Dutto's Brew Day

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I've been reading about cold steeping chocolate and darker roast malts. It's supposed to result in a smoother beer.
I'm planning a milk stout and I think I'll try cold steeping.

 

[Dutto]

Hi!
I've been reading about cold steeping chocolate and darker roast malts. It's supposed to result in a smoother beer.
I'm planning a milk stout and I think I'll try cold steeping.

Many thanks. Looked up BeerCat's technique and will give it a try next time. (Too late to do it now 'cos I'm ready for bed!)

I bottled the Light Ale today, batch primed with just 70g of sugar on a "just in case" basis! :whistle:

I've seen no sign of life from the air-lock in the last two days so when I checked the SG I was slightly surprised to find that it had an FG of 1.016 with an ABV of 5.91%.

I say "slightly surprised" because I deliberately mashed and sparged at a high temperature (72 to 75 degrees) in order to produce a sweeter brew so the higher SG wasn't too frightening and I don't expect any "bottle bombs" ... :nono:

... but before bottling I carbed with the lower than normal amount of sugar "just in case"! :lol:

Before bottling I also added a Hop Tea made from 10g of EKG hops in my new Cafeteria and even at this early stage it tasted very nice. :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

Brewed the MILD ALE today; with a few modifications to the original recipe as follow:

0.10kg Chocolate Malt (Half of original 0.20kg plan. Decided after smelling the Chocolate Malt. Boy, is it aromatic!)

0.20kg Caramel Malt & Crystal Malt. (Reduced from 0.25kg each on basis wanted a low ABV.)

40g EKG Whole Leaf (60 mins). (Less 10g on the basis that I only had 40g readily available.)

20g Perle Whole Leaf (5 mins). (Smelled so nice when I opened the bag I thought "Hmmm. Want to save some of that." and did so!)

Wilco Ale Yeast. (Didn't bother rehydrating it; just sprinkled it on top of the wort.)

I also added a teaspoonful of Wilco Yeast Nutrient 'cos I remembered that I still had some. :lol: :lol:

For the full 23 litre brew, the OG came out at 1.036 so very happy as if it ferments down to a FG of 1.010 it promises an ABV of 3.41% which is spot-on for what I wanted. :thumb:

It also has a nice, but not overpowering, chocolate aroma so another "plus" ... :thumb: :thumb:

... but the really good news is that there were no catastrophes! :whistle:

 

[Dutto]

I've never used Citra Hops before but I like the sound of what they should give to a brew so:

SMASH WITH CITRA - 23 litres

Ingredients
5.00kg Maris Otter Malt
50g Citra Pellets
Wilco Ale Yeast
Yeast Nutrient

Preparation
Mill 5.0kg of Maris Otter Malt
Prepare 3 x 15g Citra Pellets
Put out 1 x Protafloc Tablet
Put out Wilco Ale Yeast
Put out Yeast Nutrient

Mash Method
Strike Water = 2.6 litres per 1kg of grain = 13 litres at 72 degrees
Mash at 60 to 65 degrees for one hour.
Run off wort and circulate using TWO vessels until wort runs CLEAR.
Heat SPARGE water to 70 degrees.
Sparge at one litre per minute. Stop sparge when runnings reach SG1.008 / SG1.012.
Overfill boil kettle to 27 litres so that there is no need to add more water later.

Boil Method
Boil with 15g of Citra Bittering Hops for 60 minutes.
Add 15g of Citra for 15 minutes.
Add Protafloc tablet and boil for 10 minutes.
Add 15g of Citra Hops and steep for 30 minutes.
Cool to 20 degrees, whirlpool and run off into FV via a sieve.
Add 1tsp of Yeast Nutrient.
Pitch yeast and ferment at 20 degrees.
Before carbonation add Hop Tea prepared from 5g of Citra Hops.

I'm mashing at a lower temperature in order to (hopefully) finish up with a fairly dry brew with an ABV of about 5.0%.

After fermentation is completed I plan to transfer the beer to MKs for two weeks carbonation and then let them condition at ambient temperatures in the garage for about 12 weeks.

Comments please.
(Fairly soon because I'd like to start this on Friday.) :thumb:

 

[Ajhutch]

This looks good. I'd be tempted to push your 15 minute addition later, maybe even to 5 minutes.

 

[IainM]

Sounds good, MO SMaSHs are great for showcasing a hop. Personally, I would ferment a couple of degrees lower to keep it clean, and maybe reduce the 15 minute addition by 5g, putting an extra 2g at 60min and 3g in the hop tea or as a dry hop.

 

[Dutto]

Many thanks. The recipe now reads:

Mash Method
Strike Water = 2.6 litres per 1kg of grain = 13 litres at 68 degrees
Mash at 60 to 62 degrees for one hour.

Boil Method
Boil with 15g of Citra Bittering Hops for 60 minutes.
Add Protafloc tablet and boil for 10 minutes.
Add 10g of Citra for 5 minutes.
Flame Out
Add 15g of Citra Hops and steep for 30 minutes.
Cool to 20 degrees, whirlpool and run off into FV via a sieve.
Add 1tsp of Yeast Nutrient.
Pitch yeast and ferment at 20 degrees.
Before carbonation add Hop Tea prepared from 10g of Citra Hops.

I'm also planning a second SMASH that will be identical to this one but using Cascade Hops.

Again, many thanks. :thumb:

 

[braziliain]

Sounds lovely! There was a Citra SMaSH at homebrew club the other week that was very drinkable indeed.

I did one recently with Maris Otter and East Kent Goldings that was very nice. More subtle than the big new world hops but that brings it's own charm.

