Altbier brewing/drinking and Citra Pale Ale brewing

It's been a while since I posted but it has also been a while since I brewed...

In January, I brewed a Northern German Altbier with the following recipe:

• 6 lbs. German Pilsner Malt
• 2 lbs. Munich Malt
• 8 oz. Aromatic Malt
• 8 oz. Crystal 60L
• 8 oz. White Wheat Malt
• 2 oz. Carafa III
• 1.50 oz. Tradition hops @ 60 min.
• 1 package Kolsch yeast (Wyeast 2565)

OG was 1.046 and FG was 1.012 giving us an ABV of 4.5% and I fermented at 58F.

This was a very light and easy drinking beer.  It is very well balanced and very smooth.


In my last blog post I mentioned brewing a Centennial IPA but I decided to brew a Citra hopped based Pale Ale first.  I've worked out the recipe and brewed this earlier in the month.

• 10 lbs. Rahr 2-row
• 8 oz. Crystal 60L
• 8 oz. Crystal 20L
• 8 oz. White Wheat Malt
• 0.50 oz Citra hops @ 60 min.
• 0.50 oz Cascade hops @ 15 min.
• 0.50 oz Citra hops @ 15 min.
• 0.50 oz Cascade hops @ flameout
• 0.50 oz Citra hops @ flameout
• 1 oz Cascade - Dry Hop
• 0.5oz Citra - Dry Hop
• 1 package Safale US-05 yeast

OG was 1.055 so I expect the ABV to be around 5.5% but won't know until I transfer to the secondary for dry hopping this Saturday.

I'm also planning on brewing my Centennial IPA this Saturday and reusing the yeast cake from the Citra Pale Ale.  Update for this to come later. 

Centennial Blonde on tap, Altbier and Apfelwein kegged

The Centennial Blonde has been tapped and is pretty good.  It is on the slightly bitter side with a citrusy flavor, all in all it is an easy drinking session beer. 

I've tried the barleywine that I bottled last month once but it is still a bit young so I'll give it a couple more months before I review it again.

The ESB that I removed from the tap for the SuperBowl party is about 3/4 gone, but was received very well. It is back in the kegerator and will go back on tap once one of the other kegs is emptied.  I also kegged my second attempt at Apfelwein.  This Apfelwein used brown sugar instead of Dextrose but should also be around 10% ABV.  The Altbier that I brewed last was also kegged today and came out to about 4.5% ABV.



After tasting/smelling the Centennial hops in my Blonde and trying a Centennial IPA while downtown one evening, I think I'm going to make a Centennial/Cascade IPA next.  I'll have to figure out a good recipe and I'll post it once I know what I'm going to do.

ESB drinking, English Barleywine Bottling and Centennial Blonde Brewing

Catching up on what happened over the Christmas holiday.  I decided to bottle my Barlywine instead of kegging it.  OG for the Barlewine was 10.94 and FG was 1.020 which will give it an ABV or about 9.8%.  I plan on my first tasting of it the first week of March.


I finished off the APA I had which freed up one of the taps for my ESB.  The ESB is a good, balanced beer.  The hops give it a little bit of an earthy taste but it is still very smooth.

I also brewed my Centennial Blonde Ale.  The recipe is:

• 7 lbs. - Rahr 2-row
• 8 oz. - Aromatic Malt
• 8 oz. - White Wheat Malt
• 4 oz. - Crystal 20L
• 0.5 oz. - Centennial Hops @ 60min.
• 0.5 oz. - Centennial Hops @ 30min.
• 0.5 oz. - Cascade Hops @ 20min.
• 0.5 oz. - Cascade Hops @ 5min.
• Wyeast 2565 Kolsch Yeast

I mashed in at 150F for 75 minutes and boiled for an hour.  OG was 1.044 which was pretty close to  what I expected it.  Here is a picture of the boil with about 10 minutes left which is why the wort chiller is in the pot.

I fermented at 57F which is near the low end for the Kolsch yeast.  I wanted this to be closer to a lager than an ale in taste.  I plan on kegging this next weekend.  I'm also planning on rinsing off the yeast cake and brewing an Altbier the weekend after next and then maybe a Kolsch after that sometime.