tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11294559266470311912023-11-16T09:16:14.029-08:00French Street BreweryCome see what's cooking!M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-67175916515877743542014-09-15T17:13:00.001-07:002014-09-15T17:13:29.064-07:00A New Brew For YouIt was the <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2007/09/sir-brown.html">8th of September in 2007</a> when I started this blog. Seven years later I'm calling it quits. I've had fun.<br />
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I won't stop writing about brewing--I'll just do it <a href="http://markcoconnor.com/2014/09/15/a-man-a-plan-a-brew/">somewhere else</a>.<br />
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Thanks for reading.<br />
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--Mark<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>a.d. XVII Kal.Oct. </i></span><br />
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p.s. I brewed <a href="http://markcoconnor.com/2014/09/15/a-man-a-plan-a-brew/">a batch</a> today.<br />
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p.p.s. My new location is <span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://markcoconnor.com/">markcoconnor.com</a> </b></span><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-77675756810227150192014-07-30T10:50:00.001-07:002014-07-30T10:50:23.610-07:00Early HarvestThis crazy summer of hot, hot days and relentless sun has all the plants around the house behaving as if it were fall already. I've harvested mature cones just this week from my Cascade <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bine">bines</a>. That's <a href="http://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/PacWest/Corvallis/ncgr/humulus/huminfo.html"><i>Humulus lupulus</i></a> below and not its botanical relative (note they are both in the family <a href="https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=Cannabaceae"><i>Cannabaceae</i></a>).<br />
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Like cannabis the cultivars are usually female clones and propagated vegetatively. I purchased rhizomes from <a href="http://freshops.com/">Freshops</a> to start my crop. They produce a seedless flower and ultimately a fruit that contains oil glands that yield a variety of compounds that contribute both flavor and aroma to beer. Hops contain organic acids that isomerize during the boil and become bitter-flavored. That bitterness balances the sugars from the malt and rescues beer from being just another insipid too-sweet drink. The chemical cocktail is also bacteriostatic--hops are a natural preservative.<br />
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They are beautiful plants and do very well in our area. They take a fair bit of water but they grow like mad and have to be pruned and trained on to a trellis or framework. Commercially about a ton of hops can be produced from an acre of land. With 35,000 acres or so in the US, about 70 million pounds of hops were harvested in 2013, worth about 250 million dollars (source: <a href="http://www.usahops.org/userfiles/image/1388461395_National%20Hop%20Report-NASS%2012-13.pdf">USDA</a>).<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">a.d. III Kal.Aug.</span></i>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-86963105924069956552014-06-09T13:00:00.003-07:002014-06-09T13:38:22.826-07:00All goneTen gallons of beer is 80 pints, and we pounded all of them in a few short hours on Saturday. My retirement party was a smashing success and everyone loved the brews. The <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/04/blackhorse-ale.html"><b>Blackhorse Ale</b></a> was a smooth, easy-drinking, full-flavored porter that ticked the meter at about 5% abv. Perfect for a party. I really liked the way it came out. There was a nice complexity to the malt flavor, lots of interacting notes but none dominating. I think I got the bittering just right--you could really taste the malt but the beer wasn't sweet at all and had a clean, dry finish. I kept the mash temperature high on this one and got the body and mouthfeel I wanted. The <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/04/xxx-retirement-pale-ale.html"><b>XXX: Retirement Pale Ale</b></a> was a different animal--I wanted something light and thirst-quenching. The final color was dark honey, or mostly golden with amber highlights from the crystal malt (actually CaraMunich). It was also a five-percenter as I'm a session ale sort of fellow. I added only homegrown Cascade hops and concentrated on flavor and aroma. I kept the bittering low, just enough to notice it but not assertive like in an IPA. I wanted the garden freshness to come through and it did! The nose was distinctive with some apple, grapefruit, and even a touch of pine. Again, the finish was crisp and dry, but this one had a nice lingering tingle on the tongue. The multiple straight-from-the-garden hop additions gave the beer a rough-around-the-edges quality, but the flip side was you could really taste all the flavors the cones had to offer. Two different but complementary brews. The only sad part is that there's none of it left to enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>a.d. V Id. Iun.