Ade's Self Build Boiler Brew Days - AG BIAB #12

[AdeDunn]

What a bloody shame! Sorry to hear its final resting place!

TBH with all the things you managed to fit into that particular brew it will be almost impossible to discover exactly where the infection came from; in which case I recommend that you start to sanitise everything!

Easier than you think Dutto, as I did 2 starters using the same wort on the same day, and they're as clean as a whistle (used them to grow some Imperial A09 Pub in), downright lovely tasting in fact. Which narrows it down during fermentation, so came from either the FV or the slurry itself.

A mixture of been relieved that my starters weren't infected (because that Imperial yeast is NOT cheap... lol), tinged with even more sadness as even diluted down to 1.040 and fermented using way too much yeast of the wrong strain (basically Fuller's strain), it was still really delicious. I'm going to focus on the relief that my starters weren't infected, as at least I can always rebrew the beer as I have the recipe still.

 

[AdeDunn]

Well, it went down the toilet yesterday....

FV then got given a good soak with a diluted solution of thin bleach, before been rinsed well, then given a good soak with a strong solution of percarbonate, and then rinsed well once again.

Nuclear option.

 

[cushyno]

That's a shame, on paper it seemed like an interesting brew. Would you have another try?

 

[AdeDunn]

Yeah definitely. The starter I made, when I poured off the excess beer from it I put some into a glass and had a taste, and even diluted down to 1.040 it was really tasty, and that was seriously overpitched (an entire packet of Imperial A09 in 2.6 litres) and either stir plated or shaken (I had to split it, as my stir plate couldn't cope with it in the 1), so it had a lot of promise.

Problem is, I have no dark Munich or CaraMunich II malt (I was using them up), and only a tiny amount of mandarina left. I'd also up the quantity of Mandarina Bavaria I reckon, so yeah it'll be tweaked a bit before I do.

 

[AdeDunn]

Right, I'm nowhere near a brew day, so not going to be giving it another go soon (I actually want to brew my London Pride clone first really), but I've been playing with the recipe for Squiggle Wiggle, and here is V2 for when I do get around to brewing it. I'm not certain what yeast to use right now, do I build up the tiny bit of Voss I still have and try that again? Do I use one of the new WHC kveiks I've ordered (Valkyrie and Bjorn)? Or do I just give up and throw that packet of Bulldog B16 Belgian Saison dried yeast I have sat in the fridge in there and finally find out if that's any good (there's literally nothing on the internet about it STILL!! lol)?

Anyway, yeah big tweaks, it's JUST about the same recipe, sort of, but not really...

Batch size 14 litres (was only 16 litres last time for the starter). Based on an estimated brew house efficiency of 75%.

Est OG: 1.051. Est IBUs: 29.3 (if I end up going with Valkyrie, this will be cut RIGHT back to practically 0). Est Colour: 7.3 EBC. Est ABV. 6.3% (using Bulldog B16 as the basis)

Same mash steps as last time.

2000g Dingemans Pilsen 3.2 EBC
1000g Weyermann Vienna 5.9 EBC
80g Golden Naked Oats 18 EBC

(told you, tweaked... lol)

70 minute boil

35g Saaz whole hops 3.63% @ 70 minutes 21.4 IBUs (I'll not add these if I use Bjorn though, and add say 15g at 0 minutes instead)
1/2 Protafloc @ 10 minutes
15g Mandarina Bavaria whole hops 8.9% @ 10 minutes 7.9 IBUs
4g Lightly crushed black pepper corns @ 10 minutes
20g Mandarina Bavaria (probably pellets) 8.9% @ 0 minutes
7g Waimea whole hops 15.1% @ 0 minutes

Basically my first time using Vienna malt, and I want to use a big hit of it to really taste it properly really. The oats are there for mouth feel more than anything else, I may use the tiny quantity of flaked malted oats I have left instead thinking about it.

 

[AdeDunn]

Finally bottled the Fuzzy Buzzy Bum Old Ale. FG hit 1.010, giving me an ABV of approx. 8.% and an apparent attenuation of 85% (that'll be the brett then). Naturally we had to have a little taste of the sample:-



Up front, I get a nice banana/cherry flavour (which can only come from the yeast). Hop flavour, well if there is any it's maybe a hint of a hint of earthiness (I didn't bother with the 4g dry hop by the way...). Malt flavours, maybe a hint of chocolate, and I mean a hint. Also a hint of alcohol in there (it's a very young, 8% abv, old ale), my wife notices this more than I do. There's a hint of something else in there too that I can't describe, other than saying I've tasted it in other old ales, but don't know how to describe it, it's just there. Aroma, well I'd say like a sort of almost very mild brandy aroma to it, but just a wiff of it. This is just a sample from bottling though, everything can and will change in the coming months.

The one thing I am sure of, my wife has informed me that this will NOT be getting aged until Christmas... She just wants it aged enough for the alcohol flavour to fade a little....

I'm going to have to hide some bottles away for Christmas.....aunsure....

Now I just need to bleach the heck out of my equipment.... lmao

 

[AdeDunn]

I don't have the energy for a big long post, but brewed a pale ale thing today. Pilsner malt (Dingemans), some Vienna malt (Minch bizarrely). Bittered with 40g of Hallertauer mittelfruh for 70 minutes (I know, bonkers bittering with noble hops... lol), 69g of Citra pellets went in at flame out. Cooled to 30 degrees C, into the FV after letting it sit for a bit, then in went about 12mls of WHC Bjorn Kveik (Hornindal). OG of 1.047 (about 15 litres I think), 10mls of Tronozymol 5 mins before end of boil.

If this doesn't come out fruity tasting, I don't know what will...

Not a urine sample...



I didn't faff around trying to keep trub down this brew, it all went in, hence 15 litres.