Sunset Stout #1

Brewed: 24 January 2016
OG: 1.053
Target: 1.042-1.044
Bottled: 28 February 2016
F.G: 1.014
Target: 1.009-1.010
Estimated IBU: 36
Estimated ABV: 5.2%
Target ABV: 4.2%

This recipe is taken from Beer Captured and I will not therefore reprint the whole of it here.

Extract and specialty grains combined in this brew to approximate Beamish Irish Stout.


I can't say for sure that it's close or not as I couldn't remember the last time I had a Beamish. It is however, quite good with a few caveats.

Nearly all black in color this stout pours with a moderate tawny head that does not last. Likely due in part to the fact that I chose to more lightly carbonate this batch than suggested.

The bottom of the glass finishes clean and despite the beer's darkness it is obviously nicely cleared.

I would imagine that if the target ABV was closer than a full point away it may not seem as thin flavor wise as I feel this is.

I ended up using some non-recipe hops I had to approximate the required bitterness as the hops I received through mail order had a much lower AA% than I had expected based on the average. There is likely some flavor skew because of this but not enough to be notable.

Strange to be off the numbers by so much in an extract recipe. The primary difference may come from not knowing if one of the ingredients should have been a liquid ounce or weighed ounce. I went with liquid perhaps increasing my OG by 10 points.

All in all, not bad...but not quite.

Smoky IPA

4 lbs. Maris Otter
4 lbs. Weyermann Rauchmalt
4 lbs. Briess 2-Row Pale
1 oz. UK Roasted Barley

4 AAU      German Hersbrucker
2.7 AAU   German Hallertau
12.4 AAU German Magnum
10.5 AAU German Northern Brewer

Wyeast 1056 American Ale

Brewed: 3 April 2016

Single infusion mash
90 minutes 154° F

Calculated OG to fermenter: 1.061 @ 75% efficiency.
Measured OG at fermenter 1.067

Originally, I had planned to do a Märzen as is tradition once March comes. Unfortunately my schedule and the weather conspired against me. When I finally found some time, I made this essentially unplanned recipe.

Notes to come.

Back in Action - Sunset House and the Burnt offering.

After moving to my own home and having the space I have shifted at long last to all grain brewing.

It took some time to get up and running but after finally getting off my butt I have gathered up some new gear and restarted brewing with real interest again.

The new setup and location is affectionately referred to as Sunset House. If I ever get around to designing some lettering that I don't detest I may make labels for my bottles in the future.

The burnt offering is the unfortunate moniker of the first new brew with the new gear in the new place. Sadly, five minutes before the end of the boil the whole batch caramelized to the point of burning. It was a new burner and I was not prepared for how hot it would be, clearly. I figured what the hell though and fermented that batch anyhow. Curiously it offered the same weird high readings as the batch I had mentioned a few years ago. Wildly off the chart and completely unmeasurable. This time I could confirm that with two hydrometers and a spectrometer. I'm presuming that the free floating burnt sugar and hops debris renders it nigh impossible to actually get a reading.

Fermenting went fine. Strangely I still have no carbonation. It has been quite some time too. I bottled on the 10th of January. I'm not keeping the faith on that one.

About to come of age is another Dry Stout. Only two weeks in the bottle so far so we'll see what happens. 

Behind that is an ale in secondary. So far so good.

I had planned on a lager next but the unseasonable warmth has changed that plan so I'm not certain what's to come.