Hazelwood Brewday

[Horners]

@Hazelwood Brewery your German Pilsner - do you always use glucose or is the December version I was looking at a one-off to top the gravity up on that particular iteration? Cheers Horners

 

[Leon103]

Cheers H!
Ah,looks like the late hop/hopstand has been increased...is that at 80c?
Also is your adjusted water profile target the bottom set of figures..167,48,95?
Also...I think I've asked this before but can't find the post (!)...do malted flaked oats make a difference against the standard stuff?

I have stopped using standard oats in pale beers and gone with flaked or golden oats. I found supermarket ones gave a funny taste to my beers.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

@Hazelwood Brewery your German Pilsner - do you always use glucose or is the December version I was looking at a one-off to top the gravity up on that particular iteration? Cheers Horners

Hi! I always add a little Glucose/Dextrose to thin/dry the Pilsner a little. You can omit it if you wish.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I have stopped using standard oats in pale beers and gone with flaked or golden oats. I found supermarket ones gave a funny taste to my beers.

I’m guessing that might be the additives they use.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Did a bit more work today on organising my ingredients. This was one of my “brew-years resolutions”. I’ve run out of label tape now so had to stop short but have some on order and hopefully being delivered tomorrow. Got this far today, base malts in the buckets (labelled), specialty malts in the storage boxes (not yet labelled).

 

[Brewnaldo]

Did a bit more work today on organising my ingredients. This was one of my “brew-years resolutions”. I’ve run out of label tape now so had to stop short but have some on order and hopefully being delivered tomorrow. Got this far today, base malts in the buckets (labelled), specialty malts in the storage boxes (not yet labelled).

View attachment 44839

This is humans on Mars levels of beyond me

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

This is humans on Mars levels of beyond me

It was for me until today. I just decided it was time to get better organised - in part because I had to rummage through everything to find anything!

 

[Leon103]

Did a bit more work today on organising my ingredients. This was one of my “brew-years resolutions”. I’ve run out of label tape now so had to stop short but have some on order and hopefully being delivered tomorrow. Got this far today, base malts in the buckets (labelled), specialty malts in the storage boxes (not yet labelled).

View attachment 44839

I like this idea. At present mine are stored in a 320l drum, more often than not then desired malt is at the bottom.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

The label tape I ordered yesterday arrived today so I’ve finished labelling my grain.

I’d already labelled my base malts and now have storage boxes labelled up; Wheat & Oats, Caramel & Crystal Malts, Roast & Specialty Malts, Sugars.

Mission accomplished!

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

The weather is a bit cold and miserable today so I’m starting with something warm an comforting, a Fullers Vintage Ale. While I’m about it I’m also going to see how my own vintage ale is doing although it’s only 6 weeks conditioned and I know it needs another 6 weeks minimum.

Here are the ales side-by-side, Fullers on the left. Fullers is 8.5% ABV, mine is 9.2%. I should say from the start that I’m not actually trying to clone the Fullers ale, I was just inspired by the Fullers to make something along similar lines. I haven’t used the same malts and I haven’t used either of the hops used in the Fullers.

It’s pretty obvious that mine is darker than the Fullers and the head on my ale is thicker and more creamy. The Fullers ale is crystal clear, mine is clear when held to the light but maybe not crystal clear as yet.

The aroma of both is surprisingly similar. I would say the Fullers is malt and fruit, mine is fruit and malt but there’s not a lot in it.

The flavour of the Fullers is really nice, the base flavour is like sweet burnt toffee sucked through a wooden straw, the flavour of mine is not so nice and more like licking burnt rubber . It’s actually not that bad but mine is nowhere near ready as yet. @dave_77 make sure you put the bottle I gave you aside for a while.

Mine has a little more bitterness and lacks the smooth mellow flavour and mouthfeel of the Fullers. I’ll look forward to trying mine again in a few weeks but for now I’m going to neck the rest of mine and savour the bottle of Fullers

Cheers!

 

[dave_77]

The weather is a bit cold and miserable today so I’m starting with something warm an comforting, a Fullers Vintage Ale. While I’m about it I’m also going to see how my own vintage ale is doing although it’s only 6 weeks conditioned and I know it needs another 6 weeks minimum.

