With the house to myself I embarked on my second extract brew today - I opted to try the GW Boddingtons recipe. Again not a comprehensive account but some observations follow:
1. When running the recipe through an app based tool last night in preparation/ anticipation, it became apparent that there are lots of different standard units of measurement used in brewing. Predicted colour, bitterness and OG all coming in well off that prescribed in the book. Having spent a lot of time on the internet these things were explained by inter alia I had ordered far too light coloured DME and crystal primarily to not understanding difference between EBC and L. A third colour unit used by the app made things even more confusing. Differences in bitterness were attributed to using actual alpha on hops rather than the assumed figures and I flexed the weight accordingly. Target OG difference was down to fact that UK gallons and US gallons are a different thing.
2. When testing bodged together connection between chiller coil and garden tap - have someone in the house to avoid the situation of turning tap on too high and having outlet hose leap out of sink and spray a jet of water all round open plan kitchen/ living area.
3. If using a bag for hops, tie a knot in it otherwise it' pointless.
4. Even though I made up the volume significantly short OG reading (confirmed by Brix) was low - c 1032. Not sure why it was so off but took a decision to sterilize up some sugar and dump it in FV and revised reading came in at 1036 which was the target.
5.This is thirsty business- all the smell of malt and hops seems to make me get through more than normal.
6. I have lovely soft, sanitised hands but despite all the washing they stink of hops.
7. On the subject of hops, I have had to sacrifice a bag of frozen broccoli to make way for the surplus.
Anyway what a lot of fun, it would be good if it stops pissing down and I can open the velux windows to allow distincive aromatics to disperse ahead of SWMBO returning from the theatre.
Cheers
Northern Horners
1. When running the recipe through an app based tool last night in preparation/ anticipation, it became apparent that there are lots of different standard units of measurement used in brewing. Predicted colour, bitterness and OG all coming in well off that prescribed in the book. Having spent a lot of time on the internet these things were explained by inter alia I had ordered far too light coloured DME and crystal primarily to not understanding difference between EBC and L. A third colour unit used by the app made things even more confusing. Differences in bitterness were attributed to using actual alpha on hops rather than the assumed figures and I flexed the weight accordingly. Target OG difference was down to fact that UK gallons and US gallons are a different thing.
2. When testing bodged together connection between chiller coil and garden tap - have someone in the house to avoid the situation of turning tap on too high and having outlet hose leap out of sink and spray a jet of water all round open plan kitchen/ living area.
3. If using a bag for hops, tie a knot in it otherwise it' pointless.
4. Even though I made up the volume significantly short OG reading (confirmed by Brix) was low - c 1032. Not sure why it was so off but took a decision to sterilize up some sugar and dump it in FV and revised reading came in at 1036 which was the target.
5.This is thirsty business- all the smell of malt and hops seems to make me get through more than normal.
6. I have lovely soft, sanitised hands but despite all the washing they stink of hops.
7. On the subject of hops, I have had to sacrifice a bag of frozen broccoli to make way for the surplus.
Anyway what a lot of fun, it would be good if it stops pissing down and I can open the velux windows to allow distincive aromatics to disperse ahead of SWMBO returning from the theatre.
Cheers
Northern Horners
