Jump to content
Coopers Community

SHOUT OUT: PB2


Beerlust

Recommended Posts

I would also like to meet you PB2, if that is possible?

 

I admit I don't know what sweeteners I could offer to draw you out from the lab at the brewery, but would gladly offer what I have brewed that is available to gain that privilege.

 

Passionate Coopers beer supporter seeking Super Coopers Homebrew Master/Legend! [lol]

 

Does that work? [innocent]

 

All the jokes aside, any chance of that happening PB2?

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You tight arse. Just pay for a brewery tour [biggrin]

I didn't know PB2 was the tour guide. If that is the case, easy done. He'll just have to stop for longer periods to explain certain questions past his normal timeframe. [lol] [joyful]

 

So are you the tour guide PB2?

 

Anthony.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You tight arse. Just pay for a brewery tour [biggrin]

I didn't know PB2 was the tour guide. If that is the case, easy done. He'll just have to stop for longer periods to explain certain questions past his normal timeframe. [lol] [joyful]

 

So are you the tour guide PB2?

 

Anthony.

I don't think Paul is the usual tour guide so it may be pot luck. But surely you could sneak off the tour like the kids in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would also like to meet you PB2' date=' if that is possible?[/quote'] You are setting yourself up for massive disappointment.pinched

Frank runs the tours but I fill in for him from time to time. These days, I'm at the brewery about once a week, on average. whistling

Helping a friend up at Lyndoch tomorrow - depending on how late I finish up, I may or may not return home via the back way (Williamstown, Kersbrook etc.) as ferrying down main north road can be a pain in the aaarrrrse. If I do travel down the spine, I will pop in. Do you have any Green Flash West Coast IPA on the shelves?? [tongue]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think Paul is the usual tour guide so it may be pot luck. But surely you could sneak off the tour like the kids in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

You do know that the German "Glump" boy drowned in a vat of chocolate unsupervised somewhere in the factory don't you Hairy?

 

Mind you, If I had to go in some way, drowning in a vat of Coopers beer would not be the worst way to go. [innocent]

 

That said, if PB2 is not the tour guide, but silently gives me his office number that corresponds with a day he is at the brewery when they are conducting tours, I shall dis-engage from the main group & seek out the said person with some vigor. [lol]

 

I want to meet our maker on this forum, & aside from that, continue to learn from his brewing skills.

 

Do you have any Green Flash West Coast IPA on the shelves??

No. But we do have a lot of stuff you won't find anywhere else in Adelaide. No BS.

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry Lusty, could not call in - the day took longer than expected, what with a longer luncheon than planned (but that's what can happen in the Barossa) and a beer after at cellar door.

 

I had to drive straight home via the back way so that I could still be firing up the Weber in time for cooking marinated lamb backstraps for dinner. Managed to stay out of the dog-house, phew!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi PB2. [happy]

 

Sorry Lusty, could not call in - the day took longer than expected, what with a longer luncheon than planned (but that's what can happen in the Barossa) and a beer after at cellar door.

 

I had to drive straight home via the back way so that I could still be firing up the Weber in time for cooking marinated lamb backstraps for dinner. Managed to stay out of the dog-house, phew!!

It's a tough life you lead there PB2! [lol]

 

I can only wish my life to be equally as "tough". Hehehe! [biggrin]

 

On a serious note, I would like to send you a couple of samples of my differing hop types (following your 2013 schedule) with the ESVA I brewed. You would know this brew back-to-front these days, so I would be interested in your take of the hop types I used with your schedule early on in tasting & also once aged.

 

Interested? [unsure]

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hi PB2.

 

I see the Steam Beer is listed as the new BOTM to brew. I've never brewed a Steam beer, despite being interested in what it tastes like.

