Fermentation Friday-March

“How will you grow or change as a homebrewer this Spring? How will you embrace your Spring fever and channel it toward your homebrewing endeavors?”

Planting hop rhizomes, kegging and brewing with the season. I jsut planted some hop rhizomes, which I hope translates to a couple fresh hop beers. I can now keg my beers, which I look forwarde to, I so HATE bottling! I will try and brew with the season Example: A true marzen brewed now and lagered until october, lighter beers in the summer, heavy high alcohol beers in the winter.

Also, with the nicer weather & longer days I hope to have a few outside brews this spring/summer that are conjoined with bar-b-q's with friends.

December Friday Fermentation

Yeast

I believe that yeast are, or can, be your best friends when brewing beer. When you control the yeast, by control I mean give it the best possible environment, it can give you amazing results. Also, I believe that you should play with 1 or 2 strains of yeast and learn from it the best you can. At what temperature does this same yeast give you certain characteristics: fruity, sulfer, balance etc. I have been sticking with the WLP-029 German/Kolsch yeast and have learned quite a bit from it. If you ferment this yeast at lower temps 60-65F, recommended is 65-69F, it can give you a really clean "lager like" flavor profile. I have used this yeast in many different types of styles, kolsch, honey beers, stouts, porters, pale ales. I think this yeast can almost be as versatile as the WLP-001 Cal ale yeast.

Now that we are in winter mode I will be playing the WLP-810 San Fran Lager yeast