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]

I haven't really been getting into this years harvest of much other than Nelson Sauvin - which I'll agree is a bit different to last years stuff. It could just be that it's really fresh though. That Cascade that was up at Tuatara - and the Golding was awesome. Soooooo fresh. Very very fresh smelling.

Very astute and (in my opinion) accurate observation Mike.

The AA's is a byproduct of the slower growning less productive harvest of this year I reckon. Same as the Grape harvest this year. Way down on volume - but quality is through the roof. Make the most of it - I know I will be. Next up for me is a mini IPA with NZ Golding. Yum.

[Stu McKinlay]

looks like a big brother of something I have planned...

[warra48]

Just about to mill the grain for this one, set down for an early mash in tomorrow.
IBU will not be quite as high as predicted. The Challenger and First Gold are '06 vintage, so using them up for bittering.

English IPA
23 litres
Estimated OG: 1.058 SG
Estimated Color: 29.7 EBC
Estimated IBU: 59.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Boil Time: 120 Minutes
Mash Time: 120 Minutes at 66ºC

5000.00 gm Maris Otter (Thomas Fawcett) floor malted (6.0 EBC) Grain 88.50 %
200.00 gm Amber Malt (85.0 EBC) Grain 3.54 %
200.00 gm Crystal Malt - 60L (Thomas Fawcett) (118.2Grain 3.54 %
200.00 gm Crystal Medium (145.0 EBC) Grain 3.54 %
50.00 gm Chocolate Wheat Malt (1100.0 EBC) Grain 0.88 %
35.00 gm Challenger '06 [7.90 %] (60 min) Hops 26.7 IBU
35.00 gm First Gold '06 [7.90 %] (60 min) Hops 26.7 IBU
25.00 gm Styrian Goldings [2.30 %] (Dry Hop 7 daysHops -
40.00 gm Fuggles [4.00 %] (10 min) Hops 5.6 IBU
25.00 gm Styrian Goldings [2.30 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968)

Mrs warra this morning sewed a double layer Swiss voile bag to fit my fermenter. The plan is to give up on whirlpooling the kettle, and to drain immediately after chilling. I'll catch all the crud in the bag, and remove it from the fermenter before pitching the yeast. Should save at least an ½ hour or more on brew day. It will be long enough as it is, with 2 hour mash and 2 hour boil.

[Patrick]

Interesting idea with the voile bag - let us know how it goes!

[warra48]

Did the brew today. Amazing efficiency from the 2 hour mash, 96% into the kettle. Did only a 90 minute boil in the end. Finished with 25 litres at 1.060 into the fermenter, 92% efficiency. The hopsock caught all the crud, and I was able to drain the kettle at full speed. I definitely was able to transfer an extra 1 to 2 litres of wort compared to normal, to cut down on losses to trub.

[Patrick]

Well done! Might have to try that trick.

[jt]

The hopsock

yep, I use a hopsock to catch all the crud, very little loss in the kettle and good clarity too

[Stu H]

Halfway through the boil on this one:

The recipe stated Centennial for bittering, and Willamette for flavour/aroma. I'm just using up some of what I've got lying around.

The recipe also stated 23 IBU, I've gone and ratcheted it up a bit... Who knows how it'll come out??


American Amber II (stu's version)
10-B American Amber Ale
Author: Brew Your Own Magazine
Date: 6/07/10

Size: 18.93 L
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 172.78 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.052 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.013 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 18.38 (10.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 5.11% (4.5% - 6.2%)
Bitterness: 31.5 (25.0 - 40.0)

Ingredients:
3.6 kg Golden Promise Malt
.45 kg Carapils®/Carafoam®
.23 kg Medium Crystal
.110 kg Dark Crystal
.11 kg Chocolate Malt
5.0 g Cascade (7.7%) - added during boil, boiled 90.0 min
10.0 g Columbus (14.2%) - added during boil, boiled 90 min
9.0 g NZ Willamette (6.5%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
13.0 g East Kent Goldings (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
.7 g Koppafloc - added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
27.0 g NZ Goldings (5.6%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
1.0 ea Fermentis US-05 Safale US-05

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.10

[Stu H]

Wow at least I hit my OG correctly this time. It looks like my brewhouse efficiency really is 75% with these medium-strength beers. Though yeah lost a couple of liters to trub in the bottom of the kettle...I like your idea warra!

I completely stuffed up the water volumes with my recent oatmeal stout. The brew ended up being way too dilute, 1042 rather than 1052.... Ah well at least I won't end up getting too pissed...

[jt]

Ah well at least I won't end up getting too pissed...

That's good, you can enjoy more of it !

[Stu H]

Haha hope it's not too watery!

[Nick T]

Just mashed in:

Skippy EKG Best Bitter

Pale Malt - Global Cologne Malt 66.19 %
Skippy Cornflakes 11.82 %
Munich Malt 9.46 %
Wheat Malt, Pale 4.73 %
Caraaroma 2.36 %
Caramel Wheat Malt 2.36 %
Carared 2.36 %
Chocolate Malt 0.71 %
48.00 gm Goldings, East Kent (60 min) 17.0 IBU
40.00 gm Goldings, East Kent (20 min) 8.6 IBU
30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent (15 min) 5.3 IBU
30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent (10 min) 3.9 IBU
28.00 gm Goldings, East Kent (5 min) 2.0 IBU

5.00 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) [Starter 1600 ml] Yeast-Ale

Estimated Original Gravity: 1.041 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Color: 23.8 EBC
Bitterness: 36.8 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 3.73 %


Now I can have beer for breakfast legitimately! Just need to add some of Mikes toasted IPA bread .......