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]

I've tried various things kits, extract & AG (with and without gypsum). I don't really think it's the water, I was just looking for an easy excuse for crappy beer☺

I brewed one good porter based on a recipe from Brewing Classic Styles but it started gushing after 3 weeks in the bottle, it tasted great for the first 2 weeks though. I'm planning on re-brewing that recipe as my next beer so time will tell.

[denimglen]

It's worth having a read of the water links in 'The Library', they sum up water extremely easy and take the mysticism out of it.

Water chemistry has made a good improvement to my beers, it just gives them a little something extra that sometimes seems to be missing.

Just give your water company an email and let them know you want an analysis, I've done this a couple of times and have got the report back no dramas.

[jt]

The Welly analysis is on the web for each of the treatment plants, but as they can pipe water anywhere from the different plants, it's a bit hard to know which water you're getting at any given time

[Alasdair]

I take the average from the various sources for the city - it seems to work as a guide.

[jt]

Talking about late additions, I notice that Barry consistantly seems to put his last one in a 3 minutes ... Bazza, is there a reason for that ?

cheers, jt

[Barry]

yep, 1 reason is that I know flame out additions contribute to bitterness, but promash doesn't count them in IBU's. This is even more so for no-chillers.
Second reason is that they would probably be 5 minute additions but I'm making paltry mental allowances for no-chilling, mental allowances that are constrained by the fact that they still have to allow for reason #1 (promash).

Totally unscientific, sure makes you curious though eh? :)

[jt]

yea, makes me wonder how I'd brew your case swap bitter without no chilling !

[MrC]

I've wondered the same. Everything I've ever read points at the fact that no-chill beers should have massive chill haze and little or no hop aroma. Barry's case swap beer proved that all wrong.

[jt]

I shall wonder some more with a hydro sample of Pukie Too .. which should really be my 'what are you drinking' post ..

[James P]

I no chill and don't get chill haze often. My last couple of beers have been damn near crystal clear after a little gelatin treatment.

I was considering adding polyclar, however don't think there is a need!

[Barry]

Yeah same, I have no problems with clarity after using gelatin.
I've considered kettle finings to reduce the hot break going into the no-chill fermenter, but have just never got around to it. Actually if Steve Plowman still has some carrageenan left out at Hallertau I might grab some this afternoon.

[jt]

Mashed in soon after the first hail shower went past - great posssibilty of some of that chill haze and that's me, not the beer !
A cascade ale
92.5% ADM
5% Medium Crystal
2.5% Wheat
1.038and 26 IBU cascade with '05
I omitted the dry hops and used them as flame out last time, splitting them between dry hop and flame out this time, for a bit of both worlds