Brew Day What Have Ya Got - 2023

[Shamus O'Sean]

21 hours ago, ChairmanDrew said:

Most sours Ive ever had have been at the lower end of the abv spectrum. I reckon that will make for a nice summer squencher.

That is exactly what I was thinking.  But I did not want the ABV to get too low.  There are a couple of other flavours going on with this one.

[Shamus O'Sean]

6 hours ago, jennyss said:

@Shamus O'Sean, What do you say are those 'fluffy lumps' in your brew before and after adding the cherry juice? They look just like what happens to most of my extract brews, often within about three hours of mixing. Is it 'cold break' or something else?

Yes.  Just cold break.  I get plenty of it because I cool with a counter flow chiller.  Some brew systems/brewers use immersion chillers that cool the wort in their brewing system to under 20°C.  This encourages the cold break to form in the kettle.  With whirlfloc or similar, the cold break is more likely to settle in the kettle instead of the fermenter.

As mentioned, I use a counter flow chiller.  They have the advantage of being able to chill the wort in the chiller then return it to the kettle or straight into the fermenter.  I use the counter flow chiller back into the kettle until the kettle temperature is around 65°C.  By then, if I slow down the wort flow, I can get the cooled wort out of the counter flow chiller down to 20°C (or even less).  Which is fine to start filling the FV.  Unfortunately, as this process is fairly quick, the cold break does not have a chance to settle out until it gets into the FV at 20°C.  A small price to pay.  But most of the time, the cold break ultimately settles out in the trub which is around 1 litre in volume.

[stquinto]

Knocked up a 40l batch of COPA. My efficiency seems to be pretty rubbish on these larger batches - 1.031 pre boil, 1.034  after. I ended up throwing a kilo of dex to bring it up to 1.044, for 38l.

Maybe I sparged too fast, the grain mill should be right.

iI use a GF G40, I think you use a GF @Shamus O'Sean Shamus, do you have any efficiency problems ?

Other than that it fits nicely into my new 50l SS FV…

 

[Shamus O'Sean]

5 hours ago, stquinto said:

iI use a GF G40, I think you use a GF @Shamus O'Sean Shamus, do you have any efficiency problems ?

I use a Grainfather G30.  My lowest efficiencies are around 70% for 23 litres of an 8% beer using around 7.5kg of grain.  I get low 80% for 30 litre batches of 4-5% brews using 5.5kg of grain.  Note that for 30 litre batches, I add around 8 litres of top-up water to the 22 litres of wort in the fermenter.

When doing COPA clones I get around 82% efficiency.

In the 3rd photo, isn't the recirc hose meant to be inside the mash basket?

[Aussiekraut]

Jever Pils clone. Not a big fan of clones but I thought I’d try my hand on one. 
 

[stquinto]

6 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I use a Grainfather G30.  My lowest efficiencies are around 70% for 23 litres of an 8% beer using around 7.5kg of grain.  I get low 80% for 30 litre batches of 4-5% brews using 5.5kg of grain.  Note that for 30 litre batches, I add around 8 litres of top-up water to the 22 litres of wort in the fermenter.

When doing COPA clones I get around 82% efficiency.

In the 3rd photo, isn't the recirc hose meant to be inside the mash basket?

Thanks Shamus. I think I saw a video of it on top of the basket. Maybe it would give better results on top of the grain ? I’ll do that next time then

[kmar92]

2 hours ago, stquinto said:

Thanks Shamus. I think I saw a video of it on top of the basket. Maybe it would give better results on top of the grain ? I’ll do that next time then

I have a similar recirc hose in my Nano and I always set it up to return the re-circulated wort into the grain basket as I reckon that gives the best efficiency with the wort being circulated through the grain bed.

[ben 10]

Bootmaker Pale + Pale Malt (liquid) - maybe some dry hops?

[Red devil 44]

This will become a Lager & Lime.

I got given by a mate some kegs and he threw in 2 tins of Extract Coopers Lager, all still in date.

I normally brew AG these days but decided to brew the one can of the lager at 19 degrees, 500g Malt & Dextrose mix with 2 x 7g Kit Yeast.

Dry hoping with 70g Saaz.

‘Once complete I will then turn it into a Lager & Lime when kegging. 
‘Apparently this Lime is potent so they recommend adding 12mL per 19L keg so I will run with that and see how it turns out.

‘Basically this brew cost me nothing apart from the Lime Flavouring, so nothing lost nothing gained.

[Shamus O'Sean]

6 hours ago, beach_life said:

Bootmaker Pale + Pale Malt (liquid) - maybe some dry hops?

Maybe split the batch.  Dry hop one and do the other as is.  Compare afterward.

[Shamus O'Sean]

4 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

This will become a Lager & Lime.

I got given by a mate some kegs and he threw in 2 tins of Extract Coopers Lager, all still in date.

I normally brew AG these days but decided to brew the one can of the lager at 19 degrees, 500g Malt & Dextrose mix with 2 x 7g Kit Yeast.

Dry hoping with 70g Saaz.

‘Once complete I will then turn it into a Lager & Lime when kegging. 
‘Apparently this Lime is potent so they recommend adding 12mL per 19L keg so I will run with that and see how it turns out.

‘Basically this brew cost me nothing apart from the Lime Flavouring, so nothing lost nothing gained.

Sounds really good.  I cannot wait to read the tasting notes.

[Aussiekraut]

After the last batch was a problem, here we go again with a hopefully more successful Märzen. 

