You have my sympathies, the plum wine I made is pretty harsh at the moment - it has though mellowed a lot in the last couple of months so I'm hoping another few months cold store might continue to mellow it.
Anna
PilgrimHudds Brewdays
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Anna
Definitely. I found it made my efficiency jump unexpectedly from about 72% to 82% - which is why I've still got a few bottles of a 6.7% ESB knocking around!
I can't remember why I stopped doing it as it's definitely a real time saver come brew day. I think it was because I had no idea what the mash temp was doing overnight which made estimating the FG, and hence ABV, something of a lottery.
I'm planning a tropical stout soon so I plan to overnight mash that (plus a longer boil) to get the OG without needing such a huge grain bill.
Just throwing it out there, and it is just a guess, but if you fined it with gelatine I reckon that crud would drop out pretty quickly. I used some in my cider and it did a pretty good job there.
I'm not totally sold yet on the idea of fining everything, but when I have used it I've been surprised both how quick and also effective it's been.
Quite amazing really, I was shocked to see those numbers!
A tropical stout? Tell me more!
Probably, I didn't use protofloc either, I keep forgetting!! I'll give it another week or two and bottle I think, or maybe cold crash it.
A tropical stout? Tell me more!
Probably, I didn't use protofloc either, I keep forgetting!! I'll give it another week or two and bottle I think, or maybe cold crash it.
https://beerandbrewing.com/make-your-best-tropical-stout/
I think I wanted to use up a few stouty grains I still have knocking about and figured if I'm gonna do it then go big. If all goes to plan it should end up well north of 8% ABV.
Also an excuse to practice techniques for big beers like this as, although my Baltic Porter turned out well, the brew day didn't go as smooth as I'd have liked.
I was going to say that that sounds nasty matt, however after reading the recipe it has sold me. But perhaps I'll try one of yours before brewing one myself. 
Big beers are dificult though, my baltic porter didnt go as planned although I was happy with the result.
Big beers are dificult though, my baltic porter didnt go as planned although I was happy with the result.
If and when I brew it then sure, no worriesI was going to say that that sounds nasty matt, however after reading the recipe it has sold me. But perhaps I'll try one of yours before brewing one myself.
Big beers are dificult though, my baltic porter didnt go as planned although I was happy with the result.
My current thinking for big beers is to work with a grain bill within your normal range, don't let it get stupid big. And then you maybe use a bit less water, boil longer, maybe overnight mash 
to get the OG up. You'll end up with a few less bottles maybe it's worth it for a more straightfoorward brewday.
First taste of my Kiwi Pale, first impressions are very good, really strong citrus aroma and taste, perhaps too much for a pale but I like it, not overly bitter. It's a bit hazy at the mo, but another month or so in the shed should sort that. I think the Riwaka overpowers the motueka or are both too samey perhaps so no real depth of flavour or complexity but, meh. If i get the same sort of flavours in my pilsner i'm going to be happy!
Bottled my honey ale, the usual sugar, 85g boiled in 200ml , 5ml per bottle, 34 500ml bottles.
Crystal clear, light brown in colour, no real aroma, very little bitterness, I can just about pick up the honey. Thee last one I made came into its own at 3 months or so, plenty of time.
Crystal clear, light brown in colour, no real aroma, very little bitterness, I can just about pick up the honey. Thee last one I made came into its own at 3 months or so, plenty of time.
Hey @An Ankoù et al, what did your braggot look like when you bottled? Mine seems to have stopped clearing and has just turned murky brown. It's been 3 weeks + in the fv, it doesnt look like it's going to change, I haven't checked the gravity but it seems to have stopped bubbling. Considering just bottling on Sunday with my (other) brown ale.
This is the life, got the mash on whilst at work last night for a tropical stout, the recipe that @matt76 kindly shared on my black ipa thread. Tweaked slightly to add some flaked oats and as I was 200g short of Munich I added 200g vienna to use up the bag.
4.5kg otter
700g munich
450g crystal
350g carafa 2
230g roast barley
200g vienna
200g oats
Mashed in overnight at 68c but am aware this would have fluctuated over night.
Hops
28g chinook @60
28g centennial @10
28g cascade at flameout.
Chill to mid 20's and let the fridge do the rest, pitched us04.
4.5kg otter
700g munich
450g crystal
350g carafa 2
230g roast barley
200g vienna
200g oats
Mashed in overnight at 68c but am aware this would have fluctuated over night.
Hops
28g chinook @60
28g centennial @10
28g cascade at flameout.
Chill to mid 20's and let the fridge do the rest, pitched us04.
Nice one - where did the OG end up?
I seem to recall when I've tried mashing high but done an overnight mash I've ended up with a more fermentable wort than anticipated, possibly because the mash temp is yo-yo-ing up and down. So as well as getting a higher OG you end up with a slightly lower FG as well - not that that's going to be a problem in a big beer anyway
Nice one - where did the OG end up?
