Cascade Range - India Pale Ale

The picture used in the above label is one I took back when I lived in Vancouver, WA, my home. It was taken from the banks of the Columbia River, right over the bridge from Portland, OR. The cascade mountain range was all around me, and I definitely miss the view I had every day. 

For my "Cascade Range IPA" as you may have guessed, I used only cascade hops. The specific hops I bought were grown in Yakima, WA, which happens to be where I was born. As result, this beer is me. My tasting group (my office) is partial to less hoppy beers, but this one had great response. The strong floral and grapefruit flavor from cascade hops drew everyone in, and they loved it. Below is my recipe:

Bourbon Stout

Brewed with oak cubes soaked in Maker's Mark. Need I say more? This was my first stout, and I set out to brew it because multiple people in my office requested I do so. I am partial to the hoppier styles, but still don't mind a dark beer by any means. I wanted to something a little different than a regular old stout however, and I stumbled upon a recipe for a bourbon stout. I threw my own spin on it, and I'm satisfied with the outcome. So were the guys at work. 

Toasted Wheat (What was supposed to be Chocolate Wheat)

I had the idea of making a chocolate wheat beer. With so many deviations to wheat beers in general, I was surprised I could not find a chocolate wheat. I set out with the following recipe:

The response received from those who have tried it has been really good, but I admit that it doesn't have any remote chocolate flavor. It turned out as a darker wheat, hence the "toasted" name. 

I plan to create my initial goal in the future and I will step up the chocolate malt and also and some chocolate nibs to the secondary.