Tomorrow, I'll be brewing a Victorian Scottish IPA. The mash water is treated and waiting in the boiler ~ its a 2 hour mash so I want to get cracking early. The Kentucky Common is in a corny keg carbing up.
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Bit of a nightmare start to my brew day - I ad changed the tap on the mash tun because the old one had what looked like mould in it and I couldn't get it apart for cleaning. It was one of those cheapo barrel taps. I need to get a proper 3 way valve but haven't got round to it yet. However, the tap I fitted had a slight drip, which I couldn't solve, so a third tap was stolen from one of my King Kegs and that seems to have done the trick. The recipe is an adaption of a Youngers 1868 IPA, modified with a shorter boil time and to use the hops I had in stock. The main additions are as per the original recipe, its just the bittering hops that I've changed. As Im using some chevallier malt in this I have kept the 2 hour mash. Its now sat there at 64.
Wow. My efficiency took a massive hit, predicted OG was 1058, I got 1049. I don't know if this was the chevallier malt, I suspect it was. I'll post the recipe in a bit; It's in the FV at 21°C, I've pitched MJ Empire Ale.
I seem to be making a lot of silly errors with my brewing this week. The recipe called for 5.5kg of base malt (4kg Muntons Pale + 1.5 Kg chevallier malt). I mashed in 3Kg of pale plus 1.5 Kg chevallier malt. Putting this into brewfather gives an expected OG of..... 1048. So it looks like a 2 hour mash at 64°C is enough to convert the chevallier. So, here is what I brewed, which with the shorter boil and wrong amounts and different hops, is so far removed from the original I won't bother referencing it here.
Victorian IPA gone wrong
English IPA
4.6% / 11.8 °P
67.1% efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.013
IBU (Tinseth): 46
Color: 10.2 EBC
Infusion — 64 °C — 120 min
Infusion — 76 °C — 15 min
Malts (4.5 kg)
3 kg (66.7%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
1.5 kg (33.3%) — Crisp Chevallier Pale Ale — Grain — 7.9 EBC
Hops (82 g)
20 g (16 IBU) — Mount Hood 6% — Boil — 60 min
12 g (20 IBU) — Chinook 13% — Boil — 60 min
30 g (10 IBU) — Saaz 3.5% — Boil — 30 min
20 g — Saaz 3.5% — Boil — 0 min
Yeast
1 pkg — Mangrove Jack's M15 Empire Ale Yeast
Fermentation
Primary — 21 °C — 14 days
Carbonation: 2.4 CO2-vol
Here is the resultant wort - its very pale, the first runnings were much more golden and I was hoping this would remain, but we shall see; its hard to tell in a sample jar in my experience.
Victorian IPA gone wrong
English IPA
4.6% / 11.8 °P
67.1% efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.013
IBU (Tinseth): 46
Color: 10.2 EBC
Infusion — 64 °C — 120 min
Infusion — 76 °C — 15 min
Malts (4.5 kg)
3 kg (66.7%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
1.5 kg (33.3%) — Crisp Chevallier Pale Ale — Grain — 7.9 EBC
Hops (82 g)
20 g (16 IBU) — Mount Hood 6% — Boil — 60 min
12 g (20 IBU) — Chinook 13% — Boil — 60 min
30 g (10 IBU) — Saaz 3.5% — Boil — 30 min
20 g — Saaz 3.5% — Boil — 0 min
Yeast
1 pkg — Mangrove Jack's M15 Empire Ale Yeast
Fermentation
Primary — 21 °C — 14 days
Carbonation: 2.4 CO2-vol
Here is the resultant wort - its very pale, the first runnings were much more golden and I was hoping this would remain, but we shall see; its hard to tell in a sample jar in my experience.
My Victorian IPA gone wrong, now named 'We are not amused', has dropped to 1.012 in 9 days, which is quite surprising if you look at the reviews of Empire Ale yeast and low attenuation. So, I'll dry hop with Saaz tomorrow, with a view to cold crashing at the weekend if the gravity is the same. The sample was really, really promising.
