matt76's Brewdays

[matt76]

I might do something vaguely similar Matt, I don't have Victory but have Amber/Abbey or Biscuit, i'm thinking amber might be a good sub. Hops wise i've got El Dorado, Simcoe and Chinook, what do you reckon?

Haha - the small dash of Victory malt that went into this (and the last Get Even, which you liked) was really just an afterthought as I was using up an old bag...

...The bulk of it went into my recent English Amber Ale again as a user upper/substitute for Amber Malt.

Whether such a small amount adds much in this beer, I'm not sure... But if you've got it then yeah, a little Amber Malt will do the trick. I think Biscuit is similar, not sure about Abbey as I've never used it or looked into it.

(If you want it stronger, as I suspect you might, I'd probably just up the base malt)

I used lots of Chinook early in Get Even (and Simcoe late) which gave lots of piney-resin goodness. When I use Chinook late on I just get grapefruit. So it depends what you're shooting for.

I think you can get some citrus/grapefruit from Simcoe, and IIRC El Dorado give pineapple (I've used it, but ages ago).

As I recall they're all high %AAU hops too so go steady

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Ha, yes a touch stronger but only by .5% I think.

Yes that's true about AAU, I'll keep it in mind!

 

[matt76]

Nothing brewing just at the minute as I already have 3 full kegs (well, they were full, now full-ish ), but a few thoughts on what's been going down lately.....

Imperial A-09 "Pub": It might just be personal taste but I'm not blown away by this strain. It's perfectly fine but it's not like it's been a total game changer or anything. I think perhaps for some reason I expected too much. I was planning to reuse it but my thinking now is I'll keep it in the fridge for another time perhaps, and maybe next time try Lallemand Verdant IPA.

@foxbat I'm curious, how different are the various English ale strains you've tried? Night and day or fairly subtle?

AG#78 Mk.IV Hurricane Porter: Tastes pretty much like I expect my Porter to taste with plenty of dark flavours and it hits the spot nicely on cold, dark winter evenings. As noted above the A-09 yeast I used did the job fine but I think I just preferred pervious verions fermented with MJ M36 or WY1318.

A comment on packaging - I was good and left it to condition warm (well, garage temp) for a month in the keg on the gas, before putting it in the kegerator for serving. I've no idea how necessary this warm conditioning is with kegs but when I was bottling I noticed a dramatic improvement in my dark beers between 2 weeks when it was just carbonated and tasted very green, versus an additional 2 weeks to condition after which the flavours were more rounded.

I do wonder though how much any difference in flavour compared with previous versions is down to (a) closed transfer vs. introducing lots of oxygen in a bottling bucket, and (b) bottle conditioning vs. kegs.

AG#79 English Amber Ale: If you want a BJCP category we're maybe talking bitter, or more likely British Golden Ale. It's a decent enough beer but I'm feeling mega picky and self-critical and there's a lot I want to change about this brew.

But starting with a plus point it's clear - I mean it's really clear. The first pint came out murky with, I suppose, half a pint of gelatin gloop. But after that it's been clear and bright enough to give even @foxbat a run for his money!

Flavour wise, there's a bit of yeast character coming through from the Imperial A-09 but it actually seems a lot cleaner than I imagined it would be - which surprises me from what is supposed to be the Fuller's strain as I always think London Pride and ESB are fairly esterey.

I get a bit of hop character from the EKG but it's subtle - maybe I'm just too used to American "C" hops lately, or maybe it's a bit one note and EKG just works better paired with something else. It's also a bit too dry - it's fine and perfectly drinkable but in hindsight I think I should have eased off on the gypsum.

But all is not lost - I already have something planned early next year to make amends, kind of a bitter/American Amber Ale hybrid - I'll add in some medium and dark crystal to add some more malt interest, rethink the mineral additions so it's not so dry and I'm gonna try a combo of English First Gold and American Cascade hops

 

[foxbat]

That's a fine looking pair of pints you've photographed there. They look like they could have come straight from the tap in a (good) pub.

@foxbat I'm curious, how different are the various English ale strains you've tried? Night and day or fairly subtle?

Night and day between some strains, subtle between others. For example I'd struggle to taste the difference between WLP007 (dry english) and Wyeast 1728 (scottish). They're both clean and dry with little character of their own.

I like to think I'd spot Wyeast 1469 because of its light fruit character. WLP4000/Omega OYL-052 which is marketed as American but is supposed to have been imported from England in the late 80s is way different with a unique soft and peachy mouthfeel. The Brewlab Yorkshire strain is shaping up to be another very different one. It has a lingering, creamy mouthfeel that I've never experienced with any other.

