All Grain #1 Tucked Away! (Pics)

[Asalpaws]

Looks like there was some viable yeast in that DT bottle. Yay (I have no back up plan for yeast)T

 

[morethanworts]

Nice work :clap:

 

[morethanworts]

AG#1 now dedicated to my friend's new baby girl. Two Duvel bottles I won't see again...

Plastic tester has pumped up well. Not yet quite as hard as the Tesco Sparkling Ashbeck that it used to hold, but should be fine. Just a nice dusting of sediment.

 

[Asalpaws]

Wow fantastic labels, looks very proffesional! What program are you using?

When do you anticipate sampling your first bottle? T

 

[morethanworts]

My 1000th post!

Used beerlabelizer. Won't be doing many labels - had to cut out manually, but great for the occasional special bottle.

Hmm. When to sample...?

... Think I will give them another few days warm and then chill a bottle hard for a day or two, if I'm honest. won't expect too much, but they are gassy and clear. Would be rude not to.

 

[Asalpaws]

Have you tried this yet G ?

 

[morethanworts]

Have you tried this yet G ?

Tonight T!

I have a bottle chilling. Not expecting much lacing or smoothness, but we'll see. The plastic tester has hardened up slightly further in the last few days I reckon, nearly as hard as the original fizzy mineral water that was in it - I have another bottle of that to compare, FWIW.

Will post a pic and comments.

 

[morethanworts]

In the name of research, one bottle tested at 11 days. Love it!

More whiteness on the top and better mouth feel than I thought this early, though not yet any bite to the carbonation. Tastes very fresh, clean and Pilsner - malty. Pleasant bittering. Some banana, a hint of citrus (confirmed by SWMBO, who often picks things out better than me) and I'm totally delighted. The alcohol is definitely there, but dangerously gluggable for 10.5%. Trying not to sound obvious, but it does just seem like the flavours need to pull together a bit in the bottle and get to know each other.

Big chill haze. Will that improve if I stand the bottles in a very cold shed for a few weeks now?

 

[pittsy]

Try your very best to put half of these away in the back of the shed till summer next year , they will totally change (and for the better too ,) a 10.5% won't be anywhere near ready for a long time , looking nice though :hat:

 

[Asalpaws]

Yay, that looks great. As Pittsy says it will only improve with bottle conditioning, putting a few in the fridge to "lager" speeds up the maturation process. I hope your pleased with your first AG. I'm sure in time it will be the best thing you've made (so far). T

 

[morethanworts]

Thanks for the encouragement both. It does already taste like the best beer I've made, by some margin, but I think I can recognise the youth in the taste (as well as the condition) so I will be duly leaving it until Christmas now, and putting some away for longer, as ordered.

With a similar batch on the go too, there is a decent chance of some of the 100-odd total bottles lasting the course. Not sure when I'll get a brew day next, but something 1.040ish is now likely. I have some excellent Brewferm kriek, some reasonable Coopers stout and some Brewferm Abdij left to keep me going - not that they are quite in the same league (though the Kriek was a particularly great kit, I think).