Colorado Kitchen Brew

One of my proudest moments as a homebrewer was having one of my beers selected to be brewed at Mad Jack's Mountain Brewery in Bailey, Colorado. It was the first time one of my beers had been chosen to brew and sell to the public.  The beer was a Quadrupel that I brewed as an excuse to try the new at the time Simpsons DRC malt in place of Special B. Apparently it worked out quite well. The owner and the brew master at Mad Jack's both tried my beer, and the rest is history. For the brewery, my original 5 gallon brew was scaled up from 5 gallons to 3 barrels. The switch was also made to a brewery made Candi Syrup in place of the commercial Candi Syrups from my original brew.  The recipe below is therefore a 5 gallon brew that was modified and scaled up to 90 gallons and then brought back down to 5 gallons again.  If you'd like to forgo making your own Candi Syrup, I've also listed the original syrups. In addition, I've provided two mashing options. At the brewery, we ...

After a very long wait, the four Quads from my wood aging experiment are ready.  The base beer is quite nice all by itself. Dark cherry, plum and raisin flavors are out front. After that comes a light bitterness that is slightly minty. My beer finishes very dry, with a subtle burnt sugar edge. It also has a light body (perhaps a little too light, given the strength) and a mild alcohol warmth going down. Now it's time for my Bourbon aged variant. First off, it has a little more Bourbon action than I would've liked, but it's not overpowering. On top of the base beer is a slight vanilla and caraway edge. The caraway is most prevalent in the finish. This beer is not quite as dry as the base too. As the beer warms, there's a light roasted almond note that was a pleasant surprise. The first thought that crossed my mind when I tried the Rum beer was "now that's different." The Rum aged beer is extra sweet out front. In addition, the Rum added lots of whi...

2013 My 2012 Quad is a year old and ready to revisit. Things have changed quite a bit in a year. A beer that leaned toward dark fruit flavors is now warm and very spicy. The yeast has taken over and really bumped up the coriander and pepper components. The prunes and raisins are still there, albeit subdued. There's also a light toffee note that I don't remember from last year. An alcohol warmth permeates the system and is a little more prevalent than before. 2012   The beer's body is still a little syrupy, but also extremely dry. A soft, yet vigorous carbonation lends a nice tingle on the tongue. A heavy sheet of lace follows in the beer's wake. I asked myself last year if a 12 week wait for the beer to finish was worth it. My answer was an emphatic yes. So, was waiting an extra 12 months also worth it? Absolutely.

My final (well, not exactly) Candi Sugar experiment beer has finished conditioning and is ready to pour. Let's see how my experiment turned out. My beer's color is right where I wanted it. The deep mahogany hue has nice clarity and is topped by a dense head that's a bit darker than expected. Head retention is pretty good and there's some lace to be had too. Moving on to what we really care about, the beer has a prominent nose of dark fruits, plus a light, almost roasted edge that I had no idea would be there. That edge lingers through the beer's finish. While I like the sugar's dimension, it's just not quite what I was expecting. It needs to be cut with something else. The beer's bitterness is light and somewhat floral. You can definitely tell that it shares parts with its three siblings. A light body with about the right level of fizz rounds things out. So, what do I think of the final result? I think this was my least favorite of the Candi...

2013 One year later, it's time to break into my cellar and revisit 2012's Golden Tripel . Let's start with appearances. First off, the beer's clarity has improved, but not by a lot. The beer definitely suffers from a bout of chill haze. The head is less dense and doesn't stick around as long. There's still some lace to be had. Of course, what we really care about are the flavor and aroma changes. I noted back in my Golden Spark blog that my beer had almost reverted back to its younger self over time. Meanwhile, my Dubbel was about the same as before, albeit spicier. This beer is a completely different animal. It's drier, spicier and much more like white wine. 2012 The pale fruits that were out front before are much more subdued. Coriander and pepper now dominate, while the sourdough aromas cut through more. The overall picture is spicy and dry, with just enough pear sweetness to balance the load. Carbonation is still soft, but not quite as...

