Monthly Archives: May 2016

Imperial Barrel Aged Amber

Recipe, Uncategorized

 The Recipe

Name: Imperial Amber
Batch size: 5 gallons
Expected OG: 1.094 (65% efficiency)
Expected FG: 1.024
Expected IBU: 180
Mash: 90m @ 152°F

13.5 lbs Muntons Maris Otter
 2.3 lbs Briess Victory
 2.0 lbs Weyermann Dark Munich 10L
 2.0 lbs Thomas Fawcett Amber
 1.0 lb  Briess C40L
 1.0 lb  Briess C120L

   2 oz  Warrior    15.0%AA @ 60m
   2 oz  Cascade     6.4%AA @ 10m
         Yeast Nutrient     @ 10m
   2 oz  Cascade     6.4%AA @  5m
         Whirlpool for 15 minutes

2 packs Safale S-05

Notes

We nailed the original gravity at 1.094.  But since it was fermented at ambient temperatures during February it got down to 59°F at night it only finished around 1.035.  Regardless, we barreled it into a freshly dumped 11 Wells 6 gallon whiskey barrel.  To help reduce the gravity further we brewed up a 1 gallon batch with 3.15lbs of Amber LME and 1oz Centennial @ 8.7%AA boiled for 10 minutes and fermented it for 3 days with one pack of S-05.  At peak fermentation we added the small batch to the barrel.  One month later we kegged and got 5.5 gallons of 1.024 wort for a final ABV of 9.5%, not including any whiskey from the barrel wood.

It’s great and it keeps getting better.

Pumpkin #2

Hops, Recipe

The Recipe

Name: Pumpkin #3
Batch size: 5 gallons
Expected OG: 1.067 (75% efficiency)
Expected FG: 1.016
Expected IBU: 45
Mash: 90m @ 152°F

 8.0 lbs Rahr 2-Row
 3.5 lbs Weyermann Dark Munich 10L
   8 oz  Briess Victory
   8 oz  Muntons C60L
   8 oz  Briess C120L
   8 oz  Belgian aromatic
   3     pie pumpkins (6.5 lbs before roasting)

   1 oz  Northdown   6.2%AA @ 60m
 0.5 oz  Northdown   5.5%AA @ 60m
   1 oz  Willamette  5.5%AA @ 15m
   1 oz  Willamette  5.5%AA @ 10m
 1/2 tsp cinnamon           @ 10m
 1/4 tsp ginger             @ 10m
 1/8 tsp nutmeg             @ 10m
 1/8 tsp allspice           @ 10m
         Whirlfloc          @ 10m
         Yeast Nutrient     @ 10m
   1 oz  Willamette  5.5%AA @  5m
 0.5 oz  Northdown   5.5%AA @  5m
         Whirlpool for 15 minutes

1 pack Wyeast 1272 American Ale II

Notes

We wanted a maltier flavor so we swapped out some of the 2-row for an equal amount of dark Munich and bumped up the aromatic malt a bit.  We also wanted slightly more bitterness, so we added some hops at the 60 minute mark.

Wyeast 1272 is very active fermenter, blowing foam out the airlock both times we’ve used it even with Fermcap S.  Unfortunately that also blows out some of the spice mixture, resulting in somewhat muted pumpkin spice flavors.  We’ll probably use HDPE buckets next time instead of kegs to preserve the spices.

But this beer doesn’t quit.  We brewed it in early December and blew the keg in early April, and it was just as good at the end.