Three June Brews!

I mentioned in my last post that I finally got back on the brewing horse at least a 9-month hiatus... June was a big return - three beers worth!

The German Pils - actually much clearer than
it looks in this photo (I could not get the
condensation off the glass - the beer was very cold)

I have a long-standing tradition of brewing a beer for my outgoing commander as they change command. Funny, they usually have tricky tastes! Not necessarily hard, but labor intensive. Why couldn't they just like a straightforward style like a pale or stout? Most often, they want a lager beer - a Munich Helles, Czech Pilsner, or German Pils.

This time was no exception... He wanted a German Pils. I brew a decent one, but it's not something that can just be thrown together or rushed. Of course, in usual form, I waited until the last possible moment. I came in under the deadline, and the beer turned out great, but I cut it too close. It really could have used another week or two of lagering.

I wanted another beer to serve at the Change of Command and Unit Family Day picnic. I hadn't originally planned on a second beer however. I needed something that I could turn around quickly, and I wanted something to juxtapose against the Pils. Porter? Maybe, but I like Robust Porter - not exactly a crowd favorite during July. A Stout? Maybe, but it would probably be a tough sell to a non-beerophile crowd; people usually, valid or not, have the impression that Stouts are 'heavy.' Again, not usually what people look for in July. A Bitter - Ordinary or Best - might work, but that would be another light-colored beer, and additionally somebody else was bringing a (commercial) IPA.

The Dark Mild

I decided on a Mild. A Dark Mild. Not an ordinary choice. But I knew it would be a conversation piece! I love a Mild, and I like getting other people to try one (and possibly like it as much as I do!). Quick, low alcohol, flavorful - and low carbonation. That last piece, the low carbonation level, makes Mild a great choice for one of the quickest beers to turn around; it finishes out quickly, and you don't have to wait to get up to 2-2.5 volumes of CO2!

After tasting the final product, I opted to drift slightly out of style... It wasn't that this Mild didn't turn out well - it was delicious! The group of people who would be drinking it ranged from fizzy yellow beer drinkers (for whom the Pils would be a flavorful choice!) to craft beer drinkers; but most of the craft beer drinkers were used to more commonly available styles - primarily American Ales. So in the interest of adding a familiar element (at the risk of style points or sell-out accusations), I gave it a little dry hop... I dropped a 1/4 oz. of Goldings (in a 3 gallon batch) into the keg for about 36 hours. They added just enough hop aroma and flavor to the smooth, malty goodness. Purists be damned.

The Best Bitter

And I also ended up brewing that Bitter, but it was not ready in time for the picnic and I had already decided against bringing another 'pale' beer anyway. But it is always good to have a Best Bitter on tap!

Guess what? At the start of July, I brewed again! A Classic American Pilsner. It's fermenting right now. That makes 4 beers in about 6 or 7 weeks. That makes me happy.

German Pils Recipe

Dark Mild Recipe

Best Bitter Recipe