Brewnaldos brewday

[Brewnaldo]

This ferment is a real journey. Really clearly defined pineapple has totally gone and now its unmistakable mango in taste and smell. 1 week in, and I'm deeply upset that I'm probably 3 weeks away from getting a pint of this

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

This ferment is a real journey. Really clearly defined pineapple has totally gone and now its unmistakable mango in taste and smell. 1 week in, and I'm deeply upset that I'm probably 3 weeks away from getting a pint of this

…or not

 

[Brewnaldo]

…or not

Only 5.68 x the sample cylinder I suppose

It's at FG now, I am loathe to commence cold crashing quite yet, want to give the yeast a chance to clean up a bit having recently read about the cleaning up of acetaldhyde once FG is reached, but I will probably leave it only 2 or 3 more days before dropping the temp. So aye... That 3 weeks might see some "optimising"

 

[Brewnaldo]

Got hooked by the promise of something new lastnight whilst on CML website, so have ordered a simple grain bill of Pale and Vienna, and a load of Nectaron and Taiheke, aswell as some Sabro, which will be split between an 80 degree hopstand and a generous dry hop. Philly Sour yeast. Hoping to replicate a slightly sour version of a previous Tropical IPA, Tin Man style effort, but big on the tropical fruit flavours.

 

[Brewnaldo]

Brewing today, what was to be a sour tropical IPA but will not just be a tropical IPA, as I have but one packet of Philly Sour and I can't really make the number suitable for only pitching one.... I think it would probably be ok tbh, I am sure I only pitched one the last time I used it, but that was with a gravity of 1.046. And headed well above that today, and without the fermenter headspace available to dilute it down far enough.


Luckily I have not one but two packs of CML Five to hand, which will be ideal for the style anyway.

I'm not one for having stocks of stuff lying about. I tend to order to the brew, but this isn't the first time an available yeast substitute has helped me out.

 

[Brewnaldo]

Wee sample out the FV of the above beer after a few days. Tastes lovely. Really well defined tropical soft fruit flavour and a nice mouthful. Almost tempted not to bother with the 120g of dry hopping I have set aside for this but I think I'm going to stick with the plan, on the basis that iv been tricked by an FV sample before regarding what the final beer will taste like.

Think il wait until Wednesday, then dry hop from then until Monday with the temp knocked down to 14 or so degrees.

So far so good for the 2022 harvest of Nectaron hops.

 

[Brewnaldo]

Well I think, based on this showing early signs of oxidation, I sort of wish I hadn't dry hopped it. It's a nice beer. Slightly high on bitterness for me, but sometimes I think oxidised beer gives a slight acrid, astringent sort of taste?

Like I say, a nice enough beer to drink atm, but I don't think it will last ans in all honesty, I'm a tiny bit disappointed.

I was too lazy to use my pressure fermenter to allow closed transfer and CO2 purge after dry hopping though so I suppose its my own fault. I was going to bottle some of this from the keg but not now dont want to risk further exposure.

 

[DocAnna]

Well I think, based on this showing early signs of oxidation, I sort of wish I hadn't dry hopped it. It's a nice beer. Slightly high on bitterness for me, but sometimes I think oxidised beer gives a slight acrid, astringent sort of taste?

Like I say, a nice enough beer to drink atm, but I don't think it will last ans in all honesty, I'm a tiny bit disappointed.

I was too lazy to use my pressure fermenter to allow closed transfer and CO2 purge after dry hopping though so I suppose its my own fault. I was going to bottle some of this from the keg but not now dont want to risk further exposure.

That's a real shame - I had a similar dilemma with a NEIPA and whether to do a large second dry hop - missed it out and I think it's all the better for it. Really sorry to hear this has happened - the acridness might soften later if kept cool though as some of the hops in suspension will settle. At least that's the theory.

 

[Brewnaldo]

That's a real shame - I had a similar dilemma with a NEIPA and whether to do a large second dry hop - missed it out and I think it's all the better for it. Really sorry to hear this has happened - the acridness might soften later if kept cool though as some of the hops in suspension will settle. At least that's the theory.

I need a few days off the beer anyway so il see how it is in the next week or two. Its still a pleasant enough beer the now, it's just that it seems to me like it's not going to age well. Iv been wrong before though.....

I really should have used the fermentasaurus. Laziness on my part.

 

[Brewnaldo]

Sad news to report this week.... The previously mentioned keg of (probably) oxidised beer has gone to the fishes.

Happier news, tomorrow I will brew my Munich Helles for the Scottish Home brew competition. I am admittedly a tad late, I would have liked this on the go early October ideally but I think as far as my lagers go, it should be as good as it will get by January... Anyway no point fretting about that. The time available is what it is.....

