AG3:  Bock.  My first lager!

Brewed 20091122.

Probably not a 'true' bock, but using what I've got laying around.

Rehydrated and pitched 14g of "Superior Lager Yeast" to 1pint water, 1/2c light DME (1.040).  This yeast apparently does well at higher temps, so I'm going to try and get the fridge to 50 and shoot for pitching at 60.  The datasheet for thiss tuff says to 'lager' at 50F!

Taking the fermentation fridge to its lowest setting to see where it settles.  Should be around 50.

Proposed recipe:

8lb pale 2-row
1lb crystal 120
1/2lb chocolate
1oz amarillo for 60min

Single infusion mash at 151F for 75 minutes.  Single batch sparge per my usual.  Going for dry crisp maltiness.

Not sure about mashing the chocolate, maybe just steep.  Need to read up on this.  Fuggit, just mashed it.  It was purdy.

Doughed in low, 3.3gal to 149.5F.  Let it go for 75 minutes and it ended up at 145.  Iodine test showed complete conversion.  Added a gallong and got it to 153.  I decided to leave it here and let the alpha-amalyse go at it a bit and skipped a mashout.  After 15 minutes at 153F, showed 16% brix.  (13.6qt/9.5lb is 1.43.  Per braukaiser, should be 20.4%.  78% conversion eff.)

Vorlauf 1 gallon and drained to BK.  Added 1oz Amarillo for FWH.

Added 4 gallons for sparge to 165F.  REst 15 minues.  Collected 6.5 gallons at 11.7%.

Started boil.  Added 1tsp Irish Moss at 15 minutes.  Total boil 55 minutes.  Chilled to 90F with IC.  Racked to carboy, into fridge to cool to pitching temps.  12.6% (1.052).

20091202:  Didn't get to watch this one go, but after getting back from Thanksgiving trip to San Diego, about 1/2" of kreausen, but probably peaked at 2 1/2" to 3".  Still chugging away slowly.  7.7% (1.018).  Strong roasty flavors and of course very sweet still.

20091207:  7.4% (1.016).  Stuck in the cupboard for diacetyl rest, though I didn't taste any.  Stille a little on the sweet side.  Nice roastiness and round bitterness, but I think mostly from the chocolate.  If it dries out, it will be really nice, so I'm hoping the higher temps will help.

20091223:  I left it inside for about 48 hours and then back into the fermentation fridge.  Kegged it today, 7.0% (1.013), 5.00% ABV.  Still a little sweet and the chocolate has really come through.  Tastes nice.

20100107:  Not much to this really... the chocolate comes through nicely.  No bitterness to speak of.  Has an odd flaver that I can't place.