Mac’s Brew News – June 8, 2016

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There’s a lot to update about what’s going on at Mac’s Brew Pub, but I will keep it brief.  Here’s all the Brew News that’s fit to print.  Please read responsibly.

Recalcitrant Redhead: Brewed 05-07-2016; 7.7% ABV.
I brewed this beer with my young brewing friend, Dave Hollandbeck.  Brew day spent with Dave was a pleasure as well as a resounding success.  This is an imperial red IPA.  It is currently cold crashing, and will soon be kegged and carbonated (as soon as I have room in my kegerator; all four taps are currently occupied).  Anybody interested in coming over to Mac’s Brew Pub to help me finish off Mac’s PAPA?  I think that keg is almost empty; as soon as it is, Recalcitrant Redhead goes on tap.

Mak’s Bavarian Hefeweizen / Mac’s Apricot Wheat: Brewed 06-06-2016.
I brewed one 10 gallon batch of wort, but am creating two different beers from the same wort (see “Terms and Definitions” if you’re not sure what “wort” is).  These will be wheat beers (60% malted wheat, 40% malted barley in the grist), each fermented with different yeast to create two different beers.  I will add pureed apricot to the one fermenter (fermenting with a Chico yeast strain), while the other is being fermented with a Bavarian yeast.  Both should end up around 5.5% ABV, but will taste completely different – oh the marvels of yeast!!  I will end up with 5 gallons of Bavarian style Hefeweizen, and 5 gallons of Apricot Wheat Beer (American style) out of the one brew day batch.  You gotta love it (well, at least I do)!

I plan to brew Maktoberfest on Thursday 06-23-16.  There will be no deviation from last year’s recipe, so I should have some great tasting Märzen on tap in late August or early September.  Did I just say September?  Yes, this is a lager, so it requires an extended fermentation and lagering (conditioning) period . . . but, it will be worth the wait!

I’m not sure what is coming up after Maktoberfest.  Maybe a barleywine or a porter.  I guess I have a little time to decide.  I also need to decide if I’m going to collaborate with another brewer, or do it all myself.  Hmm . . .

I entered four beers in the Orange County Fair competition:  Goldihops, Mac’s PAPA, SmackDown, and Nutcase.  Goldihops and Nutcase are good enough to score well.  I entered Mac’s PAPA and SmackDown just to get judges comments and suggestions.  We’ll see how this all plays out.

Well, that’s it for now.  Slainte!