Whole Hog Starts a Garden

Whole Hog Brewery is expanding operations further in 2009 and can announce Plantations of two hop varieties: Cascade and Goldings. These hops will be used to flavor future brew commissionings as Whole Hog continues to craft fine beers. Hopefully, the Texas heat and insects will not prevent Whole Hog from going "green."

Whole Hog Thanks Herr Eichler

Von and David at the Dom

Assistant Brew Master David and girlfriend Von traveled to Cologne, Germany to visit his College Roomate, Friend, and Colleague Herr Eichler. Together they enjoyed good food, good beer, and good times. The local beer in Cologne (Koln) is Kolsch which is also the local dialect. A handful of local breweries serve this beer and Herr Eichler was kind enough to be a delightful and warm host as we explored the city. To commemorate this visit, Whole Hog's 23rd beer is named in Herr Eichler's honor and is brewed in the Kolsch style. Hopefully, the people of Cologne will find no offense as Whole Hog emulates this style to warm the hearts of Whole Hogger's State-Side.

23. Herr Eichler's Kolsch

Style = Kolsch

Method =All-Grain Single Infusion

Brew Date = March 29, 2009

Drink Date = May 8, 2009

Base Grain = 21 lbs German Pilsner Malt (1.5 L)

Base Grain = 2 lb German Wheat Malt(1.75 L)

Base Grain = 4 tbs (heaping) Malto Dextrin

Bittering Hops = 2 oz Hallertau Mittelfrueh Pellet [3.9% AA] hops (boil 60 min)

Bittering Hops=2 oz Tettnanger Pellet (2007) [2.7% AA] hops (boil 45 min)

Yeast = Wyeast #1107 German Ale

Yeast = 7 grams Dry Brewers Yeast

Primary =7 days at 60F

Secondary = 26 days at 40 F

Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 7 days under 12 psig

The Setup

The Mash

The Boil

Transfer to Fermentors

Whole Hog Gears Up

Whole Hog Brewery has completed Bottling of their first beer, Dead Man's Ale, for the 2009 St. Arnold's Brewery Big Batch Brew Bash Competition. The beer should make the Brewery proud as it has a strong taste, a strong finish, and takes a strong spirit to enjoy this Strong Scotch Ale.

22. Wii Heavy Scotch Ale

Style = Scotch Heavy Ale
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion
Brew Date = March 7, 2009
Drink Date = May 8, 2009
Base Grain = 10.0 lbs British Maris Otter (2.8L)
Base Grain = 6.5 lbs British Golden Promise (2.0L)
Speciality Grain = 1.0 lb Malto Dextrin
Speciality Grain = 0.5 lb Belgian Biscuit
Speciality Grain = 0.25 lb Roasted Unmalted Barley (600L)
Speciality Grain = 0.5 lb Malto Dextrin (late addition)
Bittering Hops = 1 oz Uk Kent Goldings [4.5% AA] hops (boil 90 min)
Flavoring Hops=0.75 oz UK Kent Goldings [4.5% AA] hops (boil 60 min)
Yeast = Liquid Wyeast #1338 European Ale
Yeast = Liquid White Labs Edinburgh Ale
Primary =14 days at 58 F
Secondary = 41 days at 36 F
Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 7 days under 12 psig


This beer was designed and commissioned for the 2009 St. Arnold's Brewery Big Batch Brew Bash Competition on May 8, 2009.

21. Dead Man's Ale *

Style = Scotch Heavy Ale
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion
Brew Date = February 28, 2009
Drink Date = March 28, 2009
Base Grain = 11 lbs British Maris Otter
Base Grain = 4 lbs British Golden Promise
Speciality Grain = 0.5 lb German Medium Crystal
Speciality Grain = 0.25 lb Roasted Unmalted Barley
Bittering Hops = 0.5 oz Glacier Pellet [7.4% AA] hops (boil 90 min)
Flavoring Hops=1.0 oz UK Kent Goldings Pellet [4.5% AA] hops (boil 30 min)
Yeast = Liquid Wyeast #1275 Thames Valley
Yeast = Liquid White Labs Edinburgh Ale
Primary =14 days at 68 F
Secondary = 7 days at 36 F
Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 7 days under 12 psig

(*Dead Man's Ale commemorates the loss of Whole Hog Brewery's neighboring establishment where one life was tragically lost. The brave efforts of the Spring and Ponderosa Fire Departments helped spare further tragedy and saved the brewery from peril as well.)

This beer was designed and commissioned for the 2009 St. Arnold's Brewery Big Batch Brew Bash Competition on May 8, 2009.

