What's in Your Fermenter 2022?

[Classic Brewing Co]

No 5 Brew for 2022 Coopers English Bitter exact to recipe - nice & simple, I have done tis a few times & enjoyed it. I might 'Jazz' up the next one with a few additions but I want to get stocks up pronto.

What do others add to this ?

[Aussiekraut]

5 hours ago, Journeyman said:

Wasn't the issue with 2011 that they thought the oversize dams would hold it all then when they had to let it go you got it all downriver at once? 

Have they been releasing as it happened this time?

Yeah, last time it was too much water at one time. They started releasing water once it hit 67% this time round. The levels are coming down but apparently, we're not out of the woods yet. 

 

[Marty_G]

18 hours ago, Journeyman said:

Wasn't the issue with 2011 that they thought the oversize dams would hold it all then when they had to let it go you got it all downriver at once? 

Have they been releasing as it happened this time?

The other issue with the Brisbane river is it has another river feeding it downstream of the the huge dam, the Bremer River. That contributing to the flooding as well.    To indicate how much rain we had. The flood mitigation dam went from 60% so 180% in 5 days. The drinking water volume is 100% which is double Sydney Harbour the rest is the mitigation volume which them makes it double in size so 4 Sydney Harbours.  They are now slowly releasing water as rain is expect again Thursday through Sunday.   Where I live I had 900ml or 36" in 5 days.  But I am safe from flooding as I am too high up. But can get cut off. 

[Tone boy]

17 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

What do others add to this ?

Often people will add an English yeast such as lallemand “London”

Other common additions are Maris Otter, crystal and hops such as EKG or Brambling Cross (which my LHBS doesn’t stock)

There’s an English Bitter thread on the recipe forum with some good ideas.

I think I’ll bottle my next batch with Demerara sugar for some extra flavor…

[Journeyman]

2 hours ago, Marty_G said:

The other issue with the Brisbane river is it has another river feeding it downstream of the the huge dam, the Bremer River. That contributing to the flooding as well.    To indicate how much rain we had. The flood mitigation dam went from 60% so 180% in 5 days. The drinking water volume is 100% which is double Sydney Harbour the rest is the mitigation volume which them makes it double in size so 4 Sydney Harbours.  They are now slowly releasing water as rain is expect again Thursday through Sunday.   Where I live I had 900ml or 36" in 5 days.  But I am safe from flooding as I am too high up. But can get cut off. 

Come to sunny Qld - beautiful one day, *glug* *glug* *glug* *glug*

[Journeyman]

18 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

What do others add to this ?

I've used maris otter, golden promise, and m/o with a 200g cold steep of light crystal - and of course, Nott yeast. Of them all I probably preferred the g/p version - came out smooth and extremely drinkable.

[Journeyman]

The brews both got a dose of gelatin this AM.

I've been wondering how my FV fridge is doing but it dropped >50L of 35° wort to 3° in 24 hours so I figure, for an old fridge, it's doing OK.

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Tone boy said:

Often people will add an English yeast such as lallemand “London”

Other common additions are Maris Otter, crystal and hops such as EKG or Brambling Cross (which my LHBS doesn’t stock)

There’s an English Bitter thread on the recipe forum with some good ideas.

I think I’ll bottle my next batch with Demerara sugar for some extra flavor…

Yeah OK, as I said I kept this one simple & I was low in speciality yeasts so I just whacked it on to get some back up beer happening.

I will try some of that next brew.

[Journeyman]

5 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I just whacked it on to get some back up beer happening.

I worry about you Phil. You do a lot of brewing so I'm concerned about your drinking - or do you have a lot os pissed-as brownies around the place, imbibing your brews while you aren't looking?  

Or maybe you're filling 40ft containers for the apocalypse so you've got stuff to trade?  

Edited March 1, 2022 by Journeyman

[Pezzza]

The Kölle done its ferment and now doing some clean-up and chill down... still smells nice and looks like it might end up quite a nice colour... we shall see I guess : )

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

I worry about you Phil. You do a lot of brewing so I'm concerned about your drinking - or do you have a lot os pissed-as brownies around the place, imbibing your brews while you aren't looking?  

Or maybe you're filling 40ft containers for the apocalypse so you've got stuff to trade?  

