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

[Hutch]

Brewing a Belgian(ish) Strong Ale

15L (a three quarter batch...)

3kg Pale Malt (actually a mix of leftover German pilsner and NZ pale)

1.5kg CaraBelge

70g Chocolate Malt

1kg light Candi Sugar at 1-2 days

mashed at 67 deg for 60 min

15g Nelson Sauvin at 60 min

15g Nelson Sauvin at 10 min

25 ibu

1.061 without the Candi, should be 1.081 with it.

Safbrew T-58, would have prefered a liquid, but everyone seemed to be out of belgian strains, also not much room left in the fridge for more yeast.

Just had a bottle of Emersons JP for inspiration.

[Mike Neilson]

Brew a Little Red Ale today

 

72% Gladfield Pale

10% Rye

8% Dark Crystal

8% Caramalt

2% Roast Barley

 

68 Degree Mash

 

7 Ibu Chinook @ 60

1g/L Chinook @ 10

1g/L Centenial @ 5

1g/L Each Centennial and Zythos Dryhop

1.044 - 1.012

20Ibu

1968 and 3711

 

[Dan Filihiahekava]

Finished brewing at 3 am this morning

76 % Gladfield Pale

11 % Wheat

6 % Pale Crystal

6 % Melanoidin

66 Deg Mash

20g Nz Cas , Centennial , Chinook @ 20

40g Nz Cas , Centennial ,Chinook@ 10

20g Nz Cas , Centennial , Chinook@0

65Ibu

US05

1.080 - 1.019

DH Cent & Chinno0k

[Chris Banks]

3 am - jeez what time did you start???

[Dougal]

A slightly puny take on a Northern Brown on the boil at the moment: 

1.039, Mash at 69 C

Gladfield Ale 1.900 kg

Dark Caramalt 0.380 kg

Munich 0.380 kg

Pale Chocolate 0.380 kg

Belgian Biscuit 0.266 kg

Carapils 0.190 kg

Rolled Oats 0.190 kg

Mash at 69 C 

Fuggle (7.3 % alpha) 16 g @ 60

Southern Cross (12.9 % alpha) 15 g @ 10

Wyeast 1335-British Ale II at 18C

[Ralph]

Ooooh. I was thinking of a Northern Brownish type ale for my how low can you go bid as well. Same yeast. Rather different recipe and hopping. Could be good to have 2 similar things to compare. Where are you aiming? 3.7ish?

[Dougal]

It's calculated at 3.8% but who knows? I'd hoped to mash at 70 but came in at 69.

I'm drinking a 3.4% mild at the moment which is nice but a bit lacking in body, so that recipe is about trying to boost body without adding too much crystal sweetness. Hoping to get a bit of blackcurrant from the late Southern Cross too. 

[Ralph]

If you want to taste blackcurrant through the choc etc I would suggest putting some blackcurrants in there ;-)

I have a similar plan on adding body but not too much sweetness. No oats in mine tho...

I may end up chucking my fresh smoothcone hops into this brew as it seems to be the brew that is timely.

I am looking forward to tasting them already!

[jt]

Might not be too style, if that's what you're after, but more hop will balance your crystal.
You can also carbonate a bit higher, it'll give you more mouthfeel without adding extra specialties .... again, might not fly if you're going too true too style .... but it does work

[Ralph]

As far as I know sticking to style is not important but the low alcohol thing was more of Dougal's idea so we should ask him. The idea is just to have a friendly low alcohol beer tasting between a few home brewers here in Chch.

As far as I am concerned I will tweak my brew which ever way I think will achieve what I am looking for... I generally go looking for a style after I have brewed a beer so I can sort of explain what it is to people!

[Dougal]

Hey jt,

No, I wasn't really after a true Northern Brown: it's more of an experiment really. I'd like to try getting mainly toasty flavours, with a bit of toffee from the dark cara. 

Interesting what you say about carbonation though. My 3.4% mild was tasting quite lacklustre at 1.8 volumes, but when I bumped it up to 2.4, it gained quite a bit of mouthfeel and the heavy addition of crystal seems to keep it from getting too sharp.

I'm sure a beer engine would be the best answer though. I wonder who might bring one along ...    

[Ralph]

I may know of a beer engine that can be borrowed?