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]

It's just a thought for Sunday week. I haven't brewed anything with Styrians that I liked for a long time and I've stopped using them so I thought this might be just what I need

I've not got the GP, medium crystal nor Riwaka so there'd be a bit of substituting and tinkering going on. I don't mind a bit of dark crystal - and this is only 2% - so that's ok

cheers chaps

[Tilt]

This is my first post as a new AG brewer and member of Realbeer so here goes - This is for a brew I did a few weeks ago with my newly set up rig.
Up front I have to say I wouldn't have taken the step into AG if it wasn't for the advice and info which is generously shared by you all here - so many thanks and here's hoping I can contribute something back.

Cooper's Sparkling Ale Clone

Salts
2.00 gm Chalk
10.00 gm Gypsum

3.90 kg New Zealand Pale Ale Malt
0.15 kg Light Crystal Malt
0.09 kg Wheat Malt
Mash at 64.0 C for 90 min

Hops 60 min 32.00 gm Pride of Ringwood

10 min 1.00 tsp Irish Moss + 1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient

Cooper's yeast harvested from the bottle - Starter made up over 4 days to 800 ml

OG 1045
Fermented at 19-21 Deg C for 10 days
FG 1006

Just had the first one tonight - and it tastes streets ahead of the kit and adjunct brews I've been making on and off for years. There's a freshness of the malt with a sweetness and a healthy, fruity Cooper's yeast ester flavour which I was hoping I could reproduce...so overall pretty chuffed.
I've still got a long way to go before I've got a grip on the many aspects of this AG caper, but happy where I've got to so far.
Cheers!!

[Martin Bridges]

Nice work mate, and welcome to the forum. There's nothing like the first taste of a beer you made yourself that makes you go "Oh yeah!"

[Tilt]

Thanks Martin - you're right, I don't think I'm "there yet"by any means, but its great to have those wee wins along the way that keep you pushing forward.

[JoKing]

My first brew in a fortnight (at home anyway...) and made a few tweaks in my process. I widened the gap on my mill. I've been trying to decrease my efficiency for a while now - and finally I have dropped to 80% with this size brew. I'm pretty happy with that. I'm after a bit of a low gravity beer here: one that'll still have that guts to carry a good dose of hops. Minimus was good (from Hallertau) as was Tylers mini IPA - but both lacked a decent body (not a fault - just a matter of personal preference) to carry the inherent bitterness from using so many hops. Anyhow - I think Stone Levitation does this style well - so here's my poke at it. Levitation 10-C American Brown Ale Size: 23.95 L Efficiency: 80.0% Attenuation: 75.0% Calories: 156.88 kcal per 12.0 fl oz Original Gravity: 1.047 (1.045 - 1.060) Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.010 - 1.016) Color: 34.89 (35.46 - 68.95) Alcohol: 4.64% (4.3% - 6.2%) Bitterness: 56.7 (20.0 - 40.0) Ingredients: 4 kg Pale Ale Malt .5 kg Crystal (150 EBC) .25 kg Crystal (300 EBC) .02 kg Black Malt 15 g Columbus (13.7%) - added during boil, boiled 90 min 30 g Amarillo (7.5%) - added during boil, boiled 30 min 33 g Liberty (4.0%) - added during boil, boiled 20 min 11 g Simcoe (12.2%) - added during boil, boiled 20 min 42 g Amarillo (7.5%) - added dry to secondary fermenter 00:03:00 Mash In - Liquor: 14.31 L; Strike: 76.37 °C; Target: 69.5 °C 01:03:00 Mash - Rest: 60.0 min; Final: 69.0 °C 01:04:00 Mash Out - Water: 4.05 L; Temperature: 99.0 °C; Target: 75 °C 01:04:00 Sparge - Sparge Volume: 19.9 L; Sparge Temperature: 75.6 °C; Runoff: 19.91 L A few things to note about the brew: 1) Mashing at 69.5 Degrees is extremely fast. This mash was converted in 10 mins. 2) Thomas Fawcett Dark Crystal is intense in toffee notes. This was enhanced by the medium crystal (and the fact that the wort was still unfermented) 3) Columbus is HELLA bitter. Even this small amount gave the beer some serious bitternass. 4) Pacman yeast smells FUCKING AWESOME out of the starter. I may have just found my house yeast.... after all these years. 5) I cant wait to drink this beer already.

[Barry]

750gm of crystal in a 1.047 beer. That's ballsy as hell Jo.

[JoKing]

Cheers mate. I think it'll be fine - so long as there is enough bitterness to cover up the sweetness she'll be right. I used to add "too much crystal" in my beers a few years ago - but that was when I was scrimping on the hops.

I brewed an Amber about a month ago with 21% crystal in it (1.25kg in a 1.060 beer) and I thikn it's just balanced at 45IBU... maybe a tad leaning towards the sweet. It finished at 1.016 - and the OG / IBU ratio rule of thumb definately applies to this beer.

So with the 1.047 beer @ 57IBU - I think the perception should lean towards the bitter. We'll see - I'll happily bring some up next time I'm in A Land if you're keen for a catch up Barry.

[Sean Donaldson]

That looks like it will be an amazing beer. 69.5 degrees is pretty high for the mash. You will no doubt get alot of beta amylase activity and dextrins. Should be interesting how long it takes to go down to 1.012. Good choice of hops. They are certainly the ones that Brewdog use and Im sure Stone uses them as well. I hope it works out good.

[JoKing]

WOW!!!!!!

I had my 1st real taste of this beer last night, and it is amazing. The first glass went down in 2 halves; took about 1 minutes to quaff it back. The 2nd glass was a bit more restrained, and I took a bit more time to appreciate the subtle and not so subtle flavours. The third glass was just sheer gluttony.

I heart Amarillo. I really heart TF Dark. I really really heart pacman yeast.

I dont think that this keg will last very long.

[denimglen]

Looks tasty mate, what was the FG?

[JoKing]

Ended up at 1.011 (from 1.047) giving me 4.7%

I got a little more attenuation than I wanted - but compared with what I've been getting lately (like 85 - 90%) I'm pretty happy!

[Martin Bridges]

Re-brewing my RyePA tonight. However, no Kolsch malt so using Maris Otter. 20% rye, bit of medium crystal, pinch of CaraPils. Hops are mainly Nelson Sauvin and NZ Cascade with a bit of Northern Brewer through the middle. Yeast is 1272 American Ale II. Last one tasted & looked awesome so I hope I can match it.

Brewday (er, night) started a bit later than planned - didn't mash in until 7pm, so it's going to be a late one.