2nd Try at BIAB AG

[stacer]

Tomorrow I'm having a second try at BIAB AG with a slightly amended recipe, the first batch came out looking very pale, like a slightly dark lager:

1/2 Campden Tablet
4kg Maris Otter
500g Pale Crystal Malt
250g Dark Crystal Malt
25g EKG 60 mins
15g EKG + 10g Challenger 15 mins
1/2 tsp Irish Moss 15mins
30g Challenger at Flameout

Nottingham Ale Yeast

 

[anthonyUK]

Have you thought about switching the challenger and EKG around?

 

[calumscott]

Have you thought about switching the challenger and EKG around?

+1

Challenger is one of the best bittering hops there is and EKG is (IMO) one of the tastiest! :thumb:

 

[bunkerbrewer]

Have you thought about switching the challenger and EKG around?

+1

Challenger is one of the best bittering hops there is and EKG is (IMO) one of the tastiest! :thumb:

+2 (is that a thing?). Maybe use some for dry hopping too?

 

[Cpt.Frederickson]

+3! They're a fantastic hop combo, personally I would have some challenger as first wort, then lots of late additions for both followed by dry hop. The flavours are very complementary I think. Looks like a decent brew.
Best of luck with it mate.

 

[stacer]

Many thanks to you all for your advice, I'm very much a newcomer to AG brewing so all suggestions welcome. I'll try switching the EKG and Challenger around and see how we go. Mashing underway at the moment and so far on schedule.

 

[anthonyUK]

Out of interest where did you get the recipe?

 

[stacer]

I adapted it myself from a suggested BIAB recipe on the forum, with the first try the OG was 1.037 and the beer is quite light in colour. So I have increased the Maris Otter by 500g and added 250g of Dark Crystal Malt to improve the colour. The hops are an experiment so only time will tell. I don't have a local Homebrew shop that sells AG ingredients so I have ordered in bulk from Murphys in Nottingham so I have sufficient for 6 brews and I can ring the changes until I get something that suits me. :

 

[graysalchemy]

That is similar to my house bitter you shouldn't go wrong with it, though as above ekg for aroma challenger for bittering. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[stacer]

Finished up with 20 litres, OG 1.042 with a nice chestnut type of colour - well pleased.
I also tried re-hydrating the yeast for the first time, I'm not sure why I hesitated before, it wasn't particularly difficult, you just need to pay attention to temperature control - yeast was pitched about an hour ago so hopefully in a few hours I should see some activity. :

 

[Tomcat]

sounds good, look forward to a report on how it tastes : I have rehydrated the yeast each time and found i get a good fast start but not a huge foam head so no blow off in the fv :)

 

[stacer]

This seems to have started well, foam head only about 1 inch thick so no danger of leaving the FV. I'll keep you posted when I tasted the final result :