Smash Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 55 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said: Yeah Smasher - like @Fergy1987 with the super low FG... your 1.032 and then the next minute at 1.012 and mine at 1.008.... I sorta don't focus on the actual values but more what is going on in terms of change... obviously I do like to calc my ABV with the SGs but other than that... as long as the beer turns out well... probably nothing to be too stressed about... happy to be corrected on this by other Brewers but yeah... I brewed KnK for years without any hydro at all and did just fine... I do use a nice fancy glass one now plus an electronic gadget (Tilt) too... but yeah it is more about the change over time... and then how the beer tastes? ; ) Yeah exactly, not too phased by it. I'll wait a few days then keg and she'll be fine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 The IPA out of the Coopers FV and into the keg, I was able to then direct decant the next AG Ale Wort right in and over the prior IPA Yeast Slurry... and a few hours later... it is goin' off!?! No trouble about getting the yeast population going... Will likely come in around 5.5% ABV which is a little low at Burbler Brewing.... but I do have 25L and am thinking of splitting into a big and a little keg... maybe do a keg hop in one to try the difference? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 On 10/3/2020 at 10:12 AM, MUZZY said: Doing a little side by side experiment (well, top and below experiment to be precise). Both brews are Coopers APA extracts, BE2 and reactivated CCA yeast pitched at 22C and fermenting at 19C. The only difference is the top one is hopped with a steep of Cluster hops. I like what Cluster gives to APA but I don't think I'd ever tried CCA yeast in APA without the hops before. It's possible I've been wasting time and hops previously, if the unhopped version proves a winner. 6 days in wort, so I took an SG reading and a little taste test. At this early stage it is evident the hops are not a waste. The hopped version is a much nicer flavour to my palate. While I'm pleased the hop addition improves the beer, I'm a bit disappointed the unhopped version wasn't the winner - purely from a dollars and cents point of view. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 6 hours ago, MUZZY said: 6 days in wort, so I took an SG reading and a little taste test. At this early stage it is evident the hops are not a waste. The hopped version is a much nicer flavour to my palate. While I'm pleased the hop addition improves the beer, I'm a bit disappointed the unhopped version wasn't the winner - purely from a dollars and cents point of view Give it time. My experiment with pretty plain brew took about 3 - 4 weeks before the keg version came good. The primed version was good earlier, so it's not just hops make the beer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 I had 2 brews planned, an Amber XPA, a mod on the Coopers XPA recipe, and what I've called an Imperial IPA - for the usual reason, that choice gave me all greens for the recipe I wanted to try. The 1st is about 1.5 hours, start to finish. The 2nd maybe 3.5 hours because complexity. At 1:30, with a deadline of 5pm pick up to go to the Club, I started my brew. Got too far in to stop before I realised I was making the LONG brew, not the short one. Add to that I've done something to my foot so I'm hobbling a bit. le sigh... So I got the mash and boil done and put the entire pot in the FV at 25° overnight. Then today, put some water on to heat the cans - 1 x Real Ale, 1 x ALME (Amber LME) added the LDME and mixed it all. OG = 1.086 so not too far off given my sparge is pour a kettle of ~80° water through the bag so it will be a touch under 9.0% ABV in the keg. Sample taste was very nice. Forgot the Amarillo tea so that's sitting waiting to go in in about 10 mins. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleStavvy Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 Dry hopped the Fresh Draught with another 25g of cascade hops on day 5. Hopefully its not over kill as original recipe has only 12g as a hop tea. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 The next Ale is clearing up nicely at 3 degrees... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBastard Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Second iteration of this Kolsch. Swapped out the Munich in the last batch for Vienna and also made a starter of the kolsch yeast and nurtured the ferment a little bit more. last batch had a bit of a bubble gum ester to the yeast profile which was good but this batch is much cleaner as the yeast wasn’t purposely stressed. I much prefer this batch. Currently on its way down to 1 degree. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 On 9/20/2020 at 1:23 PM, MUZZY said: I don't think I've read here of anyone having made this cider before, so I'm giving it a go. I think it's fairly new to Australia through Kegland but I'm not certain of that. I'm aiming for a dry cider so I've just mixed the tin with 1kg table sugar in 23 litres of water with the supplied yeast and fermenting at 20C. I'll report back later how it turns out. Tried the first bottle tonight. Not that impressed. It's not terrible but it lacks flavour. The wife says it tastes like beer. Definitely needs pimping. