Brew Day!! Watcha' got, eh!? no.3

[Canadian Eh!L]

Brew Day!!!

 

This ones an ESB. It's on the boil as I type. It's bittered at 60mins with a blend of hopsmostly to use up some pellets that are starting to get a little old. Then i hit it with some Cascade (FWH) and some more Cascade at Flame-out.

 

Glastonbury ESB

 

3Kg Pale Ale malt

1.5Kg ESB malt

.5Kg Munich malt

.3Kg Crystal 80L

.1Kg Wheat malt

 

15g Cascade 7.1% (FWH)

4g Challenger 6.7% (60mins)

15g EKG 6.4% (60mins)

10g N. Brewer 10.1% (60mins)

20g Cascade (flameout)

21L

WLP013 London ale

5.2pH

 

mashed at 66C for 60mins IBU 35

[PhilboBaggins]

Hi Lusty.

 

I used POR in a pale ale for Dad earlier this year, early AND late additions, and it's a lovely hop.

 

I've also had a beer at BrewBoys poured through a Randall full of POR flowers and it was to die for. Always keep an open mind when it comes to flavours until you've tried for yourself. When the guy from BrewBoys saw the shocked look on my face when he suggested that POR was a good aroma hop, he said 'another brewing forum reader huh?'

 

Just goes to show that while the information we share amongst ourselves is valuable, it may not suit every individual, and we should still make our own minds up about things, especially when it comes down to what tastes good and what doesn't.

 

Okay, now that I am down from my soap box, have you been to BrewBoys Lusty? Anyone who is into great beer should really have it at the top of their list. They are great blokes and will usually pour themselves a beer once they've served you yours, and will sit around for hours chatting about brewing. Most of their beers use quite un-trendy hops (I think it may be their thing) and are all wonderful.

 

Try the Maiden Ale or the Seeing Double (wee-heavy) beers and you won't be disappointed.

[Nick]

I am glad the topic of POR has raised its head as i was about to start a thread regarding POR as a late or aroma hop. I have just started a real ale and have 50gm of POR pellets that i was going to drop in after a couple of days. I was going to go the whole 50gms and if it doesnt turn out to good, i'll give the lot to my Dad who drinks anything. A couple of opinions would be good though?

[Beerlust]

G'day guys. :)

 

Hairy: Yeah I've never done a beer with the PoR for flavouring & aroma either, so this is the interesting part about this brew for me.

 

"Vyvyan: Cornflakes for breakfast? That's disgusting Neil!" I personally liked the episode where he was kicking his own head along the train line! Haha!

 

"Neil: If I had a penny for everytime I had to answer the door,.....I'd have five pounds sixty three." :D

 

Philbo: Your most recent post about BrewBoys has convinced me I should check this place out. I've been wanting to try a beer poured through a Randall full of hops, just to see what it tastes like. Looks like I'll have to wait though until January 9, 2014 when they re-open.

 

Your point about trying things for ourselves & forming our own opinions is well made. Again that is part of the reason for me wanting to try the single hop PoR recipe. I'm glad to hear your experiences with it were both positive ones. It does make you wonder though, why the negative stigma in a lot of postings relating to the PoR hop over numerous forums, & why so few recipes listed? Maybe it's because the hop is said to be so widely used in mainstream commercial brewing, homebrewers wanting to produce something away from that commercial style, simply steer clear of it? (insert unsure icon)

 

Skookum: Good luck with the brew. I see you're using a White Labs yeast for this one. What size starter did you make (if at all?). I have a brewing friend that uses the same strain (but the Wyeast version) for almost all of his ales, & he makes some cracking beers!

 

Go Go wheat malt! Hehehe! :D

 

Michael: Congrats on the efficiency improvement. Although I only do partials, it is something I certainly understand, & it is always nice to know you are getting as much as possible from your grain additions. :)

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

[Canadian Eh!L]

Hey Lusty,

 

I recently got myself a stir plate and flask. This thing is cool! I've being playing around with it and have grown a bit of yeast just for fun. For this brew I used a fresh vial of WLP013 and cultured a 1600ml starter. I left it on the stir plate right up until the wort was cooled to pitching temps. At this point I poured off 500ml into a cleaned & sanitised jar. This went into the fridge for another brew and I pitched the rest into the wort.

 

My LHBS has recently switched supplies from Wyeast to White lab so I guess I'm switching too. I'll miss W2112 and W1084 but I'm sure WLP has something similar.

 

Yes, I'm still using Wheat Malt ! Haha! I'm still working through the 2Kgs I bought months ago. I don't mind using a bit of wheat malt when drinking freshly kegged beer to help with HR. A well aged bottled beer probably doesn't need it.

