Fermenting: “Out Like a Lion” Ginger Maibock

20-some inches of snow fell on Saturday. I don’t know exactly how much – because the temperature promptly dropped below 10°F and – I decided to stay indoors.

And brew up some beer for spring.

“Out Like a Lion” Ginger Maibock Recipe
• 10 lbs Pilsen Light Liquid Malt Extra
• 2 lbs CaraMunich II
• 2 oz Yakima Magnum @ 60 min
• 2 oz Yakima Magnum @ 15 min
• 2 oz Ginger @ 5 min
• Wyeast’s 1007 German Ale yeast

Original Gravity: 1074
Potential alcohol content ~10%.

The blow-off tube is a lesson I learned from my previous encounter with Wyeast’s 1007 German Ale – it seems to be much more excitable than the Belgians yeasts I more frequently use.

I’m planning to lager it in the basement until spring – or the snow melts, which ever comes first.

Update 23 Dec 2010:
I moved the beer to the secondary this morning. It smelled fantastic with a comfortable ginger nose. It’s quite cloudy, so if it doesn’t clear out by next week – I’ll rack it again before hiding in a cool corner of the basement until March.

Oh – and estimated ABV is currently at 7.3%.

Update 27 Dec 2010:
Lagering has begun.

Update 20 Mar 2011:
I bottled it today and poured the dregs of the bottling bucket into a Duval glass. There’s a big ginger nose, a light (perhaps too light) malty body, and a gingery aftertaste lingering on the tongue. And like a good Maibock should- the alcohol completely crept up on me.