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Chelsea Dagger Pre-Prohibition Lager

Brewed: 04/25/2021   Kegged: 05/14/2021

You may have picked up on certain clues that I, the SheppyBrew Brew Master, am a Chicago Blackhawks fan. 

chelsea.jpg

In 2015, the Blackhawks had just won their third Stanley Cup in 6 years after having gone 49 years without winning any. I hardly knew what to do with myself. I did know, however, that I wanted to make a beer to help celebrate the wonderful accomplishment.


If you are a Chicago Blackhawk fan, or just happen to watch the Blackhawks from time to time, you know that when the Hawks score a goal, the United Center plays part Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis. 

Quite often when the team is on the road, I play Chelsea Dagger after goals since obviously the team that the Hawks are visiting won't do it for them. Generally speaking, I am not a superstitious person, but if I think the team needs a "lift", I will play the song too. 

It's been awhile, but when the Hawks are in the playoffs, we hear a lot of Chelsea Dagger.

And, not to brag, but the results speak volumes. Since I started helping the team with the song, they won 3 cups in 6 years. Since 1926, they've only won a total of 6.

Coincidence? Nope!

Even though they have not been as good in recent years, my playing the song helps them a bunch.


And what style would a fine upstanding lady like Chelsea drink? Well, I thought an American Pre-Prohibition Lager would do the trick. As a totally unrelated bonus, it gave me a start on brewing styles in the new 2015 BJCP Categories.(Category 27 Historical Beer).

Chelsea_Small.jpg

And it turned out awesome. This was the first time I used Cluster hops and it turned out that I really really like them. The beer came out hoppier than any other pre-prohibition lager I've ever had, but I really really like it that way. Yum!

I'm hoping having Batch 3 brewed in 2021 will allow me to watch the Hawks go deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Batch 3 was brewed on my Anvil Foundry. Also playing around with adding lactic acid to manage mash pH.

For for about Chelsea Dagger on the blog, see Sheppy's Blog: Chelsea Dagger.


Chelsea Dagger Pre-Prohibition Lager --- Batch 3

Style Pre-Prohibition Lager Batch Size 5.50 gal
Type All Grain Boil Size   6.57 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency   70.00   Boil Time   60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity 1.051 SG Estimated FG 1.011 SG
Recipe Bitterness 29.8 IBUs (Rager) Alcohol by Volume 5.3 %
BU : GU   0.586        
Recipe Color 3.6 SRM
Color
   
Measured OG:   1.049    Measured FG:   1.008 
ADF:   83.1    Measured ABV:   5.4 

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
7.51 gal Denver, Colorado Water 1 - -
4.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash) Water Agent 2 - -
2.00 tsp Lactic Acid (Mash) Water Agent 3 - -
10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 90.9 % 0.78 gal
1 lbs Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 5 9.1 % 0.08 gal
0.500 oz Cluster [10.10 %] - Boil 40.0 min Hop 6 16.2 IBUs -
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 - -
0.500 oz Magnum [10.90 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 6.1 IBUs -
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 9 - -
1.500 oz Cluster [7.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 7.5 IBUs -
1.0 pkg Mexican Lager (White Labs #WLP940) [35.49 ml] Yeast 11 - -

Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 29.51 qt of water at 156.7 F 150.0 F 45 min
Heat Heat to 156.0 F over 10 min 156.0 F 20 min


If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Make a starter a day or two before brew day.
4g gypsum in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=66,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=131,Cl=23,HCO3=104
Acid addition based on BeerSmith predicted pH. Should lower from 5.8 to 5.3.
Brew as directed from recipe.
Cool wort to as close to 50 degrees as possible.
Ferment rising 1 degree a day for the first week, let rise to high 60's for another week.
Keg carbonate.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:   Strike Temp:  
Mash Temps:  
Pre-boil OG   (1.045 SG)   Pre-boil Vol   (6.57 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency   Pitch Temp    
Fermentation            
Day 1: 
Day ... 
Day ... 

Click here to see previous recipes
 
Brewing Notes:
04/24/2021 esheppy
Got ingredients on Thursday. Brew day tomorrow. Think I'm gonna do an overnight mash.
04/25/2021 esheppy
Brew day went well. Started at 5AM. Yeast pitched around 9AM. Clean up pretty much done by 9:30. My pre-boil volume was high and the gravity low. I didn't buy enough cluster hops, so I ended up adding in the Magnum. I ended up adding some sugar to get the wort up almost to plan. OG ended up a little low at 1.049, but that's ok. Took yeast straight from Hand Bock-sket, which I had kegged earlier today. Yeast pitch was at 52 degrees, which is pretty good.
04/26/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.052 at 54 degrees. Controller says 50. No signs of fermentation yet.
04/27/2021 esheppy
Fermentation is going. I'm surprised it took so long to get going. I probably should have made a starter. Tilt says 1.051 at 54 degrees. Controller is set at 53.
04/28/2021 esheppy
Going really strong. Tilt says 1.034 at 54 degrees. Pretty good aroma from the air lock.
04/29/2021 esheppy
This morning, I raised the temp by 1 degree to 54. Tilt now says 1.021 at 55. Still bubbling pretty good.
04/30/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.017 at 55. Set temp at 55 too. Will probably turn off temperature control tomorrow morning.
05/01/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.011 at 58. Unplugged the pump.
05/03/2021 esheppy
Tilt says 1.010 at 68. The calendar says I'll be leaving this for another 10 days, but Galena Dave's blew last night, so I might keg this one early.
05/06/2021 esheppy
Poured a sample this morning ... just trub. Another this afternoon ... very hazy, but not quite as bad. Great cluster hop flavor. Really nice light looking color. Looking forward to drinking this.
05/12/2021 esheppy
Sample looking fairly clear now. Love the fruity cluster hop flavor. Floral and fruity. Need to keg this up as soon as Melting Stream kicks.
05/14/2021 esheppy
Kegged. 1.008 FG gives us an ABV of 5.4%. Color matches almost exactly the beer smith picture (really pale). Great cluster hop flavor. Pretty thin body and not a bunch of malt flavor. Exactly what I was going for on this beer. In kegerator at 20 psi while it chills. Not sure if I'll add gelatin or not.
05/16/2021 esheppy
Carbonation almost there. Great hop flavor. Decided not to clarify.
06/01/2021 esheppy
Brought a growler to my nephew's graduation party. Got a couple untappd checkins. Did pretty well.
06/02/2021 esheppy
Clarity getting better. Still fantastic flavor. Go Avs! 🏒
07/07/2021 esheppy
Pale and clear. Crisp and refreshing. Still has a nice cluster hop flavor. Great beer as I watch the Habs try to stay alive in the finals 🏒
07/09/2021 esheppy
Killed the keg.
Comments:
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