20. Alt Schwarzes Bär

Style = Munich Dunkel
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion
Brew Date = January 24, 2009
Drink Date = February 14, 2009
Base Grain = 12.2 lbs Munich Malt (6L)
Speciality Grain = 8 oz Carafa Special (360L)
Bittering Hops = 0.5 oz Hallertau [4.0% AA] hops (boil 20 min)
Flavoring Hops=1.5 oz Hallertau [4.0% AA] hops (boil 60 min)
Yeast = WLP833 German Bock Lager
Yeast = 7 grams Dry Lager Yeast
Primary =7 days at 68 F
Secondary = 13 days at 68 F
Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 1 days under 6 psig

19. Peat Smoked Extra Special Bitter

Style = Extra Special Bitter
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion
Brew Date = January 10, 2009
Drink Date = February 14, 2009
Base Grain = 9.0 lbs Domestic Two-Row (2L)
Dry Malt Extract =1.0 lbs Munton Light DME
Speciality Grain = 0.5 lbs British Dark Crystal Malt (120L)
Speciality Grain = 2.0 lbs Flaked Maize
Speciality Grain = 0.5 lbs Peat Smoked Malt
Bittering Hops = 1.5 oz Willamette [4.9% AA] hops (boil 60 min)
Bittering Hops = 0.5 oz UK Goldings [5.0% AA] hops (boil 60 min)
Flavoring Hops=0.5 oz Willamette [4.9% AA] hops (boil 15 min)
Flavoring Hops=0.5 oz UK Goldings [5.0% AA] hops (boil 15 min)
Yeast = Wyeast # 1968 Special London Ale
Yeast = Wyeast # 1968 Special London Ale
Primary =7 days at 68 F
Secondary = 14 days at 68 F
Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 14 days under 6 psig

18. India Pale Ale (un-named)

Style = India Pale Ale
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion

(beer lasted one day at a cookout at the brewery premises)

17. Scotch Ale (un-named)

Style = Scotch Ale
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion

16. Red Light Special

Style = Amber Ale
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion
Brew Date = July 20, 2008
Drink Date = August 22, 2008
Base Grain = 9.5 lbs Domestic Two-Row (2L)
Speciality Grain = 2 lbs Crystal Malt (57L)
Speciality Grain = 0.25 lbs Chocolate Malt
Bittering Hops = 0.5 oz of Cascade [6.3% AA] hops (60 min)
Bittering Hops = 0.75 oz of Liberty [3.7% AA] hops (45 min)
Flavoring Hops=1.0 oz of Cascade [6.3% AA] hops (10 min)
Flavoring Hops=1.0 oz of Liberty [3.7% AA] hops (10 min)
Yeast = Wyeast # 1318 London Ale III
Primary =7 days at 68 F
Secondary = 21 days at 68 F
Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 5 days under 10 psig

15. Golden Pig Brew Redux

Style = Lager
Method =All-Grain Single Infusion
Brew Date = June 22, 2008
Drink Date = July 27, 2008
Base Grain = 1.5 lbs Light Munich (6 L)
Base Grain = 3 lbs Dark Munich (32 L)
Base Grain = 7 lbs Domestic Two Row (2 L)
Bittering Hops = 1.5 oz of Liberty [3.3% AA] hops (60 min)
Flavoring/Fin. Hops = 0.5 oz of Liberty [3.3% AA] hops (10 min)
Yeast = Wyeast # 2308 Munich Lager
Primary =9 days at 50 F; 3 days of Diacetyl rest at 65 F
Secondary = 16 days at 50 F
Tertiary = 7 days at 38 F
Keg Conditioning = Store at 38 F for 5 days under 10 psig

Whole Hog Blog Catch Up

Whole Hog Brewery has been active since June of 2008; just not active on the blog. Here is a quick punch list of activities in the meantime:

Circa June 2008 to July 2008 two brews commissioned, Golden Pig Redux and Red Light Special. Golden Pig Redux was brewed to emulate the success of Golden Pig Lager celebrating the year of the Pig and Brewmaster Jeff, and Rev. Chow trips to Singapore.

Circa August 2008, Recording keeping is sparse but two brews are commissioned: an IPA and a scotch Ale. The IPA was Whole Hog's first and as the Brewmaster Jeff said "it was damn good." The beer lasted one day during a cookout at the Brewery premises. The scotch ale was a practice run for the 2009 Big Batch Brew Bash competion featuring Scotch Heavy Ales with which Whole Hog had prior experience (see "if it’s not Scottish its crap!"). Around this time, Boulevard Brewery of Kansas City enters the Houston market, with which assistant brew master has history.

Circa September 2008, Assistant Brewmaster David travels to the Frigid North for a short assignment in Calgary Alberta. There he enjoys Big Rock brewery's finest especially their "Grasshopper" (he secretly misses Miller Lite and secretly enjoys Molson). He also makes some good friends and good memories.

Circa March 2009, over the course of Reverend Chow's travels he stops at River City Brewery of Wichita, Kansas and enjoys the "tornado alley IPA" and "Emerald City Stout."