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

[Dougal]

I think you'd get the most flavour out of them at warmer temperatures, so maybe the ale fridge?

Finished dark chocolate gets that whitish bloom on it when overheated, and too much heat can bugger the tempering, but you don't need to worry about that. You're trying to extract volatile oils, so warmer temps would help.

You could even steep the nibs in some hot water first and pour in the lot, but the drawback could be that if you extract fats they'll affect head retention. 

[MrC]

I'd taste it and decide whether to any to secondary at all based on taste. From memory, cocoa nibs can make the beer quite dry so if it was me I'd go by taste all the way. I'd bag them and taste it daily until it tastes just right then remove the bag and keg or bottle it. That's what i do will all beers that have fruit, veg, oak, etc added to secondary.

I'd keep it 19c to hope release more flavor & aromatics.

[Richard Jack]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks fellas. It's almost finished primary now. I mashed quite high, so I don't think it'll end up too dry. It tastes great, but I want more chocolate! I got a good bit of bitterness from it in the boil, actually.

[Matt Smith]

Brewed this in Mid may, based on Jamil's Red Rocket Clone recipe aka "West Coast Blaster". I highly recommend this recipe (although mine is slightly modified) it turned out amazing, I can't keep my hands off it. Dangerously drinkable at 7.2% and a major hurdle in my ability to concentrate on studying in the evenings. This went from 1.066 - 1.012 (81% AA) with a 67 degree mash, does anybody else get this kind of attenuation from US05 ? It seems to keep happening to me, I must test my thermometer.

1.066 OG
1.012 FG
70IBU
16SRM

80.9% Golden Promise
6.4% Bairds Dark Caramalt
5% Munich Malt
3.3% Cara Aroma
3.3% Weyermann Abbey Malt
1.2% Pale Chocolate

Bittered With Warrior
30g Centennial, 25g Simcoe, 15g NZ Cascade @ 10mins and 0mins
15g Cenennial, 15g NZ Cascade dry

 

[Rhyno]

Nice, might have to give this one a go.

 

Here's a link to the original

http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/JamilsAmericanAmberAleExtract.htm

[jt]

Nothing brewing today at home, but I called into Jacko's place top drop off some grain, to find a brew in progress. I'll leave Jacko to fill in the brew news on that one.

However it was a very entertaining afternoon discussing beer, brewing and ... ummm ... probably not too much more. Thanks chap.

Sorry I had  to take off to get the kids, a beer would have been great, I'd love to get back for a taste of that one when it's ready

 

Tomorrow ? Still no beer of my own

Hope to pick up 5 or 6kg of tamarillios at the market tomorrow, no luck at Porirua this morning.

Tomorrows brew is the years supply of tamarillo chutney in the HLT

 

maybe next weekend a batch of pale ....

[MrC]

maybe next weekend a batch of pale ....

Why not save some tamarillos and make it a Tamarillo Pale Ale?  

[jt]

Hasn't a TPA been done already :-)

[jt]

Anyway, 7kg of tamarillo's coming up to the boil

With 1.5kg each apples and onions as well it was a hell of a job peeling, skinning and chopping.

 

Definitely a pale ale next weekend, late hopped pale along the lines of the ones I did last year at Joe's suggestion. And with the last pale, dry hopped, tasting so good, I'll do the same again.

 

cheers, jt

[JoKing]

You'll be able to use some Nottingham or Windsor for that one mate... both packs are on their way in the morning. Along with your Koppafloc.

[jt]

Beaut, I'll be in touch, still owe you ....

 

I'm thinking I may need to up the hopping to accomodatethe yeast if I'm going to get a similar hop result compared to '05 yea ?

[JoKing]

Not too sure about that... the Nottingham carries the hops through very nicely actually. You could use a little more hops, as there will be more residual malt character in the finished beer to back the hops up.