matt76's Brewdays

[matt76]

AG#118 "Gateway Error" Pale Ale

Using up some hop odds & sods.

15L tap water, 5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 103

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Flaked Oats
250g Carapils
2.00kg TOTAL

11 hour (overnight) full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
15g of Simcoe 12.5% AAU for 30mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Whirlpool 20mins(90 -> 85ºC):
25g of Amarillo 9.1% AAU
25g of Idaho 15.0% AAU
25g of Motueka 6.3% AAU

Dry hop:
After fermentation I'll soft crash then dry hop for 24-48hrs with 25g each Amarillo and Motueka.

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack (5.5g) Lallemand Verdant IPA.

OG = 1.042
SRM = 4.1 (Pale)
IBU = 46 Rager / 59 SMPH
Expect it to end up about 1.010 and 4.2% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#119 Different Porter

Can't think of a better name for it but it's a different recipe to my usual Hurricane Porter.

15L tap water, 0.75ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 286

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Amber Malt
250g Carapils
125g Dark Crystal Malt
125g Chocolate Rye Malt
125g Brown Malt
2.375kg TOTAL

10 hour (overnight) full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
20g of First Gold 8.0% AAU for 30mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins
20g of First Gold 8.0% AAU for 5mins

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack of MJ M36 - haven't used this strain for a few years but have enjoyed it in my porters in the past.

OG = 1.047
SRM = 19 (Very dark brown to black)
IBU = 28 Rager

Should end up around 1.016 and 4.1%.

 

[matt76]

AG#120 Step Mash Czech Pils

I've found a single infusion with this grist lacks a certain something, but I'm not sure I can handle more than one double decoction per year. One alternative is to use a more complex grist but today I'm trying a step mash and long boil to see how it turns out compared to a decoction.

17L tap water, 5.0ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2.25g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 100
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 112

2000g Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt
2.00kg TOTAL

Full-volume no-sparge multi-step mash:
15mins @ 42degC
15mins @ 52degC
60mins @ 62degC
45mins @ 67degC
45mins @ 72degC

Boil 120mins:
20g of Saaz 3.1% AAU for 60mins
20g of Saaz 3.1% AAU for 30mins
20g of Saaz 3.1% AAU for 15mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins

Whirlpool/Hopsteep 15mins @ 90->80degC:
20g of Saaz 3.1% AAU

OG = 1.045
SRM = 3.5 (Pale)
IBU = 33 Rager / 29 SMPH

Currently in the brew fridge chilling. Once it get's below 12°C I'll pitch a good slug of Wyeast 2278 grown in a starter from a fresh pack, then ferment low and slow for a few weeks. Hard to say until it's done but I'd swear already it's picked up more colour than when I've done it previously with a single infusion.

Should end up around 1.011 and 4.5% ABV.

 

[dave_77]

AG#117 "Mustang" American Amber Ale

I've made this a few times before. I've gone back to a Chico strain (US-05 in this case) as I wasn't bowled over with the LVIPA I used last time.

It's a touch darker than before as I had no Dark Crystal in stock so I've gone with Extra Dark.

I'm also continuing to experiment with a more Chloride-forward rather than Sulphate-forward or neutral water profile.

15L tap water, 3.75ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 157

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

5 hour full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
I'm using a blend of hops, Amarillo 9.1%, Cascade 6.5% and Centennial 10.0% AAU
15g of hop mix for 30mins
15g of hop mix for 15mins
30g of hop mix for 10mins
30g of hop mix for 5 mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Dry hop:
Will add 30g of hop mix at end of fermentation

All plain sailing, no issues to report. Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack of US-05.

OG = 1.044
SRM = 13 (Deep Amber)
IBU = 50 Rager / 53 SMPH

Should end up around 1.012 and 4.3% ABV-ish.

Nice hop choices for A Amber

 

[matt76]

AG#121 Liberator IPA v4

Trying a new yeast, WHC "Hop Unlock", it'll be interesting to see if it lives up to the claims. To give it a fighting chance I've decided to add the main bittering addition as a mash hop, and also split up the whirlpool addition and add it in stages as the temperature drops.

