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.