I am trusting Brewfather with its Munich Helles water profile. My additions come out at "full/malty" with all the various things within range... I have 2 x W34/70 and a grain bill of mostly Pilsner, but some pale and a touch of melanoidin. Hops are Mittelfruh for bittering, and a 5 min addition of Mittelfruh and Tettnang.

I am looking forward to this one. I am actually contemplating ordering up an identical grain and hops bill and brewing it side by side with another yeast.... only really because I'd love to get another brew in this week if I can.

 

[Brewnaldo]

Mash on at 0730. I love that WiFi plug like a third child.

 

[DocAnna]

Mash on at 0730. I love that WiFi plug like a third child.

I'm never quite sure if an overnight mash is preferable to early morning timed heat up of the strike water . I hope your brew day goes as planned, the Helles sounds like a very German clean crisp recipe .

 

[Brewnaldo]

I'm never quite sure if an overnight mash is preferable to early morning timed heat up of the strike water . I hope your brew day goes as planned, the Helles sounds like a very German clean crisp recipe .

Here's hoping. For the first time (unless I forget or some disaster befalls) il be getting proper competition feedback.

This has potential to go a lot of different ways, from a Brewdog level rampant ego at one end, to a catastrophic hissy fit and lots of stuff on Gumtree at the other

In all seriousness though, without recirc I don't think an overnight mash is a go'er for me. But this way I get a 1.5 to 2 hour mash which is pretty consistent in temp and should pretty much guarantee any BIAB inefficiencies are overcome

 

[Brewnaldo]

Well.... All tucked up by half twelve.

A couple of slight tweaks to the brewday along with the 2 hour mash.

I filled the boiler right up to the tippy top. This was to allow me to add an extra 20 minutes or so to the boil. This was to try and ensure a longer vigorous boil and hopefully eliminate any DMS flavours.

Having done this, and also hitting my OG marks plus a wee bit, I had the opportunity to liquor back a couple of litres and subsequently filled my usual FV to 21 litres and also stuck 5 litres into a plastic DJ, into which I pitched some CML Hell, for my first side by side brew of the same wort with different yeast.

Some limitations apply... Mainly that I never measured out the yeast for that, but half a pack should be more than enough and a similar ratio to the main batch.

The probe for the ferminator is attached to the main FV, so the little one might be subject to some swings in temp. Il need to keep a wee eye on that but I'm not too bothered. It's all about the main batch, this is just a nice wee side experiment.

 

[Brewnaldo]

New wee experiment coming up for me in the coming days.... I have ordered grain, a small dosage of hops, and some CML Gretel yeast for a Weissbier, however.... I also have some peat smoked malt which was designated for another project that has somewhat fallen by the wayside.

So a slightly smoky weissbier coming up.

Challenges for this one I suppose will be gauging how much smoked malt to use, I only want a hint of smoke, not talking a Rauchbier here (which I spilled over my couch at the weekend and can still smell) and also making sure the high attenuation of Gretel doesn't result in a thin watery tasting beer.

Any experience of getting the best out of this yeast would be appreciated

 

[Brewnaldo]

Brewday tomorrow, measured out salt additions and will fill the boiler later to be heated for morning time.

Very glad to have read up today on the difference between smoked malt and malt smoked with peat. My plan to use a kilo of it has subsequently been revised downwards considerably, to something f like maybe 3 or 4 oz. It makes sense, that the online consensus is a little goes a long way with peat and can go phenolic/medicinal easily. My spirit animal is nodding in agreement somewhere whilst nailing a big Laphroaig.....

So, 3 to 4 oz, and if I feel it needs that OG replaced with something I have some spray malt handy. I doubt it will be neccessary though given the attenuation Gretel is apparently capable of.

Since that will leave me with a load of peated malt still, I may add it to the imperial stout I have waiting, if this one turns out agreeable. A little smoke in a big stout surely could not be bad.

 

[Brewnaldo]

A non eventful brewday which was waxed by 1145.

Peat smoked malt was used at 100g for the batch. First impressions are that it's barely, if at all perceptible in the wort. Let's see though... It might be getting dominated by sweetness atm. If not, then I guess we double it next time.

 

[Brewnaldo]

The quest for perfect lager continues..... I am going back to basics in some ways (following a GH recipe) and more extravagant in others (going to liquid yeast).

I am going to nail lager down come hell or high water.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

The quest for perfect lager continues..... I am going back to basics in some ways (following a GH recipe)

A Good Housekeeping recipe??

 

[Brewnaldo]

A Good Housekeeping recipe??

Greg Hughes brother. Dortmunder Export to be more specific