</i></span><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-60318656051543059592014-05-27T18:15:00.001-07:002014-05-27T18:15:13.646-07:00Party On!I've got ten gallons of homebrew chilling nicely right now. The <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/04/blackhorse-ale.html"><b>Blackhorse Ale</b></a> has been refrigerated since the thirteenth of the month. The <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/04/blackhorse-ale.html"><b>XXX Pale</b></a> has been nestled up against it since the twenty-second. By the time of my retirement party--the seventh of June--they should be fully conditioned and ready for serving. I think a minimum of two weeks in the keg at 34ºF or so is essential to the finished product. I always find the beer to be cleaner and crisper if I'm patient and give it time to settle.<br />
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I added a sack of homegrown hops to the keg with the <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/04/xxx-retirement-pale-ale.html"><b>XXX Pale</b></a>. We'll see how that works.<br />
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If you are reading this, you are invited to my party. Four p.m., <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/211+Henig+Way/@41.739472,-122.656137,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x54ce45e4ab1e5efd:0xa3a56304672bf210"><b>211 Henig</b></a>, Yreka.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>a.d. VI Kal.Iun.</i></span><br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-47815208392187451592014-04-27T17:54:00.002-07:002014-04-27T17:55:45.308-07:00XXX: Retirement Pale AleI figured I had to have a pale ale to complement <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/04/blackhorse-ale.html"><b>the porter</b></a> for my <a href="http://tenpoundpress.blogspot.com/2014/04/xxx-easter-break.html"><b>big shindig</b></a> so I brewed a nice golden today with my homegrown hops. I used an ounce of the garden-produced Cascades for bittering and added a half ounce apiece at 15 minutes remaining in the boil (for flavor) and 5 minutes left (for aroma). I think I might stick a sack of the same in the keg or the carboy as well to capture that fresh, citrusy bouquet in the finished brew. We'll see how it turns out. Ten pounds of 2-row and a pound of CaraMunich produced five gallons at 12ºP (1.048) which is just about right. Again I used the Safale-05 for a clean ferment with none of the lingering yeastiness I sometimes get from the 04 variety. Another successful brew day, plus a <a href="http://raisingmattcain.blogspot.com/2014/04/vogelright.html"><b>series sweep</b></a> by the Giants!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">a.d.V Kal.Mai.</span></i><br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-4868706220369751302014-04-20T16:11:00.001-07:002014-04-21T09:57:41.584-07:00Blackhorse AleMy pal Tad is a veteran of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, known as the "Blackhorse Regiment." Since he's throwing my retirement party, I asked him what kind of beer I should brew for the event. He answered "porter" without hesitation. So I am cooking up five gallons of a dark brew today and it seemed fitting to call it "Blackhorse Ale."<br />
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I started with 10 pounds of 2-row malt and added a pound each of 420ºL Carafa II black malt and 28ºL CaraMunich. I had a couple of ounces of black patent left over from stout making and I tossed that in as well. I mashed with 12 quarts of liquor, striking at 180ºF and holding between 154-158ºF for an hour. It was a nice, thick mash and I tried to shoot for the higher end of the saccharification range in order to get more body in the beer and a little lower alcohol. I made only one hop addition--an ounce of Northern Brewer (α-acids 8.4%) for bittering.<br />
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I like Safale-05, the so-called American Ale variety. It seems to leave a cleaner, more neutral flavor than the Safale-04 without sacrificing any of the vigor and settling ability of the latter. The refractometer said the original gravity was 12.5ºP or 1.050 which is a bit lower than I thought I'd get, but it should make a lovely beer nonetheless.<br />
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p.s. I forgot to mention the half-pound of Victory Malt I used as well! This beer should have a nice complex malt profile as I kept the hops to about 30-35 IBUs and didn't add any for aroma or flavor.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">a.d. XII Kal.Mai.</span></i><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-57809388997830545882014-02-08T14:50:00.001-08:002014-02-08T14:50:14.599-08:00St. Patrick's Day StoutThe <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/01/another-stout.html"><b>stout </b></a>went into the kegs today. I cooked up two quarts of liquor with 100 grams of corn sugar for priming. While it was heating I steeped two ounces of 550ºL black malt to get some color in it as the beer looked a little too close to dark brown (and I like stouts to be black). I split that between each 2-1/2 gallon keg and then drained the carboy and sealed them up. I always top the kegs with a blast of CO<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></b> (at 10 psi) to seat the lids. Then I hauled them into the closet where it has been holding steadily in the low 60s. A week to condition, perhaps ten days, and then they'll go to the fridge for a few weeks. The beer should be perfect for St. Patrick's Day!