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]

What sort of Saaz is that Mike? Motueka, Riwaka or imported?

[Mike Neilson]

Imported

[Doublehoppy]

Looks very nice Mike. Must say I've never really had much interest in brewing a dubbel (prefering Blondes & Tripels). But recently had an Achel Dubbel which was fabulous, so I might have to have a crack at something like this.

[JoKing]

I still have a bit of Cara Aroma malt which is a pretty good sub for special B... but will still be getting some Special B in.

I can't wait to kick my own Dubbel out now that these new malts are available!

[JoKing]

Thanks mate - Yeah I you walk past the grain store... it really makes me thirsty!

[Matthew]

First Northern Welly Collaboration Brew is happening this weekend.

Here's the business:

BKP

Batch Size: 25.00 L
OG: 1.059 SG
Color: 57.4 EBC
IBU: 57.1 IBU

Maris Otter 77.18 %
Munich Malt 10.07 %
Pale Crystal 5.03 %
Pale Chocolate 3.36 %
Chocolate Malt 2.52 %
Black Patent 1.85 %

Nelson Sauvin @ 60min
NZ Cascade @ 30, 20, 15, 10, 5, 0 and Dry Hop

US05

[JoKing]

Good work Boys. Don't be scared of that Pale Chocolate - it is great tasting shit. Also... dont be scared to chuck in a bit of chalk in your mash tun to stabilise the pH. 150 - 200ppm on beersmith / promash should be heaps.

[Reviled]

Awesome stuff guys, make sure you take lots of pics and blog up the whole day plz :o)

[Matthew]

Hopefully Michael can rig up a web cam on the kettle :D

Pitty there's no smellovision yet...

[Stu McKinlay]

I'd recommend about 1.6g/L with that Cascade.
Or 1.4g/L Cascade and 0.2g/L Sauvin.

I don't know why, I've just got a gut feel on it.

I'd not recommend it first time but a little CaCl wouldn't be out of place if you want to lift sweetness.

[jt]

Feels strange not to be brewing before it's light .. well off we go then

[jt]

Hmmmm ... a few issues with todays brew

We undershot the mash temp and we struggled to keep it up through the mash - probably the large tun only 1/3rd full.

Glass and digital thermometers with a big vairence - one of us is not brewing at the temperatures we think we are !

Need some plumbing between the tun & the kettle, many jugs make for sore arms

Overshot the boil volume, but we boiled that back ok.

We did get the 25 litres in the kettle ok after a bit of settling and only three litres of hop & trub when we'd allowed for four

Undershot the boil gravity - not sure by how much because we didn't have the full set of the recipe

Overhopped the beer, hop additions were based on 30 litres, not the 25. Also based on 7.5 AA and we had 7.7AA

Had two flat beers to sample

we undershot the fermenter gravity, only got 1.053

Plans hatching for North Welly get together in April - hear ye, hear ye Martin & Chris

A bit more planning, a bit of calibration, a bit of plumbing and more care with our beers to taste and we'll be away laughing

Thanks to Michael for the hospitality and Michael for the sausage rolls