Cwrw666's 2021 brewdays

[Cwrw666]

First brew of the year -

BRAGAWD IV

Source: Own recipe derived from Greg Hughes' Honey ale.
Date brewed: 5/1/21
Brew length: 4 gallons
GRAINS: 6Lb pale malt, 10oz biscuit malt, 7oz crystal225, 1oz chocolate malt.
BOIL: 20g homegrown Challenger (80m), 25g First gold (5m), protofloc (5m), 2 jars Tesco finest orange blossom honey (5)
YEAST: CML USA pale ale.
OG: 1048

Somewhat c*cked up my volumes so it actually came out at 4.5 gallons instead of 4. That's about 20L for all you none-imperials. So the OG was a bit lower than expected. Not really bothered though - it just means more beer to drink.
Previous incarnations have had Admiral as the 5m hop addition (BTW I only use leaf hops) but I thought that First gold would enhance the orangey flavours of the orange blossom honey.
Almost had a c*ck up as I forgot that with low hop beers I need to skim the hot break off the top of the wort as it comes up to boil otherwise it totally blocks up the filter when I transfer to the FV - which I do after leaving for half an hour after the switch off to allow it all to settle. Remembered just in time though so no harm done.

Meanwhile drinking this one that I brewed in the middle of December: 1823 Cobb & Co. Amber Small Beer, from the Durden Park booklet. Lovely stuff and totally unlike anything I've had in a pub. I'll be brewing it again soon so I'll give the recipe then.

 

[Cwrw666]

Today's brew:

GREEN CHILI IPA

Source: own recipe based on Greg Hughes English IPA. I often vary the hops used but this time have gone back to the GH ones. Took quite a few brews to get the chiliness right.

GRAINS: 7Lb pale malt, 4 ozs crystal 225. 70 minute mash @ 148F
BOIL: 50g Challenger (80m) 30g EKG (15m) 30g EKG (0m)
24 Tescos fresh green chilis (80m) 8 oz sugar (15m)
Brew length - 4 gallons (18L)
YEAST: CML 5

 

[Cwrw666]

And here's some photos:

A glass of homebrew (amber cascade) as drinking homebrew whilst making homebrew is a legal requirement.

My bag draining system:

Followed by dunk sparge and a bit of a stir:

And an overall view of my wonderful hygienic brew space:

 

[Cwrw666]

REVIEW:

BRAGAWD IV

I think I made a bit of a mistake with this one in using my home-grown Challenger for bittering as there's barely a trace of bitterness in this one. OK, it's not meant to be very bitter anyway but this is way less than it should be.
As you can see, not a great head with this one either. Worse in the picture than it really is as I forgot to rinse out the glass first to get rid of any detergent traces. Much better head in my tankard but it still doesn't last all the way down.
Taste - some orangeyness from the First Gold and probably from the orange blossom honey but this is fading with conditioning as is the slight honey flavours. Otherwise a bit bland and it definitely doesn't taste like it's 5.1% ABV. Very easy to slosh it down.
I'll definitely be going back to version III which was much, much better. Not a good start to the new year....

 

[Cwrw666]

Today's brew which is currently mashing:

AMBER CASCADE

Source: Own recipe.

Grains: 6Lb pale malt, 1Lb home-made amber malt. 80 minute mash at 148F
Boil: 40g EKG (80m), 40g EKG (15m) 40g Cascade (0m)

Brew length 4 gallons

Yeast: CML 5 (American ale yeast)

BTW, how to make Amber malt:
Spread a half inch layer of pale malt on an aluminium foil lined baking tray. Cook for 45 minutes in an oven at 110c. Followed by 45 minutes at 150c.
Smells delicious!

 

[Cwrw666]

Today's brew:

1864 LOVIBOND XB PALE ALE

SOURCE: Pattinson, but substituting a bit of sugar for some of the pale malt.

BREW LENGTH: 5 gallons.

GRAINS: 8.5 Lb Pale malt (I use Hook Head from THBC)

HOPS: 50g EKG (90m), 50g EKG (60m), 40g EKG (30m)
plus 8 ozs sugar (10m), plus protofloc (10m)

YEAST: CML 5.

This is one of my regulars. Amazing floral aromas from the EKG hops. Very bitter by modern standards but one of the least bitter in Pattinson's book for a pale ale. Victorians were really into their hops. Best drunk when quite young to get the best out of the hops.

 

[Cwrw666]

And... disposing of the spent grains.

 

[Cwrw666]

REVIEW

GREEN CHILI IPA

OG: 1052 FG: 1008 ABV: 5.8%

Now this one came out very well indeed - very easy drinking despite being 5.8% which is a tad on the strong side for me. Just the right level of bitterness and just enough chili to clear out your tubes but not enough so that after one bottle you wouldn't want another, then another.

