Last night I fired up the kettle to make a roasty American Pale Ale.

For 5 gallons (75% efficiency):

Grain
8.00 lbs. Pilsner Malt (2-row)
2.00 lbs. Special Roast malt

Hops
1.00 oz. Crystal (3.5%) 60 min.
1.00 oz. Cascade (5.75%) 60 min.
0.50 oz. Crystal (3.5%) 5 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade (5.75%) 5 min.

Yeast
White Labs WLP004 Irish Ale

Mash grains at 149F for 60 minutes. Add all kettle hops when wort begins to boil. After 45 minutes, add Irish moss. At 55 minutes, add the last hop charge to the kettle. After 5 more minutes, knockout to chiller, and pitch yeast.

Production + Tasting Notes
I had some issues getting my 75% efficiency tonight — probably becasuse I didn’t have the time to do a protein rest for this pilsner malt. I got 70% efficiency anyway, so the resulting beer won’t be thin tasting.

My thoughts exactly.

We’re having dinner at Bosco’s with my in-laws tonight, and I couldn’t be happier. Besides the great food, Bosco’s does a solid beer list, so Jim and Diana will be well cared for.

Among the noteables on the pictured 8 beer sampler, the Flaming Stone Beer (yummy), Bombay IPA (hoppy perfection), London Porter (which Jim really likes), and the Old Fool (an old English ale the Jim also likes).

For our entrees, we’ve ordered nori wrapped tuna, buffalo chicken pizza, red pepper ravioli and gorgonzola chicken pasta. All of them look great — hooray for great beer and food at the same place!

Andrea and I are in Nashville for a weekend with her Dad. While we wait for their return from the golf course, we are enjoying refreshing beverages.

Andrea is working on a margarita (natch), while I am working on a local brewery’s offering (double-natch).

My beer is from the Blackstone Brewery here in Nashville. I haven’t been to the eponymous brewpub, but have heard great things about their beer.

This one does not disappoint. The nuttiness is really well done, and the slightly acrid malt taste complements the nuttiness perfectly.

Here’s to a great, quick stay!

We’ve arrived at Dublin’s airport, and are waiting for our plane to board.

Curiously, there is a US Customs station here in DUB. So since we just cleared customs, technically we’re already back in the US! Too bad there is still 4,000 miles of ocean between us and being home.

Over and out.