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 1 hour ago, MUZZY said: Tried the first bottle tonight. Not that impressed. It's not terrible but it lacks flavour. The wife says it tastes like beer. Definitely needs pimping. Reckon Muzzy just trying Apple Juice with US05 will get better results... you are down in the Garden of Eden... surely in March there must be some apples and fresh apple juice somewhere down there? .. Lenswood? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 4 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said: Reckon Muzzy just trying Apple Juice with US05 will get better results... you are down in the Garden of Eden... surely in March there must be some apples and fresh apple juice somewhere down there? .. Lenswood? I'm not very far from Lenswood indeed, Burbs. After 3 rather average attempts with cider kits I think your suggestion might be the way to go. Thanks for the idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 @MUZZY Mangrove jacks cider kits are excellent each and everytime. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 6 hours ago, MUZZY said: I'm not very far from Lenswood indeed, Burbs. After 3 rather average attempts with cider kits I think your suggestion might be the way to go. Thanks for the idea. That sounds good - or maybe try Norris @Norris! suggestion too. I think too that the ciders usually will end up very dry - are you prepared for that Muzzy - unless you stop the ferment early... but it shouldn't taste like beer I wouldn't think? I remember discussing ciders with Benny @Ben 10 the Brewmaster and him noting hey - be prepared for a very dry cider outcome... so if your partner is expecting a sweet cider then I think you won't be hitting your mark there... just a stray thought I reckoned maybe worth mentioning Cobber? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Simple Pilsner Forgot to report Brew Day on Saturday 10 October. All went pretty well. It still takes me 8 hours from mash in to putting the Grainfather back in the cupboard. And the following tasks are all done the night before: Pre-crack my grains; set up the brew space; measure the mash water and sparge water in their respective pots; including added salts for water profile adjustment. My two main time wasters are being a massive procrastinator and follower of instructions. Anyway the brew is: 3.67kg Pilsner 270g Carapils 120g Acidulated Malt It started out as a Pilsner Urquell clone, but I decided to tone down the ABV. Generally kept the Mash profile and hop schedule, which were 62°C for 20 minutes 68°C for 30 minutes 75°C for 10 minutes 90 minute boil 26g Saaz @ 75 minutes 20g Saaz @ 60 minutes 25g Saaz @ 10 minutes 25g Saaz Hopstand at 90°C for 20 minutes Saflager W-34/70 Fermenting along really well at 12°C this morning. Krausen has just started to drop, although it was never very big. Current SG is 1.029. This one has the strongest sulphur aroma of any lager I have brewed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiekraut Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 13 hours ago, MUZZY said: Tried the first bottle tonight. Not that impressed. It's not terrible but it lacks flavour. The wife says it tastes like beer. Definitely needs pimping. Ciders should always end up bone dry, unless you kill the yeast before it is done. You'll then have to sweeten them up yourself with either artificial sweetener or something like Monkfruit sweetener. When I make a cider, I usually use Equal powder to get it to where I want it. It's usually quite well received. When I make cider, I usually get an MJ pouch though. I stay well clear of the Brigalow & Co stuff. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 3 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said: That sounds good - or maybe try Norris @Norris! suggestion too. I think too that the ciders usually will end up very dry - are you prepared for that Muzzy - unless you stop the ferment early... but it shouldn't taste like beer I wouldn't think? I remember discussing ciders with Benny @Ben 10 the Brewmaster and him noting hey - be prepared for a very dry cider outcome... so if your partner is expecting a sweet cider then I think you won't be hitting your mark there... just a stray thought I reckoned maybe worth mentioning Cobber? She prefers dry cider. That's why I didn't add anything other than the fermentable sugar. I don't know what the yeast was included with the kit but I suspect that might be what gives it the beery flavour. I don't know. I'll give the US05 a try, as you suggested, next time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 @MUZZY So you have tried different kits 3 times with average results, why not use the MJ cider pouches? They are about double the cost of a brigelows can but you and your wife will enjoy them, they can be dry, sweet, semi sweet or rekordlik sweet based off the amount of sweetener you add to it and you can bottle these versus having to back sweeten and hope the bottle doesn't explode. I used to try to make ciders all the time with the cans and just couldn't make something consistently that had the range of flavours, as easily as using the MJ pouches, so I stopped trying and just use these. If I truly thought I could make a better cider than I do now, I