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">a.d. VI Id. Feb.</span></i>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-25972212710052193822014-01-20T20:23:00.003-08:002014-01-20T20:23:55.269-08:00Another Stout!It was sunny and relatively warm today, and I spent most of it making an all-grain stout. Ten pounds of Irish Ale Malt, a half pound of Golden Naked Oats, and a quarter pound each of roast barley and chocolate malt made up the grist. I also tossed in a pound of flaked barley. Although my strike heat was 170ºF, I could barely manage 148ºF in the mash (I used three gallons of liquor). It was cold outside, and it's always hard to do a proper mash on these short winter days. I scooped out two quarts of the stuff, put it in a pan, and brought that to a boil with another quart of liquor and tossed that back into the mash and managed to get 152-154 ºF after a thorough mixing. A half-assed decoction saved the day! I gave it an hour and it finished at 150ºF. I sparged with three more gallons of liquor and managed about four gallons of wort at 16ºP (1.064) which I diluted to seven gallons, giving me 10ºP (1.040). After a 70-minute boil that included an hour of bittering hops (one ounce of Ivanhoe cones at 8% α-acids) I finished with about 4-1/2 gallons with an original gravity of 13ºP (1.052).<br />
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I pitched Safale-05 (American Ale yeast) and stashed the carboy in the closet at 64ºF. The previous batch, the <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2014/01/new-year-stout.html"><b>New Year Stout</b></a>, went into the keg today, and is sharing the fermenting space. The new brew is for St. Patrick's Day. I think it turned out great. It might be a little too light, dark brown more than black, but I've an easy fix for that. When I mix the priming sugar at kegging time, I use a "tea" made of black malt rather than just water which adds the necessary color. Regardless of how one defines a stout, I think it has to be a black beer. I know St. Patrick's Day is eight weeks from now, but just about every beer I've ever made has gotten better with time. So, let's not rush things.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. XII Kal. Feb.</i></span>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-15178074659287861562014-01-04T18:41:00.001-08:002014-01-04T18:41:28.235-08:00New Year StoutIt was a beautiful day in the State of Jefferson. I enjoyed the sunshine all afternoon while I brewed a batch of stout. It was a simple one, with six pounds of extract, but I used the dry stuff, the powder, not the syrup. The result was a robust original gravity, 14.5 ºP or 1.059, high compared to the 12 ºP or 1.048 I usually get. I always forget that the powder gives you more yield per pound--makes sense, the syrup has all that water still in it--but I never think that way. I also reduced my brew length a bit, from 28 Liters to 26, which meant I had to tip the kettle to get all the wort, there was no excess. That pushed up the gravity a bit, too. I suppose I made the equivalent of a seven pound syrup batch, which is fine for stouts, they can handle it. I used a half pound apiece of black malt and roast barley, which I steeped in the kettle while it was heating. An ounce of Ivanhoe hops (8% α-acids) for an hour (in the 70-minute boil) provided the bittering. I don't typically add hops after that, I want the grain flavors to dominate in a stout.<br />
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The extract came from <a href="http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/"><b>Briess</b></a>, which I bought at <a href="http://grains-n-beans.com/cart/"><b>Grains, Beans & Things</b></a> in Medford. I pitched a sachet of Safale-05 from <a href="http://www.fermentis.com/brewing/homebrewing/product-range/"><b>Fermentis</b></a>.<br />
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Happy New Year 2014!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />prid. Non. Jan.</span></i><br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-46429909578869636542013-10-27T16:08:00.001-07:002013-10-27T16:08:25.861-07:00XXX Homegrown Golden AleIt has been months since I brewed a batch, and I was itching to get back in the groove. It was a gorgeous autumn afternoon here in the State of Jefferson*, and I was happy to be outdoors with my cooker, kettle, and the aromas of malt and hops. I harvested about 3/4 pound (dry) of mostly Cascade hops from my bines last month, and I used them for flavor in my formulation. I kept it simple: six pounds of organic Briess pale extract, and an ounce of organic whole Ivanhoe hops (8% α-acids) for bittering. I used the homegrown cones to jazz things up, tossing in a huge heap (3 ounces!) for the last 15 minutes of the boil. I know that's a ridiculous amount, but my garden hops don't have the same density as the commercial ones, and even though they have a nice aroma they are rather loose and flaky, not tightly packed. I figured I would get very little bittering and I wanted as much of the essential oils as I could squeeze out of them. We'll see how the brew comes together. I used Safale-04 yeast and had the fermenter in the closet by 1400. By the time I'd finished cleanup the wind started howling and dumped a mountain of leaves into the brew area! Got it done just in time. Should ferment out pretty quickly and be ready for quaffing next month.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. VI Kal Nov.</i></span><br />
