Number 5 (AG)

MadPoet · Jun 29, 2011

I've been playing around with the local ingredients trying to come up with a new house brew. Using Maris otter as my base, which I pick up by the sack from Warminster's. I am fix'n'ta brew up number 5, or the fifth brew since the move. I prefer session beers. But when I end up with something a bit stronger, I don't complain. I haven't had the water tested, so I have no idea what's in it, but it tastes good from the tap and in the last 4 batches I've had no complaints.

Fermentables:
3.325kg Maris otter
400g Caramalt
75g Roasted Barley (It's actually Maris Otter that I'll roast up the night before)

I'll mill my grain on brew day. As per usual I'll do a single step infusion resting for 60 minutes @ 67c and fly sparge.

Bitters:
21g Goldings (5.5) FWB
10g Goldings (5.5) 10 minutes from end
5g Goldings (5.5) at turn off

Yeast:
Nottingham

I tend to use a lot of American Ale yeast, otherwise know as US-05 / Wyeast 1056, which is my favorite. Since I am changing everything up I figured I'd try a different yeast.

I'm fix'in'ta brew Friday or Saturday, I'll be enjoying some number 4 while I am at it.

dennisking · Jun 29, 2011

Good luck with your brew. Noticed from your introduction your from the other side of the pond so will be interested to see how you compare both brewing cultures.

Runwell-Steve · Jun 30, 2011

That seems a very low amount of hops you are using there.

It will only give you about 13 IBU, assuming a 5 gallon batch

MadPoet · Jun 30, 2011

Runwell-Steve said:
That seems a very low amount of hops you are using there.

It will only give you about 13 IBU, assuming a 5 gallon batch

Yep, I like to taste the grain. Though there are a couple of things that may bring the IBU up a bit. First, I use whole loose leaf hops. Also, I do full wort boils. These two factors effect the IBUs of the end product.

Back in the states I used to do lot of extract brewing. This isn't much like kit brewing over here, as you start with un hopped extract (lme or dme), do a 60-90 minute boil, do a partial mash or just soak specialty grains, add custom hops and use speciality yeast. But most importantly when I did extract brewing I brewed in a 4 gallon pot effectively 3 gallons, so added fresh cold water to my carboy to bring it up to 5.25 (US) gallons (20 liters). Doing these partial mash / extract brews I leaned to about 2 (us) ounces or 56 grams of Fuggles or Goldings in a muslin bag. I really enjoyed extract brewing because it was easy, quick and you actually have a lot of control. Sadly, the home brew stores here in the UK aren't as equipped as the ones in the US. I can't just nipped down to my LHBS on brew day anymore. I also prefer to have my grain milled within 48 hours of brewing. Hall and Wodehouse mill their's the day before brewing.

Anyway to make a long story longer... I found that my hops schedule didn't translate when I tried to brew the same recipe AG. It always came out much more bitter than expected. I've been slowly cutting it back to taste. Perhaps this next batch will be too little, I dunno yet. But if it is I can always add some hops to the keg and let it mature a bit.

While everyone and their dogs were brewing IPAs, heavily hopped beers and high alcohol content in the US, I was experimenting with session beers and various other bitter agents. I've played around with gruits and other herbs. I've also noted and enjoyed the flavors coming in from the grain. Nothing against high alcohol content or strong hop flavors, I do like them a lot - but when I want one I can always hit up a friend or head down to my local pub. Session beers are nice as you can enjoy several of them over the course of an afternoon and not be legless.

I tend to work a lot from taste and tweak recipes as I go. I use to brew 40-80 liters a month as I spent a lot of my time with friends at reenactment festivals. So I could bring out 3 or 4 full corny kegs on a Friday and come home with empties. It was good for experimenting. The only down side is that unless I set some aside in bottles, I'd never see how it would mature. Once I start using my home grown hops, there's gonna be another fuzzy factor, how bitter are those hops. If I am lazy, which I likely will be - I'll go back to my taste buds and let them decide how much to add per batch.

Anyway, sorry for the babble - as you can tell I like to write or talk. If anyone wants to sample some of what I brew, I always have an open invite. If you find yourself in the East Dorset area, jot me a line.

MadPoet · Jul 3, 2011

Thursday I tasted some of Number 4 and realized I was going to far to the sweet side. So I've adjust the recipe on number 5 back up to about 17 IBUs. Made a few other adjustments as well. I've updated the OP to reflect these changes. I ended up roasting up the grain just before I brewed as I was a slacker on Friday.

I brewed this up on Saturday. While in the process of mashing, a couple of neighbors came by. So I gave them a demonstration of all grain brewing while we all enjoyed a few pints of number 4. It was nice having the company while I brewed but my note taking suffered a bit for it. No worries though, still better to have the company.