les mauvais outils

'Use the right tool for the job', my pop would say to me as a young lad, whenever I'd stubbornly use a comicly undersized implement for the task at hand, be it a paring knife to chop onions or a hand trowel to dig a hole in the garden. I'd scrape and scratch away, until I heeded his advice and finally make the long walk back to the garage to fetch the right tool.

Not much impresses my dad, but if its one thing my dad's eyes go wide on, its properly apportioned gear that can do a job better (best)...be it his Kubota tractor or the (excessive) SD-RAM chipset in the laptop.

After the recent attempt at a big red DIPA, I look at my hand trowel of a brewing set up, and yearn for my Kubota rig.

OK. Id settle for a mantis at this point.

I stuffed the heaving grist in to the 10 gallon cooler and mashed in with a way too low water to grist ratio, even holding back the crystal for capping the mash, after a little tun capacity was realized from settling the grain bed through recirculation.

4 oz of black malt was set aside for complete and dusty pulverization in the bladed decaf coffee grinder, aka the paring knife of the coffee grinders in our kitchen. We only hit proper coffee with a burr grinder. This very small amount of black malt will help to lend a deep red hue. The oxidation protection qualities of the highly kilned grain is a nice side effect. Maybe only the very faintest of roast flavor will appear (and probably only because you'd look for it when you know its there).

Being a double IPA, there are mounds and mounds of hops (Chinook, Centennial, Citra, Amarillo) pressed in to service, with the majority held back for later boil and dry additions. A late addition of ~10% sugar to dry out the beer, while still pulling max IBUs, customary to DIPAs.

The now customary painful run-off takes 2 hours, including two grain bed resetting blows of air back through the run off tube to clear the stuck mash.

1 hour to cool the 10.5 gallons of wort to close to pitching temps. Another hour to strain out the hops from the wort and clean up. Wort still at 72F. Left in front of the A/C unit to chill down to pitching temps. To bed at 1:30AM on a school night. Reached 67F by 6:30AM the following day, yeast pitched. Fermentation started in ~6 hours, and active fermentation between 63-65F. Krausen fell in 3.5days, conditioning at 70F now.

I need some new stuff, because what I have are clearly les mauvais outils (the wrong tools).

9AM, 26Sep2010: Added gelatin to both vessels.

Nose of deep and complex american hops...missing the fresh/resinous tones only achieved w/ dry hopping.

Caramel/malty.

Muted British yeast esters, carried by soft alcohols.

6PM, 26Sep2010: 4oz of dry hops in each vessel: 1 oz each of Chinook, Centennial, Citra, Amarillo, whole hops.

Imperial Red IPA

Imperial IPA

Type: All Grain	Date: 9/12/2010
Batch Size: 10.00 gal	Brewer: JC
Boil Size: 11.74 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 75 min	Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0	Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU 28 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 76.19 % 3 lbs 8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 % 2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 5.44 % 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 75L (75.0 SRM) Grain 1.36 % 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 1.36 % 4.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 0.68 % 2.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] (75 min) Hops 32.2 IBU 2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops 4.00 oz Chinook [12.40 %] (60 min) Hops 63.6 IBU 1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] (20 min) Hops 9.3 IBU 1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (20 min) Hops 6.6 IBU 1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (20 min) Hops 7.8 IBU 1.00 oz Chinook [12.40 %] (20 min) Hops 9.6 IBU 1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (0 min) Hops - 1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (0 min) Hops - 1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (0 min) Hops - 1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] (0 min) Hops - 2 lbs Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 5.44 % 1 Pkgs Dry English Ale (White Labs #WLP007) Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.097 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.023 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.78 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 129.1 IBU	Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 17.7 SRM	Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body	Total Grain Weight: 34.75 lb
Sparge Water: 8.41 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp 90 min Mash In Add 30.00 qt of water at 160.4 F 145.0 F

Cuvee de Tetreault

In order to keep the momentum going on the the longer term projects, I decided to leverage the burgeoning house blend of sacch and bugs, as recently harvested from a repitch in to the saison.

