Before I get into the latest Kitchen goings-on, I'd like to mention two absolutely outstanding books I've recently read: The Brewmaster's Table by Garrett Oliver and American Sour Beers by Michael Tonsmeire.
Pairing the right food with any beer can often turn a humdrum dining and drinking experience into something unforgettable. The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food, by Garrett Oliver, is THE book on beer/food pairings. Engaging and informative, Garret Oliver provides not only wonderfully instructive pairing suggestions, but also a broad overview of the most common beer styles and their history. Throughout the book, he provides insight on how the way each style of beer produced influences which foods they best are paired, as well as specific breweries and beers that best exemplify the style. I've linked to Amzn's Kindle version, but if you prefer "real" books, The Beer Trappe has copies autographed by the author available! (Now there's a no-fail gift suggestion for the beer geeks on your gift list this year!)
American Sour Beers by Michael Tonsmeire (of The Mad Fermentationist fame) is a fascinating read for any homebrewer interested in the scary/dangerous but absolutely enthralling possibilities of cooking up your own sours or wild beers. He provides detailed information on both the scientific principles involved and practical examples of how respected, established breweries have deal with/overcome specific challenges involved with sour/wild fermentations.
Well, now that both ya'll have been caught up on what i've been reading, you're probably wondering "When's he gonna get around to talkin' about cooking up some beers?!?" Wait no longer, faithful readers...here is everything you never knew you wanted to know!
Ya'll may remember my first attempt at a raspberry wheat: Red Dress Raspberry Wheat. I pretty much pulled the same beer with a can of raspberry puree added. Results have been so-so...nothing really off, but nothing to get all "OMG" about... Pegged target OG and FG, with the 3# can of raspberry not making any significant changes.
May have been a little enthusiastic in my bottling process...at least one bottle had a good deal more puree leftovers than anyone would hope for...live and learn.
Next brew I tried cooking up was supposed to be a bigass farmhouse: 11% abv with a Saison yeast. Well, the Wyeast smcak-pack showed up pretty damn hot, despite the ice-pack ordered with....and I was a little concerned when it expanded, but never got "tight." I figured "close enough" and went ahead with the cook. Everything went smoothly till I dropped the wort into the primary and prepared to pitch that questionable smack-pack. 11$ ABV is a hefty beer and the yeast is gonna want an oxygen rich environment to get started so I dropped in the airstone, and turned the oxy on...and no bubbles at all! Dmn thing was empty as yesterday's shoes. I went ahead and pitched the questionable smack-pack with a wish and a prayer.
Two weeks in, with no activity showing from the airlock for at least a week, I ported the batch into secondary on top of 6# apricot puree. Gravity test showed the questionable yeast had only taken the wort from 1.088 to 1.055...a long way left to the expected target FG of 1.010! I'd been anticipating a stalled fermentation, so I had rehydrated a pack of Belle Saison to pitch into my secondary. (Completely beside the point, that 1.055 sample was incredibly delicious. If I'd had the equipment to keg half the batch then and there...)
So I've repitched on top of 6# of apricot puree. I expected some active fermentation, but we're at three weeks and i'm seeing a solid bubble every nine seconds: When it stops, i may have to port to a tertiary fermenter? It's nerve-wracking, but i'm sure the beer will be fantastic...
Well, now that both ya'll have been caught up on what i've been reading, you're probably wondering "When's he gonna get around to talkin' about cooking up some beers?!?" Wait no longer, faithful readers...here is everything you never knew you wanted to know!
Ya'll may remember my first attempt at a raspberry wheat: Red Dress Raspberry Wheat. I pretty much pulled the same beer with a can of raspberry puree added. Results have been so-so...nothing really off, but nothing to get all "OMG" about... Pegged target OG and FG, with the 3# can of raspberry not making any significant changes.
May have been a little enthusiastic in my bottling process...at least one bottle had a good deal more puree leftovers than anyone would hope for...live and learn.
Next brew I tried cooking up was supposed to be a bigass farmhouse: 11% abv with a Saison yeast. Well, the Wyeast smcak-pack showed up pretty damn hot, despite the ice-pack ordered with....and I was a little concerned when it expanded, but never got "tight." I figured "close enough" and went ahead with the cook. Everything went smoothly till I dropped the wort into the primary and prepared to pitch that questionable smack-pack. 11$ ABV is a hefty beer and the yeast is gonna want an oxygen rich environment to get started so I dropped in the airstone, and turned the oxy on...and no bubbles at all! Dmn thing was empty as yesterday's shoes. I went ahead and pitched the questionable smack-pack with a wish and a prayer.
Two weeks in, with no activity showing from the airlock for at least a week, I ported the batch into secondary on top of 6# apricot puree. Gravity test showed the questionable yeast had only taken the wort from 1.088 to 1.055...a long way left to the expected target FG of 1.010! I'd been anticipating a stalled fermentation, so I had rehydrated a pack of Belle Saison to pitch into my secondary. (Completely beside the point, that 1.055 sample was incredibly delicious. If I'd had the equipment to keg half the batch then and there...)
So I've repitched on top of 6# of apricot puree. I expected some active fermentation, but we're at three weeks and i'm seeing a solid bubble every nine seconds: When it stops, i may have to port to a tertiary fermenter? It's nerve-wracking, but i'm sure the beer will be fantastic...
