LOOKING TOWARD 2023 - BREWING PLANS

[stquinto]

I reckon I should get into temperature control rather than relying on “this room ale-ish temperature “, “ this season is lager season “ etc.

Also try getting the brew day shorter. Mill the night before, set the timer on the GF to kick in early, stuff like that.

I would like to perfect a few brews too.

Oh, and fix my kegging problems

[Hoppy81]

9 hours ago, stquinto said:

I reckon I should get into temperature control rather than relying on “this room ale-ish temperature “, “ this season is lager season “ etc.

Temp control is one of the best changes you can make mate, don't hesitate to do it 

[NBillett09]

This looks like a great place to write my thoughts for next brews! I started in December and did 3 brews in quick succession (bought a craft fermenter then a normal one within a couple days) to get a few under my belt, a bit of experience and to try a few beginner options.

since then I have had bucket loads of helpful advice from you lot and also read as much as I could on as many of the details as could be managed at the same time and I have picked up a bunch of things to change. The first three brews were the Mr Beer amber ale, The Coopers lager and then the Mr Beer golden ale. The first two are quite nice (the lager gives noticeable notes of honey? Don’t know why.) but the golden ale is not quite right. It’s not terrible but there is something askew with the taste, which I am putting down to perhaps not cleaning/sanitizing the FV properly which I had rinsed out and used bleach as was all I had at the time. 
The use of the AC as temp control worked quite well on the whole I think, but could be susceptible to a few degrees fluctuation.

so the changes coming are:

- I have found an old fridge going spare at work which I have turned into a brew fridge. Cut a stronger ply shelf to hold the 23l FV in it.

- I bought the WiFi Inkbird and have it setup with the fridge (seems to only work on 2.4ghz networks, have to investigate further whether there are any or if all the available networks are 5GHz. Unit works fine otherwise.

- bought a keg land heat belt to go with brew fridge to complete the temp control setup

- bought proper keg land brew kit wash, no rinse sanitizer and ethanol spray sanitizer to get a bit more serious about cleaning and sanitization of equipment

- bought a bottle tree and bottle washer sanitizer to better/properly wash and sanitize the bottles

- have put some thought into planning out brew day to be more efficient and keep everything sanitized properly.

- wanted to get into some other recipes and have general approval of Le Wifé on the condition I brew her a honey ale ( not that she’ll drink much of it ) so next up is the Sweet Nectar Kolsch (except with challenger hops instead of Aramis as they were unavailable at KL) as it’s simple enough  honey beer and in craft FV volume. Hopefully she enjoys it! Then at the same time the KegLand recipe kit Wild Wood Pacific ale in the big FV (stone and wood/wild yak copy) as S&W is a personal fave and would like to get good at that recipe.

- the third beer is a separate point as it’s gonna be a learning experiment which I’m excited for! I’m gonna brew the coopers recipe Fruit Salad Ale which is a 21l recipe, however I’m actually gonna split it square in half and brew it as two mini 10.5L batches. One will be exactly as per recipe, the second I will try dry hopping with some El Dorado hops so I have two matching brews and can compare the differences with the hop addition. I will have to brew them consecutively rather than in tandem as I just have the one craft FV so one brew will always have an extra week in the bottle over the former but hopefully that shouldn’t make too much difference in the comparison. 

 

Now, I didn’t actually get any input from any more knowledgeable experts on my hop changes, I just chose those based on my reading about the different kinds and their properties and bit about what they’re for and how they work. Also this will be my first foray into using specific different types of yeast as opposed to whatever’s under the can lid. So it could be a bit of a mystery ride ahead but hopefully will work out nicely! 

So this year will have leaps and bounds in skill/recipe development ahead

Sweet Nectar Kolsch Coopers Recipe:

https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/sweet-nectar-kolsch.html
 

KegLand Wild Wood Pacific Ale Recipe/kit:

https://www.kegland.com.au/extract-pacific-rim-pacific-ale.html
 

Fruit Salad Ale Coopers Recipe:

https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/fruit-salad-ale.html

[Classic Brewing Co]

18 minutes ago, NBillett09 said:

This looks like a great place to write my thoughts for next brews! I started in December and did 3 brews in quick succession (bought a craft fermenter then a normal one within a couple days) to get a few under my belt, a bit of experience and to try a few beginner options.

since then I have had bucket loads of helpful advice from you lot and also read as much as I could on as many of the details as could be managed at the same time and I have picked up a bunch of things to change. The first three brews were the Mr Beer amber ale, The Coopers lager and then the Mr Beer golden ale. The first two are quite nice (the lager gives noticeable notes of honey? Don’t know why.) but the golden ale is not quite right. It’s not terrible but there is something askew with the taste, which I am putting down to perhaps not cleaning/sanitizing the FV properly which I had rinsed out and used bleach as was all I had at the time. 
The use of the AC as temp control worked quite well on the whole I think, but could be susceptible to a few degrees fluctuation.

so the changes coming are:

- I have found an old fridge going spare at work which I have turned into a brew fridge. Cut a stronger ply shelf to hold the 23l FV in it.