 

Coincidentally, I just bought a Real Ale can, along with a Pale Ale can for a couple of concurrent brews I have planned. I've got a good stockpile of good brews atm, & just wanted to do a few simple kit & kilo brews with maybe a hop steep/grain steep for the weeks leading into Christmas etc. Then I spotted this recipe. [biggrin]

 

Just one question about the recipe posted, why is it necessary to use TWO packets of the S-23 lager yeast for this brew? The Original Gravity does not seem to be excessive, & the temperature of 18\xb0C does not seem to place this yeast outside a viable primary fermenting range it is capable of dealing adequately with. [unsure]

 

I admit I don't do a lot of lager brewing, & certainly have not done one at a temperature of 18\xb0C. So I'm quite happy to have the need for the 2 x S-23 11.5gms sachets explained to me. [wink]

 

Some insight here would be helpful. [cool]

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can use one sachet if you like. The former recipe (made to 18 litres) called for only one sachet of W-34/70.

 

I've made numerous iterations of this brew with slight tweaks here and there. I settled on two sachets of S-23 only because it seems to produce less esters with an end result closer to Anchor Steam Beer.

 

Even though it moves away from the commercial version, when making it for consumption at home, I like to dry hop with another 25g of Northern Brewer. [wink]

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Lusty,

 

I think if you consult Mr.Malty it would tell you that for a lager brew you need twice as much yeast as an ale of the same volume and gravity.

 

I made PB2's steam beer recipe a couple of time a few of years ago. I used Wyeast 2112 Califoria common. It was a really nice beer as I recall, but it took a bit of maturation time.

 

I wish I had the yeast on hand because I would put this one down as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can use one sachet if you like. The former recipe (made to 18 litres) called for only one sachet of W-34/70.

 

I've made numerous iterations of this brew with slight tweaks here and there. I settled on two sachets of S-23 only because it seems to produce less esters with an end result closer to Anchor Steam Beer.

 

Even though it moves away from the commercial version, when making it for consumption at home, I like to dry hop with another 25g of Northern Brewer. [wink]

Thanks Paul. [happy]

 

I've already got some cluster hops that I would like to use, so this looks perfect. I'm not going to end up with something like XXXX Gold am I Paul? [wink] [lol]

 

Hi Skookum,

 

With the Mr. Malty calculator, there is one "element" not mentioned or used in the yeast calculations, that being ferment temperature.

 

I believe the Mr. Malty calculator calculates based on traditional brewing methods. i.e. An Ale is brewed at higher temperatures, & a lager is brewed at much lower temperatures, hence the increase in the volume of yeast that need to be pitched at those lower fermenting temperatures.

 

This particular brew is not being brewed at a traditional lager temperature, despite using a lager style yeast.

 

I'm hinging my bets that one packet will be fine.

 

P.S. In a couple of weeks, I'm thinking of making a Cascadian Dark Ale out of your Big Island IPA base, minus the oak chips. 300gms of Carafa, & 100gms of Chocolate malt, & a little more hop influence in amongst that recipe, & I reckon Robert's your mums brother! [wink]

 

Cheers & good brewing.

 

Anthony.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Hi PB2.

 

My apologies for isolating you here, but I really don't know who else to ask this question to. unsure

 

A few of the boys on the forum began talking about water quality & treatment etc. a little while back enough that I became interested in their conversation & contacted SA Water in an attempt to gain a breakdown of their chemical analysis of our water through what is produced via their processes.

 

In a phone conversation I was cut-off when being re-directed, & via an email enquiry I was directed to a long online document that didn't give an obvious breakdown of the chemical levels in the format the boys from the other states & countries were listing that I could compare with.

 

I have an issue that I can only describe to be an "astringency" that presents in my beers across most styles that I brew. Given the variety of practices, ingredient variances, & diversity of recipes, I had a thought this might be presenting from the water profile. unsure

 

Given your access to the lab technicians (& their data) there at Coopers, I was wondering if you could help me with some ideas on a basic water treatment to use with the Adelaide tap water that may or may not be adopted there at the Coopers Brewery with their Ale beers?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Lusty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info Magnaman. smile

 

I'll start a separate thread on the subject.

