PilgrimHudds Brewdays

[Agentgonzo]

Yeah probably should have kept it but needed two anyway. Do you always do a starter, I guess that would help to get the ball rolling with out of date yeast.

Dried yeast (well, all yeast really) loses it's viability over time, but it's not like it falls off a cliff and dies. It's like an exponential tail off, so in reality it's just under pitching.

If you don't have time to make Starter, then you can always aerate the wort (if that's not your normal procedure) as that'll give the yeast a leg up. You can give it a further leg up (I think, but this is where my microbiology knowledge runs out) by giving it another aeration after 6, 12 or 24 hours.

The idea behind this is that you've underpitched (due to "out of date" yeast losing a lot of it's cell count). It'll start multiplying in the growth phase, but additional oxygen then enables the yeast to generate more sterols which means it can multiply more times to get you back up to a healthy amount of yeast for the rest of fermentation. That's what I understand anyway

 

[Clarence]

Yeah probably should have kept it but needed two anyway. Do you always do a starter, I guess that would help to get the ball rolling with out of date yeast.

I always do a starter with liquid yeasts. That's not to say a big build, but I like to see that the yeast is healthy and working. I nearly always rehydrate dried yeast. I've never pitched two sachets or pouches in my life. Far too mean for that. I sometimes start with a 12 litre batch and then pitch the slurry into a 20.

 

[matt76]

@pilgrimhudd my top tip for your predicament is make a vitality starter the day before brew day (a.k.a shaken not stirred starter). I always do this with dried yeast (and sometimes liquid & slurry).

For my 12L batches I use 50g DME in 500ml water (you may need to double up for larger batches). Boil it up for a few minutes to sterilise then chill. Pour it in a large container (I use an old 2L plastic water bottle), shake it like mad for a couple of minutes to aerate and make lots of foam, then add your yeast and leave it overnight with the lid loose.

When it comes to brew day, swirl up the yeast from the bottom and pitch the lot, liquor and all, into your FV. Simple and no need for stir plates or cold crashing the yeast.

Think of it like rehydrating but with wort instead of water. It wakes the yeast up and gets them match fit and ready to go before brew day, massively shortens the lag phase and you know 100% sure your yeast is healthy, out or date of not.

If nothing else you'll discover 24hrs sooner that your chosen yeast isn't in stock and have more time to make a plan.

Like you I've been wary of out of date yeast in the past as I've had the odd disappointing brew, but I've currently got a cracking stout on tap fermented like this with out of date MJ M36.

 

[Twostage]

Yeah probably should have kept it but needed two anyway. Do you always do a starter, I guess that would help to get the ball rolling with out of date yeast.

When I find out of date dried yeast I test a pinch in warm water. If it creams it's ok. Yeast doesn't go off ( as in turn nasty) it just loses viability.

 

[Twostage]

When I find out of date dried yeast I test a pinch in warm water. If it creams it's ok. Yeast doesn't go off ( as in turn nasty) it just loses viability.

Didn't spot there was another page. Sorry for the repeat.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Looking at brewing a Shepherds Neame IPA clone as drunk by @dave_77 the other day and can't find a recipe online. Nearest I've seen is that they use ekg and fuggles hops and pale malt with a bit of light crystal. Has anyone seen a recipe anywhere or have any thoughts on hop additions/timings?

Happy new year all!

 

[matt76]

Looking at brewing a Shepherds Neame IPA clone as drunk by @dave_77 the other day and can't find a recipe online. Nearest I've seen is that they use ekg and fuggles hops and pale malt with a bit of light crystal. Has anyone seen a recipe anywhere or have any thoughts on hop additions/timings?

Happy new year all!

I don't know the answer but I started researching English IPA's a few weeks ago after Brulosophy featured this style on their podcast as a short & shoddy.

My suggestions would be:
- Review the Brulosophy S&S recipe
- Have a look in Greg Hughes at his English IPA recipe.
- There's a recipe here on Jim's Beerkit for Fuller's Bengal Lancer (not the same, but maybe same ballpark)

The common theme is EKG + Fuggles. From here I think you could get somewhere about right. FWIW I think your yeast choice will have a big impact on this style.

