Flaze Hazelnut - Hentai-Brau #11

Flame Hazelnut



Source Anime: Shakugan no Shana
Style: Hazelnut Red Ale
Brewed: 04/01/07
Bottled: 05/06/07

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.060
TG: 1.013
Color: 12.92 SRM
Bitterness: 22.3 IBU
Alcohol: 6.1%
Cost to Brew: $33.00
Calories per 12 oz: 236.1

7.0 lbs John Bull LME
8 oz 6-row pale malt
8 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
12 oz 60 L. Caramel Malt
4 oz Dextrine malt
1 oz Fuggle hops (60 min bittering)
0.5 oz Fuggles hops (15 min flavoring)
0.5 oz Fuggles hops (1 min)
3 oz hazelnut extract after boil
Wyeast British Ale Yeast

Notes:
Soft and malty. There are fruit flavors and aromas evident, mostly prunes and cherries. The hazelnut flavor did not really come through as well as hoped. Finishes with a light alcohol burn. Hops are present, but not singularly distinct. The mouthfeel is fairly full, but the carbonation is light and head quickly dissipates. To the eye, this looks like more of a brown ale than red, but hold it in front of a light and it glows like Koolaid. Quite good overall. -Greg

Update: Grows softer and less complex with age (4 mo.). There is a nice nuttiness that has replaced the fruit flavors. -Greg

8 months: Nuttiness is leaving, being replaced by a gentle hops. This has morphed into a fine American brown/red ale with a good amount of body– very easy drinking, but somewhat 1 dimensional. Head is a bit weak, probably due to hazelnut oils. -Greg

12 months: The nutty flavors have returned, especially in the late-pallet notes. It is soft and quite nice. This was cold-aged during the fall and winter and these temps seem to have really helped. -Greg

Perfect Blueberry Ale - Hentai-Brau #10

Perfect Berry Ale

Source Anime: Perfect Blue
Style: Blueberry-Honey Wheat Ale
Brewed: 04/01/07
Bottled: 05/06/07

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.055
TG: 1.011
Color: 6.77 SRM
Bitterness: 10.2 IBU
Alcohol: 5.7%
Cost to Brew: $29.40
Calories per 12 oz: 252.4

3.3 lb Liquid Wheat Malt Extract
2 lb Dry Extra Light Malt
2 lb Blueberry Blossom Honey
8 oz 6-row pale malt
8 oz Honey Malt
4 oz Blueberry flavor extract
0.5 oz Hallertau (60 min)
0.5 oz Hallertau (15 min)
0.5 oz Hallertau (1 min)
8 oz lactose
White Labs American Hefeweizen Yeast

Notes:

The honey introduced all sorts of fermentation problems. It took about 3 weeks in the primary before the bubbling slowed enough to transfer. There were practically no blueberry flavors, but a nice honey note drops in at the end. There is a problematic astringent quality, probably due to the honey. This stuff is richer and more alcoholic than style would dictate. It was certainly drinkable, but not fantastic. -Greg

Update: After about 4 months, all of the astringency problems are gone and the brew has picked up a wonderfully sweet-fruit note. This actually ended up better than the Hazelnut Red, which grew soft with age. Fantastic after 8 months. Possibly the best or second best brew so far. -Greg

Blood + Ale - Hentai-Brau #9

Source Anime: Blood +
Style: Cherry-Vanilla Stout
Brewed: 02/19/06
Bottled: 03/19/06

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.063
TG: 1.020
Color: 33.79 SRM
Bitterness: 30.6 IBU
Alcohol: 5.5%
Cost to Brew: $35.25
Calories per 12 oz: 247.5

7.0 lbs John Bull light malt extract
8 oz Dry Light Malt Extract
16 oz Belgian chocolate malt
8 oz Special B malt
8 oz Roasted Barley
1.0 oz Fuggle hops (60 min boil) (17 IBU)
1.0 oz Kent Goldings hops (30 min boil) (8 IBU)
0.5 oz Hellertau hops (5 min boil) (3 IBU)
1 gallon of unsweetened cherry concentrate
6 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
8 oz Lactose
White Labs English Ale

