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

[Martin Bridges]

OG was 1.050 against a predicted 1.052 so I was fairly pleased with the efficacy of my first partial mash. Tasted nice enough too - let's hope I can keep the temperature up enough for fermentation to kick off. Should keep itself going once it's started.

Cheers,

Martin

[Tony]

Sounds good Martin, We'll have to do a swap- my stout for your Alt? See you on saturday.

[jt]

I'm getting more inspired by browner ales at the moment and the APA will have to wait (until I get disenchanted with something)
So, influenced by Stu's American Porter off I go again. Ok, no cascade, but the US connection is the Willamette. Not really to far removed from what I'd normally brew, with the addition of the Munich
80%Pale
10% Munich
4.5% Medium Crystal
2% Pale Choc
3% Chocolate
0.5% Roast Barley (token gesture to replace the Black)
What else would I bitter with - Super Alpha - followed by Willamette @ 30 & Styrian Goldings @ 15
OG 42, BU 30
Stu nearly talked me into US05 a while back and I have a couple of sachets in the fridge, but I might get nervous and save them as backups

[HerrSchnapps]

I finally, finally got my ingredients from Mike at Brewers Co-op, he'd forgotten my order!

Anyway, its 1.46am, and my wort is nearly chilled enough to arate & pitch, but this took a little longer than I expected *sigh*... but anyway, first extract with speciality grains! Went really well actually, wort smells great, tastes good (the barley and chocolate come through nicely), and fingers crossed it'll be very tasty after its fermented! Though it took forever to come to boil on the stove-top, and even then it was just keeping up with a rolling boil at full-tit. Also discovered a couple of tablespoons of LME at the bottom of the pot as I was cleaning up, which I guess would explain the measured OG being 1 off from the estimated. Anyway, I'm tired but happy. Ferment my pretty, ferment!

And here it is after tweaks etc:

= St Paddies Steadfast Stout =
1.8kg Munton Med LME (end of boil)
1.5kg Black Rock Med LME
330g Roasted Barley
250g Chocolate Malt
150g Caramel Malt (75L)
12g Pacific Gem (13.8%) @ 60
20g Styrian Goldings (5.50%) @ 40
15g " " " " @ 20
US-05
OG:1.048 (target: 49) | 42 IBU | 35 SRM

[Tony]

Excuse me if the question has already been asked. But, when do you add Irish moss to the brew?

I just put the Stout into a second fermenter at 1.016 SG. It tastes great. The Oats have tended to be very subtle (I didn't preboil them), but give it a bit of body and a little middle-palate. It has come out a very traditional, old fashioned stout. I am not disappointed. I will bottle it this weekend.

Ed you need to send me your postal address? [e-mail]

[Martin Bridges]

I usually add Irish Moss 10 minutes before the end of the boil.

Just cracked open a bottle of my Extract of Daisy APA which has been in the bottle for 3 weeks and it is developing very nicely indeed.

Martin

[MrC]

Just ordered ingredients for my first lager, an all grain NZ Pilsener. I been reading up a storm and if I can keep the temp low and controlled I think I'll be OK.

Meanwhile... I'm also planning to make a basic traditional mead.
Batch size 11.5L
5kg clover honey
Gervin wine yeast, nutrient & tannin

Let me know if you have mead tips.

Sorry if this mead talk offends anyone :)

[jt]

What's the recipe Mr C - are you going the Full Nelson ??

There was a bit of talk about lagerring a few months back, anyone been stashing their lager in caves, purpose built hutches outside etc etc as was propsed ?

I didn't lager, but did seconday a batch 3 weeks @ as low as the garage got (10-12C) rather than the standard 1 week and didn't make much diff - but maybe it wasn't the recipe to do it with, lost the late hop character I was hoping for.

[MrC]

I was listening to the Jamil Show - German Pilsener pod cast and I 'm basing my recipe on the one mentioned there with a couple of tweaks to make it NZ.

I've been reading the NZ Style Guide and I'm gonna:
- lower the IBUs
- use NZ Hallertau for all the hopping
- mash at a slightly higher temp (66-67c) so as not to be as dry as the German Pilsener which will hopefully let the malts come through a bit more and soften the bitterness.

5kg Pilsener malt
500g Munich
250g CaraPils

60 min mash
90 min boil

NZ Hallertau Bittering at 60mins (to approx 25 IBU, not sure what the AA% is yet)
NZ Hallertau Aroma at 0mins (15g)

DMH 2278 yeast (Czech Pils) - Fingers crossed on this...

As far as fermentation goes. I 'm planning on 2-3 weeks primary at 10-12c, then rack to a carboy for 4 weeks as cold as I can get it (weather dependent), then prime and into the bottles for 2 weeks, then drink and enter the comp. I intend tasting it after 2 weeks of primary to check for diacetyl with the intention of racking once the diacetyl has gone, maybe raise the temp if it needs it. Sounded so easy when they were talking about it, I'm sure I'll learn a few lessons on this one :)

[jt]

Sounds good Mr C !

Just drinking a lager with 100gm carahell in the batch, sweetens it up like an NZ Lager / draught nicely.
Also using NZ Hallertau and dry hopped 12 gm in that batch and it's very good, may up it in the next to 18gm (small increments are better than large !)

[MrC]

Did the dry hopping make it grassy? I've read about it but never tried it.
Also, when did you add them? After the active primary? Secondary?

[jt]

No, not at that amount Mr C
Added when I racked it and then I left it a week before kegging / bottling the left over.
I have gone overboard in the past so started low and I'll work my way up.