Come to think of it if A09 is supposed to be the same as WLP002 which I read somewhere is just like WLP007 but with less attenuation then I'm not surprised you don't get a lot of character from it because WLP007 also has very little.

 

[foxbat]

Hey @matt76, random question. I remember you saying that when you brew with lots of dark malts you expect a higher FG and this has been borne out in several of your brews. I was wondering how dark and how much higher FG (OK I know that is going to depend on the yeast). The reason I ask is that the dark mild I'm brewing tomorrow has 10% crystal 150 and 5% crystal 240 and was wondering how much higher FG I'll get than usual. I'm guessing only a few points but am not sure.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Hey @matt76, random question. I remember you saying that when you brew with lots of dark malts you expect a higher FG and this has been borne out in several of your brews. I was wondering how dark and how much higher FG (OK I know that is going to depend on the yeast). The reason I ask is that the dark mild I'm brewing tomorrow has 10% crystal 150 and 5% crystal 240 and was wondering how much higher FG I'll get than usual. I'm guessing only a few points but am not sure.

I'm sure he answered this on my brew thread, I'll have a look now but am putting kids to bed so cant guarantee getting back anytime soon!

 

[matt76]

Hey @matt76, random question. I remember you saying that when you brew with lots of dark malts you expect a higher FG and this has been borne out in several of your brews. I was wondering how dark and how much higher FG (OK I know that is going to depend on the yeast). The reason I ask is that the dark mild I'm brewing tomorrow has 10% crystal 150 and 5% crystal 240 and was wondering how much higher FG I'll get than usual. I'm guessing only a few points but am not sure.

Sorry @foxbat , only just seen this.

The trick here is knowing (guessing?) what is and isn't going to ferment (much?).

In your brewing software:
1. Enter just your fermentable malts and the typical normal attenuation of your yeast. Note the ABV.

2. Now add in your dark malts. In my experience Brewers Friend massively over-predicts the fermentability of dark malts (especially for the high proportions I use), so while the OG shown now will be correct, the FG will be way too low.

3. Adjust the yeast Apparent Attenuation so the predicted ABV is the same as in step 1.

4. Note the OG and FG. This is the actual FG you should expect to measure post fermentation.

The trick is knowing what will ferment completely (base malt, Munich, Vienna etc) and what won't (very dark roasted malts). The hard part is those medium coloured malts in the middle, crystal, amber, maybe even brown malt and knowing to what extent they'll ferment out.

 

[foxbat]

Sorry @foxbat , only just seen this.

The trick here is knowing (guessing?) what is and isn't going to ferment (much?).

In your brewing software:
1. Enter just your fermentable malts and the typical normal attenuation of your yeast. Note the ABV.

2. Now add in your dark malts. In my experience Brewers Friend massively over-predicts the fermentability of dark malts (especially for the high proportions I use), so while the OG shown now will be correct, the FG will be way too low.

3. Adjust the yeast Apparent Attenuation so the predicted ABV is the same as in step 1.

4. Note the OG and FG. This is the actual FG you should expect to measure post fermentation.

The trick is knowing what will ferment completely (base malt, Munich, Vienna etc) and what won't (very dark roasted malts). The hard part is those medium coloured malts in the middle, crystal, amber, maybe even brown malt and knowing to what extent they'll ferment out.

Ah yes I remember now you worked it out by deleting the roast malts from the recipe to accurately predict the FG. After thinking about it a bit I remembered reading this experiment on crystal fermentability. One of the conclusions was that if you're mixing 10-20% crystal with base malt in the mash then you shouldn't see any effect on FG.

 

[foxbat]

[ post moved: (I swear I had nothing to drink yesterday) ]

 

[UKSkydiver]

I thought this was @matt76 's brew day thread

 

[matt76]

Here's the recipe for my Dark Ruby Mild. It's almost a direct copy of Graham Wheeler's version but with a few small adjustments.

I thought this was @matt76 's brew day thread

Yeah, I was thinking that but I just assumed it was some sort of hostile takeover or coup

 

[foxbat]

Yeah, I was thinking that but I just assumed it was some sort of hostile takeover or coup

<facepalm>
I'll get Chippy to move it.

 

[matt76]

Ah yes I remember now you worked it out by deleting the roast malts from the recipe to accurately predict the FG. After thinking about it a bit I remembered reading this experiment on crystal fermentability. One of the conclusions was that if you're mixing 10-20% crystal with base malt in the mash then you shouldn't see any effect on FG.

I'm pretty sure I've seen the same work somewhere on one of the American homebrew forums, or something strikingly similar at least. ISTR the gist of it was that the crystal malts tested are probably more fermentable than received wisdom (at the time of writing at least) might have it.

