Brew Day What Have Ya Got - 2023

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Just starting my third AG brew, a Hefeweizen. The recipe is a Brew in a bag recipe without sparging, 28l mash water. Got a bit confused and worried that adding the grains it will get a bit messy, so I used the quantity Brewfather gave me. 19.95l and 9.45l sparging water. Let’s see how it will turn out. 15 more minutes mashing and the the sparging will start.

Good one BF, those figures sound fairly good, you may fall short of the end volume, but you can always top it up a bit.

[Brauhaus Fritz]

While the Hefeweizen is boiling

 I thought I whip up a k&k Coopers Pale Ale with 2x BE2 and 500gr LDM. Also found some Hallertau MF in the freezer, so I made a little hop tea with the 37gr left. Planning to do a dry hop later to bring out a bit more citrus flavour, have some Galaxy and Citra. So far it’s a nice bittersweet flavour. OG 1062

[Cheap Charlie]

38 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I simply mean it is as close to the beer you buy in the pub as you can get. 

I have to disagree with you there - I think it's superior to pub megaswill

[Cheap Charlie]

1 hour ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Just starting my third AG brew, a Hefeweizen. The recipe is a Brew in a bag recipe without sparging, 28l mash water. Got a bit confused and worried that adding the grains it will get a bit messy, so I used the quantity Brewfather gave me. 19.95l and 9.45l sparging water. Let’s see how it will turn out. 15 more minutes mashing and the the sparging will start.

That's a really fine mill. What size gap do you set your mill to?

[Cheap Charlie]

Doing a Porter, half and half with a Ruby Porter kit. I toasted 200g of pale malt to see what that would do as I didn't have any roasted barley or chocolate malt. I added 300g of light crystal and 4kg of Coopers Pale Malt. To that I will add the Thomas Cooper's Devil's Half Ruby Porter. A late start today, started at lunch time so will be a long day as I will also most likely knock up a pilsner.

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

9 minutes ago, Cheap Charlie said:

I have to disagree with you there - I think it's superior to pub megaswill

Well IMO not all pub beers are megaswill, yes most of them are but if you have the right people in the kegroom/bar you can get some fine beers especially with the Glycol Beer Tap Systems. Of course, a fresh keg running through clean beer lines helps.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Transferring yesterday's brew to a fermenter, this is so easy, everything turned out great, I hit my volume & it was already to pitch-24c.

 

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Just starting my third AG brew, a Hefeweizen. The recipe is a Brew in a bag recipe without sparging, 28l mash water. Got a bit confused and worried that adding the grains it will get a bit messy, so I used the quantity Brewfather gave me. 19.95l and 9.45l sparging water. Let’s see how it will turn out. 15 more minutes mashing and the the sparging will start.

I reckon you will get pretty close to your intended volume and OG.  Although you have bought a brew in a bag recipe, if you have input the right weight of grains, your equipment profile in Brewfather will give you the numbers for your mash and sparge water to suit your system.

[Triple B Brewing]

5 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Transferring yesterday's brew to a fermenter, this is so easy, everything turned out great, I hit my volume & it was already to pitch-24c.

 

WOW - thanks for the additional photos and update on your process Phil.  

I know there’s no real difference to making and mixing a wort up directly in a fermenter, but it just feels really strange to see the amount of exposure to air while decanting your wort from cube to fermenter. In fact I understand aerating your wort before pitching yeast is a good thing, so it all makes sense, just a mind set thing for me I guess.
Here’s to a fine outcome @Classic Brewing Co

[Brauhaus Fritz]

51 minutes ago, Cheap Charlie said:

That's a really fine mill. What size gap do you set your mill to?

 I got it milled at my LHBS “Hop and Grain”, so I have no clue

[Brauhaus Fritz]

The wort is in the hot cube but Sydney has a mini Heatwave, so I might have to wait a few days to pitch the yeast as I like to ferment it at 19 degrees. It seems that I really have to get an old fridge.

Now it’s time for refreshments, “Fritz’s Old” is going down a treat and it’s head should make the brewers at Toohey’s jealous 

[Classic Brewing Co]

33 minutes ago, Triple B Brewing said:

WOW - thanks for the additional photos and update on your process Phil.  

I know there’s no real difference to making and mixing a wort up directly in a fermenter, but it just feels really strange to see the amount of exposure to air while decanting your wort from cube to fermenter. In fact I understand aerating your wort before pitching yeast is a good thing, so it all makes sense, just a mind set thing for me I guess.
Here’s to a fine outcome @Classic Brewing Co

Cheers @Triple B Brewing the wort does get aerated nicely & it

 

21 minutes ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

The wort is in the hot cube but Sydney has a mini Heatwave, so I might have to wait a few days to pitch the yeast as I like to ferment it at 19 degrees. It seems that I really have to get an old fridge.

Now it’s time for refreshments, “Fritz’s Old” is going down a treat and it’s head should make the brewers at Toohey’s jealous 

Mate if you don't mind a tip, it pays to turn the cube on its side a couple of times & then lay it down so the tap is immersed while the wort is hot, it helps with the sanitation.

[Aussiekraut]

4 hours ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Just starting my third AG brew, a Hefeweizen. The recipe is a Brew in a bag recipe without sparging, 28l mash water. Got a bit confused and worried that adding the grains it will get a bit messy, so I used the quantity Brewfather gave me. 19.95l and 9.45l sparging water. Let’s see how it will turn out. 15 more minutes mashing and the the sparging will start.

How much do you get out of the 28l? 

Based on my system, I'd lose 3l based on 5kg grain absorption and based on a 60-minute boil, I'd lose another 4l boil-off. So I guess around 21l? Just enough for a cube? 

