Brew day: Lawnmower Man Blonde

I like names that work on multiple angles. A "lawnmower beer" is something cold, fizzy, refreshing on a hot day after chores (like lawn-mowing) are done. It's not meant to be high-brow, just pleasantly drinkable. Then, as well, there is the fact that during this brew, I actually did mow the lawn. So I was a lawnmower man... or perhaps, a lawnmowing man.

And of course there is this:

SCIENCE MADE HIM A GOD.

The trifecta is achieved: Meaning, circumstance, pop culture reference. A name is born!

As for the brew, a few different things with this one. Instead of my traditional 50/50 split of super-hard tap water with super-soft RO water, this beer was put together with 100% RO with small mineral additions (1gr chalk, 1gr epsom salt, a tiny amount of table salt) to achieve a water profile similar to Pilsen, Czech republic. Of course, I have no idea if I actually hit those precise sub-gram measurements, or how mineral-free my RO supplier's water is, but I'm interested to see what effect this will have.

Also, I now have a kegging system, so this will go into keg once it's done. Hurrah kegerator!

I present: Lawnmower Man Blonde.

Lawnmower Man Blonde

Blonde Ale

Type: All Grain	Date: 15/06/2013
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal	Brewer: Chris Klein
Boil Size: 6.67 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: Brew Pot (8gal) + Coleman Cooler
End of Boil Volume 6.12 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 67.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 5.25 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 72.3 %
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage	Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 9.00 gal Pilsen, Czech Water 1 - 8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Canada (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 85.0 % 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.0 % 4.0 oz Carafoam (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.5 % 12.0 oz Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 5 7.5 % 0.60 oz Palisade [7.30 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 15.2 IBUs 0.50 oz Palisade [7.30 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 6.3 IBUs 1.05 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 8 - 0.50 oz Palisade [7.30 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 2.5 IBUs 1.05 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Other 10 -
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.047 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.044 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.007 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.2 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.4 %
Bitterness: 24.0 IBUs	Calories: 144.8 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 5.3 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge	Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
Sparge Water: 5.38 gal	Grain Temperature: 60.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	Tun Temperature: 60.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Mash In Add 11.56 qt of water at 167.0 F 149.0 F 75 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.80gal, 3.58gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg with priming agent	Volumes of CO2: 2.6
Pressure/Weight: 2.48 oz	Carbonation Used: Keg with 2.48 oz Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F	Age for: 14.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage	Storage Temperature: 65.0 F
Notes
Applied 5.2 for the first time after observing a somewhat high pH mash. Mash temp was a bit of a struggle too, eventually got it to ~148-149. Need a better batch sparge method! The foil method is proving.. fiddlesome. A LOT of hot break, again. Need to understand what causes that. Overall a pretty smooth brew day. No major problems.