Brewing Macedonian Myth

Bottled Myth on 10/12/09. Got a good 4 12paks out of it. The F.G. was 1.016-7. Tasted a touch too sweet, but the more I drank it the malt character started to show itself. I used Cane Sugar as the primer instead of Corn Starch...we'll see how that works out. It will probably take longer to bottle condition since it's a cane sugar is a sucrose and not a dextrose like corn starch (which is a simple sugar and easier for the yeast to break down). Just a little FYI.













I took a gravity reading today (10/10/09) and put the sample in a snifter. The flash really showcases the golden, amber, and mahogany hues. It does not taste that bad. Kind of heavy on the grape concentrate, but from what I remember of Midas Touch (Dogfish Head) it's not that far off. Bottling it tomorrow or Tuesday!


Update! Since last I wrote Macedonian Myth is progressing well. I racked it to the secondary fermenter on the 25th of Sept. and is conditioning now in the basement. A couple nights ago I accidentally left a light on all night right next to the carboy. Light has the tendency to ruin beer giving it a skunky taste. Let's just hope I didn't ruin this beer or I'll be one pissed off homebrewer. I believe this beer is going to have a nice ABV%...here is the run down:
Sept. 15th - 1.071 O.G.
Sept. 19th - 1.042
Sept. 21st - 1.036
Sept. 23rd -1.026
Sept 25th - 1.020
Oct. 5th - 1.018-9
Oct. 10th - 1.017
I still have a couple days left in the secondary fermentor, but so far I'm working with 7.06%. The original specs say that it should be around 9%, but I'm not working with a consistent temp environment and professional gear. I'm happy with it so far.
Flavor profile so far has tastes of honey, saffron, and sweet grapes with a malty backbone. Some bitterness from the Simcoe hops rounds it out.


The early stages of fermentation. I had an O.G of 1.071 and the temp dropped so it took a little longer for the yeast to activate. Today (9/19/09) I added 4 cups of grape juice concentrate and the airlock has been bubbling like crazy ever since. Did a taste test and I have a good feeling about this one.


Rehydrating the saffron threads before letting them steep as the wort cools. They impart a cool golden hue which will hopefully be evident in the final product.


Boiling the wort. There is nothing better than the smell of rich malt and a bouquet of hops as they blend together.


My buddy Noel helping with the brewing and wondering how they get so much yeast in that little vile.

Oktoberfest is in the Air

Fall is my favorite season of the year. The colors, smells, food, and chill in the air all point towards harvest time. One of the reasons why the Fall holds a special place in my heart can be summed up in one word: Oktoberfest! I think we can all agree that nothing beats a smooth lager with a strong malty backbone. Here is my rich cornucopia of Oktoberfest beers which should be sampled (1 being the best).

1. Samuel Adams Oktoberfest (awesome on draft)
2. Spaten Ur-Marzen
3. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest
4. Great Lakes Brewing Company Oktoberfest
5. Ayinger Oktoberfest-Marzen

The last two beers have more of a biscut flavor to them than most Marzen styles. The Spaten is smooth and creamy making it very drinkable. Sam Adams is by far the winner with their version of Oktoberfest. I consider it to be the best beer they brew, unfortunately it is only seasonal. I have tried a number of other Oktoberfest beers, but these 5 stuck out to me. The pumpkin ales fall (pun intended) short in my opinion...they all seemed to be lacking depth.

Anyone have more recommendations???

Steeping Grain

The cash flow has finally allowed me to stock up on brewing supplies and boy did I ever. I just wanted to give a quick shout out of what is coming down the line. I'll be brewing 4 beers by Christmas so be looking for updates and pics. The styles I have chosen are as follows:


1. Marzen

2. Porter (oak aged)

3. Cream Ale (dark)

4. Midas Touch (Dogfish Head Brewery)


Last night I started the madness by brewing a batch of Midas Touch (I've named my rendition Macedonian Myth). After tasting a bottle of this golden elixir and buying Sam Calagione's (founder/brewmaster of Dogfish Head) book on extreme brewing, I decided to give it a try. The recipe calls for 8 lbs. golden malt extract, 2 lbs. of honey, 1/4 oz. of Simcoe hops, and 10 Saffron threads.

However, I mixed it up a little and let a 1/2 lb. of 2-row steep for a while to add body and round out the flavor. I also used more than 10 Saffron threads to enhance the honey/flower profile. The yeast recommended was just a standard all-purpose ale yeast. I used the California Ale by White Labs (WLP001). In addition, the recipe says to add 1 quart of grape juice concentrate after the first couple days of fermenting. This will kick up the ABV% with the addition of fermentable sugars, but also impart a sweet/rich flavor. If you're in a bind trying to find a partiular type of grape juice concentrate, you can simply substitute it with an extract winemakers use.


Raise a glass of goodness!