Sam's brew day's

[samale]

Mash is on for my biere de garde

4kg pilsner malt
1kg light Munich
200g biscuit malt
200g special B
150g Cara ruby
500g light candi sugar

Mash at 65
Hops will be barbe rouge, I already have the yeast starter built up. WLP 073

20 litres @1.060, colour looks good

 

[samale]

Mash is on for another porter.


4.6kg Minch malt
500g brown malt
500g dark crystal
500g chocolate malt
120g black malt

All brambling cross hops

15g@fw
20g@15mins
30g@10mins
40g@5mins
65g dry hop

Yeast will be WLP 023
Og 1.060

Last porter came second in the monthly competition. It was marked down for being slightly thin. So I have upped the mash temp to 68 and added some calcium chloride to the mash.

This porter has finished high. I have dry hopped now in the hope it might kick some life into it. Probably the result of the high mash temps and a big over pitch of yeast. It's getting rebranded as an American porter. Dry hop 90g brambling cross

 

[samale]

My coffee porter kicked so I kegged another porter. I need to think about my next brew, not sure what to brew. Leaning towards a Belgian pale ale
I have an Altbier, porter and American pale plus a Belgian strong which should kick soon.

 

[Pennine]

My coffee porter kicked so I kegged another porter. I need to think about my next brew, not sure what to brew. Leaning towards a Belgian pale ale
I have an Altbier, porter and American pale plus a Belgian strong which should kick soon.

Sounds like you need a bitter.

 

[samale]

Sounds like you need a bitter.

My last keg of bitter last 3 weeks
I am in the process of cutting back my alcohol intake.

 

[Pennine]

My last keg of bitter last 3 weeks
I am in the process of cutting back my alcohol intake.

Yeah my problem too, I have 3 more in the pipeline too.

 

[Donegal john]

My last keg of bitter last 3 weeks
I am in the process of cutting back my alcohol intake.

“In the process” this translates as - wife is telling me I’m drinking too much and I’m pretending to drink less.
We hear ye brother.

 

[samale]

“In the process” this translates as - wife is telling me I’m drinking too much and I’m pretending to drink less.
We hear ye brother.

spot on

 

[samale]

So I have decided the next brew will be a hoppy, bitter Belgian pale ale. Along the lines of Tara's Boulba. My starter will need 2 steps, first step 1 litre @1.036 first-time using WLP 540. The yeast cake will be used for an imperial stout

 

[pilgrimhudd]

So I have decided the next brew will be a hoppy, bitter Belgian pale ale. Along the lines of Tara's Boulba. My starter will need 2 steps, first step 1 litre @1.036 first-time using WLP 540. The yeast cake will be used for an imperial stout
View attachment 82628

You've done a couple of imperial Stouts, do you use lactose at all?

 

[samale]

You've done a couple of imperial Stouts, do you use lactose at all?

I have never used lactose, I don't see the need for it in an imperial stout. You will get enough body from the big grain bill. You might need a sugar/spray malt to boost your abv, it will all depend on your system.
The hardest part for me with an imperial is getting the correct carbonation. I have had really mixed result's, I would recommend leaving it longer than normal in the fermenter, just to make sure it has fully finished.
@Pennine has a nice recipe on his brew thread that I have used before. It's his winter stout but saying that it's a style that is wide open for interpretation. If it's your first attempt I would keep it simple. You could also explore cold steeping your roasted malt, this will give a smoother finish with less conditioning time needed.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Thanks, I have the grain bill sorted, I nicked @strange-steve recipe and halved it to do a 10l batch, I might attempt tomorrow. I'm at work at the mo so can't remember the recipe off the top of my head. It has some cane sugar and a splash of rum also. I was going to use a kveik yeast as he did as its tolerant of up to 13% abv. I am going for a abv of 10% ish but was worried about body, perhaps unnecessarily as you say.

 

[samale]

I might have to invest in a bigger boat

Second step up of WLP 540

 

[Pennine]

I might have to invest in a bigger boat
View attachment 82867
Second step up of WLP 540

Which one is 540? Rochefort?

 

[samale]

Which one is 540? Rochefort?

Yes, I have never used it before. I am brewing a hoppy Belgian pale. Then using the yeast cake to brew some big beers. I am going to use it for an imperial stout and may be a quad

 

[clib]

I have a taras boulba 1040 type beer in the fv split 3 ways - 073, 400 and 3711. Compare notes later?!

 

[samale]

I have a taras boulba 1040 type beer in the fv split 3 ways - 073, 400 and 3711. Compare notes later?!

Can you share the recipe, I plan to brew tomorrow. Keeping it simple,
Pilsner malt
Carapils
Light sugar

 

[clib]

Can you share the recipe, I plan to brew tomorrow. Keeping it simple,
Pilsner malt
Carapils
Light sugar

Targets; 21 litres 1040 40-50 IBU 5.6 EBC 4.5-4.8% ABV BHE 80%
Actual: 21 litres 1040

Saison

1.300 kg Bestmalz Pilsner (40%)
1.300 kg Maris Otter Extra Pale (40%)
0.300 kg Chateau Wheat Blanc (9%)
0.200 kg Paul's Munich 15 EBC (6%)
0.180 kg Beet Sugar (5%)

Mashed in at 45C. Raised to 67 for a rest, then up to mashout etc.

50g Perle Pellet (5.2% AA) @ 60
40g Hersbrucker Pellet (2.8% AA) @ 20 (no chilled)
20g Saaz Leaf (3.6% AA) @ 90°C steep
30g Tettnanger Pellet (4% AA) @ 90°C steep
20g Saaz Leaf (3.6% AA) @ Dry
20g Tettnanger Pellet (4% AA) @ Dry

7L WLP073
7L WLP400
7L Wy3711

 

[samale]

Back at the running again, first 10 mile race in a year. Good to be back at it

 

[samale]

Finally getting around to my Belgian pale

3.7kg pilsner
150g biscuit malt
150g carapils
200g clear Candi sugar@10mins

40g tettnang@60mins
20g tettnang+20saaz@10mins
20g tettnang+30g saaz@hopstand
50g saaz dry hop

Yeast WLP 540
20 litres @1.044


I have a bitter planned for tomorrow so I used 1.5 litre of pre boil wort for my starter. Saves me money on spray malt. Plus it's nasty stuff to work with.