#22 AHS Session Series Blonde Ale (6B)

This is a generic Blonde Ale session beer from Austin Homebrew.  Easy-drinking, approachable, malt-oriented American craft beer.  The following describes the details of a typical blonde ale.

BJCP Style 6B ABV 3.94 OG 1.041 FG 1.011 Calories 116 SRM 40.6

Grains 8 oz White Wheat 8 oz Cara Pils Malt Hops-Bittering .75 oz Perle Hops-Flavor .25 oz Perle Yeast WLP029 German Ale/Kolsh

Aroma: Light to moderate sweet malty aroma. Low to moderate fruitiness is optional, but acceptable. May have a low to medium hop aroma,.
Appearance: Light yellow to deep gold in color. Clear to brilliant. Low to medium white head with fair to good retention.
Flavor: Initial soft malty sweetness, but optionally some light character malt flavor (e.g., bread, toast, biscuit, wheat) can also be present. Caramel flavors typically absent. Low to medium esters optional, but are commonly found in many examples. Light to moderate hop flavor (any variety), but shouldn’t be overly aggressive. Low to medium bitterness, but the balance is normally towards the malt. Finishes medium-dry to somewhat sweet. No diacetyl.

Austin Homebrew Supply Session Series Blonde Ale

Brewed June 2, 2012
Kegged July 8, 2012
Tapped August 24, 2012

#15/16/25/48/88 Negra Modelo Dark Beer (Cerbeeceria Modelo, S.A.) (3A)

Negra Modelo has long been the dark beer alternative for Mexican beer drinkers. It has been identified as one of the few surviving examples of Vienna style lager - a style that was largely replaced in European breweries with Oktoberfest, a slightly lighter lager, in the early twentieth century.  While Negra Modelo is brewed in Mexico and bears a Spanish name, it is (dark) lager first brewed in Mexico by Austrian immigrants.

“Vienna Lager”? It’s an increasingly rare style developed in Austria in the mid-19th century and brought to Mexico by German immigrants.

Pours a dark brown. Smells roasty and sweet thanks to those Munich malts.  A medium-bodied beer, easily drinkable, malty and sweet, not hoppy. And it don’t need no stinkin’ limes.  Negra Modelo isn’t the only Mexican beer that has character, but it’s on a very short list. A bottle of Negra Modelo next to a bottle of Corona is like Clint Eastwood next to Ryan Seacrest.

Flavors and aromas This beer stands out among its Mexican peers, with its full body of caramel and slight roasted notes and light bitterness.

BJCP Style 3A Date Brewed 41021 ABV /5.78 OG 1.052 FG 1.008 Calories 146 SRM 16.2

Receipe #1  Grains 3.3 lb Munton Extract LME 3 lb Amber Extract DME 2 oz Chocolate Malt 6 oz Crystal 60L Malt 8 oz Vienna Malt Hops 1 oz Hersbrucker (60 min) .5 oz Tettnang (60 min) .5 oz (15 min)Tettnang Yeast WL940 Mexican Lager

Receipe #2 Grains 6 lb NB Munich Malt 1 lb NB Golden Malt 3 oz Chocolate Malt 6 oz Crystal 60L Malt 8 oz Vienna Malt Hops 1 oz Hersbrucker (60 min) .5 oz Tettnang (60 min) .5 oz (15 min)Tettnang Yeast Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager

After asking for feedback on the different yeast, I tried both and have found that I prefer the Bohemian Lager for the malty characteristics.  The was a good article in BYO related to vienna lagers that is worth a read.

I originally started with a recipe from Austin Homebrew, but have made changes over time.  The first attempt can be read #06 Austin - Negra Modelo (3A).  The big change over the versions has been a change to the Munich Malt.  I may try to change the Munich Malt ratio on future efforts.

#24/68 AHS Oktoberfest/Marzen (3B)

A malty, full-bodied, spicy amber beer that is similar in style to Paulaner Oktoberfest. This is an award winning recipe. 

