Recipe Advice Thread

[denimglen]

Thought it might be handy to have a thread for some of the more advanced brewers to give some advice on recipes.

Let's see how it goes eh...

[Crusader-Rob]

I used my chilli bin twice, before going back to BIAB, mainly cos its a shorter day, and i dont have to spend an additional 30-60 mins sparging and running into a kettle.

other reason is lifting stuff, all i need to lift is the bag out, ratherthan my initial setup which meant i had to lift water on and off the burner about 2/3 times. (more poor process than the style of brewing) getting some good results now, process is good i think, and the efficiency i ask of it is almost dead on the money.

Although in saying that, saturday/sunday will be a good indicator of how good my beers BIAB are.

[Ralph]

Thin mash is fine. From http://www.braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Effects_of_mash_para...

Scroll down a lot to find the mash experiements.

The results for mash thickness were somewhat surprising. Contrary to common believe no attenuation difference was seen between a thick mash (2.57 l/kg or 1.21 qt/lb) and a thin mash (5 l/kg or 2.37 qt/lb). Home brewing literature suggests that thin mashes lead to more fermentable worts, but technical brewing literature suggests that the mash concentration doesn't have much effect in well modified malts

Not sure what your deadspace problem is? I have a 100L pot. Mash in, full volume. When mash is done I lift the bag a little so it is off the bottom (bag has handles which are attached to a hook on a rope over a pulley to rafter in shed with a grab cleat to hold the rope) and use my burner to bring the temperature up to mash out (75 deg) and then simply lift the bag out totally. It then stays draining over the pot for a good part of the boil...

Only deadspace I have is when I pump the wort out of the kettle at the end. I think I have 2 or 3L deadspace below the outtake?

[David R]

This is a very interesting discussion, perhaps worthy of it's own thread? I started doing all-grain about 6-7 brews ago and have been doing a bastardised BIAB using a bag in a cooler to try maintain a consistent temp over the length of the mash. I was thinking about going to a "proper" set up with a cooler and manifold/false bottom, but you've got me reconsidering things. Ralph/Rob etc how do you go maintain the temp in the pot while mashing? It certainly would be simpler to mash in the kettle then just lift the bag, but wouldn't the temp drop considerably over the mash?

[Peter Smith]

I fire up the burner every 30 mins for 8mins I have enough deadspace under inner pot that I dont scorch the wort.   the deadspace is there due to old elements no longer used.

I also partially lift out the wort every 25mins this is sort of batch sparging I guess as it moves the high sugar wort away and dilutes it with watery wort from the deadspace.

[Crusader-Rob]

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/brewing-techniques-bia...

New thread for this exciting discussion.

David, I've answered your insulation questions in there too.

[Miles]

Morning All....

Has anyone used DATE SUGAR? Looking at a Rochefort 10 Clone for some ideas and it calls for 3.5% Date Sugar. Looks easy to make and sounds like it might add a nice flavour to the Belgian Ale I plan to brew.

 

So has anyone used it before and what was the result like?

 

Thanks

Miles

[Crusader-Rob]

Google is your friend on how to make this stuff.

You could try a health food store, wikipedia tells me they stock in, but who knows.

start there and work forward

[Peter Smith]

Larger/Pilsner  advice needed as I have just been given a largering fridge.

I have a bag of Gladdys pilsner malt and I am keen try and brew 2 tuatara beers clones  Helles and the Pilsner

HELLES

Sometimes you just want a cold beer on a hot day. Crisp, dry, with a little citrus but not too showy, something that will slake your thirst and loosen your uptight bits. We know that too, and our classic Munich style lager will scratch your itch most successfully. Tuatara Helles has a soft and lengthy maltiness, balanced with Hallertau hops. It’s smooth and ingratiating, the perfect beer to soothe your fevered brow after a hard day’s forced march from the salt mines. Ideal.

5%Available in 330ml & 500ml bottles, and from the tap

Hopped With
Pacific Jade to bitter and Wai-iti for flavour

PILSNER

Everyone loves a good Pilsner. It reminds them of all those green bottle lagers they used to drink after they graduated from law school and got a job in media. Only there’s something more. The authentic Czech yeast, selected for its ability to reduce esters by fermenting at low temperatures, has thrown the bitterness forward and enhanced the malt.

5%  Available in 330ml & 500ml bottles, and from the tap

Hopped With
Pacific Jade to bitter. Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka for flavour. 

I have munich larger wyeast 2308 for the munich helles and wyeast  2124 for the pilsner, building up big 5L starters now..

So I am after some advice with the gladdys pilsnber malt as i have never used this, do I still need 2-3% acid malt with the pilsner like the ale malt?   I know 90 min boil to kill off dms

I have used pac jade a bit for bittering and I am happy with a 15g 60 min addiition to giver me a crisp bite,  For the helles I am thinking about 28g of waiiti at 12 mins   very quick chill at flameout.

For the pilsner I am thinking 15g at 10mins of the three hops   Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka.   I may dry hop the pilsner with about 15g of each.

I think i have munich helles malt bill  sorted but the pilsner apart from acid malt what should I use?    does it require anything else at all???

Thanks  Peter

[Ben Dean]

Hi good people, I'm after a bit of advice on this English bitter recipe I've put together. My aim is to end up with a light/medium copper coloured English style bitter with a prominant hop flavour/aroma and moderate bitterness. Not sure what yeast I'll use yet, I may try the Wyeast Thames Valley. Any feedback is appreciated.

Oh, and I'm BIAB.

Cheers

Ben

Butt Fuggley - English Bitter

Brew length: 23L
Mash length: 90 min
Mash temp: 151 deg F
Boil length: 90 min
Estimated original gravity: 1.045
Estimated final gravity: 1.010
Estimated IBU: 39.3


Grain:

Maris Otter 4.2kg (80%)
Chocolate 160g (3%)
Medium Crystal 520g (10%)
Flaked Barley 370g (7%)


Hops: Fuggles - AA 5%

60 min: 80g
10 min: 40g
Flame out: 20g
Dry hop: 20g

[Paul Fraser]

I am planning on doing a feijoa wheat in a couple of weeks. I have 3kg of feijoa pulp in my freezer. My recipe is as follows:

23L batch   OG - 1.053     IBU's - 21

2.54kg Pilsner

2.54kg Wheat

250g Light Cystal

20g Hallertauer @ 60mins

Maybe WB-06 or US-05 ??

I was going to rack after primary into carboy on top of fruit. I've heard that feijoa has a strong flavour so was wondering if anyone has advice on how much feijoa would suit a recipe like this. I don't want the feijoa to scream at me but want it to be evident. Not sure if the wheat yeast will fight with the fruit or compliment.

Also - should I defrost and stew in some water to pasteurize??

All advice appreciated.

[Crusader-Rob]

I would have thought a neutral ale yeast, would be more appropriate?

[Hayden Baxter]

I tried this vanilla stout tonight

23L batch

5.4kg maris otter
170g medium crystal
230g dark crystal
230g special b
230g roasted barley
340g chocolate malt
340g pale chocolate malt
200g carapils

40g cascade(7.2%) at 60 minutes
10g cascade(7.2%) at 40 minutes

Ended up using Mangrove Jacks newcastle dark ale yeast in the end.

I walked away for half an hour or so while the chiller was cooling the wort and came back to find the wort had increased lol. I guess the hose clamps on the chiller were a little lose and I ended up with about 10L more than needed and a much lower gravity.

It turned out at 1.041, it should have been at least 1.060

After a few weeks I plan on racking it into another fermenter with some vanilla pods to sit for a bit before bottling