Chocolate Milk VS. Coffee Milk

Im excited to announce a pair of milk stouts for the colder months! Most people love chocolate milk and us rhode islanders love coffee milk. I used the same recipe for both brews except for one additive.

Organic cacao powder for the chocolate milk and preservative free coffee syrup for the coffee milk.

I also decided to play with some hops I have not used yet, Newport @ 11.8 AA. 

I hit my gravity spot on with the chocolate milk stout at 1.058. I knew that with the added sugar in the coffee syrup that my OG in my second batch would be a little higher. I was right and hit a 1.060 gravity reading of the coffee milk stout.

An empty carboy is a sad carboy.

Black Orchard Ale.

A new season is upon us and I am completely ready for it. I enjoyed my last weekend of summer the best way I know how; with family and homebrew.  A Secret Beach Summer in hand, my family and I enjoyed a backyard fire and S'mores.

While spending time in Rhode Island with family, it was time to plan as well. 

I took a trip with my father to a local orchard to pick up some supplies for my next brew. After hurricane Irene, Pippin Orchard lost a total of 80 trees in the wind storm. I was able to purchase 16 lbs of 3 different types of Rhody apples for 10 bucks. Time to get planning!

I racked my pumpkin ale to its secondary the same day I brewed Mantis IPA. An empty carboy is a sad carboy. Trying not to stick to traditional styles, I decided to do a low abv dark malty apple ale.

While I steeped my grains I added 3 apples and let them sit for 20 minutes....I plan on making malted apple ice cream tomorrow with these apples. What happened to the rest of the apples???

Apple Crisp!!!

Enjoying Earthquaker Saison.....

....with Black Orchard Ale finished!

Mantis IPA (batch #1)

Today I decided that while my pumpkin ale is fermenting, it was time to experiment with a style I usually want nothing to do with. American IPA. 

Choosing aspects of IPAs that I feel I would enjoy, I created Mantis IPA.

Using Crystal 40L, CaraHell and Aromatic malts.

Hopped with Magnum, Amarillo and Williamette pellets.

Enjoyed a Lagunitas "little sumpin' WILD" during the brew process!

I missed my OG a little and hit a 1.050.

I'm very excited to see how this turns out!