Aging My Own Whiskey For The New Year

It's just three days until New Year's eve 2011.  Do you have any big plans?  I don't know for sure what I'll be doing this year yet, but I do know that I'd better enjoy myself this New Year's.  That's becuase I have decided that January will be a 'dry' month for me.

Firestone Walker's Proprietor's Reserve Series (I also have a XIIIth and XIVth Anniversary Ale)

I'm still working my way through my holiday beer selections, which consist mainly of the entire Firestone Walker Proprietor's Reserve series of beers (above) along with a few others, and I've also picked up an 'Age Your Own' whiskey kit from Woodinville Whiskey.  I'm looking forward to barrel-aging some of my very own bourbon whiskey and trying it out (the pre-barreled whiskey that comes with the kit is 110 proof bourbon mash).  Watch for a photo-heavy post soon, showing all of my Firestone Walker beers poured.

What You Get With The Woodinville Whiskey 'Age Your Own' Kit

A more detailed look at Woodinville Whiskey's website also shows that, from time to time, they sell used 5-gallon whiskey barrels.  These barrels have been used once only to age whiskey.  I'm seriously considering picking up a few of these barrels so I can try to barrel-age a few of my own beers.  Considering my love of oak-aged beers and spirits, I'd relish the opportunity to try and make an oak-whiskey-aged creation myself.  The barrels run $120 each and they should have some more available in February 2012. 

Woodinville Whiskey's Used 5-Gallon Barrels

I'll still be posting a few times in January to keep you all up to date on how I'm doing with my dry month, but I may not be posting as much regarding any beer events or specials in January, so as not to tempt myself too much.  My one 'slip' in January may be (by necessity) the once-weekly 'taste test' of my aging whiskey from it's micro-barrel.  But that will be less than a shot each time - just to check it's progress. 

Whatever your plans are for New Years, please drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Patience Is A Virtue

Back in April of this year in a post titled, "Patience & Planning Ahead", I posted about the necessity of patience in the brewing and fermentation process.  I think, with my latest batch of IPA, I have finally realized the true benefits of patience and planning. 

Back in late June, I brewed an IPA for a competition.  The competiton is the Fly-PA IPA competition being put on by the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.  It's a cooperative members-only competiton to find Flying Bike's 'flagship' IPA beer.  The winner will have their beer scaled up and contract-brewed by Three Skulls Ales here in Seattle.  It's a rare opportunity for a homebrewer, like myself, to not only have their beer featured at a local pub, but to create what will be the first ever production beer created for the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery; an important milestone for any brewery - or brewer.  I brewed a nice and hoppy Imperial IPA, with a final acohol level somewhere in range of 7-8 percent (7.75% ABV). 

A Beautiful Imperial IPA

The Imperial IPA I brewed stayed nestled in it's primary fermenter at 68 degrees for a full three weeks before I moved it from the fermenter to a 5-gallon keg for conditioning.  I had intended to let the beer condition for just a week or two before dry-hopping it, but I got so busy and sidetracked that I didn't get around to dry-hopping it until about a week ago (August 17th); which means the beer was allowed to condition for about 4 1/2 weeks before being dry-hopped.  This was not a bad thing. 

The beer was not carbonated during conditioning.  I only placed a gentle blanket of CO2 at 10PSI into the keg just after filling it, and then disconnected the CO2 line.  Two days after adding the hops (in a 'hop sock') to the keg, I began carbonation. 

Last night, I got the first true taste of the finished beer - dry hopped an all.  I was very pleased.  I can honestly say that this may very well be the best IPA I have ever brewed.  It was also the first batch where my wife, Lynn, was my assistant brewer.  So it was a great milestone for her as well. 

The aroma, appearance and flavor of my IIPA were all right where I wanted them to be.  I had to stop myself from going back for more.  I want to let the beer sit a few days longer, and then I'll bottle some this weekend for the competition.  After that, I can begin enjoying the rest for myself and bring some to a few friends for them to enjoy as well. 

I used a brand new recipe, concocted from scratch by myself, for this batch.  It is definitely a recipe I'll have to try again.  I had originally planned to use Simcoe hops for this batch, but I was unable to find any, so I used a combination of different hops as a 'substitute'.  Now, I have my hands on some Simcoe from this year's crop, so I'll have to try the Simcoe version as well and see how it compares to what I've got now. 

So wish my luck!  If I'm fortunate enough to win the Fly-PA competition, it won't be long before you'll be able to taste my beer on tap right here in Seattle.  If I don't manage to win, perhaps you'll be able to taste some anyway... but you'll have to find me!  ;) 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!