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.