lager time, folks, because it is finally cold enough to try one again (its in the mid fifties in Irvine now).

#10 american 2 row
#1 vienna
#1 carapils
#1/2 melanoidin

1 ounce ahtanum 4.5% AA hops. Supposed to have citrus, piney aroma to them; could be used to substitute for cascade hops.

11.5g packet of Saflager S-23 lager yeast (http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/HB/EN/Saflager_S-23_HB.pdf). This yeast is supposed to produce some mild fruity/esterous/pear notes.

1 tsp irish moss

Aproximately 3.5 gallons of 172dF water was added to the mixed grain, for a mash temp of 150-152dF that was held until fully converted, for 2.5 hours. Sparging was performed with around 4 gallons of 160-170dF water. To the collected wort, hops were added, and then it was boiled for 2 hours. Wort chiller was used to reduce the temperature, and yeast was pitched.

gravity = ~1.062
volume = 5.1 gallons
temp = 68-70 dF

12/10/09:
Whoa is me, friends, for the fermenter is generating too much heat to say in the lager temperature zone. The temperature is holding v.s. slowing dropping, and I have placed it, now, in front of an open window to cool it down. Perhaps this is actually going to be a steam beer (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_beer).