Notes:
The stout has a gentle, winey scent and flavor with a dark, roasted-barley flavor at the end. There is a slightly earthy note just before the roasted flavors. Nice mouthfeel. -Greg

Update: After 6 months, the roasted malt flavors are quite pronounced and the cherry has mellowed quite a bit. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, the roasted malt continues to grow in strength and complexity. The cherry notes are mellowed as is the vague sourness that was present initially. This stuff is getting to be quite nice with age. -Greg

Tempation of Wheat II - Hentai-Brau #8

Temptation of Wheat II

Above is the reformatted label for ToW I. There exists a label for ToW II and we are currently searching for it.

Source Anime: Azumanga Daioh
Style: German Hefeweizen
Brewed: 09/17/06
Bottled: 10/03/06

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.051
TG: 1.012
Color: 6.11 SRM
Bitterness: 12.1 IBU
Alcohol: 5.0%
Cost to Brew: $29.92
Calories per 12 oz: 200.8

6.6 lbs Alexander's Wheat Malt extract
8 oz 6-row pale malt
8 oz German Light Wheat Malt
4 oz Dextrin Malt
0.5 oz Hallartau hops (60 min)
0.5 oz Hallartau hops (15 min)
0.5 oz Hallartau hops (1 min)
White Labs Hefeweizen Ale Yeast

Unsure if Greg's notes that follow belong to ToW I or II, will edit at a later date

Notes:
Awesome. More spicy than fruity. Has low carbonation due to the use of 1 cup DME rather than 1 cup corn sugar. The mouth-feel is fairly thick for a hefeweizen, due to both the wheat malt and the dextrine malt. We might try using malted wheat next time. -Greg

There's been some discussion about if this counts as number 8 since it's a redux. I voted yes as it is a different recipe and it seems I won by sheer accident. I am totally okay with that. -Holly

Update: After 6 months, the banana notes really picked up and it developed a bit of sweetness actually and fruit esters. Still awesome. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, the fruit is almost entirely gone, but the heavy mouthfeel has only increased. It is richer and deeper in complexity, but barely tastes like a hefeweizen any longer. -Greg

Spiced Away - Hentai-Brau #7

Spiced Away



Personal Beer: Holly-Brau
Source Anime: Spirited Away
Style: “Holly-day” Spiced Gingerbread Porter
Brewed: 02/19/06
Bottled: 03/19/06

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.058
TG: 1.011
Color: 30.46 SRM
Bitterness: 25.5 IBU
Alcohol: 6.1%
Cost to Brew: $32.63
Calories per 12 oz: 229.2

7.0 lbs John Bull Amber malt extract
8 oz American 6-row pale malt
8 oz 40 L Crystal Malt
8 oz Chocolate malt
4 oz black patent malt
1 ounce Brambling Cross hops (60 min boil) (22 IBU)
0.5 ounce Hallertau hops (30 min)
0.5 ounce Hallertau hops (finishing 5 min) (6 IBU)
12 inches Cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 ounces Ginger root, freshly peeled and grated
2 teaspoons of Allspice
1 teaspoon Cloves
White Labs Irish Ale Yeast

Notes:
This brew is light and effervescent like a soda. It has a fairly robust ginger scent and flavor, with cloves and allspice filling in later. Slightly fruity with a touch of roasted barley. It picked up a bit more sourness than ideal. We have to watch for bacterial mats on the surface. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, this stuff has calmed down fairly well so as to be enjoyable. It is quite dry now and much of the over-the-top flavor has melted away. -Greg

Update: The rare bottle still surfaces. Year 2 it had a strong rootbeer flavor. At year 3 there is a lot of earthiness to it and the ginger is quite prominent. -Holly

