Chocolate Cherry Porter

Part of the pleasure of home brewing is the company you keep while doing it and or little things like trying beers that may be in the same style you are attempting to make. My sister-in-law Fiona and I are attempting a Miners Stout and with that in mind we sampled a few darker, richer beers. Here’s our thoughts on teh samples. One was a Innis & Gunn Oak Aged- Rum Cask  which had an instant oak taste and a mild rum after taste, though nice body and hints or caramel for me. Good was the consensus. The other was a Martello Stout. It had nice bit fruit on the front, mildly bitter in the body and a bit old bitter brewed coffee lingering. Not sure that was a winner. The last one below, the Chocolate Cherry Porter from Penticton, BC in the Okanogan.

I had high hopes for this one but I think it was on the shelf too long. The chocolate was really weak and kind of chalky for lack of a better word, while the cherry was watery. Beer does have a limited shelf life and when looking at the expiry date if you can find one, it should have little marks or slits in the edge of the label. This one was not marked.

I think I’d like to try it again but with a closer inspection of the bottling date or at least asking my store rep when it came in to them.

Black ale

I think I need to add a category for brews that I’m particularly fond of- like this one;

Its made in Quebec by Unibroue and is listed as a strong dark ale on the lees.  I often find that beers and wines left on the yeast have a depth and flavor that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. That could also be the higher alcohol I’m appreciating but regardless this one will become a regular for me.

Great black color with hints of vanilla and just the right amount of hops/ bitterness.

Morgan’s

Travelling the low road hasn’t been ugly.  The Morgan’s amber ale kit  I bought is turning out well so far.

I did cheap out completely with the corn sugar instead of liquid or dried extract when adding my 4 gallons of water to make 5. The beer was active in its fermentation with just a dry package yeast. Lasted for same amount of time as anything else I’ve pitched. 

The aroma while racking into the carboy for a weeks rest was comparable to others methods and still satisfying. Color seemed fine too.

So for 21 cdn for the can and yeast to get going, adding the corn sugar for another 4 and next weekend another 5 for sanitizer & 2-3 for priming sugar, that’ll mean the low road costs 33 canadian. Same cost as a mini mash kit with liquid extract, liquid yeast and flavoring/ bittering hops I’d make in Austin. Alas, I’m in Edmonton now so no it’s not really a fair comparison. The true comparison, using 3lbs of dried extract, grain, liquid yeast and hops here cost me 75 on my first batch last year. Didn’t quite satisfy relative to the materials used but I’ll keep working on a solution. There should be a way to replicate that.

Carboy is loaded and next week is bottling.  I think I need to call my nephews.

Gone Slumming

Hmm, after much effort including bottling, baby tending and wort dwarf park time, I’m staring at a box of empties.

          

This needs to be remedied soon.

The one obstacle to a full carboy has been my pure laziness. The other, well, not sure there is another, though more equipment would make it easier. So, I’m off to pick up the next batch today and I think I’ll try the cheapest kit out there that comes in a can. $20 and some yeast and that’s it. Given this cream ale was probably at the top end of the price scale I’ve decided to go slumming for comparison.

A few thoughts on the Spagnols Brew house mix here might help any country club posers considering this brew. Fiona’s and my thoughts were similar in that we were expecting beer nirvana at the first glass.  I had Kirsten and my neighbor Chris try it also for third & fourth opinions and I may have more feedback from Fiona’s friend who got a six pack. Fiona and I enjoyed it though we missed the nirvana bus.   Kirsten liked it but was ambivalent in any raves and Chris liked it too. Chris, who fancies the micro brew like myself and Fiona, thought it was better than the local Amber’s Ales pale ale here in Edmonton, which I’ve tried as well. It was a cream ale so I was expecting a fuller body, but didn’t get as much as I wanted. It also had a slight mineral taste to it. That could have been our fault for not rinsing enough after the sanitizer. I didn’t get specifics from Chris or Kirsten in what they liked but I think the hop balance was perfect.

So, for comparison, I’ve taken the low road and dragged Fiona with me. I think its good to experience life at both ends of the beer universe- no?

Three more weeks

Bottling is a lot of cleaning. I’ve done this in the bathtub, sink and now the dishwasher. Dishwashers are essential in my opinion and very effective and I wouldn’t go back to soaking and scrubbing anymore.  A little time in the sanitizer for the bucket and bits and we’re ready to go. Fiona and I racked and added our priming sugar while Kirsten amused the baby boy.

So we washed up 68 bottles hopeful we’d make a full 60 bottles that are usually available from a 5 gallon brewing.  Bottling is simple, raise the bucket higher than the bottles, start a siphon and let it go while trying not to spill which is hard for me.

60 and 1/2 bottles is what we end up with. That’s 67 cents per bottle.  Not bad. Now the hard part, waiting 3 weeks for the remaining yeast to ferment the priming sugar and make it bubbly. We did try sampling the primed brew and its rather metallic and mildly sour in my opinion but 3 weeks can do allot for a beer. Here’s hoping.

Mighty Fine Aroma

All is well in my world- the cream ale survived. The yeast dropped this last friday and Fiona and I were able to rack into the secondary fermenter. Opening the lid was delightful as the smell was fantastic. I can’t describe the nuances of that aroma though I found myself slightly giddy with anticipation.

I always like racking because it’s so easy and the wort smells so good.  After a thorough sanitation of equipment here’s a pic of the racking setup.

If you haven’t tried the Mill St coffee porter that is visible in the lower corner, you should. Very nice porter and I fancy porters and stouts. If this next picture is any indication of our mutual desire to taste this cream ale then I may have to let Fiona take the first glass.

12 gallon- why? oh…

Okay, made a mild mistake when making this kit- need to follow the directions. Uhmm, “use a 12 gallon primary fermenter…” and my words were ; “wonder what they mean by that- I’ve always used my 6’er to ferment” Well, something happened in the Austin to Edmonton beer making process. I would normally boil up a wort with liquid extract, add grain and hops, then cool and chuck my yeast into the  6’er. No problems.

Well, that didn’t work- see photo.

Wort is seeping out airlock and eventually blows the lid off. Sorry no photo for that as I was too busy rushing the cleanup and transfer into the 10 gallon fermenter.

According to a seasoned brewer, through an except in our short discussion as I strived to resolve this; “Canadians don’t use airlocks”.   “Aw come on- really?”.  “Yes”. “Well back in Austin we don’t use 12 gallon buckets- that’s overkill?” ” You aren’t in Austin”.  Touche’.  Smartass.

So now we’re in the 10 gallon fermenter. There is an eery calm in the wort. Did I break it? I’ll look into it tomorrow.

Beer for bike night

Since the bike is now in the garage, there will be a need to have refreshments on hand after the initial inspection and repair work is started.  It would be improper to finish the day with just a glass of water given the work and besides I want to celebrate the occasion with a glass of something. Single malt would suit a successful road test and maybe a robust Malbec for the licensing.

A nice ale seems appropriate and my sister in-law Fiona had the perfect kit to start with. The Brew House makes an easy, add your water and throw your yeast kit which seemed ideal at the moment. Her cousin in-law happens to be a Master brewer out in BC that created this kit in the first place so arrows pointed thus.

Brew of choice;

Here’s the brew crew and the beer of choice for the occasion. Fiona with her baby and me with mine you might say. Not in this photo is the support crew of wife, brother in-law and wort dwarfs otherwise know as nephews who we will make clean the bottles when the time comes.