matt76's Brewdays

[Twostage]

Though why it wouldn't also drive off desirable compounds is beyond me

Get a copy of The New IPA. It will help. Its based on a mixture of research and breweries experiences. It explains which hops are good for bittering/flavour/dry hopping and which aren't and why. Its sciency but you can skip those bits. Some interesting nuggets :-

It explains why three days is the peak for dry hopping which works better at 4c than 20c (extracts faster at 4, is mostly complete after 6 hours and only extracts the 'nice' flavours). Going to try that.

Fuggles can impart better flavours (floral rather than earthy) if stored at room temperature in an open packet (you know, like they used to).

Some hops increase head, some decrease it when dry hopping.

Why with some hops when you are doing a whirlpool 75c is too cool, 95 is too hot and 85 is Goldilocks. Already adopted that.

A good read.

 

[matt76]

Get a copy of The New IPA. It will help. Its based on a mixture of research and breweries experiences. It explains which hops are good for bittering/flavour/dry hopping and which aren't and why. Its sciency but you can skip those bits. Some interesting nuggets :-

It explains why three days is the peak for dry hopping which works better at 4c than 20c (extracts faster at 4, is mostly complete after 6 hours and only extracts the 'nice' flavours). Going to try that.

Fuggles can impart better flavours (floral rather than earthy) if stored at room temperature in an open packet (you know, like they used to).

Some hops increase head, some decrease it when dry hopping.

Why with some hops when you are doing a whirlpool 75c is too cool, 95 is too hot and 85 is Goldilocks. Already adopted that.

A good read.

Read it cover to cover when it came out

I chatted to Scott a little bit on Twitter around that time, seems like a nice guy. His book is focusing more on Hazy IPA's which isn't quite what I'm going for, I'm more West coast, but it's still relevant.

But despite all that, I've still generally struggled to get the hop punch I want - I've experimented with wine yeasts to liberate thiols, dry hopping early and late, warmer, cooler, soft crash, whirlpools, obsessively closed & oxygen free transfers.....

I'm not sure yet dip hopping makes any major difference either, but I figure I've tried everything else so why not.

The only significant difference I've ever found was just before Christmas I made a pale ale (have a look above at AG#124) - because I didn't have any kettle finings I ended up throwing all the trub and hop crud in the FV, and dry hopped at the end like normal... After I fined it in the keg it ended up super super hoppy and fruity.

(Fun fact - that beer was also hopped with Azacca/Citra/Mosaic, same as my latest Black IPA)

I'm still not sure what made the difference, but I wonder if it was the kettle trub somehow. I have a re-brew planned, this time using kettle finings, to see if it still turns out super hoppy.

 

[Twostage]

I'm still not sure what made the difference, but I wonder if it was the kettle trub somehow. I have a re-brew planned, this time using kettle finings, to see if it still turns out super hoppy.

I think there's a mention of trub helping hop flavour.

 

[matt76]

I think there's a mention of trub helping hop flavour.

Really? Oh, I don't recall that, I'll have to have a hunt for that - thanks

And there lies the problem with that book - it's a decent literature survey with a lot of useful information but the index isn't great (actually it's dreadful). A searchable electronic version would be super but I'm not sure I want to fork out an extra ~£15 for the Kindle version!

Funny how we all absorb different details, have different takeaways - you've remember something there that totally passed me by!

I'm curious as to the mechanism by which trub might improve hoppiness. There's an interesting post/link here by @Sadfield - the article suggests trub acts as nucleation sites that promote the release of CO2 which otherwise inhibits the yeast. As well as improved hoppiness I did also observe a few points more attenuation then usual in that beer. But the hoppiness might come via a totally different mechanism. And equally the extra attenuation might be explained by hop creep. Hmm... Interesting

 

[matt76]

AG#129 London Bitter

I've been discussing in another thread about doing a partigyle clone of Fuller's London Pride & ESB - this isn't it, but rather it's a way of building a big yeast starter for the pitch rates I want. The recipe is similar to London Pride except I couldn't get any Northdown so using CML's Tropical England mix instead for now.

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

2000g Maris Otter
150g Dark Crystal Malt
5g Chocolate Malt
2.155kg TOTAL

10hr overnight full-volume no-sparge mash @ 65degC

Boil 30mins:
20g Target 10.0% AAU for 30mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 10mins
10g Challenger 6.5% AAU for 3mins
5g EKG 4.5% AAU for 3 mins
10g CML Tropical England 6.0% AAU for 3mins

Pitched a full pack of Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale. Fuller's fermentation schedule is to start at 17°C, raise it to 20°C over 10hrs, hold there until it gets to half OG, then back down to 17°C.

OG = 1.044
SRM = 9.4 (Copper)
IBU = 31 Rager / 30 SMPH

Should end up around 1.013 and 4.1%.