 

Cheers' date='

 

Lusty.[/quote']

 

Hey Cuz

 

Sorry to here about your water issues. Beautiful fresh and crisp water is Cascading down from Mt Wellington at the moment. Should I send a tanker over innocent

 

Cheers & Beers

The Taswegian

Scottie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Hi PB2.

 

My apologies for isolating you here' date=' but I really don't know who else to ask this question to. [img']unsure[/img]

 

A few of the boys on the forum began talking about water quality & treatment etc. a little while back enough that I became interested in their conversation & contacted SA Water in an attempt to gain a breakdown of their chemical analysis of our water through what is produced via their processes.

 

In a phone conversation I was cut-off when being re-directed, & via an email enquiry I was directed to a long online document that didn't give an obvious breakdown of the chemical levels in the format the boys from the other states & countries were listing that I could compare with.

 

I have an issue that I can only describe to be an "astringency" that presents in my beers across most styles that I brew. Given the variety of practices, ingredient variances, & diversity of recipes, I had a thought this might be presenting from the water profile. unsure

 

Given your access to the lab technicians (& their data) there at Coopers, I was wondering if you could help me with some ideas on a basic water treatment to use with the Adelaide tap water that may or may not be adopted there at the Coopers Brewery with their Ale beers?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Lusty.

 

Hi Lusty,

 

Just seeing this post now. Rather than frigging with water treatment, why don't you just use RO water and be done with it? Coopers also uses RO water and has already adjust the chemistry to suit the recipe, so your beer will be just fine if you use RO. If RO is very expensive in your area, you could try diluting your tap water with 50% RO, which should improve things, assuming that is the source of your astringency problems. They say that if your tap water tastes good, it is usually unnecessary to adjust your water chemistry when you are extract brewing. When we moved to the country and started using well water, which was hard and had low sulphate compared to calcium, I played around with adding some epsom salts and a smaller amount of calcium chloride, but I think all that I did is spoil some batches. Now I have switched to RO water (for different reasons) and I am much happier with my results.

 

Is your tap water very alkaline? If you are steeping specialty grains to add to your brews, you might consider using RO for your steeps, to reduce the amount of tannins extracted. Apparently this is especially important if you are making a light coloured beer. I like cold steeping black patent for 24 hours for the same reason, and keep my roasted barley hot steeps to 5-15 minutes.

 

Anyway, good luck solving your problem Lusty. Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Lusty does a fair number of partial mash recipes, so the water for these mashes would be important. I agree if doing all extract that it doesn't really matter though.

 

The idea that black malt contributes acrid or astringent flavours is an interesting one. I'm on the fence on that myself. My porter recipe contains 350g black patent, which just goes into the mash with everything else and I've never noticed any of those flavours in the finished beer. That's only my experience though which is why I don't really have an opinion one way or the other. In my situation it's a myth but it may be different for others. cool

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Christina.

 

Thanks for your interest toward my potential water related issue.

 

I actually got chatting a little further about this over in another thread, where Hairy suggested trying Campden tablets, so I'm going to give them a try in my top-up water.

 

At this point, I'm not even certain the astringency is coming from the water. It just seems the most likely source given the volume of unboiled top-up water I use vs the smaller volume of wort I acquire from my steeping & mini-mashing.

 

If the source of the astringency is coming from this unboiled tap water, the Campden tablet(s) should fix this problem. If the astringency still presents afterward, then I'll have to look into some of my grain related practices & PH levels of the wort I'm producing/creating with my use of them. Then the real headaches will begin! pinched

 

As a side note, PB2 presented a very thoughtful way of removing chlorine presence in water in that same thread that I might also give a go when the weather clears up a little.

 

After looking at RO water as an option, it looks like an expensive exercise & probably a little over-kill for what my problem & needs are here. wink

 

Cheers,

 

Lusty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Hi PB2. smile

 

I would really appreciate your input on this one as it is a subject rarely spoken of in home brewing circles as being anything particularly important. That subject being the importance of a stable secondary fermentation temperature.

