Kentucky Common Rant

I have been exploring The Kentucky Common style of beer for several years. My starting point was The Master's description, in his second edition of The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing. He suggested mashing the grains and then letting it sit for 24-48 hours and sour.

My next source was The Essentials of Beer Style by Fred Eckhard. He described the style as being very dark, almost a dark as Guinness stout. It had an original gravity of 1040-1050, and an average bitterness of 27 IBUs and brewed with 2% lactobacillum in the yeast. He also listed a Pennsyvania Swankey, which I assumed was a variation of Kentucky common, that was brewed with anise seed boiled for 30 minutes.

However, Wahl & Henius' Handy Book of Brewing describes Kentucky Common as:

Like California steam beer, Kentucky Common beer is mainly consumed by the laboring classes, and is chiefly brewed in Louisville, Ky. It is marketed while still in an early stage of fermentation.

Materials employed are: Barley malt and about 25-30% corn, with some sugar color, caramel or roasted malt to give a dark color.

Balling of wort about 10 to 11 percent. [1.040 - 1.044]

Mashing temeratures vary greatly, both low and high initial temperatures being taken. In the latter case the corn mash is cooled with water before being run into the mash tun.

Boiling.-- The wort is boiled with about one-half pound of hops per barrel, [based on 1/2 lb. hops per 31 gallon barrel, and assuming ~4.5% alpha acid (probably Cluster hops) would give a bitterness of low to mid 20's IBU's, or similar to modern British mild according to Jeff Renner] and cooled to 60 F.

Fermentation.--The wort is pitched with one-third of a pound of top-fermentation yeast per barrel, allowed to come full in Krausen, and then is transferred from the fermenter directly into the trade packages, which are placed on troughs, into which the yeast is allowed to work out. The barrels are kept full continually by topping up every few hours. After 48 hours in the barrels the fermentation is over and the barrels are bunged; when very much gas is required they may be closed in 24 hours.

The beers are not as a rule Krausened, nor fined, and consequently have a "muddy" appearance, but a moderatley clear article can be obtained if the saloonkeeper lays in a supply so that it can settle a few days before tapping. (Page 818)

Did you notice that Wahl & Henus didn't mention anise? Or Pennsyvania Swankey? That's because they had mentioned it on page 779, where they described it is a low alcohol (1% abv) beer brewed by the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Finally, in Radical Brewing, by Randy Mosher, a clear distinction is drawn between Kentucky Common and Pennsylvania Swankey.

BUT, when I entered the Dixie Cup, one of the judges said I needed anise.

Kentucky Common beer DIDN'T have anise.

Hey! My beer was probably infected. But I liked it.

If anyone knows of any modern examples, please drop me a line.

Brewery chores

I kegged and transferred everything Tuesday morning. Whew! Three hours of work. I need a beer!

Let's see:

Kentucky Common - Not as sour, and the anise is so mild, I didn't notice it. Smells hoppy, though. I might have something here. OG 1048, today 1019. I will let this clear a week or two, then keg it. This beer was traditionally kegged young. We'll see how this turns out. This will go to Nationals, I think.

Oak Barrel Stout - OG 1054, FG 1018. Bourbon flavor seems subdued compared to last time, but that was a year and a half ago. Kegged it today. Should be good in four to six weeks.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock - I brewed this the day after I brewed the Kentucky Common, using the same recipe as before, but using Liberty Hops. OG 1064, today 1018. (I think I have spotted a trend here. Yeast starters are in order.) I didn't pull any yeast off before I transferred it out of the stainless conical, so it's a bit cloudy. Two weeks in secondary, then I'll keg it. Tastes pretty good.

Satan also suggested I send Excelsior to Nationals. I already had 6 bottles, so I bottled 6 more. I don't think it will win: it's too dark for style, but I have to admit it is darn tasty.

Kentucky Common Again

Satan came down, and we went to Austin Homebrew Supply. We bought ingredients for our NHC beers. So I thought I would brew Kentucky Common one last time. (I have a rant about a comment from the Dixie Cup, but I will save that for another post.)

