Thursday, April 20, 2023

Batch 286 - Mosaic IPA

 I'm running out of brewing supplies, so this batch and the next are what I have left. This one is fairly close to the Mosaic IPA I've made in the past, it's a little light on the grain, so a bit less on the ABV.


5 gallon batch


11 lb 2-row

17 oz white wheat

5.6 oz Crystal 60 (all I had)


Heated mash water to 168F, got 156F in the mash tun. Added 1 tsp phosphoric acid. Collected 7 gallons in the boil kettle.


2 oz Magnum, 60 min

1 tsp Irish Moss, 15 min

3.4 oz Mosaic, 10 min (all I had)


60 minute boil. 5.5 gallons in the fermenter.


Al and Louie yeast, it's either Safale 05 or it's kveik, it works.


Brewtarget stats:

OG: 1.052

FG: 1.014

ABV: 5.2%

SRM: 6.0

IBU: 131 ???!!! seems high, but I really haven't had a good hoppy beer from pellets, so maybe this one will be it.

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Batch 285, a Pale Ale of some sort

 Still in Baja, still working off of last years grain, just about done. I have enough for maybe 2 more 5 gallon batches. I'd brought a bunch of pilsner malt and quite a bit of Saaz hops, intending to make a "Leeser" sort of beer, so this is as close as it's going to get.


5 gallon batch


For grain, just this:

12 lb, 13 oz pilsner malt

The odd size is due to the packaging, that was two five pound bags (more or less) and a partial bag with a couple of pounds. Did some math, added some water, the usual. Got just over 6 gallons in the boil kettle.


For hops, more unusual amounts:

2 oz Saaz, 60 min

1 oz Doug, 60 min

1 tsp Irish Moss, 15 minutes

4.2 oz Saaz, 5 min 

Again, due to packaging and what I have on hand. The "Doug" hop is a bag that my friend Doug got from a friend that works at 805 in San Diego. I'm not sure what it is, I think it's a milder finishing hop like hallertau or similar.


Pitched on the yeast cake from the previous batch.

Friday, March 3, 2023

Batch 284, Panama Red

 It's another Panama Red, more or less. I'm about out of brewing supplies in Baja, so I used the last of some of my hops.


5 gallon batch


12 lb 2-row

12 oz Crystal 60

12 oz White wheat

2 oz Chocolate malt


Mashed at 154F, added 1 tsp phosphoric acid. Used park water, that's the locally supplied water that comes from a well, but delivered by truck to a cistern and piped through an ancient plumbing system. Should be good, right? We don't drink park water as a rule, but I was out of RO water from the local water store. It gets boiled, right?


1.5 oz Mt Hood, FWH (usually 1 oz, but using all remaining Mt Hood on this batch)

1 oz Centennial, 60 min

1 oz Cascade, 30 min

1.6 oz Mt Hood, 5 min

1.2 oz Cascade, 5 min


That finishes my remaining stock of Mt Hood and Cascade. Also added 1 tsp Irish Moss at 15 min.


Pitched on the yeast cake from Batch 283, which was probably way too much yeast, but it's good and fresh.


OG: 1.063

FG: 1.015

ABV: 6.5%

IBU: 65.5

SRM: 12

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Batch 283, Belma

 Just Belma hops in this beer.


5 gallon batch


12 lb 2-row

8 oz white wheat

6 oz crystal 60


Mashed at some temperature, forgot to look, probably mid-150F. Added 1 tsp phosphoric acid. Collected 6.5 gallons in the boil kettle.


2 oz Belma, 60 min

2 tsp Irish Moss, 15 min

4 oz Belma, 10 min


60 minute boil.


1.5 pints Al and Louie yeast, thick (really thick!) slurry.


OG: 1.058

FG: 1.015

ABV: 6.0

SRM: 6.5

IBU: 84


Friday, January 13, 2023

Batch 282 - Mosaic IPA

 Hopefully this one will be awesome!


5 gallon batch


14 lb 2-row

12 oz white wheat

6 oz Crystal


Mashed at 149F, still lower than I was aiming for. Ambient temp is about 70F, mash water was at 170F. I'm mashing in a 10 gallon Igloo cooler. 


2 oz Mosaic, 60 min

3 oz Mosaic, 10 min


60 minute boil.


Yeast cake from previous batch.

Batch 281 - Brown Porter

 Still trying to make a decent beer here, and I think this one is finally it. I got about a pint of fresh yeast from my neighbors, and that seems to have made the difference.


5 gallon batch


10 lb 2-row

8 oz white wheat

4 oz black patent

4 oz chocolate malt


Mashed at 151F. I seem to hit mash temp a little lower than I expect, but no worries. Added a 1/2 tsp of phosphoric acid. Ran off 6.5 gallons to the boil kettle.


2 oz Saaz, 60 minutes


1 pint of safale 04 from my neighbors.



I'm behind on entering batch notes, so this just went on tap today. It tastes just fine, just as a brown porter should taste. Brewed a batch of IPA today, I'm going to reuse the yeast cake.