Biergarten Table Update

The benches and table have been made. I have started to fill in the sides and cracks. I will sand early this week and then stain. Below are some pics.

Biergarten Table Started

I am making a biergarten table for the Friday night Oktoberfest Kick-Off party. I don't have any specific blueprints, but based on conversations with some folks familiar with wood working, I determined I could use a 3/4" sheet of plywood with framing support on the bottom and metal folding legs. I am making one table at 2'x8' and two benches at 1'x8'. I made the first two benches this past weekend. I will make the table later this week. The sanding and staining will be done this weekend. Below is a pic of the first bench. I'll put up more pics later this week.

American Amber Ale brewed and now fermenting

The amber ale was fermented this past weekend. Last year, due to the Oktoberfest lager failure, I had to bring out different beers for the party. One of the beers was the amber ale. It was wildly popular at the event, so I decided to make it again. Last year I followed a simple extract recipe. This year I decided to do an extract recipe, but I changed the specialty grains, hops, and yeast. I made sure to use three great American hops: Columbus for bittering; Cascade for flavor and aroma; and Centennial for flavor and aroma. I really think this hop blend will improve an already popular beer. I used the Whitelabs California Ale yeast, which is a good well rounded yeast that can be used for a variety of American beers. It is a clean yeast, which will allow the grain and hops flavor to come through. This beer will not go into a secondary and will be kegged the week of Oktoberfest, after a 2-3 week fermenation. It will be second tap at the Oktoberfest Kick-Off event. I think the beer will be a nice complement, due to its similar color to the Oktoberfest lager, and the fruity and hoppy flavor will be a contrast to the smooth tasting lager. The beer should taste similar to a pale ale, but with a bit more character.

Kölsch Style brewed, fermented, and now lagering

My cousin and I made a batch of this last year. I really want to nail down a great recipe for this, so I made a few changes this year. I simplified the grain bill and used good German hops. I also made sure to have a large healthy liquid yeast specifically made for this style of beer. I cooled down the wort in my sink with the ice bath and wort chiller, but it required more chilling in the freezer. The yeast was pitched the next morning and it fermented well for a couple weeks. I transferred it and dropped the temperature to 35 for lagering. The beer should be ready to keg and carbonate in the middle of September. It will not likely be at the Oktoberfest Kick-Off event, but it will be available for sampling if people visit the brewery.

Oktoberfest brewed, fermented, and now lagering

This years Oktoberfest lager was brewed back in early June. It fermented in my new (bought it used) temperature controlled freezer. I changed the grain bill a bit, in an effort to get an even more authentic beer. I changed yeasts this year to Whitelabs, after I had a bad batch of Wyeast last year. The yeast last year resulted in a ruined beer, which required me to present my back-up IPA as the beer for my Oktoberfest Kick-Off event. It all worked out, but it made nervous about trying the Wyeast again. The beer was transferred to the secondary and lagered at 35 degrees all summer long. In the past I was not able to get my temperature controlled fridge down to 35, so I am anxious to see how the freezer will improve lagering. I have sampled the beer at different times, and each time it has tasted good. I will keg this beer during the week of Oktoberfest and it will be the main beer at the Oktoberfest Kick-Off event this year.

2009 Beers to Date

Urban Circulator Doppelbock
-I made some changes to my 2008 recipe and let this lager a bit longer. The end result was a much clearer beer, but the flavor fell out a bit. It also got lower scores at the Bockfest contest. This recipe still needs some work.

Joie de Vivre Belgian Pale Ale
-This beer was a relatively simple extract recipe, but the hop additions and the use of a good Belgian yeast produced one of my most popular beers of the year. Based on the taste and the Belgian/French connection I couldn't resist giving it the name "Joy of Living."

Goathead Wheat Weizenbock
-After drinking one of these at Hofbrauhaus last year I knew I had to give it a try. It is basically a hefeweizen, brewed like an ale, with a hefeweizen yeast. However the addition of specialty grains add some color and flavor, getting it closer to a doppelbock. Also, the strength of the beer (around 8%) is closer to a doppelbock. The beer seemed to get better after a couple months in the fridge. It has a lot of flavor and a nice color. I would like for it to have more of a German hefeweizen taste, with more banana and clove.