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*I have nothing to do with the Siskiyou County nut-jobs who want to secede from California. (Memo to them: please stop.) I've always thought the State of Jefferson was a lovely nickname for our beautiful and remote slice of the Pacific Northwest. I'm happy to be a born-and-bred Californian!<br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-68036199031061537562013-04-29T16:47:00.001-07:002013-04-29T16:49:10.206-07:00Magnum, IndeedCheck out how tall the <a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/variety_descriptions"><b>Magnum</b></a> hops are already (taken yesterday):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqLV2p-z0f8GWLFMan10nWQpVDl-PZ0D05dQpx6pIoaTjvo9oo8qIcS1Wm_jERC0hTh0ApUFvaJKUEkLEO1xsSkMU0cKM7UhU4aGrkN1HhjCI66mInKMhjCkB5GFbFGmdfYD2Sn37wYSG/s1600/Magnum+and+Deodora.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqLV2p-z0f8GWLFMan10nWQpVDl-PZ0D05dQpx6pIoaTjvo9oo8qIcS1Wm_jERC0hTh0ApUFvaJKUEkLEO1xsSkMU0cKM7UhU4aGrkN1HhjCI66mInKMhjCkB5GFbFGmdfYD2Sn37wYSG/s400/Magnum+and+Deodora.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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That horizontal piece in the V is just about six feet above the soil. It grew at least another six inches today while I was at work! That's a <a href="http://www.conifers.org/pi/Cedrus_deodara.php"><b>Deodar Cedar</b></a> in the background. We planted it in 1996. Here's another angle:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jYD5FM66MMkSfmfGlUvwaTDPbG23bSK56rF5npr1MBgKSSfEqI7FJhkSyitImTZLVm72K2FUluKVYVy_McY6U0HkLxotIMhmJwr2ydPq-rh-KxJzOgG6MmIX6mnEJsFLfxbGO8wF0hRm/s1600/Magnum+over+the+top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jYD5FM66MMkSfmfGlUvwaTDPbG23bSK56rF5npr1MBgKSSfEqI7FJhkSyitImTZLVm72K2FUluKVYVy_McY6U0HkLxotIMhmJwr2ydPq-rh-KxJzOgG6MmIX6mnEJsFLfxbGO8wF0hRm/s400/Magnum+over+the+top.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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And finally a look at all three:<br />
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The Cascades (middle) are doing fine. The Nuggets are just getting started. Spring has arrived, so we've turned on the irrigation to the garden. Those bines will really take off now.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. III Kal.Mai</i></span><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-84141201670236371562013-04-21T15:32:00.004-07:002013-04-21T16:13:22.921-07:00Hops!It is spring time here in the State of Jefferson. Take a look at my hops:<br />
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Those are <a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/usda-named-hop-variety-descriptions#usda_id_21092"><b>Cascades</b></a>. I had to cut back several sprouts--they are doing very well. All the varieties are rhizomes from <a href="http://www.freshops.com/"><b>Freshops</b></a> in Oregon. The twine is for the bines, which like to climb. They grow in a spiral, hence they are <u><b>b</b></u>ines, not <u><b>v</b></u>ines, which grow by suckers or tendrils.That's cocoa bark, which is an excellent mulch and also keeps the neighbor's cats out of the bed. It smells like chocolate, which I love. The shadows are the A-frame trellis I originally built for peas and beans.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/variety_descriptions#us_varieties"><b>Magnum</b></a> are the tallest so far:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-zrBGamOPvJocYu3XJ2sH9iT35IU9SbdtZm465DIqwGXl5fKbiq2wPogWcRgLYP6JcZgY0OHME5HDswghRVpIC3LHeyTEgVP3J9guC0MaruTT88z827ZM33SIxTVYzn_PJZx88_iF3rU/s1600/Magnum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-zrBGamOPvJocYu3XJ2sH9iT35IU9SbdtZm465DIqwGXl5fKbiq2wPogWcRgLYP6JcZgY0OHME5HDswghRVpIC3LHeyTEgVP3J9guC0MaruTT88z827ZM33SIxTVYzn_PJZx88_iF3rU/s400/Magnum.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sorry for the lousy picture. The last set are <a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/variety_descriptions#us_varieties"><b>Nugget</b></a> hops. They have just begun to emerge:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKbw_spHLwO2oKlZYXYlY1c6D4t1yfR_zqSJ0Y9NkDA7iExgJr2o2Y-lXZ3w0z10VS_oK7ZJfCWnEdAj9x1khztT2Lel2ltba_WtiaE8xVPaE4DplOW7a6XZW_Fhyl5bI-WASGezZxHnT/s1600/Nugget.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKbw_spHLwO2oKlZYXYlY1c6D4t1yfR_zqSJ0Y9NkDA7iExgJr2o2Y-lXZ3w0z10VS_oK7ZJfCWnEdAj9x1khztT2Lel2ltba_WtiaE8xVPaE4DplOW7a6XZW_Fhyl5bI-WASGezZxHnT/s400/Nugget.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Beautiful plants, don't you think? I hope to have some nice stuff this fall. I would like to try using some "green," or "wet" hops in a brew. Typically the cones (the unfertilized fruits) are dried before they are used in beer, but you can add them when freshly harvested for some different flavors.<br />