I had been leafing through my well worn copy of wild brews, nosing through my eclectic stash of ingredients, and my mind drifted toward the cooler days of fall and winter that will slowly descend on us here in boston. My eyes settled on the 'dark medicine' recipe in the back of the book. Having never tasted cuvee de tomme, the description and intention spoke to me loud and clear, and thought I'd put together a prospective vs. reactive wild belgian dark strong.

I upped the carafa III special a bit to give it a decidedly deeper hue and a heavier dose of D2 syrup to ensure dry figginess. While the strong population of brett C in the bug mix may not be as complimentary as a brett B or L might be, but perhaps the less obvious will be the tipping point that makes this beer uniquely, unintiutively delicious.

I warmed myself with what will form the basis for another belgian farmhouse/trappist inspired beer, and pitched the dregs of a relatively fresh (bottled 4/2010) Orval in to 500ml of starter wort, dosed up with an ounce of maltodextrin. I grabbed this perfect specimen of a beer from the close to the door cooler at public house provisions. I opted for the cold vs. warmer shelf version-OK to settle for a slightly less funk in the glass, as the yeast/bugs would be healthier. With Luc in tow in the baby bjorn, I had a long, humid but very inspired walk back home to Coolidge Corner.

Since I had been repitching and culturing up from dregs so much these days, I have made certain that I've been propping up the needed nutrients for proper propagation with balanced doses of wyeast nutrient. I'm likely to start in with the white labs competing servomyces when this vial runs out, as the concept of bio-availabile micronutrients from yeast grown in enriched media is tugging at my brain-strings pretty convincingly.

I still felt a bit gun shy with the D2 from my earlier poor attenuation experiences, but just a little fermentation experience with brett + bugs will cure you of that concern pretty quick. I even tossed in a touch (2oz) of left over maltodextrin in a cavalier oh, the bugs will tear through that stuff, no problem sort of way. In fact, you sort of hope for the sacch to back it down relatively early in the process, leaving a feast for these expressive creatures.

Willamette whole hops lend a woodsy bitterness to this beer. No flavor addition, as it'll be at least a year before bottling, probably another 6months before the first pour.

This beer is made as are all my beers. Single infusion, with my rigged 3 tier condo kitchen gravity setup, comprised of my bottling bucket HLT, rotating sparge arm, 10 gallon cooler/bazooka screen MLT, mixed withe some stainless ball valves and vinyl tubing.

For 5 gallon batches and non-sticky mash, the bazooka screen is plenty adequate. But for an overloaded mash tun, it gets bound up right quick.

Always. As in 2 hour sparges.

Not cool.

I'll take a deep breath and run my hand over my grandfather's prohibition resistant beer case, and gain some serenity knowing brewers have endured far greater barriers than I will likely ever need to face.

The saison was racked to 5 gallon glass, where it'll continue to slowly ferment for the next 4-6 months before bottling. The entire volume of yeast cake was split between two fermenters after aerating the big 1.086 wort.

I didn't get to watch the krausen kick up on this batch, as Esther, Luc and I went away for the week for our 1 year anniversary, but the evidence of a properly active krausen revealed itself stuck to the side of the ullage in the pyrex fermenter. Straddling the odd bedfellow line between a belgian strong dark and an imperial porter, a push on the lid of the bucketed filled my nose with subtly spiced saison, caramel, biscuit, woody hops and soft roast. Fruity pineapple and cider and CO2 sting lead me to believe I'm headed down a long road of yearning... waiting. Should give me enough time to decide on oaking and to eventually find some proper glass to house the finished cuvee.

