The New Rachel
We brewed a second, improved batch of Rachel last night, using what we know now to get exactly what we wanted out of our recipe.
Speaking of recipes, click here for the specific Rachel recipe. She'll probably be somewhere near the top of the American Ale page.
The recipe is a total redefinition of her former self. Besides the type of hops, which stayed surprisingly the same, Rachel has all new grain, yeast, and proportions, and hopefully an improved flavor. This brew marks the first time that we have properly sparged a batch, which is the method of removing the sugar from the grain with recirculation and hot water. The problem, it seems, was that our pregelitanized grains (like the flaked wheat in Rachel) cause the natural grain bed, which usually works as a filter, to get sticky. Pregelitanized flaked grains have no husks and are mashed into flakes, so when you cook them, it is no different than cooking oatmeal or pasta for a full hour. The result, as you can imagine, isn't a filter bed but an opaque paste. So I utilized the double mash procedure from Annabelle, filtering the sticky grains separate from the regular grains. In addition to producing a fully brewed beer rather than a partially diluted one (the purpose of the double mash with Annabelle), we had a successful mash and have solved possibly our most frusterating problem yet, giving me confidence in going forward with an all-grain brew once I have the necessary equipment.
Rachel will not be quite as alcoholic as the recipe states, but close. I'm thinking 5.5% by volume is more accurate, which is slightly less heavy than Bell's Amber. Taste wise, who knows, but the previous Rachel, which tasted more like a thin Irish Red, should be replaced by a much more malty and full beer, with a slightly darker color and heavier hop presence (righting another mistake we made as beginners).
I'd give her this week in the fermenter, two weeks of aging, and bottling for another two, so look for her mid-March. A peek in the freezer this morning showed that she's already actively fermenting just as planned. Hopefully everything proceeds without a hitch.
Cheers,
Sam
Speaking of recipes, click here for the specific Rachel recipe. She'll probably be somewhere near the top of the American Ale page.
The recipe is a total redefinition of her former self. Besides the type of hops, which stayed surprisingly the same, Rachel has all new grain, yeast, and proportions, and hopefully an improved flavor. This brew marks the first time that we have properly sparged a batch, which is the method of removing the sugar from the grain with recirculation and hot water. The problem, it seems, was that our pregelitanized grains (like the flaked wheat in Rachel) cause the natural grain bed, which usually works as a filter, to get sticky. Pregelitanized flaked grains have no husks and are mashed into flakes, so when you cook them, it is no different than cooking oatmeal or pasta for a full hour. The result, as you can imagine, isn't a filter bed but an opaque paste. So I utilized the double mash procedure from Annabelle, filtering the sticky grains separate from the regular grains. In addition to producing a fully brewed beer rather than a partially diluted one (the purpose of the double mash with Annabelle), we had a successful mash and have solved possibly our most frusterating problem yet, giving me confidence in going forward with an all-grain brew once I have the necessary equipment.
Rachel will not be quite as alcoholic as the recipe states, but close. I'm thinking 5.5% by volume is more accurate, which is slightly less heavy than Bell's Amber. Taste wise, who knows, but the previous Rachel, which tasted more like a thin Irish Red, should be replaced by a much more malty and full beer, with a slightly darker color and heavier hop presence (righting another mistake we made as beginners).
I'd give her this week in the fermenter, two weeks of aging, and bottling for another two, so look for her mid-March. A peek in the freezer this morning showed that she's already actively fermenting just as planned. Hopefully everything proceeds without a hitch.
Cheers,
Sam
posted by Sam Reese at 4:13 PM
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