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What's in Your Fermenter? 2020


Otto Von Blotto

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The planned Coopers XPA has been done and is in my fermenter.

I have taken a leaf out of @Beerlust's book for this one and am trying to do a paler version that the website recipe, that is actually closer to the commercial version.

Therefore subbed out the Crystal Malt for Caramalt and the Austalian Pale Ale for the Mexican Cerveza.  Also could not get Coopers Light Malt Extract so I used BR Ultra Light Malt Extract.  Predicted EBC is 12 compared to the website recipe predicting 17. 

My recipe was:-

  • 1.7kg Coopers Mexican Cerveza
  • 1.7kg Black Rock Ultra Light Malt
  • 542g Light Dry Malt
  • 400g Caramalt Grains (Cold Steep)
  • 25g Simcoe hops 15min boil
  • 12.5g Lemondrop hops 15min boil
  • Coopers Commercial Yeast, recultured from harvested slurry 100-150ml into 1.5L of wort with 170g of LDM
  • 25g Simcoe hops Dry day 5-6
  • 25g Lemondrop hops Dry day 5-6

Made up to 23.5L. Calculated OG was 1.056

Smells outstanding in the fermenter.

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Have put down another Mex Siesta. I was surprised by the first, didn't expect much from the Corona alike base, but ended up with a really good summer beer.

Upped the bittered hops a little (Cascade and lemondrop) and dialled down the malt, using BE3 and a little extra malt. Also, like Marty, will use Notty this time at 15C. Seems it can be a thing, so giving it a go.

Edited by Lab Rat
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On 1/2/2020 at 8:43 PM, Beer Baron said:

I’m looking forward to the pictures and tasting notes for this one. I have a rice lager on my list for the near future but I will boil some packet rice and use that. 

Good luck!!

Cheers BB. Keen to get this one in my belly. I’m really going to try and give it a month in the keg before the first pour. 

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59 minutes ago, Gus96 said:

Put down 2 Helga's Kolsh's Thursday, 

 Didn't have the Helga's hops so substituted with Hersbrucker in  one, Mittlefresh and Tettnang in the other.

Both with US-05

I've brewed the Coopers DIY Kolsch, & it is a nice drop. Hopefully you used the Mittelfruh as the latter addition in the brew with the Tettnang as it has more floral aroma aspects.

Best of luck with the brews Gus. I've used all 3 of those hops in the past, so should make for nice tasting beers.

Cheers,

Lusty.

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I brewed 8 variations of the Coopers recipe looking for a good go to beer,

making small changes each time (taking notes) and think I might have found a good one after tapping a keg today that I kegged on 8-12-19.

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I have a honey blonde in my FV at the moment (second batch ever!), checking the gravity again this arvo to see if it is still 1.016, should be ready for bottling (hopefully).  This weekend, I will be cracking my very first ginger beer, hope it tastes all right!

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12 hours ago, Waynealford said:

I have a honey blonde in my FV at the moment (second batch ever!), checking the gravity again this arvo to see if it is still 1.016, should be ready for bottling (hopefully).  This weekend, I will be cracking my very first ginger beer, hope it tastes all right!

Good luck with it mate!  Is 1.016 a little high a FG for that brew?  I am not sure as I have not done it...  but would be good to make sure all your fermentables are done.

Cheers Cobber and hope your ginge brew works out well too!

BB

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On 1/1/2020 at 7:09 PM, Greeny1525229549 said:

Yeah it is mate but will make a decent pseudo lager at lower temps as well. Very versatile.

Greeny a suggestion up above to use US05 for Kölsch… I like US05 and have used it a lot for my Ale styles...  

So could I potentially brew an AG with say Pilsener Malt and a bit of Munich?/bit of Wheat plus Noble Hops... maybe somewhere around 15-17 deg C and thereby deliver a Kölsch style beer?

I bought some specific Kölsch Yeast (Lallemand) which I will use too when I get a chance when these fires calm down - but am pretty interested to see if I could do a nice Kölsch just with plain old US05?

Would be keen to read what you @Greeny1525229549 and any other Kölsch experts might suggest on this one...  Lusty @Beerlust any thoughts?

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30 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Greeny a suggestion up above to use US05 for Kölsch… I like US05 and have used it a lot for my Ale styles...  

So could I potentially brew an AG with say Pilsener Malt and a bit of Munich?/bit of Wheat plus Noble Hops... maybe somewhere around 15-17 deg C and thereby deliver a Kölsch style beer?

