Brewing Activities (2020)

Put on the Belgian golden strong that I aged for 9 months in my Brett & pedio-infected barrel and then keg-primed. It's really dang good. Bright lemony acidity, a bit of honey sweetness, lots of white wine oakiness. 9.2% ABV but doesn't drink like it.

 

Ordered a few new toys for the brewery which should be here next week.

Also ordered ingredients for my next 2 beers and made a starter for the first one last night. Will be brewing a Chocolate Pumpkin Porter at the request of my wife. Brewed something similar maybe 8 or so years ago that went over really well - hoping to recreate that magic.

 

Care to share your strategy?

 

I believe he's referring to this:.

http://scottjanish.com/survivables-unpacking-hot-side-hop-flavor/

 

Bitter done today, pitched windsor for flavour and us05 for attenuation. Step mash 63c for 30mins then 72c for 30 mins then mashout for 10.


1.040 SG

80% crisp extra pale
7% crisp medium crystal
13% invert



hops were bramling cross and home grown hallertau mittelfruh from 2018. Shit loads of them (100g each) as the bramling cross were only 3% and I imagine my hops are less than that . Should be about 40 IBU



invert colour changing as it cooks in the oven. low and slow over the brewday, each sample is about an hour apart from start to finish. No idea what EBC it is? I was thinking invert no2. Or maybe 1.5





nice clear runnings from mash tun

 

Brewing 15 gallons for my buddies wedding. 10 gallons of blonde and 5 gallon of Märzen.

 

Exceptionally clear! First runnings? I'd guess yes, being as it's in a nearly empty kettle.

You're a good buddy.
Sweet transport mechanism for getting between buckets and kettles.

 

That was actually the final runnings I think, it was left over once I'd already started the boil. I was going to keep it to make starters with but poured it down the drain, only realised now It was a fair bit lighter than that picture shows

 

Got the IPA I brewed last week into the keg yesterday morning, when it was at 1.012 (expected FG of 1.008). As this is a west coast IPA, I decided to bust out the gelatin, even though it's not cold when added, to see if I can get some aid in dropping brighter for the style. I know it won't do much about the hop haze, but we shall see.

I added the gelatin solution with a 10ppm dose of SMB and the keg/dry hop, which was 0.25oz of Engima and Idaho 7, with 1oz each of Cryo Citra and Cryo Simcoe.

Today, took a reading from what was left in the fermenter and FG is 1.007, for a final ABV of 6.6%. Nice and dry. With approximately 80 IBU's to back that up, it's got some serious punch. The hop bitterness is more harsh/intense than what I have obtained in the past, perhaps the use of the hop extract. Was again, my first time using it. But I dig it, it's west coast all the way! Especially with the high sulfate water profile.

Keg pressured nicely with the spund and has the appropriate pressure for carbonation. Will let it sit for a few days before crashing it down to 30F for a week or so of conditioning, before tapping it a few days later. Fingers crossed!

 

Super simple extract Dunkelweizen tonight. It’s been too long, and I need a quick ‘keg filler’ beer for some (Hopefully) cooler weather ahead

 

Prepped for tomorrow's gluten free NEIPA. Sticking with the same grain bill and yeast as last time.

Biscuit rice 4L
Munich millet
Flaked quinoa
Flaked oats
Columbus/Simcoe hot side
Galaxy/Simcoe dry hop
Verdant IPA

 

Bought a larger mash tun so I can do no sparge and a controller for the element in my boiler as it was a bit powerful when on full. Also got a pump finally, no more relying on gravity for me.

What are peoples preferences when it comes to hose connections? camlocks/quick disconnects/barbs and clips etc?

 

Haven't brewed in over 6 months now after selling my house and moving in with my brother while I look for a new house. The housing market is crazy in Minnesota so realizing it might be a while before I find a place I'm now planning to do some small biab batches outdoors. My new burner got delivered yesterday and I pulled most of my equipment out of storage so I am ready to give it a go this weekend. This will be my first outdoors and biab brew so anything special I should prepare for? Temps should be around 70 so not worried about insulating the kettle yet and planning to go no sparge on it.

I purchased some Strata, Vic Secret, and Idaho 7 earlier this year so thinking I might try a Smash IPA with one of them. Any preferred hop I should start with? Or are these hops best used in combinations? I do also have some Citra sitting around.

 

I brew BIAB outdoors in way warmer weather and insulate with some reflective insulation and then two old sleeping bags. Usually lose 2 degrees in an hour. Just a reference point.

 

I went with camlocks on all my connections and would not hesitate to recommend them.

 

Keg my brown ale today. Smelling and tasting fabulous. Had a stupid hiccup today. I couldn’t get the beer moving from the fermentor to the keg. I was double checking everything and it looked good. So I cranked the pressure up and heard a thud in the keg and then liquid rushing in. I was like oh ok good we’re moving. It was my carb stone shooting off the hose. I was on the post dang it!

 

Finally set up the chest freezer I bought to turn into a keezer to at least be a beer fridge in the meantime. Took a bit to get the hang of setting the controller. Hopefully, when MDHBS opens it's doors to the public again, I'll get the ball rolling on keezer construction. I have a thing where if I'm doing something for the first time, even though I'm sure I'm capable of doing it, I want to talk to someone in person who knows more than I do. Really wishing I'd have made the time to be a member of a homebrew club now. One of these days. I definitely miss the camaraderie of a club.

Might brew something tomorrow. Depends on what the Ol' Lady wants to do.