Nicks90's Brewdays

[Nicks90]

AG 136
Chocolate advent calendar

Probably a bit late, but I fancied doing a dark beer for my advent calendar this year, so put on a big choccy vanilla stout. 6 weeks should be long enough...just....

4kg Maris Otter
250g roast barley
200gm crystal 145ebc
100gm cacao nibs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

17l mash at 65c for 60mins with a 5l rinse sparge
Leaving 20l wort for a 60 minute boil and 15l in the FV.

Hops
30gm challenger @ 30 mins
30gm challenger @ 5 mins

Yeast
Wyeast London ESB

should be about 35ibu and black as coal. Expecting a suitably festive 6% abv for a hearty choccy pint every day in December
I will expect this to be way better as Christmas week approaches and finish with a bang new year's eve

 

[Nicks90]

AG 137
Summit IPA

Just bottled up the last IPA and felt it was a shame to waste the verdant ipa yeast at the bottom of the fv, so might as well bang on another ipa!

3.5kg Maris Otter
200gm crysta 45ebc


19l mash at 68c for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 20l wort for a 30 minute boil and 17l in the FV.

Hops
10gm Amarillo @ 30 mins
20gm Amarillo @ 5 mins
30gm Summit @ 5 mins

Yeast
Yeast cake from my last brew - verdant IPA

Expecting this one to come out at about 36IBU and bang on 5%. I have no idea what my actual numbers are for OG, as i broke my hydrometer in the brew shed. But all things being equal, unless my thermometer was reading way off and everything else went wrong, it should be about 1.050
Whatever it is, it went off like a shot!!!

6l krausen...

 

[Twostage]

AG 137
Summit IPA

as i broke my hydrometer in the brew shed

I dropped mine onto the concrete floor yesterday and it didn't smash. A disbelief moment. Then I sussed why it had stayed intact - because earlier this week I took delivery of a spare. No point it smashing if it can be simply replaced is there ?

It was a large scale one from (ahem) bigger jugs. I'm always struggling to read the OG due to foam at the top of the sample jar so I'm hoping this will help.

 

[Nicks90]

Bigger jugs.... Hahahahahhaa

Will have to look that up for a new hydrometer, CAREFULLY in Google incognito

 

[Twostage]

To save any delete history incidents...

Hydrometer

 

[Nicks90]

AG 136
Chocolate advent calendar - first taste test

hmmmm, not exactly what i was expecting. Almost no chocolate from the cocao nibs has come through, but the vanilla has survived nicely. So its a little imbalanced in that way. Still a pleasant pint of beer and i am very impressed at the balance of alcohol and bitterness.

 

[Nicks90]

DOUBLE BREW DAY!!!

Bit of an experiment with this purely to test how 2 different hops work in a saison. As i only had one packet of yeast and 32l is a bit much for one pack, I made a small starter and let it build up for 2 days prior to brew day and the gave it a good stir and split it between the batches. Both went off like a shot, so I am counting that a success.

AG 138
First Gold Saison

3kg Maris Otter

18l mash at 68c for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 30 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
20gm First Gold @ 30 mins
20gm First Gold @5 mins

Yeast
Mangrove Jacks french saison

Part one of the experiment is to see how the marmalade floral nature of these hops will cope with what is a rather violent yeast. I always find saison yeasts to really batter whatever hop aromas you add, replacing them with that lovely saison overtone - so hence why I have done quite a large aroma addition at 5 minutes.

AG 139
EKG Saison

3kg Maris Otter

18l mash at 68c for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 30 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
30gm EKG @ 30 mins
20gm EKG @5 mins

Yeast
Mangrove Jacks french saison

Part 2 is brewed exactly the same as part 1, but instead replaced the hops with East Kent Goldings. I also upped the first addition to ensure i kept the overall IBU between the brews consistent. Again a similar sized aroma addition at 5 minutes.

Expecting both brews to be about 30 IBUs and 4.5%
Lets see which one tastes the best!

 

[Caramel Ox]

AG 136
Chocolate advent calendar - first taste test

hmmmm, not exactly what i was expecting. Almost no chocolate from the cocao nibs has come through, but the vanilla has survived nicely. So its a little imbalanced in that way. Still a pleasant pint of beer and i am very impressed at the balance of alcohol and bitterness.

Did you mash the cacao or dry hop it? It may change in balance when it matures?