The issue I have is it doesn't really go into the darker crystal malts I tend to use in my stouts and porters. And of course it doesn't tell me anything at all about the dark roasted malts I also use in those same beers.

When I first started looking into this perceived trend of my dark beers under-attenuating I did some analysis. Since I tend to brew lower strength beers I have lower proportions of the very fermentable base malts so it makes the effect more pronounced. But on the odd occasion I've made much stronger beers (Baltic Porter for example) where you tend to have more base malt and less other stuff then the FG is more in line with what the software (well, Brewer's Friend at any rate) predicts.

 

[matt76]

AG#81 NPS American Stout

Third time brewing my "Not Particularly Stout" American Stout. This time I'm going for a blend of Cascade & Centennial hops, mainly because they fit the style and I had about the right amount knocking around.

For my next few brews I've switched from Golden Promise to Warminster floor malted Maris Otter - it's one of the base malts stocked by my LHBS and I actually used to use it before I switched to GP, though my brewing has evolved in many ways since then. It certainly smelled very malty when I opened the bag - I might be imagining it but I'd swear Golden Promise didn't smell that malty! Mind you, there's so much going on in a stout I'm not sure I'll notice the difference.

I've also thrown in an odd leftover amount of Lager Malt to use that up, and compared to last time I've reduced the water a little to 15L, mainly because that should end up filling the keg without it overflowing!

15L tap water, 1.25ml Lactic Acid 80%, 1g gypsum, 1g CaCl half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 169
Chloride 74
Sulfate 77
Alkalinity 288

1000g Maris Otter
335g Lager Malt
500g Munich Malt
150g Caramunich
150g Extra Dark Crystal
150g Chocolate Malt
150g Chocolate Rye Malt
150g Roasted Barley
2.585kg TOTAL

120min full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
10g Simcoe 13.3% AAU for 30mins
5g Cascade 6.2% AAU for 15mins
5g Centennial 9.5% AAU for 15mins
10g Cascade 6.2% AAU for 10mins
10g Centennial 9.5% AAU for 10mins
10g Cascade 6.2% AAU for 5mins
10g Centennial 9.5% AAU for 5mins
1/3 Britewort tablet 5mins

Whirlpool (92 -> 85degC):
15g Cascade 6.2% AAU for 10mins
15g Centennial 9.5% AAU for 10mins

Pitched 5.5g BRY-97.

45.6 SRM - Black!
43.7 IBUs Rager
OG 1.049
Expect it to end up about 1.018 and 4.1% ABV.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Can't go wrong with those hops!

 

[matt76]

Tasting Notes: AG#80 Podium IPA

4 days after kegging

10 days after kegging

It's hard to resist trying a pint even just a few days after kegging! Even after just 4 days it's pretty much carbonated. One obvious difference is clarity - very hazy initially but just a bit of hop haze remaining after 10 days.

But the main thing is actually the difference in taste. I'm not certain if it's bitterness from the haze, or if it's just that a bit of conditioning time that's needed but after 10 days the flavours seem to have come together more - and this is something I've noticed generally with all my hoppy beers in the last few months since switching to kegs.

Flavour-wise, there's a solid but not over the top bitterness, a little bit of resin maybe and then citrus. I'm still not getting the orange/tangerine thing I'm aiming for though, it's more of a grapefruit/orange pith thing.

I'm honestly starting to wonder if I'm actually chasing a figment of my imagination with the whole orange/tangerine thing. The first incarnation of this beer was my fifth brew ever and it's entirely possible my tastes and expectations have changed a bit since then (not to mention the process, base malt, water and packaging which are all different too!).

On the other hand, that is the flavour profile Amarillo is known for - maybe it's just being overshadowed by the Citra, and maybe even the Simcoe. The funny thing is, this version tastes similar to my last effort a few months ago, even though in that case the hopping was quite different (same amount of same hops but added at different times).

It's a nice enough beer so it's more of a nice problem to have and certainly not a disaster. I'm wondering next time whether I might try something more radical - maybe add all the Simcoe and half the Citra at 5mins, the rest of the Citra at the start of fermentation and then throw in all the Amarillo as a post-fermentation dry-hop

 

[matt76]

AG#82 Mustang Ale

The P-51 Mustang - American made, powered by a British Engine and designed by a German. So I'm arguing my mix of American, British and German ingredients is bang on.

I feel I've never totally nailed a bitter, and in truth what I'm going for here is a kind of British Bitter/American Amber Ale hybrid. I read the styles as being two sides of the same coin, the same kind of thing just using local ingredients.

I've taken some inspiration from @pilgrimhudd 's recent Mosquito Amber Ale, with a glance in the direction of @foxbat 's Mainline Bitter recipe and come up with this one.