[Shamus O'Sean]

19 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

After the last batch was a problem

Hey AK, what was the issue and how did you fix it?

[Kegory]

25 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hey AK, what was the issue and how did you fix it?

I believe that's the one where he used the wrong ingredients. And he fixed it by changing the name.

[Aussiekraut]

2 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hey AK, what was the issue and how did you fix it?

Pre-boil, I was about 2l down on where I should have been and despite this, the pre-boil SG and then OG were way down from where they should have been. Then it got really odd. I fermented with NovaLager @15C and once it had hit 1.020, increased the temp to 18 for a d-rest. Took a sample 3 days later and it was sitting on 1,030. Another 2 days later, it still sat on 1.030 but there were lots of bubbles rising in the test tube, indicating ongoing fermentation. Tried a different hydrometer but got the same result. It didn't taste bad but rather sweet, as if it hadn't fermented out. After another 3 days, I fixed the problem in the most painful way: I tipped it down the drain. 

I have no idea what happened. I presume an infection of sorts.

[Aussiekraut]

1 hour ago, Kegory said:

I believe that's the one where he used the wrong ingredients. And he fixed it by changing the name.

Nah, that was C**kup Lager  But yes, that was initially supposed to be a Märzen. I attempted another one, which ultimately failed.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Aussiekraut

[Kegory]

2 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

Nah, that was C**kup Lager  But yes, that was initially supposed to be a Märzen. I attempted another one, which ultimately failed.

Ouch! 

[Shamus O'Sean]

Munich Dunkel today.

• 30 litre batch (22 L of wort plus 8 L top up water in the FV)
• OG 1.048 predicted (1.046 actual)
• 4.6% ABV; 21 IBU; 40 EBC
• 5.23kg Munich Malt
• 300g Carafa Special II
• 200g Melanoidin Malt
• 140g Acidulated Malt
• 50g Spalter Select hops, 70 minute boil
• Bluestone Pilsen yeast (harvested from recent Rice Lager brew)

About to mash-in

Mashing in

Starting the recirculation at the start of the mash 

Mash well under way

About to give the mash a stir

About to start sparging

Coming to the boil

Boil under way

The second life of a brewer - Cleaning stuff

Transferring to the fermenter

Tucked away in the temperature controlled fermenting fridge

[Tone boy]

Quick KnK today. Away from home for a while so making do with the equipment available. 
Pale ale with liquid wheat malt and 250g light crystal steeped at 65 degrees for 30 minutes. 
Galaxy and Nelson Suavin hops at 80 degrees for 20 minutes. 
Will dry hop with Galaxy as well. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

BREW DAY @Classic Brewing Co ECLPSE XPA

Getting the water for the Mash, these FV's contain PuraTap water that has been sitting uncovered for 2 days to help get rid of Chlorine & other nasties.

Getting the Sparge water ready.

The Mash underway, 68c for 1 hour. Isn't it great when everything just works.

 

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

BREW DAY @Classic Brewing Co ECLPSE XPA

Getting the water for the Mash, these FV's contain PuraTap water that has been sitting uncovered for 2 days to help get rid of Chlorine & other nasties.

Getting the Sparge water ready.

The Mash underway, 68c for 1 hour. Isn't it great when everything just works.

 

 

Sparging underway.

Now for the boil 1 hour, first hop addition 20gm Cascade 60mins.

Is it time for a beer yet?

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

55 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Sparging underway.

Now for the boil 1 hour, first hop addition 20gm Cascade 60mins.

Is it time for a beer yet?

 

The answer is yes, I thought I could hold out but the smell of the hops boiling got to me, I poured a previous AG brew form the tap, so enjoyable, I may have another.

A nice rolling boil for the second hop addition.

 

Final hop addition & Whirlflock & then cubing time.

[Classic Brewing Co]

22 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

The answer is yes, I thought I could hold out but the smell of the hops boiling got to me, I poured a previous AG brew form the tap, so enjoyable, I may have another.

A nice rolling boil for the second hop addition.

 

Final hop addition & Whirlflock & then cubing time.

Almost done, sit down for a while, a couple of beers & start the clean-up. 

If this brew is as 1/2 as good as the previous one, it will be great.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Classic Brewing Co

[Triple B Brewing]

22 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Almost done, sit down for a while, a couple of beers & start the clean-up. 

If this brew is as 1/2 as good as the previous one, it will be great.

 

 

Thanks @Classic Brewing Co it’s interesting to see how others go about their brewing

So judging by the time stamps on the photos, all brewing is done in about a couple hours and then the cleanup eh. Excuse my ignorance but what do you now do with the “cube” of beer - do you now pitch yeast and ferment in the “cube” ?

[Classic Brewing Co]

5 minutes ago, Triple B Brewing said:

Thanks @Classic Brewing Co it’s interesting to see how others go about their brewing

So judging by the time stamps on the photos, all brewing is done in about a couple hours and then the cleanup eh. Excuse my ignorance but what do you now do with the “cube” of beer - do you now pitch yeast and ferment in the “cube” ?

The Cube is full of hot wort which will sit on the tiled floor in the laundry overnight to cool down.

Tomorrow I will transfer the wort into a fermenter to about 20-21l & I will take a SG reading & when I have a pitch rate of 24c I will add the yeast, in this case US-05.

It will then go in the temperature-controlled brew fridge for 14 days at 20c.

There will be no need to add any more hops as the recipe called for 60gms, I have done this before & as a XPA style it is very hoppy anyway.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Phil