Scotch Brau Bebop - Hentai-Brau #6

Scotch Brau Bebop

Official Label:


Special Edition Label:


Personal Beer: Scott-Brau
Source Anime: Cowboy Bebop
Style: Scotch Wee Heavy/Scottish Strong Ale
Brewed: 10/09/05
Bottled: 10/16/05

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.084
TG: 1.019
Color: 20.13 SRM
Bitterness: 22.8 IBU
Alcohol: 8.6% (too high)
Cost to Brew: $41.63
Calories per 12 oz: 337.2

7.0 lbs John Bull Light Malt Extract
3.0 lbs Dry Light Malt Extract
8 oz 6-row pale malt
8 oz roasted barley
8 oz British Crystal malt 55 L
4 oz peat smoked barley (double to quadruple this for lightly smoked malt)
1 oz Kent goldings hops (120 minute boil)
1 oz Fuggles hops (30 min)
No finishing hops
White Labs Edinburgh Ale yeast

Notes:
Way over-carbonated for a Scotch Ale. Unfortunately, two weeks is nowhere near long enough for primary fermentation. It really needed a secondary fermentation. We cut the priming sugar by a fourth, but half might be better. It is recommended that a higher content of smoked malt be used. Lots of fruit flavors – orange, cherry, lemon, blackberry, apple – they are all in there. Slight, hoppy-earthiness at the end. The flavors are out of control – almost like a soda. Lots of yeast sediment. Needed second fermentation to remove the yeast. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, the bottles are far less likely to explode when opened. The crazy-strong fruit flavors have mellowed and a bit of roasted malt flavor has developed. -Greg

Here Comes the Brau - Hentai-Brau #5

Here Comes the Brau

Official Label:


Special Edition Label:


Special Edition Label:


Source Anime: Cowboy Bebop, Ah! My Goddess, Speed Grapher, Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase
Style: Belgian White Ale
Brewed: 10/09/05
Bottled: 10/16/05

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.045
TG: 1.009
Color: 3.80 SRM
Bitterness: 11.8 IBU
Alcohol: 4.7%
Cost to Brew: $23.40
Calories per 12 oz: 178.5

1.0 lb Extra Light Dry Malt Extract
3.3 lb wheat malt extract
1.0 lb Clear Candi Sugar
8 oz 2-row pale malt
8 oz Belgian wheat malt
0.5 oz Saaz hops (60 minute boil) (7 IBU)
0.5 oz Saaz hops (5 min boil) (1 IBU)
1 oz bitter orange peel
1 oz fresh orange peel
1 oz coriander seed
1 oz seed of paradise (or cardamom)
White Labs "Belgian Wit Ale Yeast"

Notes:
This stuff was great immediately after bottling. The herbs were a bit masked by citrus, but as it ages, they should pop out as the citrus wanes. -Greg

Update: After 4 months, there is some serious orange flavor and odor. The sour notes are mellowing. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, the sour notes are almost completely gone, but the orange tastes more like Grand Marnier rather than fresh OJ. Still quite good, but it might not age much longer. -Greg

Commercial Description:
It should be noted this description was written while we were still using the working title, Kimagure Orange Wit, which ended up not being a source anime and incidentally was used on a later beer.
As whimsical (kimagure) as it is white, this refreshing ale is perfect for those long summer days. Wit Ales were once a lost form of beer, but they were revived in Belgium in the 1800s. Always refreshing, this ale brings scents of both bitter and sweet orange along with the flavors of caraway, marmalade and our secret, aromatic “grains of paradise”. White wheat gives this brew a decidedly soft note on the tongue while the sazz hops are just subtle enough to let everything else shine though. -Greg

Drink or Die - Hentai-Brau #4

Drink or Die



Source Anime: Read or Die
Style: Southern English Brown Ale
Brewed: 08/14/05
Bottled: 08/28/05

Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.041
TG: 1.013
Color: 21.47 SRM
Bitterness: 12.4 IBU
Alcohol: 3.6%
Cost to Brew: $24.00
Calories per 12 oz: 160.5

3.5 lb John Bull light malt extract
1.0 lb Dry Light Malt Extract
8 oz 6-row pale malt
8 oz English Chocolate malt
4 oz Biscuit malt
4 oz Victory malt
0.5 oz Fuggle (60 min boil) (15.1 IBU)
0.5 oz Fuggle (10 min boil) (3.2 IBU)
0.5 oz Kent Goldings (1 min boil) (0.5 IBU)
1 tsp Irish moss
1/2 oz Burton salts
White Labs "British Ale Yeast"

Notes:
This is one of my favorites. Is it because I came up with the name or because I bear a striking resemblance to the girl on the bottle...? The world may never know.
-Holly

My Neighbor Cocoaro - Hentai-Brau #3

My Neighbor Cocoaro

Source Anime: My Neighbor Totoro
Style: Chocolate Stout
Brewed: 07/21/05
Bottled: 08/13/05

OG: 0.063
FG: 1.013
Alcohol Content: 6.6%
Color: 40.7 SRM
IBUs: 40.7 (medium to med-high bitterness)
60 minutes boiling time
Calories per 12 oz: 252.2
Primary Fermentation: up to 10 days
Secondary Fermentation: another 21 days
Bottle Conditioning: 14 days (longer for even smoother brew)

7.0 lb John Bull Amber Malt Extract (unhopped)
8 oz crystal malt 40L
16 oz English chocolate malt
8 oz English Black Roast malt
0.5 lb lactose
1/2 lb bitter, non-dairy chocolate (damn hard to find! =))
1/2 lb dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (or whole bean if you are hardcore)
Hops: 2 oz Fuggle (bittering 60 min)
1oz Saaz (finishing 5 min)
White Labs "Burton Ale Yeast"
1 cup of light DME at bottling

Brewing Notes:
Chocolate was melted in a bowl set over a pot of boiling water. Add chocolate at the end of the boil or if more chocollicious flavor is desired, mix with an oz of vodka and add to the secondary. Add the vanilla to the secondary. If using beans, soak them in an ounce of vodka for at least a week prior to addition. -Greg

Tasting notes:
It needed a looooong time to mellow in the bottle. It was somewhat harsh at the start, but ended up being perfect after about 4 months. Lots of chocolate odor. -Greg

Update: After 6 months, this stuff was fantastic. It had mellowed quite a bit and picked up a nice chocolate flavor to complement the dark grains. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, this brew is about hitting its peak. Excellent complexity and the carbonation issues have totally settled down. Silky is a good descriptor. There is still a slightly sour twinge that needs to be remedied next time. -Greg

Commercial Description:
“As dark as the heart of the cat-bus, this English-style stout has a decidedly desert-like quality. The nose is full of hot-fudge and java. The initial flavors are roasted grains and chocolate. The fuggles hops lend their rich, earthy bitterness towards the end of the tasting. Finally, a slight lactic tang clenses the pallet for the next sip”. -Greg

Raspberry Heaven - Hentai-Brau #2

Raspberry Heaven



Source Anime: Azumanga Daioh
Style: Raspberry Wheat Ale
Brewed: 06/26/05
Bottled: 07/03/05

As with our first brew, this second brew was based on a kit. Following is our best recollection of the kit and what we added.

Kit Estimation
3.3 lbs of Munton & Fison liquid light pale-malt extract
3.3 lbs of Munton & Fison liquid Wheat malt extract
1.5 oz hallertau hops (Believe to have added half of the hops at 60 min and the remainder at 30 min)
0.5 lbs crystal malt
2 oz raspberry extract (at flame out)
American Hefeweizen Ale Yeast

We hope to try this again this summer, following is the recipe we are thinking of using.