- I bought the WiFi Inkbird and have it setup with the fridge (seems to only work on 2.4ghz networks, have to investigate further whether there are any or if all the available networks are 5GHz. Unit works fine otherwise.

- bought a keg land heat belt to go with brew fridge to complete the temp control setup

- bought proper keg land brew kit wash, no rinse sanitizer and ethanol spray sanitizer to get a bit more serious about cleaning and sanitization of equipment

- bought a bottle tree and bottle washer sanitizer to better/properly wash and sanitize the bottles

- have put some thought into planning out brew day to be more efficient and keep everything sanitized properly.

- wanted to get into some other recipes and have general approval of Le Wifé on the condition I brew her a honey ale ( not that she’ll drink much of it ) so next up is the Sweet Nectar Kolsch (except with challenger hops instead of Aramis as they were unavailable at KL) as it’s simple enough  honey beer and in craft FV volume. Hopefully she enjoys it! Then at the same time the KegLand recipe kit Wild Wood Pacific ale in the big FV (stone and wood/wild yak copy) as S&W is a personal fave and would like to get good at that recipe.

- the third beer is a separate point as it’s gonna be a learning experiment which I’m excited for! I’m gonna brew the coopers recipe Fruit Salad Ale which is a 21l recipe, however I’m actually gonna split it square in half and brew it as two mini 10.5L batches. One will be exactly as per recipe, the second I will try dry hopping with some El Dorado hops so I have two matching brews and can compare the differences with the hop addition. I will have to brew them consecutively rather than in tandem as I just have the one craft FV so one brew will always have an extra week in the bottle over the former but hopefully that shouldn’t make too much difference in the comparison. 

 

Now, I didn’t actually get any input from any more knowledgeable experts on my hop changes, I just chose those based on my reading about the different kinds and their properties and bit about what they’re for and how they work. Also this will be my first foray into using specific different types of yeast as opposed to whatever’s under the can lid. So it could be a bit of a mystery ride ahead but hopefully will work out nicely! 

So this year will have leaps and bounds in skill/recipe development ahead

Sweet Nectar Kolsch Coopers Recipe:

https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/sweet-nectar-kolsch.html
 

KegLand Wild Wood Pacific Ale Recipe/kit:

https://www.kegland.com.au/extract-pacific-rim-pacific-ale.html
 

Fruit Salad Ale Coopers Recipe:

https://www.diybeer.com/au/recipe/fruit-salad-ale.html

Welcome to the forum mate, it sounds like you have upped the brewing process with your new purchases, cleaning & sanitising properly with the right ingredients (not bleach) certainly helps. 

There will always be help on this forum so just post up any questions & they will be answered.

All the best.

Cheers

Phil

[iBooz2]

@NBillett09 , great plans there, you will do fine as you obviously have a need for learning and attention to detail and can see what great rewards you can get out of this hobbie.

I also like the S&W Pacific Ale, even better when its on tap at a Byron Bay pub ha ha.  I have brewed heaps of my own clones of this beer starting off with the Coopers Pacific Summer Ale.  I then tweaked it to an all grain recipes and brewed them almost continuously for a year or more.  It was my house favorite for quite a while.

Try the Coopers K&K version you will not be disappointed.  

[NBillett09]

Thanks Phil! Btw you have a way with the camera, everything on your IG looks delicious!

 

Eagerly looking forward to the fruits of my labour/learning!

@iBooz2 I have been to Byron twice and went to the S&W every single day I was there such a great place!” Thanks for the recommendation, I will add it to the Brew Queue! Coppers say ferment at 24, what did you find best?

Edited January 13, 2023 by NBillett09

[ben 10]

1 hour ago, NBillett09 said:

I just chose those based on my reading about the different kinds and their properties and bit about what they’re for and how they work.

Teach yourself is the best way

[ben 10]

On 12/27/2022 at 9:45 AM, Classic Brewing Co said:

plans for the new year

I need to set up a new brewery.... interesting times ahead.

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 minutes ago, beach_life said:

I need to set up a new brewery.... interesting times ahead.

Get cracking mate, it's fun. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

47 minutes ago, NBillett09 said:

Thanks Phil! Btw you have a way with the camera, everything on your IG looks delicious!

 

Eagerly looking forward to the fruits of my labour/learning!

@iBooz2 I have been to Byron twice and went to the S&W every single day I was there such a great place!” Thanks for the recommendation, I will add it to the Brew Queue! Coppers say ferment at 24, what did you find best?

Cheers Mate, I have a background in Photography/Graphics/Layouts etc as I was self-employed doing my own artwork but retired now, some could be better, but you know.

[ben 10]

30 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Get cracking mate, it's fun.

Gotta get a shed built first. Have 15 amp ready to run to it.

 

[iBooz2]

2 hours ago, NBillett09 said:

Coppers say ferment at 24, what did you find best?

Using Windsor yeast, I pitch at 18 C and hold it at 18 C for two days then up it to 20 C and hold at 20 C for two days, then up it to 22 C and hold it at 22 C for two days.  Dry hop it when FG is reached and at start of cold crash and only leave the Galaxy in there for two days otherwise might make it a bit grassy.

[NBillett09]

Thanks @iBooz2ill give it a go!