I seem to recall when I've tried mashing high but done an overnight mash I've ended up with a more fermentable wort than anticipated, possibly because the mash temp is yo-yo-ing up and down. So as well as getting a higher OG you end up with a slightly lower FG as well - not that that's going to be a problem in a big beer anyway
1078 in around 20l!!! So I've diluted with 3l of boiled water!
Wuss
First taste of my kiwi pilsner and its........not great.
I mean it's ok but not fabulous.
The good, nice aroma, citrus almost lemonade hop taste, malty, toasted cracker (had to look that up, but it fits). Sulfary aroma, leads to citrus from the riwaka. Although undercarbed the head does last the whole glass.
The bad, it's quite full bodied...or perhaps high medium bodied, either way it's too much. It's also well undercarbed, this is becoming a chronic problem and I might have to start looking at putting my beer in the brew fridge or something because maybe the utility isn't warm enough at the mo.
The ugly, lots of chill haze, though not too worried about that at this point.
Overall, I mean it's more than drinkable so that's fine but a tad disappointed, I was really looking forward to this one.
I mean it's ok but not fabulous.
The good, nice aroma, citrus almost lemonade hop taste, malty, toasted cracker (had to look that up, but it fits). Sulfary aroma, leads to citrus from the riwaka. Although undercarbed the head does last the whole glass.
The bad, it's quite full bodied...or perhaps high medium bodied, either way it's too much. It's also well undercarbed, this is becoming a chronic problem and I might have to start looking at putting my beer in the brew fridge or something because maybe the utility isn't warm enough at the mo.
The ugly, lots of chill haze, though not too worried about that at this point.
Overall, I mean it's more than drinkable so that's fine but a tad disappointed, I was really looking forward to this one.
Damn, that's a shame to hear
I would certainly give it time to lager/condition - lagers are funny things but they do change with time.
Also, with mine I always get chill haze but I always leave a row of 4 lined up in the fridge and given enough time they will eventually end up crystal clear (though I couldn't actually tell you typically how much time
)Regarding carbonation, yeah that's really weird. On paper you're using similar quantities of sugar to me so I don't understand how they're not carbonating. On paper your beer should be at least reasonably well carbed.
I keep all my bottles at room temp for 2 weeks to carbonate (and usually 2 more to condition), so maybe somewhere warmer would help. Maybe your utility is too cool so the residual yeast is crashing out without fermenting the priming sugar?
Are you sure your scales are definitely accurate enough to weigh out your priming sugar?
Maybe try a different approach? Try batch priming again? Carbonation drops? Add sugar granules direct to the bottles?
Or maybe split a batch - leave some in the utility, some at room temp, maybe even some in the airing cupboard?
An Ankoù
Landlord.
I don't recall, to tell the truth. It certainly clears nicely in the bottle though. What is the FG?
Not taken a sample yet, decided to bottle tomorrow, it's almost had 4 weeks now so whatever will be will be.
Damn, that's a shame to hear
I would certainly give it time to lager/condition - lagers are funny things but they do change with time.
Also, with mine I always get chill haze but I always leave a row of 4 lined up in the fridge and given enough time they will eventually end up crystal clear (though I couldn't actually tell you typically how much time
Regarding carbonation, yeah that's really weird. On paper you're using similar quantities of sugar to me so I don't understand how they're not carbonating. On paper your beer should be at least reasonably well carbed.
I keep all my bottles at room temp for 2 weeks to carbonate (and usually 2 more to condition), so maybe somewhere warmer would help. Maybe your utility is too cool so the residual yeast is crashing out without fermenting the priming sugar?
Are you sure your scales are definitely accurate enough to weigh out your priming sugar?
Maybe try a different approach? Try batch priming again? Carbonation drops? Add sugar granules direct to the bottles?
Or maybe split a batch - leave some in the utility, some at room temp, maybe even some in the airing cupboard?
All good points matt, I'm clinging to the fact that I feel it's very early for a lager. It may not improve the carbonation but it might come together better later on.
Scales are ok, checked that. Think splitting a batch is the next thing to do, I'm sure what I'm doing is ok, it must be temperature. I mean during the day with the sun it probably gets to 18-20, perhaps falling by night to 14 or so.
Its drinkable, just not quite what I hoped for, perhaps body wise I mashed too high as well. My pale ale is more lagery than the pilsner!
An Ankoù
Landlord.
Good luck. Sorry to be late getting back to you. I missed your post. :smallNot taken a sample yet, decided to bottle tomorrow, it's almost had 4 weeks now so whatever will be will be.
Good luck. Sorry to be late getting back to you. I missed your post. :small
Ahh no worries at all!
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