G.G. Josie's Secret Batch Pre-Prohibition Pilsner
-In honor of my great grandfather Joseph I made my second version of this fine pilsner. Little was changed with the recipe, but due to a better mash/lauter I was able to get more alcohol out this year. Last year due to an inefficient process, I only got 3% alcohol, and this year I got 6%. This beer is popular among a wide group of individuals visiting my brewery, and I think it could easily be ready for production. This an excellent post-lawnmower beer.

Wee Heavy #22 Scotch Ale
-When you find something that works, don't change it! That is how I feel about this beer, I have made it three times and have not changed the recipe. This is my favorite beer. Although this year I had to use White Labs instead of Wyeast for the yeast, so the smoky smell (not flavor) from Wyeast was missing. Otherwise it was a very smooth, sweet tasting, and malty beer which is great as a dessert or with a cigar on a late night.

Wheat-ees Hefeweizen
-This is my third attempt at a hefeweizen, and I made some more changes to the recipe. Unfortunately the store was out of wheat and only had white wheat. The end result was a lighter colored beer with a lighter taste. The beer is also not as cloudy as I like. The beer has a very clean taste, and the banana is apparent. I wish the flavor was a bit stronger, and I would like for the clove to come out in the flavor. This beer is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

LONG DELAY

This poor blog has been neglected, but as most of you know, the brewing has not stopped. In 2008 I made a total of 12-14 beers, depending on how you count. The beers in order were:
1. Urban Circulator (Doppelbock)
2. House Pale Ale
3. Old 49er Steam
4. G.G. Josie's Secret Batch (Pre-Prohibition Pilsner)
5. 200 ML (Kölsch Style)
6. WHEAT-EES (Hefeweizen)
7. Wee Heavy #22 (Scotch Ale)
8. AAA (American Amber Ale)
9. OPA (Oktoberfest India Pale Ale)
10. Ghost of Christmas Present English Barleywine
11. Santa's Oatmeal Cookie Stout
12. Griswold's Yule Log Spiced Christmas Ale

The beers not making the list are the Oktoberfest lager, which had some bad yeast and contamination. It was very unfortunate, but luckily I had an IPA ready, as I knew the Oktoberfest was really iffy. The cider made in the fall was also not a success.

The Christmas beers were a success yet again, and everyone loved the gift packs. It was a good way to end the year and start 2009.

Oktoberfest still going

I transferred the Oktoberfest into the five gallon secondary. Unfortunately I had to throw away about a 1/4-1/3 of a gallon, because I had over five gallons in the primary. The beer tasted normal, but it definitely needs more time. It did not have a fruity ale taste, so it appears the fermentation was at a good temperature and it went ok. I was concerned when the yeast initially did not start. I have gradually lowered the fridge to the low 40's, after a fermentation around 55-57. The beer will continue to lager until the end of the month when I put it in a keg.

Amber Ale bottled

The Amber Ale has been bottled and has carbonated. I used the carb drops, in place of corn sugar. Yet again this seemed to work quit well. The beer was carbonated in just over a week, while corn sugar usually takes 2-3 weeks. The carbonation was also better than usual with creamy small bubbles, and it left a nice film on the side of the glass as it sloshed around.

Cider fermenting

I have started another attempt at a hard cider. This recipe builds on the recipe I used in November, which had an apple juice base along with some malt and sugar. I used cane sugar and lactose, with the lactose as a non-fermentable sugar contributing only sweetness and mouthful. Hopefully the lactose will solve the problem of the cider not being sweet enough. I also switched brands of apple juice. For this recipe I went back to yeast specifically made for cider, although I had trouble getting the yeast to start, so I added some ale yeast. I will sample the cider next week when it is transferred, and determine if more lactose is needed. Unfortunately the alcohol will be a bit high, sitting around 6-7%. Click here to read about my last attempt at cider.

