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]

I'm getting a bit of Black Currant in my NZ IPA... if you can fish it out of the grapefruit. And lime. And Grass. And Resin. And Peach. And Pears.

But it's definately there. I didn't need to use too much Pacific Gem to get it either,

[denimglen]

Geah Geah.

SMaSH Global Munich 25EBC + Simcoe + 1056

1.050, 14SRM, 43 IBU, 67deg mash

4.90 kg .Munich II (Global Malt) (12.5 SRM)
10.00 gm .Simcoe [12.30 %] (60 min)
15.00 gm .Simcoe [12.30 %] (30 min)
15.00 gm .Simcoe [12.30 %] (10 min)
15.00 gm .Simcoe [12.30 %] (0 min)
15.00 gm .Simcoe [12.30 %] (Dry Hop 10 days)

Put your feet in the air and your head on the ground bitches!

Five bucks to anyone who knows what that is from, no google either. Not the original either.

[JoKing]

You filthy son of a bitch. That looks like one fine Ale holmes. I wish it was ready for my arrival to A land.

Damn it.

[denimglen]

I'll send you a bottle in like however many weeks that it's ready.

When you up in AK? Stop in for a beer bitch.

[Martin Bridges]

Saison du Diable v2

Pretty much a repeat of my last Saison recipe (and that was a stunner if I say so myself) but with a slightly different yeast. Last time I used the seasonal French Saison, this time it's the normal Belgian Saison. Also changed the hops slightly but shouldn't have a big effect. A bit of black pepper from the Pacifica should work well.

4.76kg Pilsner
0.34kg Munich
0.34kg Wheat
0.06kg CaraMunich
0.45kg Dextrose

Mashed at 64 degrees for fermentability however I was a bit worried it was drifting low and it seems I was right to think so. Plus I seem to have oversparged. The result is that pre-boil volume was 34 litres @ 1.033 instead of 30 litres at 1.051. I've added an extra 250g dextrose (no DME to hand) and increased the boil time by 15 minutes (was going to be 90 minutes). Let's see what I can rescue!

Anyway, hops will be:
45g Pacifica @ 60 mins
30g Pacifica @ flameout

Yeast is Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison. I've made a 2.5 litre starter which hasn't looked all that active but there's a decent yeast layer at the bottom. Aiming to start fermentation at 20 degrees then gradually ramp up to finish at 28 degrees.

[Martin Bridges]

Well, it could have been worse. I have got 23 litres of 1.052 wort into the fermenter and have pitched yeast at 20 degrees. This could be VERY dry.

[Glynn Foster]

3.0kg Marris Otter
380g Chocolate
200g Roast Barley
170g Cara-Amber

90g Fuggles @ 60
20g Pacific Hallertau @ 60
1084, if it ever wakes up...

Mashed at 64C (was originally aiming for 66/67, but botched up). OG 1045.

[JackoNZ]

Another JZ based recipe, Bo Pils this time.

BIAB:

5KG Pils
30g Riwaka @ 60
25g Riwaka @ 30
25g Riwaka @ 10
20g Riwaka @ 0

Went well, reduced volume of mash water today to 5L per KG and sparged with more water to make up my 30L boil volume. Looks like slightly better efficiency into boiler today, hit 1.042 instead of planned 1.037, that's a first. Will have to repeat process to see if the reduced mash volume did the job or if I got lucky.

Chilling now. Will be pitching with 2 packs of S-23.

[JoKing]

Is this a conventional style mash you do mate, or are you a BIABer?

[Reviled]

The reduced mash and the sparging would have definately helped with your efficiency! How did you sparge?

[JackoNZ]

BIAB'er mate.

I just noticed last week my mate got 87% efficiency into boiler on his first AG using a traditional esky cooler setup, the only difference I can see from BIAB is he uses less water to mash with so thought I'd give it a go.

Reviled, what's to stop us BIAB'ers using a more conventional 1 to 1.5L of water per kg of grain when mashing and then just sparge with more water if it helps efficiency??

I went with your dunk sparge method again! These days I don the rubber gloves and really give the grains a good soaking with the sparge water before draining, then dunk again, massage grains and then finally drain and add back to boiler.

[Reviled]

"Reviled, what's to stop us BIAB'ers using a more conventional 1 to 1.5L of water per kg of grain when mashing and then just sparge with more water if it helps efficiency??"

I wouldnt go as thick as 1 litre, maybe 2 litres, and then sparge similair to batch sparging but you will need a seperate vessel, for example I have an old bucket fermenter I transfer the grain bag to, and then sparge the grain bed with about 6-8 litres of water...

I guess the whole thing about BIAB is that its supposed to be a 1 vessel simple method, and that by adding a sparge bucket you are taking something away from it an d sort of complicating it?? But I disagree, as it helps with my efficiency, and gives me consistent results for both small and big beers, where as before I was getting a massive dropp in eff on bigger beers, so what if it takes a tiny bit of extra work an an extra vessel :o)