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Daily diary of a virgin (first ever) home brew!


pilotsh

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15 minutes ago, Goldcoast Crow said:

This re activating of the yeast, explain how this works and what the process is..?? Is it as simple as whacking a 6 pack of unused beers into the wort.... and do you do this instead of the packet yeast or aswell a stove the packet yeast?

My experience so far is that is was easy, but I only just put the bottle in the cupboard to wake the yeast up, so I'll know more once I get ready to pitch. I guess you could use a six pack but it it would be a waste of beer as your only need the yeast sediment. And if you put it into the the wort without waking it I am guessing you would have a very sluggish ferment!

Make sure a six pack is upright for at least a week for the sediment to settle and in the fridge for quite a few days to achieve this. Also get a sterile PET bottle: I just used a new mineral water bottle from the supermarket, decanted the water and used the bottle straight away (no need to sterilise a sterilised bottle!)

Today it was pretty easy: boil water, turn off heat, stir in Light Dry Malt, lid on, leave to cool.

In the mean time, gently decant most of the beer into a glass (drink at your leisure), leaving the sediment in the bottle (about a thumbs width). 

When the pot has cooled to less than 30C, and the six pack bottles have just the sediment left, swirl each one to loosen the sediment, then pour into the PET bottle. Repeat for the whole six-pack. Then pour the cooled LDM mixture into the PET bottle. Cap.

Shake-shake-shake morning and night, until yeast wakes up!

Use it to pitch INSTEAD of the sachet yeast.

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Brew 007: Wednesday 15th July: 238 hours (9.9 days) from pitching to bottling.

Brew Temp: 20.1C

FG(SG): 1011.5 Therefore brew 007 is 5.55% ABV

Appearance: Nice browny/orange.

Nose: Raw dough, stone fruit. Hints of Honey.

Palate: Bitter Honey. Light malt, wheatbix, apricot

Comments: Same batch prime with Maple again for 10 out of the 30 bottles. So, main brew 20 bottles, batch prime 10 bottles, and as last time  SO wanted to experiment with the last liquid so overrun (2 bottles) was bottle primed with Manuka Honey.

Photo(s): 

Brew 008:

Shaking the yeast reactivation bottle several times a day to keep the yeast in suspension. It seems happy... 😋

 

 

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Edited by pilotsh
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Brew 004 (Dry Malt) and Brew 005 (Liquid Malt) tasting:

Appearance: Nice deep brown, a head that lasts about a minute, minute and a half.

Nose: Blackberry, raspberry.

Palate: Apricot, stone fruit, bitter orange peel.

Comparison of the Liquid Malt and Dry Malt: Sorry BB, no major difference between the two side by side. If you gave me one or the other, I wouldn't be able to pick which was which. So for a dark ale, I'd brew with whatever malt I had. I am interested to see if the difference will be noticeable between the English Bitters.

Brew 005X: Maple Syrup Prime:

Same appearance and nose. Palate is a little thicker, a touch sweeter, but also a touch more sour. Not really worth the effort over carbonation drops.

Brew 008 (Pale Ale with reactivated yeast):

Shake shake shake. The yeast is still waking up. But nice firm bottle, so promising.

Photo(s):

 

 

 

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Brew 005X2: MB Burnt Fig Jam Prime.

Appearance: Same as regular 005, with bits of fig.

Nose: Stronger stone fruit than regular 005.

Palate: More body that regular 005, and a more complete mouth feel. Lingering sweetness and a little tartness. We enjoyed it: would consider priming with the burnt fig jam over carbonation drops if we were to do another dark ale. Might also experiment with a Burnt Fig Prime when we brew the Stout I still have in the cupboard.

Photo(s):

 

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On 7/17/2020 at 6:14 PM, pilotsh said:

no major difference between the two side by side.

Rightio Pilot...  well mate that is the test I guess for you.... dunno tho... many folk like @Red devil 44 Red find a clear difference using liquid malts...  and I certainly did when I was doing the KNK thing - but in my brews I also routinely had dry AND liquid so was higher final gravity... so there might be a link there... maybe you could try doing that brew I was suggesting with

Kit

Tin of Liquid Malt

Kilo of dry malt

And see how that goes...

But come what may mate this is a journey of discovery and you are 'brewing up a storm' which is legendary and keeping great records so good on you I say cobber!

 

These two certainly were assisted by liquid malt... mmm... via the All Grain process... meh ; )

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Cheers and good brewing

BB

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On 7/14/2020 at 11:52 PM, pilotsh said:

My experience so far is that is was easy, but I only just put the bottle in the cupboard to wake the yeast up, so I'll know more once I get ready to pitch. I guess you could use a six pack but it it would be a waste of beer as your only need the yeast sediment. And if you put it into the the wort without waking it I am guessing you would have a very sluggish ferment!

Make sure a six pack is upright for at least a week for the sediment to settle and in the fridge for quite a few days to achieve this. Also get a sterile PET bottle: I just used a new mineral water bottle from the supermarket, decanted the water and used the bottle straight away (no need to sterilise a sterilised bottle!)

