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Sample Brewing Session Log

        Style : Pale Ale
        Name  : TettBanger
        Source: Me
        Date  : 19 June 2000
        Batch Size: 5 gallons


        INITIAL COMMENTS:

        The hops were homegrown and so the Alpha Acid content was estimated from 
        commercial lots.  

        This was meant to be a challenging brew.  Tettnanger hops ooze out of this 
        brew in bitterness, in flavor, and in a hop nose explosion.  Note the use of 
        First Wort Hopping (FWH).  

        No secondary fermentation was employed due to a time constraint.  The batch
        was brewed for a BBQ and I wanted to use the yeast cake from this batch on 
        the next batch.


        INGREDIENTS:

        Supplier:  Mountain Homebrew
        Crush   :  Same

        9.0 lbs Weyermann 2.0L 2-row Pilsen 
        1.0 lbs Weyermann 6.5L Munich

	Oz.  Type                 %AA Boil Steep  IBUs  %IBUs 
        ---- -------------------  --- ---- ----- -----  ----- 
        1.0  Tettnanger           4.0*  First Wort Hopping*
                                        60       19.32  48.08
        0.5  Tettnanger                 30        7.42  18.48
        1.0  Tettnanger                 15        9.59  23.86
        1.0  Tettnanger                  5  yes   3.85   9.59
                                                  -----
                                                  40.18
        * homegrown - estimated value
        * First Wort Hopping (FWH) : Hops are placed in empty brew kettle
        and allowed to steep in the sparge runnings during the sparge.  

        3.0 g dry Irish Moss - rehydrated in water for 2 hrs.


        YEAST
        -----
        Yeast Type   :  Wyeast #1056 American Ale yeast XL smack pack

        Starter
        -------
        1700.0 ml charcoal filtered water
         204.0 g  light DME
          11.4 g  Yeast Nitrogen Base
        NO HOPS

        Cultured at 19-20 C  (66-68 F) : 10:00 PM, 12 June 2000

        2000 ml e-flask, magnetic stir bar, and 250 ml beaker was soaked in 
        iodophor solution while all ingredients were boiled under cover for 
        30 minutes on stove.  Pot was cooled in water in sink, then the 2L 
        e-flask was filled to the 1500 ml level, 250 ml beaker inverted over
        the mouth, and vigorously stirred till cool to the touch.  Contents 
        of a large Wyeast smack pack (just the yeast - not the media pouch)
        was poured into the media and allowed to grow aerobically while 
        constantly vigorously stirring.  Final volume was about 1700 ml.

        Fermentation started quickly and at 12 hours foam had nearly fill the 
        neck of the flask.  

        After fermentation had gone to completion, the media was cooled in 
        refrigerator and yeast allowed to drop.


        WATER TREATMENT
        ---------------
        All water, 10 gallons was charcoal filtered.  5 gallons was treated as 
        below.  Mash water was drawn from the treated 5 gallons.

        salt           g/gal   total    ion     ppm
        ----------     -----   -----    -----   ---
        CaSO4.2H2O      1.00    5.00    Ca++    61
                                        SO4--   147

        MASH - Single Infusion
        ----------------------
        Strike Temperature      target: 152 F  (66.7 C)

        Grist total : 10.000 lbs   (4.536 kgs)
        Water/Grist : 1.330 qts/lb (2.775 L/kg)
        Total water : 3.325 gals   (12.586 L)
        Total volume: 4.106 gals   (15.544 L)
        Temp grist  :  68.000 F   ( 20.000 C)
        Mash temp   : 152.000 F   ( 66.667 C)
        Water temp  : 164.109 F   ( 73.394 C)

        1.  3.50 gal water to 165.2 F (74 C) in kettle.  Preheated 
        Gott with hot tap water.

        2.  Added all water to Gott mash/lauter tun, then doughed in
        complete grain bill.  Stirred at 0, 5, 35, and 65 minutes.  
        Final volume:  4.5 gallons

        Minute  Temp    pH      iodine
        --------------------------------------------
         0
         5      69 C    stirred to lower temp to 67 C
        35      67 C
        65      67 C    5.5     negative

        MASH OUT
        --------
                 |    Mash Temp     |            | 
        Mash Vol | Initial | Target | Water Temp | Water Vol
        ---------+---------+--------+------------+----------
        4.5 gal  |  150 F  | 170 F  | 210 F      | 2.05 gal

        Final temp (at 10 minutes) : 78 C   (172.4 F)

        SPARGE
        ------

        Recirulation
        ------------
        Total   Full    Restricted
        Volume  Flow       Flow      Clarity
        ------  -----   ----------   ----------
        1 gal   4 qts    2 qts       fairly clear

        1.  5 gallons heated to 176 F (80 C) in brew kettle.

        2.  5 gallon Gott cooler used to hold sparge water.  It was set  
        on a 5 gallon bucket on the dryer so that the spigot could 
        be used to feed sparge water to the mash tun.  A little 3 
        tier system.  Small bowl used on grain bed to diffuse water.
        Grain bed was 75 C (167 F) or greater throughout sparge.

        3.  8.00 gallons collected in brew kettle.  

