What's in your fermenter? 2019

[ChristinaS1]

On 3/28/2019 at 11:09 PM, ChristinaS1 said:

Apparently 3 Floyds Alpha King is one of the best rated IPAs in the USA. I can't get it where I live so have never tasted it. This recipe is inspired by some of the clone recipes on the net, but scaled down to a lower gravity, and to APA bitterness.

 

3 Floyds Alpha King - APA style

 

1.7kg Mexican Cervesa

1.3kg Briess Golden Light LME

150gm Caramunich

150gm C60L

650gm Pale Ale Malt

10gm Cascades @ 20 min

8gm Warrior @ 20 min

30gm Centennial @ 4 min

22L 

14 ale/lager blend rehydrated. 

 

12gm Centennial DH

12gm Warrior DH

 

OG 1.047 FG 1.011 ABV 4.7% IBU 32 BU:GU 0.70 EBC 14

 

Apparently 3 Floyds uses Simpson's C60L, but I can't get it. I did a split between Caramunich and Canadian C60L to try to fake it.

Bottled this today. It has an interesting lemon note, from the Warrior hops I guess. Cents is not dominating. Very curious how it will taste once carbonated.

For the first time I tried containing my both my kettle hops and my dry hops in a something, instead of going commando. I removed the dry hop bag after three days, before starting the cold crash. When I cleaned out my carboy I found that I still had a surprising amount of hop matter at the bottom, which I guess means the material I used is not quite fine enough. Can anyone tell me if panty hose will stand up to the boil? 

Cheers,

Christina.

Edited April 16, 2019 by ChristinaS1

[Hairy]

14 minutes ago, ChristinaS1 said:

Can anyone tell me if panty hose will stand up to the boil? 

Cheers,

Christina.

When I wear my pantyhose during the boil they tend to stay up.

But seriously, I used to use stockings/pantyhose for dry hopping and boiled them in water for 10-15 minutes. That didn't appear to degrade them at all. Not sure about a longer boil in wort.

Also, if they are dyed then make sure you boil it first to remove the dye so that it doesn't get into your beer.

[headmaster]

+ 1 on the pantyhose, and boiling to remove dye. I bought some years ago and keep reusing them, basically cut off the leg sections into a couple of lengths, and tie knots in the ends to seal. 

I bought the supposed non-coloured ones, labelled 'Nude' but these are still dyed as I expect raw nylon would be pure white. So I must have boiled them in a pot for a couple of hours as I was cooking something one day, I kept changing the water using boiled water from the kettle, as the dye came out. 

I don't use them in the boil though, I use a stainless hop spider for that, which has pretty fine mesh. I only use the stockings cold for dry hopping. 

I put glass marbles in them, then boil from cold before each use (if you boil with hot water from kettle the marbles will shatter) 

The marbles of course help the dry hop utilisation by sinking them. I have nylon fishing line tied to one end of the stocking section, which I hang outside the coopers FV, allowing me to agitate like a giant tea bag. I tend to limit each stocking to about 40g hops, so if I have a massive dry hop will use two or three stocking sections, each with marbles and fishing line tethers. 

When dry hop time has elapsed say 3 days, I lift out with the line and squeeze the remaining goodness out with my hand, wearing a vinyl food grade glove, that I usually spray with my handy bottle of iodophor solution. 

[Shamus O'Sean]

6 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

The Hallertau hop is quite nice. I brewed a number of lagers with it last year because I couldn't get hold of Saaz in the order I made from YVH at the time. These beers reminded me of the Helles beers I'd tried at the German beer joints here. I enjoyed them.

I'd probably stick with it but if I was going to change anything I'd add a short boil of 20-25g along with the steep, and replace the light dry malt with the equivalent in pilsner extract. I find pilsner malt is an important aspect of the flavour in a traditional European lager, be it German or Czech. 

Hi Otto

I have 40-50g of Saaz at the moment, hence why I asked about using it instead.  It sounds like it would be a good idea to swap them.  There's nothing wrong with Hallertau Mittelfrueh, it is just that I have got Saaz.  The boil is a good idea too.  When you say short, would that be say 10 minutes?