Ha Ha, because I couldn't brew in Nov/Dec ( House move ) my stocks dwindled & I have been sorta catching up but end up drinking beers 2-3 weeks old all of the time however it is looking better. I do have a few new neighbours who are good people & love dropping in for a drink & I also visit them but although they mean well bringing 2 stubbies I always seem to be opening 2-3 longnecks.

Maybe I should do a few stubbies for these occasions. 

[RDT2]

Relieve today as my KB Lager/south German lager yeast has kicked into gear. After 24hrs there was not much sign of fermentation not even condensation on the lid. I could see some bubbles on the side and they have gradually they built up into a nice krausen. So much happier now

[Pezzza]

23 minutes ago, RDT2 said:

So much happier now

Know how you feel mate @RDT2 RD haha!  My K took like 3 days to get there and was somewhat concerning  It is always nice to see that lovely fluffy top and the Yeast off and racing! 

Now... who was it had a tinny of XXXX Gold dumped upon him by the Son-in-law or other... was that you @Red devil 44 Red?

At the time I was trying to remember (and thanks to RD's post I finally have ) who has put such terrible tinny to good use...  you see they are actually not meant to be drunk - just restricted purely to utilisation for propping up Brew Fridge shelving - please see the below:

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

you see they are actually not meant to be drunk -

I certainly concur IP, this has been around for a while but we don't want to upset our QLD members do we 

There’s a joke that the term XXXX was invented because Queenslanders can’t spell the word ‘beer’. You know, one X for each letter (XXXX=BEER)!

I know RD won't be upset for one anyway 

[Pezzza]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

XXXX was invented

I might be completely wrong but I honestly believe that XXXX when there were only XXXX Pubs and Carlton Pubs in Queensland.... up until the early 80s, and you either drank XXXX or Carlton Draught depending upon which Pub/Beer you favoured, that Fourex Bitter was quite a reasonable beer and ABV was like 4.8-4.9% (believe this has been raised in other threads discussing demise of good old beers).   Back then if you wanted Melbourne Bitter you went to Victoria and the exotic Tooheys Old you had to go over the border at The Tweed...  and in the big bad beer strike everyone was bagging Resch's and Southwark something shocking ; )

And I believe back then that (thanks to being corrected on this some time ago by the most learned Dissa @disgruntled) that the Cluster Hops used in the good ol' version of real Fourex provided a good level of bitterness and a nice refreshing nutty aftertaste.  No longer. 

 

[Aussiekraut]

3 hours ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

Know how you feel mate @RDT2 RD haha!  My K took like 3 days to get there and was somewhat concerning  It is always nice to see that lovely fluffy top and the Yeast off and racing! 

Now... who was it had a tinny of XXXX Gold dumped upon him by the Son-in-law or other... was that you @Red devil 44 Red?

At the time I was trying to remember (and thanks to RD's post I finally have ) who has put such terrible tinny to good use...  you see they are actually not meant to be drunk - just restricted purely to utilisation for propping up Brew Fridge shelving - please see the below:

Ohhh two Milton mangoes  

[RDT2]

7 hours ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

Know how you feel mate @RDT2 RD haha!  My K took like 3 days to get there and was somewhat concerning  It is always nice to see that lovely fluffy top and the Yeast off and racing! 

Now... who was it had a tinny of XXXX Gold dumped upon him by the Son-in-law or other... was that you @Red devil 44 Red?

At the time I was trying to remember (and thanks to RD's post I finally have ) who has put such terrible tinny to good use...  you see they are actually not meant to be drunk - just restricted purely to utilisation for propping up Brew Fridge shelving - please see the below:

I tried the OTTO starter method so I was a bit scared I had harvested too much from the starter but looks and smells good now

I am thinking possibly a Munich Dunkel with my next batch from this yeast.

Edited March 2, 2022 by RDT2

[Shamus O'Sean]

I reckon that @RDT2 has been using those cans to prop up his shelf for so long they are probably past their best before date.  Hang on, is there such a thing for that beer?  Mind you, get @Red devil 44's prospective Step-Son-In-Law around and you might be looking for new props. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Shamus O'Sean
Clarified relationship

[Classic Brewing Co]

Nice krausen forming on my Coopers Dark Ale, I put it together about 2.00pm yesterday & I used Kveik & brewing at ambient temp sitting around 26-28c, that will stay fairly constant in this room due to high ceilings & double brick construction.