 

[matt76]

AG#130 London Pride / ESB Partigyle

It's been a while in the planning (discussed in depth here) but I finally got round to brewing this earlier this week.

For the uneducated, partigyling is basically boiling the first and second runnings seperately, then blending them to make two or more different beers. This is how Fuller's make ESB and London Pride (and Chiswick Bitter too).

GYLE #1
15L tap water, 5.0ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2.0g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 103

4000g Maris Otter
300g Dark Crystal Malt
10g Chocolate Malt
4.310kg TOTAL

11hr overnight full-volume no-sparge mash @ 65°C
BG 1.074

Boil 60mins:
14g Target 10.0% AAU for 60mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
20g Challenger 6.5% AAU for 3mins
10g EKG 4.5% AAU for 3 mins
20g CML Northdown (Leaf) 5.76% AAU for 3mins

Collected 8.0L @ 1.091 (but about 1L of that was trub)

GYLE#2
15L water as above
Gave the grain bag above a decent squeeze then continued mashing:
2hr full-volume no-sparge mash @ 65°C
BG 1.015

Boil 60mins:
7g Target 10.0% AAU for 60mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
10g Challenger 6.5% AAU for 3mins
5g EKG 4.5% AAU for 3 mins
10g CML Northdown (Leaf) 5.76% AAU for 3mins

Collected 10.4L @ 1.020

Blending the 2 Worts
ESB:
3.5L Gyle 1 + 3.0L Gyle 2
=> 6.5L @ 1.056
Expect it to end up around 1.016 and 5.3% ABV

London Pride:
3.0L Gyle 1 + 6.5L Gyle 2
=> 9.5L @ 1.046
Expect it to end up around 1.013 and 4.3% ABV

Into each FV I pitched a full pack of Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale. Fuller's fermentation schedule is to start at 17°C, raise it to 20°C over 10hrs, hold until it reaches half-OG, then back down to 17°C until it reaches quarter-OG, then crash down to 6°C for before packaging.

 

[Erik The Anglophile]

Just as a note, part-gyling does not necessarily mean blending the 2-3 seperate runnings after boil or before boil as both methods have been used historically.
I guess it comes down to wich stage you prefer personally.

 

[Twostage]

AG#130 London Pride / ESB Partigyle

It's been a while in the planning (discussed in depth here) but I finally got round to brewing this earlier this week.

For the uneducated, partigyling is basically boiling the first and second runnings seperately, then blending them to make two or more different beers. This is how Fuller's make ESB and London Pride (and Chiswick Bitter too).

GYLE #1
15L tap water, 5.0ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2.0g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Calcium 156
Chloride 102
Sulfate 41
Alkalinity 103

4000g Maris Otter
300g Dark Crystal Malt
10g Chocolate Malt
4.310kg TOTAL

11hr overnight full-volume no-sparge mash @ 65°C
BG 1.074

Boil 60mins:
14g Target 10.0% AAU for 60mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
20g Challenger 6.5% AAU for 3mins
10g EKG 4.5% AAU for 3 mins
20g CML Northdown (Leaf) 5.76% AAU for 3mins

Collected 8.0L @ 1.091 (but about 1L of that was trub)

GYLE#2
15L water as above
Gave the grain bag above a decent squeeze then continued mashing:
2hr full-volume no-sparge mash @ 65°C
BG 1.015

Boil 60mins:
7g Target 10.0% AAU for 60mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
10g Challenger 6.5% AAU for 3mins
5g EKG 4.5% AAU for 3 mins
10g CML Northdown (Leaf) 5.76% AAU for 3mins

Collected 10.4L @ 1.020

Blending the 2 Worts
ESB:
3.5L Gyle 1 + 3.0L Gyle 2
=> 6.5L @ 1.056
Expect it to end up around 1.016 and 5.3% ABV

London Pride:
3.0L Gyle 1 + 6.5L Gyle 2
=> 9.5L @ 1.046
Expect it to end up around 1.013 and 4.3% ABV

Into each FV I pitched a full pack of Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale. Fuller's fermentation schedule is to start at 17°C, raise it to 20°C over 10hrs, hold until it reaches half-OG, then back down to 17°C until it reaches quarter-OG, then crash down to 6°C for before packaging.

Interesting. When I was reading it I got worried when the second runnings was only 1.015 but then read you blended it

I’ve only partied once and both turned out ok. Which reminds me I’ve still got some of the first runnings barley wine in the fridge (vintage 2017 I think).

 

[matt76]

AG#131 Hurricane Porter

Up early this morning after an overnight mash to brew my house Porter. Also first test drive with an upgraded pump.

6 different malts in there

I've upgraded my mash re-circ pump to something (hopefully!) more robust

Brew on!

All done!

