Colorado Kitchen Brew

Winter is just around the corner, which means it's time to get something strong going.  This time around, I'm brewing an English Old Ale . I've chosen the style for two reasons. First, I've never brewed one. Second, I intend to mix part of this with a Mead I'll be making to create a Braggot . The BJCP guidelines recommend using a yeast with low attenuation. I'm hopeful that Wyeast's West Yorkshire cultured from my Taddy Porter clone will fit the bill. The addition of brown sugar and flaked corn follows the common practice of using adjuncts in this style. The sugar should add strength and a hint of extra sweetness. My favorite English aroma hop finishes things off. If the yeast doesn't go too crazy, the finished brew should have an ABV right around 8%. Here's the 5-gallon recipe: Grains: 8 lbs Crisp Pale Ale 2 lbs Flaked Corn 1 lb Special Roast 1 lb English Medium Crystal 8 oz English Extra Dark Crystal 4 oz Pale Chocolate Hops: 1 ...

My Tripel is ready just in time for Thanksgiving. It should pair nicely with the Turkey at the table. The beer pours with a hazy peach hue that should become more and more clear with age. An extremely dense eggshell head forms a pillow of foam that stays with the beer the whole way down the glass. A solid sheet of lace is left behind. The nose is floral, spicy and fruity. Pear, green grape, a bit of coriander and a hint of lemon sourdough are the most distinct features. The esters from the yeast are very Belgian in presentation. In the mouth, pale fruits are out front with pear and green grape flavors. Bitterness is sharp and spicy, but balances well against the sweetness of the malts. It becomes more intense as the beer warms. As intended, the alcohol is masked in the flavor, but adds a touch of warmth going down. The body is deceptively light and dry, as it should be. Soft carbonation rounds out the picture. An ABV of 8.3%, combined with a light body and easy drinkabilit...

Back in the olden days of my brewing life, circa 1994, my brother and I brewed a great Winter Warmer for the holidays. That recipe is sadly lost to history, but I have a pretty good memory of what went into it. The base of this beer is malt forward, with a low hop profile and a focus on caramelized sugars. Toasty carmelized malts, plus earthy and floral Willamette hops serve as a backdrop for mulling spice, ginger and molasses. My beer's grain-bill is inspired by the Scottish Ale I brewed back in the spring and utilizes the yeast from it. I used a commercially available mulling spice mix that's made up of cinnamon, allspice, sweet orange peel and clove. The finished beer will have a modest strength of around 6% and should be good served warm with a cinnamon stick, just like we did it back then. For five gallons: Grains: 10 lbs Maris Otter 8 oz English Medium Crystal 4 oz English Extra Dark Crystal 4 oz English Chocolate Malt Hops: 1 oz Willamette (5.6% a.a.): 6...

It's Election Day! What better beverage is there to imbibe while watching election results than a glass of White House beer? My take on White House Honey Porter is right on schedule and ready to drink. The finished beer has a deep mahogany hue with a dense cream head. The nose is heavy with molasses and coffee, plus a slightly minty herbal note. In the mouth, the beer has nice density and is slightly syrupy. I'm guessing the honey has something to do with that. Despite there being no roasted barley in the recipe, the black and chocolate malts bring a heavy roasted edge. They also provide the burnt bitterness I expect to find in a Stout. Where the beer departs from that style is in its additional layer of herbal bitterness from the hops. The honey in the recipe can be sensed way in the background. The beer finishes dry and slightly acidic. Overall, this is a pretty nice little Porter. I'm not sure if I'll brew it again, but I'm glad I gave it a whirl. As a...