Brew Batch #186 Reinke's Revenge 2023

As close to Stout Day as I could get it, this annual 18-year favorite is dialed in! I'll be getting a freshly dumped rum barrel from John Emerald distilling to put this one in which means technically I'll have to brew it at least 3 times (more like 4 according to RP @ now defunct OTB😕) but with some leftover of the original to put in a small keg. OG hit 1.120+0.000 @70F, but since I'm blending several batches I can perhaps bump the abv up to it's now grandiose level of 13%. Put it on a monster CBB pitch of Cal Ale yeast so we should bottom out well. Perhaps I'll just update this entry with the next 3 batches numbers. I also need to name the new barrel 🤔

11/28/23 1.120+0.00 @69F. good BE consistency at least!

12/28/23 1.124+0.000 @67F

3/11/24 1.140 +0.001 @64F (gonna be a huge top off to barrel!)

Brew Batch #185 Wallaby Water ( pronounced Wa-duh)

This thing took off and was dunzo in 3 days! FG 1.004-0.001 @58F to give pretty much the same as last time 5.25%. I don't' get any off flavors from this 3rd gen pitch of WLP009 that I've had for over a year now but was also able to procure a fresh pitch through CBB downtown as they have a line on White Labs "vaulted" strains. Galaxy is a nice twist on this one and ever present.

Brew Batch #185 Wallaby Water ( pronounced Wa-duh)

Giving the "accidental" Australian Sparkling another go because it turned out so damn good last time. OG 1.042+0.001 @77F and on a massive pitch of WLP009. This is the 3rd generation of this super hard to get yeast and hopefully wont peter out. After this it's time to go super big and start filling a new rum barrel...

Brew Batch #184 Dangling Fruit

Attempt #2 in the keg last night with FG 1.008+0.000 @69F to give it a hefty 7%. Haven't done it in 5 years, originally batch #91 and the biggest takeaway was that it had a good bit of diacetyl or what I know as hop creep to it last time. Just wanted to see if the recipe was solid and my technique had gotten better. 

Brew Batch #184 Dangling Fruit

We revisit an oldie that I always wanted to see if I could recreate. Made with Cascade (which at the time wasn't in a lot of hazies), Azacca and El Dorado. I'll be curious to see if it has the same profile. OG 1.060+0.001 @ 79F (about 10 points off) but hopefully fresh LA3 will gnaw it down to a respectable abv. 

2023 50 West/Ocelot Homebrew Competiton

Just for SnG, I sent Tang! The Astronaut Drink to this comp to see if maybe the crowd pleasing, neighborhood crushing orange laden Berliner could snag me a little jewelry in VA. Alas, it could not. However, scores were posted early for this 147 entry comp and communication from the organizers was good. When score sheets are scanned in or received via snail mail, I'll post the reasoning behind the 28. 

(My "sensory trained" Cicerone? and provisional BJCP judge said it was one noted, hard to get orange on the nose)

Brew Batch #183 Fidel's Sweat

What was to be Grandma's Hotbox Fall Edition morphed into a beta batch for a buddy at a local brewery. Kegged at 1.006-0.001 @58F gives it a solid 4.99% abv (even if I was a few points off on OG). But then the twist to see if this would be a good spring/summer batch came the addition of Mojito components. Being the national cocktail of Cuba, it seemed only appropriate to name it for our previously closest (and now deceased) Communist dictator. Enjoy the mint and azucar!!