PilgrimHudds Brewdays

[pilgrimhudd]

I could have sworn I had a bag of First Gold that had been hanging around for ages, but I can't find it! I reckon I probably threw them out.

Might still go for it with Styrian Goldings and EKG, though.

That would be nice, did a nice pale ale with ekg and styrian recently. I think they compliment each other well. Big fan of first gold though, I'd like to do a first gold smash ipa type thing at some point.

 

[moto748]

I've worked something out with SG and EKG to give about the same IBU. Never sure how much impact on the IBU flame-out has, though. I haven't got any biscuit either, but am proposing to replace that with melanoidin.

I think that's why I had the First Gold in the first place; to do a Smash with it. But although people say they're easy, every single time I've done a smash (OK, not *that* many), the results have been disappointing for some reason!

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I forgot to add that i'd brewed an American Brown Ale about 10 days or so (ish) I was going to bottle Friday...

This was for 20l in the FV.

5kg Marris Otter
200g Crystal 30
200g Crystal 60
200g Choc
300g Munich

Mashed at 68c for 60 mins.

30 min boil

20g Columbus @30
30g Willamette @5
20g Willamette @flameout

Yeast CML 4 and fermented at the higher end of 22c. OG 1060.

 

[matt76]

I forgot to add that i'd brewed an American Brown Ale

I've never really got my head around what Brown Ale of any variety is supposed to be so I've never figured out i I'd actually want to malke one (not sure Newcastle Brown is a particulary helpful yardstick! )

30 min boil

Heretic! You'll burn in hell for that! (According to some at least ) Can't say I feel like it's held me back for the last 70 brews or so

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I've never really got my head around what Brown Ale of any variety is supposed to be so I've never figured out i I'd actually want to malke one (not sure Newcastle Brown is a particulary helpful yardstick! )


Heretic! You'll burn in hell for that! (According to some at least ) Can't say I feel like it's held me back for the last 70 brews or so

Ha, no me neither to be honest. Was up in London last month though and had a lovely American Brown Ale by Kew Bridge which gave me the inspiration. I don't think it'll end up anywhere near that one though.

I've done it a few times before, can't say it's done the beer any harm either. Quite a controversial subject though!

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I forgot to add that i'd brewed an American Brown Ale about 10 days or so (ish) I was going to bottle Friday...

This was for 20l in the FV.

5kg Marris Otter
200g Crystal 30
200g Crystal 60
200g Choc
300g Munich

Mashed at 68c for 60 mins.

30 min boil

20g Columbus @30
30g Willamette @5
20g Willamette @flameout

Yeast CML 4 and fermented at the higher end of 22c. OG 1060.

Didn't get round to bottling till Thursday 22nd, it finished at 1014 ish which I was happy with as I wanted it to have a bit of body, perhaps mashing high did the trick. This then made it 6%, which was exactly what I was going for pleasingly. Taste wise, pretty good, I went for low carbonation on this one so I'm hoping it'll be an easy drinking 6%er.

 

[matt76]

Question for you @pilgrimhudd - you're still brewing on your Klarstein, same as me, aren't you? I was thinking about this earlier - as I recall you never got on with the grain basket so presumably you just clip a grain bag to the top during the mash, right?

But what do you do when you mash in, how do you stir it to get rid of any dough balls/clumps? Or don't you? Or do you suspend the grain bag first and then carefully add the grain so you don't get any dough balls in the first place?

I was pondering this - I still use a brew bag in the grain basket which works fine for me, but the basket isn't serving much purpose other than holding the grain bag so I it occurred to me I could have one less thing to wash up afterwards

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Question for you @pilgrimhudd - you're still brewing on your Klarstein, same as me, aren't you? I was thinking about this earlier - as I recall you never got on with the grain basket so presumably you just clip a grain bag to the top during the mash, right?

But what do you do when you mash in, how do you stir it to get rid of any dough balls/clumps? Or don't you? Or do you suspend the grain bag first and then carefully add the grain so you don't get any dough balls in the first place?

I was pondering this - I still use a brew bag in the grain basket which works fine for me, but the basket isn't serving much purpose other than holding the grain bag so I it occurred to me I could have one less thing to wash up afterwards

I put the bag in an old fermenter, weigh out the grain and chuck it in said bag, transfer said bag to Klarstein at strike temp and carefully dunk it in. Clip to side and then with a large brewing spoon give it a bleddy good stir. To be honest it's funny you mention clumps as it's only really the last two brews where i've had a number of lumps, i squash them against the side and break them up.

 

[matt76]

I put the bag in an old fermenter, weigh out the grain and chuck it in said bag, transfer said bag to Klarstein at strike temp and carefully dunk it in. Clip to side and then with a large brewing spoon give it a bleddy good stir. To be honest it's funny you mention clumps as it's only really the last two brews where i've had a number of lumps, i squash them against the side and break them up.

Thanks, all makes sense, might give it a whirl next time and save myself a bit of work

"Do you like washing up? Then you'll LOVE homebrewing!"

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I'm getting a brew on tomorrow, but what?

A kiwi Pilsner with Riwaka
A dark mild from Graham Wheelers book
or a Batemans Victory Clone, also from Wheelers book!

I'm thinking the Victory Clone, it's a lovely beer.

