Happy St. Pat's 2015

It's a rarity that I have to work on St. Pat's but this year was just how it fell. Managed to get in a pint of lovely and found a couple of articles that explain a good bit behind the "why" of certain points to the holiday. I think the last one is a little extreme but has some good points. But if they post it at the international airport in Dublin, it's gotta be right.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2014/03/please-dont-call-it-st-pattys-day/
http://paddynotpatty.com/
http://gawker.com/5990788/its-st-paddys-day-not-st-pattys-day

Brew Batch #39 The Bees' Knees Mead© 2010

I know many of you have asked about this one since 09' has long since gone the way of endangered (almost the dodo). Into the bottles finally this afternoon with the help of Merry! A case of the long necks with silver crowns and a couple of bombers for corking on the vanilla bean blueberry batch and believe it or not, I bottled the plain cyser on 12/2/14. Both came in at around 14% but there is a definite difference in the blueberry batch. It seems to have a great golden blue hue to it. A long time in the making. Already had some takers on it since it's really ready right now going into the bottle. 15lbs of honey never tasted so good.

Brew Batch #66 (or #1) Jake's Juice AG

Though it be Friday the 13th, today was my lucky day. Today was my first GAG (going all grain)! We brewed 10 gallons and split them between 2 different yeasts to see if there was a certain profile we liked most with the brew. Threw together some pilsner, white wheat and honey malt to create the mash, then used the usual hops and added some Sumiton, AL honey to it at flash out. It's usually made with honey procured from Auburn only, but I told Jake a long time ago that would be the biggest variable because I couldn't always guarantee the same honey. Using the Brew Magic for the first time was exhilarating and nearly as gut wrenching as the "maiden voyage" a couple for weeks ago. I got a better handle on the flow of the system and even had to deal with a little stuck sparge. But when we tested the OG and profile, it was spot on. From a data standpoint all of the research I did on the kölsch beer type was well worth it. OG 1.050+ 0.002@ 82F with Wyeast 1010 going into 1 carboy and 2565 going into the other. See you all in 4 to 6 weeks at the tasting room;)

Our Tastes-- Blueberry Hill Lager

Trying to keep up with the offerings from Father Jim, I wrap my lips around Samuel Adams's Blueberry Hill Lager. It pours a very familiar slighted blue honey color, bright white light head and a nose of the same familiarity. Even Merry thinks it smacks of "wickedness". It is a crisp, light tasting, light bodied lager with a gentle overlay of blueberry on the end of the taste. Made with 2-row and honey malt then bittered with Tettnang Tettnanger to aid in the slight citrus freshness. Now that I've slid into some all grain brewing, I know a little bit more about this particular grain bill and enzymatic activity. It's a shame this one comes in the Summer pack only right now, I'd stock up and lawnmower this one right next to dad's "blue mountains" and Canoe Paddler. A solid 5.5% 191cal/long neck kayaker!

Brew Batch #65 La Gran Calabaza...Pastel

I've wanted to try my hand at a true pumpkin beer since the pumpkin porter. So I wrangled up an old recipe from 55 batches ago (see #10) and did some good research on mashing in with gourds and the use of pumpkin pie spices. It was a little more labor intensive but as Junk would say, "I'd drink pumpkin beer year round if it were available". True Story, so would I. Had to use some 6-row and picked up spices from Penzey's and with some guidance from Andy Mc on roasting, we now have The Great Pumpkin....Pie in the fermenter. OG 1.062+0.001 @66F. A little higher than I would have liked but let's see where she ends up.