Brew Batch #207 HOLD FAST!

With the 2026 AL Homebrewer's Cup fast approaching, we at Beat-12 want to represent well. So, our quaffable steam style will be on display. OG 1.040+0.000 @67F, which is line with the last batch that yielded a nice 5.4% Anchor nod. HOLD FAST! beer's acoming. 

Brew Batch #206 Drink Me Potion

Drink Me Potion was a bit of a letdown. Unbeknownst to me, GoodBelly changed their proprietary blend away from a heavier L. Bacillus load to a more "prebiotic" mix (whatever DE-111 is). This is turn did not sour the beer effectively nor enough after even 42 hours as 90+F temps. So after all the toiling with puréed blueberries/blackberries, it turned out more like an "off" wheat beer 😐. (Ultimately batch 1 was a dumper, as an update). I think the process was still good, from the 10-minute boil all the way through the edible glitter, just not the twang as past batches. FG 1.010+0.001 @57F for 4.3% (not sure the mega 001 pitch gobbled it up very well either)

Brew Batch #206 Drink Me Potion

It's been since Fidel's Sweat that we conjured up a sour, so what better time than Halloween to knock out another one. I love these recipes simply because pasteurization is really the only thing needed; however, I did let it boil for about 10 mins to allow a good hot break. I'm hoping a good dose of Good Belly mango gets it to a decent sour note. For this one we honor Alice in Wonderland. Drink Me Potion had an OG 1.042+0.000 @66F, inoculated @ approx. 110F. I'm hoping a mega pitch of 001 courtesy of CBB chews it on down to the Impy level for a Berliner. Then the real DMF begins. Let's put it on a few pounds of blueberry/raspberry puree and some edible silver glitter! Should have a nice blue to purple hue that sparkles for the kids. 

Brew Batch #205 Shepherd's IPA

Fresh LA3 chewed it down to FG 1.006+0.000 @61F to give it a solid 6.2%. It had that old familiar whiff headed into the keg. Should be a good OG batch for a little head-to-head action on Abstrax. 

Brew Batch #205 Shepherd's IPA

Putting the OG against it's Abstrax contender. No changes to the original. Just your standard Galaxy, Citra, Mosaic haze juice. OG 1.052+0.001 @76F. Was hoping for higher numbers but this should put it almost directly in line with Abstrax version.  

Brew Batch #204 Shepherd's IPA (Abstrax)

Man, this is gonna be an interesting batch in the head-to-head against the OG. Ultimately the final dry-hops were left off. CBB gave us some Abstrax samples they picked up of Citra and Mosaic, so the 2nd dry-hop of those was adjusted to liquid using the 5ml samples and a micro-pipette. Galaxy 2nd dry-hop was increased to 3.33oz but the others were converted to 2.5mls of Abstrax to give it roughly a pound per barrel hop addition that's more easily converted to bigger systems. I can tell you that when those bottles were cracked open they leapt from their containers! FG 1.005+0.0001@56F to give a solid 6% AND this was scaled down to a 5.25 gallon batch as opposed to 5.5. This doesn't sound like much but that's 1.5 gallon savings per barrel with only 2 single hop additions substituted OR an extra half barrel per 10 barrel batch. That more than pays for itself. Can't wait for taste off in a few weeks. 

2025 Northern Utah Homebrew Comp

Out of 144 entries and little local club participation on judging, I feel like Dwight did a great job of getting this comp together and completed. When I first brewed Little Sausages in a Can, I knew it was almost perfectly dialed in but I had no idea that in the land of lager quaffers it would receive a 🥈! The little Vienna that could garnished a 37 and marks the Mormon state off the list for me. Decent notes and feedback by at least one National judge. Broken to the Fist however didn't fair as well. 27 on notes of oxidation, they were both bottled at the same time the same way but that's what happens when you ship beer 1000 miles. Oh well, I'll be brewing it again soon anyway.