Can we talk early 1900s? I need some knowledgeable info, or a reliable sources. For homebrew day I am thinking of brewing a short turnover brew.
Is this a Kentucky beer inspired by kolsch but with a big 30%+ corn and 6row?
Crystals probably never used, but roasts maybe?
Noble hops from the German brewers or Early American?
I feel like I had a very similar thread about a year ago, I think about the velvet brew. This ale I’m thinking is along the same lines as champagne velvet with an kolsch/cream ale twist. That’s the inspiration anyway.
Someone help school me, because I know next to nothing about this brew.
Kentucky Common in my mind had the color of Amber Bock. You can search and find a Louisville brewer, Leah Dienes @ Apocalypse Brew Works. She is an authority on Ky Common and its history.
You think they used Crystal malts? I have read it used high amount of corn and cheap 6 row. What color range? Should I go brilliant red like 14-15srm? The irish red I make is brilliantly red. I may stay in that range.
Would sticking with an ol’ faithful 2row corn and roast work? Maybe a touch of Simpson’s Crystal but not more than 3-5%??
Dienes will bring Apocalypse’s Kentucky Common, which she said has a slight caramel flavor, with a light body and crisp finish. It was brewed according to a 1912 recipe found in former Oertel’s Brewing Company brew logs that had ended up with a member of the LAGERS Homebrew Club.
I just found this in a Google search. Idk of any way to obtain caramel flavor without Crystal. I definitely don’t want the sour cream ale thing.
Calling out to LAGERS HBC… What’s the recipe?? That would be an amazing share…
Characteristic Ingredients:
Six-row barley malt was used with 35% corn grits to dilute the excessive protein levels along with 1 to 2% each caramel and black malt. Native American hops, usually about .2 pounds per barrel of Western hops for
bittering and a similar amount of New York hops (such as Clusters) for flavor (15 minutes prior to knock out). Imported continental Saazer-type hops (.1 pounds per barrel) were added at knock out for aroma. Water in the Louisville area was typically moderate to high in carbonates. Mash water was often pre-boiled to precipitate the carbonate and Gypsum was commonly added. Considering the time from mash in to kegging for delivery was typically 6 to 8 days, clearly aggressive top-fermenting yeasts was used.
Okay, now I am considering the water profile…
Amber Balanced
70ppm Calcium
7ppm Magnesium
38ppm Sodium
90ppm Sulfate
81ppm Chloride
-93 Bicarbonate
1.10 SO4/Cl
Lactic Acid to drop to 5.2 is ~0.2707mL/L mash water
That works up to about 12.3mL and that is a lot more than I am used to.
Yeast - undecided.
Of the standard ale strains I have on hand to build up are:
001/051/080/US05/1098/1450
4 out of 4 beers I have on tap right now have corn ranging from 9-33%. The stigma is lost on me
I like corn in beer, corn on the cob, corn in mac&cheese, corn in taco meat, creamed corn, corny jokes… well, you get the idea ;D
Yeah, corn gets a bad rap. I like it in a few beers. Even used it in a IIPA a few times. I think back in the day when the craft beer boom was starting, craft beers were marketed as ‘all malt’ beers, to differentiate themselves from the high rice % BMC adjunct beers. Except corn can be a nice adjunct IMO.
