Grizzled Veteran

I am by no means a 'grizzled veteran' of homebrewing, I just wanted to say that.

Anyway, I had the KGB Russian Imperial Stout (can't find the product page, so I linked to the beeradvocate.com page) the other day, and it made me think of my own Russian Imperial Stout from the Brewer's Best kit.

I wish I had left the beer for several more weeks, possibly months, as my beer tasted extremely similar to the KGB, and would have probably surpassed it, given the right amount of aging.

However, now I know what a 'green' beer tastes like, and will remember the lesson.

Spring Brew - Kumdis Island Spruce

I was finally able to do the Kumdis Island Spruce Brew today - the spruce trees have sprouted their new green tips, and I cut down a few branches from our back yard.

I wasn't sure how much to do, but I read online that "a loosely packed pint jar" was about 4 oz. I used a pint glass, because I've seen both 4oz and 5oz measurements for the spruce.

One of the unique things on this recipe was that there was no grains to soak/sparge - it was all-extract. I also discovered what caused a funny boil attribute. I noticed that when I stirred it vigorously, the middle of the pot 'coughs' up oddly-colored wort, but not if I hadn't - I think it's something with the heat at the bottom.

Ingredients:
6.6 lbs Cooper's dark liquid malt extract
2oz Hallertauer hops
4-5oz loosely packed spruce tips

Add liquid malt extract to approximately 2.5 gallons of water and brought it to boil. Turned off heat and added hops - had my son add spruce tips (he thought it was hysterical putting a tree in the beer).

Boiled for 45 min, stirring about every 10 minutes.

Removed from heat, chilled, added water to make 5 gallons, stirred in American Ale Yeast and put in basement.