If I come up with my own recipe and make it I'll stick it in my brewday thread as usual, but I've currently got a to-brew list as long as my arm!

(Maybe something to plan and brew for the March freestyle competition! )

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I don't know the answer but I started researching English IPA's a few weeks ago after Brulosophy featured this style on their podcast as a short & shoddy.

My suggestions would be:
- Review the Brulosophy S&S recipe
- Have a look in Greg Hughes at his English IPA recipe.
- There's a recipe here on Jim's Beerkit for Fuller's Bengal Lancer (not the same, but maybe same ballpark)

The common theme is EKG + Fuggles. From here I think you could get somewhere about right. FWIW I think you're yeast choice will have a big impact on this style.

If I come up with my own recipe and make it I'll stick it in my brewday thread as usual, but I've currently got a to-brew list as long as my arm!

(Maybe something to plan and brew for the March freestyle competition! )

Ahhh yes good shout with the bungalow lancer recipe, probably nearish ballpark so I'll have a look at that tomorrow, same with Greg Hughes recipe.

Yeah, what would you suggest for yeast, I've got cml 5 and cml house home. I think I'd planned to use house, but I can't remember the specs for house and the work WiFi won't let me on Crossmyloofs website to check right now.

 

[Caramel Ox]

House is 68-72% attenuation listed but I have never gotten that much, have only used it in dark beer though.

 

[matt76]

Ahhh yes good shout with the bungalow lancer recipe, probably nearish ballpark so I'll have a look at that tomorrow, same with Greg Hughes recipe.

Yeah, what would you suggest for yeast, I've got cml 5 and cml house home. I think I'd planned to use house, but I can't remember the specs for house and the work WiFi won't let me on Crossmyloofs website to check right now.

bungalow lancer

Haha, brilliant

TBH I haven't used CML yeast for some time. I'd avoid Five as I think it's too clean for the style. Based on the description House might be more in the right direction.

Of the dry yeasts I know, Lallemand Verdant IPA would be a solid choice. I haven't played enough with Fermentis S-33 but that could be an option (just be aware it's a low attenuator). MJ M36 wouldn't be a bad choice either but I think it's a bit cleaner than LVIPA.

Maybe worth dropping CML an email to see what they recommend.

 

[Scrattajack]

Definitely nicking Bungalow Lancer for the label of my English IPA and it'll be fermented with Verdant IPA.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Definitely nicking Bungalow Lancer for the label of my English IPA and it'll be fermented with Verdant IPA.

Just noticed this!

 

[pilgrimhudd]

So brewed my version of the bungalow lancer today...

5.8 kg Pale
200g Crystal (medium)

Mashed for 90 mins

Challenger 25g @60
Fuggle 40g @30
Fuggle 50g @10
EKG 45g @5

OG 1070, diluted with 2l preboiled water down to 1063, didn't take long to cool today! Down to 24c and pitched CML House. Hoping for an attenuation of about 70% making it around 6%

I also bottled my Huel Melon and Mandarina Bavaria Pale today and I have little worry that it might be infected...it is waaaaaay over bitter, mouth puckeringly so, now I wonder if I whirlpooled too high and for too long bringing up the IBU's. We'll see when it's ready and things often even themselves out so am hopeful. On the plus side it smelled and looked great, lovely tangerine and lemon and a crystal clear golden colour.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Lesson learned today, always check your yeast before you get the mash on.

Huell Melon and Mandarina Bavaria pale ale brewed. It was going to be single malt, however saw a lonely bag of carapils so thought I'd finish it.

4.7 kg pale malt
300g carapils

Mashed for 2 hours whilst I fixed the greenhouse roof at 66c.

Brought to the boil and added

15g challenger @45
50g huell melon @5
100g manadrina and 50g huell melon whirlpool for 20mins @75

Plan to dry hop 100g mandarina at 10 days maybe.

Thoughts then came to yeast, was going to use two packs of kolsch, oh... none there, damn, its OK, I'll use cml 5, not ideal but there we go. Ahh none of that either, sh*t. So I've got PIA, clipper or an out of date helles.

