The Number 10

The 10th beer of the fall and hopefully a wonderful example of a Belgian strong dark ale.

Grist:
9lbs Belgian Pilsner Malt
3lbs Belgian Pale Malt

Hops;
1oz Northern Brewer 60 mim
1oz Styrian Goldings 20 min
1oz Hersbrucker 10 min

Adjuncts:
1lb D-180 syrup 10 min
1lb D-90 syrup right into the fermenter at high krausen

Yeast:
WYEAST #3787 yeastcake from the Patersbier

Mashed in with 4.5 gallons 161 degree water, target 150
Mashed out with .5 gallons at 180
Sparged 3.5 gallons out at 190 degrees
90 minute boil, 7 gallons collected

Target OG 1.072
Actual OG 1.070 before sugar to fermenter

Brewed 12.08.13, gravity reading 12.18.13 = 1.018 (10 days), moved to secondary at 1.011, conditioned at 50 degrees for 4 weeks, bottled.

Update-I actually had to bottle condition these in the oven. The basement was 62 degrees which is way to cool for Belgian yeast and I didn't want to stress the yeast out and cause off flavors. The oven (off) with the light bulbs on was 74-76 degrees, so I conditioned in there for two weeks. The capped bottles came out great, the corked bottles seem a bit under carb'ed. Regardless, I cellared them because I didn't want them warm for too long either. Looking forward to tasting these next year, the capped test bottles were very good with minimal esters.

Rye of the Storm

I expect a full bodied IPA, hefty is all respects, not a cross between an American Pale Ale and an IPA...Straight up IPA.

Grist:
11.25lbs Rahr 2-row
2.75lbs.Weyermann-Rye-malt
1lbs Crystal-60
.5lbs Briess Carapils
.5-lbs Rahr White Wheat malt

Hops:
1oz Mt.Hood(first-wort)
1oz Columbus 60min
1oz Mt.Hood 30min
1oz Mt. Hood 0min
Dry Hop:
1oz Columbus 7 days

Yeast:
Safale US-05 yeastcake from Pale Ale

Mashed in 4.75 gallons 166 degree water, target 153
Mash out .25 gallons 190 degree water
Sparge 3.25 gallons 190 degree water

60 minute boil

Target OG 1.078 Actual OG 1.074

Brew Date 12.06.13
Primary fermentation 2 weeks
Secondary fermentation at 52 degrees 3 weeks
Bottle condition 2+ weeks, it was cold in my basement and took a bit of time to carbonate

Update: This beer was fantastic, one of my favorites to date. Nothing floral or citrus about this beer, just spicy rye and bitter hops following some serious malt flavor.