Amber Ale brewed

Last week I brewed an Amber Ale. I have not attempted this style of beer. It is an American style, which has a nice malt and caramel flavor from the crystal malt and roasted barley. The hops are Centennial, which has a citrusy aroma and taste somewhat like Cascade. The hops will be most noticeable in the aroma, and it will not be bitter like a Pale Ale or IPA. The name comes from the color that is produced by the specialty grains. This beer is quick maturing, as it is ready less than a month after brewing.

Oktoberfest brewed and fermenting

Another repeat recipe from last year is my Oktoberfest lager. Click here to read a post from last year. This beer is fermenting at 55 degrees in order to produce a smooth taste. I initially had trouble with the yeast pack, but with a second yeast pack I was able to get the wort to start fermentation. I will transfer it by the end of the month, lower the temperature for the secondary down into the 40's, and keg it in mid August for the festival in September.

Scotch Ale brewed, fermented, and bottled

In the time it took me to update this blog, my 2008 batch of Scotch Ale has been brewed, fermented, and bottled. I will sample a bottle next week for carbonation, but the beer will benefit from a few months of time. This beer was my favorite from last year, so I did not change a thing with the recipe. I was able to fill all 22 lbs. of grain into my new mash/lauter tun. Click here to read my post from last year regarding this beer.

Hefeweizen Brewed and on Tap

The Label

With the start of summer I wanted to have a hefeweizen on tap. With classes over I finally had time to brew. I brewed this last year and was quite pleased, but I still wanted to make a more authentic recipe. This recipe used 50% wheat, hersbrucker hops, and an authentic German yeast. I tend to prefer the German recipes with the banana esters and clove phenols coming through.

This was a difficult brew, starting with the mash/lauter tun clogging while I sparged. After transferring, I bumped the empty primary into the sink and the carboy shattered. When I grabbed the Old 49er Steam keg, I found that it was not empty, but instead had 1-1.5 gallons left, which I put into a couple growlers. During this process I was removing some beer from the fridge and one six pack broke and beer bottles shattered on the floor. My bucket with sanitizer started leaking and 1-2 gallons emptied onto the floor.

As you can see, this beer has a very similar beer label as the one in 2007, although I did put on the new brewery logo and changed the picture of the old men drinking.

The beer still needs to carbonate a bit, but the taste is great, as it has the esters and phenols I like. If the carbonation comes through, it should have a good head as well. It is cloudy, just as desired, although I could have done a better job avoiding sediment when transferring from the secondary.

Pre-Prohibition on Tap

The Label

My Great-Granddad secretly brewed beer in his basement for his workers on the farm to consume. It was a family secret, and according to my Great-Grandma he was making root beer. The recipe for this beer, as described in the previous post is based on what would have been made by a German farmer living in the United States before the prohibition.

I named the beer G.G. Josie's Secret Batch, because my Great-Granddad (G.G.) Joseph was called Josie and he secretly brewed this beer. I was named after my Great-Granddad, so I thought I would honor him by making a beer with his name. I put his wedding picture on the label.

The beer is the lightest color I have ever had with a homebrew, and it is quite clear. There is not much of an aroma, but the hops are definitely noticeable in the taste. The corn flavor really comes through. These beer is light, registering at 3.3%, which is perfect for a lawnmower beer in the summer.

Two Taps

I have cut out the shelves on the door to the fridge in my garage, which has allowed me fit more items in the fridge. At this point I can fit the CO2 tank, regulator, hoses, two 5-gallon kegs, and a 5 or 6 gallon carboy. In summary, I can now have two beers on tap.

Kölsch Bottled and Ready

The Label

My brother and cousin came over to the house to bottle the Kölsch, while I studied for finals. The bottles were carbonated with corn sugar, which Jamie measured based on weight.

I named the beer 200 ml, because the beer is supposed to be served in a 200 ml (6.7 oz.) glass. We were able to get a hold of some of these glasses, shipped originally from Cologne, Germany. The beer is called a Kölsch style, because the European Union protects the name Kölsch, as it can only use that name if it is made in Cologne, Germany. Kölsch receives the same protection as Champagne.