Dutto
Landlord.
Still looks to have the makings of a lovely IPA with the accent on "Pale" though!
![BREWING THERMOMETER STICKERS ACCURATELY MONITOR FERMENTING BEER & WINE LIQUID TEMPERATURES 5PCS HOME BREW SPIRITS WINE LCD ADHESIVE [US]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/311DDjo2X3L._SL500_.jpg)
Still, it tastes good so far.
Dry hopped today, 50g of Saaz. Hopefully, will start to cold crash Friday.
Brewed a porter today. There's more detail on my blog, but the recipe was;
Night Fighter porter
English Porter
4.6%
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.009
IBU (Tinseth): 30
Color: 55.5 EBC
Mash
Temperature — 66 °C — 60 min
Malts (4 kg)
1.5 kg (36.1%) — Muntons Mild Malt — Grain — 5.8 EBC
1.5 kg (36.1%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
350 g (8.4%) — Crisp Brown Malt — Grain — 128 EBC
250 g (6%) — Thomas Fawcett Chocolate Malt — Grain — 1000 EBC
200 g (4.8%) — Thomas Fawcett Amber Malt — Grain — 101 EBC
200 g (4.8%) — Thomas Fawcett Crystal Malt — Grain — 118 EBC
Other (150 g)
150 g (3.6%) — Demerara Sugar — Sugar — 3.9 EBC
Hops (50 g)
25 g (20 IBU) — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Boil — 60 min
15 g (9 IBU) — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Boil — 30 min
10 g (2 IBU) — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Boil — 5 min
Yeast
1 pkg — Mangrove Jack's M36 Liberty Bell
Fermentation
Primary — 19 °C — 14 days
I got 19L in the FV and 1048° OG. Great looking and smelling wort - in the fermentation fridge now at 19°C.
Night Fighter porter
English Porter
4.6%
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.009
IBU (Tinseth): 30
Color: 55.5 EBC
Mash
Temperature — 66 °C — 60 min
Malts (4 kg)
1.5 kg (36.1%) — Muntons Mild Malt — Grain — 5.8 EBC
1.5 kg (36.1%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
350 g (8.4%) — Crisp Brown Malt — Grain — 128 EBC
250 g (6%) — Thomas Fawcett Chocolate Malt — Grain — 1000 EBC
200 g (4.8%) — Thomas Fawcett Amber Malt — Grain — 101 EBC
200 g (4.8%) — Thomas Fawcett Crystal Malt — Grain — 118 EBC
Other (150 g)
150 g (3.6%) — Demerara Sugar — Sugar — 3.9 EBC
Hops (50 g)
25 g (20 IBU) — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Boil — 60 min
15 g (9 IBU) — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Boil — 30 min
10 g (2 IBU) — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Boil — 5 min
Yeast
1 pkg — Mangrove Jack's M36 Liberty Bell
Fermentation
Primary — 19 °C — 14 days
I got 19L in the FV and 1048° OG. Great looking and smelling wort - in the fermentation fridge now at 19°C.
All bubbling away nicely today, and it smells fantastic, as is often the case I fond with Liberty Bell yeast.
Had a quick sample (ok, four pints 
) of my Victorian IPA last night. It's not clear but it's lovely.
) of my Victorian IPA last night. It's not clear but it's lovely.
Being an unselfish type of chap, and with one eye on any potential shortages, I took on the onerous task if drinking 4 bottles of wye valley Butty Bach tonight. I then put the dregs into some 1.020 wort, therefore hopefully making a yeast starter, allowing my family a constant supply of quality yeast so we can still brew great ale whatever happens.
Even though I'm the only one who drinks it. But the thought was there.
.
On a more serious note, this is a bit of a test run; if all goes well, I have some Jubilee Ale, kindly gifted to me by @terrym to culture up.
