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

[Nolen Smith]

Finally... FINALLY... got the chance to brew for the first time since baby was born!! (Big props to Liberty for the last minute order!!). Decided to try a Smoked Mild:

13L batch

1480.00 gm Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) 62.00 %
620.00 gm Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM) 25.97 %
194.00 gm CaraMunich III (60.0 SRM) 8.13 %
93.00 gm Carafa II (412.0 SRM) 3.90 %
18.00 gm NZ Williamette [7.50 %] (60 min) 24.4 IBU
5.00 gm Liberty [4.70 %] (10 min) 1.7 IBU

Mashed at 67C for 60 minutes - batch sparged.
OG 1.042
Fermenting with SO4... I know, I know... I was going to use Irish Ale but forgot to start it.

Hit my OG spot on.

Any thoughts?

[MrC]

Just mashing this hoppy pils. It's a bigger, hoppier, pils version of a beer that I brewed over summer.

P-Sharp

NZ Pilsner
OG 1.059
IBU 35
BU:GU 0.60
ABV (%) 5.5
Batch Size (L) 22
Efficiency (%) 75
Boil time(min) 90

Fermentables:
5.0kg Bohemian Pilsner
300g Wheat Malt
300g Cara-Pils

Hops:
20g Nelson Sauvin @ 60min [23.0 IBU]
10g Styrian @ 15min [3.1 IBU]
10g Motueka @ 15min [3.8 IBU]
20g Styrian @ 5min [2.5 IBU]
20g Motueka @ 5min [3.0 IBU]
30g Styrian @ 0min [0 IBU]
30g Motueka @ 0min[0 IBU]
20g Styrian Dry [0 IBU]
20g Motueka Dry [0 IBU]

Yeast:
Wyeast 2112

Fermentation starting at 17C and maintained at 17-18C for one week, "free ball" for second week with dry hops for the last 5 days.

It's too late for the grist, but any thoughts on the hopping?

[JoKing]

Hops look good to me - maybe sneak some Sauvin into the 30min mark :0)

[MrC]

Nice try Jo but Sauvin and I are still on a break. Bittering only for me at the moment.

[James P]

Wheat malt and carapils? I would have thought they were for the same enhancement.

[MrC]

Carapils for body, mouthfeel and a foamy head.
Wheat for head retention.

Oops, and I forget the thick'ish mash of 2.5L/kg for body and ph.

My 2112 starter seemed to have piss poor head retention so I've increased the wheat and carapils a little to try and counter it.

[James P]

I had the same issue with 2112 (and W34/70) until I used carapils and acid malt to modify the grist. Never used wheat malt, as as I said eariler thought they provided the same enhancements (mouthfeel and head retention).

I'm going to have to look at adding some wheat malt (looks like 5%) to see what happens.

[jt]

Might find it dries it out a bit ?

I used hefty amounts of wheat - but I wasn't hell bent on brewing any particular style.
Was something like 70% pale (one brew even used Brewcraft light/lager Grain) 15% Munich and 15% Wheat

Bittered to 70% of OG, 50% of IBU's at 60 minutes and 30% at 30 & 20% at15 minutes, dry hop 1gm/litre

It was tasty beer but no thought of style went into it, more the flavours I thought I wanted

[Ally Mcg]

Summer Babe had wheat and carapils to dry it out. We used carapils for body and a smidge of wheat for a bit of complexity next to the corn. Having done a few carapils/wheat combos at home I rather like the combo

Looks like a pretty good recipe to me. I'd drink it.

Agree with Revs comments re the 2112. Wasn't overly impressed, but maybe that was my handling of the yeast. Found it a touch mineral sherbet which wasn't too my liking

[Soren]

I am no lager man but 17C and then free ball, isn't that a no-no for a lager? otherwise, the recipe looks scrummy!

[Reviled]

2112 is the Cali lager strain that ferments at ale temps Soren.. I personally didnt care for it much the one time I used it, but I hear its quite the fussy strain and I probably didnt pitch enough...

Ive also used carapils and wheat combos before with good results, different flavours from the two as well!

[MrC]

Yeah, 17-18C is good for 2112. I'm not 100% sure whether I'll let it free ball for the second week yet. Free ball for me at the moment is 19-22C.