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

[Stu McKinlay]

Eastie Boys' "Brown Dog" (aka Old 35)

Cologne Malt
Crystal 90
CaraAroma
Pale Chocolate

1.080, 64ibu

Motueka FWH to 30ibu
1.5g/L of each of Sauvin, Motueka and Pacifica at 20, 10 and 0

Good old US05.

I've always been meaning to name a beer after an old mate of mine, a pro golfer and a loyal DB man. He was playing in the Scottish Open so I thought I'd brew something thoroughly Scottish. I awoke to see that he'd shot a 67. I hoped he'd shoot the IBU in the final round but he ended up closer to the OG!!

[JoKing]

Just change the IBU to 67....

[JoKing]

Or change it to the last round that I played...

... I think that was 78...

[JoKing]

Ir change it to my first round - 136...

[Stu McKinlay]

My first round was about 125.
Can't remember my last one but it wasn't good - played with Sam at Thames Golf Club actually!! Before that I'd been playing some pretty solid mid-70's golf at Shandon. A far cry from the good old days but...

[Mike Neilson]

Indian Brown Ales I like!! Hows your Belgian IPA going or has it gone?

[Stu McKinlay]

All gone unfortunately... it was too much in my bro's favourite style. Hoppy and alcoholic with a solid base malt! Might see it soon in the Yeastie badge... or might not ;-)

[Stu McKinlay]

I might have to have a glass of this tonight, even if it is a bit young (and only at cellar temp)

If he shoots the ibu tomorrow he'll almost certainly be $580,000 richer... Go the dog.

[Nicholas Jones]

Second Mash brew, third ever home brew, time to share it with anyone whos interested... :-)

The first mash brew went reasonable given it was the maiden voyage for the gear, ended up with a massively stuck sparge owing to a fine internal filter in the outlet tap of my mash tun, which has since been attacked in anger with a screwdriver (care for a 3hr sparge anyone???). First brew I will call the Bastard bitter, cause it went a little bastard...

3kg Pale malt
0.75 Crystal

20g Riwaka @60min
28g Goldings @30
14g Goldings@15

14g Goldings @ 1 week

Mash got a bit low, snuck down to 62 deg by the end, boiled 2 hrs and pitched s05. Ended up with 19L in the fermenter of 1.040, fermented down to 1.006

BAsically, I made this recipe up based on one from an old book by Brian Leverett.

Has now had 2 weeks in the bottle after 2 in primary and is starting to carbonate well, malt flavours are coming through. It was a little hazy @ 3wks (didnt use finings) but seems to be clearing now.

Second brew I will call the Johnsons Independence pale, pure coincidence had us brewing it last sunday (July 4), also a good friends Bday.

A few mods to the gear saw he whole process go like clockwork,

2Kg Pale malt
2.5Kg Golden Promise
0.5Kg Crystal 120

30g Rakau@60 min
57g Goldings @ 15
28g Goldings @5
28 Goldings @ 1 week

Mashed @ 69C for 1 hourQuick hassle-free sparge and good flow rate, probably could have sparged a little more, but hit the 'OG zone' (I take full license on this term....) I was aiming for (1060, am mainly trying to get my process right at this stage then will focus a little more on some of the details)

Ended up with 18L in the fermenter, pitched the yeast I harvested from the Bastard, but after a few days was a little worried no bubbles in the fermenter (I now think ive just got an air leak...), so whipped down to your shout and got some S04, rehydrated and threw that in, when I opened the fermenter couldnt help but notice a thick layer of Krausen on top, but thought bugger it and threw the S04 in anyway....so I ended up with 2 dif yeasts in there (novice.....another bastard in the making...). Buggered if I know whats going to happen, but I checked gravity last night, 1.010. Had a wee taste and definitley getting a good hoppiness, some interesting banana flavours coming through also (not too strong but noticable). Ferment temp has been kept at a solid 19-20C thanks to a $25 aquarium heater.

This coming sunday will be the 3rd AG, and hopefully the one where I start feeling the groove. Got some black and chocolate with a mate in his order, and also grabbed a sack of gladfields. Am planning on a porter for the coming brew, but need more hops...have been sifting through the recipes on this thread, theres a few goodies I will probably have a poke at.

love to hear your thoughts on the above... nj

[Stu McKinlay]

Classic early brewing problems Nicholas... Certainly not an unusual story!

Keep thinking about what you are doing (and why)... smooth out your process and, most importantly, enjoy the beer.

Even after years of brewing it is not unusual for me to have some sort of cock up on brew day (nine times out of ten it is a boil over because no matter how many times I do it I just keep pushing the limits on my kettle! and I'm often looking after a kid or three at the same time).

Good to see you are using dry yeast. I thoroughly recommend it when you are getting to know your system. I still use S05 for 30% of my beers.

Never be afraid to ask questions.

[Patrick]

Just mashed in the SSS (strong smokey stout)
15L Batch

5kg weyermann smoked malt
500g crystal 120
500g roast barley
500g chocolate malt
70IBUs of green bullet at the start of the 90 minute boil.

Estimated OG ~1090

[Patrick]

Done and dusted. Wort smelled fine after 18 hours in the fermenter with no yeast, pitched 2 packets of US05 after work, and it is now tucked up safe and warm in the electric blanket in the dining room.

I am never brewing on a weeknight again - it was traumatic!

Got 15L at 1086 - should be a skull-splitter.