 

I'm still off Carapils!!

[Beerlust]

I've being playing around with it and have grown a bit of yeast just for fun.

Do you remember what happened the last time you decided to play around with wild yeasts Chad? (insert whistling icon) I didn't think you'd be doing that again anytime soon. :P

 

My LHBS has recently switched supplies from Wyeast to White lab so I guess I'm switching too. I'll miss W2112 and W1084 but I'm sure WLP has something similar.

Did your LHBS owner give any reason why they switched? I'm just curious.

 

Yes' date=' I'm still using [b']Wheat Malt [/b] ! Haha! I'm still working through the 2Kgs I bought months ago. I don't mind using a bit of wheat malt when drinking freshly kegged beer to help with HR. A well aged bottled beer probably doesn't need it.

 

I'm still off Carapils!!

I'm still tinkering with the amounts of wheat malt I am using in brews. There has been a definite head retention/development improvement in my beers since I began using it. I will admit I've scaled it back from the 200-250gms I was using in conjunction with CaraPils. In my most recent brews, I'm down to 100-150gms of wheat malt just by itself or in conjunction with some CaraHell in 50-100gm amounts.

 

Your point about "a well aged bottled beer probably doesn't need it" I think is well made. The aging time at when you plan to drink the beer is the deciding factor. As the bulk of the beers I make are hoppy style Pale Ales, I like to drink them earlier while the hop character is fresh & more pronounced, thus any improved head development/head retention I can achieve earlier on is a desirable thing. However once that beer ages beyond a certain point, I find the beers are pouring too heady.

 

The quest for balance in this area is one I'm certainly finding an interesting one.

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

[Canadian Eh!L]

Hey Lusty

You're up late aren't you!

 

I think we are on the same page with the wheat malt now.

 

You mentioned 'wild yeast'. I'm not experimenting with wild yeast. I am using commercial yeast. I just been growing some up for fun on my stir plate. You should look into getting yourself one of these things. They are really cool and it makes the method of making starters I used to use a joke. It's no wonder I've had some infections in the past.

 

I don't know yet why the switch from Wyeast to WLP.

[ben 10]

Sneaky early taste... holy crap batman.

Smooth bitterness, some nice burnt malty background. Amazing head, not enough hop aroma, clean after taste.

AG FTW.

 

Recipe: Summer Secret

TYPE: All Grain

 

 

Estimated IBU: 32.3 IBUs

 

 

Ingredients:

————

Amt Name Type # %/IBU

3.50 kg Pilsner' date=' Malt Craft Export (Joe White) ( Grain 1 85.4 %

0.35 kg Caraaroma (Weyermann) (350.7 EBC) Grain 2 8.5 %

0.25 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (236.4 EBC) Grain 3 6.1 %

12.00 g Magnum - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 15.8 IBUs

10.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) - Boil 15. Hop 5 3.0 IBUs

10.00 g Vic Secret - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 8.8 IBUs

0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 7 -

10.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) - Boil 5.0 Hop 8 1.2 IBUs

10.00 g Vic Secret - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 3.5 IBUs

1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 10 -

 

[/quote']

[Beerlust]

Brew day is planned for this coming Sunday, & I wanted to brew something experimental & away from using the more standard hops that I use for most of my APA's. I've been wanting to try some CaraMunich, along with giving the BRY-97 yeast another go. If it fails this time, I'll never use the stuff again. I feel a bit more confident with it this time around though, since changing my sanitation regime.

 

Whenever I brew with new malts/grains for the first time, I do like to isolate them as much as possible, so that I can gain a true indication of what the malt or grain is adding flavour wise into the end beer. The following recipe should do a good job of that, provided the damn BRY-97 yeast does its job this time! (insert pinched icon)

 

Light Dry Malt extract 1.5kgs

Maris Otter grain 1kg

CaraMunich grain 150gms

Wheat Malt grain 100gms

CaraPils grain 100gms

 

6 litre hop boil:

 

Citra 10gms @ FWH

Pride of Ringwood 10gms @ 60mins

Simcoe 10gms @ 20mins

Sorachi Ace 10gms @ 10mins

Simcoe 10gms @ 5mins

Sorachi Ace 15gms @ flameout

Saaz 15gms @ flameout

BRY-97 yeast

Brewed to 23 litres

Fermented @ 18°C

OG = approx. 1.042

FG = approx. 1009 (depending on attenuation)

EBC 11.9 IBU = approx. 34.7

Bottled ABV = approx. 4.8%

 

I hope the BRY-97 decides to ferment this one, as it should make for an interesting beer. If it doesn't, I won't be heart broken, I just won't buy the stuff again. :P

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

 

[Canadian Eh!L]

Lusty

 

I'm not too sure but I don't really think you will really get much out of the Caramunich with only 150g along with the MO and the Carapils. The MO has a strong malty flavour that might mask any flavour profile that the CM might add to the brew. The CP/WM will also get in the way of the body that the CM might add. If you are really looking to " isolate" the Caramunich then maybe try it in a brew without all the other fancy malts.

