I have two amazing brews on tap and a lager fermenting away as we speak, and have just put a few recipes on the to-do-list as I can't seem to get enough right now. I go through spurts when it comes to brewing, but I am currently at my peak interest, if not ahead of it at this moment.
Sure, i still cultivate 'homebrew', but that has been becoming less and less a thing of the present and more and more a thing of the past. I have instead grown significantly in my ability to produce quality brews. I'm not saying this to brag, but am saying this because my confidence level has increased greatly from a few years back when Bednarczyk got me hooked on this wonderful hobby. Experience rewards us heavily in almost everything we do, and homebrewing is no exception.
Some of you may have heard of a Black IPA i recently brewed. This beer happens to be on tap right now, so I suggest you come over to taste this brew before i run out. I love it! It comes in at 8.3% ABV and is a well balanced combination of malts on the front end with hops on the back end, finishing 'very smoothly.'
Right next to the Black IPA on tap is a Bell's Two-Hearted Ale clone that my father and I brewed. This beer on tap is so close to being an exact replica of Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. It comes in at 7.2 % ABV and is absolutely delicious. Bell's Two-Hearted Ale is an American Pale Ale, thus leaving with me two hopped up ales on tap an a lager in the frontline. This clone is going to be an absolute favorite amongst those hop lovers who try it - I promise you.
This now brings me to the lager that is fermenting away as we speak. It is a Vienna Lager (think Yuengling in taste and color) which requires 30 days of fermenting, 2 days for a diacetyl rest (temperature rest), 30 days of lagering (conditioning at 33 F), and then 3 weeks in the bottles and kegs. I will have 2 cases in bottles and 2 cases in a keg, just in time for the arrival of our baby boy or baby girl. Do the math and this beer will be available for drinking on Feb. 7th, give or take. Our baby is due the following week. We shall call this a birthing beer. You give out cigars and I'll give out the beer!
As much as I enjoy the Black IPA and the Bell's Clone along with the anticipation of the Vienna Lager, I must consider what I will be brewing next. I have some ideas and I'm excited to share. Let's take a look.
There are 2 that are high on my list and they aren't your ordinary beers. They are some big beers, and i think we will all enjoy them. In no particular order, I'm looking to brew a Belgian Quad (the biggest darn belgian beer you can possibly find), which will come in at 11% ABV. I've posted about the Chimay Dubbel I brewed last year. Strong Belgian's aren't easy to brew as you have to mask the alcohol taste in such strong beers via carefully calculated additions of malts and syrups. Anyway, I'm excited for it. The 2nd beer on my list is what I call "Big Burly Brown Ale," which comes in at 7.1% ABV. I may have to work on the name as 7.1% isn't that 'Big' compared to these other beers. The Belgian Quad is a variation of my Belgian Dubbel brewed last year, but this Brown Ale is an untested concoction designed solely on principles. I will limit this brew to a 5 gallon batch (2 cases) as I don't expect to nail it on the first attempt. I base this beer off a personal favorite from Lagunitas Brewing Company, Wilco Tango Foxtrot. If you can find this beer (usually sold individually in 22 oz bottes), please consider trying it. If you enjoy it, this recipe I put together will hopefully be similar.
So, 2 big beers are in the lineup, and one of them will probably be brewed over the holidays just in time for the unveiling of my lager. Two new brews and a newborn to bring it all together. It's going to be a great time!
Until the next...
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