Beer Archive

A list of all the beers Big Arbor has made to date, complete with short descriptions.


Batch - 1: Sheep Scrotum English Ale
My first attempt at beer brewing, using a can of Munton's extract, a yeast packet stuck to the lid of the extract can, and lots of corn sugar. It tasted like the beer-equivalent of a sweaty sheep's bag. It was not good. I was so ashamed of this performance I did not even offer it to family or friends.

Batch - 2: Kangaroo Scrotum Australian Ale
My second attempt at beer brewing, using a can of Coopers' extract, similar yeast packet and lots of corn sugar.  Similarly bad. At this point I started researching the use of corn sugar in beer brewing and stopped using it.

Batch - 3: Lewis Street Wheat
First extract kit from Northern Brewer, did not involve corn sugar thank God. Actually tasted like beer, and made me think that this was something I could actually do.

Batch - 4: Happy Monk Belgian Ale, 4.45% ABV, 25.23 IBU, 3.1 SRM
Second extract beer from Northern Brewer. Excellent results, but overflowed out of the fermenter all over the basement. Taught me to respect Belgian yeast. Also, named derives from having a party to name this specific beer. We held a contest where friends came up with names and I chose the winner. Most popular among friends to date.

Batch - 5: Lewis Street Wheat, 4.19% ABV, 30.29 IBU, 7.0 SRM
A repeat of Batch 3.


Batch 6: Pitchfork Triple, 7.47% ABV, 26.22 IBU, 5.9 SRM
Northern Brewer extract kit using using the yeast from Batch 4. Aged for three months. Last extract I made. 


Batch 7: Big Arbor Oktoberfest, 7.68% ABV, 24.25 IBU, 11.5 SRM
This all-grain ingredient kit sat in the basement for nearly a year before I decided to step off the extract ledge and go all grain. It turned out delicious.


Batch 8: Dive Bomber Extra Pale Ale, 4.32% ABV, 43.49 IBU, 3.9 SRM
An American Extra Pale Ale using only Cascade hops, this was a light-bodied, well-hopped extra pale ale.


Batch 9: Easy Money IPA, 5.37% ABV, 43.98 IBU, 7.5 SRM
A straightforward IPA using Chinook hops. My first venture into IPAs, and it was a good start.


Batch 10: Jim's Oatmeal Stout, 4.98% ABV, 20.49 IBU, 37.1 SRM
My friend Jim liked Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout but hated paying $3/bottle for it, so we made him a batch of oatmeal stout. It was a great knock off.


Batch 11: One-Shot Cherry Hefeweizen, 3.01% ABV, 17.21 IBU, 3.5 SRM
This was a lackluster brewing attempt that I tried to rescue with the cherries from a tree in our backyard. Very popular with the ladies.


Batch 12: Fair Weather Brown Ale, 5.63% ABV, 16.22 IBU, 15.8 SRM
After much pressing from my wife, the Fair Wx Runner, I made her a version of one of her favorite beers: Newcastle Brown Ale. Also very popular and great for cooler weather.


Batch 13: Jim's St. Paul Porter, 6.03% ABV, 36.79 IBU, 23.4 SRM
Jim decided he might want to brew some more beer, so we made him a robust porter. It turned out excellent.


Batch 14: Jim's Black IPA, 7.07%ABV, 78.32 IBU, 27.3 SRM
Another brew for Jim.  I would have never ordered this kit from Northern, but it was excellent and will be in the rotation going forward.

Batch 15: Peace Coffee Stout Porter, 4.19% ABV, 16.18 IBU, 33.6 SRM
My first venture into the land of stouts. A serious crowd favorite.


Batch 16: Mr. Dodd's Scottish Ale, 3.67% ABV, 14.52 IBU, 8.1 SRM
A tribute beer to my friend Boyd. Very malty, low in hops, a good example of a UK beer.

Melody Acres Wheat. 1.048 OG, 30.77 IBU, 3.8 SRM. Our classic American Wheat beer.