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

[Stu McKinlay]

Seems like that was it - I looked back at the entries and he did enter a 95% smoked whisky malt beer (5% crystal). It was judged in late 2007 and earned a bronze. I shared a 750ml bottle a few months into 2008 and it was sublime. Citrusy, like Bowmore single malts tend to be, and phenolic... but not medicinal.

His Barley Wine - about 8 years old or so - was one of three beers to be tasted off in a dead heat for the best in show. It was not the winner but it was probably my favourite (I was a steward, not a judge). Fantastic autolysis character and amazing aged caramel malts.

Hope to meet the man one day...

[JoKing]

He frequents Galbraiths often, and is a good friend of Ian and Keith. Talk to Ian, or come along to one of the Auckland Guild meetings (one day).

Some peoples motto is "Life bigins at 40... 1.040 that is!"

Denny Conn says "Life begins at 60."

Johns reckons it starts at 80!

[Stu McKinlay]

I can see his point, or at least I could if I lived and homebrewed in the UK. If I had a wide range of great session beers available I'd only brew big beers myself. But Bookinder is the only beer under 5% that I'd drink regularly and that is not quite the beer it used to be (it's still great but it used the be absulutely outstanding). Bob Hudson's and Golding are up there too but they are a plane ride away...

[JoKing]

That is what I gathered from the short time I was at the Guild.

Personally, most of my beer for the last year has been 1.050 - 1.060. Still quaffable, but plenty of bang and complexity. The IIPA and the Dubbel were the exeption to the rule. Yesterday I brewed a Roggenbier (Schlammiger Roggen) which was 1.055.

Brewing Seasonally is what I'll be focussing on for the next 12 months - turning out beer that is right on (Dubbel for Autumn etc). It should be a good measure of ones planning and ability.

[Stu McKinlay]

I've always wanted to do that and never really got around to it - and I love a good Grafton Porter in the middle of summer. Or an Emerson's Pilsner in the depths of winter.

[jt]

Some peoples motto is "Life bigins at 40... 1.040 that is!"

Yup, and they're right, but you've got to have a bigin to be in !

[Reviled]

How smoky do you want it? Do you have a water filter??

If you have a water filter, you can get away with 99% smoked malt, youll need to filter the water so you get rid of all the chlorine, otherwise the "smokyness" comes out alot more...

If you dont have a water filter and you want a nice smoky porter, id say you need at least 20%, 50% would be idal IMO... Without a filter the smokyness will be alot more woody and just smoky, filtered IMO is the best option for smoked beers after tasting my mates Rauchbier, 99% smoked malt and it wasnt even very smoky, just really complex and tasty, not like my smoked beers which are full on..

[Will J]

i think it is weyermann, we ordered 500gm of it off brewers co-op. we don't have a water filter. i think we will use all of it and maybe not use any Roasted Barley. see what that gives us.
were bottling the honey brown ale today, 12 of which are for the case swap. Can't wait to try the primo brews by everyone.

[denimglen]

Half way through the boil on this puppy.

Denny's Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter

'Cept I'm only doing 12L

[JoKing]

3 words (or syllables that resemble words):

YOU DA MAN

[denimglen]

Haha. I've heard good things about that recipe.

Everything going well, in 3 months, I'll be enjoying this with a cigar for my 21st. Geah geah!

[NVIOUS]

Just starting a 90min boil on my reduced smash cascade blond. The reduction has a lovely toffee smell already!!