Jan 2, 2010

Crawford Vulture Blonde Ale / Jahrfunfzehn Lager

Crawford Vulture Blonde
O.G. 1.060
F.G. 1.011

6.4% ABV


Jahrfunfzehn Lagerbier
O.G. 1.060
F.G. 1.011
6.4% ABV



At dusk on brewday, I was visited by more than thirty turkey vultures who roosted in the tree just above my shed. They were close enough to hear their wings flapping when they were startled. This is not a very odd occurrence here in Crawford -- especially in the winter.
O.G. = 1.060


Malts:

19 lbs pils
5 lbs Munich 1
1.5 lbs carapils


This has almost 6% carapils which is a little much. We'll see if it makes the beer too chewy. I don't think it will be a big issue since most recommend ip to 5%. I think I have 5.8%


1.060 at 75% eff

Hops:

3oz tettnanger 3.2% - 60
2oz tettnanger 3.2%- 30
1oz cascade 5.4% - 15

28 ibu
Brewday, January 1, 2010

7 gal strike
9.2 gal sparge

430 - dough in
445 - near 150
557 - run off begins
805 - boil begins
909 - boil ends
1013 - gravity reads 1.060
1111 - done

Reflections on brewday:

Things went pretty smoothly aside from the water machine sterling my money and having to go to Bell's to get seven gallons of water. Temperatures were in the twenties, especially later in the evening, this made the chilling go quickly. I also could not find my flashlight, so that was a little bit of a challenge.

Jahrfunfzehn Notes:
1.11.10 -- Check the gravity and it was already down to around 1.015. I started a diacetyl rest in hopes of getting a couple more points out of it. The gravity was a little lower than I expected it to be -- perhaps WL833 works a little faster than the lager yeasts I have used in the past. The sample tasted wonderful.
1.14.10 -- Racked into a secondary and measured the gravity again. It did not seem to move. (1.015) I am going to wait another day before beginning to drop the temperature in hopes of shedding a point or two.
3.29.10 -- Kegged and placed in the the fridge. Final gravity about 1.011, so I see it shed more than a point or two. ABV = 6.4%

Crawford Vulture Blonde Notes:

1.23.10 -- Primed with around 4.88oz table sugar. This is the first time I have primed a whole batch with sucrose. Final Gravity = 1.011.