Hopsteep Brewing

[user 18729]

Time to update with the last few brew days-

Lockdown Lager Mk2

30L batch

Grist
Lager Malt 7200g
Carapils 400g


Hop Schedule (37 IBU)

60 mins
Magnum 10g

20mins
Saaz 66g

10mins
Saaz 80g

0 mins
Saaz 20g

Yeast
Wyeast 2278 Czech Pilsner (repitched a calculated amount of slurry)

Adjusted Water (From RO)
Ca 6ppm, Mg 10ppm, Na 8ppm, SO4 1ppm, Cl 9ppm, RA -117ppm and a mash PH of 5.3.

This has been bottled and is nearly ready. Tried a bottle a couple of days ago and its very crisp and refreshing, but not quite as smooth as it should be from being highly hopped. Another couple of weeks and it should be really nice.

 

[user 18729]

Well since the lockdown my kegs have taken a battering. My neighbour loves his lager so has been having several socially distanced pints. In an effort to keep some Lager on the go I brewed a double batch, maxing out my small 50L system in the process!

Lockdown Lager Mk3

40L batch

Grist
Lager Malt 10kg
Carapils 600g


Hop Schedule (37.3 IBU)

60 mins
Magnum 40g

15mins
Hallertauer Hersbrucker 60g

10mins
Saaz 60g
Hallertauer Hersbrucker 60g

5 mins
Hallertauer Hersbrucker 65g

0 mins
Hallertauer Mittelfrüh 65g

Yeast
Wyeast 2278 Czech Pilsner (repitched a calculated amount of slurry)

Adjusted Water (From RO)
Ca 6ppm, Mg 10ppm, Na 8ppm, SO4 1ppm, Cl 9ppm, RA -117ppm and a mash PH of 5.3.

Currently one keg force carbing in the bar and the other tucked away in the garage.

 

[user 18729]

As much as I enjoy a cold lager in the summer, I've been missing something more interesting. There's nothing nicer than being sat out in a little restaurant in Bruges drinking a pint or two of local beer, so in an attempt to bring Bruges to the back garden here's my recipe for tomorrow's brew day:

Marilyn Belgian Blond

30L Batch

Colour 8.5 EBC
Est Abv 7.1%
22 IBU

Grist
Lager Malt 8kg
Aromatic Malt 200g

Adjuncts
Belgian Candi Sugar 500g (Boil)
Table Sugar 400g (Boil)

Hop Schedule

60 mins
Polaris 15g

5 mins
Hallertauer Hersbrucker 20g

Yeast
Wyeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit (Hoegaarden)

I was a little unsure as to which profile to aim for so I'm using the mineral content of my tap water as its a happy medium and will add phosphoric acid to the liquor to target a mash PH of 5.3.
Adjusted Water
Ca 91ppm, Mg 9ppm, Na 43ppm, SO4 68ppm, Cl 77ppm, RA -49ppm and a mash PH of 5.3.

 

[user 18729]

Brew day going well so far...

 

[user 18729]

Tucked away in the brew fridge. I’ve set the inkbird to control the ambient temperature of the fridge and maintain it at 19. I’m going to let the beer free rise during fermentation so it will be interesting to see how hot it gets.

 

[NPi]

Really enjoyed your thread @Hopsteep, have you considered running through what equipment you have, it looks like you have amassed a very interesting set up.

Particularly interested in the canner, I didn't know they made smaller non commercial ones.

Cheers. Nick

 

[user 18729]

Really enjoyed your thread @Hopsteep, have you considered running through what equipment you have, it looks like you have amassed a very interesting set up.

Particularly interested in the canner, I didn't know they made smaller non commercial ones.

Cheers. Nick

Glad you enjoy scrolling through! Thats some motivation to keep documenting my various brewing exploits.

Happy to put together a post briefly explaining my set up- It's been built over several years and is still being upgraded. I enjoy the DIY side of brewing and prefer to spend money on that rather than an all-in-one system.

There are a lot more interesting set ups built by members on here. Hopefully someone looking for inspiration will find a few pictures and explanation useful like I did when I set out.

 

[user 18729]

Well my diet has gone out of the window today, and I’m blaming this lovely beer brewed by @strange-steve.

I’ve never tried a Weizenbock before but there is something quite ‘Belgian’ about it. Raisin, plum, a bit of port going on with great mouth feel. What a beer. Thanks for sharing

 

[samale]

Enjoy reading your brew thread keep up the good work.

 

[Cyberjip]

I can't see the wires but your setup is presumably a 50L electric, if so I have similar and have a couple of questions, what efficiencies do you normally get and what do your pots look like inside, are they false bottom or bazooka filters or something else entirely.

