Brew Batch #212 Cherry Wood Baltic Porter

This recipe hasn't been done in years and never in all-grain. Even I couldn't believe that part! Took a little bit more research than I thought to get it where I though a Baltic should be but then I realized PbnJT! Was exactly that, so I back off the abv in BeerSmith a voila. Had already built up quite a Wyeast 2112 reserve thanks to HOLD FAST! batches this summer. OG 1.062+0.001 @75F nicely. Should yield a decent 7% offering then it'll be time for some hydrated cherry wood chips for a bit. 

Brew Batch #211 Broken to the Fist

The mega pitch of multi-generational WL830 chewed it down! FG 1.004-0.001 @55F gives it a 4.1% quaff-ability. Hope that after a good bit of lagering it shines clear and allows the Sorachi Ace to display nicely. Moving forward though, I'll be using rice syrup solids instead unless I want to try different types of rice. I think I'll try to eke out one more iteration for the end of summer with solids and Safale 34/70 for the yeast.

2026 North GA Homebrew Comp

Had the opportunity to help judge some of this year's entries. I'll have to say Bill Boyer and company run well organized judging sessions. We started early and there were ample numbers of us for the depth of categories. Breakfast and lunch were protein laden and the stewards were great. I helped judge Bocks (4-5 Helles, 2-3 Dopples and an Eis). This was a great round of myself and two other judges with super consensus scores across the board. Second session for me was with four other judges to narrow down 15 in the sour category (several sours, fruiteds, 2 Flanders with some Bretts tossed in). This was a good table to end the day on as far as palate fatigue goes. Got to judge with Phil Farrell , Grand Master VII beer, mead, cider and Head Brewer with Stillfire Brewing. Learned a good bit on that round. Stay tuned as results will be posted 8/29/26 with HOLD FAST! And Occasionally representing steam styles and German pilsners.

Brew Batch #211 Broken to the Fist

There is none better than an overnight mash to get brew day done by 10am! Even though this doesn't really need it, I wanted to try my hand at this style one more time for the summer to see if slight tweaks in hopping and a mega multi-generational yeast pitch would help. OG 1.033+0.001 @76 should yield a crisp dry representation. 

Brew Batch #186 Reinke's Revenge 2023

We last heard from this batch in January of 24'. Well, 'Merica's 250th is here and what better day to finally keg this beauty. A compilation of 4 separate and blended batches of our "annual" favorite from 2005, this one sat in a John Emerald Spurgeon spiced rum barrel for almost 30 full months. Yield was monstrous as well considering the sleep! (About 13.5 gallons or more). The smell and taste are of absolute victory! ABV landed at 11.9% and the notes of barrel wood and pirate's liquid are a mélange of effort and patience. One keg will be of the barrel pull, a second of 3# red cherry puree and the third I'll hold out for now. Look for your 8oz pour at the taproom. 

Brew Batch #210 Occasionally

FG on this one 1.004+0.000 @66F with some gelatin for clearing as it seems that adding a whirfloc to anything nowadays is something I am painfully missing. Makes it 4.9% and lower than my last batch but those extra 4 points on the front end would've made the difference. Hoping this one is a bit more dialed into style so I can enter it into NGHC. Let's let it sit for a month to clear and see what happens. Onto the next batch!

Brew Batch #210 Occasionally

Needing to fulfill a neighbor's desire for a crisp quaffable German Pils, we enter into the foray of brewing Occasionally again. Grain bill is the same as last but after judging some of these at the last AL HBC, I changed the water profile just gering. I'm hoping bumping the CaSO4 gives it a perceived higher bitterness without the actually palate harshness. Also had a sh'ton of fresh WL830 in multiple generations, which is a good thing. OG 1.040+0.001 @74F