BREW DAY!! WATCHA’ GOT, EH? 2021

[iBooz2]

Well another big AG brew day for me on Wednesday just past.  Started at 06:15 and did not finish until 16:30 with a lunch break in between the mayhem and still did not get completely cleaned up but hey when ya need to have a beer YA NEED TO HAVE A BEER OK!

Now before you go OMG that’s torture, I did accomplish my “first ever” two AG batches of two different beers in one day. Whoohoo!

Now that I have my water volumes all sorted for a 22 litre batch with a 60"  mash and a 70” boil I can start to work on other areas the make my time more efficient.  One part that can save me heaps of time is the clean-up so I made up a long length of silicon tubing so I can pump out the waste and any cleaning water direct to a gully trap in my carport.  That way I do not have to dismantle the boiler and carry it down to the back yard to wash it out.  Now I simply squirt cold tank water into the boiler whilst the pump is running and flush it down the drain.  Might get another length to extend it further so I can use this waste water on the garden, will see. 

I also scrub the inside whilst this is happening so as to remove any built up scum.  I still have to take the basket down the back to dump the spent grains into the compost bins and hose the hell out of it to get rid of any debris but this new routine is way better on my back.

So when reasonably clean I can quickly dump the next lot of water in and heat up, grains in and mash so do a second beer.  As I have multiple cubes I now look at this as I’m just a fresh work kit factory leaving them to cool and usually pitch the next afternoon or whenever.

First one was a tweaked version of my True Blue Pale Ale.  Did not add salts etc. to the water this time just to see if there is any notable difference from the last batch.  Problem will be remembering after a few months what the last one was like but luckily there is a stubbie or two of which I can compare.  The first batch took 4 hours and 50 minutes.  Mash was a two-step 30 x 30 = 60 minute variety and a 60 minute boil.

The second batch was a Mitchie Boy Aussie Pub Lager (thanks Mitch) @MitchBastard. I wanted to kick off the lager season with this one as it looks nice.  I did some very minor tweaks on his recipe and am going to use Lallemand Diamond Lager Yeast on this baby as I have not used it before and keen to try it out and sort of compare it to my regular lager boys the DubYa gang.

The second batch took 5 hours and 10 minutes but some of the clean-up was left until the next day as it was pissing rain and I needed a beer by then.  This mash was a single step mash of 90 minutes with a mash out.  Boil was 70 minutes with an additional 20 minute whirlpool at the end so much longer batch.

My next full day experiment will be to see if I can introduce more economies of scale by doing a double batch of the exact same recipe in same time a single batch, afterall I have a 70 litre boiler  That should save heaps more time because of only one mash period and one boil period required to end up with 44 litres or so of wort.

Am slowly getting there.  Ag batches numbers 6, 7 and 8 now done and dusted.  Numbers 6 and 7 are in the FV’s so will post over on WIMF thread.  Number 8 is waiting for the boss to pull his finger out and set up the 3rd FV fridge.

I am feeling the love of AG boys and girls; I am feeling the love…. Ha ha

Cheers - AL

[iBooz2]

43 minutes ago, Norris! said:

Yes. A hole on the side, for the nano's, brings the wort from the mash tun to the top of the grain bed from the pump. It is suppose to make a clearer wort, as it is filtered through the grain bed and back up again, while increasing efficiency.

Yes that is what I do with my 70 L nano only my hose is silicone and flexible so I can direct the flow to different areas of the grain bed, spread it around.  I have a SS mesh thingy that sits on the grain bed to help distribute the flow over a wider area.  Its actually a SS trivet from a comping store.  See if I can take a pic or find the link.

Cheers - AL

[RDT2]

4 hours ago, Graubart said:

Pumping this time just for the LOLs ; )

Dunkel Weizen.... just after the Dark Grains Added...

Darkening up with a bit more time in the Mash : )

 

That must smell amazing, I made a Munich Dunkel once that smelt awesome, when it was fermenting wife asked why the garage smelt like lollies  

Edited May 27, 2021 by RDT2

[jamiek86]

after kegging my double mr beer north west pa and 86 days pils put down pale ale.

Coops Aus PA 1.7kg

Coops Liquid Wheat 1.5kg

300 gram LDM 5 min boil 3 litres was at bottom bag had opened a lot last few months paranoid about infection.