 

[Covrich]

Sounds nice!

If you're looking for a punchier hop flavour I would personally swap the wilko (Nottingham yeast) for US05 or MJ44

 

[Manxnorton]

This is great thread, and it's one of the brewed I'd like to undergo!
But scale it to about 10l just to experiment..
Thx

 

[Dutto]

Sounds nice!

If you're looking for a punchier hop flavour I would personally swap the wilko (Nottingham yeast) for US05 or MJ44

Many thanks, but for 2017 I will be sticking to Wilco Yeast (readily available and effective) and Maris Otter (ditto) for what I hope will be a series of SMASH brews.

Once the Mash and Boil methods are sorted (I think I/we are nearly there) all I intend to change is the Hops themselves; but not the amounts or timing.

I'm sure I will have my share of disappointments but equally I hope to have a few "I must do that one again." brews.

Next Hop up will be Cascade!

BTW, I will still brew other stuff. e.g. After only eight days, the Mild is already fermented out at an FG of 1.010 and is ready for bottling. The sample tasted superb so, if it holds that flavour after conditioning, it will definitely be on the "I must do that one again!" list. :thumb:

So many beers and so little time!

 

[Covrich]

Yeah I am pleased with Citra, never smashed with it but used with chinook and centennial you get those grapefruity flavours from it.. It is certainly quite intense

Cascade I find certainly different however a little more floral and almost a little lychee

I tried the Styrian Cascade and that was pretty much the same.

I like the smaller experiment and smash brews.. always a mini adventure

 

[Pavros]

I'm just about to start all grain brewing (having jumped up from kits) and I enjoy reading threads like this to gain knowledge.
However, I am confused by posts #33 and #34 and Dutto's unexpected OG reading.
In #33, Dutto has listed the ingredients in kg but when wfr42 input the quantities into the brewing software, he did so in lbs, resulting in a lower total grain bill. If Dutto actually used a total grain bill of 7kg, wouldn't his efficiency have to be extremely poor if he was expecting as low an OG as he planned?

 

[BeerCat]

I have seen people doing BIPA's adding the roast malts for the last 10 minutes of the mash. Not tried it myself though. I might also try 75% cold steeped and 25% at start of mash sometime.

 

[Dutto]

I'm just about to start all grain brewing (having jumped up from kits) and I enjoy reading threads like this to gain knowledge.
However, I am confused by posts #33 and #34 and Dutto's unexpected OG reading.
In #33, Dutto has listed the ingredients in kg but when wfr42 input the quantities into the brewing software, he did so in lbs, resulting in a lower total grain bill. If Dutto actually used a total grain bill of 7kg, wouldn't his efficiency have to be extremely poor if he was expecting as low an OG as he planned?

There was a total cock-up in the calculations (long story) which I think was due to me trying to not spend any money! (Mea culpa!)

I'm pretty sure that there is a system in there that doesn't allow a "Guest" to keep changing recipes and not register! (Like wot I tried to do!) :thumb:

My fault entirely! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

wfr42's calculations were spot-on ... :thumb:

... i.e. much too much alcohol for me to cope with ... :whistle:

... but just had one and :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

Bottled the Mild today after only eight days! An absolute break from my normal 14 days!

However, the FG was just below 1.010 and I'd not seen a single "glub" for two days, so I went ahead and bottled it with 80g of sugar and a Hop Tea made from 20g of Whole Leaf Perle Hops. Perle is described as ...

... a medium alpha hop with a very clean, almost minty bitterness
and pleasant aroma. ​

... which I'm hoping will complement the chocolate and sweetness in the Mild.

 

[Dutto]

Well, that's it, SMASH with Maris Otter and Citra now in the FV.

With an OG of 1.044 it has a potential ABV of just under 4.5%.

I tasted the sample that I took the OG from and my first impression is "Not terribly sweet but has plenty of bitterness!" so it's looking good. :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

I brewed the "SMASH with Cascade" today and screwed up!

As usual, I followed "the Plan" to the letter; but unfortunately I followed the wrong Plan!

Everything was supposed to be the same as for the Citra with just a change of hops to Cascade but I then went and used an old recipe and had the Strike and Sparge water 5 degrees higher!

As a result, the OG of the first SMASH was 1.044 and this one (for an identical grain bill) is 1.054; presumably from non-fermentable sugars!

In a word "Bugger!"

 

[IainM]

I brewed the "SMASH with Cascade" today and screwed up!

As usual, I followed "the Plan" to the letter; but unfortunately I followed the wrong Plan!

Everything was supposed to be the same as for the Citra with just a change of hops to Cascade but I then went and used an old recipe and had the Strike and Sparge water 5 degrees higher!

As a result, the OG of the first SMASH was 1.044 and this one (for an identical grain bill) is 1.054; presumably from non-fermentable sugars!

In a word "Bugger!"

I bet it will still taste good.

 

[DoctorMick]

I brewed the "SMASH with Cascade" today and screwed up!

As usual, I followed "the Plan" to the letter; but unfortunately I followed the wrong Plan!

Everything was supposed to be the same as for the Citra with just a change of hops to Cascade but I then went and used an old recipe and had the Strike and Sparge water 5 degrees higher!

As a result, the OG of the first SMASH was 1.044 and this one (for an identical grain bill) is 1.054; presumably from non-fermentable sugars!

In a word "Bugger!"

I might be being thick but I thought mash temp didn't significantly impact the OG of the beer? I thought roughly the same amount of sugars would be extracted but the convertibility would be less with a higher temp so you'd end up with a higher FG rather than OG?