 

[Nicks90]

It was mashed. There are so many opinions on what you should do I just decided to plump with lightly toasting it and then putting it in the mash

 

[Nicks90]

AG 140
New year Ale

Pretty straight forward English ale to use up the last of my grain before the new HBS delivery arrives. This should be done by the new year - as I actually brewed it last week and just forgot to write it up! So looking forward to a pretty good session ale.

4.2kg Maris Otter
210gm Crystal 113ebc
55gm roasted barley

18l mash at 68c for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 60 minute boil and 16l in the FV. back liquored to 20l for a sensible OG

Hops
30gm EKG @ 60 mins
20gm EKG @5 mins

Yeast
London ESB yeast

Should come out around 25 IBUs and fairly mid coloured 13 SRM. Expecting a sessionable 4.5% - however as i still dont have a hydrometer its all a little bit of guesswork.


edited to add - HB order arrived today and i now have a hydrometer! I will still forget to use it most of the time, as my methodology is pretty reliable against what i have programmed in to brewersfriend.

 

[Nicks90]

AG 141
New year IPA

I havent used Simcoe before and i hear good things about it being paired with Amarillo. Pretty straight forward pale ale recipe, nothing fancy and letting the hops shine. Hopefully a punchy little number for the new year

3.5kg Maris Otter
100gm Crystal 113ebc

18l mash at 67c for 60mins with a 3l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 60 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
10gm amarillo @30mins
30gm amarillo @5 mins
30gm simcoe @5mins

Yeast
mangrove jacks M44 west coast IPA

Should come out around 35 IBUs and fairly mid coloured 8 SRM. Expecting a sensible 5% - and now i have a new hydrometer it was bang on OG of 1.048

 

[Nicks90]

Day 21 of my black assassin Christmas advent..... It's turned in to a truly great tasting beer.
I initially said that the chocolate flavour was missing, but it's surprisingly come back again and really balances well with the vanilla. Bitterness has mellowed too and I am very impressed with myself.

Just wish I had saved those first 20 bottles now for the new year....

 

[Nicks90]

AG 141
New year IPA

I havent used Simcoe before and i hear good things about it being paired with Amarillo. Pretty straight forward pale ale recipe, nothing fancy and letting the hops shine. Hopefully a punchy little number for the new year

3.5kg Maris Otter
100gm Crystal 113ebc

18l mash at 67c for 60mins with a 3l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 60 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
10gm amarillo @30mins
30gm amarillo @5 mins
30gm simcoe @5mins

Yeast
mangrove jacks M44 west coast IPA

Should come out around 35 IBUs and fairly mid coloured 8 SRM. Expecting a sensible 5% - and now i have a new hydrometer it was bang on OG of 1.048

I still have this in the FV and don't have time to get it bottled until at some point next week. So it's now getting a dry hop of 20gm Amarillo and 20gm Simcoe for the next 5 days
Should give it a bit of a bump in hop flavour!

 

[Nicks90]

AG 141
New year IPA

I havent used Simcoe before and i hear good things about it being paired with Amarillo. Pretty straight forward pale ale recipe, nothing fancy and letting the hops shine. Hopefully a punchy little number for the new year

3.5kg Maris Otter
100gm Crystal 113ebc

18l mash at 67c for 60mins with a 3l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 60 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
10gm amarillo @30mins
30gm amarillo @5 mins
30gm simcoe @5mins

Yeast
mangrove jacks M44 west coast IPA

Should come out around 35 IBUs and fairly mid coloured 8 SRM. Expecting a sensible 5% - and now i have a new hydrometer it was bang on OG of 1.048

and its a decent pint of hop juice!
the dry hop addition has given it a really punchy in your face flavour - and some haze - and its still got a good underlying flavour profile to compliment the aroma profile.
going to call this one Gandalfs Disco Juice

 

[Nicks90]

AG 140
New year Ale

Pretty straight forward English ale to use up the last of my grain before the new HBS delivery arrives. This should be done by the new year - as I actually brewed it last week and just forgot to write it up! So looking forward to a pretty good session ale.

4.2kg Maris Otter
210gm Crystal 113ebc
55gm roasted barley

18l mash at 68c for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 60 minute boil and 16l in the FV. back liquored to 20l for a sensible OG

Hops
30gm EKG @ 60 mins
20gm EKG @5 mins

Yeast
London ESB yeast

Should come out around 25 IBUs and fairly mid coloured 13 SRM. Expecting a sessionable 4.5% - however as i still dont have a hydrometer its all a little bit of guesswork.


edited to add - HB order arrived today and i now have a hydrometer! I will still forget to use it most of the time, as my methodology is pretty reliable against what i have programmed in to brewersfriend.

and i must get round to bottling my new year ale. its been in the FV for 4 weeks now
ps. really liking my 20l glass carboy. love watching the yeast and bubbles and eddies going around as it brews

 

[Twostage]

and i must get round to bottling my new year ale. its been in the FV for 4 weeks now
ps. really liking my 20l glass carboy. love watching the yeast and bubbles and eddies going around as it brews

One of the many pleasures.