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Cheers @Triple B Brewing the wort does get aerated nicely & it

The rest of that disappeared 

...the wort does get aerated nicely & it is already to pitch & whack in the brew fridge.

[Triple B Brewing]

6 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

The rest of that disappeared 

...the wort does get aerated nicely & it is already to pitch & whack in the brew fridge.

WOOHOO - Go you good thing

[Brauhaus Fritz]

25 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

How much do you get out of the 28l? 

Based on my system, I'd lose 3l based on 5kg grain absorption and based on a 60-minute boil, I'd lose another 4l boil-off. So I guess around 21l? Just enough for a cube? 

That’s about right, I added a litre of boiled water to the cube but realised during cleaning that the litre was still in the Brewzilla. The cube is as good as full, I will know the exact amount after filling my FV

[Triple B Brewing]

2 hours ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

The wort is in the hot cube but Sydney has a mini Heatwave, so I might have to wait a few days to pitch the yeast as I like to ferment it at 19 degrees. It seems that I really have to get an old fridge.

Now it’s time for refreshments, “Fritz’s Old” is going down a treat and it’s head should make the brewers at Toohey’s jealous 

Oh yeah, ya gotta do yaself a really big “since I sorted control over my ferment temps I’ve never looked back” favour and get yaself that dedicated fermentation system sorted @Brauhaus Fritz

I use a INKBIRD ITC-310T-B really pleased with the capacity of this unit, it will set you up to control your fridge and heating system really easily, you simply plug the fridge and whatever you choose to heat with into the inkbird controller and bingo - your in total control of your fermentation temperature

[Brauhaus Fritz]

1 hour ago, Triple B Brewing said:

Oh yeah, ya gotta do yaself a really big “since I sorted control over my ferment temps I’ve never looked back” favour and get yaself that dedicated fermentation system sorted @Brauhaus Fritz

I use a INKBIRD ITC-310T-B really pleased with the capacity of this unit, it will set you up to control your fridge and heating system really easily, you simply plug the fridge and whatever you choose to heat with into the inkbird controller and bingo - your in total control of your fermentation temperature

I do have a temperature controller as I use heat belts in winter and a cooling bag with ice packs for lower temperatures. My problem is to get the wort to pitching temperature as the ambient one is quite high.

[Brauhaus Fritz]

1 minute ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

I do have a temperature controller as I use heat belts in winter and a cooling bag with ice packs for lower temperatures. My problem is to get the wort to pitching temperature as the ambient one is quite high.

Thinking about it I could put the hot cube together with some ice packs into the cooling back to lower the temperature, might do it tomorrow morning 

[Triple B Brewing]

30 minutes ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Thinking about it I could put the hot cube together with some ice packs into the cooling back to lower the temperature, might do it tomorrow morning 

Roger that, well it sounds like you already have 2 out of the 3 items needed @Brauhaus Fritzand once you have a dedicated fridge you are set to forget the ice packs 

Not 100% sure on the dimensions of a cube, but it would have to go close to being able to be fit into an old bar fridge. Something like mine maybe, mine cost $40 from gum tree  Fermentation Fridge.pdf

Having said that, you might want a full size fridge given ya knockin' out 3 brews in a day  - ALL RIGHTY THEN !!

[Brauhaus Fritz]

54 minutes ago, Triple B Brewing said:

Roger that, well it sounds like you already have 2 out of the 3 items needed @Brauhaus Fritzand once you have a dedicated fridge you are set to forget the ice packs 

Not 100% sure on the dimensions of a cube, but it would have to go close to being able to be fit into an old bar fridge. Something like mine maybe, mine cost $40 from gum tree  Fermentation Fridge.pdf

Having said that, you might want a full size fridge given ya knockin' out 3 brews in a day  - ALL RIGHTY THEN !!

Cool set up 

[Triple B Brewing]

6 minutes ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Cool set up 

Thank you ! - it works a treat and was very easy to set up - It has to be my best $200 total investment made so far - I just love the flexibility it gives me when deciding "what style I'll brew next" and the confidence that I can replicate exactly any brew I make

[kmar92]

6 hours ago, Triple B Brewing said:

WOW - thanks for the additional photos and update on your process Phil.  

I know there’s no real difference to making and mixing a wort up directly in a fermenter, but it just feels really strange to see the amount of exposure to air while decanting your wort from cube to fermenter. In fact I understand aerating your wort before pitching yeast is a good thing, so it all makes sense, just a mind set thing for me I guess.
Here’s to a fine outcome @Classic Brewing Co

Exposure to air is a good thing at that stage as you get more O2 into the wort, O2 is essential to healthy yeast growth in the initial phase of fermenting. I aerate my worts with a fish tank aerator after it goes into the fermentation vessel to increase the O2 in the wort - helps the yeast get a good start.

[Cheap Charlie]

Well I didn't get around to the second brew yesterday, it was too late . Anyway, cleaned the machine and set it on timer for 5am and chucked my pils mix in at 5:30 this morning. The brew went ok, except it wasn't as clear as normal - and there was an oily film on top; hop oil maybe? So a good excuse to use 2x Coopers APA kit yeasts as an experiment to see how she turns out.

[Triple B Brewing]

16 hours ago, kmar92 said:

Exposure to air is a good thing at that stage as you get more O2 into the wort, O2 is essential to healthy yeast growth in the initial phase of fermenting. I aerate my worts with a fish tank aerator after it goes into the fermentation vessel to increase the O2 in the wort - helps the yeast get a good start.

Agreed - thanks @kmar92
P.S. That’s a dedicated fish tank aerator for just home brewing purposes only - right !

Seriously though I get it - thanks for your reply cobber