 

 

[Brauhaus Fritz]

On 2/18/2022 at 4:32 PM, Itinerant Peasant said:

Aaaaaah the long awaited Kölsch....  took till 60 hours to get going...  Lallemand say 24-36 at 20degC so maybe with the dry yeast being a bit old and tired plus cool temps initially at 15 degC.... it just took ages.  I was concerned at 36 hours and let the temp rise to 17 deg C and at 48 hours I could see just a few bubble patterns...  add in 12 hours and a nice thin creamy top appeared.  Now a bit more than three days in - it is working really nicely and smelling great but at approx 17 deg inn the BrewFridge: (does look a bit dark but it's a lighting issue plus suspended solids should hopefully be more golden when it ends up in the keg )

 

 

nice, I am brewing a "Sweet Nectar Kolsch" right now. Mr Beer Golden Ale and Honey from North Bondi and Lallemand Koln Kolsch Dry Yeast, which I rehydrated first. I was worried too that I killed the yeast by adding too hot water, but after one day it took off as well. I have done a 10l batch before without temperature control. I had around 24 Celsius in the room. It turned out well. This time I am  doing 20 liters. I also do have a cooling bag now (used it before, love it), so the temperature is between 16-20 Celsius. Today is day 5 and I will dry hop it later, will take a photo if I don't forget. As I could not get Aramis hops as suggested in the Cooper's recipe I did use Willamette last time. Today I will use NZH-107 hops.

[Pezzza]

1 hour ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

a "Sweet Nectar Kolsch" right now.

That does sound rather nice BF : )

I like the look of the Cooli-Bag... am hoping that all this wet weather will keep things a bit cooler for my second K on a backfill...

And will just do the primitive maybe but simple and practical frozen eski-block on top when the Yeast fires up and keeps warming the vessel from its own activity...  which is probably ok when the ambient background is not too warm I guess. 

Did you use Lally K yeast for the one at 24 deg that turned out nice?

Edited March 4, 2022 by Itinerant Peasant

[Brauhaus Fritz]

8 minutes ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

That does sound rather nice BF : )

I like the look of the Cooli-Bag... am hoping that all this wet weather will keep things a bit cooler for my second K on a backfill...

And will just do the primitive maybe but simple and practical frozen eski-block on top when the Yeast fires up and keeps warming the vessel from its own activity...  which is probably ok when the ambient background is not too warm I guess. 

Did you use Lally K yeast for the one at 24 deg that turned out nice?

Edited March 4, 2022 by Brauhaus Fritz

[Brauhaus Fritz]

This is the Brew bag. I ordered it online from the Brew shed. You just put some 2 L milk bottles with frozen water inside, every bottle brings the temperature down by about 2°. It is so easy and it works.

yes, I also used Lalle Kolsch yeast for the first brew.

I won’t dry hop today, it is still too active.

og was 1052, today it’s on 1024.

Fg is supposedly 1018 or less. It is tasting good , fresh and sweet.

on the left is a Smoty Ale

 

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Brauhaus Fritz

[Oldbloke]

On 3/1/2022 at 2:27 PM, Classic Brewing Co said:

No 5 Brew for 2022 Coopers English Bitter exact to recipe - nice & simple, I have done tis a few times & enjoyed it. I might 'Jazz' up the next one with a few additions but I want to get stocks up pronto.

What do others add to this ?

@Classic Brewing CoI do this a lot. Also the Dark Ale. I just add LDM or BE3.  If you look in the Coopers recipe section or the spread sheet both have a few simple variations. One I did about 6 weeks ago was just adding molasses.  Reminder, I must try that in 3 or 4 weeks.

 

Q. Do you just leave that in the kitchen?

Q. Are you married? Lol

Edited March 5, 2022 by oldbloke

[Classic Brewing Co]

37 minutes ago, oldbloke said:

@Classic Brewing CoI do this a lot. Also the Dark Ale. I just add LDM or BE3.  If you look in the Coopers recipe section or the spread sheet both have a few simple variations. One I did about 6 weeks ago was just adding molasses.  Reminder, I must try that in 3 or 4 weeks.

 

Q. Do you just leave that in the kitchen?

Q. Are you married? Lol

I added LDME, I have made it heaps of times, Q1. No  Q2. No & I don't want to be.