Just curious as I would like to get my efficiency up a fair bit I seem to be stuck down around 60%

 

[strange-steve]

there is something quite ‘Belgian’ about it

You're not the first to say that, there's definitely some taste crossover with a dubbel. Thanks for the kind words :hat:

 

[user 18729]

Here's a quick write up about my brewing equipment- hopefully it will help some people looking for ideas one day.

My Mash Tun is a thermopot from Bergland that I converted myself with a deck drain fitting (plenty of how to's out there).

My false bottom is made from a sheet of perforated stainless cut to size (there was a company on eBay who would plasma cut to any size and this worked out about £25). I then drilled a few holes and added some bolts to stand it off the bottom by about an inch. For a gasket, I took a Stanley knife to a length of tubing cutting through half way and then just push it over then edge-

My boiler is again a stock pot from Bergland.

The elements are 2kw stainless water heater elements from China. They took a few weeks to arrive but have lasted, definitely stainless and easy to clean (about £5 each I think). The HERMS coil is from BrewBuilder as I didn't fancy trying to bend stainless!

The element shrouds are alloy project boxes from Maplin fitted with Neutrik connectors so that I can remove the power leads for cleaning.

The Boiler is fitted with whirlpool ports and I therefore just use a pickup tube as there's no need for a filter after a good whirlpool.

And there it is so far! The brewing bench was a bargain from gumtree for £50- I've fitted some heavy duty castor wheels so that I can wheel it out into the garden for brewing. The one fancy bit of kit is my Riptide pump which was a Christmas present- this thing is fantastic.

I ferment in my old fridge freezer which is big enough for my 50L SS Brewbucket.

 

[user 18729]

For dispensing I use Sankey slimline kegs.

I built a bar a few years back using reclaimed timber and an old under counter fridge. (Currently got one of the spouts in the dish washer!)

And that's about it really!

 

[user 18729]

Really enjoyed your thread @Hopsteep, have you considered running through what equipment you have, it looks like you have amassed a very interesting set up.

Particularly interested in the canner, I didn't know they made smaller non commercial ones.

Cheers. Nick

Hi Nick,

Yeah its the Cannular machine. I got mine from Brewkegtap. I was authorised to buy one for our wedding so that I can do all of the beers. Thats the only way I got it past my other half!
They are a pain in the arse to set up correctly, I need to tweak mine slightly as one in every ten cans seems to leak on the seam. Fantastic though and well made. I just need to pull my finger out and set it up properly

 

[user 18729]

I can't see the wires but your setup is presumably a 50L electric, if so I have similar and have a couple of questions, what efficiencies do you normally get and what do your pots look like inside, are they false bottom or bazooka filters or something else entirely.

Just curious as I would like to get my efficiency up a fair bit I seem to be stuck down around 60%

My Brewhouse efficiency is a bit erratic. On average I get around 60% although this has been as high as 74%.

 

[cushyno]

Nice little write up of your brewery. Envy inducing amounts of stainless

 

[Cyberjip]

My Brewhouse efficiency is a bit erratic. On average I get around 60% although this has been as high as 74%.

Ok same ball park as me then. Thanks for the write up keep up the good work.

 

[NPi]

Great write up Hopsteep. Re Cannular machine, I'm very jealous. Very clever design on your false bottom. I do single pot BIAB, but still manage to scorch my bag from time to time, so it might be just what I need.

Cheers, Nick

 

[user 18729]

Great write up Hopsteep. Re Cannular machine, I'm very jealous. Very clever design on your false bottom. I do single pot BIAB, but still manage to scorch my bag from time to time, so it might be just what I need.


Cheers, Nick

Thanks, I’m not sure if the seller I used is still on ebay- they were just trying to make a few bob on the side I think using their machinery after hours. You could probably cut your own sheet of stainless to size with a grinder and loads of tweaking but for a good fit you’ll need it plasma cut by machine

 

[user 18729]

Time to update with the last few brew days-

Lockdown Lager Mk2

30L batch

Grist
Lager Malt 7200g
Carapils 400g


Hop Schedule (37 IBU)

60 mins
Magnum 10g

20mins
Saaz 66g

10mins
Saaz 80g

0 mins
Saaz 20g

Yeast
Wyeast 2278 Czech Pilsner (repitched a calculated amount of slurry)

Adjusted Water (From RO)
Ca 6ppm, Mg 10ppm, Na 8ppm, SO4 1ppm, Cl 9ppm, RA -117ppm and a mash PH of 5.3.

This has been bottled and is nearly ready. Tried a bottle a couple of days ago and its very crisp and refreshing, but not quite as smooth as it should be from being highly hopped. Another couple of weeks and it should be really nice.

Really really nice now. Amazing what a couple of weeks can do for a beer