Winterview Blackberry Wheat

Description:

After picking a few pounds of blackberries from around my yard I decided to do a Blackberry Wheat. I've never been a huge fan fruit beers but I knew I could balance the fruit and the beer to my own liking. I cooked the blackberries for 15 minutes at a medium-low temperature in order to smash them and kill any bacteria on them.

I initially intended to add some anise to the ingredients to give it some additional flavor and to balance the sweet with some additional bitter, but didn't get to the store to buy some. Next time.

Ingredients:

6.6lbs Wheat Malt Extract
1oz Hops
~2lbs Frozen Blackberries
Ale Yeast

Hop Schedule:

60 mins - 1oz hops
0 mins - smashed blackberries

ABV:

Starting - 3/7/2010 - 1.048 SG - 0.0% ABV

Racking - 3/13/2010

Ending - 3/20/2010 - 1.014 SG - 4.5% ABV

Notes:

Changes - Add anise to the boil.

Witbier

Description:

My second attempt at brewing. This was an all grain recipe that I created by researching different White Ales online. It was intended to be a light summer White Ale, similar to Allagash White. To this day it was one of the better beers that I've brewed.

Ingredients:

10.5 Lbs American 2 Row
2 Lbs Flaked Wheat
1 Lb Flaked Oat
1 oz. Hallertauer Hops
1 oz. Czech Saaz Hops
1/2 oz. Chamomile
1 oz. Ground Coriander Seed
1 oz. Bitter Orange Peel
Belgian Wit Ale Yeast WLP400

Mash:

60 mins - 155 degrees
Sparge - 168 degrees

Hop Schedule:

60 mins - 1oz Hallertauer Hops
15 mins - 1oz Saaz Hops
10 mins - 1/2oz Chamomile
10 mins - 1oz Coriander
10 mins - 1/2oz Orange Peel

Fermentation Schedule:
2 weeks - 1/2oz Orange Peel

ABV:

Starting - 07/05/2009 - 1.057 SG - 0.0%

Racking - 07/18/2009 - 1.025 SG - 4.3%

Ending - 07/23/2009 - 1.016 SG - 5.5%

Porter

Description:

My first home brew. This was a True Brew All Malt Porter kit. It turned out good enough for me to decide that home brewing was something I'd be doing for a long time.

Ingredients:

6lbs Dark Malt Extract
2lbs Dark Dried Malt Extract
6oz Chocolate Grain Malt
8oz Malto-Dextrin
1oz Hops
Ale Yeast

Mash:
30 mins - Chocolate grain at 160 degrees

Hop Schedule:

30 mins - LME, DME, Malto-dextrin and hops

ABV:

Starting - 4/22/2009 - 1.052 - 0.0% ABV

Ending - 5/6/2009 - 1.013 - 5.2% ABV