15L tap water, 1.25ml lactic acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet.
Calcium 171, Chloride 106, Sulfate 40, Alkalinity 288

2000g Maris Otter
375g Brown Malt
375g Chocolate Rye Malt
125g Dark Crystal Malt 80L
125g Extra Dark Crystal Malt 160L
125g Special B Malt
3.125kg Total

Full-volume no-sparge overnight mash, 10hrs @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
25g Northdown (leaf) 5.76% AAU 30mins
15g Northdown (leaf) 5.76% AAU 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins

Pitched a vitality starter of Wyeast 1968 harvested from my recent London Pride clone.

I'm going to follow the Fuller's fermentation schedule again, start at 17°C, raise it to 20°C over 10hrs, hold until it reaches half-OG, then back down to 17°C until it reaches quarter-OG, then crash down to 6°C for before packaging.

I'm also going to try fermenting this open for the first 24-48hrs to see what that adds.

38 SRM
24 IBUs Rager
OG 1.060

Expect it to end up around 1.028 and 4.2% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#132 "Human Alert!" American Wheat Beer

When you have Hefeweizen ingredients but just aren't quite feeling a Hefeweizen.

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 Wheat Malt
1000g Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt
2.00kg TOTAL

9hr overnight full-volume no-sparge mash:
10mins @ 55degC
8h50 @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
10g CML Tropical England 6.0% AAU for 30mins
20g Centennial 7.6% AAU for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
20g Centennial 7.6% AAU for 5mins

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 = 1.040
SRM = 2.9 (Pale)
IBU = 22.4 Rager / 23.1 SMPH

Expect it to end up about 1.007-1.010 and 4.0-4.2% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#133 "Call Of Fruity" American Pale Ale

Re-brew (and re-name) of AG#124 which was probably my best ever hoppy beer by miles. Two changes this time:
- Firstly I made sure I had some kettle finings on hand!
- Second I'm switching the dry hop to a dip hop.

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

Overnight 10hr 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

1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
30g of Hop Mix for 5mins

Whirlpool (90 -> 80ºC):
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 (5.5g) Lallemand Verdant IPA.

OG = 1.041
SRM = 4.1 (Pale)
IBU = 34 Rager / 63 SMPH

Not sure where it'll end up, maybe as low as about 1.007 and 4.4% ABV.

 

[nidge]

AG#133 "Call Of Fruity" American Pale Ale

Re-brew (and re-name) of AG#124 which was probably my best ever hoppy beer by miles. Two changes this time:
- Firstly I made sure I had some kettle finings on hand!
- Second I'm switching the dry hop to a dip hop.

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

Overnight 10hr 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

1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
30g of Hop Mix for 5mins

Whirlpool (90 -> 80ºC):
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 (5.5g) Lallemand Verdant IPA.

OG = 1.041
SRM = 4.1 (Pale)
IBU = 34 Rager / 63 SMPH

Not sure where it'll end up, maybe as low as about 1.007 and 4.4% ABV.

I like the sound of Dip hopping , Do you leave the hops in FV for the duration of fermentation? And does this method take away the need to dry hop

 

[matt76]

I like the sound of Dip hopping , Do you leave the hops in FV for the duration of fermentation? And does this method take away the need to dry hop

Yes and yes.

Well, in fairness, some folks double dry hop at different stages so I suppose you could also dry hop, but for me that would be overkill.

For me I like that it means you don't have to open up the FV, reducing oxygen exposure. I've tried dry hopping at yeast pitch but never found the results satisfactory.

I'm not sure dip hopping alone is the magic bullet but I'm liking the results I've had so far so continuing to experiment with it.

 

[matt76]

AG#134 "Podium" IPA

Almost 2 years since I last brewed this, supposedly my house IPA.

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

1000g Bohemian Pilsner Malt
500g Vienna Malt
250g Munich Malt
250g Carapils
2.00kg TOTAL

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

Boil 30mins:
10g Simcoe 13.3% AAU for 30mins
10g Amarillo 6.1% AAU for 10mins
10g Citra 12.9% AAU for 10mins
10g Simcoe 13.3% AAU for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins
10g Amarillo 6.1% AAU for 5mins
10g Citra 12.9% AAU for 5mins

Dip Hopping:
At flameout I drew off 1L wort and allowed it to cool to 75°C then poured it gently over 40g Amarillo + 20g Citra 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 (5.5g) US-05.

OG = 1.041
SRM = 3.7 (Pale)
IBU = 43 Rager

Expect it to end up around 1.009 and 4.1% ABV.

 

[Twostage]

Shame that carapils isn’t a place too.

 

[matt76]

AG#135 "Mustang" American Amber Ale

One of my favourite beers. US-05 is my go-to yeast for this (wasn't keen on LVIPA when I've tried it before) but I'm trying MJ M36 this time to see what impact it has.

