Dinty Moore Wasteland Stout

Friday was the big day. Brewed the third batch of Dinty Moore. I'll be enjoying 5 gallons at the brewery and the second 5 gallons I'll take with me to share at Wasteland Weekend. It took a full seven and a half hours to brew it this year. Did a couple things different this batch.

First, I got a refractometer as part of my Christmas loot last year so I didn't need to just guess at gravity and hope I had hit the target I wanted. I think I was testing the wort when it was too hot. It tested at 1.110 so I thought it would be ok to stop the boil. When we tested before we pitched the yeast the gravity was at 1.085. My target gravity was 1.090. So I missed it by just a little.

Also since the gravity was high I changed the yeast to White Labs WLP 099 from White Labs American Ale Yeast Blend WL060. So it should be just a little more agrressive and be able to handle the sugars in the wort.

I changed the boil time as well as the hop veriety. The stout boiled for an hour and used Newport Hops mostly instead of Chinook.

The grains were the same grains I used for the first two batches. The only difference in the grains were that the spelt, the wheat and the rye were rolled. The last two times I was only able to get the whole grain and had to crush them in my grinder. Not the best way to do it. The rolled grains made the actual volume of the grains larger but it also created more surface area.

You can find the origanial post I wrote here.

This is what I did for this batch:

Grain Bill
23 pounds 2 row
2 pounds rolled spelt
1 pound amaranth
1 pound quinoa
1¼ pounds rolled wheat berries
1¼ pounds rolled rye berries
1 pound old fashioned oatmeal
1 pound flaked barley
2 pounds roasted barley
1½ pounds Chrystal 170º
1 pound Black Patent Malt
2 pounds carapils
1½ pounds victory malt

Other Ingredients
2 Cups molasses
¾ pound of Rocket Java

Hops
2 Oz. Newport
2½ Oz. Chinook

Yeast
White Labs Super High Gravity WLP 099

Step by step:

Coarsely crush all grains. For the amaranth and quinoa you'll need to employ a food processor.

Heat 10 gallons of water to 170º. Mash in. Stabilise at 155º. Hold for 90 minutes. Raise to 165º and mash out. First running should take about an hour to complete, be patient. Sparge to collect 15 gallons of runoff.

Bring to a boil. Allow the boil to continue until you have reduced the total volume to 13 gallons (may take awhile depending in how hot your burner gets.) You are aiming for a total end-boil volume of no more than 10 gallons of wort to reach your target gravity. Add the two cups of molasses at anytime during the boil. Use caution to avoid scorching it on the bottom of your boil kettle.

Hopping Schedule: 60 minute boil.

2 oz. Newport after initial 10 minute boil
1½ oz Chinook at 45 minutes
1 oz Chinook at flame out


¾ pound Rocket Java (beans broken in half. A frying pan and Ziploc bag work well.) at flame out

Cover and rest for 10 minutes. Chill and ferment. Primary ferment one week. Secondary for two weeks (Dry hop with ½ oz. Chinook per five gallons). Bottle/keg as normal.


og 1.085
fg 1.005
ABV 12%


Here's a photo of five gallons of this year's Dinty posing with my Chainsaw Bat:

Die2Nite Flash Fiction: The Unsightly Tomb Day 13

It only took a look from the top of the watchtower yesterday for the full scope and magnitude of the situation to fully sink in. A horde of 1761 zombies were lurching and groaning toward our gates. Our defenses stood at a mere 1139 points. With all of temporary defenses in place the defense wasn't going to get any better. Even worse, all the buildings had been camped so there was no hope of a last minute reprieve.

With hands shaking and sheer panic near-to-hand I walked to the bank. I had seen the note posted on the town bulletin board about defenses (that in previous days had aptly kept the horde out of town) were now to be distributed amongst the citizens. I withdrew my allotment and carried them back to my shack.

As I was placing the wooden board and the sheet metal in front of the door I heard someone tacking a note to my door. I opened it just in time to see EnglishNinja dart away (The general defense of the town had depended on his quick thinking these past two weeks so I understood why he was in such a hurry).

The note asked me if I could drink the Wake the Dead in the bank. He wanted me (in my hammered state) to convert 3 scrap irons to wrought iron and then build a fence around my shack when I was finished. Another citizen needed my sheet metal.

After I had finished the fence I went back inside my shack. If I was to die this night I'd do it drunk.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

At midnight I was awakened to loud, pain filled screams. I ran to my door and opened it the slightest crack. "Tinted!", I called out. "Can you hear me? Are you ok? Megaton! Hang in there!"

I saw a group five of zacks turn their heads and begin to climb over my newly constructed fence. I paused to wish my coalition mates some luck, then slammed the door. I heard the five pounding on the door and was sure they'd break it down any second. I grabbed my Wooden board and put it over myself as I hid under my bed. Maybe if I stayed very still and didn't cry out they'd think I was camping the Post Office again.

The door eventually gave way and all five made it in. They slammed around for a bit. They left without finding me. It might be because I had gone this past two weeks without out ever cleaning my house or uniform, I'll not know. But after the experience I was left even sweatier and much stinkier. Even my faithful labradoodle Munchybunny is keeping her distance.

I had to shove with more force than normal to wedge my door open enough so I could get out. In all the chaos of the horde breaching the walls the streets are filled with even more debris than normal. The spikes, the bonfire, our cannon and even our garbage heap had been broken and scattered all through the town.

Other than the trash the streets were empty. No one had ventured out. I went to TintedGrey's shack first. I pounded on her door. No answer. With heavy heart I pulled the door open and peeked inside. Tinted had attempted to hide under her bed as well. She chose to hug a broken guitar instead of pull the defensive objects with her. Half of her was still there under it. The other half was across the room.

I stepped inside and rifled through my rucksack. I pulled out a water ration and poured it all over her remains. I backed away quickly as it bubbled and steamed. "I'd never allow you to become a shambler. Rest easy friend."

I closed the door and continued to Megaton's shack. The streets were still empty. I began to wonder if I was the only person left. But then I hear a distant voice. It sounded an awful lot like Pooper. I was not alone after all.

As I stood outside Megaton's shack, I was still. I listened very carefully. No sounds emerged from within. I knocked gently. Still hoping my friend had made it. No answer. I knocked louder. Still no response. I knocked with all my might. Nothing.

I heaved a heavy sigh and pulled the door open a crack. Peeked inside. From the coppery odor that emanated from within I knew the worst has happened. My friend had been devoured.

I stepped fully into the shack. He was in an even worse state than I found Tinted in. Either more had come for him or they had been hungrier. His entire mid section was gone. I was only able to find one of his legs and his upper torso.

Once again I opened mu rucksack and pulled out a water ration. "I took care of Tinted the same way Megaton. I know you'd do the same for me buddy. Rest easy." With that I poured the ration over him and walked out into the sunlight.

We lost 12 citizens last night to the horde. 12 of the finest citizens it's ever been my pleasure to scavenge and build and well .... survive beside.

I know I'll join them soon. There's just 14 of us left. I'm standing at the tower now and the horde is much larger than last night. Much. More then 2125 will come for us tonight. At least I am certain the TintedGrey and Megaton will not be among them. I can live with that.

Wasteland Shirt

I thought I'd posted this. Maybe, maybe not. Anyhow this is the shirt I'll be sporting at the festival. It's an art shirt I guess. I bought it from Dirty and Distressed. So yeah it's the only part of my costume I haven't made myself. But I think making the chainmail sleeve makes up for it don't you think?


Anyhow here it is:



I'll be wearing it the first day at least.