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]

Oustanding! You've definately earnt yourself a beer there.

[Martin Bridges]

I bottled these 2 at the weekend. Both tasting OK, in fact the Saison is tasting absolutely amazing! I had to change the name of the Saison - it's now called Saison du Diable because it's a French Saison yeast, and the ABV worked out to be 6.66%!!

Can't wait for these 2 to condition up!

Cheers,

Martin

[HerrSchnapps]

Red Sea Red Ale (from Jamils Irish Red recipe)
5.2kg Pale Malt
170g Crystal 40L
170g Crystal 120L
170g Roasted Barley
50g NZ Golding (4.8%) @ 60 mins - 25 IBU
Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale, will ferment at around 20 as that's all I can do...
Mashed at 67 for 90 mins, ended up with an OG of 1.060 and about 22.5L; does anyone reckon the Wyeast will handle this volume and OG? (Its a smack-pack, from the last Realbeer order).
Oh, and can I easily use the yeast cake from this to brew a stout? At $25, I'd like to get at least 2-3 brews from this yeast...

[denimglen]

Just kegged Jamil's Irish Red from BCS, very similar recipe to that.

I'd make a starter for that, www.mrmalty.com, Jamil's pitching rate calculator is on there somewhere.

You'd be massively overpitching if you just dropped the stout onto the cake, you can use the pitching rate calculator to figure out how much slurry to collect and pitch as well.

[MrC]

Still planning my next brews. Hoping to get two done this weekend.

What's the deal with CaraAmber? I've read conflicting information on this one.
Is it biscuity? Caramely? Both? Neither?
Steepable?
Anyone?

[Stu McKinlay]

http://www.weyermann.de/eng/produkte.asp?PN=2&idkat=18&umen...

[denimglen]

Can't see why it wouldn't be steepable if it is a crystal malt, if it's toasted then my have some starches left. If you're worried maybe try steeping at conversion temp and for 20 - 30 mins with a handful of pale malt thrown in for it's enzymes.

I've read through that weyermann page a million times but they don't (or I can't read good) describe what it actually is. The name hints at it being a caramel/crystal malt but have read quite a few people saying that it's actually a biscuit/victory/toasted type malt, including from one person who has supposedly seen it being made.

Unfortunately my brew-smarts aren't up to the task of deciding for myself what it really is.

[Reviled]

Doesnt the "Cara" part mean crystal? Thats what Mike at brewers coop reckons...

[jt]

Weyermann list it as a caramel malt - so steepable.
It's just a little lighter than say, Bairds Pale Crystal.

[denimglen]

Yeah, usually the cara part means caramel/crystal, buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut...

'...medium caramel malt...substitute for Belgian biscuit...' - http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=802

'Weyermann CaraAmber (biscuit)' - http://www.expertbrewers.com/weyermann-caraamber-crystal-25l-1-lb.html and http://store.hamiltonhomebrew.com/3108cb.html

'...Weyermann 2-row German Cara Amber Grain Malt that is a lightly roasted pale malt...' - http://www.fermentationtrap.com/cb3108a.html

'Similar to Belgian Biscuit malt.' - http://www.nthomebrew.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=200

Discussions on the subject - http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?p=599186&sid=7c81... and http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/1351445

So is Belgian Biscuit a caramel malt? But that wouldn't explain why toasted/victory malt is a substitute for Belgian Biscuit.

Got me stuffed, dunno who to believe.

[jt]

Find some biscuit belgian and compare them - easier said than done I suspect ?

[Reviled]

Mmmmm, belgian biscuit... If only aye :o(