Group brew AK? Comments? Volunteers?

I think you may have missed the point of cavedave's project proposal. Or maybe I did.

 

Not surprised, since I have no idea what mild he is talking about. I going to make the ak I was thinking about another 1 but I like higher abv, so please tell me what is his point, since the thread I Thought started with the top 3 AK's ???

Plus I been drinking so I sometimes get confused.

 

I think his intent was to choose and/or develop a group recipe for an AK, which everyone participating would brew. Could be wrong though.

 

oh I be honest I just brew stuff I know I will like, I am still rereading, water, hops, yeast, brew like a monk. etc. I got too many other recipes to be brave enough to think I am smart enough to INVENT a new recipe yet. I read farmhouse ales and that is my next project.

I figure in a few more years I will start to understand everything I am doing.

 

VikeMan has the right of it. Out of the discussion in the top 3 AKs thread came the idea for a group brew but consultation on that has to occur in the Homebrewing forum. My understanding of what @cavedave intended is also that the folks here will select an AK from Ron's collection that all will brew independently after agreeing on technique, etc. and coaching each other (e.g., making of the syrup, etc.) and then share results.

 

that's cool, I doubt I could add much to their knowledge, I am just a copy cat brewer atm.

 

Well some of the ofther folks had that feeling as well but see it as way of extending their knowledge or improving their skills by learning from each other. I'm not a homebrewer at all but I've already learned a few things about AKs from the contributions to this thread.

Edit: For example, @Hanglow did a very informative post above about how to make the invert syrup needed and pointing out that its an important step in getting the flavor sorted out because just throwing in the sugar brings different results.

 

Yea I am still learning so much. I really am wanting to experiment some day. that is why my next project is farmhouse ales.
seems like my water is ideal for it. cheers

I am really hooked on the old hops
fuggles
cluster
east kent
goldings
etc

 

Well the way this thread is shaping up I'm almost...almost... inclined to start homebrewing just for the fun of trying somehting like this out.

 

I started with 1 gallon cheap kit, you be surprised how cheap you can go, My issue is fermentation here in Florida and controlling temps, lucky that the US navy taught me AC&R stuff...

 

:-)

Its not the money at this point. I'm a bit of an obsessive compulsive about my hobbies and I can't afford right now the time I'd wind up putting into it.

 

oh I hear yea, I had to do it right, I ended up spending a few $100's on it. much to my wife's disappointment.

still she cannot really travel much anymore, so its a cool hobby.

 

I am interested but just ordered ingredients for Berliner, Flanders, and saison. Doubt I'll have the chance to add to the list anytime soon. I did make something like an AK last summer, albeit without the historical details: Maris otter, simpson's golden naked oats, a little homemade candi syrup, Whitbread goldings, and West Yorkshire yeast strain.

 

The West Yorkshire yeast strain (WY1469) is indeed a tasty yeast strain. I brewed a Bitter Ale in June with that strain and the beer turned out very well.

Cheers!

 

I'm not so sure the Averagely Perfect approach would work very well for a very obscure style. The idea behind the Averagely Perfect projects was to get a 'group average' recipe sourced across many folks with at leat some experience with the style. I suspect this project will require a lot of discussion before people can vote on anything (if voting is even the way to go). I'm thinking maybe just present several of @patto1ro 's recipes, discuss them, with hopefully some input fron Ron, and maybe vote amongst them. Then some discussion on producing the invert sugar, controlling attenuation, or whatever is appropriate, before everyone brews. Just throwing out ideas.

I think @Naugled would be a great choice!

 

I think I may duck out of this. I'd like to stay in the loop to see how it all goes down, but the more I'm looking at this the more I feel like an undergrad in a PhD course. Invert Syrup? Yikes. Plus, I've been mulling the idea of doing a beer with Oktoberfest malts and hops but with an Altbier yeast. I've only got the time and money for one brew before September hits (at which point I'll be a very busy man) and that idea is tickling me in all the right spots right now. Who knows, when the recipes are posted and discussion of them kicks up, I may just be pulled back into the fold. I'll continue to keep my eyes on this thread.

Salute!

 

I've used Lyle's syrup, which is mostly invert sugar and some tasters say it has a touch of diaceytl...or diaceytl like flavors...young beers can have some anyway...why add to it, other than to make a nostalgic mess? (IMHO)

 

Here's the AK recipe in my book:

1910 Fullers AK
pale malt 2 row 3.50 lb 37.84%
pale malt 6 row 3.50 lb 37.84%
Flaked corn 0.50 lb 5.41%
No.2 invert sugar 0.50 lb 5.41%
No.3 invert sugar 1.25 13.51%
Cluster 90 min 1.00 oz
Fuggles 60 min 1.00 oz
Goldings 30 min 1.00 oz
OG 1045
FG 1009
ABV 4.76
Apparent attenuation 80.00%
IBU 49
SRM 10
Mash at 150º F
Sparge at 165º F
Boil time 90 minutes
pitching temp 60º F
Yeast Wyeast 1968 London ESB or
White Labs WLP002 English Ale

It's for 6 US gallons.