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

[jt]

Halfway through the boil, looked out the back door and a snow flurry blew past .. time for a woollie hat I think ..

[MrC]

Is that a 90min boil for the pils malt or do just boil for 60 due to it being an ale?

[jt]

Always 60 regardless because I'm impatient !

[jt]

Hmmm ... this is trucking along @ 24C .. I thought I'd need a bit of heat with the garage only just avereaging 10C - so put it on the heatpad. Normally I'd pot some 1" slats under it to take the bite out of the heat

What's 05 like @ 24 chaps ?
I think I've seen JK post about 05 in the 20's

cheers. jt

[Reviled]

Reckon you should be ok at 24*c JT, it gets a bit honeyish with the esters but I actually quite like it, its a pretty forgiving strain eh!

[jt]

its a pretty forgiving strain eh!

Cheers, I guess I'll find out !

[MrC]

I 've had US-05 up to 22 deg (from memory) and I think the temp fluctuated a bit also.
The judges comments from last years NHC were along the lines of "burnt matcheads" which is a sulphur thing.

Not sure whether I can finger US-05 at 22c as the sole cuplit but that's what my experience was.

In my experience the first 3-4 days are the crucial ones for ales. After that I tend to relax a bit on the temp control front (within reason of course). What was the temp for the firt 3 days?

[JoKing]

JT - you might get a little bit of hot alc from this ferment - mostly dependent on your SG. If you're only sitting around 1.046 - I think you'd struggle to pick up on it. Otherwise - if you stick your nose in the fermenter and breath in heavily, you'll find out if there is anything else going wrong in this ferment.

Chur...

[jt]

1.046 ? !!!! Nah, I'm starting at 1.038 and anticipating 1.008 or so
It was a slow start from pitching at 17 or 18 on Sunday and reaching 22 by Tuesday night.
Thought the cool southerly temperatures might keep it there but over the next 24 hours crept upto 24C
Popped some slats between the pad and the fermenter last night so it'll be down I'm sure

[James P]

My S05 started at 22 and had dropped to 15C for a day then back up to 17C. I had to wrap it in blankets! I'm expecting a clean beer!

I think it's time to rebuild my fermenting chamber now that I am doing ales....

[Ally Mcg]

An American Amber this morning in the cold

71% Pale LME
10% Munich
9% Pils
4.5% Amber
2% Melanoiden
1% Pale Choc
US05
Aiming for 1.065 with my useless efficiency
Columbus and Cascade to 28IBU and I'm mulling over dry hopping

[MrC]

My fermenters are full so I'm sitting in a warm lounge reading about some crazy homebrewers from NZ brewing in the midst of an icy polar blast.

I think I'll brew some coffee...

2 scoops Cafe L'affare
2 cups boiling water
Can't decide between milk or cream, I think I'll go with the cream.