would change, but I honestly don't think that is possible, except if I was to add fresh fruit to it...maybe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 44 minutes ago, Norris! said: @MUZZY So you have tried different kits 3 times with average results, why not use the MJ cider pouches? They are about double the cost of a brigelows can but you and your wife will enjoy them, they can be dry, sweet, semi sweet or rekordlik sweet based off the amount of sweetener you add to it and you can bottle these versus having to back sweeten and hope the bottle doesn't explode. I used to try to make ciders all the time with the cans and just couldn't make something consistently that had the range of flavours, as easily as using the MJ pouches, so I stopped trying and just use these. If I truly thought I could make a better cider than I do now, I would change, but I honestly don't think that is possible, except if I was to add fresh fruit to it...maybe. The first time we (my son and I) made cider it was MJ. This was when we first started brewing. We didn't really know the brewing basics that well and my son in his youthful exuberance added this, that and the other to it and it turned out disastrously. The second time was a Brigalow and it was no better than average but I added dextrose to that one which made it taste like beer. Then after reading on here that cane sugar makes beer taste cidery, I figured a cider should be made with cane sugar. So that's what I added to this current tin. I have to say it is better than the previous efforts but not great. My wife doesn't drink much and she is rather fussy, so the time and effort put in to making her cider and not having a FV available for my beers while doing so, I'm probably just better off buying the Strongbow she prefers. If I do venture down the cider path again I will definitely go with MJ's. I didn't give it fair go last time because of my/our brewing inexperience. Thanks for the advice, Norris. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 3 hours ago, MUZZY said: If I do venture down the cider path again I will definitely go with MJ's. I didn't give it fair go last time because of my/our brewing inexperience. Thanks for the advice, Norris. I think that is great advice from both @Norris! and @Aussiekraut Muzzy. And if it were not real hard to get fresh juice from a local provider when the season is on I woulda thought that should be pretty good too... and either get a proper cider yeast or what I have seen/read US05 does admirably well being a pretty clean fermenter... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 The Amber Ale gone into Keg... what follows may not be best practice... but splashed the next brew straight into the FV with the lid just ajar to fit the hose... straight onto the yeast slurry as is where is... hopefully my US05 yeast being the only organism in there... and 1.5 hours later it was going off... this brew to be a Pseudo Lager of sorts... Bo Pils in the main with a bit of Wheat and Munich... started around 20 deg C but now sitting nicely around 15 in the brew fridge... would have been better to have the brew cooled to 15 first but did not have the capability and wanted to get on with it... hoping it will turn out alright... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyBrew2 Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 You'll have no problems mate. It's a common practice amongst brewers and a real time saver to boot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 34 minutes ago, PaddyBrew2 said: You'll have no problems mate. It's a common practice amongst brewers and a real time saver to boot Cheers Paddy - it is Brew 3 in the same bucket without cleaning it... the first one in the clean Coopers plazzi FV was an IPA with yeast slurry from a prior other Ale - and that IPA is drinking beautifully - so hopefully the Amber Ale and Pseudo Lager that have followed on will go ok as well ; ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyBrew2 Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 There's a brewer on YouTube who went two years without cleaning his fermenter. Only reason he cleaned it is cos the misso gave him strife haha 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris! Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 I have poured on top of slurry, usually remove some but depends on the recipe, and never had an issue but I am nervous until I taste a sample. So easy, but I haven't gone 3 in a row just 2. I wouldn't sweat it, but you will notice any issues in the clean slate of the bo pils. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 Thanks Paddy @PaddyBrew2 and Norris @Norris! you festive Brewers! Loved the story about the 2 years without cleaning the FV - but wouldn't you end up filling half the FV with yeast? Well if the Kräusen and lovely smell is anything to go by I should be in safe territory - but yes Norris - proof of the pudding is in the eating... or here maybe the proof of the Pseudo Lager is in the slurping ; ) And am happy with 3-in-a-row and will harvest the yeast and then give the ol' FV a tub I guess I have saved some of my precious rainwater not having to wash the big fella out hey ; ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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