Survey Says

We surveyed 100 people from around the Washington, DC metro area to evaluate the newly minted Firenze Ale. In retrospect, checking to confirm participants were of legal drinking age would have been a good idea. With any luck the judge will understand that this was all done in the name of science. Here's the feedback we obtained before the fuzz showed up:

Firenze pours a beautiful golden-amber color as if it were in a commercial with the Swedish bikini team. The foamy top is a nice off-white that settles well and leaves a web down the glass as you drink. Carbonation is neither overpowering nor is the brew flat. The armoma is that of an Italian (or English) ale but a bit weak. Firenze comes in at 2.89 percent ABV but only 140 calories per serving. Rather than saying the only thing Firenze lacks is solid flavor, the Marketing Department at DBB suggests that Firenze is "never-filling, always refreshing, and has an easy-drinking taste."

That, my friends, is drinkability.

Cheers!

24 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Today we bottled a full case of 12 oz. bottles and a one gallon jug of Firenze Ale. The final gravity was 1.010. The recipe calls for a final gravity of 1.014 so we were a bit off. We added just under 3.76 ounces of priming sugar (original recipe calls for 3/4 cup for five gallons or 4.75 ounces) for our four gallons. The aroma was good with an amber red color. We have relatively high hopes for this one. The wait time for Firenze is much shorter than for our previous Perk-A-lator Stout so we'll offer up a final review in just about 2 weeks.

Cheers!

On the Seventh Day We Brew

Today we steal a page, literally, from the Legend's playbook. A friend passed along Charlie Papazian's Microbrewed Adventures. As one would expect in anything written by Mr. Papazian, the book closes with a chapter of various recipes scaled down for the homebrewer. In keeping with our Italian theme we bring you Firenze Pale Ale. Below are the details - for better or worse. If you want to know how brew it properly you will have to purchase the book.

So, with the latest storm of the century bearing down on the nation's capital, my trusty assistant (pictured) and I spend a day in the kitchen together. We opted for the all grain recipe (which loosely translates to all day brewing).

Original Gravity: 1.042
Final Gravity: 1.014 (or something close to it)
Primary Fermentation: Approximately 7 days
Secondary Fermentation: Approximately 7 days - preferably in a cellar (55 degrees F)
8 lbs Munton's Pale Malt
12 oz Briess Crystal Malt
1.5 oz Golding Leaf Hops (5% alpha)
1 oz Fuggles Hop Leafs (5.7% alpha)
1 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets (4.7% alpha)
1/4 tsp Carlson Irish Moss
White Labs European Ale Yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Add 9 quarts of 140 degrees F water to the crushed grains, stir, and hold at 132 degrees F for 30 minutes. Add 4.5 quarts of boiling water, bring temperature up to 154 degrees F, and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 171 degrees F, lauter and sparge with 3.5 gallons of 171 degrees F water. Collect approximately 5.5 gallons of runoff. Add 60-minute hops (Golding Leaf Hops) and bring to a full boil.

Boil time is 60 minutes. At 30 minute mark of the boil add 30-minute hops (Fuggles Hop Leafs). At the 50 minute mark add the Irish Moss. At 55 minutes add the final hops (Fuggles Pellets). Strain and sparge the wort into sanitized fermenter. Bring the total volume to 5 gallons by adding cold water if necessary. Aerate the wort very well. Pitch the yeast at 70.3 degrees F (70-75 degrees F).

From the recipe (b/c our brew just started doing its thing): Primary fermentation is approximately one week. Secondary fermentation is also approximately one week recommends cellar the brew at 55 degrees if you have the capability.

While you are brewing we recommend you quench your thirst with the Great Divide Brewing Company's DPA Denver Pale Ale.

Cheers!