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

[JackoNZ]

Yea I agree with you there mate, at the end of the day if it wasn't for BIAB then I wouldn't be doing all grain right now. I'm not really fussed if I'm making it more complicated than it's meant to be if it helps make better beer. I've already got a big bucket I drop my grain bag into and sparge so it's all good.

[Ally Mcg]

Tomorrow Am, or perhaps Pm, its time for the Swedish Chef (thanks to a hopping discussion I had with Mr Emerson on Weds) - its a NZ PA

46% LME
48% Pils
6% Crystal 80L
20IBU Pac Gem @60
3IBU Riwaka @15
3.5IBU Pac Gem @15
3IBu Pac gem @5
2.4IBU Riwka @5
Pac Gem and Riwaka @ 0.5g per L at fo
Pac Gem an Riwaka 2g per L dry hopping for tbd days
old fashioned S05 (recycled)

[James P]

Sounds very much like the pilsner too......

[Ally Mcg]

Yeah, its a little Pils with the Riwaka. Never used the pac gem so hope it brings to the party the black currant it promises on the packet. Should be a tasty drop either way i hope. Will give you a bottle for critical analysis once its done - be good to get yr thoughts

[James P]

Ah that would be magic! I'll have a porter carbed up in a couple weeks for your dark side thoughts as I still have no real idea of where I'm going with the dark beers.

[MrC]

I used Pacific Gem for late additions like that once and absolutely hated it. I would only consider Pacific Gem for bittering purposes (nothing less that 60min). It definitely had the black current, dark fruit chracter but it also had another weird, overpowering, bluh!, character.

I'll be interested to know what you think.

Anyone else tried late additions Pacific Gem?

[JoKing]

I used it lately in an IPA that I brewed with only NZ hops. I thikn if you tried to showcase the flavour, you might be in a bit of trouble, but if you use it in smaller amounts at specific times in the boil, it can work quite well.

Right here is the recipe for this beer, and you notice some berry like characters in amongst some strong citrus, and tropical fruit notes.

I think the Cascade and Riwaka cover up the "bluh" character from the Pacific Gem, but overall, I am more than pleased with how this beer has turned out. I rate it up there with some of the other IPAs I've been brewing lately.

[Reviled]

Nothing personally cos im stuck at work :o(

But I did just email instructions to my flatmate, and im getting him to dough in my scotch ale, so that when I get home, the mash is finished and I can knuckle in... Now I have this terrible overwhelming feeling of fear that something could go horribly wrong and I wont be there to fix it... But hopefully it should be sweet? lol

[Reviled]

Brews going well, my flatmate did well, getting an OG of 1050 into the boil! Hopefully the finished product is just as good and ill give him the kudos :o)

[Reviled]

My scotch ales fermenting away like crazy, Graham got a really good efficiency for his first time (even tho I did the sparging, but still) OG of 1065 and 22 litres, I would have liked 20 litres at closer to 1070, but hey, im definately happy with those numbers :o)

[studio1]

what was the eff?

[Mike Neilson]

I have some 1056 spinning at the moment and im going to brew an Oatmeal Stout on Wednesday

76% M/O
9% Oats
3.5% Chocolate Malt
4% Roast Barley
2.5% Caraaroma
2.5% Cara Munich
2.5% Cara Red

14 Ibus of Nugget at 90
14 Ibus of Coloubus at 20
30g of Nugget and Colombus at 1

1.050
30 Ibus
67.8 Degree Mash
Wyeast 1056