Your suggestion of using a pilsner extract instead of light dry malt has given me another idea:  Could I get the equivalent in pilsner grains, say about 1.5kg and do a mash for this part of the recipe?  What would be the benefits of this approach?  What would be the minimum volume of water to do this in and what mashing temperature should I aim for.  I would just being doing this on the stovetop in a 20L pot.

Cheers Shamus

 

[ChristinaS1]

6 hours ago, headmaster said:

I bought the supposed non-coloured ones, labelled 'Nude' but these are still dyed as I expect raw nylon would be pure white. So I must have boiled them in a pot for a couple of hours as I was cooking something one day, I kept changing the water using boiled water from the kettle, as the dye came out. 

 

Thanks Hairy, and HM. Okay, I will definitely boil the panty hose first. I can't believe that dye kept coming out for two hours, through several changes of water!

Your process for the dry hops sounds exactly like what I did with the netted anklets I used last time, down to the fish line, so I am on the right track. Only thing I did different is that I just soaked the bag with the marbles in Starsan, instead of boiling them.  That was easy, and no danger of shattering the marbles.

Cheers,

Christina.

[ChristinaS1]

6 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Your suggestion of using a pilsner extract instead of light dry malt has given me another idea:  Could I get the equivalent in pilsner grains, say about 1.5kg and do a mash for this part of the recipe?  What would be the benefits of this approach?  What would be the minimum volume of water to do this in and what mashing temperature should I aim for.  I would just being doing this on the stovetop in a 20L pot.

Hi Shamus. You are proposing to do a partial mash, which I do all the time. That being said, I have yet to try using Pilsner malt. In general doing a partial malt adds freshness to the kit and makes it taste a lot better. Depending on the OG / ABV you are targeting, a partial mash of 1.5kg of grain is not going to give you quite enough gravity points that you can skip adding 500gm of Pilsner DME though. If you increase the size of your partial to 2kg, you can probably skip the DME. Since you have a good size pot there, that is probably what I would do.

You have a choice about whether to use 3:1 ratio of water to grain,  mashing for 60 minutes, and sparging (basically repeating the process) for 10 minutes with an equal amount of water, or using a 7:1 ratio of water to grain, mashing for 90 minutes, and not sparging. There are different ways of keeping your pot at mash temp (I suggest between 65-67C). Some people do it on the stove top, monitoring the temp and giving it an occasional blast of heat, or putting it in the oven (which I think is what Lusty does). Personally I mash in an insulated drinks cooler so that I don't have to monitor it.  A cooler can keep the temp stable for 60 minutes, no problem (especially after I added spray foam insulation to the hollow lid), as long as there is not too much empty head space. Anyway, after the mash you have to boil the wort for 60 minutes. This is particularly important with Pilsner malt because it tends to produce DMS. That is actually the reason that I have stayed away from using Pilsner malt. Because my partials are smaller (900gm-1.25kg), and I use mostly ale malt, I feel I can get away with a 30 minute boil. 

Personally I have become quite fond of including 350gm or so of Vienna malt in my partials, which adds a rich, malty flavour without adding a lot of sweetness, the way Munich malt does.

I made the Crown Lager kit once; I was not impressed with it and never made it again. I think a Pilsner kit would turn out nicer....I should say that I did not age the Crown Lager at lager temps; I drank it fresh, just like an ale.

Cheers,

Christina.

[Shamus O'Sean]

@ChristinaS1 Great advice.  I think I would like to try the 2kg of Pilsner grains.  If I want to taste what grains bring I do not really want to top up a shortfall in grain with Pilsner DME.  I was shooting for an ABV of around 4.5%, but I would be happy with anything between 4% to 5%.

Is the conversion factor between grains and dry malt roughly double to get the same amount of fermentables?  

I reckon I can do all the other stuff.  I have, almost unknowingly, done partial mashes before.  I wrapped the pot in two beach towels and probably lost 3° over an hour.

[Otto Von Blotto]

The ratio depends on the mash efficiency but 2kg of grain should do the trick. Christina's advice is sound, nothing really to add there. 

Regarding the Saaz, you can definitely use it; it will taste different to using Hallertau but there's nothing wrong with that. It's probably my favourite traditional lager hop of the ones I've used. Of what you have I'd use half boiled for 10 minutes and the other half at flameout. Definitely boil the grain based wort for at least an hour, and obviously add the first lot of hops with 10 minutes left.

