Gowanus Brewery

Six months from now–when it’s once again dark and dreary–it will be time to indulge in this new brew, the Gowanus Strong Wheat.

You need at least six months aging time for a strong ale, which according to the BJCP guidelines, is “usually the strongest ale offered by a brewery… Normally aged significantly prior to release. Often associated with the winter or holiday season.”

Although I haven’t fully committed to the proportions, the final grain bill will closely resemble the following:

8 lb. American 2-row
8 lb. Wheat malt
2 lb. American victory
2 lb. Flaked wheat
2 lb. Basswood Honey
1 oz. Newport (13% AA, 60 min.)
1 oz. Newport (13% AA, 45 min.)
1 oz. Newport (13% AA, 30 min.)
1 oz. Argentina Cascade (3% AA, 30 min.)
1 oz. Argentina Cascade (3% AA, 15 min.)
1 oz. Argentina Cascade (aroma)

This will (theoretically) produce a wort with a starting gravity near 1.115 and a final alcohol content in the neighborhood of 12%. Because the alcohol content on this style of beer tends to be so high, it’s common to see them referred to as barleywines or barleywine-style ales. Of course, this particular beer would be best described as a wheat wine, owning fully 50% of its total weight to malted and flaked wheat.

This isn’t strictly about big beer and big alcohol. I’m interested in pushing the limits on my technique and equipment and continuing to experiment with wheat beers. It’s also an opportunity to experiment with a new adjunct: honey. I’m adding honey to provide some complexity and to unify the overall beer aroma and flavor, but it will also provide additional fermentables and color. This particular type of honey is supposed create a lingering flavor similar to green ripening fruit.

Yesterday, I bottled the Gowanus Wheat Beer, which is what I named the American Wheat Beer I brewed a few weeks ago. I’m over the clever names. It’s just Gowanus Wheat Beer.

Bottling went great, but something went screwy with the fermentation. OG was 38 and final was 16, which means ABV is about 3% (rather than the 5% that an OG should produce). What’s odd is that the specific gravity was 16 when it went in secondary a couple weeks ago. There was no change between then end of primary and yesterday. It stopped, prematurely.

In Papazian’s The Complete Joy of Home Brewing, he suggests that the most common explanation for stuck fermentation is high levels of dextrin. Dextrins are starch chains of four or more glucose molecules and are unfermentable. Smaller starch chains and individual glucose molecules are fermentable. The ratio of the sugars depend on how the mash goes. If the temperature is on the high end, you promote beta-amylase and get more dextrins. If it’s on the low end, you promote alpha-amylaze and get more fermentable sugars. In the future, I’m going to do this mash at 150 degrees to promote alpha-amylaze. I’ll also have to hold the rest longer because this enzyme is relatively slower than the other. In the end, this beer should be drier and lighter than it actually came out.

The label came out great, even if the ABV isn’t totally on point.

Bubbling in the Extra Pale Ale fermenter has tapered off and this weekend I’m moving it to the glass carboy. It seems to be moving along fine and the recipe is so simple I don’t expect to run into any hiccups. Tonight or sometime I’m going to mock up a label for it: “Cleaner’s Ale - We’re All Going”.

My first beer was a Double IPA, the second an IPA, so this, my third batch, will be my first Extra Pale Ale. I know it will be lighter in all respects and won’t be as hoppy as the first two, but I don’t know much more than that. Here’s what Northern Brewer had to say:

Crisp, hoppy, and quenching, our Extra Pale Ale is highlighted with the sharp, citrus aroma of Cascade hops in the new tradition of West Coast ales.

The information posted at BeerAdvocate is right in line and gives some perspective on the use of hops here:

Of British origin, this style is now popular worldwide and the use of local ingredients, or imported, produces variances in character from region to region. Generally, expect a good balance of malt and hops. Fruity esters and diacetyl can vary from none to moderate, and bitterness can range from lightly floral to pungent. American versions tend to be cleaner and hoppier, while British tend to be more malty, buttery, aromatic and balanced.

The contours of this style aren’t clear just yet, but we know that it is an American-style Pale Ale that, through the use of Cascade hops, represents “the new tradition of West Coast ales.” I should note that it seems this beer is known alternatively as Extra Pale Ale and American Pale Ale. It will be a clean and hoppy beer that may also taste fruity.

The Wikipedia entry on American Pale Ale presents a fuller picture what characteristics to expect:

[American Pale Ales] are pale to amber in color and generally their flavor and aroma is centered around the citrusy and pine character of American hops with caramel-like malt flavors and fruity esters from the ale yeast playing a supporting role.

As usual, for the fullest picture, I turn to the Beer Judge Certification Program Style Guidlines on American Pale Ale. These guidelines are action-packed and I highly recommend you visit the BJCP site for yourself, if only to gloss over the wealth of information available there. The guidelines describe American Pale Ale the same as do the references above, with one exception. BeerAdvocate says diacetyl may be present, while the guidelines say it should not. I’ll have to explore diacetyl’s function in a future post. For now, I’ll try to wrap up this review. First, I’ll point to the ingredients section found towards the end of the guidelines:

Pale ale malt, typically American two-row. American hops, often but not always ones with a citrusy character. American ale yeast. Water can vary in sulfate content, but carbonate content should be relatively low. Specialty grains may add character and complexity, but generally make up a relatively small portion of the grist. Grains that add malt flavor and richness, light sweetness, and toasty or bready notes are often used (along with late hops) to differentiate brands.

Lastly, I’ll throw in the guidelines’ vital statistics section:

OG 1.045 - 1.060
FG 1.010 - 1.015
IBUs 30 - 45+
ABV 4.5 - 6%

After re-reading my notes on the American Pale Ale style of beer, I’m really looking forward to trying this beer. With the citrusy hops, it sounds crisp and cleansing. Plus, as I think I planned, it will complement the Imperial Pale Ale and Chinook IPA well.