For some reason, I just can't let the Candi Sugar experiment I started back in January rest. My original experiment produced a Blonde , Tripel and Quad , but no Dubbel. I'm here to finish the quartet. First off, I had to dial back the grain-bill from the first three beers. Otherwise, once even a modest amount of sugar was introduced, the finished product would be too strong. The major change; however, is in the type of sugar this time around. For this Dubbel, I'm using Dark Brown Sugar for my Candi Sugar. The big difference between White and Brown sugar is that the Brown contains molasses. The Candi making process produces a very dark sugar that will add some bittersweet qualities to my beer. It should be a big change from the white sugar based Candi Sugars in my previous brews. For this beer, I boiled the sugar for nearly an hour. The resulting syrup had a wonderful aroma combination of prunes, raisins and a dab of espresso. I really hope those carry over into the...

2013: Same beer. Same glass. Today is the first anniversary of my blog, as well as the first anniversary of the first beer I ever wrote about: Golden Spark . Certain strong beer styles age very well. The Belgian Strong Pale Ale ( BSPA ) is one of them. With that in mind, I cellared the last few bottles of my beer and patiently waited for it to evolve. Has it changed much since last Spring? In a word: Yes. Here's what I had to say in May of 2012: "After two weeks in the bottle, the beer had great carbonation and a nice dense head. Due to my forgetting to throw in Irish Moss during the boil, there was as a fair amount of chill haze, which didn't bother me. Pears and apricots dominated, with a hint of spicy bitterness. Fast forward to a month plus in the bottle and things have changed. The fruits have faded and let the bitterness through. The mouthfeel is extremely dry and deceivingly light." To keep things interesting, I poured the beer into the sam...

My last two blogs focused on my Blonde and Tripel . This one turns to the final beer I brewed: a Quad . As I stated in my original blog post, the only real difference between this beer and the others is the amount and type of Candi Sugar. In the case of this beer, I made an amber syrup that bordered on becoming caramel if I'd let it boil much longer. Let's start with the similarities between all three beers. The floral qualities of the Styrian Golding hops really impact the aroma and flavor of all three. Their fresh cut flower character is very prevalent, even though none of the beers is all that bitter. All three beers also have similar coriander and pepper spice aromas from the yeast. The Quad adds some new layers that set it apart from the other beers. Let's start with the pour. Where the previous beers had nice clarity, the Quad is decidedly hazy. Its amber hue looks nothing like a traditional Quad, but is significantly darker than the other beers. I like my ...

Round two of my Candi Sugar experiment is ready to go. After looking at my sugarless Abbey Blonde base beer, it's time to see how my Tripel turned out. The beer pours with a deep gold hue that's slightly paler than the Blonde. It's topped by a dense bone-white cap. Head retention is decent, but not spectacular. A nice amount of lace is left behind. I'm amazed at the clarity I got with this beer. There's much less haze than in my previous Tripel . In the picture, you can even see the Chimay logo on the backside of the glass I poured it in. Pale fruits and fresh cut flowers greet the nose. Pear and green grape are the most prominent aromas. There's a very light coriander spice note. Letting the nose linger lets the floral aromas come out. There's no alcohol heat to be found. In the mouth, the beer is dry and deceptively light. Carbonation is soft and perhaps a touch low for the style. The pale fruits from the nose are bolstered by bready grains. ...

Following in the footsteps of my Westvleteren XII inspired Quad is this Tripel recipe. If you look at the hops, yeast and grain-bill, you'll notice that they're essentially the same as what's in the other beer. Although the Tripel dials up the bitterness just a touch with a larger first hop addition, the real difference is its switch to clear Candi Sugar. In the end, I should have two very different beers, despite them sharing all but one ingredient. On a side note, my Mash efficiency was much better than usual on this batch. Normally, I get a little above 70% with my stove-top setup . This time I was just shy of 80%. Because of that, the Original Gravity of this beer is extremely close to what I got from my Quad. Comparing the two beers when they're done should be very interesting. Here's the five-gallon recipe: Grains: 7 lbs Castle Pilsen 6 lbs Castle Pale Ale Hops: 0.5 oz Magnum (14.9% a.a.): 90 min 1 oz Styrian Golding (3.8% a.a.): 20 min 1 oz St...