Contest Kentucky Common

Brewing Date: Saturday January 12, 2008
Head Brewer: Jeff Holt
Asst Brewer: Gary Turner

ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Printout
-------------------------------------------------

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Extract (LBS): 8.25
Anticipated OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.37
Anticipated SRM: 52.5
Anticipated IBU: 36.8
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.37

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Gravity SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
72.7 6.00 lbs. Williams americann Lager Extr 1.030 3
12.1 1.00 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350
3.0 0.25 lbs. Black Patent Malt America 1.028 525
12.1 1.00 lbs. Carafa Germany 1.030 400

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. AHS Cascade Pellet 6.40 31.5 60 min.
1.00 oz. AHS Cascade Pellet 6.40 5.3 5 min.

Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.13 Tsp Anise seed Spice 30 Min.(boil)
1.00 Tsp Irish Moss Fining 15 Min.(boil)

Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP550 Belgian Ale

This will be the last time I ever brew this for a contest.

Kentucky Common

Well, on Monday August 27, I brewed another Kentucky Common Beer, hoping to correct a few errors in the last batch. The specifics are below, exported from QBrew.

Kentucky Common

Recipe		Kentucky Common		Style		California Common Beer
Brewer				Batch		5.00 gal

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity		1.048 OG		Estimated FG		1.012 FG
Recipe Bitterness		33 IBU		Alcohol by Volume		4.8%
Recipe Color		56° SRM		Alcohol by Weight		3.8%

Ingredients

Quantity		Grain		Use
6.00 lb		Amber malt extract		extract
0.50 lb		American black patent		steeped
1.00 lb		American chocolate malt		steeped
1.00 lb		Carafa III malt		steeped
Quantity		Hop		Form		Time
1.00 oz		Cascade		Pellet		5 minutes
Quantity		Misc		Notes
0.25 unit		Anise Seed		teaspoon in last 30 minutes of boil
1.00 unit		Belgian Ale yeast		package

Coconut Chocolate stout and Kentucky Common notes

In anticipation of visiting Satan to discuss our brewing plans for Nationals next year, I used my beer gun to bottle a few dopplebocks in 12 oz bottles, and a 32 oz Coconut Chocolate Stout, and a 32 oz Kentucky Common. I thought I would let you know what I thought of my brews.

Coconut Chocolate Stout—Last time I made this, I added the chocolate powder to the priming sugar and water solution. The beer was gritty, so I thought I would add the chocolate to secondary. Well, the experiment did add some chocolate flavor. But the first thing I tasted was roasted malts. There was a hint of chocolate, and then a wisp of coconut. No. I'm not happy. I wanted more coconut.

Kentucky Common—Sour. I should have added anise to the boil. It would have cut some of the sour. I ordered the ingredients for the next batch. Believe me, anise will be in the boil. I also madae sure to get Williams Brewing Company's American Lager extract, made with corn, so I don't have to futz around with a cereal mash.

Kentucky Common quick sample notes

Yesterday, I sampled the Kentucky Common beer. Talk about tart! It's a pretty dry beer, not much residual sweetness, and the sour taste almost overwhelms the flavor. I didn't notice any hop flavors, but they may have been masked by the sour taste.

I'm going to let it age two more weeks. I will use my new Beer Gun to bottle a six pack to take to Satan for his evaluation.

I know I'm on the right track, though. Once I get my mashing under control, I should be making a pretty nice beer.

Busy day

Yesterday, I kegged the Kentucky Common beer. It was clear and sparkling. It had a strong sour flavor that I hope will mellow in a few weeks. I will age it two weeks at room temperature before putting into the fridge for another month before sampling.

I also transferred to Chocolate Stout to secondary, adding the cocoa powder to some boiling water and mixing well. Then I poured that into the carboy. I'll let that sit two weeks, then I'll keg it, adding the coconut extract at the last minute. Anothere couple of weeks and it should be ready.

Hm. I have nothing to drink now. I should have planned this better.