Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Rauch Cider

So, today is my birthday and I was wanting to brew something different as I haven't brewed for sometime. I decided to go with a cider, but it will definitely be different.

I had a Woodchuck Cellar Series Smoked Apple cider a while back and it was amazing! They smoked the apple pomace and let the cider ferment on it. Very tasty!

That is where the inspiration for my birthday brew is coming from. I'm going about it in a very different fashion utilizing smoked grain instead.

I will be brewing a small batch of smoke beer, with a hops addition, and will top off with apple juice, enough to make 6 gallons.

Depending on the flavor profile that emerges, I may dry hop the Rauch Cider as well.


This is a picture of the mini mash in my full size mash tun. It looks so tiny!










This is the wort pre-boil. 4 gallons that will be reduced to about 2 gallons then topped off with apple juice. I'm using store bought apple juice so I won't need to worry about wild yeasts or having to add Campden Tablets.



The house smells of barbecue! (I'm actually brewing this small batch of smoke beer in the house. It smells so awesome!) Usually I have to brew outside, but the wife gave me permission seeing it's my birthday and all.

I'll also be adding some brown sugar for flavor and to bump up the alcohol content. After the boil I will cool the wort, then top off with apple juice to make 6 gallons.

I'll update in the near future!

Thanks for reading!

CHEERS!









Sunday, February 21, 2016

I'm Back!.....

Hello all! Sorry I haven't posted in almost a year. It has been a busy year. I was working three different part-time jobs so I didn't have time to homebrew, but as this year turns, I have a full-time and only one part-time  job, so it is time to get back at it.
Again, I will be getting very creative and pushing the boundaries like my favorite brewery in Bend, OR, Deschutes Brewery.
I have an idea for a brew that will primarily be a cider, but will use some malt for flavor, so I think I will call it a Cider Beer. It will be lightly hopped and I may even dry hop it as I see how the flavor progresses.
This will turn out to be my birthday brew this year. I'm going to brew a small batch, 2 gallons of beer, chill, and transfer to the fermenter, then add the juice, pitch the yeast, and let the fermentation party begin! More details to come!
CHEERS!