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I started the garden project at <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/03/magnum-cascade-and-nugget.html"><b>the end of March</b></a> of last year. Things were '<a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/04/comin-up.html"><b>Comin' Up</b></a>' by early April. I'll keep you posted.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d.XI Kal. Mai</i></span><br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-40067545620390624902013-01-27T18:36:00.000-08:002013-04-21T15:37:35.435-07:00World Series Stout<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Double, double toil and trouble;<br />
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I f<span style="font-size: small;">ired <span style="font-size: small;">up the b<span style="font-size: small;">urner today <span style="font-size: small;">and b<span style="font-size: small;">rewed a <span style="font-size: small;">batch<span style="font-size: small;">. I call<span style="font-size: small;"> it <b>W</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>O</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>RLD SERIES STO</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>U</b><span style="font-size: small;"><b>T</b> in hon<span style="font-size: small;">or of the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/2012.shtml"><b>2012 </b></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/2012.shtml"><b>San</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/2012.shtml"><b> Francisco Giants</b></a><span style="font-size: small;">, the World <span style="font-size: small;">Series champions.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">used<span style="font-size: small;"> eight<span style="font-size: small;"> pounds of </span></span>dark extract <span style="font-size: small;">but steepe<span style="font-size: small;">d <span style="font-size: small;">a ha<span style="font-size: small;">lf p<span style="font-size: small;">ound of <span style="font-size: small;">r<span style="font-size: small;">oast barley in <span style="font-size: small;">the l<span style="font-size: small;">iquo<span style="font-size: small;">r while it was heating. <span style="font-size: small;">One oun<span style="font-size: small;">ce of<span style="font-size: small;"> whole </span><a href="http://www.hopsmeister.com/Varieties.html"><b>Ivanhoe h</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.hopsmeister.com/Varieties.html"><b>ops</b></a> boiled for one hou<span style="font-size: small;">r </span>completed t<span style="font-size: small;">he form<span style="font-size: small;">ulation. I got 13 ºP on the refract<span style="font-size: small;">omet<span style="font-size: small;">er and pitched <span style="font-size: small;">t<span style="font-size: small;">wo sachets o<span style="font-size: small;">f <a href="http://www.fermentis.com/brewing/homebrewing/product-range/"><b>Sa</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.fermentis.com/brewing/homebrewing/product-range/"><b>fa</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.fermentis.com/brewing/homebrewing/product-range/"><b>le-05</b></a> in the <span style="font-size: small;">carboy.<span style="font-size: small;"> It was a fun and easy brew, and we had just <span style="font-size: small;">en<span style="font-size: small;">ough s<span style="font-size: small;">un and relative w<span style="font-size: small;">armth (40 ºF</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>) to make it a pleasant day on the patio.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGR4ear4Cy0RYnPtPJ-sIGfK97rlwSI6zBYhDDg0SBEBzEliHkxf-FPjVswZYpedoE3fecgq4EUbw3BiDz1v6Mb83HQW90di7aF46qhEjVJPwRABYqJMk-NEV98IvPxz498gQV-WjNnur/s1600/the+boil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGR4ear4Cy0RYnPtPJ-sIGfK97rlwSI6zBYhDDg0SBEBzEliHkxf-FPjVswZYpedoE3fecgq4EUbw3BiDz1v6Mb83HQW90di7aF46qhEjVJPwRABYqJMk-NEV98IvPxz498gQV-WjNnur/s400/the+boil.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">D<span style="font-size: small;">oesn<span style="font-size: small;">'t that <span style="font-size: small;">look yummy?</span> Th<span style="font-size: small;">e last batch <span style="font-size: small;">fermented ou<span style="font-size: small;">t in less than a week.<span style="font-size: small;"> A<span style="font-size: small;">dd a w<span style="font-size: small;">eek<span style="font-size: small;">, may<span style="font-size: small;">b</span>e ten days</span> of co<span style="font-size: small;">nd<span style="font-size: small;">ition<span style="font-size: small;">ing and then<span style="font-size: small;"> to the ke<span style="font-size: small;">g<span style="font-size: small;"> for at least two weeks, maybe <span style="font-size: small;">even a month. <span style="font-size: small;">The beer is a<span style="font-size: small;">lwa<span style="font-size: small;">ys better when I'm <span style="font-size: small;">pati<span style="font-size: small;">ent<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> It shoul<span style="font-size: small;">d b<span style="font-size: small;">e<span style="font-size: small;"> perfect by St. Patrick's Day.