Here are the ales side-by-side, Fullers on the left. Fullers is 8.5% ABV, mine is 9.2%. I should say from the start that I’m not actually trying to clone the Fullers ale, I was just inspired by the Fullers to make something along similar lines. I haven’t used the same malts and I haven’t used either of the hops used in the Fullers.

View attachment 44913
View attachment 44914View attachment 44915
It’s pretty obvious that mine is darker than the Fullers and the head on my ale is thicker and more creamy. The Fullers ale is crystal clear, mine is clear when held to the light but maybe not crystal clear as yet.

The aroma of both is surprisingly similar. I would say the Fullers is malt and fruit, mine is fruit and malt but there’s not a lot in it.

The flavour of the Fullers is really nice, the base flavour is like sweet burnt toffee sucked through a wooden straw, the flavour of mine is not so nice and more like licking burnt rubber . It’s actually not that bad but mine is nowhere near ready as yet. @dave_77 make sure you put the bottle I gave you aside for a while.

Mine has a little more bitterness and lacks the smooth mellow flavour and mouthfeel of the Fullers. I’ll look forward to trying mine again in a few weeks but for now I’m going to neck the rest of mine and savour the bottle of Fullers

Cheers!

I have hidden it behind some yeast harvest jars to try and forget about it

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I had scheduled to brew another batch of Best Bitter yesterday but I got a bit impatient and brewed it on Tuesday. The best bitter brew-day went well and the beer is now blipping away eagerly in the fermenter. I’ve actuallly just been out and tested the weight of my kegs - the bitter keg is feeling very light so this brew is definitely needed!

Also on Tuesday I kegged my latest batch of stout. I’ve ordered a stout spout too and that will arrive tomorrow. I’ve no idea if it is needed but I’ll post a photo of a beer poured with the normal spout and then with the stout spout so you can see the difference.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Also on Tuesday I kegged my latest batch of stout. I’ve ordered a stout spout too and that will arrive tomorrow. I’ve no idea if it is needed but I’ll post a photo of a beer poured with the normal spout and then with the stout spout so you can see the difference.

I was looking to do the same some months back but was too tight to splash out about a tenner on one, for the amount of times I would have a Stout on. I wondered if I could just get the insert to convert a normal Spout into a Stout spout and after a little bit of Googling I come across this.

It does the job but with just CO2 the head doesn’t last that long.

Edit: Just found a photo of one I poured using the Stout spout insert.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

My Brown Ale is almost 2 weeks conditioned (Saturday will be 2 weeks) so time for a taste

The beer is a good colour and is nice and clear so that’s a good start.

The aroma is chocolate, brown malt, and a touch of toffee. Very nice.

My brown ale usually takes two to three months to condition so I’m not expecting a clean tasting ale just yet. As expected the flavours are there but it’s more drinkable than enjoyable at the moment.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I was looking to do the same some months back but was too tight to splash out about a tenner on one, for the amount of times I would have a Stout on. I wondered if I could just get the insert to convert a normal Spout into a Stout spout and after a little bit of Googling I come across this.

View attachment 45223

It does the job but with just CO2 the head doesn’t last that long.

That’s interesting, I’ve not seen those before. I’d probably still have gone with the stainless version myself because I imagine it will be easier to keep clean.

I’ll see how long the heads lasts as well after your feedback - thanks!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

That’s interesting, I’ve not seen those before. I’d probably still have gone with the stainless version myself because I imagine it will be easier to keep clean.

I’ll see how long the heads lasts as well after your feedback - thanks!

Those were £2.50 for two. They just come out of the spout afterwards and go in the dishwasher

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Those were £2.50 for two. They just come out of the spout afterwards and go in the dishwasher

That sounds easy too!

 

[cushyno]

My Brown Ale is almost 2 weeks conditioned (Saturday will be 2 weeks) so time for a taste

The beer is a good colour and is nice and clear so that’s a good start.
View attachment 45222
The aroma is chocolate, brown malt, and a touch of toffee. Very nice.

My brown ale usually takes two to three months to condition so I’m not expecting a clean tasting ale just yet. As expected the flavours are there but it’s more drinkable than enjoyable at the moment.

I do like a good Brown Ale. Worth the wait...if you can wait

 

[Clint]

Why do brown ales take do long to condition?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Why do brown ales take do long to condition?

I’m not sure. Brown malt is roasted at a high temperature so that might have something to do with it?