Port Barrel Aged Belgian Brown

Being a fan of everything from Russian River Brewing Company, thanks to the influence of my sister, The Femme Fermental, I had been itching to brew something aged and funky.  Then she busted out a 3-year old De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva, and that became the inspiration for my brew day.  I used my two-tier 3 kettle e-HERMS system with a single batch sparge and hit all of my target numbers.  I got extremely lucky that I did not lose power brewing this beer during the heart of hurricane Irene.  Now I just have to wait 5 months to see if this beer is worth the wait.

Grains

11.2# 2-row

2.75# carapils

Mash 151

           

Additions:      

1# Belgian Dark Candy Sugar 65 min          

1.5 oz EKG 60 min    

.5 oz Saaz 20 min      

1 tsp Irish Moss 20 min         

.5# Molasses 10 min 

Water adjustment: 2.5 tsp gypsum

OG 1068        

Wyeast 1388-Belgian Strong Ale - 2L stir plate starter       

Secondary yeast – Wyeast 5335 - lacto

Placed .25 lbs American Oak Chips medium toast in quart jar and added 6 oz Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port and let sit for 3 weeks

Primary for 5 to 6 days, then pitched lacto into primary

Fermented for 3 weeks more

Transfered to secondary on top of chips

Age for 3 to 4 months in carboy on chips

Target 6.8% ABV      

Watermelon Wheat - Perfected

On a bar hopping tour with my sister last winter, we stopped in at the POPE and they had 21A Hell or Highwatermelon Wheat on tap.  I smirked, she smirked back, and then she said, I know, but you should try it.  On tap, it is a heck of a beer.  I became consumed with trying to replicate the beer and scoured my message boards for recipes.  Then I stumbled upon the magic ingredient suggested by another board member, Lorann candy oil.  I made a test batch and the flavor imparted by this little dram of candy oil was perfect.  I know 21A highly guards this recipe and say that they use real watermelon, but I would bet some good money that they use this flavoring in their beer.  This was my third batch and I have now declared it perfect.  I subbed pils for 2-row and Notty for S-05 and the tweaks were exactly what I wanted.  My wife has declared it the best beer that I make.  I used my single kettle e-BIAB setup with a full volume continuous recirculation.

Grains
5.5# pils
5.5# wheat
.25# c-10
.25# c-20
mash at 154

Additions

60 min boil

1 oz Amarillo at 45 min

1oz Amarillo at flame out

1 dram watermelon Lorann candy oil at pitching

Notty at 66 for 30 days, keg and serve
OG-1056

fg-1010

Water Adjustments (tsp)

.6 Epsom Salt

.102 Chalk

Ca=36

SO4=61

Mg=17

Na=27

Cl=70

Carb=67

Hard=162

Alk=59