Chuck out the helles, chuck in the PIA.

OG 1053 so added a litre of water to bring it down to 1049.

Just for my own records, this one finished at 1049 making it 5.1%

 

[matt76]

So brewed my version of the bungalow lancer today...

5.8 kg Pale
200g Crystal (medium)

Mashed for 90 mins

Challenger 25g @60
Fuggle 40g @30
Fuggle 50g @10
EKG 45g @5

OG 1070, diluted with 2l preboiled water down to 1063, didn't take long to cool today! Down to 24c and pitched CML House. Hoping for an attenuation of about 70% making it around 6%

I also bottled my Huel Melon and Mandarina Bavaria Pale today and I have little worry that it might be infected...it is waaaaaay over bitter, mouth puckeringly so, now I wonder if I whirlpooled too high and for too long bringing up the IBU's. We'll see when it's ready and things often even themselves out so am hopeful. On the plus side it smelled and looked great, lovely tangerine and lemon and a crystal clear golden colour.

Just a thought with your HM & MB Pale - I made a hoppy pale ale before Christmas and the only thing I did that was unusual was I didn't add kettle finings as I'd thrown them away by accident. Anyway, when I tried the beer it was seeringly bitter, not so much in the mouth but as you swallow, down the back of the throat, and totally undrinkable.

In the end I opened the keg and added some gelatin finings and left it for a few days - I kid you not it was superb, genuinely the best hoppy beer I think I've ever made. I think the issue was some of the hop matter still in suspension and hadn't settled out yet (I didn't cold crash that one either).

So maybe you don't want to go adding finings to loads of bottles, but my point is give it time - if it's a similar problem with hop crud in suspension then it should settle out eventually and you'll hopefully be left with a nice beer

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Just a thought with your HM & MB Pale - I made a hoppy pale ale before Christmas and the only thing I did that was unusual was I didn't add kettle finings as I'd thrown them away by accident. Anyway, when I tried the beer it was seeringly bitter, not so much in the mouth but as you swallow, down the back of the throat, and totally undrinkable.

In the end I opened the keg and added some gelatin finings and left it for a few days - I kid you not it was superb, genuinely the best hoppy beer I think I've ever made. I think the issue was some of the hop matter still in suspension and hadn't settled out yet (I didn't cold crash that one either).

So maybe you don't want to go adding finings to loads of bottles, but my point is give it time - if it's a similar problem with hop crud in suspension then it should settle out eventually and you'll hopefully be left with a nice beer

Ahh yep, you are right there was a lot of hoppy stuff floating about so thats a good shout.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Got my 80 shilling on today for the collaborative brew...

This one is straight out of the bible, finished at 1052 so after fermentation will be looking at just a smidge over the expected 4.9%.

All was well, a beautiful if a little windy day, then just before I turfed into the fermenter the heavens opened.

 

[Twostage]

Got my 80 shilling on today for the collaborative brew...

This one is straight out of the bible, finished at 1052 so after fermentation will be looking at just a smidge over the expected 4.9%.

All was well, a beautiful if a little windy day, then just before I turfed into the fermenter the heavens opened.

I made an 80 bob last year, lowish 3.2% I think. Tasted nice. Definitely on my do again list.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Got my 80 shilling on today for the collaborative brew...

This one is straight out of the bible, finished at 1052 so after fermentation will be looking at just a smidge over the expected 4.9%.

All was well, a beautiful if a little windy day, then just before I turfed into the fermenter the heavens opened.

And this one finished at 1014 making making almost exactly 5%.

Looks beautiful, have no idea what it tastes or smells like as I have covid again.

 

[matt76]

A rerun of my First Gold bitter today. Made slightly challenging by the fact my little drug scales gave up the ghost, so a very rough guesstimate of weights for the hops....

4.5 kg pale
200g light crystal
100g dark crystal
200g biscuit
50g choc

10g mix of admiral and challenger. @ 60
20g ish first gold @30
25g ish first gold @15
50g hopstand @80c for 20 mins

OG 1050 and yeast CML Midland.

Is this the one that bagged you 2nd place in the Scottish National?