39 replies to this topic

[Poptop]

I've begun my mis-en-place for a very "wee-heavy'esque" ale for Saturday morning.

[HVB]

I've begun my mis-en-place for a very "wee-heavy'esque" ale for Saturday morning.

I am 90% sure I will brew this week.  My options are Smokey Brown or an Amber with Conan (Heady Topper) yeast.

 

Fingers crossed I get to brew!

[SchwanzBrewer]

Kegging the super secret ingredient BGS, the IIPA, and serving Duss Alt at the ESF (Epilepsy Foundation) Septembeer Fest at Southern Brewing. It's a quasi contest. Everyone votes for their favorite beer. Four brewers from each club participating each bring a keg of beer. It's a fundraiser and not too serious. I really doubt the alt will be picked as one of the favorites. It's a great beer, just probably won't stand out among all the "weird" stuff or other beers that are out there. My buddy will be serving his kettle soured brett fermented beer and that will likely be one of the favorites. It's a damn good beer and weird to boot.

 

Also, I might build a new brew stand for my garage. I'm going gravity fed and probably will do no sparge. I bought a new kettle from morebeer yesterday. I don't want to use my keggle kettle anymore. I wanted a flat bottom.

 

Brewman also convinced me to replace the thermostat in my serving fridge, so I might try that too.

Edited by SchwanzBrewer, 25 September 2014 - 11:11 AM.

[Bklmt2000]

Nothing this weekend for me, but next week (Mon/Tues), i'll be brewing another batch of my 2-Hearted IPA clone.

[Poptop]

Schwanz, holy crap. Just how long is your weekend

[SchwanzBrewer]

Schwanz, holy crap. Just how long is your weekend

 

Shouldn't take long to "build" the stand. I have plenty of scrap wood lying around. Kreg jig is your friend.

[denny]

Kegging Am. Mild v2, maybe kegging a Little RIPA, brewing Noti Brown tomorrow

[matt6150]

Kegging a Smokey Brown tonight. Racking a pumpkin to secondary with some more pie flavoring and 5 gal might get some rum soaked oak chips. Will probably take a break from brewing this weekend. I have brewed the last 4 weekends and want some time to do some other things. Will probably get the smoker going and loaded up while I sip on some Smokey Brown!

[Big Nake]

I'm going to make something that will make everyone go "HUH?". I have this Wyeast 2005 Mexican Lager and I made my Hacienda Lager (a Victoria clone, sort of) then I made an Amber Lager and then a Red Lager. Aside from the Hacienda, I didn't make anything really MEXICAN with it. So one day over the weekend, I'm going to make a full-blown Mexican Cerveza. Pilsner malt, some flaked corn, Carapils, Noble hops at 60 and 10 to about 25 IBUs and then the Wyeast 2005. I guarantee I'll drink it even if it's snowing and even if I don't, I know many people who will thank me for having it available. Haven't made a beer like this since I got my water and pH stuff lined up. Oh, I better go get some limes.* ducks *

[HVB]

I'm going to make something that will make everyone go "HUH?". I have this Wyeast 2005 Mexican Lager and I made my Hacienda Lager (a Victoria clone, sort of) then I made an Amber Lager and then a Red Lager. Aside from the Hacienda, I didn't make anything really MEXICAN with it. So one day over the weekend, I'm going to make a full-blown Mexican Cerveza. Pilsner malt, some flaked corn, Carapils, Noble hops at 60 and 10 to about 25 IBUs and then the Wyeast 2005. I guarantee I'll drink it even if it's snowing and even if I don't, I know many people who will thank me for having it available. Haven't made a beer like this since I got my water and pH stuff lined up. Oh, I better go get some limes.* ducks *

Sounds like Ska Mexican Logger.  Limes are essential!

[neddles]

Going to make this Ordinary Bitter/EPA. Brauer says he likes Bramling Cross. I'm going to give it a shot. Anyone else try it or have any experience with it?

 

OG 1.040

IBU 35

SRM 10

 

90% Crisp Maris Otter

7% Thomas Fawcett Dark Crystal II (120L)

3% Special Roast

Mash at 155F

 

44g Fuggle @60 min to 35 IBU

 

70g Bramling Cross in 165F Whirlpool Steep for 30 min.

 

WY1968

[Big Nake]

Going to make this Ordinary Bitter/EPA. Brauer says he likes Bramling Cross. I'm going to give it a shot. Anyone else try it or have any experience with it? OG 1.040IBU 35SRM 10 90% Crisp Maris Otter7% Thomas Fawcett Dark Crystal II (120L)3% Special RoastMash at 155F 44g Fuggle @60 min to 35 IBU 70g Bramling Cross in 165F Whirlpool Steep for 30 min. WY1968

I have not used Bramling Cross that I know of. I like this recipe and that TF&S Dark Crystal really makes a nice, authentic English beer. I just got done with a run of 1968 beers (two ESB-style beers and my Signature Ale) and I enjoy these in the fall (anytime really). I know I have mentioned this in the past but your mash temp of 155° coupled with a low-attenuating yeast like 1968 has me rubbing my chin. Is there something about the BIAB process that makes this work better than I envision? I remember looking through a number of recipes where English yeasts were used and the authors of the recipes were calling for mash temps of 150° or so because there would already be some residual sweetness left from the lower-attenuating yeast and then there is crystal malt in the equation too. Just thinking out loud although you may think I'm beating a dead horse because I have mentioned higher mash temps in the past. 

