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

[MrC]

But I'd not leave milled grain more than a few days, just a gut feel.
Same. But somehow I don't think grain freshness is anywhere near being the biggest problem with my beers :-)

[jt]

The only problem I've had will milled grain was some milled Munich I bought a few years ago. Brewed fine with it for a month, maybe two and then got bad results.

Like you say, freshness of milling may not have been the worst problem at the time.

What's the term for malt losing it's freshness - slack ?
Presume that applies to milled grain too but once cracked, probably happens quicker

[Ally Mcg]

I've done both and the day before is now default setting because it means i can get the mash underway at a stupidly early hour of the morning without having to mill first.

Does it make a difference? Couldn't say I've ever noticed but then in order to be exact about it I'd need to conduct blind taste trials, which I'm also too lazy to do :)

[martin w]

i'm going to get this ready for tomorrow,
i've been thinking about brewing something with vanilla for awhile and i have 3 plump,sticky vanilla beans to 'dry hop'this with

Fermentables

gladfield Ale Malt 3.600 kg 61.0 %
Flaked Barley 1.000 kg 16.9 %
German Munich Malt 0.500 kg 8.5 %
UK Roasted Barley 0.300 kg 5.1 %
UK Flaked Oats 0.300 kg 5.1 %
UK Chocolate Malt 0.200 kg 3.4 %


Hops

Slovenian Styrian Goldings 40 g First Wort Hopped
UK Golding 40 g 60 Min From End
UK Fuggle 18 g 30 Min From End
Slovenian Styrian Goldings 15 g 30 Min From End
UK Fuggle 17 g 5 Min From End
Slovenian Styrian Goldings 15 g 5 Min From End

mash at 63
dry ale yeast that i have kicking around.
comments/suggestions?

[MrC]

Looks nice Martin. I've been thinking about brewing with vanilla too. I'm thinking vanilla & oak chips to get the vanilla oak character that I love in red wines. That'll be pretty dry with that recipe and mashing at 63C. Dry vanilla stout. Would some sweetness make for a better match with the vanilla? Maybe? Dunno, just a thought?

[martin w]

i was thinking the vanilla would make it sweet? i don't want it to be to overwhelming but maybe i should increase the temp?
i didn't think of oak, i have a bunch of oak in the garage,i could soon pare off a bunch of chips with a chisel,mmm, would you add them to the boil, pre or post fermentation?

[Martin Bridges]

I think the vanilla will deffo give you some sweetness. There's vanilla in the Renaissance Craftsman (chocolate oatmeal stout) this year and it has really upped the sweetness and richness.

[martin w]

deleted as posted twice!

[Martin Bridges]

Couple of brewing-related jobs today:

Cold-crashed my Biere de Garde which had got down to 1.006. I'll give it a couple of weeks at zero now. Hydro sample tasted pretty good - like a Saison with a lot more malt character.

Checked my IIPA and moved it to warm up for a D-rest. Currently down to 1.020 (from 1.094) and smelling pretty damn hoppy. Haven't dared taste it yet! Two or three days at D-rest temps then I'll chuck in the first 100g or so of dry hop.

[Toot]

Hey Martin what temperature did you ferment the Biere de Garde at?

Had a nice 3 monts recently and think this one might be next on brew list. Any pointers?

[Martin Bridges]

Mainly at 19-20, though I cranked it up a bit at the end.

This is the first one I've brewed so I'll be interested to see how it turns out. The recipe is a Jamil one, but as he says it's all about the ferment. Hopefully it hasn't dried out too much - that 3711 yeast is a beast.

I'm planning on giving it a couple of weeks at zero degrees, but my lack of stocks may force me to keg it earlier! I'll let you know how it goes.

[Simon David kelly]

A test beer using Tamarillos.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 9.00 L
Boil Size: 10.30 L
Estimated OG: 1.045 SG
Estimated Color: 18.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 26.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
1.00 kg Tamarillo Fruit (15.0 EBC) Adjunct 50.00 %
1.00 kg Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) Dry Extract 50.00 %
22.60 gm Saaz [4.10 %] (60 min) Hops 26.0 IBU
2 Pkgs SafLager West European Lager (DCL Yeast #SYeast-Lager