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

[warra48]

Many of us just use a Chilly Bin, a Cooler, an Esky, a Willow, or whatever these things are called in NZ these days (haven't llived in NZ since 1973, so I'm a bit rusty on that!).

I use a 25 litre Willow cooler, and it's just big enough.A slightly larger one would have been better. I made up a manifold for mine, drilled a hole towards the bottom of one side, and installed a tap to drain it.

The best idea, if you want to go grain brewing, is to hook up with another brewer near you, and see how it's done. Saves lots of headaches when you see the process, and realise it is quite simple in many ways.

Anyway, welcome to the dark side. You'll love the beers you can brew doing all grain.

[warra48]

Aaaagggggrrrrhhh, that's what happens when you hit the topic, rather than the last post. You get the start of the thread, and don't realise it.

[Stephen Leslie]

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[Peter Smith]

 Why not look at Boil In A Bag system. BIAB requires a boiler but that's about all. Google it.

[Kieran Haslett-Moore]

Nice.

I racked my Imperial Stout on thursday. I have 38ltrs of Best Bitter (MO, Med Crystal, touch Patent, fug/goldings) in primary doing a diacetyl rest. I have an ordinary planned for boxing day (MO, Med Crystal, Goldings/Styrians) and a summer ale for the day after (Golden Promise/Weyerman Pils Goldings/Styrians)

Im brain storming on a hoppy ESB (Youngs Special London-esq) for the 2nd aswell.

[Stu McKinlay]

Last brew of 2007 just kegged a few days ago. 36L of 1.045 'Aloo' Strong Dark Mild with my mate Sam (TheGrandMaster) - a big Mild Ale fan. I ballsed up the pale malt, with 1kg too much, which meant we ended up with a strong mild.

6kg pale malt
600g pale chocolate
500g dark crystal
400g caramalt
68c infusion mash
60g Fuggles 4.2% @ 60min
Split into two fermenters and kegs, both using S04 yeast, and one of the kegs was dry-hopped with 20g English Fuggles. Before the style nazi's object, check out literature on Batham's Mild Ale.

The dregs from the fermenter tasted superb.

What to brew this weekend - first brew of '08. Need to check the grain stocks first. I've got a lot of specialty but I'm a bit light on base malts (besides a nice chunk of munich and pils, which I had been saving for winter).

[Kieran Haslett-Moore]

no objections here, check out Holts as well, 30 bitterness units and according to Geoff you can taste them.

Anyone checked out the new strong pale mild from Wells and Youngs called Special London Ale ? No chance of finding bitterness in that one anymore.

Summer Ale and Ordinary bitter in diacetyl rest at present, hoppy ESB in primary, Best Bitter planned once some yeast arrives.

[Barry]

Fiddlesticks ordinary bitter bubbling in the fridge at 19 degrees -
3.5kg maris otter
150gm dark crystal
30gm chocolate
30gm NZ willamette @ 60
20gm NZ willamette @5
20gm NZ cascade @ 5
S04

Next up, once I get some more crystal and hops, a try to repeat my tied-for-best-of-show mild ale.

[Stu McKinlay]

What's the OG and mash temps Barry?

And while you are at it, what's the mild recipe? Did you use S04 and the no chill method for all those medal winning ales? If so, shout it from the roof tops.

[Barry]

Every ale I entered was batch sparged, no-chill and fermented with dried yeast. Take that you nay-sayers.
American Brown (silver, best in class) was brewed with S05
Mild (gold, best in class) - S04
Best Bitter (silver) - S04
Summer Bitter (Bronze) - S04

Fiddlesticks bitter above was mashed at 66 degrees, OG 1.036. Hoping to get it down to 1.010.

recipe: Pacific Mild Ale.

3.4kg Bairds Maris Otter pale malt
300gm Bairds Crystal malt
150gm Bairds Dark Crystal malt
150gm Bairds Pale Chocolate malt

Mash for 60 minutes @ 67 degrees celcius
Mash out 15 minutes @ 74 degrees celcius
Batch sparge @ 76 degrees celcius


Boil 60 minutes
27gm East Kent Goldings @ 5.4AAU for 60 minutes

no chill, pitch next day
S04 rehydrated in 27 degree boiled water
OG 1.036, FG 1.012

Kegged and force carbonated then bottled from picnic tap. About 2 months old at judging.

[Stu McKinlay]

a shame there was no munich in there ;-)


Interesting that we've used the exact same malts but I've gone for much more of a dark crystal and choc focus.
Also mashed a shade higher.

I'm looking forward to pulling out the beer engine for a tasting, after Saturday's brew day.

Next time I'll shoot for a more tradional 'modern mild' gravity.
Or maybe I'll just see if Sam wants to make the Dark Strong Mild his annual brew.

[denimglen]

I have a rough SNCA clone (minus the centinnial - just cascade and chinook) and a blonde ale - UK pale malt only and hopped with pacific jade only (thanks NzDan) - both in secondary at the moment.

Nothing really exciting, just hoping for some nice summer drinking beers.

Also have the Warsteiner clone and Anchor Steam clone (Saflager S23 - tastes pretty good, will have to try it next to the original) on tap.

Didn't realise I had three clones going until I typed this out haha.