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

[JoKing]

Yes it is a substitute. Do you plan on using the whole 400g in one brew?

[Mike Neilson]

Nope not the whole amount 3% of grist though which makes it about 180g

[JoKing]

Sounds about right. I only ask 'cos I made a couple a wrong tasting trappist beers with around 10% melanoidin in them. You can use that much if you are making an Irish Red - but the maltiness that comes from melanoidin is very strong and overpowering.

[Mike Neilson]

How much Specialties in % you grist did you use?

[JoKing]

There was like 2% chocolate 5% crystal and about a kilo of dark candy sugar. The FG was too high - didn't pitch enough yeast I'd say the SG was like 1.086. I used WyEast 1388. You could probably use 10% aromatic malt - but you'd want an FG of 1012 to help dry the malt flavour out. Mine was about 1.018. I should have mashed at 65 - 64 for an hour and a half.

Any way - you never stop learning!

[Mike Neilson]

Nope and I find its my favorite part is 'allways learning'!! I figure if your not improving your done something wrong and using this forum is one of the best advice I could give anyone!!

[Steve Baker]

Oh yeah, I'm trying brewblogger and hadn't set it up yet for actual ingredients.

Its a MySQL/PHP app which I've installed locally. Its not bad but smells a bit of PHP h4x0r. (you want apostrophes in your recipe titles? that costs extra!)

[James P]

It's open source... we put apostrophe in commrade.

[Doublehoppy]

Steve,

I'm curious too (and jealous), where'd you pick up the Belgian Aromatic from?

I know what you mean about the boil frustation - I've also had a heap of problem with wind disturbing the flame on my 3 ring burner, and couldn't maintain a boil. I had a "sleeve" knocked up from galvanised steel which fits snugly around the boiler. It's pretty simple really but very effective. If you're interested I can post some pics later.

[Steve Baker]

I got the Belgian Aromatic it from the Dunedin Malthouse a few months ago.

I made a baffle out of foil oven trays. They're a bit clumsy as I have to squish them around the pot. Something like you describe might be better.

[Doublehoppy]

OK, I'll post some pics soon, as I'm doing a brew tonight so you can see it in action.

I'll post on a separate thread.

[JoKing]

I brewed this one about 3 weeks ago and kegged it yesterday. It was clean with a smooth mouthfeel already and a nice grainy taste as well as a hint of floral aroma. Not quite dry enough for it to be a truly drinkable Pils @1012, but nice all the same. Maybe a bit of carbollic acid will dry it out a touch. Now, I'll lager it for a month and drink it when it's ready. The brew is for the "WBC" competition at Hallertau on the 28th of Feb. This quater the style is Pilsener.

New Plymouth Pils
2-A German Pilsner (Pils)

Size: 24.96 L
Efficiency: 79.4%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 166.1 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.050 (1.044 - 1.050)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.008 - 1.013)
Color: 3.82 (2.0 - 5.0)
Alcohol: 4.91% (4.4% - 5.2%)
Bitterness: 40.8 (25.0 - 45.0)

Ingredients:
4.68 kg Bohemian Pilsner Malt
0.71 kg Vienna Malt
76.32 g Liberty (4.2%) - added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
25.44 g Liberty (4.2%) - added during boil, boiled 1 min
1.02 ea WYeast 2112 California Lager

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 21.11 °C
Source Water: 15.56 °C
Elevation: 0.0 m

00:03:00 Mash In - Liquor: 13.48 L; Strike: 73.19 °C; Target: 66 °C
01:03:00 Saccirification Rest - Rest: 60 min; Final: 64.2 °C
01:04:00 Infusion - Water: 6.95 L; Temperature: 99.4 °C; Target: 75 °C
01:14:00 Mash Out - Rest: 10 min; Final: 75.0 °C
02:14:00 Sparge - Sparge Volume: 22.5 L; Sparge Temperature: 76 °C; Runoff: 29.52 L

I pitched the starter at 10degrees, which gave me 36 hours of lag time. A bit of a scare - but I'm happy now: no diacetyl or acetyldehyde.