Personally, I think I could handle a little more heat though the Mrs. thinks it's hot enough. Next time I might up the chilis a bit - might last a bit longer if there's only me drinking it...

 

[Cwrw666]

Well all the Green Chili IPA is long gone and I've started on the Amber Cascade which is very nice even though a tad on the young side.

Todays brew is Greg Hughes' Czech Pilsner, my first attempt at a lager. Hopefully it'll turn out more like a proper pilsner rather than typical UK lager...

CZECH PILSNER

SOURCE: Greg Hughes

BREW LENGTH: 4 gallons.

GRAINS: 8 Lb Pilsner malt

HOPS: 45g Saaz (80m), 20g Saaz (15m), 20g Saaz (0m), plus protofloc (10m)

YEAST: CML Hell.

Hop levels are adjusted for the AA levels which are a bit low at 3.5% compared to the GH recipe.
Can't imagine why this isn't just a pale ale from the recipe, but we shall see.
The next brew I do is going to be the exact same recipe but using CML 5 yeast and of course fermenting at ale temperatures to see if I can see any difference.
This one is going to be fermented at ambient temperature - my beer store room is a bit cold at 11c but there's sure to be somewhere in the house steady within the Hell temperature range. (12-21 it says on the packet but I'll be looking for the lower end of the range)

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Well all the Green Chili IPA is long gone and I've started on the Amber Cascade which is very nice even though a tad on the young side.

Todays brew is Greg Hughes' Czech Pilsner, my first attempt at a lager. Hopefully it'll turn out more like a proper pilsner rather than typical UK lager...

CZECH PILSNER

SOURCE: Greg Hughes

BREW LENGTH: 4 gallons.

GRAINS: 8 Lb Pilsner malt

HOPS: 45g Saaz (80m), 20g Saaz (15m), 20g Saaz (0m), plus protofloc (10m)

YEAST: CML Hell.

Hop levels are adjusted for the AA levels which are a bit low at 3.5% compared to the GH recipe.
Can't imagine why this isn't just a pale ale from the recipe, but we shall see.
The next brew I do is going to be the exact same recipe but using CML 5 yeast and of course fermenting at ale temperatures to see if I can see any difference.
This one is going to be fermented at ambient temperature - my beer store room is a bit cold at 11c but there's sure to be somewhere in the house steady within the Hell temperature range. (12-21 it says on the packet but I'll be looking for the lower end of the range)

If you're fermenting at 12C then use 2 packets of Hell.

 

[Cwrw666]

If you're fermenting at 12C then use 2 packets of Hell.

Cheers CC, I was going to do that as it's what CML recommends, though my North Yorks. genes are grinding their teeth at the thought of it!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Cheers CC, I was going to do that as it's what CML recommends, though my North Yorks. genes are grinding their teeth at the thought of it!

Yeah I'm with you but they're a cheap yeast and I've do it twice on a Munich Helles with good results.

 

[Cwrw666]

;And this is what I've been drinking during the brew:

Amber Cascade. OG: 1048 FG: 1008 ABV: 5.2%

Have to say, the cascade is not so flavoursome as previous brews using home grown cascade. But still pretty good nonetheless.

 

[Cwrw666]

Just finished brewing today:

PSEUDO CZECH PILSNER

Recipe exactly the same as in post #9. Only difference is that with this one I'll be using a nice clean fermenting ale yeast (CML 5) and I'll be fermenting at ale temperatures.

Bit of a cock-up to begin with though as I didn't spot that the boiler had switched off half way through the boil. Overheating of the element I suspect. So I didn't get the same boil off as the previous brew. So it's come out at 4.5 gallons instead of 4 and as a consequence it'll be a little less ABV and a bit less bitter.

 

[Cwrw666]

Both Pilsners bottled yesterday.

CZECH PILSNER OG: 1052 FG: 1009 ABV: 5.6%
PSEUDO PILSNER OG: 1050 FG: 1008 ABV: 5.5%

In fact the Czech Pilsner came out at just under 4.5 gallons, one bottle less that the Pseudo Pilsner.
They both took about the same length of time to ferment as they were well finished when I got around to checking them.
Taste-wise at bottling as you might expect the Czech Pilsner had a lovely clean finish with a nice floral nose to it. The Pseudo one was similarly aromatic but wasn't quite so clear and somewhat more like a pale ale than a pilsner. It was also a little darker in colour for some reason.
I think they're both going to be pretty good after conditioning as according to the Mrs they were already better than `those tins you got' (Pilsner Urquell from Tescos).

 

[An Ankoù]

Both Pilsners bottled yesterday.

