Category Archives: drinks

Deutschlander Lager

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Golden to amber in color, medium body, refreshingly hopped. Representative of the old German style. Respectable alcohol level.

Brew day! I probably could have found a more difficult beer recipe to get started with, but I would actually have had to try. I’m starting with a Deutschlander Lager that uses specialty grains and several hopping charges. It’s hardly the most complicated brew, but it’s going to be a little more involved than I’d expected, which was basically to boil some wort, chill it, pitch it and stick it in the basement for a couple of weeks. Looks like I’ll be steeping some grains and doing a couple charges of hops as well.

Deutcshlander Lager

  • 0.33# Crystal Malt 40L
  • 0.33# Munich Malt
  • 2.25qt Pale malt extract
  • 0.25qt Adjunct
  • 1.33oz Hallertau hops (bittering)
  • 1.0 oz Hallertau hops (finishing)
  • 2tbsp Irish moss
  • 0.75oz Hallertau hops (dry)

OG was 1.058 (or thereabouts). This recipe doesn’t indicate brewery efficiency, so I’ll have to assume somewhere between 75 and 80%. Looking for a FG of somewhere between 1.011 and 1.014.

I also made a bunch of rookie mistakes. For one, I left the brew pot partially covered during the boil. This is because I was boiling outside, and didn’t want crud falling into the kettle. Unfortunately, I positioned the lid to let the condensate drop back into the wort, and may not have boild off as much of the sulfides as I might have liked.

I also did not get a good reading on the OG. I recall having pointed out potential 8% ABV to someone, and am therefore assuming I started around 1.058, which is about right for lagers, if a little on the high side.

I may also have pitched the yeast a little warm. The wort was cooled to around 75 dF. I also did not think to rehydrate the yeast before I pitched it– it just went straight into the primary from the packet. There was also a thick head of foam on the wort from when I poured it to the primary. That could either help or hurt.

But, its in the basement now, and the airlock is starting to bubble, so maybe it’ll all turn out OK. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Update: 1/5/09: Fermentation appears to be under way, bubbles every 5-15 seconds, and smells of rising bread.

Update: 1/8/09: Still bubbling 5-15 seconds, but starting to smell a little sulfur.

Update: 1/12/09: Bubbling seems to have slowed down in the airlock to < 1 in 3 minutes since yesterday afternoon. Took a gravity reading this evening of 1.018. Still a little farther to go. Will check again in a couple of days. Took a sample taste too; strong hop character I’m hoping will mellow in secondary. Lacks nose, but will dry hop in secondary. Malt finish suggests sweetness, but it actually was not very sweet. Update 1/24/09: I racked over to secondary today, and pulled a gravity reading of 1.016. I’ve also added the dry hops, and will let this stand for another few weeks while I collect more bottles. I must say, I’m looking forward to trying this beer. It’s got a nice amber hue to it, and has much more clarity than the American Cream Ale did after two weeks in primary. I’m assuming this is the effect of the Irish Moss, and will certainly be using it in my recipes from here on out! Even without dry hopping and carbonating, this beer is developing very well. There is a distinctive hop character that almost overwhelms the malt flavor, and it lacks nose in the finish, but I expect those characteristics to improve in secondary. I understand I can let this thing go for the next three to seven weeks, so I’ll just wait and collect more bottles. I’m really looking forward to trying this one out when it finishes.

Lemon drop martini

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I was drinking these out at The Melting Pot for for my birthday. They are deceptively smooth.

Lemon Drop Martini

  • 3 oz Stoli
  • 3/4 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
  • 1.5 oz simple syrup
  • 1.5 oz part fresh lemon juice
  • Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with table sugar

The Cointreau can be a little overpowering in this drink, so use it sparingly. This is even more true of the Triple Sec.

Perfect Manhattan

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We wandered over to Clydz today after work, where I’ve redisovered the Manhattan cocktail. According to the Wiki link, the Manhattan is a cocktail comprised of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters, though there are many variations on the drink. I don’t happen to like sweet vermouth so much, but found a dry Manhattan to be a little too much.

The traditional choice for the whisky element is rye, but pretty much anything will do these days. I’d asked for Makers Mark specifically, and enjoyed several before it was time to go. Still, I was curious as to how it would taste as originally intended, so I tracked down a bottle of Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Rye Whisky and got to work.

This variation is called the “Perfect Manhattan” (not my name):

  • 3 oz Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Rye
  • 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
  • 3/4 oz dry vermouth
  • splash of grenadine
  • dash of Angustora aromatic bitters
  • stir over ice and strain into a cocktail glass

Limoncello

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I was introduced to this liqueur last summer, and had forgotten about it until a recent conversation with a co-worker. It is very popular in the Mediterranean, and is, informally, the national beverage in Italy. This relatively simple and tasty beverage is best served ice-cold on a warm summer evening as a digestif.

This simple recipe requires a long time to prepare, but not a lot of work. You will need between 8 and 12 lemons, and an overproof, neutral alcohol. Any alcohol will work, but select a base with a high proof and a neutral flavor. An overproof vodka will work, but will introduce additional flavors into the final product. Lower-proof alcohols will result in a lower-proof final product, as the alcohol is diluted in the process. For an ideal product, select Everclear, or a similar, neutral grain spirit.

Limoncello

  • Requires 8-12 lemons, 750ml Everclear, and 750 ml simple syrup in 1:1 ratio
  • Select lemons with smooth, thick skins. Ripe lemons are slightly heavy for their size, and will have a firm texture. Avoid lemons with nicks, cuts, bruises, rough skin and discoloration. Also avoid lemons with stamps, as the ink may penetrate deep into the flesh.
  • Thoroughly wash the lemons, removing any wax and
  • Remove the zest with a citrus zester or microplane rasp. Be sure not to remove too much of the flesh, as the pith (the white part of the rind) may impart a bitter character to the final product.
  • Combine the zest and alcohol in a large, sanitized mason jar.
  • Allow 30-45 days to steep. Longer steeping times allow for a more mellow final product.
  • After suitable steeping time, fiter the mixture into another sterile vessel through a coffee filter. The spent lemon zest should be white, and the filtered liquid should be distinctly yellow.
  • Combine the filtered alcohol product with 750 ml of simple syrup, made in a 1:1 volume ratio. The alcohol is now at its final proof.
  • Seal the vessel and allow to condition for 30-45 more days. Again, longer conditioning times allow for a more mellow final product.
  • After suitable conditioning time, remove the liqueur product to two sterilized 750 ml bottles, or package as preferred. Finished product may be stored in a cool place, away from sunlight, or may be refrigerated.
  • Serve ice cold.