Tesla Brown Ale

Tesla Brown Ale (yields 5 gallons)

4 lbs. 2-row
0.4 lbs. Crystal 60
0.2 lbs Crystal 80
0.2 lbs. Chocolate
0.2 lbs. Aromatic
3.3 lbs. Munich LME

1 oz. UK Golding (5.8%) 60 minutes
0.5 oz. Willamette ~ 15 minutes

1 tsp. Irish moss

London Ale Yeast
---------------------
Mill grain. Mash for 90 minutes at 152F.

Sparge with 150F water into brew pot.

Bring to boil. Remove from heat and add LME. Stir well.

Return to boil. Add 1 ounce of UK Golding hops. Begin 60 minute boil.

After 45 minutes, add 0.5 ounces of Willamette hops and Irish moss.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

Transfer to fermenter. Add enough cool water to bring total volume to 5 1/8 gallons.

Once wort has reached 70F, pitch yeast.

Seal with lid and airlock. Let the yeast do its business then bottle or keg like usual.

O.G. - 1.044
F.G. - 1.011

Enjoy!

Birthday Cake Porter

My birthday passed recently and I decided that I would try to brew a chocolate cake porter, aka birthday cake porter.  It isn't chocolate cake in a bottle, but it is pretty tasty chocolate porter.

Birthday Cake Porter (yields 5 gallons)

3 lbs. 2-row
0.75 lbs. Crystal 40
0.5 lbs. Chocolate
6 oz. Debittered Black
2 oz. Roasted Barley
2 oz. Munich Dark
1 Vanilla bean, split

3.3 lbs. Amber LME
8 oz. Milk sugar
2 tbsp. Cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 oz. Goldings (3.8%) 60 minutes
0.55 oz. Goldings (2.3%) 15 minutes

1 tsp. Irish moss

Cream Ale Yeast
--------------------
Mill grain. Mash for 90 minutes at 152F.

Sparge with 150F water into brew pot.

Bring to boil. Remove from heat and add LME, milk sugar, and cocoa powder. Stir well.

Return to boil. Add 1 ounce of Goldings hops. Begin 60 minute boil.

After 45 minutes, add 0.55 ounces of Goldings hops and Irish moss.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

Transfer to fermenter. Add enough cool water to bring total volume to 5 1/8 gallons.

Once wort has reached 70F, pitch yeast.

Seal with lid and airlock. Let the yeast do its business then bottle or keg like usual.

O.G. - 1.052
F.G. - 1.016

Happy Birthday to me!!! Oh, Enjoy!

Saison Black Bread

This bread is a spin off of a Russian black bread.  It is similar to a rye bread.  I used saison as the beer because it is what I had on tap, but a Rye PA would work really well.

Saison Black Bread (yields 2 loaves)
1 c. very warm water (not boiling)
1/2 c. saison or any other beer
2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. corn syrup (dark if you have it, but light will work just as well)
2 tbsp. butter, room temperature
2 1/4 c. bread flour
3/4 c. rye flour
1/2 c. spent grain flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 tsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. caraway seeds


In a stand mixer bowl, mix water and beer and yeast.  Let sit for about 5 minutes or until it gets foamy. 

Using the dough hook attachment, begin to mix in the remainder of the ingredients - scraping the sides as needed.  Once everything has mixed, knead for about 8 minutes.  Keep an eye on the dough.  Add more bread flour if needed - you want the dough to start to clean off of the sides of the bowl.  Once you have reached this stage, empty out dough on a lightly floured surface and gently shape into a ball.  Place ball of dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Set in warm place and allow to rise till at least doubled in size; about one hour. 

After the dough has doubled, punch down.  Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and gently shape into a rectangle.  Cut dough in half.  Shape each piece into a loaf by folding it into thirds and place it seam side down in a greased loaf pan.  Cover loaf pans with a towel and let rise again; about another 30-45 minutes. 

Place an oven-safe shallow dish in oven on lowest rack.  Fill with water.  Heat oven to 400F.  After oven heats, place both loaves in oven on the middle rack.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or when lightly browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. 

Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes.  Take bread out of pans and let cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy! 

Super Simple Fudge Brownies

I promised my daughter something chocolate-y and these brownies definitely hit the spot with her. They are super easy and relatively quick to make. I adapted my recipe from my trusty BHG 11th edition cookbook.

Super Simple Fudge Brownies (yields:  24 brownies)
10 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 c. spent grain flour
5/8 c. all-purpose flour
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line an 8x8x2 baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick spray and set aside (I like using the foil because I find it easier to get the brownies out of the pan). 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Once butter is melted, add the cocoa powder.  Stir to combine.  Remove from heat.

Add the eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Stir till just combined.  Stir in flour.  If you like nuts in your brownies, fold in about 1/2 cup.

Pour/spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Cut into bars and dust the tops with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Spent Grain Waffles

I have been making my kiddo chocolate waffles for years.  The other day I decided to incorporate some spent grain into the mix.  The recipe that I follow stems from this chocolate waffles recipe. 

Chocolate Spent Grain Waffles (yields 10 waffles)
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. spent grain flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. white sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 c. milk
2 eggs
4 tbsp. butter, melted

Heat your griddle while you make the batter.

Mix your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Add your wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Use cooking spray or brush melted butter over the preheated griddle before adding batter.  Do this each time.

Place about 1/4 cup of batter per waffle onto the griddle.  Close lid.  My griddle has a little light that comes on when its done, but I prefer to wait till I see the steam subside.  Usually about 3 minutes.

I like to serve my waffles with peanut butter and syrup. 

Funny side note:  When I made these, I hadn't yet had my fill of coffee and forgot to add the sugar.  My daughter was already eating hers and didn't skip a beat.  I asked if she liked them, she nodded and said they were good - just like they always are.  So... not only did I sub some of the flour for spent grain flour, but I omitted the sugar in the batter.  Kid tested and approved for a healthier version!

Enjoy!