It has been a while since I tried brewing my black ale using the BIAB method due to the constant failure I have been experiencing: first it was totally undrinkable and went down the drain, and the second time I ended up with a mild. I took the plunge and tried again and I think I'm finally making some progress: a good porter that disguises itself as a black ale - not the best, … [Read more...]
Cranberry Ale Brewing Day – Getting ready for Thanksgiving
We do Thanksgiving every year - it is one of those things my wife insists is part of our life. Despite the fact she hasn't lived in the USA for nearly 10 years now and I never did (only visited), we mark Thanksgiving every year on the last Saturday of November (no days off for a Thursday...). I have no doubt that we will continue having Thanksgiving in our house in the coming … [Read more...]
When IBU goes insane
I'm making my own recipes as I go along, and I usually only learn what I have done after the fact - after I have made the beer, tasted and then tried to recreate it - that is when I try to understand what and how to make it better. In my recent checks on my latest beers I did some IBU calculations using Brewer's Friend IBU Calculator - and I was shocked! My latest beers, … [Read more...]
Black Wheat Brewing Day
After making my last wheat beer, I ended up with more wheat than I had planned, so I decided to try and make a different take on the wheat beer: a black wheat beer. I don't know what I have with trying to make a black version of various styles, maybe I just enjoy seeing people's expression when they taste a different flavour than they expect. In any case, making a black wheat … [Read more...]
IPA Brewing Day
I've dabbled in making an IPA a couple of times, but never really successfully. My biggest mistake was, well, not really getting what an IPA is. Basically, it is: a strong mild/pale ale that has more hops added in the boil and a lot more added as a dry hop. Essentially, you want to make a higher gravity beer that will have more in the hops front and a lot of dry hopping. My … [Read more...]