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

[JoKing]

It looks very much tinkered by your standards jt! It looks like quite the complicated recipe actually... another S-04 job mate?

[jt]

Just split the crystals into a bit of cara, medium and dark and the pale choc into pale & regular.

SO4 for some authenticity with the original.

One day I'll buy some pale crystal and brew it as intended.

How's the head ?

[JoKing]

I'm recovering mate... Hope I didn't sully Crouchers good reputation! I got a bit boozed towards the end.

[Reviled]

Brewing a dark Bitter today
90% Golden Promise
7% Cara Aroma
3% Chocolate

60 - 35g NZ goldings
20 - 18g Williamette
0 - 11g Williamette, 5g NZ Goldings

1469 West Yorkshire

Also considering doing a flanders red seeing as ive got a cube with some hallertau brett, and some brett brux from Mike.. Not sure how to get the lacto character in there tho? Do i just do a sour mash or something??

[denimglen]

Lactobacillus and you'll need aceto too. Depends how 'authentic' you wanna be.

[Reviled]

Not too keen on aceto, but ill go down the lacto track.. So what do I do to get it or do I actually need to purchase/acquire some??

Was thinking 45% Munich, 45% Vienna, 4% Cara Aroma, 6% Cara Red???

[denimglen]

Usually you'd ferment with a lacto culture, you could use grain as it has some lacto on it but I really don't trust that method and all the other nasties that could be on it.

I would use some aceto too, I think a Flander's should have a little vinegar-like character. I reckon you need a few different types of funk to add to the complexity of the sourness and bacteria/yeast character.

My grist was 38% pils, 38% vienna, 8% munich II, 4% Caramunich II, 4% Dark crystal, 4% Melanoidin, 4% wheat. 1057 OG, 16IBU (60min Northern Brewer only).

[Reviled]

Hmm, sounding a bit complicated and I cant really afford to buy any smackpacks atm.. Might just do a brew with a normal yeast to start, mash high, then pitch a Brett blend into it... I like the idea of the melanoidin aswell! Yum!

[denimglen]

Yeah complexity is the name of the game with this beer. Fermentation and malt-wise anyways.

I'd pitch the brett blend from the start too, if you want a firm sourness anyway. You could try dropping a handful of grain into the fermenter, but that just sounds like a really bad idea to me haha.

Get the roselare blend, one smack pack and a blend of like five strains, it's a deal.

[Mike Neilson]

Just dump it in bro see how it goes! Dont worry about lacto, You dont want any Acetobater this will create acetic acid and you dont want that as thats what malt vinegar is, you want pedio as that ferments creates high level of lactic acid and thats the one you want. But will take ages to notice it will fart out Diacetyl but the yeast you have still in there along with the brett will consume it. The reason the belgians have Acetobater in the beer is because of the tiny amount of air that defuses in the fourdes or barrels. Have a guess what I have been studying!!

[John]

I'm thinking of sprucing up a lager kit with some tips of a manuka branch. Does anyone know it the best way to add them? Should I add them to a small amount of boiling water and then to the kit, or something else?

[Bambule]

After a weekend where it seemed too much beer was barely enough, it only seems right that I start brewing. Besides, Its blowing a gale and raining horizontal, so the weather demands it.

Post beervarna comedown Saison
3kg ADM Pils
2.5kg maris otter
200g cara-aroma
200g candisugar
Hopped with Styrian Goldings 60 & 10 to 25IBUs
Wyeast 3711

No idea on what the OG will be, Crushed on Mike Nielson's industrial crusher with Joking on the hand drill. I'll settle for 1.060 (ish). But it may not matter too much, I hear this yeast goes down to 1.006 in its sleep.