 

While we are on the matter of your recipe I think your hop schedule will also be too much for your small amount of CM.

 

I might be wrong here as I have never used this BRY-97 but as I take it is similar to US-05. If it is then your yeast choice may be a problem for your CM "isolation" as this type of yeast can strip the malt profile can leave your brew somewhat dry.

 

These are just my thoughts and I could be totally wrong but if you are really trying to "isolate" the profile of a new ingredient you probably shouldn't complicate it with a bunch of other things.

 

Having said all of that your brew looks pretty tasty.

:)

 

[ben 10]

BRY-97 is good stuff. I likey. Two brews in FV with it ATM and they are smelling great.

[Beerlust]

Hi Skookum.

 

All good & relevant points you make as usual Chad. Thanks. :)

 

What I probably should have added in the recipe post was that I am using the CaraMunich in place of crystal malts, so that I can understand how it may differ from other crystal malts that I have tried thus far. It's also CaraMunich III, (the darkest one). I've grown comfortable with the other ingredients used in the recipe, & know what to expect from them when in combination with each other. How this style of yeast influences the brew, I am also very familiar with, so I'm not aiming to create a "malty" beer as such, hence the hopping schedule.

 

The hops I have chosen, & the schedule I chose should hopefully go well in a more base malt driven beer. I've used Maris Otter a number of times, & very much enjoyed what it added into the beers I used it in. It's got a bit of character over numerous other base malt grains, & it just seemed a good fit here. The fact that the beer has only a smallish specialty grain influence is also the reason I am not dry hopping this beer.

 

The amount of CaraMunich to use, I wasn't really sure on, but remembered seeing a post a while back from Hairy where I think he used this amount in conjunction with the CPA kit (my apologies if I have mis-quoted), with good results. Going leaner on the amount, again seemed a better fit, as I am trying to create a different flavoured beer than my usual APA's. >_^

 

Hi Ben10. :)

 

The constant teasing by my fellow Coopers Forum brethren about how good BRY-97 is, is the only reason it is getting a third try after my two previous infected brews when using it.

 

I like to get into a squatting position, tuck my head between my knees, & then gently lean forward.

Hey, that's just the way I roll! :D

 

Cheers & good brewing guys.

 

Anthony.

[MichaelJ13]

Just brewed up a AG CPA clone

4kg pilsner

200g wheat

50 dark crystal

Mashed @ 65 for 90 minutes

300g dextrose

 

28g POR @60

 

and planning to ferment with coopers commercial yeast starter

 

 

[Beerlust]

Hi Michael.

 

I can vouch for the CCA yeast. I love re-activating it, & using it. It's a cracking yeast!

 

Good luck with the brew, it looks like a very good recipe.

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony

[ben 10]

Considering this tomorrow...

Any thoughts?

 

 

Recipe: Summer Pale

Estimated OG: 1.047 SG

Estimated Color: 16.4 EBC

Estimated IBU: 34.1 IBUs

 

Ingredients:

------------

3.50 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White)

0.50 kg Munich, Light (Joe White)

0.50 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White)

0.25 kg Crystal (Joe White)

10.00 g Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min 12.1 IBUs

0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)

15.00 g Galaxy [14.20 %] - Boil 15.0 min 10.6 IBUs

15.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - Boil 15. 4.3 IBUs

25.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - Boil 5.0 2.9 IBUs

15.00 g Galaxy [14.20 %] - Boil 5.0 min 4.3 IBUs

1.0 pkg BRY-97 (Lallemand #)

25.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - Dry Hop Hop 12 0.0 IBUs

 

 

[MichaelJ13]

Hey lusty what's your method for reactivating cca yeast do you use dex or dme and how big of a starter for a 1045 beer bearing in mind I really want to get it as low as possible. I have reactivated once back when I first started brewing using dextrose and it stalled at 1018 so I'm a little unsure. I was going to do a 600 ml started with dme and step up to 1.5l to be sure

[Beerlust]

Hi Michael.

 

I am constantly bemused at fellow brewers need to want to change the procedure outlined.

