Adding Lime To The Recipe

I recently brewed up a batch of Linebacker Doppel Bock that called for the addition of lime zest and lime juice so I figured I may as well share it with you.

As always I first started by adding 4 cups of filtered water to a 3 quart pan and brought it to a hard boil.

While waiting for the water to boil I grated the zest of 2 small limes and put the zest into a sanitized muslin hop sack.

I then tied the muslin hop sack into a secure knot and trimmed off the excess muslin with a pair of sanitized scissors.

I then turned the heat off under the pot after the water boiled and tossed the muslin sack into the pot of hot water.

I then cut the limes in half and used a squeezer to add the juice to the hot water as well.

I then added my cans of extract to the hot water, stirred them up really good and poured the whole thing into the 2 gallon MR keg. The keg already contained 4 quarts of filtered water that I had added earlier according to the standard MB instructions.

After topping the keg off to the 8.5 quart mark with more filtered water I stirred the mixture up really well aerating the mixture in the process before pitching the dry Brewer yeast.

I pitched the dry brewing yeast, directly into the keg's 70-75F mixture of extract and adjuncts, and left it to soak in the mixture for 5 minutes.

After soaking in the mixture for 5 minutes I aerate The mixture one more time by stirring it up vigorously with a sanitized long handled spoon.

I then twisted the tops on tight and left them to ferment for the next 21 days at 70F and repeated this same process for the next 5 recipes I brewed that day.

Pilothouse Pilsner

Brewing: Pilothouse Pilsner
Features: fresh, fruity, golden, crisp and delicious (5.2% abv)
Price Range: $17.50

Overall Rating: Coming Soon spring 2010



Combine the traditional classic Pilsner taste with the fresh fruity aroma of 'Nelson Sauvin' hops and prepare yourself to be swept away. This pale golden Pilsner promises to deliver a remarkably crisp and refreshing brew invoking hints of memorable South Seas aromas.



Pilothouse Pilsner
REFILL INCLUDES:
2 Cans Pilothouse Pilsner HME
2 Packets Dry Brewing Yeast (under lid of HMEs)
1/2 Pouch Booster (optional)
1 Packet One-Step™ Sanitizing Cleanser

INGREDIENTS: MALTED TWO ROW BARLEY, HOPS, HOP EXTRACT, WATER, AND YEAST (Packed Under Lid).


Fermentation, Carbonation And Conditioning Times:
21 days for fermentation
21 days for carbonation
28 days minimum conditioning at 50-70F
02 days minimum in fridge

Fermentation: 20-Mar/10-Apr (68-76F)
Carbonation : 10-Apr/01-May (68-76F)
Conditioning: 01-May/29-May (50-70F)

Brewer's Comments: "This is my sixth attempt at brewing beer, my first using a recipe that includes 2 cans of (HME). I sampled this brew after 14 days of fermentation, the taste was very pleasing with a nice hoppy aroma consistent with the very best pilsner beers. I will let this brew ferment as planned for another 7 days before bottling it up, even though it did not taste at all sweet.
I decided to add 1/2 pouch of Booster to the wort to increase the alcohol content by .6 abv. and to increase the body of the beer."

Cowboy Golden Lager w/Pale Export

Brewing: Cowboy Golden Lager w/Pale Export.
Features: golden, pale and hopped to perfection (4 .6% abv)
Price Range: $16.00

Overall Rating: Very Good

Blending together the pale gold color and extraordinary hop flavor of the Cowboy Golden Lager with the traditional continental style of the golden colored Pale Export UME creates a truely hoppy lager with added body.






Cowboy Golden Lager w/Pale Export
REFILL INCLUDES:
1 Can Cowboy Golden Lager (HME)
1 Can Pale Export (UME)
1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast (under lid of HME)
1 Packet One-Step™ sanitizing cleanser

INGREDIENTS: MALTED TWO ROW BARLEY, HOPS, HOP EXTRACT, WATER, AND YEAST (Packed Under Lid).

Fermentation, Carbonation And Conditioning Times:
21 days for fermentation
21 days for carbonation
28 days minimum conditioning at 50-70F
02 days minimum in fridge

Fermentation: 31-Jan-2010 to 20-Feb-2010 - (68-76F)
Carbonation : 20-Feb-2010 to 13-Mar-2010 - (68-76F)
Conditioning: 13-Mar-2010 to 13-Jun-2010 - (50-70F)

Brewer's Comments:
"This was my second attempt at brewing beer, my first using a 'Premium' recipe that included (UME), in place of the Booster that ships with the 'Standard' refill. After fermenting for 21 days I sampled the brew before bottling it. From the first taste I could tell it would be a challenge waiting another 21 days for carbonation to complete".

Fermentation:
The ingredients used in this recipe included 1 can hopped malt extract (HME), 1 can of unhopped malt extract (UME) and 1 packet of dry yeast. Recipes having more ingredients require increased fermentation time, to allow the yeast to work.

Carbonation:
Just as in the fermentation process carbonation times will depend on the complexities of each recipe. As a rule of thumb recipes containing many ingredients take longer to carbonate than recipes with few ingredients.

Conditioning:
Up until this point I completely omitted the very important process of conditioning the beer. Allowing the beer's flavors to fully merge and mature in the bottle before drinking. In a basement, with a consistent year round temperature range of 50-70F, naturally brewed beer can be stored for up to 4 months. Prior to drinking the beer should be refrigerated for 24-48 hours and served cold in a clean glass.