 

[Nicks90]

AG 142
SMASH El Dorado IPA

Not done my favourite El Dorado SMASH in ages, and i happen to have 60gm of hops left in the packet, be rude not to chuck another on again to remind me what a brilliant hop this is.

3.5kg Maris Otter


18l mash at 67c for 60mins with a 3l rinse sparge
Leaving 18l wort for a 30 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
10gm el dorado @30mins
30gm el dorado @5 mins
20gm el dorado dry hop on day 3


Yeast
mangrove jacks M44 west coast IPA recovered from my last ipa

Should come out around 40 IBUs and super pale 5 SRM. OG was spot on at 1.048
Expecting a sensible 5% hop-tastic mouth puckering yummy pint!

 

[Nicks90]

AG 143
Cascade Saison

You just cant beat a pint of saison. And i am drinking wayyyyy too many pints and my previous double saison experiment is starting to run short, so need to get another one brewed quickly! Unfortunately all i have left is some american hops. hmmmm, not my first choice, but i have had a few saisons now with new world hops and it kinda works in a weird way. Also decided to do this one dry as a witches ***, just because....

3kg Maris Otter

18l mash at 63-65c (low for me for ultimate dryness) for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 30 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
20gm Cascade @ 30 mins
20gm Cascade @5 mins

Yeast
Mangrove Jacks french saison
Hit my numbers exactly with an OG of 1.040 and 16l in the bucket. Should come out about 4.5% with this yeast and super dry. Also going to brew this one hot as hell (high 20's) and hoping with the dryness, temp funk and cascade hops, it will be a naughty little number!

 

[Nicks90]

AG 143
Cascade Saison

You just cant beat a pint of saison. And i am drinking wayyyyy too many pints and my previous double saison experiment is starting to run short, so need to get another one brewed quickly! Unfortunately all i have left is some american hops. hmmmm, not my first choice, but i have had a few saisons now with new world hops and it kinda works in a weird way. Also decided to do this one dry as a witches ***, just because....

3kg Maris Otter

18l mash at 63-65c (low for me for ultimate dryness) for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 30 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
20gm Cascade @ 30 mins
20gm Cascade @5 mins

Yeast
Mangrove Jacks french saison
Hit my numbers exactly with an OG of 1.040 and 16l in the bucket. Should come out about 4.5% with this yeast and super dry. Also going to brew this one hot as hell (high 20's) and hoping with the dryness, temp funk and cascade hops, it will be a naughty little number!

Can't beat a saison yeast for a quick turnaround
First taste test. It's alright
Not massively saison like with the 'murican hops, but it's still got a good saison after taste.
Lovely and bright already

 

[Nicks90]

Bugger
I've done another brew after the cascade saison and it's sat in the FV and about ready to be bottled... But I haven't a clue what it is now, as for some unfathomable reason I haven't written it down or written it up here!
I know it's an IPA of some type, as i screwed up my last hb order and only have 'murican hops in the freezer.

So
AG144
IPA surprise


Anyway, on to the latest brew, this is a real ugly duckling smorgasbord of a brew using up some leftovers.

AG145
Bitsa American brown ale thingy
3.5kg Maris Otter
45g roast barley
125g carafa 111

18l mash at 65c for 60mins with a 4l rinse sparge
Leaving 19l wort for a 60 minute boil and 16l in the FV.

Hops
20gm Cascade @ 60 mins
20gm Cascade @5 mins

Yeast
Ermmmm, I think it's London ESB yeast that I recovered from my new year ale, it was in the fridge unlabeled (I know I know, properly slacking!!!) but it smelled ale-y and not saison-y, so it's gone in

So this is a real mix, carafa, roast barley, murican hops and an English ale yeast. What will it taste like. Christ knows, but it will be interesting.
Came out at 1.046 and fairly dark. BF says it will be about 18srm which seems about right
Expecting 30ibu so very middle of the road to go with a possible 4.5% abv (depending on what yeast actually went in there, hahaha)