Ideal
Batch: 5 gallons
OG: 1.045
TG: 1.009
Color: 6.01 SRM
Bitterness: 20.7 IBU
Alcohol: 4.7%
Cost to Brew: $28.05
Calories per 12 oz: 176.4

3.3 lbs Alexander’s Pale Malt Extract
3.3 lbs Alexander’s Wheat Malt Extract
1.0 oz hallertau hops (60 minute boil) (17 IBU)
0.5 oz hallertau hops (5 minute boil) (3 IBU)
4 oz. Raspberry extract
White Labs Hefeweizen Ale yeast

Notes:
Crazy lambic taste upon opening. Sourness is almost overwhelming but doesn't specifically taste like raspberry. Contamination is suspected, but most of us don't mind as we find it quite tasty as is. -Holly

Temptation of Wheat - Hentai-Brau #1

Tempation of Wheat


The original label contained only the middle portion. The side panels were added so that it would conform to the new label size.

Source Anime: Azumanga Daioh
Style: German Hefeweizen
Brewed: 05/29/05
Bottled: 06/15/05

Being our first brew, we used a kit. The recipe here is an estimation as to what the kit contained.

Kit Estmiation
6.6 lbs of Munton & Fison liquid light pale-malt extract
3.3 lbs of Munton & Fison liquid Wheat malt extract
1.5 oz hallertau hops (Believe to have added half of the hops at 60 min and the remainder at 30 min)
0.5 lbs crystal malt
White Labs Hefeweizen Ale Yeast

Unsure if Greg's notes that follow belong to ToW I or II, will edit at a later date

Notes:
Awesome. More spicy than fruity. Has low carbonation due to the use of 1 cup DME rather than 1 cup corn sugar. The mouth-feel is fairly thick for a hefeweizen, due to both the wheat malt and the dextrine malt. We might try using malted wheat next time. -Greg

Update: After 6 months, the banana notes really picked up and it developed a bit of sweetness actually and fruit esters. Still awesome. -Greg

Update: After 1 year, the fruit is almost entirely gone, but the heavy mouthfeel has only increased. It is richer and deeper in complexity, but barely tastes like a hefeweizen any longer. -Greg

Stovetop Partial Mashing Procedure - Hentai-Brau - Mystic Brewers of The Inebriati

Stovetop Partial Mashing Procedure

Please note that this procedure is used with all recipes unless otherwise noted.

1. Clean and sanitize everything!
2. Warm yeast to room temperature and proof as necessary.
3. Crush specialty grains
4. Fill brew pot with 1.5 qt of chlorine-free, spring water for each lb of specialty grains*
5. Add specialty grains to steeping bag over brew-pot (to catch fines)
6. Tie grain bag closed
7. Add grain bag to water**
8. Bring water up to 150-158 degrees F
9. Hold at this temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour
10. During this time, heat 2 gallons of chlorine-free spring water to 170 degrees F. in a separate pot.
11. At end of steeping, remove grain bag from stock pot
12. Place strainer over the top of the stock-pot
13. Dump used grain bag into strainer
14. Use the 2 gallons of 170-degree sparge water to rinse sugars/color from spent grains.
15. Dispose of spent grains (you can dump them on your garden!)
16. Top off water in brew pot until it reaches 4 gallons.
17. Bring wort to full boil.
18. Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the burner and add the liquid malt extracts while stirring constantly.
19. Bring the pot back to a full boil over high heat.
20. Once the wort begins to boil again, add your bittering hops and any dry malt extract.
21. Add flavor and aroma hop additions per the written procedure at the correct time intervals (i.e. 30 minutes and 5 minutes before flameout)
22. With five minutes until the end of the boil, add any spices or herbs.
23. Add any alcohol-based flavorings after flameout.
24. Fill the sink with ice.
25. At the end of the boil, turn off the stove, cover the pot and transfer to the ice-filled sink.
26. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the wort. When the wort has dropped below 90 degrees F, it is time to transfer it to the primary fermentor.
27. Place a large, sanitized funnel into the mouth of a 6-gallon carboy with a paperclip acting as a spacer so air can escape around the funnel.
28. Insert a sanitized strainer into the mouth of the funnel.
29. Gently pour wort into the carboy.
30. Top off wort to 5-gallons with chilled spring or DI water. Try to introduce as much air into the wort as possible during this step. This should also lower the wort temperature enough to prevent yeast death
31. Using a sanitized wine thief or racking cane, take a sample of the wort record its specific gravity.
32. Add yeast to wort and gently swirl carboy to disperse.
33. Dry the bung hole with a clean paper towel and insert the rubber stopper tightly into the opening
34. Insert the bottom half of an airlock into the hole drilled though the rubber stopper.
35. Insert a small-diameter racking cane into the bottom of the airlock. This creates a good blow-off tube.
36. Move the carboy to a dark, cool area and lay a towel beneath both the bottom of the carboy and the end of the racking cane.
37. After the initial blow-off, remove the racking cane and assemble the airlock as per normal. Fill airlock with sanitized water.
38. Continue with secondary, bottling and drinking.
    
