Brew Night

Cookinbob

Thanks @BrewnQ.  First time for this recipe, I will report back when I tap it

@SpanishMoon, 8 months is a long time for a red ale. I assume it has been sitting on the cake of dead yeast for all these months, which is not good.  It is also unlikely that you have enough viable yeast living to bottle carbonate it.  It is probably no good, but taste it!  If it tastes good, add a little more yeast, prime it and bottle it.  If it does not, dump and start over.

If you want to buy a kit, I recommend Midwest Supplies or Northern Brewer. Their kits are much fresher and more varied than kits you will find on the shelf at a store.  If you buy two at a time, shipping cost is much better per kit.

@gmac, you are doing half barrels - do you have a Brew Magic?  How do you bottle or keg your brews?

Personally, the pale ales and IPAs I normally brew are best when fresh, if I did a 15 gallon batch, the second and third keg would be disappointing.  

Cookinbob

Nobody asked, but I am gonna share this.  It is my absolute favorite warm weather session beer, I brew it at least every other batch, people are always blown away by the flavor and aroma.  I have never tasted a commercial beer like it.  By the way, I name most of my beers after songs in that I don't have many original thoughts

If anybody brews it, let me know and tell me what you think!

BREWnQ

Do you harvest the Conan? 

Cookinbob

Yes, I did harvest the Conan.  I had good success with it, my son did not do as well.  I have a jar I need to rejuvenate!  Recipe works great with US-05 also if you can't get your hands on a Heady.

chays99

Summer Breeze looks like a good beer.

I'm gearing up for some test runs of potential summer beers.
 - I did the Sterling Gold a few weeks ago.  Planning to keg it tomorrow.  I bumped it up to about 4.5%  http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/sterling-gold-3-5-ag-light-zesty-57183/
 - I've done the lemon lime hefe.  It was interesting and will probably do it again.  http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/lemon-lime-hefe-weizen-255659/
 - Planning to do a Kolsch next weekend or so.
 
Although not a summer beer, I'm planning on an all Amarillo IPA if I can muster some energy  tomorrow.

gmac

@spanishmoon - you've probably had some yeast autolysis going on which could provide a meaty taste.  Taste it, that's all you can do.  Remember nothing harmful can grow in beer because of the pH and alcohol content so it's either gonna taste good or bad but it won't hurt you to try and remember, you're tasting flat beer so that makes it harder too.

@cookingbob - I keg everything.  I still batch sparge but I use a big blue coleman Xtreme (mash coffin).  30 gal brew kettle.  I'm brewing tomorrow (work got in the way today) so I'll post some pictures.  I should mention that I have a home forklift too that helps a lot.  Doesn't everyone?

chays99

Cookinbob - trying your recipe tomorrow.  This is my all grain take on it:

Cookinbob

@Chays99, I just saw this post, you should be getting close to going to secondary and dry hopping.  Let me know how it turns out.  BTW I tried to send you a message, but was unable.........

Lastly, this IPA went into the keg last night, now cold crashing.  Not sure when I will tap as I need to empty my vanilla porter keg for room in the cooler.  Smells great though