 

I admit I've never really experienced any carbonation issues on a regular basis with my bottled beers until I began cold crashing the beer in the FV before bottling/ kegging the beer.

 

I've seen charts that roughly describe approximate adjustments to priming levels based on the temperature of the beer at the time the priming sugar is added, but admit to being very naive about how this then impacts upon carbonation levels when naturally carbonating.

 

I'd be interested in your thoughts & first-hand experiences in this area, not just for my own personal reasons, but to help other home brewers understand what is going on here & how temperature impacts on final carbonation levels.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Lusty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the idea is that the temperature used to calculate priming sugar amounts is the highest temp the beer reached post-ferment, not the temperature the beer is at when it's bottled. That being the case, the temp the beer is at when the priming sugar is added is irrelevant and I doubt very much whether this is the reason behind bottled beers slowly becoming gushers over extended periods of storage (which I'm guessing is why you're posing the question). cool

 

I've recently taken to boiling the priming solution in the microwave, rather than simply adding boiling water to the dextrose and dissolving. This should hopefully kill any bugs that may be lurking in the dex which may contribute to this excessive carbonation over time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Kelsey.

Well' date=' the idea is that the temperature used to calculate priming sugar amounts is the highest temp the beer reached post-ferment, not the temperature the beer is at when it's bottled. That being the case, the temp the beer is at when the priming sugar is added is irrelevant and I doubt very much whether this is the reason behind bottled beers slowly becoming gushers over extended periods of storage (which I'm guessing is why you're posing the question). [img']cool[/img]

 

I've recently taken to boiling the priming solution in the microwave, rather than simply adding boiling water to the dextrose and dissolving. This should hopefully kill any bugs that may be lurking in the dex which may contribute to this excessive carbonation over time.

You make some good points as usual.

 

At this time of year my conditioning bottles are probably maxxing out around 25-26°C whilst in storage. From cold crash, I fill my keg & then bottle 3 or so longnecks straight after. I'm adding the priming sugar while the beer is probably still around 10°C. Given my SG's are stable, I'm wondering if this temperature swing is responsible for elevated carbonation levels somehow during the secondary ferment? unsure

 

I was also discussing this with Ben yesterday, & I reckon I'll halve my priming rate & see how that goes first. It's not something I've experienced before so it is a little annoying.

 

I'm going to be bottling the whole batch of a blueberry porter I'll be brewing soon, & it would break my heart if this over-carbonation issue rears it's ugly head through that beer. crying

 

Cheers,

 

Lusty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could be wrong but I thought it was dependent on the temperature at the end of fermentation; i.e. this will determine how much dissolved CO2 is left in the beer. So, prima facie, a lager would have more CO2 than an ale before bottling.

 

I didn't think cold crashing affected this.

 

However, I am not sure if warming up a lager prior to bottling reduces the CO2 unsure

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gas is less soluble at higher temperatures, as we know. That's why the priming rate is based on the highest temp the beer reached post fermentation, not the fermentation temp or the temp at bottling time. So yes, if you warm a lager up for a D-rest it will have less residual CO2 in it than one that was simply left at fermentation temps the whole time.

Cold crashing won't affect it, once the CO2 escapes, it's not gonna magically return back into the fermenter and in turn, the beer, just because the temp is dropped. Some of what is in the headspace will probably re-absorb, but it's nothing much and certainly nowhere near enough to justify only adding 70g of sugar or whatever for priming.

 

I doubt the temp swing is responsible for the overcarbonation. It would be more likely to be some organism or something in the beer itself causing it. How long is it actually taking before you notice this problem? Are they taking 5 or 6 months to get to this point or is it happening sooner?

 

I've also noticed beers become overcarbonated after extended storage, which makes it annoying when brewing porters and stouts because by the time they're at their peak the carb level is too high to enjoy them properly. My solution for the next one is to halve my normal priming rate for the bottled portion. Maybe by the time they're getting good this mysterious thing that causes this problem will have them sitting at the carb level I enjoy. lol

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...