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

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

Boil 30mins:
I'm using a blend of hops, Amarillo 6.1%, Cascade 6.5% and Centennial 7.6% AAU
15g of hop mix for 30mins
15g of hop mix for 15mins
30g of hop mix for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins
30g of hop mix for 5 mins

Dry hop:
Will add 30g of hop mix 48hrs after pitching

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 MJ M36.

OG = 1.043
SRM = 13 (Deep Amber)
IBU = 39 Rager / 46 SMPH

Should end up around 1.010 and 4.3% ABV-ish.

 

[Twostage]

AG#135 "Mustang" American Amber Ale

One of my favourite beers. US-05 is my go-to yeast for this (wasn't keen on LVIPA when I've tried it before) but I'm trying MJ M36 this time to see what impact it has.

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

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

Boil 30mins:
I'm using a blend of hops, Amarillo 6.1%, Cascade 6.5% and Centennial 7.6% AAU
15g of hop mix for 30mins
15g of hop mix for 15mins
30g of hop mix for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins
30g of hop mix for 5 mins

Dry hop:
Will add 30g of hop mix 48hrs after pitching

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 MJ M36.

OG = 1.043
SRM = 13 (Deep Amber)
IBU = 39 Rager / 46 SMPH

Should end up around 1.010 and 4.3% ABV-ish.

It is a nice beer. When I made it, it took a while for it to come good in the corny. I might have a drop left now I think about it.

 

[matt76]

AG#136 "Human Alert!" American Wheat Beer

I enjoyed the previous incarnation of this so I decided to make another one incorporating a few ideas from a superb Belgian Witbier I had recently in Finland, incorporating US hops and a bit of citric acid late in the boil adding a bit of tartness and a lemony twist.

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 Wheat Malt
500g Torrefied Wheat
2.00kg TOTAL

3hr full-volume no-sparge mash:
15mins @ 55degC
2h45 @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
10g Styrian Wolf 12.4% AAU for 30mins
15g Citra 12.9% AAU for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 8mins
15g Citra 12.9% AAU for 5mins
10g Citric Acid Powder for 5mins
10g freshly crushed coriander seed for 5mins

Pitched a pack of Fermentis K-97 - ideally I'd have used a Witbier strain but supply issues at my LHBS meant I didn't have one in the fridge. In any case, I'm interested to experiment with K-97 anyway.

I measured the pH at pitching as about 4.0 and the wort certainly had a sour note. So despite a bit of kitchen experimentation beforehand I'm wondering if I might have been too heavy handed with the citric acid.

OG = 1.038
SRM = 3.6 (Pale)
IBU = 26.6 Rager

Expect it to end up about 1.007-1.010 and 4.0-4.2% ABV.

 

[matt76]

AG#137 Düsseldorf Altbier

Never made this before but have been inspired by listening to Jamil Zainasheff bang on about it. Taking his lead, and further inspiration from the open fermentation thread, I'm going to ferment this open for a few days, either until the krausen looks like it's about to drop or I lose my bottle! I've done it a few times before, but only infrequently.

Something else I'm going to try for the first time is leave it in primary (for about 11 days based on an 11°P wort???) and then transfer to a closed keg with a spunding valve to (hopefully!) finish off there and carbonate naturally.

15L tap water, 2.5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Ca: 155 Cl:100 SO4:41 HCO3:202

1000g Maris Otter
500g Vienna Malt
250g Amber Malt
250g Carapils
125g Dark Crystal Malt
30g Carafa Special 3
2.155kg TOTAL

Overnight 9hr full-volume no-sparge mash @ 67degC

Boil 30mins:
16g of Styrian Wolf 12.4% AAU for 30mins
25g of H.M.Fruh 4.8% AAU for 10mins
1/4 Britewort tablet 7mins
25g of H.M.Fruh 4.8% AAU for 4mins

Pitched a vitality starter made the day before with 500ml tap water, 50g light DME and half a pack (5.75g) of K-97.

OG = 1.044
SRM = 14 (Deep copper)
IBU = 38 Rager / 39 SMPH

Should end up around 1.012 and 4.2%.

 

[matt76]

AG#138 "Call of Fruity: Black Hops" Black IPA

Third time making this, been really looking forward to brewing it again too so no radical changes, just tweaking the dry hop schedule a little bit.

15L tap water, 2.5ml Lactic Acid 80%, 2g CaCl, half a Campden tablet, giving:
Ca: 155 Cl:100 SO4:41 HCO3:202

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 blend of equal parts:
Azacca 10.0% AAU
Citra 12.9% AAU
Mosaic 13.0% AAU

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

Whirlpool (75~80ºC):
60g of Hop Mix for 20mins

Dry hop:
Will dry hop with 20g Hop Mix on days 2, 4 and at end of fermentation (60g total)

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 = 1.046
SRM = 24.5 (Black)
IBU = 51 Rager / 70 SMPH
Expect it to end up about 1.010 and 4.8% ABV.