BJCP Style 3B ABV 5.12 OG 1.054 FG 1.015 Calories 153 SRM 13.1

Grains  8 lb Munich Extract 8 oz German Pilsner Malt 8 oz Cara Vienne Malt 8 oz Cara Munich Malt Hops-Bittering 1 oz Perle Hops-Flavor .5 oz Hallertau Yeast WLP820 Oktoberfest/Marzen Lager

Austin Homebrew Supply Oktoberfest/Marzen

3B. Oktoberfest/Märzen BCJP Style Guidelines
Aroma: Rich German malt aroma (of Vienna and/or Munich malt). A light to moderate toasted malt aroma is often present. Clean lager aroma with no fruity esters or diacetyl. No hop aroma. Caramel aroma is inappropriate.
Appearance: Dark gold to deep orange-red color. Bright clarity, with solid, off-white, foam stand.
Flavor: Initial malty sweetness, but finish is moderately dry. Distinctive and complex maltiness often includes a toasted aspect. Hop bitterness is moderate, and noble hop flavor is low to none. Balance is toward malt, though the finish is not sweet. Noticeable caramel or roasted flavors are inappropriate. Clean lager character with no diacetyl or fruity esters.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a creamy texture and medium carbonation. Smooth. Fully fermented, without a cloying finish.
Overall Impression: Smooth, clean, and rather rich, with a depth of malt character. This is one of the classic malty styles, with a maltiness that is often described as soft, complex, and elegant but never cloying.
History: Origin is credited to Gabriel Sedlmayr, based on an adaptation of the Vienna style developed by Anton Dreher around 1840, shortly after lager yeast was first isolated. Typically brewed in the spring, signaling the end of the traditional brewing season and stored in cold caves or cellars during the warm summer months. Served in autumn amidst traditional celebrations.
Comments: Domestic German versions tend to be golden, like a strong Pils-dominated Helles. Export German versions are typically orange-amber in color, and have a distinctive toasty malt character. German beer tax law limits the OG of the style at 14˚P since it is a vollbier, although American versions can be stronger. “Fest” type beers are special occasion beers that are usually stronger than their everyday counterparts.
Ingredients: Grist varies, although German Vienna malt is often the backbone of the grain bill, with some Munich malt, Pils malt, and possibly some crystal malt. All malt should derive from the finest quality two-row barley. Continental hops, especially noble varieties, are most authentic. Somewhat alkaline water (up to 300 PPM), with significant carbonate content is welcome. A decoction mash can help develop the rich malt 
profile.
Vital Statistics: 
OG: 1.050 – 1.057
IBUs: 20 – 28 
FG: 1.012 – 1.016
SRM: 7 – 14 
ABV: 4.8 – 5.7%

#21/86 AHS New Belgium Abbey Ale

This is one of my favorite beers to date.  This has been a great winter beer.  This beer sat for six months before we had our first taste.  

Winner of four World Beer Cup medals and eight medals at the Great American Beer Fest, Abbey Belgian Ale is the Mark Spitz of New Belgium s lineup - but it didn't start out that way. When Jeff and Kim first sampled the beer at the Lyons Folks Fest, reviews were mixed at best. One of founder Jeff s first two Belgian style homebrews (along with Fat Tire), Abbey is a Belgian dubbel (or double) brewed with six different malts and an authentic Belgian yeast strain. Abbey is bottle-conditioned, weighs in at 7.0% alcohol by volume, and pairs well with chocolate (or boldly served by itself) for dessert.

BJCP Style 18B Date Brewed 6/2/2012 ABV 7.09 OG 1.065 FG 1.011 Calories 183 SRM  14.9

Grains 6 lb Amber LME 2 lb Cane Sugar 1.5 lb Munich Malt .25 lb Cara-Pils Malt .25 lb Chocolate Malt .5 lb Crystal 75L Malt Hops-Bittering .75 oz Target Hops-Aroma .25 oz Willamette Yeast WLP500 Trappist Ale

The original beer produced by New Belgium.

Birthdate: June, 1991

ABV: 7.0%

IBU: 20

Calories: 210

Hops: Willamette, Target, Liberty

Malts: Pale, Chocolate, Carapils, C-80, Munich

Body: Medium - Full

Aroma: Candy banana, sweet chocolate malt, clove, bubblegum, sweet spice cake, cinnamon, dark fruits

Mouthfeel: Full mouthfeel, creamy and rounded start and middle, slight warming and peppery perception give it a clean and slightly dry finish

Flavor: Spiced banana bread, slight peppery/clove/herbal, sweet caramel and bitter roasty chewy chocolate malt, nuances of pipe tobacco

Visual: Clear (kegs) or Hazy (bottles) with a deep redwood-mahogany, tan head with elegant billowing lacing