18 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

My 19-yo son is home from his freshman year at UT and he seems to have taken a liking to many of the beers that I brew especially the Mexican-inspired dark lagers like Hacienda and Bordertown. I don't mind him having some of it as long as he's staying home or just hanging out here at the house. I do ask him to keep me posted on what he has so that I'm not surprised when a keg that I think is 75% full goes belly up. All of that said, I mapped out what I'm making over the next couple of months. I have 1056 and the Bayern lager yeast up and running and made an amber ale and Crystal Pale Ale with the 1056 and a pilsner with the Bayern. I will make another batch of Hacienda and then another batch of this American Premium which has been very good plus a Vienna and Dunkel with the Bayern yeast. I need to get a helles in there too. For the 1056 there will be a hoppy blonde with Santiam hops and an Amarillo-Citra pale ale after that. Consumption is up so production has to be up too. Cheers.

[Bklmt2000]

US-05, 34/70, and S-189 are my on-hand yeasts, so i'm thinking the following:

 

- raspberry wheat (a guilty pleasure, but tasty in the summertime)

 

- 2-Hearted Ale (I have ~2 lbs of Centennial in the freezer that aren't getting any younger)

 

- Several batches of pils/O-fest/helles; I have a newly-acquired lb of Hallertau pellets that will be put through its paces

 

- Several English/American IPAs; I have some Pilgrim, First Gold, Cascade, Columbus, Magnum, and Amarillo that will be pressed into service

 

- some hybrid ales (cream ale and blonde ale); i have Mt. Hood and Liberty hops on standby for these

 

- when the summer winds down, i have the fixin's for 2 dry stouts and a porter on hand (vac-sealed, since I didn't get to them before the weather got hot)

 

- in September-ish, I'll make my annual clone of Nosferatu Imperial Red Ale; i love that beer (pics are in the pic-pint thread, somewhere)

 

That ought to hold me over for a bit. 

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

Brewing a Cali Common as I type this. after this is fermented, i'll pitch a India Black Ale/CDA on the cake of 2124.

 

I tend to plan my brewdays way in advance, as I buy my grain and hops in bulk, and have 10+ brew days planned out, just because i'm a big believer of planning things out, work the numbers, and that way, on brew day, just follow a recipe. here's whats in the works

 

-10 gallons of Oktober fest

 

-Hefeweizen

 

-Baltic Porter

 

-Malt Liquor (seriously)

 

-Weizenbock

 

-House recipe- "English Dragon" a 11% ABV Barleywine/Burton IPA

 

-Sam Adams Holiday Porter knock off

 

-Mexican Lager

 

-Unblended Lambic

 

-Oatmeal Stout

Edited by LeftyMPfrmDE, 11 June 2017 - 07:23 PM.

[HVB]

I have a ton of beers I want to brew but lately I have not been able to fine any time.  The last 2 weekends I have had brewing plans ruined... I just want to brew!

[Poptop]

An exercise in futility for me because I change my brewing mind super frequently but....

Sunday's batch is looking like a Mexican Lager
then another APA
quite likely a BDSA b/c I have two packs of D-180
and a light yellow'y Saison

[Big Nake]

Sunday's batch is looking like a Mexican Lager

Of what variety?

[Poptop]

Of what variety?

Que? Whatchu mean Willis?

[Big Nake]

What kind of Mexican Lager? Negra Modelo? Corona? Victoria? Dos Equis Amber? Sol? Bohemia?

[Poptop]

What kind of Mexican Lager? Negra Modelo? Corona? Victoria? Dos Equis Amber? Sol? Bohemia?

Oh, my bad. Dos Equis Amber in the thought process. Not sure if it was BYO or Zymurgy but there's several articles on the Mexi-Lager thing. Not following any specific recipe. Thinking about using my base Vienna Lager and subbing in some Grits and possibly some Piloncilo going for light and a little on the dry side.
I also noted several of 'those' recipes using Amarillo. Not sure if I aspire to that thought.

[Big Nake]

I have been making this Bordertown recipe which is basically just a "dark lager" with noble hops, flaked corn and a suitable yeast. There is usually some Vienna in the recipe along with some pilsner and carafa special III. On my Monday night bowling league, I typically drink Dos Equis Amber. I have been bowling with these guys for years. Eventually one of the other guys ordered one and was surprised at how good it was. Then another guy ordered one and then another. Now it's the official beer of our team. One thing I notice about it is that it's a very "soft" beer. The carb level may be lower, the sulfate is probably lower and the hops are low but everything works. I made another dark lager recipe a few months ago with 2124 and tried to get that soft character. That keg is in the on-deck fridge and won't make it to the taps for a bit but I have high hopes.

