Week of 3/7/21
The pipeline has run dry! But I kegged the 2Daves Irish Red on Friday, 3/5, and a small batch of 100 Years War IPA on Saturday, 3/6. Fortunately, the smaller kegs don't take a full week to carbonate, so I'm anticipating being able to draw the first pint of 100 Years War on Wednesday.
And on Sunday, 3/7, I brewed a batch of Ottertoberfest. This will lager through spring and summer, and in September I'll get it in the keg in time to tap for the festivities.
Week of 2/14/21
Again, I fell off the update wagon, but everyone hits a dry spell now and then. I have been brewing, just not as much. And since I'm watching my weight, I won't be brewing every week, as I have in the past. But I'll update every time I do brew.
Currently on tap is a Fat Tire Clone and the Bull Terrier Best Bitter. I bottled four six-packs of Pearly Pils last week, and will keep them cellared until summer, when they'll be well-conditioned and perfect for warm weather drinking.
Today I brewed a fiver of 2Daves Irish Red, which will be ready to keg just ten days before St. Patrick's Day. Perfect timing for the first draw on March 17th!
Week of 12/6/20
I've been remiss in updating this page, but no matter. I've already brewed Amber's Amber Lager and even bottled it. It's in the lager fridge carbonating. Next week I'll start dropping the temperature down.
I tapped the keg of Natural 20 Pale Ale and it's gone. It's a good, mild pale ale, and something I'll want to have around in the summer. Currently, there's a keg of Tam O'Shanter Wee Heavy I'm enjoying, and I kegged a fiver of Crown Top Pale Ale yesterday.
Week of 10/18/20
I didn't brew last Sunday, but I tried a new recipe on Wednesday, a Pale Ale I call Natural 20.
Today, I brewed another batch of Littlejohn's Ale. I want to give it some extended conditioning time for the holidays. And I expect to keg the batch of Fogbank Amber Ale on Monday.
Week of 10/4/20
A busy week and weekend. The keg of Littlejohn's Ale, my new milk stout, ran dry. I'm planning on making another batch to be ready for the holidays. It's a nice beer!
I also kegged the South Ferry Steam Beer on Friday, 10/2, and bottled the Holiday Porter on Saturday, 10/3. On Sunday I brewed a 3 gallon batch of Fogbank Amber Ale. October is starting off on the right foot!
Week of 9/20/20
I've tapped the milk stout, and the flavor is very good. But I think the next time I make it, I'll use Maris Otter instead of two row as the base malt. It might give it more of a grainy flavor, which wouldn't be out of place, and it might help the mouthfeel be a little more robust. It's slightly thin right now, but still a very satisfying beer.
On Sunday I brewed a batch of South Ferry Steam Beer. One of my favorite recipes, and one of my favorite labels, reminiscent of family vacations when I was a kid.
Week of 9/13/2020
I got the batch of King Duncan's Holiday Porter brewed this morning. I think the spices will add a nice cookie-like touch to it, especially as it warms up while it's being drunk.
The milk stout is in the keg, but not only does it need about three more days before it's fully charged, I'm still working on the other two kegs, and I can't hook it up and draw from it until one of them is empty.
Week of 9/6/2020
Brewed a fiver of my signature beer, FedoraDave's American Ale. That's kind of a tradition for Labor Day weekend. I'll be kegging the milk stout, Littlejohn's Ale, in a day or two. I'm looking forward to seeing how that turns out.
Week of 8/30/2020
No brewing this morning. But late last week I kegged the Rushin' Pale Ale and was able to tap the keg of Groomsman's Pride.
And look! There's new content up in Beer Thoughts and a new Recipe as well! Must be your lucky day!
Week of 8/23/2020
I'm brewing that milk stout this morning. I plan on kegging it so I can get a quick assessment of it. If I like it, I'll brew another batch right away and bottle it for extended cellar conditioning so as to be ready for the winter holidays.
Last Friday I kegged the batch of Groomsman's Pride, and not a moment too soon. Both of the current beers on tap are dangerously low, and there are only two bombers and one longneck left of the saison. I'll get by, though.
Week of 8/16/2020
Since Sunday dawned cool and rainy, I whipped up a batch of Rushin' Pale Ale. I don't want the pipeline running dry, and I know it's getting low. But I'll be able to keg the fiver of Groomsman's Pride later this week, and that will boost the drinkable volume at The Brauhaus.
I'll need to make a trip to the LHBS later this week. I've got plans to brew my "house beer," FedoraDave's American Ale, on Labor Day weekend. And I've developed a new recipe, a milk stout, that I'm eager to try.
Week of 8/9/2020
The Bull Terrier Best Bitter is on the menu! Layered with malty flavors and an ABV of 4.7%, this is a good session beer, especially during the Dog Days (get it?)
I also braved the high heat and humidity and brewed a fiver of Groomsman's Pride on Thursday, and it's well into primary fermentation.
This week I may brew a small batch of Rushin' Pale Ale, but if circumstances don't allow, I'm not worried. The pipeline should be set through Labor Day.
Week of 8/2/2020
I checked the gravity on the Bull Terrier Best Bitter yesterday, and it's ready to go into the keg. This gives me an excuse to polish off the rest of the Napping Chipmunk Blonde Ale this week, so I can have a seamless transfer of taps.
As I mentioned in last week's Brauhaus Update, I was thinking about brewing, but it's been too hot even to consider extract batches. But perhaps this week I'll bite the bullet and get to it.
Week of 7/26/2020
I've been drinking the saison, which is very nice, both on its own and as a complement to a light summer meal.