Kölsch started

I am proud to say the fifth beer of the year has been started. You may be wondering why I pump out so many beers in February and March, and I will point out that due to school I will have no time in April and I want the beers to be ready when I finish finals in May. Simple answer huh? My cousin Jamie came down to Cincinnati to brew with me. Just in case you did not know, Jamie gave me my first pieces of equipment for brewing, some of which I still use today. Jamie graciously purchased all of the ingredients. We were very fortunate to find the proper German hops, Spalt and Hersbrucker, which were essential for this style. Kölsch is a German ale, that is slowly gaining popularity in the US, almost exclusively as an import, although there are some domestic brands out there. The beer is sometimes confused for a lager, but it does use top fermenting ale yeast, although it is brewed at low temperatures for an ale. The yeast prefers 50-60 degrees. It is sitting in my basement brewing closet just under 60 degrees. The beer is low on hops, and the alcohol will be just over 4% in this recipe. The appearance of the beer will be a light color, and it should be fairly clear. My mission before this beer is bottled, is to find the proper glass, which is in the picture below.

Old 49er Steam on Tap

Hopefully you did not miss a chance to drink the Pale Ale, because the keg was finished and now the Steam beer is on tap. I will eventually buy a second keg, but one is enough for now. In a previous post I described Steam beer. I named it "Old 49er Steam" because the beer has its roots in California in the 1840s during the goldrush. Below is the label I have made for the handful of bottles I filled, and it is displayed on the kegerator. I think the beer turned out nicely, it is a smooth taste that will be refreshing as the spring weather starts to warm up.

Pre-Prohibition Pilsner started

I brewed another lager, this one is a pilsner in a style similar to what was brewed in the early 20th century before the prohibition. Most homebrewers back then used 6-row malted barley, as modified 2-row was not as widely available. Adjuncts such as corn and rice were used to provide an easily converted starch. My particular recipe used corn. I decided not to use 6-row barley, as this would make the mash/lauter process less efficient. As recommended by Chuck at Listermanns, I used cluster hops and northern brewer hops and a pilsen lager yeast.

Bockfest in the Snow

Despite mother nature, we attended Bockfest on both Friday and Saturday night. On Thursday night a snow storm was confirmed to be on track to hit the city Friday morning. Some of our out of town guests were able to hit the road Thursday night or early Friday to avoid the storm. Unfortunately the parade on Friday night was canceled. On Friday night we got a group together at my brother's house and enjoyed some beer from Party Source, and then we finished the night downtown at Bockfest. The crowd was low, but we weren't the only ones to brave the weather. On Saturday the group met at my place and some people played Mario Kart, while some of us brewed a batch of steam beer. Urban Circulator Doppelbock was premiered and received good reviews, although a few bottles gushed. The beer contest on Saturday was postponed to Sunday. Saturday night we went down to Grammer's, a historic bar in Cincinnati, which recently re-opened. We enjoyed the basement and some expensive glasses of Ayinger Celebrator.

Steam beer started

Last weekend we had a group brew, as a daytime activity during Bockfest. We made a clone of Anchor Steam, which is a lager brewed like an ale. The basic story I have read indicates that back in the mid 1800s in California the goldminers needed beer, so the Germans setup shop in California. At the time, and still today, the most popular style of beer was lager, which used a special bottom fermenting yeast and is fermented at lower temperatures. In the midwest and east coast, brewers used caves, frozen rivers and ponds, or they harvested ice to ferment the beer at lower temperatures. In California the brewers did not have access to cold caves, frozen rivers, frozen ponds, or ice, so they were forced to brew at warmer temperatures more typical for ales. When a lager is brewed at warmer temperatures there are some strange off flavors that are produced, so the brewers experimented with the recipe and found the proper types and amount of hops to balance the taste. This beer will be my next keg beer, once I finish the Pale Ale, so make sure you stop by to try one.