Cuvee de Tetreault

Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Type: All Grain	Date: 9/4/2010
Batch Size: 10.00 gal	Brewer: JC
Boil Size: 11.45 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0	Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU 11 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 36.51 % 6 lbs Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 19.05 % 5 lbs Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 15.87 % 2 lbs Carafa III (475.0 SRM) Grain 6.35 % 2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6.35 % 1 lbs Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 3.17 % 1 lbs Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3.17 % 6.00 oz Williamette [4.70 %] (60 min) Hops 38.8 IBU 2.00 oz Malto-Dextrine (Boil 5.0 min) Misc 2.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc 20.00 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc 3 lbs Candi Sugar, D2 (80.0 SRM) Sugar 9.52 % 1 Pkgs House Sacch/Brett/Bugs Blend Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.086 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.008 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 10.21 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 38.8 IBU	Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 48.8 SRM	Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body	Total Grain Weight: 28.50 lb
Sparge Water: 2.40 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Full Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp 45 min Mash In Add 35.63 qt of water at 170.5 F 158.0 F 10 min Mash Out Add 14.25 qt of water at 196.6 F 168.0 F

Luc brews (part 2)

Somewhere within my new dad sleep deprived brain and body, I managed the gusto to run through the paces of this double batch, double brew day with relative ease.

Even with a way too small wort chiller (25ft copper immersion), no pump, an underpowered (for brewing) electric range and splitting the wort to two vessels for the boil, I was able to crank out 20+ gallons of some longer term projects, that will further mature my house blend of bugs.

Soon enough, these brew days will start with the reference of 'oh man, remember when ...'

Of course, the second part of the marathon double brew day started before the last one ended. I felt at the same time inefficient from my undersized brewing gear and the joys that come from the orchestral coordination that back to back brewing requires. I was feeling great about recycling both heat energy and water from the wort chiller waste water. But there was the nagging 'your brew set up is undersized...you could be playing with your son right now instead."

I measured and milled the grain bill for the 2nd batch while the 1st was coming to a boil. Racked a big beer to secondary to free up a fermenter and ran down to the storage space to fetch another.

While I'm whipping around the place, the saved bug blend slurry on the counter is gurgling back to activity from its chilled slumber as it warms to room temperature. CO2 is regularly rising from under the depths, loosening chunks of slurry and carrying them to the surface, almost indicating that the word is out...the rowdy melee is about to ensure. The lot of them somehow know its going to be feedin' time again soon. I grabbed a sniff of the from the under the bubbling lid of the loosend mason jar and I get hit with the Jolly Pumpkin and Brett C nose.

The grain for the 2nd batch is laying waiting in the nearly overflowing bottling bucket waiting for a very warm, intended to favor the B amylase enzymes. Lots of nearly neon green Saphir hop pellets have been measured out, ready to lend their gentle bitterness to this beer, which is intended to be split 3 ways (unadorned, and 2 yet to be determined fruits).

The luscious malt and gentle hop aromas fill the apartment, even as the boiling kettles do battle with the AC units. I wrap everything up by 7:30PM to a 'what can we reheat from the freezer and throw some fresh vegetables in it to have some semblance of nutrition' dinner. I promise , as I crash to the couch with Luc and the smiling wife, the lot of us feeling exhausted yet still quite fulfilled, that I'll bring down the brewing equipment to storage tomorrow morning before work.

Strong Golden Sour Base

Belgian Golden Strong Ale

Type: All Grain	Date: 8/22/2010
Batch Size: 10.00 gal	Brewer: JC, Jason, Luc
Boil Size: 13.45 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min	Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0	Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU 20 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 61.19 % 3 lbs 8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 10.45 % 3 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 8.96 % 1 lbs 8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 4.48 % 1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 2.99 % 6.00 oz Saphir [3.70 %] (90 min) Hops 29.7 IBU 4 lbs Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 11.94 %
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.098 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.096 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.025 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.61 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 11.29 %
Bitterness: 29.7 IBU	Calories: 441 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.0 SRM	Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body	Total Grain Weight: 29.50 lb
Sparge Water: 2.08 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Full Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp 45 min Mash In Add 36.88 qt of water at 170.5 F 158.0 F 10 min Mash Out Add 14.75 qt of water at 196.6 F 168.0 F