[neddles]

I have not used Bramling Cross that I know of. I like this recipe and that TF&S Dark Crystal really makes a nice, authentic English beer. I just got done with a run of 1968 beers (two ESB-style beers and my Signature Ale) and I enjoy these in the fall (anytime really). I know I have mentioned this in the past but your mash temp of 155° coupled with a low-attenuating yeast like 1968 has me rubbing my chin. Is there something about the BIAB process that makes this work better than I envision? I remember looking through a number of recipes where English yeasts were used and the authors of the recipes were calling for mash temps of 150° or so because there would already be some residual sweetness left from the lower-attenuating yeast and then there is crystal malt in the equation too. Just thinking out loud although you may think I'm beating a dead horse because I have mentioned higher mash temps in the past. 

I guess the only thing I can say is that I have read (don't remember where) that thinner mashes should, in theory, make a more fermentable wort. Don't know how much of that applies in a home brewery, don't know how much of that applies to my process. I just know that BIAB is a thinner mash. 

 

In a beer with this lower OG there has to be something leftover to give it some body. I would guess this will finish out around 1.010 to 1.014. Also I am not convinced that the dextrines left over by mashing higher are all that sweet. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

I guess the only thing I can say is that I have read (don't remember where) that thinner mashes should, in theory, make a more fermentable wort. Don't know how much of that applies in a home brewery, don't know how much of that applies to my process. I just know that BIAB is a thinner mash. 

 

In a beer with this lower OG there has to be something leftover to give it some body. I would guess this will finish out around 1.010 to 1.014. Also I am not convinced that the dextrines left over by mashing higher are all that sweet. 

 

Most of the sweetness left in a beer is from unfermented maltose I would think. Dextrins aren't that sweet. They do provide body though.

[Big Nake]

I suppose it all comes down to 'knowing your system' and I know that if I mash at 155° and used 1968 (and there was some amount of crystal in the grist), I would have a beer that finishes sweet. 1968 has an attenuation range of 67% to 71%, IIRC. I agree about the body and I have heard a number of brewers say they're going to make a OG 1.038 beer and mash high to give it body and make it satisfying. I get that part but I'm not sure how it would all shake out in the finish of the beer. I recently started using a bit more water in my mashes and less water in my sparge (for a couple of reasons) and it will be interesting to see if the thinner mash somehow corresponded to drier beer or thinner beer, etc. I know I asked you about your thermometer too and I thought you said you used a Thermapen which would make me pretty sure that you're mash temp is exactly what you think it is. God knows I had a number of very unreliable thermos in my early AG days.

Edited by KenLenard, 25 September 2014 - 01:39 PM.

[Big Nake]

Here's a thought... at what temp did you mash the helles you sent to me? For reference, I think the one I sent to you was a single-infusion mash at 150.2°. That beer was relatively dry but certainly not overly dry and we both mentioned that we thought our versions had the tendency to finish slightly sweet although not every time we drank them. If you tell me that your helles was mashed much higher than mine, I would assume the difference in systems is responsible. I'm not comparing helles to these English styles... just looking for a connection and we've both tasted each other's beers.

[neddles]

Here's a thought... at what temp did you mash the helles you sent to me? For reference, I think the one I sent to you was a single-infusion mash at 150.2°. That beer was relatively dry but certainly not overly dry and we both mentioned that we thought our versions had the tendency to finish slightly sweet although not every time we drank them. If you tell me that your helles was mashed much higher than mine, I would assume the difference in systems is responsible. I'm not comparing helles to these English styles... just looking for a connection and we've both tasted each other's beers.

The Helles I sent you was an OG 1.049 and was mashed at 152F. It finished at 1.011. Also 20 IBU FWIW.

[Big Nake]

The Helles I sent you was an OG 1.049 and was mashed at 152F. It finished at 1.011. Also 20 IBU FWIW.

Interesting. I think if I had mashed at 152°, my beer would have been noticeably sweeter in the finish. Makes sense that the larger mash size/thinner mash would contribute to that. Very interesting to consider all of the variables and what it means when you're leaning over that glass of beer. Cheers.

[denny]

10 AM  Noti Brown mashed in....

 

httpss://pbs.twimg.com/media/Byeg_FvCEAA9dCq.jpg

[SchwanzBrewer]

Damn you retired people! I wish I could brew all damn week.