This Time It Really Is Like Christmas Morning!

I really should stop using all the holiday references. Once is sometimes even too much, but here I go doing it for the second time in as many blogs. But this time it really is like Christmas morning! I got some new kegging gear today! As I excitedly open the package and take everything out, I notice it's all shiny.

Very shiny.

And it couldn't have arrived at a better time. I've got SIX beers at various stages of fermentation at the moment. Some of them are ready to be kegged. I have a very special "Citrus Mountain Hef" that I'm pretty proud of that is good to go. It WANTS to be drank. It says "I am delicious. Drink me!" When I made it last May, it didn't last long - I think it was the shortest-lived beer I've ever made!

I know what you may be thinking.

"If he's got 6 beers fermenting, why doesn't he just open his own brewery?! And why is it that when he talks for the beer, I can hear it in my head?!" The beer really is pretty good, and it helps prevent scurvy.

Also, I've got to tell you, this co-op idea is a great one. We've already got a strong community posting over on Facebook. Check us out there if you haven't! There's a lot of excitement and encouragement and it's truly incredible.

One post is from our member Corey, who upon joining, boldly proclaimed "I'll have to brew a commemorative beer to mark the event!" I asked him what he thought he might brew, to which he responded he had a lavender pale ale recipe that he might make again.

AGAIN? He's already made this once?! Our members are awesome! I have a bunch of lavender in my front yard, and I was trying to think of something that I could do with it. I was thinking of doing a lavender pale last year, but I just didn't make it happen. Well voila, this recipe fell into my lap! Corey was gracious enough to not only share the recipe with me (and the awesome label he made for the bottles of the beer!), but he also said I could blog about it.

He said he picked up the lavender from The Teacup over in Queen Anne, so props to them. I haven't had the pleasure of trying any of this brew (he's all out at the moment), but I might just whip up a batch myself. I might try to "wet hop" the lavender. Corey said all his friends love it, so it's gotta be good!

The next time he makes a batch (maybe this weekend!), he said he's going to do a partial mash with 9lbs of 2 row and 3 lbs pilsen malt, and he's going to try dry-hopping with lavender. I love homebrewing!

Thanks Corey!

Grandma’s Attic Lavender Pale Ale

By: Corey Reilly

For a 5 gallon batch. I have only made this using a partial boil-top off method in a 20 qt pot. Next time I make it I’ll use my new 9 gallon pot so I can do a full boil, as well as a partial mash method.

1 lb 20L crystal malt

8 lb pilsen LME (steeped 30-60 minutes @ 155 degrees)

1 oz Horizon 60 minutes

1 oz Sterling at turnoff

.7oz dry lavender (no stems) steeped at turn off for 3 minutes in a mesh bag then drained into wort (no squeezing the bag, lavender can become overpowering real quick)

Wyeast 1056 (American Ale)

Chill wort to pitching temp (68 degrees) and pitch yeast. I ferment in the primary for 4 weeks keeping the temp at or just below 68 degrees for the first 5 days and between 64-68 for the remainder of the 4 weeks. I rack into the kegs and put under 12psi for 2 weeks for optimal carb (although at about a week the “testing” begins) Remember lavender, jasmine, green tea, and other flavors may be steeped hot using this method, but some things like lavender and jasmine can become overpowering or tannic if steeped too long using this method.