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

[Dan]

Just finished a pale ale with all cascade cones, 90 grams, a copy of one i did the other week but my homegrown nz cascade hops instead of nelson grown nz cascade,
The nelson nz cascade one was very floral and hoppy.
Tasting the runoff from todays im happy with the results, the bitterness is where i want it and the flavour seems more earthy and smooth than the nelson hops, and less aromatic, the true test will be in a couple of weeks when its in bottles.

[jt]

Now that would be a buzz, your own hops.

Did you dry them Dan ?

[Dan]

Yes I did, I was tempted to do a hop harvest ale with wet cones but I chickened out, still theres lots on the vine so maybe next week I may be daring!

[Stu McKinlay]

Belgian Pale Ale 1 is being drunk a little faster than it probably should be, as it is still only a few weeks old. It's a shade less bitter than I'd like it but otherwise I'm very happy for a first up effort. I'm loving the T-58. Definitely a big fan. It's a little more phenolic than I'd want in a pale but would go extremely well in a Tripel.

Belgian Pale Ale 2 is not so successful. Same brewday as 1 but the K-97 is certainly not as good - quite sulphurous. It is just dropping away now but it has been quite sometime coming. Not sure it'll ever be up to much.

A very bitter two-can Ordinary is dry hopping in the keg (3/4 EKG and 1/4 Sauvin). I made it for a party and it is no longer being used. I'm quite glad I made it as it has given me a little faith in using extract for 'quick and dirty' brews, if required. Quite drinkable.

I've got my Imperial Amber in the fermenter still. It's hoppy, bittersweet and pretty alcoholic at around 9%. Should be ready for kegging by the end of the week.

Next up? American Stout or Brown, and then it might be cool enough for a Baltic Porter.

[jt]

I still do my brown (well dark, hoppy NZ Draught) as an extract, I can't get it right as a grain, and I do prefer it.

Waiting for the temp to drop Stu ?
Me too and my pick from what I can glean from the metservice is to wait until Easter

[Stu McKinlay]

It'll be a month to six weeks before I get in my Baltic Porter. The temps are pretty good now for that American-style brown or stout and I only get to brew about monthly...

[jt]

A light Amber Ale I think. It's my usual brown coloured ale with a bit less cara & chocolate

88% Pale
5% Caramunich III
5% Wheat
2% Chocolate
for 1.040

Bitter with 15 IBU of Super Alpha then 10gm cascade at 30,15,5 minutes for 25 IBU total

I haven't used cascade for a couple of years, thought I would give it a whirl again.

[jt]

I popped this keg in the fridge last night and had a warm, half flat pint.

It (or I) was a little confused, a nice subdued sweetness from the caramunich, a little chalky perhaps from the chocolate and dryish from the wheat.
Not too much from the Cascade, unless I really am confused or abused

A little darker than I thought that little chocolate would contribute

Anyway, very drinkable

[MrC]

About to try my first all grain, thinking of a porter. Any thoughts?

Grain:
4kg pale (maybe maris otter?)
0.5kg crystal
0.5kg chocolate

Hops: East Kent Goldings & Fuggles
Yeast: S04

[Edward Siddle]

looks good mr cherry though if it was me i would be putting in a smidge more chocolate malt - maybe 400g. but it looks a good simple starter for 10, good luck!

[jt]

Is that a smidge more or a smidge less Ed ?

I prefer a sweeter version, 600 or 700 crystal and reduce the chocolate correspondingly

[MrC]

I'm also thinking about adding some Vienna.
How much Veinna would you go for? and would reduce the pale correspondingly?