15L tap water, 5.0ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2.0g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 103
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 103

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Munich Malt
250g Carapils
2.00kg TOTAL

Overnight (10hr) full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Mash hopping:
20g Chinook 12.5% AAU for the last 60mins

Boil 30mins:
5g Centennial 10% AAU for 10mins
10g Idaho 7 12.5% AAU for 10mins
5g Simcoe 13.3% AAU for 10mins

1/4 Britewort tablet 7.5mins

Whirlpool 20mins (87 -> 77ºC) - I split this mix into 3 and added each part at the start, 10mins and 15mins into the whirlpool:
15g Centennial 10% AAU
50g Idaho 7 12.5% AAU
15g Simcoe 13.3% AAU

Pitched a pack of WHC Hop Unlock woken up a few days before in a starter.

OG = 1.041
SRM = 4.5 (Pale)
IBU = 75 Rager / 70 SMPH

Should end up around 1.010 and 4.1%.

 

[matt76]

AG#122 "Waxing Gibbous" American Stout

Re-brew of AG#100 with different hopping - I'm going classic C-hops this time.

Base malt plus 7 specialty malts in there!

15L tap water, 1.25ml lactic acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 154
Chloride 99
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 261

2000g Maris Otter
125g Roasted Barley
125g Chocolate Malt
125g Chocolate Rye Malt
125g Carared
125g Dark Crystal Malt 80L
125g Extra Dark Crystal Malt 160L
125g Special B Malt
2.875kg Total

10 hour (overnight) full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
10g Chinook 12.6% AAU 30mins
10g Cascade 6.5% AAU 10mins
10g Centennial 10.0% AAU 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7.5mins
10g Cascade 6.5% AAU 5mins
10g Centennial 10.0% AAU 5mins

Pitched a vitality starter made a couple of days before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack of MJ M36

OG = 1.054
SRM = 43.4 (Very dark!)
IBU = 32.7 Rager / 35.4 SMPH

Should end up around 1.021 and 4.3%.

 

[Rwilts]

Really interested in the overnight mash, could do with a post on benefits , issues etc..

That OG seems high for a sub 3kg malt bill , what am I missing ?

 

[matt76]

That OG seems high for a sub 3kg malt bill , what am I missing ?

15L tap water

(I'll add some thoughts later about overnight mashing)

 

[Rwilts]

That explains it

 

[matt76]

That explains it

Yeah, I'm a small batch brewer

Now then, overnight mashing.....

I suppose the main benefit is time - you can spread your brew day over one evening/night and the following day which may work better fitting brewdays around family life, work etc.

This morning for example I had the boil, chilling and cleanup done by 9am, ready to sit down at my desk for work. Then I leave the wort to settle in the kettle for a few hours, then at lunchtime drain it to the FV, pitch the yeast and finish the cleanup - job jobbed.

Another idea is to start the mash in the morning then brew in the evening. I suppose if you were so-inclined you could then do an overnight no-chill.

I do also see a bit of an efficiency gain as I extend the mash from 1hr to 2hrs, 4hrs, all day or overnight - that's not the endgame for me but I'm not complaining.

I'm doing BIAB in an electric all in one system. I also do full volume, no sparge. I also use a re-circ pump though that's not necessarily essential.

The main issue is keeping the temperature up - with an electric system it's easy, though if there was a power cut overnight I might be stuffed! I believe the issue is the mash isn't hot enough to pasteurise the lactic acid bacteria in the mash - if it cools they can get busy and introduce lactic acid which probably isn't what you're gunning for. Fortunately I've never had an issue!

Give it a whirl, see if it works for you - what's the worst that could happen

 

[Rwilts]

Think I will. But maybe next year when the nights are not so cold

 

[matt76]

AG#123 Czech Amber Dark Lager

Honestly it's much more "Dark" than "Amber", but it's a re-brew of AG#99, possibly the best beer I've ever made! I was tempted to halve the crystal and chocolate rye malts to actually make it amber but it was so good last time I just couldn't do it! In the end the only change from before is I'll be fermenting with Wyeast 2278 instead of 2308, and a fraction less Saaz to account for the difference in AAU.

I think it's the chocolate rye and dark crystal malts that really make this beer

15L tap water, 2.5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 100
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 202

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Amber Malt
250g Carapils
125g Dark Crystal Malt
125g Chocolate Rye Malt
2.25kg TOTAL

Overnight full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
15g Magnum 10.0% AAU for 30mins
20g of Saaz 2.6% AAU for 15mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Like I said, it's definitely dark rather than amber!

All plain sailing, nothing to report. Chilled it down to 11-12°C before pitching a healthy starter of Wyeast 2278 made a couple of days previously. I'll leave it fermenting low and slow at 10°C for 3-4 weeks at least, longer if there's no room in the kegerator!

