Biere de Garde

19 3/4#    Castle Pilsner
3 3/4#      Weyermann Vienna
1#            Castle Caravienn
1/4#         Weyermann Carafa
2#            Corn Sugar                15 min.
2 oz.         Domestic Fuggles    4.6% aa    90 min.
1/2 oz.      Liberty          5% aa        90 min.
1 oz.         Spalt            2.6% aa    10 min.

Wyeast  3725  Biere de Gard
Wyeast  1007  German Ale

Irish Moss & Yeast Nutrient
1g each in kettle NaCl, CaCO3, CaSO4

32 quarts @ 160 down to 150: 75 min. up to 168.  Ph: 5.2
Collected 13.6 gallons of 1.054 wort.  120 min. boil.

OG:  1.072

Day 18:  1007 is @ 1.021, 71% AA
Day 27:  1007 is @ 1.016, 77.7% AA
             3725 is @ 1.011, 84.7% AA

I thought they were done so I crashed them to 35F.  Boy was I wrong.  They were warm for a few days before they were lagered for nearly 3 months.  After lagering they were at ambient temperature for several days before I bottled them.  When I took the gravities I noticed that they had dropped 3 & 5 points sometime after primary.   Doh.

Oct. 23:  1007 @ 1.013, 82% AA & 7.9% abv
              3725 @ 1.006, 91.6% AA & 8.8% abv

3725 is estery and earthy.  1007 has some harshness.  I think it is from some sort of higher alcohol from being underpitched.  This is my new thought.  I always make a 20ish ounce starter for my bieres and that's fine for most of them.  My OG's are usually in the 1.050 to 1.060 range.  I read the yeast starter section of Jamil's Brewing Classic Styles with good information on pitch rate, etc.  It'll be my new thing to work on.  That is, knowing what my pitch rate should be for a given OG and propping up the right amount of yeast for it.  Happy New Year to me.