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

[Mike Neilson]

Yeah and dosnt bookbinder use Motueka?

[MrC]

I'm bringing you a Motueka SMaSH beer tonight Mike. It's the brother to that Styrian SMaSH. You can decide for yourself.

I thought Bookbinder used Riwaka and Fuggles.

[Mike Neilson]

You Might be right it probably is I read some where it used Nelson Saaz so it must be the other than. Awsome another beer loving this!!

[Mark]

I'm gonna brew something similar with southern cross, pacific jade, motueka, sauvin and maybe one other. Was my intention to really "ramp it up" on the grav front, maybe something in the 1.100-1.120 range. You don't rate the extreme high grav in IIPA? Am going to use wyeast imperial blend

[JoKing]

Have you already bought that yeast, Mark?

[Mike Neilson]

Dont use the yeast for it!! just my opinon and 1.100 is all mighty!! Go for it I say it all depends on what you want realy?

[Mark]

yup yeast is ordered, along with a boiler from CB. Placed order with NZ hops too, hopefully it all arrives by easter. Is the yeast a bit of a lemon?

[JoKing]

I think it can work well - but you'd definately need a 4 litre starter for it. It may be well attenuative - but that doesn't stop it from autolysing during fermentation due to low pitching rates. Especially if you want a 1.100 beer!

I see you are in Palmy... is there a home brew shop over there tha tsells Demijohns? They are great for large starters.

You dont have to pitch all the liquid in it, just wait for it to finish and pour the wort off the top, mix it up a bit... then pitch the yeast.

[Mike Neilson]

Great strain for a Belgian Wit I reacon maybee a big big one!! I just tipped out a starter I made about 4 weeks ago that I was going to use for my barley wine, It was all Bubble gum and full of citrus like fruity aromas. Give it a go dont let me scare you off, as it might of been something that I had done wrong!!

[Reviled]

The beer theyre talking about I really enjoyed so each to their own, it did seem to trap a bit of the hop aroma but again that could have been all the alcohol? Ive got some and am planning on doing a Belgian Grande Reserve with it..

[JoKing]

I think it would go really well with a malt pronounced beer.

I dont think Mike did anything wrong - if anything slightly under pitched for such a big wort. It has taken quite a while - but your IIPA is getting there, Mike. I know that it will condition well. I easily drank my glass of it - and could have had more.

It just really sux when things dont turn out how you expect. You know what I mean - you get an idea in your head of what you want... take a gamble on the yeast... and it steals a lot of the crisper hops character. Kind of like S-04!

And I'm sure that you can make a good IPA with it, it just takes care and a "more is more" attitude when it comes to pitching.

[Mark]

haha well it's on the way so I might as well give it a go. Jo - am pretty well set up to make a decent starter, will take your advice on that one. Wasn't sure what the consensus on starters for smack packs were but with such a high grav wort surely it's the way to go. Am pretty good at aging beer so that may take care of the more ridiculous esters.