Today it was pretty easy: boil water, turn off heat, stir in Light Dry Malt, lid on, leave to cool.

In the mean time, gently decant most of the beer into a glass (drink at your leisure), leaving the sediment in the bottle (about a thumbs width). 

When the pot has cooled to less than 30C, and the six pack bottles have just the sediment left, swirl each one to loosen the sediment, then pour into the PET bottle. Repeat for the whole six-pack. Then pour the cooled LDM mixture into the PET bottle. Cap.

Shake-shake-shake morning and night, until yeast wakes up!

Use it to pitch INSTEAD of the sachet yeast.

Hey Pilot, how long was the yeast in the bottle before pitching ?

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11 minutes ago, pilotsh said:

4 days, will shortly post Brew 008 info

I started yesterday, drank a Sixer of Coopers, then sediment etc into the plastic bottle. Was planning to pitch next Friday when my next brew goes down, will it be ok, or should I stick it in the fridge after 4 days ? Currently in a cupboard out of sunlight.

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Sunday 19th July: Brew 008 pitched!
 

Identical to Brew 003, except pitched with reactivated bottle yeast instead of the sachet

Malt: Canned- Coopers Pale Ale. BB date on can: 06/02/22

Extra Ingredients: 1kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 2, and 210g of Cooper Brew Enhancer 1. (Same as Brew 003)

Water: Unfiltered tap water.

Preparation: Malt Can added to off-the-boil water, dissolved, stirred in Brew Enhancers, disolved and added to FV. 

Yeast: Reactivated bottle yeast from a 6-pack of Coopers Pale Ale.

Pitching Method: Poured into wort.

Initial Wort Temperature: 22.1C

 Temperature Control: No cooling. 35W heat belt. Inkbird Temp controller, target 19.9C, Heat belt at 19.2C.

  Initial Sample SG (OG): 1040.5 Can instructions indicated 1038, but I have added: BE1 and BE2. Brew 3 was 1041.5, and the brew spreadsheet indicated 1042.

 Photo(s):
 
 

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Brew 008: Monday 20th July: 34 hours (1.41 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.7C

Comments: Go Krausen, Go Krausen, Go Krausen! 🥳 (A good 4cm!)

Photo(s):

 

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Edited by pilotsh
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On 7/19/2020 at 12:33 PM, Bearded Burbler said:

Red find a clear difference using liquid malts... 

Maybe with amber or dark malts the difference is more pronounced. My comparison brews between liquid and dry certainly aren't over! 👍

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Brew 008: Wednesday 22th July:  88 hours (3.67 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.9C Steady.

Comments: No change: (stil Krausen consolidated to a 1cm layer, bubbling action extensive. Happy.)

Photo(s): Nil

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Brew 008: Thursday 23rd July: 107 hours (4.45 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.8C Steady.

Comments: No change: (stil Krausen consolidated to a 1cm layer, bubbling action extensive. Happy.)

Photo(s): Nil

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Brew 008: Saturday 25th July: 161 hours (6.71 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 20.2C. (heat belt turned on over night)

Comments: No change from yesterday. Still bubbly. Will taste and check SG tomorrow.

Photo(s): Nil

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Brew 008: Sunday 26th July: 178 hours (7.41days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.5C, heat belt on.

SG: 1016

Appearance: Cloudy straw. Extensive fizz.

Nose: Raw Dough, Peaches.

Palate: Wheat-bix, peach, nectarine. 

Comments: Not bad, still bubbles in FV, Krausen just starting to break down.

Photo(s): 
 

2F7FCB75-32F4-474A-B4CE-3C667D2BF876.jpeg

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Brew 008: Monday 27th July: 202 hours (8.42days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.4C

SG: Not tested. Testing tomorrow.

Comments: Bubble rate has slowed, Krausen starting to thin. Fermentation is near completion.

Photo(s): 

 

8F925348-1C3A-46BE-A5CA-8A5A24703705.jpeg

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Brew 008: Tuesday 28th July: 232 hours (9.67 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 20.7C, residual heat.

SG: 1012

Appearance: Cloudy golden straw. Very very fizzy, thick foam, but dissipates relatively quickly

Nose: Raw Dough, more raw dough Peaches.

Palate: Light Peach, mandarin, bitter lemon rind, hints of pineapple.

Comments: Developing nicely. Spreadsheet estimates a FG of 1012, but it also estimated an OG of 1042, but mine was 1040.5. So I think my brew will finish at around 1010/1011. Daily tastings/testings from here.

Photo(s): 
 

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Edited by pilotsh
Corrected day/date
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Brew 008: Wednesday 29th July: 256 hours (10.67 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.9C. Steady.

SG: 1011.5

Appearance: Cloudy golden straw. Less fizzy, dissipates relatively quickly.

Nose: Raw Dough, more raw dough Peaches.

Palate: Light Peach, mandarin, bitter lemon rind, hints of pineapple.

Comments: Probably bottling Friday.

Photo(s): Nil

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