I bought some specific Kölsch Yeast (Lallemand) which I will use too when I get a chance when these fires calm down - but am pretty interested to see if I could do a nice Kölsch just with plain old US05?

Would be keen to read what you @Greeny1525229549 and any other Kölsch experts might suggest on this one...  Lusty @Beerlust any thoughts?

Hey BB. Far from an expert on anything and especially a kolsch. Think i have done 4 or 5 but to do a good one you need to go low to get the crispness. I also am a believer in it needs to be lagered for a minimum of a month to get a decent one. 15c i do mine with K97 which is supposedly the same yeast as WY1007. I think US05 would be too neutral at a low enough temp to give the fruity notes in addition to the crispness. I have actually thought about doing one with CCA yeast in the past at 15 or 16 with an oversized starter. Just afraid it might crap out at 15 or 16.

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Hi BB.

20 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Hey BB. Far from an expert on anything and especially a kolsch.

+1 I'm no expert on them either. I agree with much of what Greeny has already mentioned.

I've brewed the Coopers DIY Kolsch with US-05, used the WYeast 1007 for the first time last year, & have more often used the Wyeast 2565 for this beer style. I haven't used the K-97 dry yeast but as Greeny suggested I reckon it could be the same as the Wyeast 1007 that I found very hazy after primary fermentation was complete.

Although slightly hazy, the Wyeast 2565 is my personal fav. Fermented @ exactly 15°C it produces a terrific beer & just loves fermenting at that temp (IMHO). I got the tip from a top homebrewer in England a few years back & he was spot on. The 2565 has slightly better malt friendly characteristics (I reckon) than the US-05 that produces a pseudo-lager type beer experience that lacks decent malt flavour once in the glass.

There are two acceptable ways to present the Kolsch style commercially. Hazy, or bright & lager-like to look at. I don't mind slightly hazy beers so don't mind this version, but if you wish to take it to the lager-look version then yes, you need to treat this beer like a lager after primary fermentation is complete, & lager it for a few weeks at cold temps to clear it. For a beer like this, absolutely worth it too I reckon.

It's a beer the Otto man should brew sometime, I reckon he'd really enjoy it when lagered properly.

The 2565 @ 15°C for me.

Just my 20 cents,

Lusty.

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Blaaaardy beautiful @Beerlust and @Greeny1525229549 - thanks very much for that.  Another great brewing challenge.

I really enjoyed doing my W3068 Hefeweizens with your input and @Hairy's help and got great results.

Think it is time for a crack at the Kölsch. 

And will make sure at cracking on the good temp control for a cooler 15 deg - that sounds like it is essential to get the result what you guys suggest and what I am keen on.

Woohooo - really looking forward to the challenge!  Whether you can draw @Otto Von Blotto into the Kölsch challenge mix - will leave that to you.

Am pretty sure @Ben 10 Benny has brewed Kölsch plenty...

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1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Whether you can draw @Otto Von Blotto into the Kölsch challenge mix - will leave that to you.

I hadn't thought of this until you brought this topic up BB. Kelsey loves his pilsners, so I'll now hound him until he brews a decent Kolsch, as I honestly reckon he'll love it in the same space he enjoys his pilsners. One thing with Kelsey brewing a Kolsch, I know he'll lager it well.

Cheers & good brewing,

Lusty.

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Put down my second attempt at a Clone and Wood Pacific Ale today to use up some of the extract I still have and also make a nice easy drinker for Summer.

Was also my first go at making a yeast starter (harvesting method) so will see how it goes, all is good so far.

Recipe was:

23L batch
1.5kg Coopers LME
1.5kg Coopers LME (Wheat)
200g LDME
200g WDME

10L boil
20g Galaxy @ 10mins
25g Galaxy @ 5mins
25g Galaxy hop stand (80C)

Will dry hop 50g or so.

US-05 yeast harvested from last batch and made into yeast starter.

4.5% (kegged) | 17.5 IBU

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It's perhaps no strange coincidence that the brew that is now in my fermenter is the exact same brew that I mentioned yesterday in the Brew Day thread!   😁

Rudstickle Gold

(20 litres)

  • 2.5kg GF American Ale Malt
  • 300g GF Toffee Malt
  • 200f GF Sour Grapes Malt
  • 600g LME
  • 10g Green Bullet hops @50mins
  • 25g Sticklebract hops @15mins
  • 25g Dr Rudi hops @5mins
  • 5 Gypsum
  • Kit Yeast!

| ABV=4% | EBC= 8 | IBU=35-40 |

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10 hours ago, MitchellScott said:

Put down my second attempt at a Clone and Wood Pacific Ale today to use up some of the extract I still have and also make a nice easy drinker for Summer.

