Munich Madness Bock - Feb 12, 2011

Well last year I bought a chest freezer and a temp controler so that I could do a lager and I am finally getting around to do it. I had some breiss munich extract I was looking to use up and so I check around the internet and found this recipe, which is actually on the briess website.

Munich Madness Bock

Recipe for 5 US gallons (19L)
Description: Steeping caramel and chocolate malts adds just the right touch of deep flavor to this rich and malty
traditional German lager.

Quantity Ingredients Comment
6.6 lbs Briess CBW® Munich LME
1.5 lbs Briess CBW® Pilsen DME
1 lb Briess Caramel Malt 90L
2 oz Briess Dark Chocolate Malt
1 oz Hallertau Pelletized Hops 45 min boil time
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 vial WLP833 German Bock

Brewing Procedures:
1. Steep grain in 5 gallons 150-180®F water for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Add CBW® Munich LME and Briess CBW Pilsen DME.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Add hops and boil for 30 minutes.
6. Add Irish Moss & boil for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from heat.
8. Cool, oxygenate wort and pitch yeast.

Fermentation:
Primary: 3 weeks at 55ºF
Secondary: 4 weeks at 35ºF
Original Gravity: 1.068
Final Gravity: 1.018
Alcohol by vol: 6.6%
IBU: 24
Color: 41º L


I Actually used the White labs Southern german lager yeast which is WLP838 instead, but it still should fit the style well.

This is the biggest beer I have done to date, and should come in at around 6.5 percent abv. Being that it was a big beer and a cold ferment I knew I was going to need alot of yeast. Starting about 6 days before brew day, I steped up a starter every couple of days until brew day. I still wasnt totally convinced I had enough, so I tossed one extra vial in.

Well something had to have gone right with the yeast because it was bubbling away before I went to bed that night.

Im watching the ferment and plan to do a diacetyl rest when I see the fermentation start to slow down. Then its into the fridge at 35 degrees for the next 6 months as I dont plan on cracking one until my birthday in july.

The timing on this one was good, because I am planing on brewing an oktoberfest this year and I will be able to use the cake on this one for that brew, so no starter needed.

Brewers Best - Scottish Ale - Jan 14,2011

This was my 4th brewers best kit, and one I have been looking forward to trying. Im a big fan of malty beers, so this should be right up my alley. This kit comes with the following ingredients.

FERMENTABLES
3.3 lb. Amber LME
1 lb. Amber DME
SPECIALTY GRAINS
4 oz. Caramel 60L
4 oz. Smoked
4 oz. Chocolate
1 oz. Roasted Barley
HOPS
.5 oz. Bittering - Palisades
.5 oz. Aroma - Palisades

There isnt much hops in this one, and I have never tried palisades hops, so I dont really know what to expect.

I brewed this in the driveway on my turkey fryer, and it was pretty damn cold out, but I was able to keep the temp where I needed it and everything went off without a hitch brewing wise.

I brought in inside to cool in the sink, using a mixture of snow and water to cool it down. It comes with Dynstar Windsor yeast. I rehydrated the yeast will the wort was cooling and was a little put off by the lack of action of this yeast while rehydrating. The nottingham bubbled up really nice. So I pitch the yeast put on the top and set it downstairs. Day 1, no airlock activity. Day 2 , no airlock activity. Day 3, no airlock activity. With the lack of activity rehydrating it and since pitching, I think I got some bad yeast. So I head off to the store to see if I can find another pack of Windsor yeast, no luck.
I did pick up some safale 05 and that kicked off right away and fermented out nicely, this one is now in the keg for aging.