    * It is very important to remember that certain grains require the addition of an equal measure of high-enzyme grains such as marris otter, 2-row, distiller’s, or 6-row malt. Some grains, like highly kilned varieties do not require a partial mash.
    
    ** Insert protein rest here if desired. A protein rest involves holding the temperature of the water at roughly 125 degrees F for about 15 minutes prior to raising it to 150 degrees F. This will help to minimize the haze imparted to the beer by high-protein grain adjuncts.

Equipment Lists for Homebrewing - Hentai-Brau - Mystic Brewers of The Inebriati

Equipment Lists

Things needed for boiling day:
1) 5-gallon brewing pot
2) 2-gallon pot for sparge water
3) 1-gallon pot for grains
4) Large funnel
5) Long metal spoon
6) Air-lock (3 parts)
7) Blow-off tube
8) 6-gallon carboy
9) Rubber stopper or carboy-cap
10) Thermometer
11) Thermocouple (or second thermometer)
12) Rubber spatula
13) Can-opener
14) Pot to warm cans of extract
15) Rolling pin for crushing grain
16) Several large plastic bags
17) Tongs
18) Basting bulb or large syringe
19) Paper towels
20) Scissors
21) Timer
22) Paper-clip
23) Large nylon bag for grains
24) Small nylon bag for hops
25) Bucket of sanitizing solution

• Also need 5 gallons of spring water or a combination of Distilled and spring. Avoid tap water as it contains chlorine.
• 10 lbs of ice per 5 gallons of wort
• 2 Tbsp of salt for use with salt
• Many bottles of good beer.

Note: Red text indicates equipment that needs to be sanitized.
Blue text indicates utensils used only with liquid malt extract

Things needed for racking to secondary:
1) 4-foot of plastic hosing
2) Racking cane
3) Racking cane tip
4) Hose clamp
5) 5-gallon carboy
6) Air-lock (3 parts)
7) Rubber stopper or carboy cap
8) 2 siphon tube holders
9) Jar for waste beer
10) Basting bulb or large syringe
11) Bucket of sanitizing solution

Things needed for bottling:
1) 48-56 12 oz bottles (32 22-oz bombers)
2) Racking cane
3) 4-foot of plastic hosing
4) Hose clamp
5) 2 siphon tube holders
6) jar for waste beer
7) Basting bulb or large syringe
8) Bottle filler tube
9) 4-cup measuring cup to catch sanitizing solution
10) 1 gallon pot for boiling caps
11) Bottle capper
12) 48-56 bottle caps
13) 1 gallon pot for boiling priming sugar
14) 1 cup of dry malt extract or 3/4 cup of dextrose
15) Bucket of sanitizing solution