Even though I'm the only one who drinks it. But the thought was there.
.On a more serious note, this is a bit of a test run; if all goes well, I have some Jubilee Ale, kindly gifted to me by @terrym to culture up.
OK, Ive done two brews with the Wye Valley Yeast now, here is the first. I started with GW's Hop Back Summer Lightning recipe, then changed it to suit what I had that needed using up, lock down stylee, and ended up with nothing like the original. However, it has worked out quite nicely.
Hop On Modern Lighting
British Golden Ale
64.1% efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.009
IBU (Tinseth): 33
Color: 9.3 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.3 °C
Infusion — 66 °C — 90 min
Malts (4.4 kg)
4.4 kg (100%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
Hops (93 g)
20 g (31 IBU) — Chinook 12% — Boil — 60 min
5 g (3 IBU) — Chinook 12% — Boil — 10 min
15 g — Cascade 4.5% — Boil — 0 min
15 g — Centennial 8% — Boil — 0 min
21 g — Cascade 4.5% — Dry Hop — 3 days
17 g — Centennial 8% — Dry Hop — 3 days
50g — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Dry Hop — 3 days
Yeast
Recovered Wye Valley Yeast
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 14 days
Its still a bit young but I like the CCC / Bamling X combo. Works quite well.
I then used the slurry to do a Mild for Mild May. I started with a Ron Pattinson recipe for 1937 Greene King XX (from his 'Let's Brew' book, but I see it's on his blog here) but then modified (butchered) it to suit what I had in stock and the sugars available to me without making proper invert.
1937 XX Light Mild
64.1%efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.031
Final Gravity: 1.008
IBU (Tinseth): 25
Color: 20.5 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.9 °C
Strike — 67 °C — 60 min
Batch — 76 °C — 15 min
Malts (2.77 kg)
2.4 kg (79.2%) — Muntons Mild Malt — Grain — 5.8 EBC
250 g (8.3%) — Corn, Flaked — Grain — 2.6 EBC
120 g (4%) — Thomas Fawcett Crystal Malt — Grain — 118 EBC
Other (259 g)
120 g (4%) — Demerara Sugar — Sugar — 3.9 EBC
109 g (3.6%) — Lyle's Golden Syrup — Sugar — 24 EBC
30 g (1%) — Blackstrap Molasses (Meridian) — Sugar — 1875 EBC
Hops (50 g)
30 g (20 IBU) — Fuggles 4.5% — Boil — 60 min
10 g (6 IBU) — East Kent Goldings (EKG) 5% — Boil — 30 min
10 g — East Kent Goldings (EKG) 5% — Dry Hop — 7 days
Yeast
Wye Valley Yeast
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 10 days
I've added the dry hop today, and the sample was already down to 1009°, and tasted really promising, just what I was after, a light mild. I've set the brew fridge to crash it down to 5° and I'm going to add finings in a couple of days with the plan to get it into bottles at the weekend, and in my glass a week later. After all, it is a mild!
Hop On Modern Lighting
British Golden Ale
64.1% efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.009
IBU (Tinseth): 33
Color: 9.3 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.3 °C
Infusion — 66 °C — 90 min
Malts (4.4 kg)
4.4 kg (100%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
Hops (93 g)
20 g (31 IBU) — Chinook 12% — Boil — 60 min
5 g (3 IBU) — Chinook 12% — Boil — 10 min
15 g — Cascade 4.5% — Boil — 0 min
15 g — Centennial 8% — Boil — 0 min
21 g — Cascade 4.5% — Dry Hop — 3 days
17 g — Centennial 8% — Dry Hop — 3 days
50g — Bramling Cross 5.7% — Dry Hop — 3 days
Yeast
Recovered Wye Valley Yeast
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 14 days
Its still a bit young but I like the CCC / Bamling X combo. Works quite well.