[Poptop]

I can appreciate your suggestion that 2X Amber has a soft feel to it, and that's quite likely what I like about it too. Always have a few in the fridge. In spite of its color, it can please the BMC people too. Maybe that's why my Vienna L's of late make everybody happy, even Bud Light BIL

[positiveContact]

something light and hoppy for the summer time.  maybe a wheat beer.

[Poptop]

What kind of Mexican Lager? Negra Modelo? Corona? Victoria? Dos Equis Amber? Sol? Bohemia?

This is what I'm toying with, how's it look? I'd love to have some 940 but I need to take advantage of a very healthy cake.

Recipe: Baby Borracho - Style: Mexi-Maybe-Lager - Estimated OG: 1.047 SG, Estimated Color: 10.7 SRM, Estimated IBU: 23.8 IBUs, Boil Time: 40 Minutes

1 lbs Stone Grits (1.0 SRM)
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
4 lbs Vienna Barke Vienna (3.8 SRM)
8.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
1.5 oz Midnight Wheat (744.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Piloncilo Sugar (10.0 SRM)
0.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 35.0 min 20.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Select Spalt [4.75 %] - Boil 5.0 min 3.3 IBUs
Slurry Gen 3 Fermentis 34/70

[Big Nake]

This is what I'm toying with, how's it look? I'd love to have some 940 but I need to take advantage of a very healthy cake.

Recipe: Baby Borracho - Style: Mexi-Maybe-Lager - Estimated OG: 1.047 SG, Estimated Color: 10.7 SRM, Estimated IBU: 23.8 IBUs, Boil Time: 40 Minutes

1 lbs Stone Grits (1.0 SRM)
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)
4 lbs Vienna Barke Vienna (3.8 SRM)
8.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
1.5 oz Midnight Wheat (744.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Piloncilo Sugar (10.0 SRM)
0.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 35.0 min 20.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Select Spalt [4.75 %] - Boil 5.0 min 3.3 IBUs
Slurry Gen 3 Fermentis 34/70

That looks nice. I would prefer Carafa III to the MW but I like them both. The carafa brings something really nice and smooth to the flavor. I haven't used that sugar but I assume it's there for gravity only which works nicely. I typically just used flaked corn so not sure on the stone grits but if you've used it before with good results I don't see an issue. I need to try that masa harina in a beer again... I think I tried it once but the beer had some other weird issue (yeast maybe) so it didn't turn out that great. In the summer I could be happy with a pale lager (helles, American Premium) and a dark lager (Vienna, Dunkel, Mexican Dark, etc) and maybe a pale ale without the need for much else. Cheers.

[Poptop]

That looks nice. I would prefer Carafa III to the MW but I like them both. The carafa brings something really nice and smooth to the flavor. I haven't used that sugar but I assume it's there for gravity only which works nicely. I typically just used flaked corn so not sure on the stone grits but if you've used it before with good results I don't see an issue. I need to try that masa harina in a beer again... I think I tried it once but the beer had some other weird issue (yeast maybe) so it didn't turn out that great. In the summer I could be happy with a pale lager (helles, American Premium) and a dark lager (Vienna, Dunkel, Mexican Dark, etc) and maybe a pale ale without the need for much else. Cheers.

I've made my Vienna with both MNW and Carafa II and I think your right that the C imparts more flavor where the MNW does not at all imo. The Piloncilo sugar offers a small caramel / raisin flavor that's why I chose the MNW. As for the Masa Harina, I forgot about that and might use it instead of the grits. I've used grits before with pleasant results. Not like they jump out at you or anything. I'm lining this beer out for a fishing trip in August. It's the first sub 5% I've ever made with the heat of the Keys, fishing on a boat all day in mind.

[Big Nake]

I've made my Vienna with both MNW and Carafa II and I think your right that the C imparts more flavor where the MNW does not at all imo. The Piloncilo sugar offers a small caramel / raisin flavor that's why I chose the MNW. As for the Masa Harina, I forgot about that and might use it instead of the grits. I've used grits before with pleasant results. Not like they jump out at you or anything. I'm lining this beer out for a fishing trip in August. It's the first sub 5% I've ever made with the heat of the Keys, fishing on a boat all day in mind.

Just let me know when to come down.

[Poptop]

We're trying to get a trip in up your way to see the Cubs and eat and drink downtown.....

[Big Nake]

We're trying to get a trip in up your way to see the Cubs and eat and drink downtown.....

WHOO! I'm actually about to pull the trigger on some Cubs tickets... at Miller Park. It's cheaper and easier to see a game there than it is in Wrigley. I realize it's not Wrigley but still. Let me know when you're coming up.

[Poptop]

Will do!