 

[Nottsbeer]

I'm getting a brew on tomorrow, but what?

A kiwi Pilsner with Riwaka
A dark mild from Graham Wheelers book
or a Batemans Victory Clone, also from Wheelers book!

I'm thinking the Victory Clone, it's a lovely beer.

The 2 from the Wheeler book look interesting..with the Victory clone sounding the better of the 2 (for me). I flipped the page and spotted the Big Lamp Old Ginie....another sounding very nice. I may put that on my list for the future Hope your brew day goes to plan, report back how the V Clone turns out

 

[pilgrimhudd]

The 2 from the Wheeler book look interesting..with the Victory clone sounding the better of the 2 (for me). I flipped the page and spotted the Big Lamp Old Ginie....another sounding very nice. I may put that on my list for the future Hope your brew day goes to plan, report back how the V Clone turns out

Yep, mind made up, victory clone it is!

I have the 3rd edition, the big lamp Old GInie, is that pg 122, tawny bitter? Sounds good too, I did the Exe Valley Pale which was great, but that's the only one i've brewed from the book so far.

 

[Nottsbeer]

Yep, mind made up, victory clone it is!

I have the 3rd edition, the big lamp Old GInie, is that pg 122, tawny bitter? Sounds good too, I did the Exe Valley Pale which was great, but that's the only one i've brewed from the book so far.

I must have a different book/edition. Is it the Brew Your Own...by Wheeler & Protz you have? Mine is dated 1998. Can't see a Tawny Bitter. Who makes it? Old Genie is noted as being heavy (7.1%), mouth filling malt; vast bittersweet finish with complex banana and gooseberry notes. I'd photo the page but not sure if breaking copyright! It uses Fuggles (I love that hop). Would be interesting to see if the same recipe is used for Victory in both books.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I must have a different book/edition. Is it the Brew Your Own...by Wheeler & Protz you have? Mine is dated 1998. Can't see a Tawny Bitter. Who makes it? Old Genie is noted as being heavy (7.1%), mouth filling malt; vast bittersweet finish with complex banana and gooseberry notes. I'd photo the page but not sure if breaking copyright! It uses Fuggles (I love that hop). Would be interesting to see if the same recipe is used for Victory in both books.

Ahh no, don't have that one, though mine is the 2009 ed.

Sounds good the old Genie.

My Victory is fairly simple, pale malt, crystal, sugar, goldings and styrian goldings.

 

[Nottsbeer]

Ahh no, don't have that one, though mine is the 2009 ed.

Sounds good the old Genie.

My Victory is fairly simple, pale malt, crystal, sugar, goldings and styrian goldings.

Interesting...no Choc malt? The recipe I have is (for 23l) 4.75 pale malt, 0.165kg crystal malt, 45g Choc malt & 700g white sugar. 72g goldings @60 and 15g @15.

I've chatted with someone else on here who also had a different Ed of the book and had some differences in recipes. Bitterness is 32 and color 32EBC. It'll be a nice brew with those hops I'm tempted to get a later edition to see how recipies have changed.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

No, I know! Bit of a surprise, and only 130g crystal(for 19l) , I thought i might add a little more, ive got light, medium, dark so might add a touch of dark.

25g Golding and Styrian @60
16g Styrian @10

32 IBU Colour 14! Thats interesting, hadn't noticed that, I might make it a bit darker....

 

[Nottsbeer]

No, I know! Bit of a surprise, and only 130g crystal(for 19l) , I thought i might add a little more, ive got light, medium, dark so might add a touch of dark.

25g Golding and Styrian @60
16g Styrian @10

32 IBU Colour 14! Thats interesting, hadn't noticed that, I might make it a bit darker....

Would be interesting to see what a recipe calculator made of the bitterness rating. The hop additions is very different @ 60 min, yours is c.1/3 of mine. Bitterness in my book is recorded an Bitterness Units which must be a different scale than the IBU one. I may have a play out of curiosity tomorrow to see what Brewfather makes of them. Happy brewing tomorrow.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Kiwi Pilsner today, a variation of my first and probably best one.

4kg Pilsner
1kg Vienna
150g Carapils

Mashed in at 65 for an hour at 62.

Hops... I couldn't find my pack of magnum so I used challenger for bittering....

So
35g Challenger @45
30g Riwaka @10
30g Riwaka @5
40g Riwaka hopsteep for 20 mins at 75c.

Yeast, will be 2x packs of CML Hell but it's still cooling in the fridge, so not pitched just yet.

Forgot to mention, OG of 1042, I liquored back as I wanted a slightly weaker lager, that's why I went a bit high on the IBU as I knew i'd water it down a bit.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Hmm not a thing happening in the FV yet.....conversely the sample that I forgot to throw away that's sat in the hydrometer tube is bubbling away like mad.

 

[matt76]

Hmm not a thing happening in the FV yet.....conversely the sample that I forgot to throw away that's sat in the hydrometer tube is bubbling away like mad.

How's it doing now? (The FV that is, not the hydrometer sample ) I once had a lager take about 72hrs before or got going so probably just give it time.

If you're fermenting fairly cool, or at the the lower end of this strain's range then you'd expect it might be a little slow off the line. Even more so if you chilled down before pitching