BREW DAY!! WATCHA' GOT, EH!? 2019

[Pezzza]

Was going to do a brew today.... on a day off... but need to tidy up the brew space first... and might leave it later in the weekend so me man's horses get fresher feed.  Spent grain seems to start to ferment in the bucket from wild yeasts soon after 24-36 hours when it is warm like it is at the moment.

[BlackSands]

20 hours ago, Ben 10 said:

Good, need some decent bitterness to be an IPA

Tasted the wort.  Tastes more like 25IBU....       I now wonder if the pioneer hops were well past their best-by...

Edited November 22, 2019 by BlackSands

[Pezzza]

4 minutes ago, BlackSands said:

Tasted the wort.  Tastes more like 25IBU....       I now wonder if the pioneer hops were well past their best-by...

Same late hopping to save the day?

[BlackSands]

1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Same late hopping to save the day?

It's already fermenting but I guess I could boil up some more hops and toss them in though it would be pretty much guess work as to how much...   

Edited November 22, 2019 by BlackSands

[Otto Von Blotto]

OG in the spreadsheet is correct for the ingredients used. Taking it at 30 degrees would make it read low but only by 2.5 points. I'd suggest the ingredients weren't mixed fully if you're getting a reading that low. 

[Pezzza]

5 hours ago, BlackSands said:

It's already fermenting but I guess I could boil up some more hops and toss them in though it would be pretty much guess work as to how much...   

Late hopping - wait till the froth and bubble dies down - and then whack some in a hop sock or other....   Or as you say - boil up hop tea conc and cool down and toss in - fer sher!

[Journeyman]

I just bottled 28 bottles of what I am calling Mark's Kicker - a toucan the spreadsheet puts at about 8.3%. 12 in Coopers' long necks for longer term and 16 in PET's. 1 of the PET's is quite cloudy - last out and I'd tipped the FV but figure it will settles and be a good tester in a week or so.

Then clean, sterilise and I now have Mark's Strong Brown Ale in the fridge chilling down so I can yeast it.I took a hydro at 30° and it's 1.042 - not sure if that means much prior to pitching the yeast and it seems a bit low for what the SS says it ought to be. 

Yeast is 2 x kit yeast, along with 25 gm bread yeast boiled to make it nutrient soup for the yeast.

It's basically the Ol Brown Dog from the Cooper's recipe spreadsheet with some brown sugar added, (the brown sugar is 300 g dextrose from the BE3 as well as 300 g brown sugar) BE3, 500 gm extra LDM (to add to the BE3 LDM) & I am going to do some hops tea and dry hops later. Probably EKG as it's supposed to be suitable for brown ales.

[Journeyman]

5 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

OG in the spreadsheet is correct for the ingredients used. Taking it at 30 degrees would make it read low but only by 2.5 points. I'd suggest the ingredients weren't mixed fully if you're getting a reading that low. 

They got a pretty thorough mix - had couple cms foam on top from the beating I gave it all.  I'll mix it more when I pitch.

(PS: I couldn't remove the incorrect SS pic so I deleted the post and re-posted with the correct image - that's why things may not be in order now. I was doing it as you Replied)

Edited November 22, 2019 by Journeyman

[Otto Von Blotto]

In that case your reading is even more out. My calculation puts it at 1.057, spreadsheet at 1.058 so 1.042 is way low. 

[Journeyman]

42 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

In that case your reading is even more out. My calculation puts it at 1.057, spreadsheet at 1.058 so 1.042 is way low. 

Any possibilities for cause you can think of?

[Otto Von Blotto]

42 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

Any possibilities for cause you can think of?

Other than ingredients being entered incorrectly into the spreadsheet, the only other things would be a thin sample or the hydrometer is leaking, taking on liquid making it sink lower. 

[Pezzza]

9 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Other than ingredients being entered incorrectly into the spreadsheet, the only other things would be a thin sample or the hydrometer is leaking, taking on liquid making it sink lower. 

Or maybe just a sad unhappy unhelpful leaning plastic hydrometer?

