The Homebrew Thread

[Frank_Grimes]

Link?

 

[Frank_Grimes]

Here is a pic of the Mandarin Ale. Pretty happy with the final product, but I'd use less hops next time as the mandarin flavour would be enough citrus.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Link?

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au

Here is a pic of the Mandarin Ale. Pretty happy with the final product, but I'd use less hops next time as the mandarin flavour would be enough citrus.

Looks really nice though. I need to try a citrus beer one of these days

 

[Frank_Grimes]

I finally got the Bru'n Water spreadsheet to work on my home computer. For some reason it is corrupt at work. Might have something to do with the firewall.

Had a quick tool around with it last night and I think it will be much more helpful that the Beersmith water tool. I think I'll use citric acid to lower the mash ph in my next beer for two reasons:

1. I already have some in the pantry
2. I've read it can give a citrus tinge to any fruity ales and help accentuate those notes

 

[TiggaPlease]

Alright, after 3 or so weeks without brewing due to illness, kids birthdays etc I'm getting back in the saddle this weekend.

Have installed a pickup tube on the urn so there is no deadspace - Will need to whirlpool really well to ensure no trub in the cube.

I'm going to go with an approx 4% ABV blonde ale.


Batch Size (fermenter): 22.00 l
Bottling Volume: 20.60 l
Estimated OG: 1.039 SG
Estimated Color: 9.8 EBC
Estimated IBU: 21.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 70.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 -
3.00 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) ( Grain 2 71.4 %
0.50 kg Vienna Malt (6.9 EBC) Grain 3 11.9 %
0.50 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White) (3.5 Grain 4 11.9 %
0.20 kg Caramalt (Joe White) (49.3 EBC) Grain 5 4.8 %
5.00 g Summit [15.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 9.5 IBUs
0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 mins) Fining 7 -
25.00 g Summit [15.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 Hop 8 11.8 IBUs
1.0 pkg US West Coast Yeast (Mangrove Jack's #M4 Yeast 9 -

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I made a blonde ale last week

2.5kg ale malt
2.5kg Vienna
.5kg wheat
.150kg caramalt

1ml lactic acid
2g gypsum

20g hallertau at 60
15g hallertau at 15
15g Saaz at 15
15g hallertau at 5
15g Saaz at 5

75min mash at 66 and 15min mash out at 75

Ended up with a brew house efficiency of 60% which is way better than any lighter ebc brews I have done.

 

[TiggaPlease]

That sounds like a pretty nice brew, almost like an ale version of a euro lager.

Good to hear your efficiency is on the rise. I'm still at 65%, would love it to be 70-75%

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Yeah it pretty much is, but decided on an ale yeast instead of a lager, which kind of made it a blonde ale. Just using up old hops that I have in the freezer.

I reckon most of my efficiency was due to me stirring the mash every 15 min combined with recirculation. Also did a 23L mash instead of 20L and only a 9L sparge.

My next brew I am going to a full volume mash with a very small sparge. See how that works. I am going to treat the robobrew like BIAB essentially.

 

[TiggaPlease]

Made the blonde ale tonight. Ended up only using 20gm summit at end of boil, threw it in at flame out instead of in the cube. First time using my new refractometer efficiency for this batch appears to be a touch over 70%. OG is 10.8 Brix or 1.042 sg - beersmith predicted 1.039 at 65%. I gave the mash a good stir before hoisting the bag - not sure if this helped extract some extra sugar.

Will pitch yeast tomorrow or Sunday.

 

[TiggaPlease]

Oh yeah, first time using the pickup tube too, worked a treat. Clear wort collected and heaps less crap left in the kettle. Might start the next batch with 1 litre less water to see if I can be left with just the hop cone at the end and no liquid.

 

[TiggaPlease]

Just ordered grains for my next brew - looking to do an IPA (Don't brew many so it will be nice to have one on tap)

I'm sure that the hop schedule will change between now and Friday night but here is what I'm thinking - will mash at around 64 or 65:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 28.30 l
Post Boil Volume: 25.00 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 22.00 l
Bottling Volume: 20.60 l
Estimated OG: 1.063 SG
Estimated Color: 12.3 EBC
Estimated IBU: 67.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 70.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
16.50 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 -
6.50 kg Gladfield American Ale Malt (5.0 EBC) Grain 2 94.2 %
0.20 kg Acidulated (Weyermann) (3.5 EBC) Grain 3 2.9 %
0.20 kg Gladfield Light Crystal Malt (63.0 EBC) Grain 4 2.9 %
10.00 g Hallertau Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 m Hop 5 14.3 IBUs
0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 mins) Fining 6 -
100.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 Hop 7 13.9 IBUs
50.00 g Galaxy [15.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 Hop 8 19.0 IBUs
50.00 g Summit [16.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 Hop 9 20.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 10 -
75.00 g Galaxy [15.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
50.00 g Summit [16.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
25.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs

 

[MKEB...]

What are you guys using as a sanitiser? Or are you steam steralising?

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Brewed a Tower 10 IPA clone today.

I did a massive mash volume of 27litres which was lapping right at the top of the robobrew. Did a small 6L sparge and ended up with a mash efficiency of 76% and total efficiency at 70%.

I recommend you try a full volume mash. Maybe go with 25-26L though and see how your efficiency goes.

I also added 2ml of Lactic acid and 2g of gypsum but apparently according to the brewers on AHB water chemistry doesnt significantly effect efficiency.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

What are you guys using as a sanitiser? Or are you steam steralising?

I use mangrove jacks no rinse

 

[TiggaPlease]

What are you guys using as a sanitiser? Or are you steam steralising?

I use starsan, I keep it in a spray bottle and pour 100ml or so into kegs, fermenters etc and shake to coat.

 

[TiggaPlease]

Brewed a Tower 10 IPA clone today.

I did a massive mash volume of 27litres which was lapping right at the top of the robobrew. Did a small 6L sparge and ended up with a mash efficiency of 76% and total efficiency at 70%.

I recommend you try a full volume mash. Maybe go with 25-26L though and see how your efficiency goes.

I also added 2ml of Lactic acid and 2g of gypsum but apparently according to the brewers on AHB water chemistry doesnt significantly effect efficiency.

I already full volume mash, no sparge. Usually 29-33 litres depending on grain bill.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I already full volume mash, no sparge. Usually 29-33 litres depending on grain bill.

Yeah, Was more aimed at Frank who uses a robobrew.

It seems robobrew needs to be treated more like BIAB than a 3V set up.

 

[TiggaPlease]

What's the hop bill in the tower 10 clone? Don't mind that beer at all.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

The recipe I used which was scaled down by about 50% was -

40g Chinook @ 60
15g Chinook @ 30
20g Chinook @ 0

20g Cascade dry hop
20g Centennial dry hop

Have seen another recipe with the same hops but slightly different schedule however from the actual webpage of Tower 10 IPA it says 'Filling the kettle with powerful Chinook hops and then adding a blend of Cascade and Centennial hops after fermentation, this India Pale Ale is a vibrant citrus and pine dominated beer with a delicious dry and balanced finish.'

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I missed the ABV by about .5% but the IBU comes in at around 70 which is the same as the original