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>MacBeth</b></i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">: Act IV, Scene<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-20732309880647255762012-12-30T15:28:00.003-08:002013-04-21T15:38:24.875-07:00Happy Fridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_vExLPAy7UpMM_X_PqqOo_ri_jSH6hYuj9830shbUMsrNQLoY3TD6Z_cpfDT4clHulSuTg0RbIMbZG4BlddPAgcVy591DjWh0KkusOWU35ZUfRcZLmCsmTBJh3AdWZCMC3esVm5_u5NY/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_vExLPAy7UpMM_X_PqqOo_ri_jSH6hYuj9830shbUMsrNQLoY3TD6Z_cpfDT4clHulSuTg0RbIMbZG4BlddPAgcVy591DjWh0KkusOWU35ZUfRcZLmCsmTBJh3AdWZCMC3esVm5_u5NY/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/12/pennant-porter.html"><b>Pennant Porter</b></a> is ready for the New Year. Should be plenty of excellent quaffing in the offing!! Now I'll have to get to work on a <b>World Series Stout</b>. The 2012 San Francisco Giants are the <a href="http://raisingmattcain.blogspot.com/2012/12/world-champs.html"><b>World Champs</b></a>. That's a better reason for partying than 1999 or the goddamn Mayan Calendar cluster-fuck, don't you think? I certainly do.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>HAPPY NEW YEAR!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. III Kal. Ian.</i></span><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-16412169452435725002012-12-09T15:37:00.000-08:002012-12-09T15:37:01.332-08:00Pennant Porter IIThe beer fermented out quickly as I used two fresh packs of yeast. It never got below 1.020 and showed no more signs of fermentation so I decided to keg it up. I primed the two 2-1/2 gallon corny kegs with about 50 grams of dextrose each and filled them both with plenty left over. There was a lot of volume in this batch! I figure they'll need at least a week of conditioning, maybe more like ten days as the closet temperature hovers around 65 ºF. Then a week or two in the fridge and <b><a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/12/pennant-porter.html">Pennant Porter</a></b> should be ready by New Year's Eve.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">a.d. V Id. Dec.</span></i><br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-24217802515276409742012-12-02T14:41:00.003-08:002012-12-02T14:41:47.291-08:00Pennant PorterAfter the deluge of the past few days the sun came out here at French Street Brewery in the State of Jefferson. It was a fine day to brew. Continuing the world champions theme for the 2012 San Francisco Giants is <b>Pennant Porter</b>. The Giants won the National League pennant in stirring fashion by defeating the defending champions on the 22nd of October, which also happened to be my beloved bride's birthday. A fine present, indeed. Today's brew was a simple extract--8 pounds of dark syrup and an ounce of Centennial hops. I used two packs of Safale-04 so the fermentation would be vigorous and complete. The OG reading on my refractometer was 1.048 (12 ºP) so it is a little bigger than the <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/09/championship-ale.html">Championship Ale </a>which was more of a light session beer. Looking forward to quaffing many pints over the holidays!<br />
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-74372519278232958522012-10-14T10:43:00.000-07:002012-10-14T10:43:18.294-07:00Championship Ale, part IIThe Giants emerged victorious from the League Division Series and now advance to the League Championship Series. <b><a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/09/championship-ale.html">The Ale</a></b> emerged from its carboy slumber into a five-gallon keg, primed and ready. It's a light-colored session beer that I hope has a full hop flavor. I've made one or another version of <b>Championship Ale</b> since 1988, the year I started brewing. The Giants were the NL West champs in 1987. This one is will be ready by the time October baseball is over, and we can drink it to celebrate the exciting 2012 season. The NLCS will likely be very close--the Cardinals are, after all, last year's World Series winners. I expect the games to be close and the competition to be intense. And it starts tonight in San Francisco! Man, I'm thirsty already.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">prid. Id. Oct.</span></i><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-39389696556070382162012-09-30T18:17:00.002-07:002012-09-30T18:17:47.656-07:00Championship AleIn celebration of my favorite ballclub winning the NL West, I cooked up a batch after a long hiatus. It was a relaxed day as I kept it simple and used malt extract. You can make excellent beer with extracts, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I haven't hopped on the homebrew hobby horse in a while, and it felt good to break out the kettle and fire up the stove. We had lovely weather in the State of Jefferson, and the Giants came from behind to beat the Padres. What could be bad?<br />
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I used six pounds of extract, two ounces of Centennial hops, a pound of 40ºL crystal, and Safale-05 yeast. I'm imagining myself drinking it now, thinking back on the wonderful 2012 baseball season. Way to go, Giants! Keep it rolling!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>prid. Kal. Oct. </i></span><br />