CZECH PILSNER OG: 1052 FG: 1009 ABV: 5.6%
PSEUDO PILSNER OG: 1050 FG: 1008 ABV: 5.5%

In fact the Czech Pilsner came out at just under 4.5 gallons, one bottle less that the Pseudo Pilsner.
They both took about the same length of time to ferment as they were well finished when I got around to checking them.
Taste-wise at bottling as you might expect the Czech Pilsner had a lovely clean finish with a nice floral nose to it. The Pseudo one was similarly aromatic but wasn't quite so clear and somewhat more like a pale ale than a pilsner. It was also a little darker in colour for some reason.
I think they're both going to be pretty good after conditioning as according to the Mrs they were already better than `those tins you got' (Pilsner Urquell from Tescos).

Can you really get Pilsner Urquell in cans?
I've been meaning to try a pseudo lager, if that's what you mean by fermenting a bit warmer with American lager yeast, and the results you describe are exactly what I'm expecting to get. By the way, if you get your stuff from Geterbrewed, they do a heritage pilsner malt called Hanà. It's very interesting: first it's quite low in fermentaables so you have to mash at least 20% more to get the same yield as other malts, then, it's the lightest colour I've ever seen, even lighter than Bestmalz Best Heidelberg and finally, it's got the most amazing flavour: in a way I'm glad mine came out at 1042 instead of 1050 as it may have been overpowering for a Pilsner. Give it a go if you're still knocking out lagers.

 

[Cwrw666]

Can you really get Pilsner Urquell in cans?
I've been meaning to try a pseudo lager, if that's what you mean by fermenting a bit warmer with American lager yeast, and the results you describe are exactly what I'm expecting to get. By the way, if you get your stuff from Geterbrewed, they do a heritage pilsner malt called Hanà. It's very interesting: first it's quite low in fermentaables so you have to mash at least 20% more to get the same yield as other malts, then, it's the lightest colour I've ever seen, even lighter than Bestmalz Best Heidelberg and finally, it's got the most amazing flavour: in a way I'm glad mine came out at 1042 instead of 1050 as it may have been overpowering for a Pilsner. Give it a go if you're still knocking out lagers.

Yes. I have to say I was not at all impressed. Tons of floral aroma which had a hint of artificialness to it and otherwise totally insipid stuff.
I used Hook Head Pilsner malt. I like using Hook Head malt, if only because if I climb the hill behind my house I can actually see the place on a clear day. Makes it almost local!
The Czech Pilsner was a lovely pale yellow colour (same as the picture in GH) but was still pretty flavourful. I just brewed it the same as I do with normal pale malt.
I'm not really a lager drinker though some of the genuine continental stuff is quite nice. So I won't be doing another til the autumn when temperatures will be right for both fermenting and lagering without refrigerating.

 

[Cwrw666]

Today brewing another -

GREEN CHILI IPA

I've reduced the amount of pale malt slightly from last time for a lower ABV brew and increased the amount of chilis for a bit more heat. Also trying a new yeast today - CML Hog Norsk which I've not used before.

GRAINS: 6Lb pale malt (actually Hook Head Pilsner malt), 4 oz Crystal 225
BREW Length: 4 gallons
MASH: 70 minutes @ 148F
BOIL: 50g Challenger (80m), 70g Tescos green finger chilis (80m)
30g EKG (15m)
8 oz sugar + 0.25 tsp protofloc (10m)
30g EKG (0m)
YEAST: CML Hog Norsk

And in a minute I'll be having one of these - 1864 Lovibond XB.

 

[Cwrw666]

Ok - I didn't do a write up on my last brewday which was a couple of weeks ago - a Greg Hughes Milk Stout. It's bottled now and in the airing cupboard carbonating. Recipe was exactly as GH but I substituted amber malt for crystal malt. I also chucked in a tsp of bicarb to try and get the acidity down a bit as we have very acidic water. I'll know if that was a good idea when I try a bottle...

Today's brew:

1864 LOVIBOND XB PALE ALE.

From the Pattinson book.

GRAINS: 8Lb Pale malt (actually Hook Head Pilsner malt)
HOPS: 3 lots of 40g EKG at 90, 60 and 30 minutes.
YEAST: CML Hog Norsk

 

[Cwrw666]

Brewing today:

1823 Cobb & Co AMBER SMALL BEER

From the Durden Park book.

GRAINS: 5.5 Lb Pale malt (actually Hook Head Pilsner malt), 2.5 Lb Amber malt (home made)
HOPS: 40g Fuggles (80m) 40g Fuggles (30m) 20g Fuggles (0m)

Protofloc as normal. The flameout addition is my own idea to increase hop flavour a little as well as bitterness a bit.
I love this beer!

Last week I spent a bit of time making some crates for my 330ml bottles. I've been using cardboard boxes for them so far but when stacked they were a bit wobbly. These crates are solid as a rock.