Kevinator

This beer is my attempt (emphasis on attempt) at a Weizenbock/Doppelbock mix.

Brewer:	River Rat Brewing Company		Email:	-
Beer:	Kevinator		Style:	Weizenbock
Type:	Extract w/grain		Size:	5.25 gallons
Color:	36 HCU (~18 SRM)		Bitterness:	6 IBU
OG:	1.083		FG:	1.037
Alcohol:	6.0% v/v (4.7% w/w)
Grain:	1 lb. German Munich 8 oz. American crystal 60L 5 oz. American chocolate 8 oz. Flaked barley
Steep:	Steep speciality grains in 1 1/2 gals. water for 20 min. @ 148-150°. Sparge with 1 gal. water @ 150°.
Boil:	60 minutes	SG 1.175	2.5 gallons
	4 lb. Light dry malt extract 3 lb. 3 oz. Wheat Liquid Extract 3 lb. Wheat DME
	Add 8 oz. Malto-Dextrin at the beginning of boil. After 45 minutes add 1 tsp. Irish Moss.
Hops:	1 oz. Hallertauer (3.5% AA, 60 min.) 1 oz. Tettnanger (4.0% AA, 15 min.) .5 oz. Hallertauer (aroma)
Yeast:	White Labs Trappist Ale Yeast (#WLP500). You will need 2 vials - one for initial fermentation, and a second to be added 3 days before bottling.
Log:	Yeast was pitched at 78°, and took 36 hours to begin fermenting. Primary fermentation carried out at between 76-80° (too high). Racked to secondary after 4 days in primary. Sat in secondary for 22 days, then was dry hopped with 1/2 oz. of Hallertauer. 2 days later the second vial of yeast was pitched. Bottled (and 1 gal. kegged) 3 days later with 5 oz. of priming sugar (2/3 normal amount in the kegs).
Tasting:	Tasted pretty good! Most of my friends and family say this is my best one yet. I couldn't decide, quite frankly, if I wanted a Weizenbock or a Doppelbock, so I mixed ingredients. The yeast gave off a banana flavor because of the high fermentation temp, which I didn't really want. I wanted to have it highly carbonated like the Corsendonk, so I pitched the second vial a few days before bottling and it worked (much to my suprise!). All in all, a pretty good beer. Next time I think I'd ferment at a much lower temp, and add more malty grains. I haven't even begun to figure out how to hop properly, but I will work on it.

Recipe posted 12/24/02.