Three Wheats

Now for the third edition of the wheat beer piloting progress:

Wheat Beer
Style: American Wheat
Malt: American 2-Row, CaraWheat, Munich, Wheat
Hops: Amarillo
ABV: ~ 4.2%
Playlist: New Music Brewday, checking out all the albums I have gotten recently

Not that it is any different than the current amount of blogging, but this will probably be the only post for about a week as I am taking a trip to Chicago.

Right now the details of the lease are getting sorted out.  I wish it wasn't such a pain to agree to terms, never thought it would be, but it is business and both sides are just looking out for their businesses.  It is okay for me right now that it is getting delayed a bit, because it is giving me a little more time to get the last pieces of financing to fall into place.  Don't hold me to this, but on May 1st, Payette Brewing will likely have a home!  (Not brewing, just have possession of a building to start construction in)

I was planning for these three Wheat Beer pilots to be the first official tasting at the new location, but it looks like I'll have to make a new series of beers.  Since IPA is the overwhelming favorite in the poll, plan on the first customer tasting panel to be for the future Payette Brewing IPA.  Details to come, so be sure to check back (once a week is probably plenty right now).

Gotta Hop!

Round 2

Continuing on with my Wheat Beer pilots I make some blind changes to the next batch.  Since the last one is still fermenting, I have no reference for where to make changes, so I am just making minor adjustments to make a different beer to compare to.  I am going to use some new techniques for hopping this one, since I think the last one is going to be on the bitter side.

Wheat
Style: American Wheat
Malt: American 2-Row, Munich, Wheat
Hops: Sorachi Ace
ABV: ~ 4.2%
Playlist: Bill Simmons NCAA Tournament Preview Mega-Podcast

I have been using the Sorachi Ace hops quite a bit lately because they are relatively new (new to me at least) and I want to try out what sort of beer they could work in.  In some ways this is similar to my Citra hop experiment a year ago where I figured the Citra characteristics could work well in a Wheat Beer.  People enjoy a lemon or orange in their wheat beers (I personally don't do this, but I wont stop anyone, to each his own) so I am trying to get the lemon flavor from the Sorachi Ace into the beer so the fruit can be left out.

While I am brewing I am planning on writing a few posts that will run later in the week that don't deal with recipe development.  It is sort of getting boring for me and I am sure boring for a reader who doesn't even get the chance to try any (at least not yet).

Back in Action

It has been almost two weeks since I brewed and posted, unacceptable I know.  With the blog I have found I either have tons of time with nothing to say, or no time and too much to say.  In this case it is really just not enough time.

After going through a few cycles of my Amber, Brown, IPA and Pale with different yeast strains, I am going to do a few different wheat beers over the next 2+ weeks.  I am focusing on making an American Wheat as opposed to the German Hefeweizen.  The biggest difference in the two styles really comes from two byproducts of fermentation, 4-vinyl guaiacol and isoamyl acetate.  Those two produce the Clove and Banana flavors traditionally found in a German Hefeweizen and are not in American Wheats.  There is generally more hop aroma and bitterness in American versions, but they are not usually "hoppy" (although Three Floyd's Gumballhead is hoppy and delicious).

After that style and science lesson here are some specs for this beer.

Name: Suggestions Welcome
Style: American Wheat
Malt: American 2-Row, Munich, Wheat
Hops: Citra, Magnum
ABV: ~ 4.2%
Playlist: Going through the "J" section of iTunes, Jack Ingram, Jack Johnson, Jay-Z etc (good stylistic mix)

IPA's, Brown's and More

I love days like today; I get to make beer, have a productive and exciting meeting, and when that is all over I get to go to McCall to "work" for two days (by work I mean get paid to ski).

I took some bottles of my IPA and Brown down to Bittercreek yesterday to let them try it and get some feedback from them.  From what I heard, I am on track with my IPA, everyone seemed to have great things to say about it and I was also able to get some places for improvement.  The Brown got more of a passing grade, hence why I am taking another stab at it today.  The biggest criticism was the lack of body in the beer, something that I knew was going to happen midway through brewing it.  Good thing is I know what went wrong and as I type this, this batch is spot on with my numbers and should have the body I am looking for while keeping the clean American hop profile.

Mutton Buster

Style: American Brown Ale
Malts: American 2-Row, Aromatic, Brown, Chocolate, Crystal
Hops: Magnum, Amarillo
ABV: 5.3%
Playlist: Apocalyptica, there is something about cello's playing rock music that is too sick for words

In other news, I had a good meeting with my real estate guy this morning.  I will continue to be quiet and mysterious about the details, but I am in the process of securing a home for Payette Brewing Co.  Once I sign on the dotted line, information will be readily available.  I dont want to show my hand just yet...

Gotta Hop

IPA

I am back at it again, making another batch of IPA.  The last one I made is just about ready and this recipe is similar with a few minor changes.  I sampled the last batch although it was a bit under-carbonated to decide what to do on this one.  The main thing I am working on it increasing the hop flavors, the last one is great in the bitterness and aroma, but I want to boost up the flavor a bit.  Saying that, I am very pleased with the last batch, it is a total citrus bomb and the lemony taste of the Sorachi definitely comes through and works with the more traditional citrus flavors like grapefruit and orange.

IPA

Style: Northwest IPA
Malts: American 2-Row, Crystal, Munich
Hops: Amarillo, Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, Sorachi Ace
ABV: ~ 6.5%
Playlist: The Wu-Tang did it right last time, so let's do it again


The Amber, Brown and Pale are in various stages of readiness, so far so good.

About Lagers

If you haven't noticed, I haven't been making lagers and only have one (Pilsner) listed on the blog poll.  I have been ignoring a huge range of styles and it wont continue much longer.  Lagers are definitely overlooked by the craft beer community and I plan to make a few at Payette Brewing.  The reason that I haven't been making them is my current set-up doesn't give me quite enough control over fermentation to properly ferment and mature the different styles of lagers.  There is something about lagers that fascinated me, but right now I don't feel that I can do them justice. 

For all you fans of Pilsners, Bocks, Vienna Lagers and plenty of other styles, your beers will come, don't worry.

Pale Ale Pilot

I am running out of the big Pale Ale batch I made at Schooner Exact so it's time to brew up another (that beer really should be gone, but I keep making new stuff that gets drank first). I am to the point where I think I have a good recipe down.  Like all of the beers, the exact recipe wont be decided until after holding taste panels of brewery fans, this batch is trying to work out another option.

Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale
Malt: American 2-Row, Crystal, Wheat
Hops: Bravo, Cascade, Crystal
ABV: ~ 5%

I brewed this beer yesterday, but since I put up a post yesterday and my updating is spotty at best I figured I would spread out what I do put up.