Batch #147 ~ Summer Altbier

Once again attempting to see how rich an ale I can make, I used 25# of grain and 3.3# of LME (liquid malt extract, or barley malt syrup), to make this 10-gallon batch, with a Munich malt and Citra hops recipe to come close to a German Altbier.  Initial starting gravity came to 1.075, which indicated a pretty strong ale, confirmed by a result of 7.5% abv.  One of the small kegs I filled with this Altbier was a wedding present for the celebration of some good friends, and it was appreciated by the wedding attendees, right down to the last drop.  This macro photo is of a tiny "Sweat Bee", named for its attraction to human sweat, who is also a great fan of my onion crop.  Some folks call this tiny insect (about 1/4" long) a "Metallic Bee", because of its shimmering color.  There are other colors of this general species, including a deep green color, but the few of those that visited my garden were too elusive to get any photos.
Cheers!
MT

Batch #146 ~ Lavender Rye Ale

This batch of Lavender Rye was easy to brew, because I've fine-tuned the recipe in three prior batches in 2012 & 2013, only one of which I considered less than desirable, owing to an over-use of Lavender flowers.  I bottled two cases of it for posterity, as well as two small kegs, one of which we had on tap when my cousins from England came to visit.  It was a big hit with them, since it was a smooth ale, with a 6.0% abv content, just right for sipping under the shade of the Apricot tree, while we caught up.
Cheers!
MT

Batch #145 ~ E.S.B.

Starting off my 2015 brewing season in March, I maxed out the grain bill with 28# again, only this time I made certain to achieve a full 10-gallon batch of ale.  I used  one ounce of Summit hops, two ounces of Liberty hops, and 12 ounces of fresh frozen hops from one of my wild harvests last Autumn, along the bike path enroute to Carbondale.  This ale came out  to 6.5% a.b.v., with a rich hops flavor, but not as bitter as an IPA might be.  This batch began my expansion into kegging, with the acquisition of several 2.5-gallon kegs, of which two stack neatly inside the new refrigerator I bought and installed under the stairs.  This makes for a ready supply of perfectly carbonated beer, especially for parties and special events, like a weekend camping trip with some hunting pals, who gave me some delicious Elk steaks in gratitude for sharing this ESB.
I captured this honeybee photo, up close and personal, with an Olloclip macro lens attached to my iPhone 4S.  She was so excited to taste the first Apricot nectar of the season, she paid my close lens no mind at all.
Cheers!
MT

Batch #144 ~ BIG DOG Strong Ale

Having learned that the maximum amount of grain I can fit into my brewing system, using 10-gallon food grade Rubbermaid Coolers, is 28 pounds of grain, I sought to brew a stronger beer. Reducing the water a bit, so that I end up with around 8 gallons of beer instead of 10, brings us to a relatively high 7.75% alcohol for this Strong Ale. My wife Jan found a T-shirt with this image of a Black Lab appearing to attempt to claim a fallen tree, as if its owner could throw it for a game of fetch. Seemed like the perfect image for this beer. Cheers! MT