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]

So no hops in the kettle then?

I wouldn't mind a taste if this is the case.

Good work.

[MrC]

What bitterness are you expecting from the mash hops?

[Ally Mcg]

Jo - No hops in the kettle - i was thinking about it but the hydro sample tasted sufficiently bitter. I'll ping you a bottle if its any good - Ill be in touch once its fermented out if you're keen

Mr C - Beersmith told me to expect 19IBU, but it assumes you'll lose 80% of standard hop efficiency (or so i read someplace). Pro-mash assumes you'll lose 30% so it could be as high as 60IBU (75g of Rakau in the boil for 60 would give 96IBU according to BS). I'm expecting minimal bitterness given the reading I've done, which would suit what I want from the beer.

Got a load of Rakau left over from the Exchange Student so its my most disposable hop in the event it turns into a disappointment - at least that way I won't feel I've lost much

[JoKing]

Wickd - I'm always keen to see how things turn out when people put their balls on the line in the name of experimentation. I could be coming down to Chch some time in June for work - I'll let you know when.

Cheers!

[Stu McKinlay]

Nobody loves me
Like you do


Nice one Ally, you're a wandering star of this forum for sure.

[Barry]

iPa (nano NZ IPA)

47.5% Maris Otter
47.5% Munich
5% crystal 60

Southern Cross for bittering
Pacifica and NZ Styrians at 20, 15, 10, 5, 0
OG 1.040, 43IBU

Experiment as I'm getting a bit jaded and bored and I'm too cheap to spend up large on US hops.

[MrC]

Looks nice Barry. I've been planning a beer that will be quite similar, maybe a little bigger. I see you've used the Pacifica-Styrian combo a few times now, I'll be interested in what you think of my case swap beer using Motueka-Styrian with a similar hopping schedule.

[Barry]

Yeah i use that combo a lot because I got into the habit of buying a kilo at a time from nzhops. My last purchase was Pacifica and styrians.
That might br part of why I'm so jaded, but I kind of cling to this belief that great stock standard beer can be made repeatedly from a few good recipes. Of course for special occasions I'll grab something fresh and pacific northwest, but for the most part I kind of want to make the utility of my situation work. Sometimes it does but more often than not lately it doesn't. I just ordered some American freshness from Joking, that should do the trick nicely. Cheers for being there in my hour of need Jo.

[jt]

Oh and the yeast Barry ?

Interesting that both you & mR C were talking 20, 15,10 & 0 additions.
What % of your Total IBU @ 60 though

[Barry]

yeast, 1272
IBUs in the 60 min addition: 27
I'm doing those additions as a kind of experiment - because I no-chill I suspect my late additions kind of blend into each other, this is an attempt to counteract that. So far it does seem to provide me with a distinctly different hop character than what I used to get with 2 late additions but I'm not sure if that means it's working :)

[jt]

I was interested as those are the times Jo suggested for the late hopped brown - which for the amount of hops is very smooth
So are you reducing your 60 min ibu's at all or just tinkering with the late ones ?

[Barry]

differs from beer to beer. for this one I wanted a good solid bitter base so I didn't reduce much. might be too bitter - I kind of over compensated for being a bit of a hop pussy lately. only time will tell.