        Extraction efficiency - Sparge

        8.00 gals:  SG: 1.039  (1.034 @ 34.0 C)

                                          Expected
        Grain                   Pounds    Yield  
        -----------------------------------------
        PILS 2 ROW              9.0000   35.1000
        MUNICH                  1.0000   35.8000
        -----------------------------------------
        Total                   10.0000  351.7000

        Expected points:  35.17
        Actual   points:  30.96   (88.02%)


        BOIL
        ----

        Boil Log

        Volume | Minutes  |       Hop Additions      
        (gals) |Added|Time| Type            ounces  (g)   | Addition
        ------ |-----|----| ----------------------------- | --------
          8.00 | -60 |    | Tettnanger      1.00    28.0  | First Wort Hopping*
                                                          | Bittering
          7.00 |  30 | 30 | Tettnanger      0.50    14.0  | Flavor
               |  30 | 30 | Irish Moss               3.0  |
               |  45 | 15 | Tettnanger      1.00    28.0  | Flavor/Aroma
          6.00 |  55 |  5 | Tettnanger      1.00    28.0  | Aroma
        
        * First Wort Hopping (FWH) : Hops are placed in empty brew kettle and 
        allowed to steep in the sparge runnings during the sparge.  


	COOLING, RACKING, AERATING
	--------------------------

	1. Counterflow chiller used.  CFC and tubing was flushed with bleach 
	water, from carboy storage by siphoning.  CFC was then rinsed with 
	iodophor solution and allowed to stand 60 minutes.  Finally, 1 gallon 
	of filtered, boiled and cooled water was siphoned through the CFC as 
	a rinse.  

	COMMENT: This worked quite well as the boiled water was no worry in the 
        carboy.

	Stainless pickup tube with copper scrubby was used.  Siphon was started 
	by sucking on long extension of out-tube of orange carboy cap.  

	2. While cooling, starter was decanted and new wort diverted onto the 
	yeast cake in the 2L flask.  Flask was sealed with sanitary foil.

	4. Wort was aerated with aquarium pump that had to be turned
	off and on periodically to avoid foaming over.  Total "on"
	time: 30 minutes.

	COMMENT: Need a 3/8" OD hooked copper pickup tube.  The 'J' shape will
        prevent the pickup tube from collapsing with the heat. 

	Extraction efficiency - Final yield
                           
	Volume  Correct SG          points/lb/gallon
	(gals)  (Observed)      Expected        Actual  (%)
	------  ------------    --------        ----------------
	5.75    1.051           35.17           29.43   (83.68%)
		1.050 @ 21.0 C


	FERMENTATION
	------------
        Primary :     Pitch Time : 5:30 PM, Monday, 19 June 2000
	------------------------------------------------------------
	Original Primary Gravity :  1.051  (1.050 @ 21.0 C)
	Final    Primary Gravity :  1.010  (1.009 @ 24.5 C)
	Original Primary pH      :  5.5
	Final    Primary pH      :  4.5
	Primary Temperature      :  68 F   (20 C)
	Boiling time (minutes)   :  120    (60 volume reduction)
	Primary   Fermentation   :  9 days

	bub = airlock bubbles/min     Temp = Carboy glass temperature 

	Hrs  Bub  Temp    Comments
	---  ---  ------  ----------------------------------------------
	  0    0  21.5 C  (70.7 F)        
	  4    4  20.0 C  (68.0 F)
	  6    7
	 13   31  20.0 C  1" of kraeusen - a bit crusty
	 26   64  20.0 C  churning
	 29   69  20.0 C
	 38   74  20.0 C
         45   72  20.0 C
         51   64  20.0 C
         61   49  20.0 C
         76   40  20.0 C
         99   22  20.0 C
        111   14  20.0 C  roused

        NO SECONDARY FERMENTATION

	Alc % by weight: 4.162
	Alc % by volume: 5.245

	Calories per 12 fl. oz.
	-----------------------
	Total: 167.3   Alcohol: 103.1  Extract: 64.3


	KEGGING & BOTTLING      : Sunday, 01 July 2000      
        ------------------

	Priming     : None - force carbonated
	Storage temp: 3 C


	COLLECTED and GENERAL SUGGESTIONS
        ---------------------------------

	EVALUATION
        ----------

        I couldn't really notice much difference between FWH and "conventional"
        hopping techniques.  However, the FWH effects may have been swamped out
        by the copious quantities of "conventional" hopping. 

        This brew was bitter, flavorful, and aromatic.  Patrick O'Hara in an 
        admittedly altered state, soaking wet and breathless from a water fight,
        declared, "This is the best beer I have ever had."

        At times, Patrick is prone to hyperbole.

        It suffered a bit from the 20 mile transport distance yielding a bit
        of cloudiness from the stirred up sediment. 

        There was a gallon left in the keg after the BBQ (total consumption 9 
        gallons) and an evaluation of the remainder will follow.

        After 6 weeks of cold conditioning the beer had cleared to a brilliant
        light golden color without a hint of red.

        White creamy head with good retention.  

        Not as aromatic as 6 weeks before, in fact there was very little hop or
        malt aroma.  Perhaps I am getting a cold.

        Flavor was very clean.  No off notes, no yeast bite, no fruitiness, no
        oxidation, a very good balance of malt and hop.  The hop flavor was well-
        rounded with no harshness.  First on the palate is an explosion of hops,
        then middle maltiness, then a late and lingering bitterness.  My guess is
        about 50 IBUs.  

        This may be an interesting brew to use Wyeast 1338 on.  It would keep the 
        fruitiness down, but turn up the maltiness.         


Last modified: Mon Mar 25 12:18:41 PST 2002