My Bottlecap Collection

I save all of my bottlecaps. I don't know why I do that. I suppose its like my History Channel for beer drinking. My granddaughter loves to play in the caps. I reckon there's a couple of hundred in there. I'm hoping to have the bucket filled someday. My kegerator slows my progress, however.

Here's my bottle opener above the cap bucket.

Black Yeast

You've all seen my video of my airlock bubbling while my yeasty friends do their thing. In case you missed it, here's what happy yeast looks like outside of the fermentation vessel

But under the lid, that's where the action is. Check out the yeast action under the lid of my Black Chocolate Stout while at the high krausen stage. Oh, if only you could scratch and sniff...

My target gravity was a little low at 1.080 (I had hoped for 1.090) but I'm still hopeful that I can get 10% ABV out of this batch. Try to get that in your Louisiana Coors Lite!

Stay tuned for final gravity results.

Hey Ralph - how was your interaction with the man?

Next Brew

I ordered my materials to brew a batch of Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout next weekend. If I was Ralph, I'd be camping at Garrett Oliver's doorstep every day, begging him until he brought me some of his sure-to-be-delicious 2008 vintage. You can't buy it here in Louisiana. As a matter of fact, I'm probably the only one in the state who has ever tried it. That will change in a month or so. Stay tuned for more...

Cheers!

My Bigger Sunday

Today was even bigger than yesterday, because today, I got me a new beer drinking buddy. In about 20 years, anyway.

Meet Eric David Phillips - my first grandson, born today in Lake Charles LA. I'm so proud. I can't wait until he can lift a 7 gallon pot of sparge water for me.

Since he has my first name, we need to find him a nickname. My son is thinking Bubba. I'm thinking Racer 5...

My new pal

My gal and my pal

Sis, mom, and the new addition

My Big Saturday

I went by my favorite beer store in Lake Charles - Homsie's. Homsie doesn't have a website, but he's got an incredible beer selection for this part of the country, and he makes great boudin.


I was looking for some Celebration Ale, as my beer instincts were telling me it was that time of year again. I first tried this beer in Seattle after my first granddaughter was born while visiting my son-in-law Todd and my buddy Andy, and I always like to drink it with great memories of that weekend. I just kegged my own homebrewed version of Celebration Ale, and I wanted to do a side-by-side comparison. Much to my chagrin, there was no Celebration Ale to be had; it hasn't been received from the distributor yet. Head hanging, I thought I was going to have to go home empty handed. As I perused the aisles on my way out, I spied what looked to be some Bear Republic offerings in 22 oz bottles. There was Hop Rod Rye. XP Pale Ale. Red Rocket Ale. And lo and behold...a few bottles of my new fav - Racer 5! So I snatched a bottle and went home for some great beer and some California dreamin'. I'll get the Celebration Ale next Saturday...

The 22 oz offering in one of my favorite beer glasses (thanks Liz)

Racer 5 - Check!

My son-in-law does an excellent job of taking care of my beer needs when I come to visit him. He can even teach my buddy Andy a few things about taking care of one's guests. While I was visiting this past weekend, I tried a Racer 5 from Bear Republic Brewing Company. It quickly became my new favorite beer. I told Liz I'd have to try and find the recipe for a clone version when I returned home.

As a homebrewer, I've been subscribing to Brew Your Own magazine since 2000. I save most of them. Surely, I thought, there would be a recipe for Racer 5 in one of my past issues. I wasn't disappointed.

I went to the internet and somebody mentioned the 2004 September issue. I went to the garage and plowed through my tomes. I probably have 50 issues. There in volume 3 was the target issue. On page 40 in "Attack of the Hop Clones", right between Hop Rod Rye (also of the Bear line) and Pliny the Elder (Russian River Brewing) was the Holy Grail. I'm in business baby! I'll be making a batch this winter (after I work my way through the Celebration Ale I just made and the upcoming Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout). A man has to have a plan.

My collection. Each blue binder holds 18 months of issues. I need more binders. Also note the homemade counterflow heat exchanger and the cool growler from Goose Island Brewery in Chicago (thanks Liz)

Here's the recipe if you're into it:
· 11.25 lbs 2-row malt
· 1.66 lbs wheat malt
· 0.625 lbs crystal 15 malt
· 0.21 lbs Carapils malt
· 0.42 lbs dextrose
· 6.1 AAU Chinook hops for 90 minutes
· 8.7 AAU Cascade hops for 60 minutes
· 0.3 oz Centennial dry hop
· 0.3 oz Amarillo dry hop
· 0.2 oz Cascade dry hop
· 0.2 oz Tomahawk dry hop
· American Ale yeast (California V)

OG should be 1.071; FG 1.015; yielding 7.2% ABV; SRM = 10
IBU is actually lower than I thought at 60, but it gives it a really nice balance without being a hop bomb.

I'm on it! Anybody have any ideas for a clone name?

The September 2004 Cover

The Holy Grail

Babs and my neighbor Pete on his Soft Tail right before we evacuated for Hurricane Gustav. Don't you think I should get a Harley?