Last Tasting- Bokonon Bitter.

I've been holding onto the last bomber of this beer for awhile. I was going to open it when my parents were out to visit, but we tried some other stuff. Tonight seemed like a good time.
It seems to be pouring with a little more carbonation than I remember, but feels the same in the mouth. Great clear copper color.
The taste is pretty much as I remember it, however the hops seem to have lost some of their bright floral flavor though an overall perception of bitterness is still there. Rich carmelly somewhat lingering finish.
Pretty tasty and I am sad to see it go.. But of course I can make more and improve upon it!

An experiment in blending wine and beer.

This is probably the only week I will be able to brew in August due to family visits and fermentor space. I have been kicking this idea around for awhile, and I figured now would be a good time to get around to it. In the beer I am using a 100% Pilsner malt, light hopping, and fermenting with Brett C. which should produce tropical fruity esters.
To the secondary I will add 1 oz of medium toast Hungarian oak cubes that have been soaking in Reisling, as well as 1-2 bottles of wine. I am also thinking of Alsatian Riesling, as those seem to have some of those fruit characteristics and will have less sweetness to them. Another good bet and maybe a better option would be an unoaked Chardonnay.
11 lb German Pilsner
1.5 oz Crystal leaf @ 90 min
.5 oz Crystal leaf @ 0 min
5151 Brettanomyces Claussini
1-2 bottles of wine added to secondary
1 oz medium toast Hungarian oak cubes added to secondary
Og- 1.052
Fg- 1.001
6.8% abv
80% attentuation.
8/10/10- Made starter for washed jar of yeast.
8/11/10- Mash at 148 for 90 min. Sparged with 6 gallons of water. 90 minute boil. Hops clogged spigot several times when moving to primary fermentor.
9/1/10- I still have yet to get another secondary fermentor, so I am going ahead with this in the bucket for the time being. Today I added the oak cubes that were boiled in water for 30 min and then soaked in Riesling for a few weeks. Look at what the wine looked like after...
It tasted pretty nasty. Very oaky, tannic, and astringent. It is always a good idea to soak your oak in some sort of alcohol so those hard flavors don't end up in your beer. Something neutral can be used if you don't want the soak to add any flavor itself. I also added a bottle of white Burgundy. This is an unoaked Chardonnay that should compliment the flavors present in the beer pretty well. I bought a second bottle if I need to add more.
10/22/10- Bottled with 5 oz corn sugar and reyeasted with 2 packets of Safale 33. Looked like the yeast I used to ferment had been killed from the sulfites in the wine. Very interesting taste.

Unibroue- Ephemere Apple.

Sorry, no picture for you this time.
Unibroue has to be my favorite all time brewer. Each one of their beers are unique, and each one is also excellent. Their labels are pretty kick ass as well.
This beer is a white ale brewed with the usual spices (coriander, curacao) with the addition of apple juice. The end product is something like a blend of beer and cider, and tastes like a white ale with the usual spicing (curacao, coriander) and apply goodness.
This beer pours into the glass a golden color, with a nice white head. The head will dissapate some what while drinking, but no matter. The aroma is apply, cidery, and lightly spicy.
The first sip reveals a light bodied ale with flavors of apple, fruity yeast esters, and a light spiciness. There is a bit of tartness to it, reminscent of the green apples pictured on the label.
The finish lingers somewhat, with the flavors of the white ale being more predominate in my opinion.
This is a great refreshing beer and has a low abv when compared to alot of Unibroue's other beers. Definitely a must for a hot summer day!
My rating: A must try.
Abv: 5.5%.
Website: Unibroue.
Price paid: Around 8 for a four pack.
Number of cans of Bud Light you could buy for the same price: 12.