Big Wednesday

This is Kelby of Kelby Knife Fight Fame
I am a teacher and for the last 4 years or so we have had the entire week of Thanksgiving off, pretty sweet, huh? Well I decided what better to do the day before Thanksgiving than brew two beers and smoke a pork shoulder (more on this another time). I brewed a Pale Ale based on Rubicon Brewing Co.'s Monkey Knife Fight. MKF is a great easy drinking beer that has a nice hop bitterness, and a great hop flavor and aroma. The beer also finishes nice and dry. I emailed the brewer this summer after visiting the brew pub in Sacramento and he was willing to part with some info. I don't have a pet monkey, but I do have a French Bulldog named Kelby. So it is named after her. Note: Rubicon uses all Willamette, but the LHBS was out so I went with all Goldings.

The other beer was my Dark Winter Saison. I have brewed a saison for each season and this is the final in the series. I started with the Spring (basic 6.5% saison with some wheat and all amarillo hops), Summer (Low abv, traditional saison), Fall (Amber colored, with caramelized butternut and pumpkin, brown sugar, and whole spices added at flameout). The Fall got infected with Brett though so it will need some more time and I think it will be a great beer for next Fall. I say infected because it wasn't supposed to have brett, I had a little outbreak in the brew house this fall. Think of the winter as a Belgian Dark Strong with saison yeast, dark candi syrup, and Golding hops and a late Hellertaeur addition.

Kelby Knife Fight

10A-American Ale-American Pale Ale

Recipe Overview

5 Gallon batch

Expected OG: 1.051 SG

Expected FG: 1.012 SG

Expected ABV:5.2 %

Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 44.6 IBU

Expected Color (using Morey):8.7 SRM

Fermentables

US Pale Ale Malt 8.00 lb 80.0 %

US Caramel 40L Malt 1.00 lb 10.0 %

US Carapils Malt 1.00 lb 10.0 %

Hops

US Willamette 4.5 % 2.18 oz Loose Pellet Hops 60 Min From End

US Willamette 4.5 % 0.54 oz Loose Pellet Hops 30 Min From End

US Willamette 4.5 % 0.54 oz Loose Pellet Hops 1 Min From End

White Labs WLP001-California Ale

Winter Sasion

16C-Belgian And French Ale-Saison

Recipe Overview

5 gallon batch

Expected OG: 1.087 SG

Expected FG: 1.018 SG

Expected ABV: 9.4 %

Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 26.3 IBU

Expected Color (using Morey): 26.1 SRM

Fermentables

US 2-Row Malt 12.00 lb 71.6 % In Mash/Steeped

US Munich 20L Malt 1.00 lb 6.0 % In Mash/Steeped

US White Wheat Malt 1.00 lb 6.0 % In Mash/Steeped

US Caramel 120L Malt 0.50 lb 3.0 % In Mash/Steeped

US Vienna Malt 0.50 lb 3.0 % In Mash/Steeped

Belgian Special B 0.50 lb 3.0 % In Mash/Steeped

German Carafa I 0.25 lb 1.5 % In Mash/Steeped

Sugar - Dark Candi Syrup 1.00 lb 6.0 % Start Of Boil

Hops

UK Fuggle 4.5 % 1.75 oz Loose Pellet Hops 60 Min From End

Czech Saaz 3.0 % 0.75 oz Loose Pellet Hops 20 Min From End

White Labs WLP568-Belgian Style Saison Ale Yeast Blend

I have no camera at the time so no pictures for now, hopefully for my birthday next month. This is my first real post so please any suggestions, insight, etc. would be appreciated. I will keep you updated as they progress.