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Please choose your favourite recipe for the Forum Christmas Brew

  • Option 1 - 1848 Barclay Perkins IBSt

    Votes: 3 9.7%
  • Option 2 - 1821 Barclay Perkins TT

    Votes: 1 3.2%
  • Option 3 - Black IPA

    Votes: 6 19.4%
  • Option 4 - Imperial Stout

    Votes: 3 9.7%
  • Option 5 - Chocolate Stout

    Votes: 14 45.2%
  • Option 6 - Belgian Dark Strong Ale

    Votes: 7 22.6%
  • Option 7 - Old Ale

    Votes: 9 29.0%

  • Total voters
    31
  • Poll closed .
I'm guessing the fats would freeze?
Think so and you'd just spoon off top like a jug of stock - never tried it though as never really got on with the chocolate to warrant a second cracking.
 
I've had a read about using cacao nibs in beer... obviously they need to be sterile before going into the fv...hence boiling or soaking in vodka. Some use them in the mash...
 
I'll have a go at a 10l BIAB batch of that. I've got most of the malts on hand already, might look at subbing the hops as I don't have either of those varieties - alternative suggestions welcome.

The invert sugar sounds like a challenge - sounds like it might be a good use for my lab hotplate stirrer, assuming it'll keep that accurate a temperature. I'll report back once I've got some citric acid.
 
So...what are we doing with these nibs?
US brewers only seem to add them to the wort in secondary as there's alcohol present to prevent infection...but boiling or vodka soaking covers this.
Anyone considering mashing them? There's also a "dry hop" method too...
 
So...what are we doing with these nibs?
US brewers only seem to add them to the wort in secondary as there's alcohol present to prevent infection...but boiling or vodka soaking covers this.
Anyone considering mashing them? There's also a "dry hop" method too...

Brewers’ discretion! If people would like to follow the original recipe they won’t be disappointed. Likewise, I’m sure with the odd modification it could be even better!
 
I am thinking of trying to make the invert on Tuesday while the house is empty, anybody know how to store it once it's done? I have seen an article (that I can't currently find) which said you had to either add something to it to make it solid or add extra water to it to make it into a liquid. I am now completely confused:confused.:
 
I am thinking of trying to make the invert on Tuesday while the house is empty, anybody know how to store it once it's done? I have seen an article (that I can't currently find) which said you had to either add something to it to make it solid or add extra water to it to make it into a liquid. I am now completely confused:confused.:
Making mine, soon, too. I was going to make a double amount and put the rest in a jar and "lose" it in the fridge. I wouldn't expect to have to do anything with it since sugar at that concentration tends to "preserve" itself- hence jam and honey. My only worry is that the sugar might crystalise out, but if it does, I'll just warm up the jar slowly.
 
What colour should we be aiming for when making the invert sugar? Something like Coca Cola? I’ve been gently heating mine for about 4 hours @ 118 and it’s still not that dark.
470759E1-C487-446F-A9EA-C77662BDD02C.jpeg
 
How long did it take? Was it easy? I hoped to get mine done this week but stuff got in the way...
It was easy, took about 15-20 minutes to dissolve the sugar and get it to temperature, then I just left it simmering for about 2.5 hours while I was working, just popped back now and then to check temperature and give it a stir
 
Something's Going Wrong

I'm in the middle of making my #3 invert sugar. The only sugar I can find that says "Pure Cane" is cassonade, which is a very, very ,very light brown sugar. I'm making it up to the recipe at the start of Pattinson's "Let's Brew". He says 1Lb of sugar to 1 pint of water except his metric measurements indicate a US pint rather than a proper one*. Anyway, I've put a kilo of cassonade in with just over a litre of water and while I'm simmering it as low as I can, it's turning into toffee, even though the temperature hasn't gone beyond his maximum of 121C!
It's been on an hour and ten minutes instead of 2½ hours and the colour's just about getting towards #2 invert. I daren't cook it any longer for fear of it setting solid in the pan. ANY SUGGESTIONS GRATEFULLY WELCOMED.

*a "proper" pint or gallon, is that unit of volume which contains the greater amount of beer. The UK pint has 20 fluid oz of beer, while the US one, regretably, only has 16. Given the choice, which pint would you pick up?

On the other hand, I picked up a bottle of this for 3€ in the local supermarket. It's the right colour, tastes nice with a hint of treacle in the finish, but I think it's a syrup so I'm going to boil it up with a bit of citric acid to invert the sugars, and see what comes of it.
https://www.amazon.fr/Dillon-Sirop-de-Canne-Roux/dp/B01MF9AQEB
 
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