#06 Austin - Negra Modelo (3A)

Clone from Austin Homebrew Supply 

The was my first Negra Modelo attempt.  I realized after this that I was going to try more varieties.  Check out a later attempt  Negra Modelo dark.

BJCP Style 3A ABV 5.78 OG 1.052 FG 1.008 Calories 146 SRM 13 Austin Homebrew Supply Mexican Amber Lager

Grains 7 lb Amber Extract 2 oz Chocolate Malt 6 oz Crystal 60L Malt 8 oz Vienna Malt Hops-Bittering (60 min) 1 oz Hersbrucker and .5 oz Tettnang Hops-Flavor (15 min) .5 oz Tettnang Yeast Wyeast 2124  Bohemian Lager Fermentation was at room temperature.  Looking forward to doing the next one as a Lager.

This has been a staple.  I make sure that I keep this on tap year round as it remains an easy drinking brew.  The room temperature fermentation tasted good, but all of my future brews were lagered.  

#05 Brewers Best - Irish Stout

Well not everything goes as planned.  The brewing was fine, but the keg still had the taste of root beer.  You win some, you lose some.  I was really looking forward to this one and was hoping that the root beer taste would go away.  This keg was tossed.

BJCP Style 13A ABV 4.73 OG 1.048 FG 1.012 Calories 136 SRM 40

Grains 3.3 lb. Dark LME 2.0 lb. Dark DME 8 oz Maltodextrin 12 oz Caramel 60L 4 oz Roasted Barley 4 oz Black Patent Hops ?? Yeast Nottingham Ale

#04 Love2Brew - Smoked Porter

Love2Brew in North Brunswick, NJ.  I stopped in here on a business trip and picked up a few nice recipe kits. The group was very informative for a new brewer.

The love2brew Smoked Porter is a perfect beer to warm the spirits on a cool evening. Our speciality grain blend adds a deep, dark profile that leads off with a balanced smoke flavor and follows up with hints of chocolate and coffee flavors that will grace your tongue as you cozy up at night and enjoy. This full bodied beer will begin with a malty aroma and a dominant but balanced smoke flavor that finishes with strong and semi-sweet malty taste.

BJCP Style 22B (Porter) OG 1.055 SRM 31.4 IBUs 25.9

Grains 6 lb Dark DME 1.5 lbs Smoked Pale Malt 3 oz Caramel 120L 7 oz Black Malt 2 oz Chocolate Malt Hops-Bittering 1 oz US Brewers Gold Hops-Flavor .5 oz Northern Brewer (30 minutes) Hops-Aroma .5 oz US Brewers Gold Yeast Safale S-04 - English ale

Smoked Porter Kit from Love2Brew

This beer started a little with a little too strong of a smoke taste. After sitting for 9 months, I went back to try this one agains and the taste was much more to my liking.

#03 Love2Brew - Natural Brown Ale

While on a trip for work to Princeton, NJ, I visited Love2Brew. 

http://www.love2brew.com/
1583 Livingston Ave, Unit #2
North Brunswick, NJ 08902

This was my third store that I had visited.  It was good to see yet another approach to brewing.

The love2brew Natural Brown Ale is a delicious and additive free natural Brown Ale.  This dark amber brew will provide you with a nutty malt aroma with a touch of sweetness.  As you taste this beer you will notice a smooth and light mouthful with a slightly nutty and malty profile.  The smooth and subtle finish will refresh your thirst while providing you with a perfect session beer. Recipe Kit

Natural Brown Ale Extract Kit from Love2Brew

	BJCP Style 10C ABV 5.12 OG 1.053 Calories 150 SRM 13.9	Grains 6 lb Light DME 6 oz Caramel 60L 4 oz Munich Malt 3 oz Chocolate Malt Hops-Bittering 1 oz Fuggle Hops-Flavor .5 oz Kent Golding (20 minutes) Yeast Safale S-04 - English ale

#02 Jay's - Amber Ale

Jay's Brewing in Manassas

Alright it was on to a new beer.  We went out to Jay's Brewing to see another homebrew store.  Derrick was helpful.  This recipe was provided by Derrick as something similar to a Yuengling.

D. G. Yuengling & Son is the oldest operating brewing company in the United States, established in 1829.

BJCP Style 10B ABV 4.33 OG 1.049 Calories 139 SRM 15.8

Grains 6 lbs Amber DME 8 oz Munich Malt 8oz Dextrim Malt Hops-Bittering 1 oz Hallertau Hops-Flavor 1 oz Hallertau Yeast Safbrew S-33 although this could have been Safale US-05 - American ale

Jay's Brewing in Manassas

#01 Brewers Best - Milk Stout

Well, brewing had to start sometime. This was my first brew. Although it didn't make me want to go all homebrew, it did give hope.

Bold and black, yet sweet and subtle.  This recipe of offers all of the chocolate and roasted notes that you would expect from a stout.  Addition of  Lactose produces a full body, thick, creamy head , and sweet finish.  Recipe  

BJCP Style 13B ABV 5.12/4.99 OG 1.06 FG 1.022 Calories 171 SRM 19.4

Grains 3.3 lb. Special Dark LME 3.3 lb. Pilsen LME 8 oz Lactose 8 oz Maltodextrin 8 oz Caramel 120L 4 oz Roasted Barley 4 oz Dark Chocolate Hops-Bittering .5 oz Bittering Hops-Aroma .5 oz Aroma Yeast Nottingham Ale

The taste improved overtime. We were excited to try our beers. This was kegged after 2 weeks of fermentation and tapped after a week in the keg. There was initially a bite after the drink that went away after 3 weeks of being on tap. It had a head on the beer. Lesson learned from this brew was that the beer is find to drink after a couple of weeks, but the beer will be significantly better if you give it 6-7 weeks.