Trusty us05 11.5 grams pitched 20 degrees at 20 litres OG:1.052.

Will most likely do 50 gram citra dry hop sometime next week.

[iBooz2]

 

19 hours ago, The Captain!! said:

this is recipe 100. 
started batching doubles on the G70 since about 80. 

G'day Captain,  how do you manage your water volumes for double batches in the 70 unit?

Do you do a higher gravity brew with slightly less water so no boil overs and then top up the FV to required volume/s to get the correct/required SG or do you do full double volume boils straight off the bat?

I am just about to attempt a big double batch soon in my 70 L nano and interested in your technique.

Cheers - AL

Edited May 28, 2021 by iBooz2

[Norris!]

Summer ale ( blonde ale) v1.1. Nice easy drinker, lawnmower beer. Was going to use Nottingham at 17c but I am in lockdown for at least 7 days, so I am using what I have on hand, MJ M66 Hophead yeast. Interested in how this will turn out. Seems like it might end up like a pale ale, but I am happy with that. Eclipse hops in the cube to try to really bring out the Mandarin orange and some galaxy and eclipse, small charge, for a Dry hop. I am hoping for an approachable brew.

 

[Stickers]

third go at the cascarillo amber ale cooper's recipe, this time it'll be going into a keg

[Norris!]

Nice clear wort, despite the horrible photo

[jamiek86]

@Norris! a periscope popped through your beer?

[Norris!]

5 minutes ago, jamiek86 said:

@Norris! a periscope popped through your beer?

Just a photo through the lid during mash

[Goldcoast Crow]

After my monster bottling weekend last week.... About 120 stubs.... I went and dropped my first ruby porter.... 22ltr batch, going basic, just the Thomas Cooper ruby porter and 1kg light dry malt.... 1046 og, which should bring it to around 4.7abv

[The Captain!!]

3 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

 

G'day Captain,  how do you manage your water volumes for double batches in the 70 unit?

Do you do a higher gravity brew with slightly less water so no boil overs and then top up the FV to required volume/s to get the correct/required SG or do you do full double volume boils straight off the bat?

I am just about to attempt a big double batch soon in my 70 L nano and interested in your technique.

Cheers - AL

I do 2x23l batches. This beer was 16kg of grain at 3l per kg of grain. Still quite wet. 
 

theres well and truely enough room for more grain. I think I’d be able to add another 5-7 kg no problem. 
 

boil volume is 55l at 60mins. Doing bigger beers I should have sparged a little more and boiled longer. 
hope that helps

[RDT2]

Red Irish Ale today was meant to be no chill but realised as I was about to get to the boil I didn’t have the burner and pot on my table so wouldn’t of been able to transfer boiled wort unless I lifted it onto the bench Risk assessment done I decided I was chilling cause didn’t want to lift hot wort and end up in a burns ward for 19 litres of beer.
Anyway recipe as follows.

Maris Otter 80%
Carafoam/Carapils 5%
Melanoidin 5%
Cararoma 10%
 

Columbus 60min 18ibu

Willamette 30min 9ibu

US05 

It will be an interesting brew beautiful red colour and had a slight roast taste. Never had one before so can’t wait. Had really good efficiency was shooting for 1055 but hit 1058-9 as hydrometer reads low. It is now fermenting away nicely cheers  

Edited May 28, 2021 by RDT2

[Pezzza]

8 hours ago, RDT2 said:

Red Irish Ale today

Nice RD - Mash Temp?

Volume to Malt Ratio... if you don't mind?

Edited May 28, 2021 by Graubart

[MitchBastard]

@iBooz2 hope it turns out for ya mate. That yeast sounds interesting. Keep me posted how it goes.

[RDT2]

1 hour ago, Graubart said:

Nice RD - Mash Temp?

Volume to Malt Ratio... if you don't mind?

Well that’s a good question as my batch size was 25 litres for my cube as I was set up for no chill (nearly )When I emptied the kettle at approx 92 degree previously I nearly had 25 litres of clear wort. When I chill and settle after whirlpool I get less clear wort in this case just over 19 litres. (Do I need to let it sit longer??) I didn’t really care on this occasion as I will be filling the keg etc thoughts I know you no chill which I have started doing and that beer would of been perfect for that as I did a Pilsner recently no chill and it’s going to be a cracker. I need to get a smaller cube or chill in the kettle which I think you do. I did have excellent efficiency though.

woops sorry mash temp would been 67 at the start wrapped in insulation.