I've tapped the keg of White Panama, and I'm reminded once again of what a delicious blonde ale this is; low floral hop presence and a slight sweetness to the finish. Perfect for summer.
I may brew a small batch of Rushin' Pale Ale later this week, but I'm frankly not in any hurry to brew anything right now.
Week of 7/19/2020
In spite of high heat and humidity, I got up early on Sunday and brewed a 3-gallon batch of a new recipe. I call this extract beer Bull Terrier Bitter - a version of a British Best Bitter which I'm hoping will be a welcome addition to the summer rotation.
The Saison is ready to drink, and I've enjoyed a couple of the bombers already.
The Napping Chipmunk needs minor tweaks; it's a little hop-forward, but that's not a deal-breaker. Even if I change nothing, it's a good beer.
Week of 7/12/2020
The Old Smokey bit the dust last week, and I was able to hook up the liquid line to the Napping Chipmunk, which was kegged last Tuesday. I anticipate kegging the White Panama Tuesday. I was going to brew a small batch of Rushin' Pale Ale today, but the weather is sultry and humid, and I simply wasn't in the mood. Perhaps later in the week.
Week of 6/28/2020
I've had the first draw of the Old Smokey Amber Ale, and it's a winner! I need to pace myself, though; I don't want this keglet running dry too soon. Fortunately, I'll be able to tap the keg of Fedorus Magnus Kölsch by the end of the week. On Monday, I'll be brewing a fiver of White Panama Blonde Ale.
Week of 6/21/2020
Happy Father's Day! This morning I kegged the batch of Old Smokey Amber Ale.
Monday, I'll be brewing a small batch of a new blonde ale. It's meant to be a refreshing low-gravity beer, perfect for warm summer evenings. I'm calling it Napping Chipmunk.
And speaking of summer, I'll have new content up about summertime brewing, and how to beat the heat and still make beer.
Week of 6/7/2020
A busy start to an otherwise quiet week. On Saturday, 6/6, I smoked the grains for a batch of the award-winning Old Smokey Amber Ale. Sunday, 6/7, was brew day. Three gallons of Old Smokey, coming in with a gravity reading of 1.054. Perfect! I’m looking forward to later in the week, when I can finally tap the FedoraDave’s American Ale.
On Friday, I'll be brewing a fiver of Fedorus Magnus Kölsch. It's going to be a little uncomfortable, since the Pilsner malt requires a 90-minute boil, and the humidity has hit my neighborhood, but the result will be worth it. A light, slightly fruity Kölsch is a lovely beer to have in the summertime.
Week of 5/31/2020
I got a jump on summer by brewing the Saison d’Etre on Monday. It’s fermenting quite nicely in the mid-70s. I also dry-hopped the batch of FedoraDave’s American Ale, and will be kegging it on Thursday, 6/4.
Week of 5/24/2020
The keglet of 100 Years War ran dry. That’s a little disappointing, since I calculated I only drew about 20 pints from it. But perhaps some of those pints were on the fuller side. I kegged the Holiday Porter on 5/23, so I’ll have the first draw mid-week. The fiver of FedoraDave’s American Ale, brewed last Thursday, is still in primary fermentation. I won’t be brewing anything until next week, when I get into the summer beers, starting with Old Smokey Amber Ale.
Week of 5/17/2020
I was able to draw the first pints of 100 Years War IPA. I checked the gravity on King Duncan’s Holiday Porter, but it’s still a bit too high, even after two weeks. It won’t hurt it to go a bit longer. And I’m leaning toward making Thursday a brew day to whip up a fiver of FedoraDave’s American Ale.
Week of 5/10/2020
Tuesday, 5/12, makes exactly two weeks of fermentation for the 100 Years War IPA. I checked the gravity last Friday, and dry hopped it Saturday, so it’s going into the keg. First draw in 5-7 days.
Week of 5/3/2020
This morning (Sunday) I brewed a batch of King Duncan’s Holiday Porter. This is an amended recipe, and my first crack at it. So I’ll be evaluating it later on, and telling the whole story behind it in a separate entry.
Monday marks one week charging in the keg for the Phat Tyre, and I won’t be able to hook it up to the tap until one of the keglets runs dry. I’m thinking perhaps Wednesday or Thursday, which works very well.
The 100 Years War is nearly a week in fermentation, and there’s still some slight activity. I’ll dry hop it at the end of the week and should be able to keg it early next week.
Week of 4/25/2020
A lot is going on this week. The timing was perfect to have a keg run dry, since I needed the space in the keezer for a batch of Phat Tyre. After two weeks, the gravity was right where it should be. I don’t usually brew recipes that I didn’t have a hand in creating, but Fat Tire is one of my favorite beers, and I’m not all that adept at creating clone recipes. I found this one online, and it’s a dead ringer for the original.
I also hooked up the free line to a batch of Pearly Pils, which was kegged last week, and has been charging for five days or so. It’ll be ready to draw soon.
And I’m brewing a batch of 100 Years War IPA later this week. Check out the Recipe Page for the instructions.
Week of 4/19/2020
I'm not brewing anything this week, which is unusual for me. Instead, I'm going to keg a batch of pilsner that I brewed in March. I've been dropping the temperature steadily over the past three weeks, and it's been sitting at around 30º for at least a week.
Once I get it in the keezer, it'll probably sit carbonating for another couple of weeks. I already have two kegs hooked up, and with only two taps, the third keg will have to wait. But I've got time, and the extended time in the keg will only improve the beer.