The recipe is actually an evolution of my recent English Amber Ale (itself a variation of my Hoppy Amber Ale) with some tweaks to address it's shortcomings:

- I wasn't happy with the Imperial A-09 yeast last time (or at least the fermentation) so I'm giving Lallemand Verdant IPA a whirl for only the second time. It's said to be derived from WY1318 so should suit the style.

- I wasn't totally convinced before about hopping solely with EKG so this time I've gone for a mix of Cascade and First Gold instead, plus some Magnum up front for bittering.

- I also thought it was too dry, possibly because I was too heavy handed with the gypsum so I've gone for a more balanced sulphate to chloride ratio to make it less about the hops and bring out the malt flavour a bit more.

- And in the same vein I've also tried really hard to use a bit of restraint and reign in the hops a little bit at least, so let's see how it turns out!

15L tap water, 10ml CRS, 0.75g gypsum, 1.25g CaCl half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 169
Chloride 128
Sulfate 130
Alkalinity 193

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Amber Malt
250g Carapils
125g Carared
60g Extra Dark Crystal
65g Briess Extra Special Malt
2.25kg TOTAL

95min full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
10g Magnum 11.0% AAU 30mins
6g Cascade 5.8% AAU 15mins
6g First Gold 8.0% AAU 15mins
8g Cascade 5.8% AAU 10mins
8g First Gold 8.0% AAU 10mins
11g Cascade 5.8% AAU 5mins
11g First Gold 8.0% AAU 5mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Whirlpool 10mins from 90-85degC:
6g Cascade 5.8% AAU 15mins
6g First Gold 8.0% AAU 15mins

Pitched a full vitality starter made 2 days ago from 50g medium DME, 0.5L water and 5.5g Lallemand Verdant IPA yeast.

12.4 SRM - Lovely deep amber-caramel colour
34.7 IBUs Rager
OG 1.042
FG - Brewer's Friend predicts 1.010 and 4.2% ABV, but I think it will finish a little higher, maybe 1.012 or so.

 

[matt76]

Kegging: AG#81 NPS Stout

What's that thing about kegs breeding like rabbits?

This brew finished fermenting after a few days (BRY-97 is reliable and dependable like that ) since when it's been semi-cold-crashing at garage temperature while I wait for an empty keg.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear on Christmas Day but a shiny new keg from Mrs76 (not a total shock since I placed the order at TMM. And used my own credit card come to think of it)

Anyway, got it kegged yesterday while AG#82 was settling out. Approximately 11L, maybe a little more - no room in the kegerator so it's hooked up at low pressure at garage temp to condition a little while, at least until there's space for it in the kegerator.

Haven't had a proper taste yet but the tiny dribble I had was certainly roasty. Fingers crossed the hops also come through a bit.

OG = 1.049 (Tilt)
FG = 1.019 (Tilt)
Apparent Attenuation = 60%

ABV = 3.9%
SRM = 45.6 (black!)
IBU = 43.7 (Rager)

 

[foxbat]

OG 1.042
FG - Brewer's Friend predicts 1.010 and 4.2% ABV, but I think it will finish a little higher, maybe 1.012 or so.

Just curious as to why you think you'll only get 74% attenuation when there's only a very small amount of roasted malts . Did you mash very high? Your estimate of where your stout would finish was accurate though.

 

[matt76]

Just curious as to why you think you'll only get 74% attenuation when there's only a very small amount of roasted malts . Did you mash very high? Your estimate of where your stout would finish was accurate though.

Good question. The answer is a mixture of 2 things:

Firstly same reasoning as for dark beers like Porter & Stout - I don't believe the dark crystal malts are adding any fermentables, though the Carared probably is.

Secondly, Brewer's Friend thinks average attenuation for this strain is 80% - I don't believe that. I get about 75% from BRY-97, but LVIPA is supposedly derived from WY1318.

(Just checked - I manually entered 75% attenuation, so technically it's me predicting an FG of 1.010! )

When I did a split batch a year ago WY1318 Vs. LVIPA they had the same attenuation, 67% - that was my Hoppy Amber Ale actually, so same grist apart from the crystal malts.

Reading around the US forums, some folks seem to get very high attenuation (80%?) while others get less - I wonder if it's dependant on whether you're making a hoppy beer where you might well see some hop creep, or something like bitter where you might attenuation more typical of an English ale strain.

So the long & short of it is, I really don't know what FG to expect. If I use the 67% AA I've personally had before from this strain then that gives me FG 1.013. But it could attenuate a bit less because of the dark crystal malts, or a lot more because allegedly sometimes this strain just does