[Journeyman]

1. I discovered the 300 g brown sugar sitting in the bowl on the scales. Dissolved it in RO water and added it.

2. The only other thing I can think of is that I didn't boil the dry malt - the BE3 went in the pot with the yeast nutrient and brought to boil but the DME I simply stirred into the mix in the FV. Would this make a difference? Should dry malt be boiled before use?

The sugar brought the OG up a bit - about 1.048.

Other than that, the kraussen looks thick and things smell good.

[Journeyman]

12 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Or maybe just a sad unhappy unhelpful leaning plastic hydrometer?

No. The hydro was floating, tapped to remove bubbles. Also I used both a Coopers one and my glass one that also shows ABV. My hydros are clean and happy.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Boiling or not boiling DME makes no difference to the OG. All that matters is the weight. Calculated OG is based on the weight of sugars in whatever volume it is. It assumes that these sugars are properly dissolved. Your recipe works out at approximately 150g/L of sugars, which corresponds to 57 SG points, or 1.057. 

If they're not properly dissolved, then the OG reading will be low, and in that instance the calculated OG should be used over the measured reading. 

[Journeyman]

1 minute ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Boiling or not boiling DME makes no difference to the OG. All that matters is the weight. Calculated OG is based on the weight of sugars in whatever volume it is. It assumes that these sugars are properly dissolved. Your recipe works out at approximately 150g/L of sugars, which corresponds to 57 SG points, or 1.057. 

If they're not properly dissolved, then the OG reading will be low, and in that instance the calculated OG should be used over the measured reading. 

OK, thanks. I think for future I will add the ingredients into hot water to mix them thoroughly. Only boil the nutrient yeast.

Although, if I want to use hops for bittering, would I boil the malt extract for the time the hops are boiled or doesn't that matter? i.e. does the bittering process need the sugars or can I just boil the hops in water?

[Otto Von Blotto]

Use some malt for boiling hops but not all of it. 100g/L is the usual rate, so if you used say 5 litres for the boil you'd add 500g DME to it. 

[Pezzza]

3 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

If they're not properly dissolved, then the OG reading will be low, and in that instance the calculated OG should be used over the measured reading. 

…. and @Journeyman the LDME should dissolve into the FV solution with a bit of time to push that measured (low) reading closer to what @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey's point re Calculated OG.

Why that low reading... You didn't pinch a bit of that LDME to put on your cornflakes?  

Come what may mate - there is good news by the sounds anyway as you have lovely Kraussen and it smells good.... super.

Just a quick one @Journeyman the Coopers Dark Ale makes a great "Toucan" Two-Can with a Coopers Lager - plus a kg of LDME.... comes up delectable!

As attested to by one of my happy regular tasters:

Though don't let @PaddyBrew2 know as he will tell you that I am just trying to get rid of my old KnK stock now I am All Graining.... 

I would suggest it is a win-win all round ; )

 

[Journeyman]

7 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

…. and @Journeyman the LDME should dissolve into the FV solution with a bit of time to push that measured (low) reading closer to what @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey's point re Calculated OG.

Why that low reading... You didn't pinch a bit of that LDME to put on your cornflakes?  

Come what may mate - there is good news by the sounds anyway as you have lovely Kraussen and it smells good.... super.

Just a quick one @Journeyman the Coopers Dark Ale makes a great "Toucan" Two-Can with a Coopers Lager - plus a kg of LDME.... comes up delectable!

As attested to by one of my happy regular tasters:

Though don't let @PaddyBrew2 know as he will tell you that I am just trying to get rid of my old KnK stock now I am All Graining.... 

I would suggest it is a win-win all round ; )

That looks luvverly! I like the sound of the Dark and Lager. Did you use the kit yeast or a lager yeast and brewed as a lager?

You have stock? Where be you?

[Pezzza]

9 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

That looks luvverly! I like the sound of the Dark and Lager. Did you use the kit yeast or a lager yeast and brewed as a lager?

You have stock? Where be you?

West of the Blue Mountains in the Boonies ; )     Plenty shitttters around but not mine ; )

 

No mate that one is a cracking Dark Ale Toucan - used the Kit Ale Yeast and brewed at around 18 degC from memory. 

I believe that the Original Series Coopers Lager is just an Ale Yeast anyway.... @PB2?  Or any other brewing yeast experts?