Urban Circulator places 4th!

Näf-Woods Homebrew placed fourth in the bock beer competition in Cincinnati last weekend. I am very happy with that result. It was my first entry into a homebrew contest, and it was my first attempt at a bock beer, more specifically a doppelbock. I assume most people refine recipes with multiple batches before submitting to a contest. Evidently the contest drew entries from all across the world as first place went to someone from Cincinnati, second went to someone in Texas, and third went to someone in Brazil. I got some helpful feedback. The biggest problem was that the bottles gushed when opened, which I actually noticed as well. I am guessing this happened because the bottles never sat in the fridge after carbonating, which was due to my short timeline. Because the beers sat at basement temperature and were not chilled until the day of the competition, they did not have time to settle down. I hope this is the first of many contests I will enter.

Näf-Woods Homebrew in competition!

I am proud to announce that Näf-Woods Homebrew has entered its first beer competition. The Bloatarian Brewing League, a local group, has sponsored a homebrew bock competition, which will put some of the areas best homebrewers against each other as trained officials will judge the beers based on BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) standards in this BJCP sanctioned event. These are the same standards that are used in competitions all across the country. Judges consider the aroma, appearance, flavor, and mouthfeel. The judges hold to strict guidelines within each type of beer, so it is possible to have an excellent beer, but if it does not fit the strict guidelines it will not receive a high score. The competition will occur this Saturday at the Bockfest Hall at 12:00. I hope you can make it down to support me, and try some of the beers made by local homebrewers. After the competition I hope to get a group together to brew a beer, look for more details in a future post. My doppelbock beer will be officially unveiled at a happy hour on Saturday night, look for details in a future post.

Doppelbock Update

I sampled the doppelbock last weekend, and I am very happy. It tastes great and it is done carbonating. As suggested by my brother, I have named my doppelbock, "Urban Circulator" in honor of the streetcar proposal that would help further develop the Over the Rhine area, which is where Bockfest occurs, and it is a very historic German and brewing area in Cincinnati. Be sure to join the festivities this weekend, as I am sure this beer will be consumed rather quickly.

Below is the label I created.

Another Bockfest Video

Ok, so if you look really close at the end of this video you will see our float from last year.

Bockfest Video and Schedule

Video from bockfest.com

Bockfest is almost here, one more week... Click here to see pictures and info about the festival from last year. Click here to visit the official website. Look for more Bockfests post in the coming days.

Tentative Schedule
Friday, March 7
5:30 Parade starts at Arnolds (we will have an entry)
After that we will visit Kaldi's, Bockfest Hall, Gramer's, and some others.

Saturday, March 8
Tentatively planned group brewing of a beer at my place
Early evening-sampling of my Doppelbock homebrew and snacks
Evening-Back to the festival to visit the establishments

Sunday, March 9
Prohibition Tour
Visit the festival one last time

Pale Ale going fast

The Pale Ale in my keg is going fast as I share it with family and friends. I have been quite satisfied with the level of carbonation and the ease of dispensing the beer. I force carbonated it and I turn the gas on when dispensing, but leave it off at other times to avoid any CO2 loss through potential leaks. The picnic tap is working just fine. I am realizing that I may need to start my next keg beer shortly, since it will take 2-3 weeks to ferment. Below is the label for the handful of bottles I filled.

Doppelbock in bottles

This past weekend I bottled the doppelbock. The beer will condition in the bottles for the remaining three weeks before the festival. I plan to share the beer as we make the float for the parade and then it will be officially unveiled on Saturday, March 8 of Bockfest weekend. As I cleaned, rinsed, sanitized, filled, and capped the 52 bottles that were needed, I realized that I need to start kegging more beers. This is my first lager of the year.

Pale Ale is on tap!

I have kegged my first beer! I force carbonated an American Pale Ale on Saturday, and had a sampling that night. I was happy with the taste, although the carbonation was better on Sunday night. You will have to stop by the house to try this beer, and be sure to do it soon, because it may not last very long. I am already planning my next kegged beer.