Very keen to hear how this turns out. I'm currently drinking my first attempt at a Pacific Ale, which had a 25g Galaxy hop steep and 25g Galaxy dry hop. I was drinking some last night, thinking it's a very nice summer beer but that I maybe need to up the dry hop to 50g next time.

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Yeah I might have a crack at it some time. In the meantime the red ale is due for kegging today, and I have to throw in some dry hops to the pale ale and drop it down to cold crash too, so it can be kegged in a week's time. 

Got a pilsner ready to go in on Sunday, and will be brewing something tomorrow, or planning to anyway 😂 probably have another crack at nailing this English Bitter.

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I just kegged my Mangrove Jacks Irish Red Ale about a week ago, in the keezer gassing up, should be ready for a schooner later, keen to see how this one turns out 😃

Next keg off the production line to gas up is my Pink Grapefruit IPA, it’s just been sitting in my cellar with a blanket of CO2 for about 2 weeks.

Currently fermenting on their 7th day are a Stone & Wood Clone and a Coopers IPA pimped out with a few extra hops, probably keg them Monday, I’ll do some Gravity readings over the weekend and check my FG. 
I have ingredients for another S & W Clone on hand and have a spare fermenter and fridge space so might get another one down today or tomorrow, as usually once the S & W goes on tap it doesn’t last long 🤣🤣

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22 hours ago, YeastyBoy said:

First Brew for 2020, Brew fridge cleaned & the Tin Opener has gone awol!! 

Oz Pale Ale (Coopers pimped) goes in the FV tomorrow after I find the opener!!

Grumble, Fire Truck, blah, blah, blah...….

Angle Grinder - Sword - drive over with car and put tarp out to catch contents as can explodes....?

Or maybe just a trusty old pocket knife can opener....  that saved me in the past on the KnK frontier ; )

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19 hours ago, MitchellScott said:

Put down my second attempt at a Clone and Wood Pacific Ale today to use up some of the extract I still have and also make a nice easy drinker for Summer.

US-05 yeast harvested from last batch and made into yeast starter.

4.5% (kegged) | 17.5 IBU

Mate Mitchi this looks like a very nice beer... and I reckon that the LME Wheat into a brew like that takes you so much closer to AG it is amazing.

And mate I am a big supporter of US05... reckon it is the biz for Ales.  Good luck with that one and please let us know what the final result is.

Cheers. BB

 

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8 hours ago, Cassius said:

Very keen to hear how this turns out. I'm currently drinking my first attempt at a Pacific Ale, which had a 25g Galaxy hop steep and 25g Galaxy dry hop. I was drinking some last night, thinking it's a very nice summer beer but that I maybe need to up the dry hop to 50g next time.

Or a 100g 👺

... mmm... I just did a lovely AG IPA with around 200g of hops all up and... maybe I was suffering 'small hop syndrome' and had way too much in my freezer... ; )

But the results were really good... just a small joke on this mate... reckon 50 would be gold.

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8 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Yeah I might have a crack at it some time. In the meantime the red ale is due for kegging today, and I have to throw in some dry hops to the pale ale and drop it down to cold crash too, so it can be kegged in a week's time. 

Got a pilsner ready to go in on Sunday, and will be brewing something tomorrow, or planning to anyway 😂 probably have another crack at nailing this English Bitter.

Mate Kelsey if you do have a go at the Kölsch I think we all will be able to learn something from what you do so it would be really cool if you do...

I am going to give it a go... once things settle down here with all the fireshitttt going on at the moment...

And I work out what to do with all these filthy BLOOODY BEER KEGS that are infesting my BREW FRIDGE?! 😝 

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8 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

I just kegged my Mangrove Jacks Irish Red Ale about a week ago, in the keezer gassing up, should be ready for a schooner later, keen to see how this one turns out 😃

Next keg off the production line to gas up is my Pink Grapefruit IPA, it’s just been sitting in my cellar with a blanket of CO2 for about 2 weeks.

Currently fermenting on their 7th day are a Stone & Wood Clone and a Coopers IPA pimped out with a few extra hops, probably keg them Monday, I’ll do some Gravity readings over the weekend and check my FG. 
I have ingredients for another S & W Clone on hand and have a spare fermenter and fridge space so might get another one down today or tomorrow, as usually once the S & W goes on tap it doesn’t last long 🤣🤣

Well mate you are going to have to skip along if you are going to challenge the @Ben 10 record 45 brews for 2019?!

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