I then used the slurry to do a Mild for Mild May. I started with a Ron Pattinson recipe for 1937 Greene King XX (from his 'Let's Brew' book, but I see it's on his blog here) but then modified (butchered) it to suit what I had in stock and the sugars available to me without making proper invert.
1937 XX Light Mild
64.1%efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.031
Final Gravity: 1.008
IBU (Tinseth): 25
Color: 20.5 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.9 °C
Strike — 67 °C — 60 min
Batch — 76 °C — 15 min
Malts (2.77 kg)
2.4 kg (79.2%) — Muntons Mild Malt — Grain — 5.8 EBC
250 g (8.3%) — Corn, Flaked — Grain — 2.6 EBC
120 g (4%) — Thomas Fawcett Crystal Malt — Grain — 118 EBC
Other (259 g)
120 g (4%) — Demerara Sugar — Sugar — 3.9 EBC
109 g (3.6%) — Lyle's Golden Syrup — Sugar — 24 EBC
30 g (1%) — Blackstrap Molasses (Meridian) — Sugar — 1875 EBC
Hops (50 g)
30 g (20 IBU) — Fuggles 4.5% — Boil — 60 min
10 g (6 IBU) — East Kent Goldings (EKG) 5% — Boil — 30 min
10 g — East Kent Goldings (EKG) 5% — Dry Hop — 7 days
Yeast
Wye Valley Yeast
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 10 days
I've added the dry hop today, and the sample was already down to 1009°, and tasted really promising, just what I was after, a light mild. I've set the brew fridge to crash it down to 5° and I'm going to add finings in a couple of days with the plan to get it into bottles at the weekend, and in my glass a week later. After all, it is a mild!
The yeast is really impressive; not particularly fruity or anything, but it's nice and clean; doesn't seem to mute hops much, but is still very, erm, 'British' tasting - both the Golden Ale I'm drinking now (too young, to be fair) and the Mild sample really taste like 'pub' beers. It also ferments like a train and is a proper top strain; a thick krausen sits on the fv for most of the fermentation. Wye valley apparently re-seed their bottle conditioned ales with their primary strain, which makes it a good one to culture up, in my opinion, as it is fairly fresh and hasn't been massively stressed. Mine is in its 3rd generation now and I'm going to give it one more run out in a brown ale.
That looks like a nicely balanced mild recipe. You've included enough to give some depth of flavour without making it too complex for a mild, if you know what I mean. I look forward to hear how this turns out.
Last run out for this batch of Wye Valley yeast, unless it really does well and then I'll top crop it and use it one more time. This is my house Brown Ale, that was originally the Sam Smith Nut Brown clone recipe from Graham Wheeler's (RIP) European Beer book. I have gradually crucified modified it to suit my inventory.
Meadow View Brown Ale
British Brown Ale
4.7%
67.1%efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU (Tinseth): 27
Color: 30 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.3 °C
Infusion Mash— 66 °C — 90 min
Batch Sparge — 78 °C — 15 min
Malts (4.683 kg)
2.715 kg (58%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
900 g (19.2%) — Muntons Mild Malt — Grain — 5.8 EBC
500 g (10.7%) — Crisp Brown Malt — Grain — 128 EBC
332 g (7.1%) — Thomas Fawcett Amber Malt — Grain — 101 EBC
236 g (5%) — Thomas Fawcett Crystal Malt — Grain — 118 EBC
Hops (54 g)
34 g (21 IBU) — Fuggles 4.5% — Boil — 90 min
20 g (6 IBU) — East Kent Goldings 5% — Boil — 15 min
Yeast
Wye Valley Yeast, putched @ 23.1°C and chilled to 20°C
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 14 days
Meadow View Brown Ale
British Brown Ale
4.7%
67.1%efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU (Tinseth): 27
Color: 30 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.3 °C
Infusion Mash— 66 °C — 90 min
Batch Sparge — 78 °C — 15 min
Malts (4.683 kg)
2.715 kg (58%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
900 g (19.2%) — Muntons Mild Malt — Grain — 5.8 EBC
500 g (10.7%) — Crisp Brown Malt — Grain — 128 EBC
332 g (7.1%) — Thomas Fawcett Amber Malt — Grain — 101 EBC
236 g (5%) — Thomas Fawcett Crystal Malt — Grain — 118 EBC
Hops (54 g)
34 g (21 IBU) — Fuggles 4.5% — Boil — 90 min
20 g (6 IBU) — East Kent Goldings 5% — Boil — 15 min
Yeast
Wye Valley Yeast, putched @ 23.1°C and chilled to 20°C
Fermentation
Primary — 20 °C — 14 days
@cushyno - the light mild is going to make my 'house list'. Its really nice. Simple. Earthy Fuggles and slight floral EKG. You can taste the caramel malt, but this is the interesting thing ~ if you drink this too cold, it's horrible. It tastes like pasteurised keg mild. But let it warm up a few degrees and its really good. I have never made a batch of beer that is so sensitive to being served outside of proper cellar temp. In my mind, that means its bang on for the style, but it might just mean I'm a ***** brewer.
