Grains for Mini Mashes

[clibit]

Nice. How is the first one going?

 

[Smileyr8]

Nice. How is the first one going?

I have had a couple of pints & it tastes fantastic, the head and retention of are not very good at the moment, I am guessing the flavour is going to get better for the next couple of months, I am just hoping the head improves too.

 

[Smileyr8]

Brewed this up Sunday
Chocolate Biscuit Porter:-
John Bull Traditional Ale
1.6Kg Maris Otter
0.175Kg Biscuit Malt
0.15Kg Chocolate Malt
0.05Kg Roasted Barley
15Gr First Gold Hop Pellets last 15 minutes of the boil
15Gr First Gold Hop Pellets last 5 minutes of the boil

I was having a few beers while doing this and it was not until I was typing up the method this morning that I realised I had omitted the Whirlfloc tablet "Dooh". Got the brew into the FV it smelled fantastic and was a really lovely colour, re-pitched the Safrale 05 thats been through my last 3 brews (its not done yet it has got to go through another pale ale). It was 22.5 litres in the FV Orig Grav was 1046.

 

[clibit]

That sounds really good Smiley. I'm guessing it's quite dark, the whirfloc omission may not matter?

 

[Smileyr8]

That sounds really good Smiley. I'm guessing it's quite dark, the whirfloc omission may not matter?

Yes it is really dark, not as much as a stout but I was not wanting to go that far. I was hoping the omittance of the Whirlfloc would not be a issue, and had done a little research which put my mind at rest a bit, think I am going to ferment it for 11 days transfer to secondary (retrieve the yeast), then I plan to add gelatine & crash cool close to 0 degs C for 3 days prior to kegging.

 

[clibit]

The 150g of chocolate would make it quite dark.

I don't think you'll need gelatine. But I won't be there obviously! I just think gelatine does more than clear the beer, it must strip out some flavour too.

 

[Smileyr8]

The 150g of chocolate would make it quite dark.

I don't think you'll need gelatine. But I won't be there obviously! I just think gelatine does more than clear the beer, it must strip out some flavour too.

I will be honest I have used gelatine before with really good effect and on another occasion with no effect, I am not that kean on using animal products in my beer, so I intend to play it a little by ear and see what it looks like prior to cold crashing, if it looks like that will do it I will omit the gelatine also.

 

[clibit]

Sounds like a good plan. Check it and see.

 

[Slid]

Brewed this up Sunday
Chocolate Biscuit Porter:-
John Bull Traditional Ale
1.6Kg Maris Otter
0.175Kg Biscuit Malt
0.15Kg Chocolate Malt
0.05Kg Roasted Barley
15Gr First Gold Hop Pellets last 15 minutes of the boil
15Gr First Gold Hop Pellets last 5 minutes of the boil

I was having a few beers while doing this and it was not until I was typing up the method this morning that I realised I had omitted the Whirlfloc tablet "Dooh". Got the brew into the FV it smelled fantastic and was a really lovely colour, re-pitched the Safrale 05 thats been through my last 3 brews (its not done yet it has got to go through another pale ale). It was 22.5 litres in the FV Orig Grav was 1046.

Hi Smiley

This stuff looks brilliant!

Very sorry, I am, to not have responded sooner. Big blokes tossing around an oval ball and all is my only excuse (Scottish Rugby fan).

15L pot and grain bag easily accomodates a 2.5kg grain bill for a PM. If you have grains that can be steeped and not mashed, then you can go out towards 3kg potentially.

As you say, this approach makes very good beer indeed and as Clibit alludes to, the Coopers kits like the lagers and the bitters come with a known and reliable bittering (~20 lagers ~30 bitters in IBU) that reduces the boil time a bit.

Great to see you on the side of better beer!

 

[Smileyr8]

Hi Smiley

This stuff looks brilliant!

Very sorry, I am, to not have responded sooner. Big blokes tossing around an oval ball and all is my only excuse (Scottish Rugby fan).