Edited May 29, 2021 by RDT2

[Shamus O'Sean]

19 hours ago, Stickers said:

third go at the cascarillo amber ale cooper's recipe, this time it'll be going into a keg

Kegged mine on Thursday.  It has been naturally conditioning in the keg for about 40 days with the 100g of sugar I added to the keg.  Had the first from the keg yesterday. Here's how I described it:

Orange aroma (aka Terry's Chocolate orange).  Some caramel.

Flavour to match the aroma.

Good level of bitterness, does not linger.  Not much sweetness, which is good.  Carbonation is a bit lacking, which is surprising given how much sugar I primed the keg with. 

A nice, honest and simple beer. I gave it a 6/10

[Goldcoast Crow]

Is about 20-22c about right for a ruby porter ferment..... Haven't really had much krausen action.... Nothing huge any way

[Classic Brewing Co]

I just bottled 23lt of Coopers Draught/BE2 with added 600ml LME/Goldings & primed the lot with white sugar, I am just finishing the last of my last Draught & it is a damn fine drop, nothing special but very drinkable. Next time I will do a partial with it, anyone suggest which grain to use, I have several 150gm bags of cracked crystal in stock but not sure if that's the one to use.

Cheers

Phil.

[Shamus O'Sean]

Dry Irish Stout today.  First time properly trying no-chill.  I hesitate to say I am a convert, but, gee it shortened the brew day.  I had the brew in the cube and was heating water for cleaning by 1pm.  Even stopped for lunch.

[Yuley]

Put a blonde down today. Lockdown well spent. 

Went with the Kit - Canadian Blonde, Light Malt Extract and then a Hop Tea of 50g Falconer Flight. 

Nice and simple. Was going to go something a little more difficult - however pulled out the FV and it was covered in mould (didn't clean it properly last time as I was rushed - I remembered that suddenly when I pulled it out  ). So there was a lot more cleaning than I had initially planned on.

First time went with a Hop Tea. Wasn't sure when to add it to the FV, so added it prior to the yeast. I assume the yeast will change a bit of the flavour, but we will see.  When does everyone else add their hop teas to the FV?

[ozdevil]

32 minutes ago, Yuley said:

Put a blonde down today. Lockdown well spent. 

Went with the Kit - Canadian Blonde, Light Malt Extract and then a Hop Tea of 50g Falconer Flight. 

Nice and simple. Was going to go something a little more difficult - however pulled out the FV and it was covered in mould (didn't clean it properly last time as I was rushed - I remembered that suddenly when I pulled it out  ). So there was a lot more cleaning than I had initially planned on.

First time went with a Hop Tea. Wasn't sure when to add it to the FV, so added it prior to the yeast. I assume the yeast will change a bit of the flavour, but we will see.  When does everyone else add their hop teas to the FV?

i was hoping to put a west coast ipa down today , but when you have a head flu ya dont feel like playing brewer out doors and the mrs wont let me do it indoors 
in lockdown...    

i hope your brew works out well

 

[Shamus O'Sean]

32 minutes ago, Yuley said:

When does everyone else add their hop teas to the FV?

I usually just follow the recipe.  Most of the time that is adding the hop tea just before pitching the yeast.  I have never done a split batch with the hop tea done pre-pitch and one done pre-bottling.

[iBooz2]

39 minutes ago, Yuley said:

 When does everyone else add their hop teas to the FV?

Welcome back Yuley.  I reckon @Journeyman Mark will be along shortly, I think he is the the hop tea / steep guru and will have some good advice for you.

Pity about your FV.  I always make/take the time to fill mine with hot water and SP and let soak for 24 hrs or so.  Then flush it out with lots of hot water and then some more cold water and allowing it to dry completely before I park mine for any length of time.

Cheers - AL

[iBooz2]

12 hours ago, MitchBastard said:

@iBooz2 hope it turns out for ya mate. That yeast sounds interesting. Keep me posted how it goes.

Will do.  My mash PH turned out a bit too high so it may take a couple more batches to get on top of that.  My local water has seemingly recently upped its PH to 8.2, maybe a seasonal thing but anyway will work around that.