[Shamus O'Sean]

Thanks @Otto Von Blotto,  I must be learning stuff when my thoughts on what I might do for a brew start to align with the great advice on the forum.

Now which to do first:  Royal Lager with adjustments as above; Samuel Adams Boston Lager clone; Bilby Chocolate Porter, this month's Craft ROTM; Galacticipa; Mexican Cerveza with loads of Centennial?

[ChristinaS1]

Just put this in the fermenter:

Falconer's Flight APA

23L

 

1.7kg Coopers Mexican Cervesa

1.3kg Briess Golden Light LME

150gm C15L = 2.6%

800gm Pale 2-row 20.5%

200gm Rye malt = 5.1%

150gm Malted wheat 3.8%

50gm acidulated malt

20gm Falconer's Flight x 20 min

15gm Falconer's Flight x 10 min

20 Falconer's Flight hop stand  @ 180F x 20 minutes

23L

ale/lager yeast blend slurry from previous batch

 

22gm Falconer's Flight DH on day 5 x 24 hours

 

OG 1.050 FG 1.011  ABV 5.1% IBU 34.7 BU:GU 0.70 EBC 6

 

Using knee high panty hose to contain my hops, in both the boil and the dry hop this time. Boiled them first to remove the dye. Amazing how much dye came out out of them. Four changes of water required!

 

On the Captain's advice, who said rye is nice with Falconer's Flight, I am using a small amount. Just going with 5% this time round, as I am not sure I will like it. 

 

Cheers,

 

Christina.

[The Captain!!]

7 hours ago, ChristinaS1 said:

On the Captain's advice, who said rye is nice with Falconer's Flight, I am using a small amount. Just going with 5% this time round, as I am not sure I will like it. 

Well that looks like a really nice recipe Christina. 

I find it amusing that your perception of your unfinished beer is already not likeable. Ha. Ha ha ha

i find it goes really good with the spice from rye. Also goes well with those spicy hops like Chinook as a bittering hop. 

I am absolutely positive that this beer of yours will be great. Looking forward to hearing from you on how it tastes. 

[Beerlust]

My current Galaxy/Ella Kolsch is moving along nicely. The Wyeast 1007 German Ale strain has done a good job bottoming out @ 1.010 (approx. 79% attenuation). Being a powdery strain it is still ridiculously cloudy though & that won't improve a whole lot without cold conditioning the brew or adding some finings. Flavour is good with a mix of the yeast character & strong Galaxy influences atm.

I'll probably just treat it like a lager & cold condition this one for about a week after I remove the dry hops. I'm reluctant to use the finings on this beer despite the belief most people probably would. The style actually allows for a cloudy version & I can understand why.

I'm really looking forward to getting it on the pour as it has been quite a 'long time between drinks' with this brew.

Cheers & good brewing,

Lusty.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Checked the SG on my red ale today, sitting at 1.010. It was pitched last Sunday so 6 days I'm calling it done. I'll throw in the 30g Cascade dry hop tomorrow.

[Marty_G]

Cooper APA can

1kg LDM

250G Dex

5 minute boil 25 g EK Golding Hops

10 minute flame out 25g Centennial hops

M36 Liberty bell yeast

OG 1040 sitting at 18.5 degrees while i am away 

back home on Friday so will then be 9 days at 18.5  so hopefully will be around 1008 ... will cold crash for a few days then bottle ...  

[Beer Baron]

My el dorado pale ale is happily fermenting away. I’ll leave it for 3 more days then bump up the temperature a bit just to encourage full attenuation. I have to do some research on a small bar freezer soon. I want to be able to just squeeze my fermenter in a small freezer to save a bit of room in the garage. 

[Beerlust]

Earlier today I removed & squeezed all the goodness of my Galaxy/Ella dry hop back into the brew, & set the fridge to cold condition the beer. It smells really terrific! A good week it will be in this state now. I'm hopeful to drop out most of the obvious yeast. I don't mind if it's a little cloudy, but definitely don't want this mass of powdery yeast haze to still be there in a weeks time. I haven't used a powdery strain before (up til now I've actually avoided using them) so am a little in the dark of how it will clear. I imagine just like any other strain that is cold conditioned. If I don't like the look of it after a week, I'll actually use some finings on it.

Time will tell.