15L pot and grain bag easily accomodates a 2.5kg grain bill for a PM. If you have grains that can be steeped and not mashed, then you can go out towards 3kg potentially.

As you say, this approach makes very good beer indeed and as Clibit alludes to, the Coopers kits like the lagers and the bitters come with a known and reliable bittering (~20 lagers ~30 bitters in IBU) that reduces the boil time a bit.

Great to see you on the side of better beer!

Hi Slid,

I bought myself a Burco Sygnet 30l and that is working really well.

I only have the Coopers APA left to do & the grains I have left are going to dictate the plan for that, well that and waiting to get kegs empty.

Coopers APA 1.7kg
Maris Otter 1.9kg
Extra Low Crystal (Caramalt) 25 EBC 125gr
Chateau Biscuit (Biscuit Malt) 50 EBC 175gr

Have not decided on the hops yet I have Warrior, First Gold, Brambling Cross and Cascade so expect it will be Warrior and Cascade.

Not a rugby fan myself.

 

[Slid]

Hi Slid,

I bought myself a Burco Sygnet 30l and that is working really well.

I only have the Coopers APA left to do & the grains I have left are going to dictate the plan for that, well that and waiting to get kegs empty.

Coopers APA 1.7kg
Maris Otter 1.9kg
Extra Low Crystal (Caramalt) 25 EBC 125gr
Chateau Biscuit (Biscuit Malt) 50 EBC 175gr

Have not decided on the hops yet I have Warrior, First Gold, Brambling Cross and Cascade so expect it will be Warrior and Cascade.

Not a rugby fan myself.

Hi Smiley

That should do a job, all right. The whirlyfloc makes a difference - makes for very bright beer compared to a kit brew.

 

[Smileyr8]

Chocolate Biscuit Porter:-
John Bull Traditional Ale
1.6Kg Maris Otter
0.175Kg Biscuit Malt
0.15Kg Chocolate Malt
0.05Kg Roasted Barley
15Gr First Gold Hop Pellets last 15 minutes of the boil
15Gr First Gold Hop Pellets last 5 minutes of the boil

Orig Grav was 1046, this is down to 1011 which gives me 4.6%, seeing as I forgot the Whirlfloc tablet am going to siphon to a clean FV tomorrow and crash cool for 3 days prior to kegging.

I do have to say I have checked the FV a few times during this brew, "I know tut tut" it has had a few unusual smells one of which was early doors smelled of vinegar (my first thoughts were this brew has gone bad) that subsided into other smells I can't really describe but not beery/malty, will take a little taste during the siphon and as long as it's not totally vile I will continue the process as described.

 

[MyQul]

Unless your entering it for a competition or somthing I wouldn't bother trying to clear it because its a dark beer, and because it's a dark beer it will benifit from at least 4 weeks conditioning. During this minimum of 4 weeks conditioning it will also self clrear as the protiens will naturally settle out any way

 

[Smileyr8]

Right this is my last kit, its all grains from here out unless something barmy happens, like they start giving kits away or paying people to take kits off their hands. :lol:

This was the plan

Coopers APA 1.7kg
Maris Otter 1.975kg
Extra Low Crystal (Caramalt) 25 EBC 140gr
Chateau Biscuit (Biscuit Malt) 50 EBC 170gr

60 minute mash 66c

30gr Warrior 14.5%AA In the boil 60 minutes
15gr Warrior 14.5%AA In the boil 15 minutes
15gr Cascade 7.0%AA In the boil 15 minutes
30gr Cascade 7.0%AA In the boil 5 minutes
30gr Cascade 7.0%AA Dry Hop Last 7 days

We have 1052 OG and 56 additional IBU's according to Brewtarget, Brewmate gives me 78 additional IBU's.

The brew was near as dammit 4:30mins.

God bless the Burco Sygnet 30l I am proper enjoying the experience.