Brew Batch #108 Creekbed Cream Ale

Kegged today at 1.004+0.000 @60F to yield an unexpected 6%abv. Wonderful light color with a very traditional hop profile of Cluster only. My last cream ale was misunderstood by judges I believe as I attempted to dry-hop and start a series of local hop offerings. My last being Hemerodromos, with a Mediterranean hop feeling. This one more traditional with all but a 6-row offering on the grain bill. So I chased the BJCP judges on this one. Either way, I've got a good sipper for a few weeks. I haven't ruled out doing a Commie cream ale of Jarrylo but let's see how this keg empties.

2018 Jacktoberfest

And the culmination of a year's worth of change came today in the form of 2018 Jacktoberfest. The only comp Corporal Catbox v1.2 (aka War Dank Eagle) was entered into and it got a silver. Didn't win it all but at least I went from bronze to silver with a solid 40.5 while Pill Roller v2.0 finished it's career with a 37.5. So since Ikigai a year ago, I've gone all grain, tacked on another dozen medals while brewing styles I've never even given a second though to and competed in my first people's choice festival. Time to brew for me!

2018 Brew in the Lou

You gotta love it when a Lutheran Elementary School Association puts on a homebrew comp! Brew in the Lou was a small event but reaped good feedback nonetheless. Corporal Catbox v1.1 snagged a gold and a 40 overall making it to mini-BOS but Pill Roller v2.0 dragged down the lot with a 28, ouch. I think this is the only comp that CCv1.1 made it to, I may have put it in Big Muddy Monster as well but until they post scoresheets I honestly can't remember. 

2018 Big Muddy Monster

Was held today with WBI grabbing it's 3rd consecutive medal with a bronze. So far this beer has yet to be entered and not won; therefore, my daughter only knows bling when she helps me now. No info on the score as the comp is a little slower than usual posting scores. Will update this post when they become available.

Brew Batch #107 Lip Smackers

The Siamese twin of Galaxy 44, cause you make 10gallons for $12 every time you can. Lip Smackers kegged up a wonderful light pink tone thanks to the blueberry, strawberry and banana secondary mash. Then for kicks I put it on 12oz of Limeade concentrate. This should make those of us that grew up in the 80s think about that girl that liked to smooch with her Lip Smackers on! FG 1.008+0.001@76F to yield a VERY full keg of 4.8% yummy. Get your growler ready.

Brew Batch #105 Melted Chocolate Bars

As I anticipated great things from this beer, knowing full well it was 1 of only 2 brews I had "stashed" away so not as to have an empty keezer after AUfest, I opened the pre-sanitized bucket with the mesh bag of 9 ounces of cacao nibs hanging in it for the last 2 weeks to find a light pellicle skim!!! NO! Damn buckets! I guess it's safe to say that my old buckets regardless of the lengths I go through to clean them have become fermenters for funk if I ever veer in that direction. This beer was pristine when secondaried over. It even finished at 1.010+0.001@ 78F to give a nice 5.8%. My only hope is to crash it cold and inhibit anything further and drink it fast. I'll be using my glass carboys or getting a couple of new bubblers form now on. Farewell, plastic buckets of old.

2018 AU Oktoberfest

Bringing Beat-12 Brewing Co and One True Bine Brewing under the same tent gives you Formation Brewing Co. The four beers we came up with together as a plan of attack on AUfest fared well, but alas garnered only 2nd place overall with Galaxy 44 being the highest rated of all of our beers (hat tip to RP). Serving couldn't have taken place with out the help of The Enabler. And as a reward for helping us serve 2000 attendees, he got a t-shirt and a temporary tattoo (inside joke, have him tell you:) Overall, a great first time experience for me on a very stifling hot October day and ultimately the goal wasn't necessarily to win but "make wake like fat boys on a pontoon boat", which is what I believe we did. Got to introduce Dr. Reinke to RP which reminds me, I'm behind on brewing that this year and managed to come home with 1.5 gallons of PBnJT! Time to brew for pleasure for a while and contemplate the next festival?

Brew Batch #103 Peanut Butter NO Jelly Time!

Kegged today with a solid FG 1.014+0.00@ 50F to give it a healthy 10.5% for AUFest. Placed it on 3oz of peanut butter flavoring (roughly 0.3ml/2oz). I am actually glad to be done with this behemoth for the 2nd time, I even pitched the yeast instead of attempting to reprop it. So come this Saturday it'll be on fresh draft for 2 ounce pours and votes!