I've been doing some research on everyone's favorite Trappist beer: Westvleteren XII (a.k.a. Westy 12). Rumor has it that the beer's grain-bill is fairly simple. No specialty grains, just a couple of Belgian base malts. The real key fermentable is the Candi Sugar the monks use. It apparently provides much of the beer's complex dark fruit, chocolate and coffee flavors. This provides the perfect opportunity to experiment some more with Candi Sugar making . Since I'm using the Westvleteren beers as inspiration, rather than trying to clone them, no one can tell me I'm doing it wrong. Instead, I'm going to have some fun and hope that the end results are worthy of sharing with friends. The experimental part here is that you're not simply boiling sugar and water for a set time and calling it good. Instead, you get to rely upon your senses to tell you when the desired sugar is achieved. Since my senses aren't the same as everyone else, my idea of th...

The last of my Trappist beers for 2012 is ready to pour. Time to see how my Dubbel turned out. Visually, the beer pours with a slightly hazy, deep mahogany hue. The small cream head is extremely dense and slowly settles to a patchwork quilt of foam. A nice latticework of lace is left in the beer's wake. There are a lot of similarities between this beer and my Quad , which I expected. Like the Quad, dark dried fruit aromas of prunes, raisins and currants are front and center. There's also just the slightest hint of baking chocolate. Pepper and coriander scents keep the sweetness in check. The beer's aromas transition nicely into the flavors. Sweet dark fruit flavors are out front, bolstered by a bit of chocolate. The bitterness level is just enough to balance the sweeter flavors. In the mouth, the beer is light and dry. Soft carbonation creates a nice tingle. With a final ABV of 6.5%,the beer is much lighter than my Quad and Tripel , which it should be. This ...

After 12 weeks of patiently waiting, my Quadrupel is ready to go. It's time to see if the wait was worth it. Was it worth it? One word: Totally. Visually, the beer pours with a slightly hazy, deep mahogany hue. The small cream head is extremely dense and slowly settles to a patchwork quilt of foam. A nice latticework of lace is left in the beer's wake. The red wine effect I was going for is right there. Dark dried fruit aromas of prunes, raisins and currants are front and center. Pepper and coriander spice keep the sweetness from going out of control. A very subtle whiff of alcohol finishes the picture. The beer's flavor echoes the aroma. Although it leans toward the sweeter dark fruit flavors, there's just enough spicy bitterness to keep them in check. The alcohol is well masked, but adds a little warmth going down. Letting the beer warm a bit makes things even better, as some almond notes start to peek through. In the mouth, the beer is substantial and sl...

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...

Red Sky Dubbel is the last of the Trappist style beers that I'm brewing in 2012. This recipe is closely related to my Quad from a few weeks back. Like the Quad, the beer is very malty and should bring a lot of dark fruit flavors to the table. The main difference is that my Dubbel packs a much lighter punch. Since Dubbel is one of my favorite beer styles, I'm hopeful that this one will turn out well. Here's the 5-gallon recipe: Grains: 9 lbs Belgian Pilsner 1 lb Aromatic 6 oz Crystal 45L 6 oz Special B 2 oz Dehusked Carafa II Hops: 0.5 oz Sterling (9.0% a.a.): 60 min 0.5 oz Tettnanger (4.8% a.a.): 20 min 0.5 oz Tettnanger (4.8% a.a.): 7 min Extras: 1.5 lbs Amber Homemade Candi Sugar : 5 min Yeast: Safbrew T-58 Mash Schedule: Saccharification Rest: 150F for 75 min Mashout: 168F for 15 minutes Original Gravity: 1.063 Estimated Final Gravity: 1.012 IBU: 22 SRM Color: 19 Fermentation Schedule: 2 Weeks Primary 4 Weeks Secondary 2 Weeks ...

