I’m brewing a 22-gallon batch of Audit Ale today. Just had my first Hot Scotchie and the first runnings are excellent. Huzzah!
3 Likes
Just put down an American Amber. All the specialty grains were home roasted. Using this as a chance to see how hey actually perform. DRC, amber malt, brown malt and flaked oats were all done myself. Very little went in I didn’t roast at home. Happily bubbling away on 2 packs of Notty since I didn’t realise I only had 1 pack of US05 and no time to make a starter.
2 Likes
Probably for the best. Starters are not recommended for dry yeast.
1 Like
I brewed a small batch of a rye stout and fermenting in two Pinters. I usually bottle, so I bought the Pinters to experiment. Their kits weren’t very good, but they work good for a quick cider. This is my first attempt with beer not using there kits.
1 Like
Quick update on the alt…I pitched and SNS starter of WY1007 at 55F for it. Way below recommended temp. Had a very active fermentation within 8 hours. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
2 Likes
I brewed a Dunkel today with WY 2206. I have been keeping this strain going for almost a year now.
3 Likes
2206 makes a great house strain. A year of keeping it going is impressive.
Sneak preview: March/April Zymurgy will feature a Beer School on yeast ranching…how to safely freeze pitchable cultures of your favorite strains (or rare/unavailable strains) for future brews. Great way to avoid mutations.
4 Likes
The League of Drews wholeheartedly approves of your pursuit of saison perfection.
What are these four saisins?
I’m getting surprised at the growth in League of Drews. 
The four are each meant to celebrate a different season in Southern California. So at the moment I’m thinking.
- Spring: 5.5% - orange zest and honeysuckle
- Summer: 6.5% - lime, salt, coriander, jamacia
- Fall: 7% - sage, pepper, cinnamon, toasted oats
- Winter: 9% - light smoke, date syrup, masa
5 Likes
Nixtamalized corn (masa harina) in beer is an interesting thought, if you used it in the mash, how far would you need to adjust pH for the extra sodium hydroxide alkalinity? I believe masa pH is typically 11-12. And I assume a cereal mash would be necessary?
2 Likes
I’m going to have to do a test to see what happens to the pH. If push comes to shove, I’ll swing to corn meal instead.
1 Like
Hmm. I put store-bought grits (I cooked them) into a cold ipa grist and had an issue with attenuation. I didn’t consider any pH issues as its not masa. Any idea if the grits and low attenuation could be linked? I am assuming it was a yeast health issue. Going to try and do a re-brew of a modified but similar recipe (that maximizes attenuation via sugar additions and low mash temp) to hopefully create a companion batch to blend with the under-attenuated one this weekend. Maybe I’ll take a pH reading before/after the grits go in the mash this time.
A few things I might try. 1. a cereal mash or a single-decoction mash with those grits. Even with cooked grits, I find it helps break down & get the most out of the corn starches. 2. Long, low initial mash temps. 3. Amyloglucosidase in the mash. Can’t hurt, often helps.
And it could be a yeast issue, you can always repitch with another starter if your FG is higher than preferred. Good luck with batch 2!
1 Like
Thanks! I’m going to cereal mash them for a bit separately this time before adding them to the main mash. I’m not into adding enzymes (don’t have any on hand) but I appreciate the suggestion, especially given my goals for this “blend-in” batch.
1 Like
FINALLY get to brew my first batch in 2026 on Saturday!!
I am going to brew something I have not brewed since my extract days 35 years ago…..
Irish Red Ale
All grain this time
5 gal in keg
10 lb MO # 19
10 ozDark crystal
4 oz of roasted barley
0.4 oz Mosaic as FWH (15.2 AA)
0.5 oz Mosaic dryhop in keg
WYeast 1318
O.G 1.046
Est IBU 18
Edit to add recipe and actual O.G
I of course will use Mosaic hops as FWH and as dry hops so it will not be exactly a true Irish Red
6 Likes
Next weekend I plan on brewing an Irish Red as well. Tis the season, I guess.
Maris Otter, British Medium Crystal and a dusting of Roasted Barley.
Pilgrim
Imperial Darkness
Never used this yeast before (or any Imperial yeast for that matter), so not exactly sure what I’ll be getting. I’m less concerned with attenuation, more so with clarity.
3 Likes
Great call on the clarity!
I know mine will not be, as I could never get 1318 to drop bright. But I am planning perhaps another oatmeal stout which this yeast was marvelous in or another one of my “American Bitters”. I have not used 1318 for such a long time I wanted to give it a go, it used to be in my brewing rotation but stopped using it for some unknown reason
2 Likes
For you guys using MO, which one do you prefer?
For me it’s Crisp #19.
but based on the recommendation here I am going to try the Warminster when I finish this bag likely mid year
With LHBS going out of business I want to purchase as much as I can from him
1 Like
I’ve only ever tried Munton & Fison and Crisp. I prefer Crisp.
If Crisp has more than one Maris Otter, I can’t honestly say which one I’m using, whichever Keystone Homebrew sells.
1 Like