 

My experience with lagers was that I had to go to W34/70 and brew cold before I could make something taste like a Lager.  

I believe that Coopers International Series Euro Lager is a Lager Yeast and should be brewed cool... is that correct @PB2 ?  

However, brewing Coopers Kits for Ales/Darks/Stouts is a breeze at around 18-22 degC and you can make something red-hot with LDME and additional Liquid Malt or a Two-Can (not so much with Dex or worse with Sugar).  If you are doing Kits - I really believe that an additional boost of Coopers Liquid Malt in a can makes a vast amount of difference...  which is what you get also with a Toucan.

Hope that helps.

[Journeyman]

The one I just bottled is a toucan - 2 x Coopers Draught. Old stock past use by and got it free so figured WTH! Smells good, looks the goods, final bottle from FV is already pretty solid (after 1 day!) but it was also very cloudy so I figure there's a shitload of yeast in there. All in the cupboard in a garage that hasn't gone below 17 overnight and is sitting around 22 right now. Also had a BE3 in there and extra 200 g brown sugar, 50 g Cascade as a tea and 50 g Simcoe as dry about day 4.  ABV supposed to be about 8.2 according to SS.

Roll on Xmas & NYE.

I am literally debating with myself as to whether to do my next one now instead of waiting.  Got a Coopers Real Ale and 1 kg LDME sitting there so given I have pretty much not had a standard K&K brew - I messed up the first (Real Ale with BE3) with a 35° temp overnight on the first night - and my 2nd is my 'Marks Kicker' toucan, maybe I should do a standard and see what I get.

Edited November 23, 2019 by Journeyman

[Pezzza]

2 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

The one I just bottled is a toucan - 2 x Coopers Draught. Old stock past use by and got it free so figured WTH! Smells good, looks the goods, final bottle from FV is already pretty solid (after 1 day!) but it was also very cloudy so I figure there's a shitload of yeast in there. All in the cupboard in a garage that hasn't gone below 17 overnight and is sitting around 22 right now. Also had a BE3 in there and extra 200 g brown sugar, 50 g Cascade as a tea and 50 g Simcoe as dry about day 4.  ABV supposed to be about 8.2 according to SS.

Sounds good.  Have brewed old Coopers Cans well outta date and they were fine.  Also depends on how it was stored.

The real old cans that have been quite hot over a few summers can go quite dark -- when they should be light colour like OS Lager and Draught tins -- and then I reckon they start to reduce in the good flavour properties.... when yer not got too much dough you cop that but I think in general if you buy new tins you should use them sooner rather than later cos yer get a better result.

[Journeyman]

OK, I'm calling this Mark's Real IPA - it's Coopers Real Ale and closest fit in the SS is American Pale Ale.

23 L Kit and 1kg LDME, kit yeast, 450 g sugar, 25 g Simcoe 10 min boil, (figured I'd need some bittering but probably should'a checked the SS as it wasn't that low so I got more to udnerstand about the whole bitter thing) I will add 25 g dry Simcoe at day 3. OG = 1.048, almost spot on the SS value estimate.  Started the yeast separate and pitched creamy soup at 25°, in fridge and cooling.

I solved the shelf issue - turns out a 2nd shelf fits in backwards in the same slot as the one for the FV - tight but a few heel-of-hands got it in and that thing is SOLID! No bend under the full weight.

Now I have to save for more supplies - down to Nottingham 11 g, 50 g each of Cascade and EKG and carb drops.

Edited November 23, 2019 by Journeyman

[Pezzza]

2 hours ago, Journeyman said:

Now I have to save for more supplies - down to Nottingham 11 g, 50 g each of Cascade and EKG and carb drops.

Good luck with it Cobber... seems you are brewing up a storm!  

[BlackSands]

On 11/22/2019 at 9:17 PM, Bearded Burbler said:

Late hopping - wait till the froth and bubble dies down - and then whack some in a hop sock or other....   Or as you say - boil up hop tea conc and cool down and toss in - fer sher!

I've just done the maths on some hop pulp from a recent dry hop, boiled up 175g for 15 mins in 500ml water and added 15 IBU's worth of hop tea to the brew.  Next day... SG=1.010 and it still tastes too sweet.  

Edited November 23, 2019 by BlackSands