Haiku Beer#3

Haiku #3 was a recipe from beertools.com for a stout.  My desire was to brew something for the Holidays.  Called Oaty Malty Madness (5.9% ABV, not verified) it was made with the following ingredients (didn't follow the recipe exactly):

1) 1.75 lbs Maris Otter
2) 0.13 lbs Crystal 60L
3) 0.04 lbs Black Roasted Barley
4) 0.04 lbs English Chocolate (change)
5) 0.04 lbs Torrified Wheat
6) 0.13 lbs Oaks Flaked

7) 0.3 oz Cascade (5.5%AA)

8) White Labs WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish (Liquid) [change]
9) 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (change)

Used StarSan sanitizer.

The Mash

Heated 2.5 quarts (10 cups) of water (refrigerator water which is carbon filtered) to 154-160 deg F.  Add grain and mixed.  Cooked for 90 minutes at 144-160 deg F and stirred fairly frequently.  Once heated, heat can be removed and then added again around 30 - 40 minutes. 

The Sparge

Heated additional 4 quarts of water (refrigerator water) to boiling then transferred to gallon fermentation jug.  Set up the strainer over the second pot and added the hot grain mash.  Then poured the heated water from the jug over the grains and into the second pot.  Once done recirculated the wort back through the grain once more into the original pot.

The Boil

Heated the wort until it began to boil at approximately 210 deg F.  This was done with just the middle heat on the inside burner on my stove.  Boil lasted 90 minutes with 0.3 oz of Cascade Hops at the start of the boil then added 1 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice and then with 10 minutes to go added final 1 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice.  Tasted the wort and it was very sweet.

The Fermentation

Placed the brew pot into the sink with ice allowing the temperature to decrease to 70 deg F.  Allowed the mix to settle this time.  When pouring into the fermentor it was strained into a larger pot then transferred to the fermentor.  After the fermentor is full, the yeast was added and throughly mixed to aerate the liquid.  Note:  Liquid yeast is designed for 5 gallon batches.  This time did not shake the yeast but opened slowly and mixed with a tooth pick.  Still difficult to determine exact amount of yeast was added.

The yeast began fermentation and a fairly consistent burp began.  Primary fermentation lasted for about 36 hours.  Transferred beer to the basement and put in the airlock.  Allowed to sit for 2 weeks.

The Bottling

Used bottling sugar and dissolved this in 1/4 cup of water, I siphoned the beer into a pot and then bottled into 6 x 500 mL bottles.  Allowed to sit for another 3 weeks.

The Tasting

Opened and tried on 12/21/11. Slight carbonation.  See photo.  Good basic flavor.  Two of the bottles once again did not have secondary carbonation which causes this beer to taste awful.  Two of the bottles were really good and one just didn't taste right (too spicy).  Probably need to use a bottle cap type system.

A dark Christmas Ale

Hint  of pumpkin spice, maybe

Warming, fire place beer