Martyn Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Paul, Muddy, anyone? Currently have the Unreal Ale recipe towards the end of fermentation. I took the OG of 1070 before adding the yeast (pitched at 24c) and have taken the 1st of the, hopefully, last readings before bottling and it was 1018. Giving me an approx ABV of 7.5%! Is this right for the recipe, seems pretty high? Have used real ale concentrate, 1kg BE#1, 500g LDM to 23litres. All were indate and the temp has never gone above 26c. Would just like to know if I have anything to worry about. Oh and it tastes ok too, big difference with using the LDM. Cheers Martyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 1070 is a false high reading. Perhaps the brew was not mixed homogenously or you didn't discard the first runnings out of the tap, which are higher in density? A 1.7kg beer kit + 1kg of dry product in 23 litres gives an OG of around the 1036 - 1038 mark. Add another 500g of dry stuff and it should bump the OG up another .007 ish, to 1043 - 1045. This brew should result in an alcohol content of around the 5.3%ABV mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Hi Martyn, I calculate that your orginal gravity should be around 1044 and it should finish around the 1009 mark. Before you take a reading draw a little bit of liquid and discard it before getting your sample. Stuff can settle around the tap giving you a false reading. EDIT: PB2 beat me to it so what he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Posted March 26, 2010 Author Share Posted March 26, 2010 Cheers gents, its only my 4th brew so picking up helpful hints and tips as I go. I didn't throw the first run off away, so will know for next time. Hopefully bottling up tomorrow. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 Had my first taste of the Irish Ale (from the how to brew section) last night, very nice. Slight taste and after taste of golden syrup, good fizz and a nice clear copper colour. Can see the benefits and differences of fermenting at the low 20's Paul have you ever come across an Irish beer/lager called 'Harp'? Haven't had it for many years but this recipe reminded me of it straight away, its a good clone, what do you think? Someone else did mention 'Harp' lager in an earlier post/topic somewhere but can find it. On the recipe in the how to brew section it says 'an ale with characters like those found in the imported 440ml cans with widgets!' From my own experience of cans with widgets in, they were more the bitter types in England such as Worthingtons, Boddingtons, John Smiths, Kilkenny, Guinness, etc. I've never seen a lager/ale can that has a widget in it. Which kind of ales with widgets in is the recipe referring to? Just my own observations. Martyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 I always assumed it was Guinness that was being referred to but I guess they can't name names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Harp Lager A few years ago, I tasted and tested Boddingtons Pub Ale and it came in a 440ml can with a widget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Muddy, have just set the recipe going you gave me with the cascade hop additions. I accidentally/on purpose put in just over 500g of the dextrose instead of the 250g you suggested. How alcoholic does that recipe come out with the 250g. Main reason I put more in was to bump the ABV up as am not a fan of mid strength beer. What should the OG be? I got 1048-1050. I ran the first runnings out of the tap before taking the OG but I had added and stirred in the yeast seconds before. Will this affect the OG much? Also, why leave in the fermenter for 2 weeks? What does this add/do to the end product? This is directed at anyone who might know but I'm looking at doing a Heineken-clone and wondering if anyone has any suggestions? Was going to use the Thomas Coopers Pilsner as a base though not sure which direction to go in with anything else. Paul has given me some varieties of hops to use with a Euro style lager. Any help/push in the right direction would be appreciated. Cheers Martyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Hi Martyn - The recipe I suggested should come out just over 5% so your would be around 5.6%. I forget if you have temp control or not? I generally leave mine in the fermentor for about 2 weeks but this isn't necessary (It is probably done at around day 7). The extra week, in my opinion, helps impart the aromas from the late hopping and gives the yeast a bit more time to settle. It is a matter of preference really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 5.6%! Jeez, gonna be a tasty drop, fingers crossed. If it just had 1kg of LDM what would it come out at? Not got temp control so at the mercy of the heavens at the minute, literally! Have got it sat on the freezer with a closed door behind it. I normally open the door to let the air from the nearby window cool it. Now the temp here has cooled down its more manageable, if I need to put some heat in to it I pushed it to the back, against the door and use the heat from the freezer motor. Seems to do a half decent job. Will see how long the weather (and my current supplies of longies, Unreal Ale, last!) stays cool and if the brew is at a stable temp then will leave it in the fermenter as long as I dare. Cheers for the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Hi Martyn - I tend to use this online BREWERS CALCULATOR to get an idea of what I'll be brewing. I'm not sure how accurate it is though (Looking at my notes I see that I actually ended up with 5.6% with my recipe?!?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusty1 Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Muddy - the extra 0.6% (approx) might come from the primming/2nd fermentation? they don't mention if that is considered on your calc site... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Good point Trusty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Remember that any calculator, such as the link Muddy posted, is a software application based on assumptions. For example, what is the Dextrose Equivalent(DE), assumed by this application, for dry corn syrup (maltodextrin)? Often, homebrewers quote figures that have fallen out of a brewing software application as 'actual' when the beer has not been analysed at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 I use the calculator initially as a very rough guide prior to making my beer. Once I start each brew I switch to pure science and mathematics (which is a fancy way to say I use my gravity readings and the equation for calculating alcohol). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Posted April 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 16, 2010 Well, this is a tasty drop. Out of all the homebrews I've brewed and tasted this is by far the nicest of them. I have only tasted the lager, Canadian Blonde and Irish Ale though! I'd like to add honey to this for my next brew as I think it would go quite well, any suggestions on which adjuncts I reduce in quantity to accommodate the honey? How much honey would I use? Aiming for about 5 to 5.5% abv. Any hop suggestions as well? Martyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benken25 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I have bought a couple of cans of real ale cheap and was wondering if anyone knew of any good recipes for them Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I've not tried it yet but this looks pretty good: http://coopers.com.au/the-brewers-guild/how-to-brew/ale/unreal-ale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusty1 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I have brewed the (trusty's) unreal ale, and it is, well - unreal! My brew was used with 1.5kg x "dark brew booster" from my LHBS which was made up of ingredients pretty closely resembling the recipe contained in the how to brew section except it contained dark malt X instead of LDM. Go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Tasted my first Unreal Ale today, bloody awful, has a bad case of Swine Flu infection. Will have to chuck the lot, well it saves buying another 30 bottles, \u201calways look on the bright side of life\u201d thanks to Monty Python, not Paul. Well I guess one is allowed one infection! My first out of 30 brews. Guess I\u2019ll get a lecture from Muddy over this co*k up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I've only done the unreal ale once and wasn't really impressed so maybe it isn't infected [innocent] Can you describe the taste...was it like bacon or more of a ham flavour [bandit] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I cracked a bottle of my Unreal Ale last night. I reckon it is an ok drop. However I've decided that it needs some further late hop additions to provide more aroma. Unfortunately the list of beers I want to try is growing faster than I can brew them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Muddy, more like rats piss.Found the culprit, its in B/B "Two Down". Weggl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coxy Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Dredging up an old thread, but I made the Unreal Ale to recipe and I think it's my favourite drop I've made so far! Absolutely delicious. Only 4 weeks in the bottle now and goes down very nicely. I didn't add any hops but it has a nice amount of bitterness and a pleasant aftertaste. I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Loving Trent Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 So is there much of a difference between Unreal Ale and Real Malty Ale recipes? I've done the unreal ale off the website,(except I'd used dextrose as opposed to BE1), and then noticed the real malty recipe while stirring a batch a few weeks ago. So I made a batch of Real malty ale which I'll bottle on Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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