blandflakes / brewing Goto Github PK

#Equipment/Techniques:

• Try partial or full mash

#Issues to resolve ##Astringent Taste Consistently appears in nearly every brew. Cream Ale doesn't suffer as much for it...

###Candidates:

• Oxidizing (stopped reracking to secondary, but I autosiphon so that shouldn't be it)
• Adding hops too early (according to a random thread, the malt must be present first).
• Water - could just be chlorine or similar. Going to try Campden tablets.
• Hot steeping - I could have sworn I encountered the weird flavor with recipes lacking speciality grains. However, trying the Irish Red revealed INSANE bitterness. Letting it sit for another couple of weeks, but perhaps paying more attention to the temperature of the water during steeping would resolve this.

##Low Starting Gravity/Low alchol content I need to measure this more consistently, but I think my Original Gravities are starting relatively low. I measured my Rauchbier before much fermentation was underway and got only 1.020. It's possible that more fermentation than I thought had completed, or it's possible that I have little malt.

Another option here is the pitch rate. According to Wyeast, a low pitch rate an contribute to a high terminal gravity. Perhaps I should start making starters (which apparently reduces "off" flavors in most cases anyway (note that some styles benefit from underpitching, like weihenstephan)).

###Solutions:

1. Measure 3 gallon and 5 gallon marks on carboys (to avoid putting too much water in)
2. Be sure to properly mix sugar and extra water
3. Always take the reading
4. If #3 shows consistently low OG, start adding more malt.

#Recipes to try:

• Maple Oatmeal Porter
• Twix Stout
• Espresso Stout
• Sour using wild yeast
• Lambic flavors:
  • Raisin
  • Peach
  • Blueberry
  • Strawberry
  • Current
  • Grape
  • Cloudberry
• Kolsch
• Something with lavender - pale ale?
• Chocolate chip banana whitbread
• English Ale with Brett
• Barleywine
• Blonde Ale
• Cider lambic?
• Zest Bomb
• Fire mead: use peppers
• Who's in the Garden Grand Cru (p 192 of TCJOHB, springish)
• Rhubarb Sour
• [Coors Light clone] (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/coors-light-clone-i-created-ended-up-being-very-awesome-take-look-230070/)
• Marzen

#Near-term schedule: ##Oddities

##Ales

• Cream Ale

##Lagers

• Munich Dunkel (https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/11yw0v/your_advice_please_on_a_spiced_dunkel/)
• Schwarzbier

#"Favorites" Keeping track of success stories here.

##House Brews, by Category ###Light, Refreshing

• Cream Ale - repeatedly delicious. Next time, want to try doing more with it - flaked corn, for example.
• Righteous American Ale

###Wheaty

• Hefeweizen
• Dunkelweizen

###Dark, Winter

• Munich Dunkle
• Schwarzbier

###Unique, Fun

• Rauchbier - turned out delicious, though smoke beer was subtle.
• Spruce - Delicious, interesting. Small quantities, though.

###Crisp, Clean

• Pilsner Urquell
• (Kolsch)

###Filling, Heavy

• Mocha Stout
• Oatmeal Stout