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Fast_Eddy
10-20-2003, 06:25 PM
Just thought I'd share the insane way I brewed my batch before last. I was waiting to see how it came out before I told this story.

I had just finished racking my Belgian/Duvel/Trippel into the keg and was left with a super nice amount of yeast that smelled so great (Wyeast 3522) I just couldn't bear to pour it out. Also, I had like 45 minutes to get ready and go to my daughters football game(she's a cheerleader). So I set off on a mad frenzy of "brewing". I grabbed all of the DME I had out of the cabinet - I only use it for starters so it wasn't a lot - and it was on.

Recipe:

About 6(or so) cups of light DME - mix in barely heated tap water. Cooled with ice cubes from ice maker. Still some unmixed small chunks of DME present.

1 oz old (4 months)Centennial that I boiled(in about a quart of water) for 30 minutes and 1 oz old (2 months) Hallertau that I boiled for 5 minutes. Strained into the above DME solution.

Pitched large amount of Wyeast 3522 from previous batch.

Figured out OG was still too low and added a whole pack of priming sugar to mixture. Shook like crazy.

The "wort"(I use the term loosely) wound up at 1.035 OG(volume of around two gallons) and fermented down to 1.008. I sanitized and boiled nothing except for the hops.

I bottled it last week(bottling's not so bad when you haven't done it in a year or so) and tasted it day before yesterday. It was delicious - tasted like Duvel Light with a little extra tangy sweetness. Anyway, I'm not sure what this proves or disproves but I did make to the football game on time. It was kinda like speed brewing.

I named it Hulk Smash Crap beer in honor of the fact that I almost tripped over one of my son's "Hulk Hands" toys while carrying the mixture to another room. When you hit the hands it makes "Hulk" sounds and sayings - well, it said "Hulk Smash" when I almost tripped so Voila. Oh the crap part is more obvious.

sallad
10-20-2003, 07:48 PM
they don't call you fast_eddy for nothin! congrats on the non-crappy "crap" beer! may you always be as in tune with the beer gods as you were on this day!

YamahaXS
10-20-2003, 08:37 PM
and I thought they called you fast for something else!

hehehe. j/k


I love stories like that. Cheers and beers to you!

S.F.B.
10-21-2003, 12:00 AM
I guess you could come to the conclusion that there is no one set in stone way to brew beer. Either that or you just got real lucky. :D

Nice story.

Fast_Eddy
10-21-2003, 10:04 AM
Originally posted by S.F.B.
I guess you could come to the conclusion that there is no one set in stone way to brew beer. Either that or you just got real lucky.

Nice story.

I figure two things helped insure my success:

1) I always post-use sanitize my equipment before putting it away
2) More importantly, I pitched a large quantity of active yeast. This batch started to krauesen in under two hours.

bigmf
10-21-2003, 10:20 AM
Great story Eddy -

I like to make beers like that. My first one back from my long time away from the hobby was just a mash of ingredients I got as gifts. It ended up known as "Seat of my Pants" Brown Ale. I am amazed at how homebrewers can make a good beer out of anything as long as they have some experience at it.

SomP Ale tastes a lot like Newcastle with a little more hop bitterness.

Fast_Eddy
10-21-2003, 10:26 AM
Yeah - "Seat of my Pants" was how it felt.

You know the funny thing? I'm gonna keep and continue to brew that recipe. It's the first beer that I've ever brewed that my wife(not a beer drinker) has ever liked.

beerturtle
10-24-2003, 01:18 PM
Eddy:

Great story; sounds liek the way i'd love to brew some days. Can you post a more formal recipe, maybe when you have it all figured out??

Slainte!

Fast_Eddy
10-24-2003, 02:39 PM
Sure - when next I brew it or have time to kinda nail it down I'll post it.