The Quadrupel (often referred to as a Quad) is the strongest of the Belgian Trappist style beers. It is a powerful, malty creation that ages well and takes a long time to mature. My favorite examples of the style come across to me as a Trappist Dubbel that's been turned up to 11. With that in mind, my Quadrupel's specialty grains are inspired by an Abbey Dubbel that I will be brewing in a few weeks. Extra strength is provided by additional base-malt and a much greater use of homemade Candi Sugar than in my Dubbel. A modest hop flavor and aroma from Tettnanger hops completes the picture. As I've already said, a beer like this takes time to mature. Mine should hit its stride just in time for Christmas. Here's the recipe for five gallons: Grains: 11 lbs Colorado Pilsner 1 lb Aromatic 8 oz Crystal 45L 8 oz Special B 2 oz Dehusked Carafa II Hops: 0.5 oz Opal (6.3% a.a.): 90 min 1 oz Tettnanger (4.8% a.a.): 20 min 1 oz Tettnanger (4.8% a.a.): 7 min Extras...

For the upcoming holiday season, I've decided to brew all three of the strong Trappist beers: Dubbel , Tripel and Quadrupel . First up is the Tripel. Unlike it's sister brews, a Tripel is not a malty creation. It has a golden hue and a more balanced bitterness. Candi Sugar adds strength, while lightening the beer's body. My recipe is a fairly straightforward take on the style. Pilsner malt makes up the bulk of the grist. Crystal and Aromatic malts add some extra complexity. This is my first time using Styrian Bobek hops. I'm hopeful that I'll like what they add. This beer will take a about ten weeks to mature. It should be ready just in time for Thanksgiving. Here's the plan: Grains: 11 lbs Colorado Pilsner 8 oz Aromatic 8 oz Crystal 15L Hops: 0.5 oz Merkur (12.4% a.a.): 90 min 1 oz Styrian Bobek (3.9% a.a.): 20 min 1 oz Styrian Bobek (3.9% a.a.): 7 min Extras: 2 lbs Clear Candi Sugar: 15 min Yeast: Safbrew T-58 Mash Schedule: Saccharif...

Some of my favorite beers are Belgian Abbey ales. A good Dubbel, or Tripel makes me very happy. In this installment of In the Fermentor, I've brewed a beer that mashes (pun fully intended) the two styles together. When all is said and done, it should have the sweetness of a Dubbel, the hoppiness of a Tripel, plus a hue and strength that splits the difference. First, here's the recipe: Grains: 10.5 lbs Belgian Pilsener 8 oz Crystal 45L 8 oz Special B 8 oz Carapils Hops: 1 oz Hallertauer: 60 min 0.5 oz Crystal: 7 min Yeast: Wyeast 1388 - Belgian Strong Ale Extras: 1 lb Amber Belgian Candy Sugar Original Gravity: 1.060 Final Gravity: 1.004 Fermentation Schedule: 2 Weeks Primary 4 Weeks Secondary 2 Weeks Bottle Conditioning Cost: $18 per case Commercial Equivalent: New Belgium Abbey : $31 Savings: $13 I hit my target Mash temperature of 152, which made me happy. The Original Gravity wasn't as high as I expected, but the yeast did their thing ...

It seems fitting that my first real post be about the beer that inspired this blog. My son appropriately named it Golden Spark. It's a Belgian Strong Pale Ale (BSPA, for all you beer nerds out there) that weighs in at 9.8% alcohol. In the future, my "In the Fermentor" articles will list the recipes for my beers, but I'm making an exception this time. Golden Spark is a Partial Mash recipe that can easily be converted to all-grain. The following recipe is scaled up to make the traditional five gallon batch of homebrew: Grains: 4 lbs Rahr Two-Row 8 oz Crisp Crystal 15L 4 oz Briess Carapils Hops: 1 oz Hallertauer: 60 min 0.5 oz Saaz: 20 min 0.5 oz Crystal: 20 min 0.5 oz Saaz: 7 min 0.5 oz Crystal: 7 min Yeast: Wyeast 1388 - Belgian Strong Ale Extras: 6 lbs Briess Pilsen Light DME (Dry Malt Extract) 12 oz Clear Belgian Candi Sugar Original Gravity: 1.077 Final Gravity: 1.002 Fermentation Schedule: 2 Weeks Primary 4 Weeks Secondary 2 Weeks B...