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M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-18212554214697860762012-08-19T11:45:00.001-07:002012-08-19T11:45:10.549-07:00Geeko SapienThis is genius:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Fz-k1fYvPCcWUOjDIEzzzeeOon2vc7u4SRquitVHYlaVbjEytmlqK4C-QKIECoEKxuDaNZF853VFyvT5Ffu5B0kMDg9gEEolOYWjBNoutjTFxrTZp9WSYQp1TCN3YRtuVKFHS7GhaKKK/s1600/evolution-of-the-beer-geek.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Fz-k1fYvPCcWUOjDIEzzzeeOon2vc7u4SRquitVHYlaVbjEytmlqK4C-QKIECoEKxuDaNZF853VFyvT5Ffu5B0kMDg9gEEolOYWjBNoutjTFxrTZp9WSYQp1TCN3YRtuVKFHS7GhaKKK/s640/evolution-of-the-beer-geek.gif" width="234" /> </a></div>
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I hope I'm a <i>Geeko Sapien</i>.</div>
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Check out the "Infographics" section of the <a href="http://beerandwhiskeybros.com/infographics/"><b>Beer & Whiskey Brothers</b></a> blog.</div>
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(And thanks to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TimAndRyansRepair">Ryan</a> for the <a href="http://beerwhiskeyandbrotherhood.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/evolution-of-the-beer-geek.gif">link</a>.)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. XIII Kal. Sep.</i></span></div>
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<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-54139335703992413722012-04-11T19:01:00.002-07:002012-04-11T19:01:52.072-07:00Comin' Up!The hops are sprouting. The Nugget came up first and it is now showing leaves. The Magnum was next, and the Cascade finally poked through the soil earlier in the week. The longest--the Magnum--is about 9 cm (that's 3-1/2 inches for you non-metricals). The shortest--the Cascade--is about 2 cm (less than an inch). It is very exciting as all three that were planted are now growing. It has been mostly cool and rainy but we did get a stretch of sunshine and the ground has warmed up. The <b><a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/03/magnum-cascade-and-nugget.html">MCN</a></b> project is off to a good start.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. III Id. Apr.</i></span>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-36172426105118716642012-03-25T15:47:00.001-07:002012-03-25T15:55:17.024-07:00Magnum, Cascade, and NuggetWe had a little window of sunshine this afternoon and managed to get the hop rhizomes in the ground before the rain returned. The soil looked good when we turned it yesterday, and with the addition of a little compost, peat moss, and sand, the young plants should have a healthy start. All we need now is some good growing weather! I organized them left-to-right (looking south) in an easy-to-remember <b>M-C-N</b> scheme. If <b>M</b>.<b>C</b>. O'Co<b>nn</b>or can't keep that straight, even after many homebrews, he should quit now. I wrapped the name tags that the rhizomes came with on the redwood trellis frame that I built years ago for peas, beans, and the like, but I expect they'll suffer the ravages of time. <b>M-C-N</b> is my fail-safe. The material that came with the hops from <b><a href="http://www.freshops.com/">Freshops</a></b> says not to expect much in the first year as the plants are mostly developing roots. The varieties I chose were recommended by <a href="http://www.freshops.com/">Freshops</a> as the best for beginners due to their hardiness and resistance to major hop diseases. They list <b><a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/usda-named-hop-variety-descriptions#usda_id_21670">Magnum</a></b> hops as dual-purpose, <b><a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/usda-named-hop-variety-descriptions#usda_id_56013">Cascade</a></b> as aroma, and <b><a href="http://www.freshops.com/hops/usda-named-hop-variety-descriptions#usda_id_21193">Nugget</a></b> as alpha (bittering). <a href="http://www.freshops.com/">Freshops</a> is in <a href="http://www.ci.philomath.or.us/">Philomath</a>, Oregon, in the heart of the Willamette Valley. It's just west of Corvallis, home to Oregon State University. I'm a Cal man, but OSU has two things going for it: an <a href="http://www.osubeavers.com/">orange-and-black</a> color scheme and a <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/dept/foodsci/">Brewing Science</a> major!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>a.d. X Kal. Apr.</i></span><br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-75642999642310133972012-03-10T19:51:00.001-08:002012-03-10T19:51:28.892-08:00Ready for the festival!I tapped the <a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-is-stout.html"><b>St. Patrick's Day Stout</b></a> today. It was smooth, dry, creamy, and delicious. The batch is ready for the exclusive invitation-only <i>Lá Fhéile Pádraig</i> that FSB attends here in the State of Jefferson. I would tell you the particulars of this particular festival, but then I'd have to kill you. Nonetheless, I'll think of you, kind readers, when I'm slaking my thirst with my stout.<br />
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Today is also the start of a new adventure here at FSB--I'm going to plant hops! I placed an order with <b><a href="http://www.freshops.com/">Freshops</a></b> for three rhizomes: Cascade, Nugget, and Magnum. They should be here in a week or so and they will be in the ground right around the Vernal Equinox!<br />