OG = 1.046
SRM = 17 (Dark brown, like Coca-Cola!)
IBU = 24.6 Rager / 24.09 SMPH

Expect it to end up about 1.012 and 4.4% ABV.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Mmmm looks good

 

[matt76]

AG#124 "Up In Arms" Hazy Pale Ale

Brewed this a couple of evenings ago, fermenting away happily now. BUT... I stupidly must have thrown away my kettle finings by mistake!!!

So instead of my usual crystal clear wort I was left with something resembling orange juice with green food colouring!!!

I'm sure it'll be OK though - if there is a beer where I might get away with it it's one where I'm confident the yeast and oats will give me a stable haze

15L tap water, 5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 103

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Flaked Oats
250g Carapils
2.00kg TOTAL

2hr full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
I'm using a hop blend of equal parts:
Azacca 12.1% AAU
Citra 13.1% AAU
Mosaic 11.5% AAU

30g of Hop Mix for 5mins

Whirlpool (90 -> 80ºC):
60g of Hop Mix for 20mins

Dry hop:
After fermentation I'll dry hop for 24-48hrs with 60g Hop Mix

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack (5.5g) Lallemand Verdant IPA.

OG = 1.039
SRM = 4.1 (Pale)
IBU = 34 Rager / 63 SMPH

Expect it to end up about 1.009 and 4.0% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#125 "Snuggly Duckling" Best Bitter
Something I made back in AG#82, albeit under a different name. Only real change is I'm trying a different yeast, WHC Hop Unlock which I strongly suspect is actually a British Ale yeast judging by the way it attenuates and flocculates.

15L tap water, 2.5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 100
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 202

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

3h45m full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
10g Styrian Wolf 12.4% AAU 30mins
6g Cascade 6.5% AAU 15mins
6g First Gold 8.0% AAU 15mins
8g Cascade 6.5% AAU 10mins
8g First Gold 8.0% AAU 10mins
11g Cascade 6.5% AAU 5mins
11g First Gold 8.0% AAU 5mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Whirlpool 10mins from 90-85degC:
15g Cascade 6.5%
15g First Gold 8.0%

Pitched vitality starter of WHC Hop Unlock made the day before.

OG = 1.045
SRM = 13.02 (Deep Amber)
IBU = 39 Rager / 44.5 SMPH

Expect it to end up about 1.014 and 4.0% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#126 Double Decoction Czech Pils

My second ever decoction mash, the last one being about a year ago. Stupidly I didn't make any detailed notes about the process so I had to figure it out again.

Apart from burning a hole in one of the grain bags at the start it went fairly smoothly. I think with a clearer process it's actually not that hard, just time consuming.

17L tap water, 5.0ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2.25g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 100
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 88

2000g Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt
2.00kg TOTAL

Double decoction mash (approx. 3hrs)

Boil 90mins:
25g of Saaz 3.1% AAU for 60mins
25g of Saaz 3.1% AAU for 30mins
25g of Saaz 3.1% AAU for 15mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins

Whirlpool/Hopsteep 15mins @ 90->80degC:
25g of Saaz 3.1% AAU

I've gone a touch more bitter then my last step mash Czech Pils.

I ended up with 9L @ 1.050 so diluted with 1L Highland Spring to make 10L @ 1.045. This seems weird to me because when I did a step mash recently I got about 11.5L @ 1.045 so I'm not sure why the decoction mash should be so much less efficient.

I'm convinced the wort is darker than a single infusion or step mash, and from my recent experiments I don't think it's from the long boil.

Pitched a big healthy starter of Wyeast 2278. From here it's standard procedure, low and slow at 10⁰C for 4 weeks.

OG = 1.045
SRM = 3.2 (probably darker in reality due to the decoction)
IBU = 45 Rager / 43 SMPH

Should end up around 1.010 and 4.5%.

 

[matt76]

AG#127 "Call Of Fruity" Dip Hopped APA

I heard the name over Christmas and thought that'll make an awesome beer name!

I'm experimenting here with dip hopping - why? Well, firstly I'm just curious and secondly I've harboured doubts for some time that dry hopping at either the start or end of fermentation is doing much for me so I've decided to try something different.

15L tap water, 5.0ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2.0g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 103

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Munich Malt
250g Carapils
2.00kg TOTAL

Overnight (10hr) full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

I'm using a hop blend of equal parts:
Idaho-7 12.5% AAU
Mosaic 11.5% AAU
Simcoe 13.3% AAU

Boil 30mins:
1/4 Britewort tablet 7.5mins
30g of Hop Mix for 5mins

Whirlpool 20mins (89 -> 77ºC) - I split this mix into 3 and added each part at the start, 5mins and 10mins into the whirlpool:
45g of Hop Mix for 20mins

Dip Hopping:
At the start of the whirlpool I drew off 1L wort and allowed it to cool to 75°C before adding 45g Hop Mix and stirring gently to mix. Allowed this to cool to 35°C before adding the slurry, hops and all, to the FV.

