What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[MrC]

Still no brewing action at the Cherry Brewery.

However, my wife was making soap today and I convinced her to make a batch of hop soap. She went for all late additions:
- 5 pellets of NZ Hallertau at 0 mins
- 5 cones NZ Cascade at 0 mins (plucked and choped)

Not sure what the IBUs will be but I'm looking forward to going to work smelling of hops :)

[Stu McKinlay]

Hop [sic] it doesn't make you sleepy or give you moobs.

[MrC]

I've heard about hops making you sleepy but never contributing to moobs. I think it was lavendar that was getting a bad rap not to long ago for causing moobs in young boys.

If hops gave you moobs, I'd have a great rack by now :)

[Kempicus]

That's right it's the pies that get eaten at the same time that give out the moob action!

[HerrSchnapps]

Honey (Mild?) Ale (BIAB):
3.2kg Pale malt
350g Crystal 40
200g Crystal 120
200g Chocolate
60g Cara-amber
500g Beach-tree Honey @ flameout
10g Northern Brewer @ 60mins
20g NZ Golding @ 30 mins
Safale S-04
OG: 1.044. SRM: 21. IBU: 17

Doughed in about 20 mins ago at 67, was aiming for 65-66. Mash for 90mins.

[MrC]

I'm planning a NZ Christmas Spiced Ale to share with the family & friends around the BBQ on Xmas day. The recipes that I've seen so far seem to be aimed at a cold US winter warmer style beer. Does anyone have a good recipe for a summery NZ Christmas Spiced Ale?

Also, what specialty grain will give the best Xmas red color? Roasted Barley?

[Martin Bridges]

Bit of rye, maybe?

[JoKing]

Dark Crystal malt goes red.

[Tony]

Pale Ale this weekend

5.5 kg UK pale ale
500g caramunich
200g UK crystal malt
Green bullet leaf bittering hops
50g Willamette @ 10 minutes from end
50g UK fuggles at end
American ale yeast 1056

[studio1]

Victory Ale

BIAB 25L

4kg UK pale malt
250g Dark Crystal
28g Northern Brewer @ 60
21g EKG @ 30
21g EKG @ 15

Half chilled ( I took the IC out too early and put it on the ground, so decided to transfer to the fermenter anyway....waiting to cool to pitching temp).

Also bottled 'Old Greg' - my first brew. tastes ok but primed all the bottles at varying levels. Do most people transfer to a bottling bucket if they are going to bulk prime? I was worried about stirring up to much sediment by bulk priming in the primary.

Also, if I wanted to dry-hop this, can I do it in the primary?

[James P]

I always transfer to a bottling bucket and bulk prime there. And I hop in primary too, and sometime secondary if I don't get all the hops out of the primary! :)

[Martin Bridges]

Manic brewing weekend - I'm exhausted. I've had the in-laws staying for 3 weeks so was prevented from brewing while my father-in-law depleted my stocks. They've gone now so I've had a busy weekend trying to build up the stocks before my dad arrives in about 4 weeks time. Bottled one batch (an all-grain Altbier) plus brewed 2 other all-grains. None of this helped by my laptop dying, losing all my BeerSmith records.

Palliser Special (a Best Bitter, of sorts)
4.5kg Maris Otter
250g Crystal 120L
250g Caramunich
100g Wheat malt
40g NZ Fuggles @ 60 mins
30g NZ Fuggles @ 30 mins
20g Styrian Goldings @ flameout (will also dry hop with Styrians)
Safale S-04. Fermenting at 20 degrees.
OG came out at 1.044, IBUs should be 35.

Spice of Life Saison based on Jamil Zainasheff's recipe
4.76kg Weyerman's Pilsner malt
0.34kg Munich malt
0.34 kg Wheat malt
60g Caramunich
450g dextrose
90 min boil
30g NZ Hallertau @ 60 mins
20g NZ Hallertau @ flameout
Wyeast French Saison yeast, starting at 20 degrees but planning to ramp up to 27 degrees by the end
OG came out spot on at 1.060, although volume was a couple of litres low. 28 IBU

I'm heading down to Wellington for 3 days so let's hope these boys play nicely while I'm away.

Cheers,

Martin