So after the 2009 holiday season came and went, it was time to get back to stocking the pipeline! ~TIP: if you want inexpensive bases to use for your future recipes, check out the after-Christmas sales at any store that carried Mr Beer for the holidays. I scored 3 of the International Series 3-packs for about $40 at Bed, Bath & Beyond. so I got 9 recipe foundations for $4.44 each. Score!~ This batch was going to be my maiden voyage into malt and hop additions, and it did not disappoint! Having fought off the urge to crack any bottles open prematurely, my patience was rewarded with a great tasting beer.
Bavarian Bronze - brewed on 1/6/2010 - 1 can of MB Octoberfest Vienna Lager - 1 lb. of Golden Light DME - 1 full pouch of MB Booster - 1/4 oz. of Hallertau pellet hops
About 4-5 cups of water were brought to a boil, flame turned off, then everything but the hops was mixed in. As per the Mr Beer instructions, I put the hops into a muslin sack, and tossed the sack in the fermenter after the intial wort was all blended together. That's it. Now it was up to nature to do its thing...
fermented until 1/23/2010 then bottled the brew carbonated/warm conditioned through 2/19/2010 then off to the fridge went several bottles 1st test bottle was drank on 2/26/2010 from my brew notes: This is a lovely brew. Easily the best one to date. Smooth malt up front with a slight hop backend.I made sure to hide a few bottles from myself, and have had a couple in June and July...wow! This one just keeps on getting better. The beer has cleared up big time as compared to the photo above that was taken after pouring the 1st test bottle, and it was very smooth. The extra conditioning time made a solid beer that much better (I am thinking this going to be a running theme with home brewing!). Plus this beer is clocking in at about 6% ABV, so it is one that will sneak up on you in a hurry if you aren't careful.