Brewing Master

Question:

ObBrew: Picked up the ingredients for my next batch, an Irish Stout.  The recipe called for 2 ounces of Galena hops and 1 oz of Clusters.  The supply store was out of Galena, so I gambled and selected 2 oz of US Hallertauer. Did I do bad???

If my memory serves me correctly, Galena is a high alpha acid bittering hop that us supposed to produce a clean bitterness, whereas US Hallertauer is a low alpha acid finishing hop (normally).  If the recipe called for 2 oz of Galena, of which the current ones I have are around 12% AA, and you replace that with 2 oz of Hallertauer of say 4 to 5 % AA, then you would be about two to three times under the bitterness of the recipe.  It also strikes me that 2 oz of Galena, and 1 oz of cluster in a five gallon recipe would produce a huge IBU count, probably somewhere over 100 IBUs depending on gravity of the wort.  The real question should be how bitter should this brew be?  According to the AHA styles guidelines, a  dry stout should be between 30 and 60 IBUs.  It think you should probably do an IBU calculation with the hops you have, and find out where to go from there. Later, Kevin

– Kevin M. Hardee                      GEAUX SAINTS, GEAUX CAJUNS… Richardson, TX                       PHONE:  (214) 996-6112

Response:

I think this is a relatively simple, straight-forward question requiring little more than a yes or no response.  Should ALL types of specialty grains be cracked before steeping???  Intuition would say yes, but I would like to know for certain. Also: when a recipe calls for the brew to be aged for a few months before drinking, assuming I am brewing a stout and bottling after fermentation, does this aging mean the usual: prime, bottle, after a week store in cool area (refrigerator)–in this case for a few months, then enjoy; or is it prime, bottle, let sit at 65-75 degrees for two months, then chill and enjoy??? Thanks in advance! ObBeer: I had the distinct pleasure to try several beers that I was prev- iously virgin to over this past weekend.  To list: Thames Welch Bitter Ale, Kathadin Golden, Young’s Oatmeal Stout, Pete’s Wicked Lager, and a few microbrewed delights from a local microbrewery (Shipyard Brewery?) here in Maine: Brown Moose Ale and Capt. Eli’s Porter (You MUST check out Federal Jack’s if ever you are in Kennebunk, Maine). I found something interesting in reading the label to the aforementioned Kathadin Golden (also brewed in Maine).  It claimed to use "top fermenting yeast" and the beer was "cold lagered."  Hmmm.  Now I’ve heard of bottom fermenting yeast at ale fermentation temperatures (steam beer, of course), but not ale yeast at lagering temperatures.  Fancy that! ObBrew: Picked up the ingredients for my next batch, an Irish Stout.  The recipe called for 2 ounces of Galena hops and 1 oz of Clusters.  The supply store was out of Galena, so I gambled and selected 2 oz of US Hallertauer. Did I do bad???

Response:

<stuff deleted I found something interesting in reading the label to the aforementioned Kathadin Golden (also brewed in Maine).  It claimed to use "top fermenting yeast" and the beer was "cold lagered."  Hmmm.  Now I’ve heard of bottom fermenting yeast at ale fermentation temperatures (steam beer, of course), but not ale yeast at lagering temperatures.  Fancy that!

I was talking to the brewer at the Riverwalk Brewpub in Ft Lauderdale and he said he used Wyeast 1056 for *all* his beers, pilsener, maibock and octoberfest included. He fermented at 55 degrees than lagers at 33 for a while. I didn’t get to taste the octoberfest myself, but he said he was surprised at how good they came out. — Fred Waltman Culver City Home Brewing Supply Co.

Response:

BLI think this is a relatively simple, straight-forward question BLrequiring little more than a yes or no response.  Should ALL BLtypes of specialty grains be cracked before steeping???  Intuition BLwould say yes, but I would like to know for certain. Yes. BLAlso: when a recipe calls for the brew to be aged for a few months BLbefore drinking, assuming I am brewing a stout and bottling after BLfermentation, does this aging mean the usual: prime, bottle, after a week BLstore in cool area (refrigerator)–in this case for a few months, then BLenjoy; or is it prime, bottle, let sit at 65-75 degrees for two months, BLthen chill and enjoy??? B.  Let sit at room temp (assuming you beer is an ale) for at least 2 weeks, then chill and enjoy. BLObBeer: I had the distinct pleasure to try several beers that I was prev- BLiously virgin to over this past weekend. BLTo list: Thames Welch Bitter Ale My wife (who normally doesn’t like beer) LOVES this stuff.  If anybody has a recipe that clones it, please send it to me!  Thanks. -=Jeff=- — * CMPQwk #1.4* UNREGISTERED EVALUATION COPY

Response: