to hops and I am toying with the idea of creating a hop-free beer that she could enjoy with us.