Mandatory picture.
Mandatory picture.
The brown ale is off like a train. This Wye Valley yeast continues to impress; I might top crop it one more time.
Sort of dry hopped Kolsh thingie today, but brewed with CML Pia yeast @ 14°C. I'll pitch two packs just to make sure due to that being the bottom of the recommended temp. The mash is on.
Blanc Pale
Kölsch
4.6% / 11.6 °P
67.1% efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Mash Water: 15.67 L
Sparge Water: 13.69 L
Total Water: 29.36 L
Boil Volume: 24.88 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.041
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.047
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU (Tinseth): 29
Color: 11.4 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.3 °C
Infusion — 66 °C — 60 min
Malts (4.478 kg)
2 kg (44.7%) — Biards Maris Otter Pale Malt — Grain — 5.9 EBC
1.924 kg (43%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
554 g (12.4%) — Simpsons Munich Malt — Grain — 21.5 EBC
Hops (100 g)
15 g (21 IBU) — Hallertau Blanc 10.5% — Boil — 60 min
30 g (8 IBU) — Hallertau Blanc 10.5% — Boil — 5 min
15 g — Hallertau Blanc 10.5% — Boil — 0 min
40 g — 5% — Dry Hop — 3 days
Miscs
1 items — Insert Chiller Coil — Boil — 15 min
0.5 items — Protafloc — Boil — 15 min
Yeast
2 pkg — Crossmyloof Pia
Fermentation
Primary — 14 °C — 14
Blanc Pale
Kölsch
4.6% / 11.6 °P
67.1% efficiency
Batch Volume: 20 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Mash Water: 15.67 L
Sparge Water: 13.69 L
Total Water: 29.36 L
Boil Volume: 24.88 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.041
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.047
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU (Tinseth): 29
Color: 11.4 EBC
Mash
Strike Temp — 71.3 °C
Infusion — 66 °C — 60 min
Malts (4.478 kg)
2 kg (44.7%) — Biards Maris Otter Pale Malt — Grain — 5.9 EBC
1.924 kg (43%) — Muntons Pale Ale Malt — Grain — 6.3 EBC
554 g (12.4%) — Simpsons Munich Malt — Grain — 21.5 EBC
Hops (100 g)
15 g (21 IBU) — Hallertau Blanc 10.5% — Boil — 60 min
30 g (8 IBU) — Hallertau Blanc 10.5% — Boil — 5 min
15 g — Hallertau Blanc 10.5% — Boil — 0 min
40 g — 5% — Dry Hop — 3 days
Miscs
1 items — Insert Chiller Coil — Boil — 15 min
0.5 items — Protafloc — Boil — 15 min
Yeast
2 pkg — Crossmyloof Pia
Fermentation
Primary — 14 °C — 14
