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

[Barry]

re-brewed a summer bitter/ale last night, because the one I just kegged has come up pretty well - good balance, lovely light golden colour and sparkly white head, super drinkable. Happy brewer!

4kg Maris otter (last one was golden promise)
100gm light crystal
nz styrians and pacifica at 60, 15, 3

S04 - YES THAT'S RIGHT, ESS OH PHOAR.

[MrC]

Looks good Barry. Sounds similar to that case swap easter egg I got. I still reminisce about that beer.

How do you rate the Pacifica & Styrian combo compared to Cascade & Stryrian?

[Barry]

I'll let you know ;)
The first edition had styrians at 60 minutes only,
then pacifica/us cascade/ekg - the ekg dominates with it's earthyness so this one hopefully will be a bit more resinous with the pacifica.

I'm liking pacifica a lot - both as a lead hop and a more subtle partner in crime.

[Tony]

I just re-did a brew, swapping 50% Marris Otter for 50% Golden promise. I'd be interested in your thoughts, as to how it changes your brew, Baz?

[Barry]

yeah sweet. I'm expecting the MO to be fatter and nuttier. the gp is really really light and crisp (comparatively - obviously it's still a fat old English pale malt).

[Stu McKinlay]

I'm re-brewing my ordinary this weekend. It's delicious at 10 days, and I'm well afraid that this 40L it isn't going to last, so I need more for December. The last one was 100% Motueka, might go Motueka/Pacifica this time (and cut back the specialty back a shade). WLP002 gen2.

Need to check my malt stocks to see if it's Pearl, GP or MO - and then after this it'll be time for an order through Liberty.

[Nick T]

Doing a dark mild this weekend, Jamil's recipie, extract based. Has a couple of different crystal malts in it, a 60L and a 120L, as well as light chocolate and black patent. If I used a 'light' crystal instead of the 60L crystal, would that have a lot of effect on the outcome? (I have some crystal from a previous brew, I am not sure if it is 'light' or 'medium', I had just ordered 'crystal' at the time - I think it might be the light version though). I don't have the recipe with me at the moment, but I think the 60L is about 10% of the mix. Or put another way, can I adjust the other grain quantities to make up for the lightness of the light crystal?

[Reviled]

Generally if you just order 'crystal' you will get medium crystal - but dont worry too much about subbing one type of british crystal for another, it will change the beer but not nessecarily in a bad or good way, it will just be different ;o)

[James P]

If you got it from LHBS (Brewcraft) more likely it will be medium as Rev said. Liberty and DMH state either medium or light or dark depending on the brand you order, but you would choose. BrewersCoop is just crystal on the price list, however Mike would let you know the stats if you email him.

I would have thought the only differences would be in the colour / flavour? :)
Refer : BYO

[Reviled]

For me, there is a difference in flavour - Medium crystal (80L)gives me alot of caramel, where as I get more of a toffee almost raisin like taste from dark crystal (120L)

[Stu McKinlay]

darker the colour of crystal the more complex fruit and chocolate i get out of them... 90 ebc is caramel with a whiff of fruit, while 250 ebc is dried dark fruits and chocolate. Would be nice to get some dark stuff in a dark mild but it depends what kind of kind of dark mild you want...

Mike's Mild -> Keep it simple, with a little roast to dry it out.
Sarah Hughes Strong Ruby Mild -> Layers of crystal, not much roast.

[Nick T]

Thanks guys for all the advice. I think what I will do is try and get some fresh medium crystal. I would like to stick to the recipe as closely as possible, as I am new to most of this and don't really know what to expect from a mild. If I brew the recipe then at least I will have a 'standard' to refer to, before branching off with my own tweaks.

Stu, the Sarah Hughes recipe inthe Camra book certianly caught my eye, have you by chance done a Gales Festival Mild (another interesting looking one)?