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

[jt]

A smidge under 1032 this morning - 1032 @19C

[jt]

Yes, that keg is good, so it's another Another Lil Darkie this morning before netball - but with the Nottingham  from Joe at Liberty. All the excitement of a new yeast !

[Michael]

My hat is off to you mate. It seems that every time I make a low OG beer, the flaws are quite noticeable. Alcohol is good for hiding flaws. (Especially for people with beer goggles in pubs.)

[jt]

Well I've made a couple or three by now Michael ... When are you back again, I'll make sure there's a fresh batch on tap .. with all the flaws you know & love

 

I like the look of this Nottingham. Nice fresh pack, expiry in 02/2013

Forgot to smell it, can't compare to the Windsor.

Still, it seemed like ther was a lot of it, bulked up nicely rehydrating and now it's clumping up in the fermnter

 

fingers crossed

 

[MrC]

What temp are you fermenting the Nottingham at jt?  I've read it's very clean at low temps.

[jt]

Pitched @ 17c Mr Cherry

 

Given the temps about at the moment it may need some help to remain in double digits!

 

If it goes cool and clean it maybe a good New Zealand Draught

[MrC]

I'll be interested in the outcome of this.  I've read it can be very clean and even psuedo lager'ish at low temps.

 

I remember tasting it in a case swap porter a while back and really enjoyed the esters.  I doubt that beer was fermented this cool.

[jt]

Still @ 17C - I was considering turnong the heatpad on, I'll leave it off

I've read the same about low temps too Mr C

 

Good progress since i last checked, nicely clumped accross 90% of the surface.

Really quick compared to the '05 I've been using that expires in 11/2011 .. benifits of fresher yeast, or just a different beast ?

[MrC]

benifits of fresher yeast, or just a different beast ?

Both I reckon.  I've used old, expired S33 and it went nuts right from get go even at the lower end if the temp range.  I've also seen fresher US05 perform a lot better than the old stuff.

 

Having said that, there are so many other variables in though so who really knows...

 

[Matt Cox]

Hey all. I just brewed my Holiday Porter I talked about in the recipe advice thread.

 

I changed it a bit. I decided to go with a full 19L partial mash rather than a 10L all grain. I figured if I was going to add the spice tea to the bottling bucket, I may as well make a full size batch, bottle half as standard unadulterated Porter, then half with the spices.  Should make for an interesting tasting exercise once they're ready.

 

One note: This was the first time I've used Star San as my sanitiser (I previously used bleach), and it seemed to make the whole process way easier. Just dip and spray stuff as you go. With bleach I had to pre-soak everything I was going to use, and have plenty of boiled rinse water on hand.

 

So here's the final recipe (note the spices will be made as a tea later and added to the bottling bucket):

 

Holiday Porter Brew Type: Partial Mash Date: 20/04/2011 Style: Robust Porter Brewer: Matt Batch Size: 19.00 L Assistant Brewer: Boil Volume: 10.00 L Boil Time: 60 min Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.0 % Equipment: 12 litre Brew pot Actual Efficiency: 71.6 % Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0 Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU 1.25 kg Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) Dry Extract 33.1 % 2.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (5.9 EBC) Grain 52.9 % 0.25 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 6.6 % 0.20 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 5.3 % 0.08 kg Roasted Barley (1200.0 EBC) Grain 2.1 % 35.00 gm Hallertauer, New Zealand [7.20%] (60 min) Hops 18.6 IBU 25.00 gm Liberty [4.30%] (15 min) Hops 3.9 IBU 0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc 0.50 tsp Allspice, ground (Boil 5.0 min) Misc 0.50 tsp Cinnamon, ground (Boil 5.0 min) Misc 0.50 oz Ginger Root (Boil 12.0 min) Misc 0.75 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc 1 Pkgs American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05) Yeast-Ale Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.055 SG (1.048-1.065 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.052 SG Estimated Final Gravity: 1.016 SG (1.012-1.016 SG) Measured Final Gravity:  Estimated Color: 56.6 EBC (43.3-69.0 EBC) Color [Color] Bitterness: 22.5 IBU (25.0-55.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 2.5 AAU Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.1 % (4.8-6.5 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume:  Mash Profile Name: Single Infusion, Full Body, No Mash Out Mash Tun Weight: 0.30 kg Mash Grain Weight: 2.53 kg Mash PH: 5.4 PH Grain Temperature: 22.2 C Sparge Temperature: 75.6 C Sparge Water: 5 L Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Name Description Step Temp Step Time Mash In Add 6.20 L of water at 76.0 C 69.0 C 60 min

[Stu McKinlay]

A Christchurch/Queensland collaboration beer with 8 Wired and Renaissance. It's a sessionable, hoppy, amber "Saison-ish" ale that is fermenting away nicely now.

 

Some pictures and a further description is at: http://yeastieboys.posterous.com/  You'll be please to know we put olive oil in it ;-)

 

We also took Jed Soane, a NZ beer documentary photographer, down to Blenheim with us. He mostly shot film but has posted some initial photos from his digital camera at: http://thebeerproject.com/blog/2011/04/sais-of-relief/

 

The Marlborough Express has also picked up on the story without us even telling anyone yet (we bumped into the editor while enjoying a beer afterwards): http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/community-papers/49...

Had a few nice beers down there, especially Soren's trial "Saison Sauvin"... damn cracking beer, dry as the outback and hoppy as hell (or heaven, if you're Neil Miller). Look forward to picking up a case of that when it comes out.  It's funny, I've been playing with similar ideas at home, after being inspired by Invercargill Sa!son and Mikeller Sauvignon last year.  I didn't realise Soren was doing the same until early this year.  Should be a good year for those who like Wyeast 3711.

[Bambule]

Yeah I like 3711, its the uber-attenuator!  I like Saison too.