Biere de Garde Noir

In an attempt to try something entirely different, we decided to make a dark biere de garde with chocolate and chili pepper extract. The results were a bit underwhelming, but here's the review anyway.

Appearance – Dark but not the darkest I have encountered. Slightly translucent with a brownish tint around the edges. Off-white head that dissipates rapidly leaving behind a little bit of lacing.

Aroma – Dark fruits (currants, raisins, etc.), some malty sweetness but both are rather dull. Not a significant nose to it. Slightly off-putting aroma to this one, which seems to be the same flaw observed in both of my imperial stouts.

Taste – Coffee and chocolate up front. Slight off flavor that I am still having trouble placing (possibly astringent, which may be due to ineffective vorlaufing procedures – don’t worry if you don’t understand what that means). Also a bit disappointing was the fact that I couldn't taste any of the chili peppers that we put into this brew. Chocolate comes through a bit, although I am not sure if this is due to the extract I included or the malts I used. The tastes are subtle, which I believe plays more into the reason why the off flavor really harms this beer. Hopefully, armed with a new variable to control, we can make an even better brew next time.

Mouthfeel –  Full and syrupy mouthfeel. Coats the palate. Very little carbonation also lends to a strong feel overall.

This beer didn’t turn out all that special. Overall, it is quite forgettable, but it may have been a very significant brew in that I was able to identify an off flavor that I believe played a part in harming (possibly ruining) three of my more recent beers. It reminded me that we are still ramping up our operations – improving with each batch.

Recipe Name:         Biere de Garde Noir

Recipe Volume:      5 gallons

Yeast:                     WLP011 European Ale

Malts:	Amount
1. 2-row malt	10.7 lbs.
2. Chocolate malt	10 oz.
3. Roasted barley	10 oz.
4. Carapils	4 oz.
5. Victory malt	9 oz.

Brewhouse Efficiency                      70%
Calculated Original Gravity            1.068
Caclulated Boil Gravity                   1.055
Measured Original Gravity              1.064
Measured Final Gravity                   1.011

Hops:	Amount	Boil Time	IBUs
1. Northdown (7%)	0.5 oz.	60	12
2. Mt. Hood (4.5%)	0.5 oz.	30	5
3. Northdown (7%)	0.5 oz.	10	4
4. Mt. Hood (4.5%)	0.5 oz.	0	0

Calculated IBUs          21

Event Horizon Imperial Stout - Take 2!

I made this beer for the first time about a year ago. It turned out to be the worst beer I had ever made! This was my second go around, and although the results were better, it still isn't where I want it to be. Hopefully next time we will get this one right. Generally beers that are more alcoholic are also more challenging to brew.

Appearance – Pitch black. Even a tiny bit seems to block out all light. Very fitting to the name. Slight tan head that dissipates rather rapidly leaving behind little to no lacing.

Aroma – Some good, some bad. Chocolate and toffee aromas come through as does raisin, but also a sharp, solvent aroma is present. The bad is a bit reminiscent of paint thinner.

Taste – Again some good, some bad. Not nearly as bad as last time. Coffee and chocolate notes laced with hints of rubbing alcohol. There is also a general “green” flavor to the beer. Something is not quite right. It’s not entirely unpleasant, but it could stand to be far better. At least it’s drinkable.

Mouthfeel – Very full and syrupy on the palate.

Recipe Name:         Event Horizon Imperial Stout

Recipe Volume:      5 gallons

Yeast:                     White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Malts:	Amount
1. 2-row malt	13 lbs.
2. Roasted barley	0.5 lb.
3. Chocolate malt	1 lb.
4. Crystal 120	1 lb.
5. Black patent malt	0.75 lb.
6. Oats	1 lb.
7. Carapils	1 lb.

Brewhouse Efficiency                     70%
Calculated Original Gravity            1.086
Caclulated Boil Gravity                  1.069
Measured Original Gravity             1.077
Measured Final Gravity                  1.013
Calculated ABV                              8.9%

Hops:	Amount	Boil Time	IBUs
1. Nugget (13%)	1 oz.	60	29
2. Warrior (15%)	0.25 oz.	10	16

Calculated IBUs          51

An update (with a sprinkling of philosophy on the end)

It has been quite a while since I last posted on this blog, which is not to say I haven't been brewing. In fact, I have been upgrading my operation even further.

My latest project has involved gaining a greater understanding and appreciation for the yeast that I use in the brewing process. One of my earliest posts regarded freezing yeast for long term storage. At the time I was simply regurgitating information I had read on internet blogs and homebrew forums. While this process did seem to work (to an extent at least), I have since learned that it is not the best method for yeast storage. A far better method involves culturing onto an agar slant and storing in the refrigerator as shown here:

The same knowhow that goes into this process also allows for isolation and purification of yeast strains on agar plates as so:

If you are at all interested in learning these methods I can't recommend this book highly enough (Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermenation). My hope is that employing the techniques I have learned in reading this book will not only allow me to store yeast more successfully, but will also improve the quality of the beers I brew.

One of the main reasons I haven't updated the blog in a while is that a number of my most recent beers have suffered from flaws, which render them less than enjoyable, in my opinion. While I fully intend for this blog to be a catalog of every beer I brew, I cannot deny that I have found it more difficult to motivate myself to write about the failures. However, the failures also tend to be the primary factors moving the ship forward and saving me from complacency. One of my favorite writers (David Foster Wallace) loved to expound upon the profound meanings underlying many of the cliches we all know but seldom follow.  Anyone who has seen this video will know what I am talking about. He died 6 years from yesterday, so in his honor I will end this post with a cliche. Those who can't learn from their failures are bound to repeat them. Here's to hoping we can learn from ours.