homebrew?

[SoreTween]

Coffee stout started boxing day. I should have started it sooner as it now looks like it won't be ready to bottle before I go back to work and so will have to sit until the 7th.

[SoreTween]

Took a chance.  It was down to 1.010 yesterday and about the same today so I have just bottled 4.5 gallons of the most wonderful smelling concoction.

My beer shed is colder than ideal so I'm going to have to be very patient.  It is not going to be easy.

[SoreTween]

Quick run down of the results of my 2016 brewing:

• Woodforde's Admiral's Reserve:  Not brilliant, I don't blame the kit at all.  Most of the problem is that I must have put too much priming sugar in.  It is too lively and very difficult to get a clean pour.  It'll get used up.
• Woodforde's Nelson's Revenge:  Now that's home brew.  It has the astringent flavours I associate with home brew but not badly.  Good gas.  Enjoyable.
• Woodforde's Sundew:  Oh my, this is lovely.  Not just in the flavour but it is really well behaved.  The sediment has not just settled it has solidified.  I've not had one before where you can pour the bottle dry and get no sediment in the glass.  No hint of off flavours, a nice beer.
• Simply Stout (with a coffee twist):  I only opened one to see how it was coming on not expecting much.  It is flippin gorgeous!  I had a good selection of stouts in for the England vs Italy match and mine was the only one I went back for seconds of.  I had no idea home brew could be that good.  Only criticism is it is low on gas, it pours totally flat so will not keep.  There's zero chance of it sitting about to go off.

Need to get 40 bottles emptied to get some summer ale on.

[Canardly]

I have a new kit stowed away somewhere watch this space.......

[ElyDave]

I was just thinking about a new batch the other day.  Thinking of getting some unhopped malt extract and playing around.

I have a gallon of Sloe and Roesehip wine to bottle as well.  Tastes good, but needs to rest to get rid of that sloe astrigency/tannins

[ElyDave]

Anyone know how to equate liquid malt extract with all grain recipes?

Or is it just a case of a bit of experimentation? 

[lahoski]

Anyone know how to equate liquid malt extract with all grain recipes?

Or is it just a case of a bit of experimentation?

In terms of quantity you would use 0.75 by weight, i.e. 1kg grain = 0.75kg liquid malt extract.

When I used extract, I just used pale or extra pale extract, and the steeped any 'speciality' grains if the recipe called for them. 30mins in ~66 deg C water for the steeping grains, strained through something reasonably fine - muslin or sommat.

[ElyDave]

Anyone know how to equate liquid malt extract with all grain recipes?

Or is it just a case of a bit of experimentation?

In terms of quantity you would use 0.75 by weight, i.e. 1kg grain = 0.75kg liquid malt extract.

When I used extract, I just used pale or extra pale extract, and the steeped any 'speciality' grains if the recipe called for them. 30mins in ~66 deg C water for the steeping grains, strained through something reasonably fine - muslin or sommat.

Cheers,

that's kind of what I'm thinking.  I have a porter recipe I want to try out, but I'm not set up for all grain.

Also thinking about a bit of beer strength mead this year.

[ElyDave]

GN - All the stud has arrived for my experiment with unhopped extract and steeped grains

BN - Far too busy at work to do anything about it

[ElyDave]

Started my porter yesterday.  Yeast has kicked off well, first time I've used one of these Wyeast smack packs.  Fermenting well, looking and smelling like a bucket of thin frothy treacle, though my wife thinks it smells like soy sauce.

[ElyDave]

And here they are

[lahoski]

And here they are

How did it taste when bottling?

[David Martin]

I have repeated the bavarian wheat beer. Went down a treat last summer and I am a few weeks earlier this year so it should be spot on for June. My bottles do seem to last and be quite drinkable, even a year on.

[ElyDave]

How did it taste when bottling?

Excellent, and even better just a couple of weeks down the line. I think I may have underdone the priming sugar though as it's a bit flat.

The black malts and roasted barley have given it a nice smokey, chocolateyness, and there's a good amount of fruitiness as well. Good mouthfeel with the addition of oats, and has come out crystal clear with no use of finings   

With the level of hops in it I think it would also work well as a spiced porter, or even with a bit of coffee.

[David Martin]

The weißbier is now ready. Very good. And with a kick like a carthorse. After 1/3 pint I could murder a kebab.

Ideal refreshing summer brew to drink slowly.

[woollypigs]

well the Belle Saison clone/experiment with St Peter's Golden Ale went into 40 bottles today at 6.5-7% ... hick!

[SoreTween]

Rather late getting my summer beers on.
In late April a Bulldog Raja's Reward (IPA 4.8%) was started and two weeks later went down the toilet, the yeast didn't start at all.
A Wilco IPA kit (4%) went straight in the fermenting bin after that.  Slightly low on water and with half an kilo of extra sugar that went like a train.  For a bit of extra zip a teabag of Fuggles was added after a week which split   38 bottles seem to be clearing even so.
After that a Bulldog Evil Dog (American IPA 7.1%) got under way which I've just bottled.  Timings didn't work out well so it spent probably 4 days longer in the bin than it ideally wanted.  Very lively going into the 42 bottles today and clearer than usual. Smelled gorgeous.

I think I have enough bottles to start an autumn ale, Bulldog Bad Cat (Imperial Red 7.5%) looks interesting.  I'm going to need a new fermenting vessel :-( After something of the order of 25 years the click down edge on the lid of my Boots bin is separating.

[woollypigs]

Do let me know how the Evil Dog works out, been thinking about that one for a while.

Four days longer in a pot ain't going to hurt it. I have read about people forgetting (how could they?) and bottling it after a few months in the FV. 

[mrcharly-YHT]

I started this in 2013.

*finally* there are jugs of crab apple wine brewing in the kitchen.

I was hoping for beer, but I'll settle for the crab apple wine, particularly as the crab apples are from our garden.

[ElyDave]

Just started a batch of rhubarb wine, rhubarb from the garden, dry extract method which never fails. Ends up like a sauvignon blanc.

[lahoski]

Just started a batch of rhubarb wine, rhubarb from the garden, dry extract method which never fails. Ends up like a sauvignon blanc.

Dry extract method?

I'm quite keen on starting wine-making - irritated I missed the elderflowers.

[ElyDave]

Chop the rhubarb, throw it in a big bowl, and layer with the right amount of sugar.  Reverse osmosis pulls the juice out into the sugar and you end up with a nice syrup.  No boiling so reduced the pectin-related hazes that rhubarb can produce.

You may need a bit of gentle warming to dissolve all the sugar, wash the pulp into your ferment vessel, add the yeast and off it goes.  Very simple recipe.

If you haven't got it, I heartily recommend First Steps in Winemaking by C J J Berry, he's no longer with us, but I'm not sure if the book's still around.

[lahoski]

That does sound good. I think I might have to give it a go

A quick google shows it's still in print - duly ordered. No time like the present, eh?

[woollypigs]

Order arrived with my next few month entertainments



Coopers Marilyn's Secret Blond IPA (my favourite home brew I have done) , the same again but with Belle Saison yeast (just for the heck of it) and Sierra Nevada Pale Clone (as that will remind me, if I get it right, of our trip to the US)

[ElyDave]

I was just thinking about ordering deadlines to get a brew on for Christmas with a bit of maturation time.

Looks like you'll be busy