Homebrew - Pumpkin Ale 2014

Last year's pumpkin ale was a big hit, so I made another batch that was quite similar.  Hopefully this year's version will be as good or better.  The main changes were a bigger grain bill for the steep, more spices and a slightly different yeast.

Steeped for 30 minutes at 150 F:
7 oz. pale malt
3 oz. crystal malt
2 oz. special biscuit malt
2 oz. smoked malt (my homemade version)
1 pound roast pumpkin

After the steep, brought about 7 litres of water to a boil, added:
6.6 lbs. pale LME
1 pound roast pumpkin
1 oz. whole hops (grown by Michelle's parents - cascade most likely?)

boiled for 45 minutes, added:
.5 oz hops

Pitched Wyeast 1332 - Northwest Ale

added 1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg, 6-7 all spice berries, and 1 clove

I want to thank iRob for his help with this batch

Heady Topper

Thank you to Jean for this little gem.  A very well balanced and tasty IIPA.

Beer Advocate seems to like it too!  http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/27039/16814/

Nano-brewing comes to Calgary

Haven't checked these guys out yet, but I will be sure to try their beer as soon as I see it.

http://www.thedandybrewingcompany.com/

But can Sith@Heart and I visit them all?

http://www.craftbeer.com/news/craftbeer-com-news/craftbeer-coms-2014-great-american-beer-bars-results

Homebrew: American Style Dunkelweiss

I have made wheat beers before, but I believe this is the first dark wheat beer I have tried making.  Some of it is me just using what I had on had, so the recipe is a little odd.  Hopefully it turns out.

Steep for 30 minutes at 150 degrees:
- 9 oz. 120 L crystal malt
- 3 oz. 40 L crystal malt
- 1 oz. my home made smoked malt

Bring to a boil.  Add:
- 3kg. Coopers Wheat LME (50% wheat, 50% barley)
- 1/2 oz. "mystery hops" (whole) (from Michelle's parents - likely cascade)

After 55 minutes add:
- 1/2 oz. Willamette hop pellets (4.7 %AA)  (also, as I learned in Portland they pronounce it "Wilamutt")

Pitch Wyeast 1010 American Wheat

As per usual, I will let it ferment in the primary fermenter for a week, then rack to a carbuoy.  If I bottle it in 2 weeks it will be ready for the labour day weekend.

Beervana!

Oh my it has been far too long since I have posted!  The "red ale" came out more brown coloured than I had intended - clearly used too much dark malt.  However, it tastes great and is quite drinkable.  So I have christened it as either my browny red ale, or my reddy brown ale.  Either way.

Last weekend Sith@Heart and I travelled to Portland for the Oregon Brewers Festival.  Beer wise it is an amazing city, and the festival is spectacular.  Outdoors, great craft beers, packed full of beer lovers, what is not too like.  Here are some photos of the awesomeness.

(I should also add we hit some amazing pubs - The Horse Brass, Bailey's, the Deschutes Brewery (Portland) and the Lucky Labrador)

Home Brew - Red Ale

It has been far too long since I made a batch of home brew, so tonight I opted to try making a red ale.  Hopefully it will be a smooth beer good for summer drinking.  I also made it outside using the side burner on my new BBQ.  However, because it is about zero outside, it did not reach a rolling boil.  I had to cover the wort for a good part of the boil just to keep it boiling.  I hope this doesn't lead to any off flavours.  This batch was also a bit of a witches brew where I tried to use what I had on hand.

Steep at 150 for 30 minutes:

1 pound crystal 60 malt
.5 pound chocolate malt

Bring to boil (about 2 gallons water).  Add:

3.3 pounds Amber LME

After 30 minutes boiling, added:

.5 oz whole hops from Michelle's folks (Cascade?) ("Novak" hops)

After 50 minutes boiling added:

.5 oz "Novak" hops

I added another 3.3 pounds of Light LME at knockout

fill to 5.5 gallons.  Pitch Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale

Woohoo - Timothy Taylor Landlord arrives in Calgary

Finally!  Now we just need to get it in casks

http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2014/02/04/award-winning-english-ale-comes-to-alberta/

Mikkeller vs Evil Twin

Very interesting article.  Also makes me wonder about phantom brewing and whether that might be an option...

http://whttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/magazine/a-fight-is-brewing.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=3

Exciting new ways to spend a lot of money

Very fine beer auctions may be the new thing:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/wine/how-beer-has-gone-bling-would-you-believe-17-a-teaspoon-for-one-deluxe-brew/article17403430/

And more craft beer humour

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/13/hipsters-beer_n_4590592.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

Guide to Craft Beer

Much like the Triumph bit, this is funny because there is a large grain of truth to it.  But I still love the hops!

http://www.collegehumor.com/post/6921709/the-complete-guide-to-the-craft-beer-at-your-local-bar

Awesome beer name

Finding this may be worth a trip to Austria:

http://imgur.com/uMfyt3v

Thanks to Doogie for the find