Your current / planned brews

RasTa

23L of 1071 chocolate coffee stout, aiming for 1066. I will need to alter my brewhouse eff in beersmith as always shooting over with a batch sparge these days.

Going to get whole beans and nibs in secondary.

irish_goat

Stuck a brown ale on with plenty of Citra and Amarillo hops in it. Ended up doing a longer hot steep at the end whilst I looked for the connector for the wort chiller. Hopefully won't come out too bitter now.

Lovely Bloke

After this years BrewCon, and the excellent talk on Water Chemistry/Water Treatment, I'm drinking the first IPA I made since getting the water profile tested, and simply adding about 7 grams of Gypsum to the strike water before mashing.

The difference is unbelievable, really lifts the hops out of the mire of the malt, I can actually taste citrus from late addition cascade.

It's not perfect, of course, but by god, a huge difference.

Lovely Bloke

Did an English Porter 6 weeks ago

80% Maris Otter
10% Light Crystal
5% Brown Malt
5% Roasted Barley

Some early Magnum

Really nice, getting a nice bit of coffee off the brown malt, but it's not overwhelming, dark fruits in there too.

I think I prefer brewing dark, malty beers to pale hoppy ones.

Lovely Bloke

So, tomorrow is the brew day for the beer that will be drank over the festivities.

Milk Chocolate Stout.

5kg Maris Otter
500g Chocolate Stout
250g Roast Barley
and 500g of Cocoa Husks that I got will also go into the mash.
500g of Lactose toward the end of the boil
Some bittering hops, whatever is lying aroudn probably.

murphyebass

Going to be putting on a seriously hoppy IPA and a chocolate milk stout for Xmas either this weekend or during the week or both depending on time.

Still finalising recipes. Going to aim for an abv of 7% or so for both of them. Strong as apposed to imperial so their still some way sessionable. ... Sure anything is sessionable at Xmas. lol.

RasTa

Anybody got a good IPA recipe? Something similar to scraggy bay.

BeardySi

Brewed this last weekend:
http://byo.com/hops/item/2277-bad-santa

Albeit with an Edinburgh Ale yeast and Minch Pale Malt as the base... tasted fantastic going into the fermenter, usually a good sign!

Bottling 20L of Greg Hughes' American Stout tonight, another absolutely delicious recipe highly recommended.

Lovely Bloke

Did a Black IPA on Saturday

6kg Maris and 400g Carafa Special 3, simple grain bill
75min mash at 66

30g Vic Secret @ 10min
100g Ella 1hr Hop stand after flameout
100g Galaxy & 70g Vic Secret Dry Hop 4 days

Should be ready to drink at Xmas

Got all 2016 Southern Hemisphere hops off Geter Brewed.

aligator_am

Hoping to stick on a batch of stout for Christmas shortly, just wondering which kit you guys reckon is the best?

BeerNut

I've done very few but the standard white-label Cooper's one always turns out fine for me.

aligator_am

BeerNut wrote: »

I've done very few but the standard white-label Cooper's one always turns out fine for me.

Thanks for that BeerNut, I did one a few years back and I think it was the Coopers one but not certain, added in some dark brown sugar too which gave it a nice taste and boosted the ABV, gonna have another shot at it this year

maximum12

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

So, tomorrow is the brew day for the beer that will be drank over the festivities.

Milk Chocolate Stout.

5kg Maris Otter
500g Chocolate Stout
250g Roast Barley
and 500g of Cocoa Husks that I got will also go into the mash.
500g of Lactose toward the end of the boil
Some bittering hops, whatever is lying aroudn probably.

how did this turn out ? I take it the second ingredient should be Chocolate Malt ?

murphyebass

Anyone do extract brewing? If so how long do you normally leave a regular 5% stout to ferment and then bottle?

Normally I leave it 4 weeks in the fermenter and 4 weeks in bottle.

I left it too late for this brew to be ready by that calculation as I only brewed it on Friday gone.

But I've seen people say 2 weeks in fermenter and 2 weeks in bottle is plenty.

I am tempted to try this as it'd be ready at Christmas if this was the case but I don't want to ruin it either and can wait until end of January.

Just being greedy really. I already have a double IPA that will be ready by Christmas for definate.

Monzfrey

At the minute I've a Diablo Belgian beer and St. Peter's Stout in bottles waiting to be ready by Christmas time. Have the Youngs American Oaked Rume Ale and the Red Rattler Ale (from homebrewwest.ie) fermenting as well so should be a nice Christmas!

I'm hoping to do another brew for my smaller 5 litre fermenter but I'm a bit stuck on how to go about it. Would like something very hoppy. Have the following in mind:

Steep some crushed caramel for an hour in 1litre of hot water. Strain into pot.
Bring the Craft Range LME 1.2kg to a boil in another one litre of water.
? of Warrior hops at 20 mins.
? of Cascade at 10 mins.
? of Cascade at 0 mins.
Cool down.
Put 3 litres of cold water into vessel.
Sieve hops and pour wort into vessel.
Safale US-05 yeast.

However, I also have some Bewitched Amber Ale lying around so was wondering if this would be a worthy addition? If so I'm unsure if I should put it in after I've cooled the wort or else at the start with the LME? Or is something to disregard completely? Any help would be mighty!

maximum12

murphyebass wrote: »

Anyone do extract brewing? If so how long do you normally leave a regular 5% stout to ferment and then bottle?

