Fallbrook IPA

Grain
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11 lbs American 2 Row (US 2.0 SRM)
3 lbs Munich Malt
.5 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 40L (40.0 SRM)
.25 lbs Smoked Malt (BBQ smell)

Hops
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1 oz Simcoe [13%]- (60 min)
1 oz Chinook  [12%] - (25 min)
1 oz Simcoe [13%] - (15 min)
1 oz - Citra (10%) - (10 min)
.5 oz - Simcoe [13%] - 1 min
.5 oz - Chinook  [12%] - 1 min
.5 oz - Simcoe [13%] - Dry hop 7 days in primary (added Mon)
.5 oz - Chinook  [12%] - Dry hop 7 days in primary (added Mon)

Yeast
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American Ale Yeast Northwest California

SG 1.05 ish

FG 1.005

IBU: 100+

It was a lot of hops! I didn’t get the “piney” flavor I was shooting for. Dialing back the hops to about half of this would maybe produce better results. Nonetheless, it had good clarity and body.

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Gone, But Not Forgotten Session Pale Ale

Probably to start this off, it should be mentioned that this beer costed $16.68 for 44 - 12oz bottles. Also, the name of this beer was developed about 5 months after it was brewed, when I was scrambling to remember what exactly happened on brew day! Luckily I found my receipt from the homebrew shop that helped me with the ingredient list. I was also able to collaborate some of the details out of text conversations between Brett (not brettanomyces) and myself.

Grain

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8lbs Great Western 2 row

1lb Gambrinus Munich Malt

Hops

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1 oz Citra

1 oz Summit

Yeast

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Safale S-04


Brew Day - 08/31/2014
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I don’t really know what happened this day.

Bottling - 11/23/2014

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90 day age! Yield: 36 - 12oz bottles, and 4 - 1.5 pint bottles.

OG: 1.040

FG: 1.006

ABV: 4.5% before bottle conditioning

First Taste - Fallbrook (12/28/2014) 
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I remember Andrew really really enjoying it. I gave him about 8 bottles to take to State College -- the ones we didn't finish at Fallbrook. I didn't really enjoy the brew and I think it was due to traveling. The yeast really flavor really takes over.

Last Taste - 3/6/2015

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Really really clean, clear, and crisp. The hop flavor was still coming through nicely but not overwhelming. I really enjoyed it despite the long wait. It was aging in the basement all winter on the cold cement floor - probably had something to do with the mouthfeel.

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Chrome Pocket Tripel

Grain
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15 lb American 2 Row
1 lb CaraPils

Hops
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2 oz Saaz
1 oz Kent Golding

Yeast
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1 liquid vial of Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong

Other Adds
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1 lb Belgian Candy Sugar Amber
1 lb Honey
1 lb Brown Sugar

Mash Schedule
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Strike water at 162-164°F before mashing in. Heat 3 - 4 gallon of water for sparge to 165°F. Sparge time should be about 30-45 minutes. Desired boil starting volume is 6.5 - 7 gallons

Brew Day - 8/20/2015
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60 min - 1 oz of Saaz hops
30 min - Candy sugar and stir
20 min - 1 oz Kent Golding hops and a pinch of irish moss
15 min - Brown sugar and stir to avoid caramelization
10 min - 1 oz Saaz hops
5 min - Honey while stiring

Fermentation
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Start fermentation in fridge with temperature control. Primary fermentation took place for 7 total days. Started at 64°F and ramped it up to 70°F by the end of the week. Secondary fermentation took place for 17 more days at 70°F.

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Smoked Porter

Grain
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9 lb American 2 Row 
1 lb Munich
1 lb Crystal 80L
8 oz Chocolate Malt 
4 oz Black (Patent) 

Other Adds
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2 cups Brown Sugar
3/4 cup White Sugar
3 cup Oatmeal
.5 lb Smoked Malt (BBQ)
1/2 Tablespoon crushed black pepper (5 min)

Hops
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.5 oz Northern Brewer (60 min)
.5 oz Northern Brewer (30 min)
1 oz Fuggle (10 min)

Notes
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OG: 1.072 (app.)
FG: 1.012
ABV: 7.9
IBU: 30-35

Added small amount of cayenne pepper to some of the bottles. Approximately a "pinky" fingernail" sized piece of pepper with one seed. Delicious outcome.

