Mark K’s Brewdays

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Funny you should mention that, BB - I've just done the sums on the Vienna Lager I did today and BS3 says I hit a BHE of 88.4% ... must be something in the weather athumb..
Blimey, 88.4% 👏👏
The only thing I think I did differently was, I was called in for breakfast half way through the sparge so left it to almost drain completely before going back and sparging with the remainder.
Although, it was probably nothing to do with that, more likely the weather 😂

EDIT
Oh, actually, I also left the top screen off and gave it all a good stir 10 minutes from the end of the mash when I added the Chocolate malt. It doesn’t normally get that.
 
Got a sneaky brew day in today while working from home 😉. An attempt at something in the style of Adnams Ghost Ship using a recipe loosely based on an old post by @Cwrw666 but replacing some malt, hops and yeast according to what I did and didn’t have. 🤞

As is becoming the norm for me, I overshot the predicted OG of 1.046 at 75% BHE and ended up at 1.050 so again 80% BHE. I’ll know for next time, honest 😳.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Ghostly Ship

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.3 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.043
Efficiency: 80% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.049
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV (standard): 4.92%
IBU (tinseth): 28.5
SRM (morey): 7.26
Mash pH: 5.54

FERMENTABLES:
4 kg - Maris Otter Extra Pale (90.9%)
150 g - Cara Malt (3.4%)
150 g - Crystal Extra Dark - 120L (3.4%)
100 g - Cane Sugar (2.3%)

HOPS:
10 g - Summit, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 17.64
40 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 10.86
45 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Aroma for 0 min

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Strike, Temp: 66 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 18.74 L
2) Sparge, Temp: 76 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 11.94 L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
3.2 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1 g - Calcium Chloride, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
5.2 g - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1.5 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.5 g - Calcium Chloride, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
1.6 g - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.5 each - Protfloc, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Pia
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 74%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 15 - 22.22 C
Fermentation Temp: 19.5 C
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Spooky
Ca2: 154.8
Mg2: 10
Na: 52
Cl: 109
SO4: 193
HCO3: 101

E764D31E-7ACB-44F6-A1D5-2B2A53AA58B0.jpeg
 
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I added gelatine and cold crashed my Brown Ale earlier this week. I’ll be kegging that tomorrow. So, faced with the prospect of an empty FV, I’m planning a quick turnaround by having a Vanguard Pilsner ready to go in it.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Vanguard Pilsner

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: International Pale Lager
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.3 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.038
Efficiency: 80% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.009
ABV (standard): 4.58%
IBU (tinseth): 28.18
SRM (morey): 3.28
Mash pH: 5.75

FERMENTABLES:
3.5 kg - Maris Otter Extra Pale (87.5%)
200 g - Carapils Malt (5%)
200 g - Torrified Wheat (5%)
100 g - Munich - Light 10L (2.5%)

HOPS:
20 g - Vanguard (5 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 12.25
25 g - Vanguard (5 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5.5, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 9.27
30 g - Vanguard, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 6.66
25 g - Vanguard (5 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5.5, Use: Aroma for 0 min

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Strike, Temp: 67 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 17.9 L
2) Sparge, Temp: 76 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 12.6 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.8 L/kg

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
2 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.6 g - Calcium Chloride, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.5 each - Whirlfloc, Time: 10 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Boil
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
1.4 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.5 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Californian
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 79%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 15 - 22 C
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Lager
Ca2: 74
Mg2: 5
Na: 26
Cl: 57
SO4: 57
HCO3: 100
 
The Vanguard Lager is now safely in the FV at 18.5 degrees.
OG was a couple of points down but I’m not too fussed with that.

The sample in the trial jar was taken before it had time to settle.

Video shows it was lovely and clear going into the FV half an hour or so later.

F403B774-31DD-4753-A712-5097F53A76AE.jpeg

 
I kegged my Ghostly Ship today after the 3 day cold crashing and, low and behold, I’ve now an empty FV ready for the weekend.

I haven’t bought beers for ages now but did used to quite like the Punk IPA. But, having heard from a few sources now that this beer has deteriorated somewhat, I thought I’d have a go at making some myself.

Using my trusty Summit hops for bittering, as always, this is the plan:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Kettle Punk

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 22 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.3 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.047
Efficiency: 80% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV (standard): 5.57%
IBU (tinseth): 40.3
SRM (morey): 5.15
Mash pH: 5.57

FERMENTABLES:
4.5 kg - Pilsen/Lager (93.9%)
290 g - Caramalt (6.1%)

HOPS:
25 g - Summit (18.5 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 40.3
100 g - CML Punk’d Up, Type: Pellet, Use: Hop Stand for 10 min
200 g - CML Punk’d Up, Type: Pellet, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Strike, Temp: 65 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 21.07 L
2) Sparge, Temp: 76 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 10.06 L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1.4 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
5.55 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.7 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
3.14 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.5 each - Protofloc, Time: 10 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Five
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 17.22 - 27.78 C
Fermentation Temp: 19 C

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Punk
Ca2: 122
Mg2: 10
Na: 52
Cl: 86
SO4: 150
HCO3: 75
 
My Vanguard Lager had Gelatine added three days and has been cold crashing since then so into the keg it will go tomorrow.
I have been toying with the idea of making a Golden Ale next using my home grown Fuggles but I’m a bit reluctant to use the Fuggles again until I’ve tasted another beer with them in, just in case. Not wanting to tap the Brown Ale with the Fuggles in yet I’ve decided to do another Vanguard Lager. It’ll be easy as I’d just pour directly onto about a quarter of the slurry after kegging the one tomorrow. Don’t want to be making kegging/brew days too difficult now do we 😜🍻

Edit. Forgot to add I can’t do anything Sunday as I’m off to see my new Grandson who was born on Thursday in an Uber whilst they were on the way to the hospital!,
 
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