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Wish me luck.<br />
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Beware the Ides, and Happy St. Patrick's Day! <br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">a.d. VI Id. Mar.</span></i><br />
<br />M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-75514408917446924602012-01-05T21:40:00.000-08:002012-01-05T21:41:58.543-08:00What is a stout?A stout is a black beer. There are lots of variations and categories and styles and whatnot, but that is the essence of stout--dark. I decided to make this year's version of <b>St. Patrick's Day Stout</b> with some black malt and not much else. I skipped the roast barley. I didn't use chocolate malt. I stayed away from oats, too. I kept this one very simple. Took the first runnings and made one hop addition--that was it. The yield was five gallons at 1.048 (12ºP) and I pitched a sachet of <a href="http://www.fermentis.com/fo/pdf/HB/EN/Safale_US-05_HB.pdf">Safale-05</a>. It was a mild and mostly sunny day here in the State of Jefferson despite the calendar saying it is January. I don't usually brew for <i>Lá Fhéile Pádraig</i> this early, but a little aging in the keg never hurt any beer, especially a stout. If you go to <a href="http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style13.php">this website</a>, it will tell you about different kinds of stout. If you go to Ireland and drink Guinness, Murphy's, and Beamish, you will find out about those kinds of stouts. Around here we get lovely beers like Obsidian Stout from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, and Sierra Nevada Stout from Chico, California. Stout beer has many possibilities. I suggest that you brew up your own version, or at least encourage a homebrewing friend to brew one you'll like.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Non. Ian.</i></span>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-86052326414370696842011-12-24T15:54:00.000-08:002011-12-24T15:54:19.676-08:00Amber obscura<a href="http://frenchstreetbrewery.blogspot.com/2011/11/ambers-amber.html">Amber's Amber</a> came out quite dark, a rich red-brown, but that's just fine. It flashes lovely amber-red highlights when a pint glass is held to the late afternoon winter sunlight streaming in the window. The flavor is very smooth, sweet and bready, and there is just enough hops to make the finish dry and clean. I like the balance on this beer here at First Tasting. It is Xmas Eve--a good time to tap a fresh keg. The carbonation is light and creamy, like a cask ale, always a good thing. I think we've got a winner!<br />
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HAPPY HOLIDAZE!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>a.d. VIII Kal. Ian.</i></span></b>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129455926647031191.post-28883690163784323302011-11-13T12:46:00.000-08:002011-11-13T12:48:22.314-08:00Amber's AmberYesterday my pal Amber--an aspiring homebrewer--came over to help me make a fresh batch. I was intending to make a brown ale as my lovely bride is fond of brown ales, but I didn't have the right combination of ingredients. I went with an amber and named it for my assistant. I've been experimenting with making beers from only the first runnings off the mash and skipping the sparge step. It's a bit wasteful as I have to nearly double the amount of grains I'd normally use, but I am curious about the flavor possibilities. I like to concentrate sometimes on one aspect of the process in order to learn a bit for another batch down the road. Grain flavors are complex and require much study and experimenting! We mashed 17 pounds of <a href="http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Base_Malts.htm">Briess 2-row pale malt</a> and a half-pound each of <a href="http://www.breworganic.com/briessorganicvictorymalt1lb.aspx">Victory</a> and <a href="http://www.breworganic.com/weyermannorganiccarafaandregiidarkchocolate1lb.aspx">Carafa 2</a> . Five gallons of liquor in the mash tun at 175ºF settled out at 152ºF for an hour. Then we simply drained the wort and we got about three gallons which the refractometer told us was 23% sugar (23ºP) or about 1.092 SG. <a href="http://www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer/HBRC.html">John Palmer's </a>wort calculator told us to expect 11ºP (1.044) when it was diluted in the kettle to seven gallons and 14ºP (1.056) when the boil reduced it to five gallons. We wound up with 13ºP (1.052) which I though was just dandy. I used a new hop, a California-grown organic variety called <a href="http://www.breworganic.com/american-horizon-whole-hops.aspx">Horizon</a>. We gave the brew 20 grams of whole cones (10.2% α-acids) for 60 minutes and 20 grams again for 30 minutes. We pitched it with <a href="http://www.fermentis.com/fo/pdf/HB/EN/Safale_S-04_HB.pdf">Safale-04</a> at just about 4:00 in the afternoon and it was fermenting vigorously a few hours later. I think we've got a winner. Thanks, Amber!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Id. Nov.</i></span>M.C. O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258035192484655635noreply@blogger.com0