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Barney's Dead Berry Wheat Beer

Grain
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5 lbs 2 Row
5 lbs Wheat
1 lb Munich Malt

Berries
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3 lbs mulberries
3 lbs black raspberries
1 lb blueberries

Hops
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1 oz Colombia (60 min)

Yeast
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1 pack of dry wheat beer yeast

Other Adds
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3 tangerines zested to avoid white bitters and soaked in 2 oz  soaked in Golden Tequila

Mash Schedule
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Iodine test was good after 1 hour in mash tun.

Brew Day - 6/27/2014
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Brought to boil and liquid was amber and clear with very little sediment.

OG of 1.052 SG

Addition of Berries to Fermentation - 7/2/2014
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SG was 1.010 SG approximately (5.5%). Added berries which were mashed and boiled. Also added zested tangerine skins soaked in Golden Tequila. Tried to take SG reading after adding the berries but the hydrometer showed little difference from 1.010 SG. Yeast activity commenced immediately. 

Baby Sitting Fermentation - 7/3/2014
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In the afternoon it appeared that the airlock was no longer bubbling, I stirred the beer with a sterilized spoon and saw what seemed to be yeast activity in the bucket. Some berries were floating and may not be contributing their full potential of sugar. Temperature for fermentation ran high and blew out out of my airlock. I put it in an ice bath in the old section of basement (not cellar). Brought the temp down from 79°F to 62°F within 24 hours. I then pulled it out of ice bath and let it finish fermenting around 72°F degrees on floor. During secondary fermentation, I noticed the temp was about 72 when airlock was bubbling but next day when stirring it was about 68. The night of the stir it looks like some air pressure built in the airlock but not enough to make it bubble. Still some, but very little fermentation taking place, it is resting around 68°F.

Bottling Day - 7/11/2014

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Bottled and added 2/3 cup sugar for carbonation. Used strainer to pull liquid from berry slush at the bottom of the fermenter. Lost a decent amount of liquid, should have used steeping bags to put berries in. After three weeks bottle aged it tastes very berry like but not very sweet. Great carbonation with a little bitterness though I think its from berry stems rather than hops. No citrus notes but there is lots of berry, tart aftertaste probably from the black raspberries is very noticeable. Everyone seems to enjoy it, because of its purple/red color we are calling it “Barney’s Dead”.

OG - 1.052 (post boil)
FG - estimated at 1.008 or lower
ABV in the range of 5.5% - 6%

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Miller Matrimony Ale

The first beer we made together. In honor of our good friends, Sarah and Jordan who were soon to get married. Their last name would live on to be 'Miller'. The Mr. and Mrs. style labels probably gave the beer a better appearance than it actually tasted.

In addition to the final design printed on the labels, they also provided a written toast, "Join with us in celebrating the union of Jordan and Sarah, two beautiful human beings that have fallen in that playful puppyfest of love. The beer that now resides in your hand or sits at your place setting is a light summer ale. It was brewed with love, fermented with hoppiness, and bottled oh-so-gently by some of the groomsmen. This was planned and accomplished for the sole reason of commemorating this day of joy and celebration! So once again, we extend the invitation to partake in this festival of elation for our friends, who have vowed to leave singleness behind and head out together on life's journey of matrimony! 

Government Warning: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women may get pregnant after drinking too many. (2) Consumption of alcohol may cause crazy nights."

More to come on the details of this one...

Genealogy of the label design:

Some ideas from the groomsmen who have great ideas but lack to tools to make something brilliant:

At this point we drafted Chad's sister to do some "real" work for us. We had the idea of a silhouette, and this is what she came up with. The silhouette was used for the mint "his" version of the label.

Final version of the "her" label

First coral "her" version proof

First mint "his" version proof

Final version of the "his" label

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