AG2:

brewed 20090907

NB Cream ale +2.5 lb pale 2row.

Doughed in a little high for protien at 126F.  Rest for 20 minutes and infused to 153F for 1 hour.  Iodine showed conversion immediately after infustion to 153F.  Vorlauf 2qt.  Batch sparged with infusion to 170F.  Vorlauf 2qt.

Pre-boil volume high at about 6.5 gallons.  Gravity 11.8% brix (1.048).

Boiled to about 5.2 gallons.  12% (1.049).

Yeast didn't swell, but left out for about a week and it finally did.  Pitched to a 1.040 starter the night before and it fermented it completely.

I aerated and pitched the whole 500mL starter.  The carboy was too full so I drained about 2 gallons to a 3gal carboy, shook and drained about a gallon back.  Both had CO2 within 12 hours.

Racked to 2ndary (recombined) on 20090921.  5.7% brix (1.006).  5.5% ABV

Kegged 20091010.

Sample taste has a very bright caramel punch at the beggining.  Very mild hop bitterness.  Much better than the extract version.