Happy Beerthday to Me

[gwcr]

January 1, 2011 was my Beerthday. That was the day I brewed my first beer. It was a MB Cowboy American Lager. Straight up with no modifications. Before the fermentation had completed, I had already ordered another kit. I was completely hooked. It wasn't great, but it was beer and I made it. With help from the wonderful people on the Borg I rapidly improved my processes, and by extension started brewing better beer. Fast forward 3 years, and now I design my own All Grain recipes. I have 2 house recipes (APA and Irish Red) that I brew on a somewhat regular basis, and the APA took 2nd place in the 2012 IBU Open in the American Ale category. Without the help of the Borg, I KNOW I wouldn't be brewing the quality of beer that I am. So here is a big THANK YOU to everyone that helped me through the newbie stage three years ago, and continue to provide valuable advice, feedback and experiences that make the Borg a great place.

In celebration of the day, I am going to be a little nostalgic and brew a slightly modified MB refill. Here's the recipe.

CAL Centennial
--------------
Brewer: gwcr
Style: American Pale Ale
Batch: 2.50 galExtract

Characteristics
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Recipe Gravity: 1.047 OG
Recipe Bitterness: 34 IBU
Recipe Color: 3° SRM
Estimated FG: 1.012
Alcohol by Volume: 4.5%
Alcohol by Weight: 3.5%

Ingredients
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Briess DME - Golden Light 1.00 lb, Extract, Extract
CaraPils - [Body, Head] 0.25 lb, Grain, Steeped
Mr. Beer/Coopers Classic American Light 1.87 lb, Extract, Extract

Centennial - 0.25 oz, Pellet, 0 minutes
Centennial - 0.25 oz, Pellet, 10 minutes
Centennial - 0.50 oz, Pellet, 20 minutes
Mr. Beer/Coopers Classic American Light 1.00 oz, Pellet, 5 minutes

Safale S-05 Dry Ale Yeast 1.00 unit, Yeast, American: Temperature Range: 59°-75° F 11.5 GRAMS

Hopefully this will kickstart my 2014 brewing schedule to get me back on track for brewing at least once a month.

Thanks again Borg! Here's to brewing the best beer you ever have in 2014!!

[Trollby]

Well just look how much you have grown

Saturday January 15, 2011 is my Beerday (well I guess reborn Beerday)

[FedoraDave]

I think my Beerthday is also January Oneth. Or thereabouts.

MB's Whispering Wheat Weisenbier.

[Beer-lord]

I'm very old.....I don't even know my Beerthday.

[Yankeedag]

[D34THSPAWN]

I don't remember mine, sometime in September I think, Mr. Beer West coast pale ale, decent brew

[gwcr]

Carapils are steeping...

[gwcr]

Boiling...

[Root Skier]

Lol, real time brewing updates. Happy beerthday!

[rickbray66]

Happy Beerthday gwcr and Dave and others. I believe mine is also sometime in January, but I can't remember the exact date.


Rick

[gwcr]

Hit the OG dead on 1.047. Now to ignore it for a couple weeks.

[Brewbirds]

Way to celebrate there Commish.

Happy beerthday.

[FedoraDave]

Hit the OG dead on 1.047. Now to ignore it for a couple weeks.

Nailing the OG is one of life's great satisfactions.