Normally I leave it 4 weeks in the fermenter and 4 weeks in bottle.

I left it too late for this brew to be ready by that calculation as I only brewed it on Friday gone.

But I've seen people say 2 weeks in fermenter and 2 weeks in bottle is plenty.

I am tempted to try this as it'd be ready at Christmas if this was the case but I don't want to ruin it either and can wait until end of January.

Just being greedy really. I already have a double IPA that will be ready by Christmas for definate.

A 5% stout will be absolutely fine after four weeks.

Lovely Bloke

maximum12 wrote: »

how did this turn out ? I take it the second ingredient should be Chocolate Malt ?

Haven't opened any yet, will probably open one tomorrow evening for a taste.

Yeah, chocolate malt, d'oh.

It was my first time using Lactose, and it really messes with the gravity calculations. It probably isn't more than 4.5% though, which is what I wanted.

Also only did a light carbing on it, try to keep the mouthfeel as soft as possible.

murphyebass

maximum12 wrote: »

A 5% stout will be absolutely fine after four weeks.

So 2 weeks in fermenter and 2 weeks in bottle yeah?

Lovely Bloke

Do you have a hydrometer? Take readings after 10 days, and then 14 days.

Where are you fermenting? If it's in a shed, and it's cold, the fermentation may not be finished.

If it's in a centrally heated house then the fermentation should definitely be done in 2 weeks, and then bottled for 2 weeks should see it right.

murphyebass

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

Do you have a hydrometer? Take readings after 10 days, and then 14 days.

Where are you fermenting? If it's in a shed, and it's cold, the fermentation may not be finished.

If it's in a centrally heated house then the fermentation should definitely be done in 2 weeks, and then bottled for 2 weeks should see it right.

I do have a hydrometer but to be honest I've never taken readings during a brew as I always leave it 4 weeks fermenter and 4 weeks in bottle.

The fermenters in the house alright. Shed was too cold and no power available for a heat belt. Gonna sort that in the new year though. I doubt I'll get away with a fermenter in the house for much longer.

Anyway I might give the hydrometer a go and see how we're progressing.

smacl

A few gallons of cider from my own trees brewing away in the shed, along with a fair amount of perry. Had one case from earlier in the year last week for a lads weekend that came out pretty well, but the end of year brew from the ripest fruit is always the best.

maximum12

murphyebass wrote: »

So 2 weeks in fermenter and 2 weeks in bottle yeah?

Yeah most ale yeasts are done in a week. I normally leave them in the fermenter for 3 weeks, keg and then drink straight away. I've tapped them after two weeks a couple of times. Worst case you just leave them in the bottle another couple of weeks if you think they're too fresh.

Lovely Bloke

murphyebass wrote: »

I do have a hydrometer but to be honest I've never taken readings during a brew as I always leave it 4 weeks fermenter and 4 weeks in bottle.

The fermenters in the house alright. Shed was too cold and no power available for a heat belt. Gonna sort that in the new year though. I doubt I'll get away with a fermenter in the house for much longer.

Anyway I might give the hydrometer a go and see how we're progressing.

If you've never taken a reading then you won't know how you are progressing!

two low-ish readings a couple of days apart will signify the end of fermentation though, then it's good practice allow the yeast to do a bit of a clean up and fully floculate out of the beer, and then bottle.

Be careful if you do go down the Brew Belt route, as Fermentation itself generates heat, and if the brew belt is constantly on you may run into yeast off flavours from that.

murphyebass

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

If you've never taken a reading then you won't know how you are progressing!

two low-ish readings a couple of days apart will signify the end of fermentation though, then it's good practice allow the yeast to do a bit of a clean up and fully floculate out of the beer, and then bottle.

Be careful if you do go down the Brew Belt route, as Fermentation itself generates heat, and if the brew belt is constantly on you may run into yeast off flavours from that.

I take an OG and FG but don't bother with intervening readings as I tend to leave it at least 4 weeks in both fermenter and bottle which give it more than enough time.

I've used belts in the past. They work well in a cold environment which is the only place I would use them and only at certain times of year like now in a shed for example.

I have it inside in a plenty warm enough environment though so no need at the moment.

Points taken though thanks.

That_Guy

Stuck on a Razorback IPA last night.

Quick question.

I accidentally threw in the priming sugar along with the dextrose supplied with the kit.

I'm planning on kegging the beer/force carbonating it. Will this have any effect on the overall taste do you think?

BeerNut

Nah. It'll make it an inconsequentially bit stronger, but that's it.

That_Guy

BeerNut wrote: »

Nah. It'll make it an inconsequentially bit stronger, but that's it.

Perfect. Appreciate that.

stecleary

Recently bottled a pear cider 7.9% and RazorBack IPA 5.8%

Planned: Vanilla Stout, Want to look into some sort of honey and orange beer, Kölsch could be the way to go

Lovely Bloke

Honey and Orange? sound perfect for a Belgian Wit.

loyatemu

have an American Amber in the fermenter, didn't really hit my mash figures though, so it's going to be 4-4.5% rather than 5%. Also had issues with hops pellets clogging my tap so there's now a lot of hop debris sitting at the bottom of the fermenter. Might use hop bags the next time, every brew is a learning experience...