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Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:24 am
by 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!!

:cheers: :barman:

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:05 am
by Trollby
Well just look how much you have grown ;)

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

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:36 am
by FedoraDave
I think my Beerthday is also January Oneth. Or thereabouts.

MB's Whispering Wheat Weisenbier.

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:51 am
by Beer-lord
I'm very old.....I don't even know my Beerthday.

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 12:23 pm
by Yankeedag
:borg:

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 12:47 pm
by D34THSPAWN
I don't remember mine, sometime in September I think, Mr. Beer West coast pale ale, decent brew

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 1:19 pm
by gwcr
Carapils are steeping...

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 1:58 pm
by gwcr
Boiling...

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:29 pm
by Root Skier
Lol, real time brewing updates. Happy beerthday!

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 3:56 pm
by 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

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:12 pm
by gwcr
Hit the OG dead on 1.047. Now to ignore it for a couple weeks.

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:58 pm
by Brewbirds
Way to celebrate there Commish. :hammer:

Happy beerthday. :cheers:

Re: Happy Beerthday to Me

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 5:34 pm
by FedoraDave
gwcr wrote: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.