Create

   It has been over 6 weeks since I last brewed a beer, so we'd better get a cookin'.

   The first step is deciding what to make. For me that's a little like trying to figure out what to have for diner. Do I want shrimp, pasta, chicken, or maybe a little bit of everything. It's all up to you. I've elected to go with an English Dark Mild today, a low alcohol ale with no hop aroma and just a touch of roasted malt flavor. So many beers, so little time.

   Now I need to make a recipe. I find a lot of information in my Zymurgy magazine. But making beer is just like cooking, you can add a little here and subtract a little something there to make it your own unique creation. Every style has certain guidelines, but don't be afraid to experiment. Have fun and take lots of notes.

   To formulate my beer recipes, I use a computer program called ProMash. It figures out the alcohol content, hop bitterness, color, the amount of water that I will use, basically everything I need to know to make the beer. I'm making 6.5 gallons, with 8.75 lbs. of grain and 1 ounce of hops. Remember when I said earlier don't be afraid to experiment? Although this is an English ale with English grain and yeast, I'm putting American hops in it. I'm shooting for a 3% alcohol content, a very light beer indeed. Eighty percent of the grain I'm using is pale malt with the remaining twenty percent consisting of darker crystal and chocolate malts which you see here. I run them all through my grain mill which gently cracks them open without pulverizing them. These grains should give the beer good head retention, coloring, and just that hint of roast flavor. Notice I said should. This is why you keep notes as you might want to change something in the recipe if you happen to make it again.

   I store all of my hops in the freezer as they will lose their potency if left at room temperature. They are all in sealed bags and if I open one and don't use all the hops, I place the remainder in an air tight glass jar. You can never have to many hops. Since I am only making one addition for this session, all the hops will be placed in a hop bag and added at the beginning of the boil. Hops added at the end of the boil add aroma and that's not conducive to this style. Using the bag means I won't have to strain to get all the "leaves" out of the beer when I'm done boiling. I'll just grab it with tongs and take it out. No muss, no fuss.

   So the next time you're mixing up that special barbecue sauce or you add something to your mother's spaghetti formula, just remember that it's no different than configuring a beer recipe. Play around and have some fun with it, you just might be on to something.

   Work is the curse of the drinking classes.   -   Oscar Wilde

Comments

[Doug]

Coupla questions -

Do you keep the notes in ProMash so they are available the next time you brew that particular beer?

Why do you shoot for a low alcohol content in some beers? Does low alcohol have anything to do with hot summer days coming?

As to your music list - you have some oldies but goodies listed. Glad you have some Lou Rawls - that incredible voice will never sing again, except on his recordings.

[The Hoppy Mailman]

I absolutly keep notes on ProMash. As far as alcohol content goes, the Mild style has a low alcohol range, but yes, it's time to gear up for summer.
I will miss Lou also. What a voice.