 

I follow the directions exactly. I use table sugar to create the sugar solution. I use 6 stubbies for brews up to a 1.050 OG, but given how vigorous the ferment is to 1.050, I am keen to try this volume to 1.060 OG brews. I've also used the technique with 4 & 5 stubbies worth with sub 1.040 OG brews, & am yet to have a failure.

 

All I would add to information provided on the procedure is to begin the re-activation a good two days prior to when you plan to pitch the yeast, & in colder times of the year, I do place those stubbies on a heat pad for the re-activation process.

 

Put your fancy equipment away, & simply follow the shake in the morning & shake at night glad-wrapped, re-activated in the stubbie method. Those that I find run into problems with the re-activation are those that steer further away from the method outlined.

 

I think I'm 8 or 9 - 0 using the procedure this way so far. >_^

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

[Scottie]

Hi Michael.

 

I am constantly bemused at fellow brewers need to want to change the procedure outlined.

 

I follow the directions exactly. .........

 

Put your fancy equipment away' date=' & simply follow the shake in the morning & shake at night glad-wrapped, re-activated in the stubbie method. .....

Anthony.[/quote']

+1

[MichaelJ13]

Wow and yet 2 -0 to the bry -97 ( sorry I had too). Do you pitch the lot at high krausen or refrigerate ndat just pitch the yeast?

[Beerlust]

Always at "high krausen" (as you call it). It seems pointless to go through the re-activation process, if you are only going to re-refrigerate, placing the yeast back into a dormant state.

 

The BRY-97 gets it's last chance to work for me when I pitch it into a brew I'm putting down today. I'm going to throw some spare kit yeast into the last 10mins of the boil to act as nutrient for the BRY. Hopefully that will entice the lazy stuff to get & do some work a bit quicker this time around! Haha! :D

 

The lengths I have gone to "babying" this stuff is ridiculous! :P

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

[MichaelJ13]

I think you have been very unlucky mate, I have used bry 97 about ten times I recon and I think there was only once that it took more than 24 hours to kick off. I'm sure it will be fine this time around

[Canadian Eh!L]

Lusty,

 

Do you aerate the wort before pitching? Before I pitch the yeast I whip the wort with much splashing and foaming. This method usually gets thing moving right along.

[Canadian Eh!L]

Brew Day today!!

 

Today's brew was a Nut Brown Ale.

 

This brew used 1Kg toasted PA malt. I toasted this malt at 180Cish dry for 30mins.

 

Toasty Nut Brown

3Kg Pale ale

1Kg Toasted PA malt 180C for 30mins

.5Kg ESB

.1Kg Choc. Malt

10g EKG 6.4% (FWH)

10g N Brewer 10.1%(40mins)

8g Magnum 12.5% (60mins)

21L

WLP013 London Ale

 

This brew day I tried something new. Today after mashing, sparging and running off the (big) beer I added 10L more to the mash and ran off a 10L small beer! To the small beer I add 500g of DME and some Magnum and NB. for a 40min boil in a second kettle. I pitched the same yeast as the big beer. OG 1.037.

 

If this little experiment works it means i'll be able to make a full strenght brew 21L and a mid-strength brew 10L using the same mash on the same day at the same time. All that is required is 500g DME and a few grams of hop to get another 10Lish of beer!

 

All you AGers should keep this little trick in mind for your next brew day.

[ben 10]

Nut Brown looks good mate!

 

Today I went with

A Lighter Shade of Pale

 

Batch Size (fermenter): 20.00 l

 

Estimated OG: 1.031 SG

 

Estimated IBU: 35.8 IBUs

 

Ingredients:

------------

 

1.50 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White)

0.50 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (17.7 EBC)

0.50 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White)

0.25 kg Crystal (Joe White) (141.8 EBC)

10.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - First Wo Hop

15.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - Boil 15

10.00 g Galaxy [14.20 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop

25.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - Boil 5.0

15.00 g Galaxy [14.20 %] - Boil 5.0 min

1.0 pkg BRY-97 (Lallemand #) Yeast 11

20.00 g Summer (Summer Saaz) [5.70 %] - Dry Hop

 

 

 

[Beerlust]

A couple of nice looking recipes there Ben & Chad. :)

 

I've read about guys that use a second runnings from their mash for a second lower OG brew. It would be interesting to see how many litres you could get before it begins to run clear. That London Ale strain of yeast should produce a very nice beer. I've drank a few different types of beer using it brewed by a friend that uses it a lot.

 

I also put down my brew today from post#135 of this thread, & all I can say is...

 

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.