Seriously hoping dip hopping tastes better than it looks. A LOT better!

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack (5.75g) of US-05.

OG = 1.042
SRM = 4.5 (Pale)
IBU = 39 Rager / 54 SMPH

Should end up around 1.009 and 4.3% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#128 "Call of Fruity: Black Hops" Black IPA

Edit: After posting this brew originally I had a blast of inspiration and changed the name

A re-brew of AG#116 which was really good, inspired by Siren's excellent "In the Belly of a Shark" Black IPA.

Rather than try to get it closer to Siren's beer I've kept the same recipe as last time, but made 2 experimental process changes:

- Instead of dry hopping I'm trying dip hopping again.

- I deliberately transferred all the trub to the FV rather than letting it settle and only transferring clear wort. I want to see what difference, if any, this makes to hop expression.

15L tap water, 2.5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 100
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 202

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Amber Malt
250g Carapils
125g Dark Crystal Malt
125g Carafa Special 3
2.25kg TOTAL

Overnight 11hr full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:

I'm using a hop mix of equal parts:
Azacca 12.1% AAU
Citra 13.1% AAU
Mosaic 11.5% AAU

15g of Hop Mix for 30mins
15g of Hop Mix for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Whirlpool (90 -> 75ºC):
60g of Hop Mix for 20mins

Dip Hopping:
At the start of the whirlpool I drew off 1L wort and allowed it to cool to 75°C then poured it gently over 60g Hop Mix in the bottom of the FV and left it to steep, FV lid off, for about 1 hour while I cleaned up and got ready to transfer the rest of the wort.

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack (5.75g) of US-05.

OG = 1.047
SRM = 24.5 (Black)
IBU = 55 Rager / 73 SMPH

Expect it to end up about 1.012 and 4.5% ABV.

 

[nidge]

AG#128 "In the Belly of a Fruitbat" Black IPA

A re-brew of AG#116 which was really good, inspired by Siren's excellent "In the Belly of a Shark" Black IPA.

Rather than try to get it closer to Siren's beer I've kept the same recipe as last time, but made 2 experimental process changes:

- Instead of dry hopping I'm trying dip hopping again.

- I deliberately transferred all the trub to the FV rather than letting it settle and only transferring clear wort. I want to see what difference, if any, this makes to hop expression.

15L tap water, 2.5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 155
Chloride 100
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 202

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Amber Malt
250g Carapils
125g Dark Crystal Malt
125g Carafa Special 3
2.25kg TOTAL

Overnight 11hr full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:

I'm using a hop mix of equal parts:
Azacca 12.1% AAU
Citra 13.1% AAU
Mosaic 11.5% AAU

15g of Hop Mix for 30mins
15g of Hop Mix for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 5mins

Whirlpool (90 -> 75ºC):
60g of Hop Mix for 20mins

Dip Hopping:
At the start of the whirlpool I drew off 1L wort and allowed it to cool to 75°C then poured it gently over 60g Hop Mix in the bottom of the FV and left it to steep, FV lid off, for about 1 hour while I cleaned up and got ready to transfer the rest of the wort.

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack (5.75g) of US-05.

OG = 1.047
SRM = 24.5 (Black)
IBU = 55 Rager / 73 SMPH

Expect it to end up about 1.012 and 4.5% ABV.

Morning ,can i ask .Are the dip hopping hops left in the fv. For the duration of the fermentation ?

 

[matt76]

Morning ,can i ask .Are the dip hopping hops left in the fv. For the duration of the fermentation ?

You most certainly may

Yes they are. I think that's what distinguishes dip hopping from a hop tea.

(exactly what dip hopping *is* , and how it's different to other practices, seems open to debate, e.g. some day you use hot water, others say hot wort)

You can (and I have from time to time) actually add dry hops at the start of fermentation, as opposed to at the end. The difference with dip hopping is that the heat might drive off some of the less desirable hop compounds (myrcene IIRC). Though why it wouldn't also drive off desirable compounds is beyond me

Whether dip hopping really has any benefit or yields significantly different results to other methods is an open question, but I've decided to experiment for a bit.