AG#5 Challenger Pale Ale (Blue Bird recipe)

[timw]

Evenin' all,


Another weekend back at my parent's, which is where I am able to do my brewing, which my mother just loves...



So, this is AG#6 - aiming to finish off some bits.... after this one, I'm pleased to say my first sack of malt is down to just 2kg... need to get another order in. For now, I've a 113gm pack of Challenger leaf hops so I'm going for a simple single hopped pale ale - I think this is similar to the Conniston Blue Bird recipe that I've seen on the web, although I've upped the grains to bring it out a touch stronger.



4.5kg Marris Otter
500gms Crystal
Challenger hops
40gms at 60mins
20gms at 20mins
20 gms at 10mins
With the remaining 30ishgms as dry hop.


But before I can get started, I needed to bottle up AG#5 - a Brambling Cross porter. The recipe and brewday report are here It's been in the fermenting fridge for 4 weeks now in primary.



I bunged 20gms of the remaining BX hops on Friday evening to dry hop, but had to bottle tonight so they've only been in around 36hrs so maybe a bit of a waste.






Good colour, lovely rich and sweet smell - can defiantly smell the blackcurrant that.






Hydrometer Final Gravity reading was around 1.018, so with a starting gravity of around 1.062 this is coming in over 5% which is where I wanted it. I've batched primed with 75gms of sugar and bottled 37.5pints, so quite pleased with that haul. :drink:




My taster glass was promising - although perhaps a touch too sweet. The recipe was a bit made up and I probably overdid it in finishin up a few bits.



Anyway - enough of that - it's on with the Challenger SHIPA.

Boiler is full, mash tun and all the other bits sanitised and ready to go.



Hops weighed out.






Grain weighed out.






Ready to go first thing in the morning and hoping to be done by lunchtime.



More to follow.....

 

[timw]

Boiler was on at 5.30 and i've nearly done with the sparge now after a 90min mash....

FIrst runnings:



Sparging:



So far.... so good..... :party:

 

[timw]

And we're done.

Post boil gravity around 1.052, and collected around 21 litres (these Wilko fermenters are way off with their graduations).



I rehydrated a packet of Safale 04 with a teaspoon of sugar in cooled pre-boiled water, and after around 30mins in a warm water bath it was like a 99 without the flake..



Now safely tucked away at 18degrees in the fermenting fridge:



And all the cleaning up is done - aside from the leaning tower of draining buckets etc!



So I plan to leave it for the next 4 weeks as I wont be back til the end of May bank holiday weekend when I'll dry hop with the remaining 30gms of Challenger for around 4 days and bottle it.

And then, I;ll be getting the next one in....

Really need another fermenting fridge so I can have a more staggered production....