Cheers & good brewing,

Lusty.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Who's this bloke using Lusty's account? Hinting at moving to AG at some point, now maybe using finings??

[Marty_G]

29 minutes ago, Beerlust said:

Earlier today I removed & squeezed all the goodness of my Galaxy/Ella dry hop back into the brew, & set the fridge to cold condition the beer. It smells really terrific! A good week it will be in this state now. I'm hopeful to drop out most of the obvious yeast. I don't mind if it's a little cloudy, but definitely don't want this mass of powdery yeast haze to still be there in a weeks time. I haven't used a powdery strain before (up til now I've actually avoided using them) so am a little in the dark of how it will clear. I imagine just like any other strain that is cold conditioned. If I don't like the look of it after a week, I'll actually use some finings on it.

Time will tell.

Cheers & good brewing,

Lusty.

What was the yeast you used ... 

[Beerlust]

Hi MartyG.

22 minutes ago, MartyG1525230263 said:

What was the yeast you used ... 

This is about the 4th or 5th time I've brewed this beer.

I really like it. The Kolsch yeast strain & rye malt just add another dimension to the beer above brewing this using a clean US style ale strain. To me it just works.

Cheers,

Lusty.

[Beers Gone Wild]

Just put a big batch of Shark Fin Summer Ale down, I didn't buy the recipe pack. Just grabbed each bit I needed from the Local Home Brew Shop.  Couldnt get enigma hops so replaced with Amarillo. You think that matters much? 

Cant wait to taste it.

[MitchellScott]

1 hour ago, Beers Gone Wild said:

Just put a big batch of Shark Fin Summer Ale down, I didn't buy the recipe pack. Just grabbed each bit I needed from the Local Home Brew Shop.  Couldnt get enigma hops so replaced with Amarillo. You think that matters much? 

Cant wait to taste it.

I think it will taste just fine with Amarillo man :).

Let us know how it goes!

[porschemad911]

A krausen was forming on my stout at 21C this morning. I brewed on Sunday night and pitched some WLP028 slurry last night.

The brew evening went smoothly Sunday night. I was a couple of points high on the pre-boil SG so threw in a few extra grams of hops to compensate. Calculates to 40 IBU for a 1.058 OG in the end. Looking, smelling and tasting pretty good so far. 

Haha no-sparge mash and no-chill in the kettle almost feels like cheating it makes things so easy. I like how cleanup is split up too... Compost the grain and hops and wash up the mash tun and hop spider in the morning after brewing, then wash up the kettle in the laundry sink after pitching later that night.

Trying to think how I could make it any easier? 

Not BIAB... Tried that many times and too much potential for mess to be well suited to brewing in the kitchen, plus cleaning a mash tun to an acceptable level is heaps less annoying than cleaning a grain bag to an acceptable level. 

Not fermenting in the kettle... Would have to install a valve for bottling which would be a great spot for bacteria to hide, the Coopers fermenter is much better in this regard in that the tap is so easily removed and disassembled for cleaning. 

Maybe ferment in a keg then transfer to another keg for serving... But I have absolutely no desire or much space for a kegging setup.

So maybe for me, this is a good and as simple as it gets for all-grain brewing? It's taken a few years of experimentation and refinement to get to this point anyway. Certainly works a treat... I sampled the first of my smoked porters (brewed with the same equipment and process) while brewing the stout and it was beautiful. 

Cheers, 

John 

Edited April 23, 2019 by porschemad911

[PaddyBrew2]

1 hour ago, Beers Gone Wild said:

Just put a big batch of Shark Fin Summer Ale down, I didn't buy the recipe pack. Just grabbed each bit I needed from the Local Home Brew Shop.  Couldnt get enigma hops so replaced with Amarillo. You think that matters much? 

Cant wait to taste it.

Looks like a nice beer but you’d wonder who signs off on releasing a summer ale in autumn for recipe of the month 

they should be releasing dark ales and stouts etc ( 23 litre ) 

[Beers Gone Wild]

Haha to true mate. 

[Beers Gone Wild]

19 hours ago, MitchellScott said:

I think it will taste just fine with Amarillo man :).

Let us know how it goes!

Ah cool, thanks for that. I like to try to stick to the recipe exactly but our LHBS is low on Hop Stocks. I have tried a few beers with the enigma hop and liked it from what I can remember.