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yes something like it! lots of factors though from your water to your mash temp to controlling fermentation temp, bur somewhere near!
Mugsys_m8, [url= http://www.brasserie-pleinelune.fr/ ]http://www.brasserie-pleinelune.fr/[/url] is in your neck of the woods, at least it's your side of Valence and their IPA is good enough. I haven't tried the other beers they make, but they'll be worth a try if they're as good as that.
That Massive set-up is rather tempting, nothing comes close at that price.
a mate came round on sunday to do a double brew
here is the timlapse 8 hours. in 3 mins
[quote=CaptainFlashheart said]Binners has let himself go a bit, hasn't he?
He's slimmed down though.
Are there any Homebrew equivalents to Chain Reaction. I have a (work) idea that they and the micro / homebrew community themselves may be interested in but there's no way I could set up to distribute individually. If there was a CRC equivalent or equivalents that might be able to distribute for me, it might work.
Bit secret squirrel as it's just an idea for now.......
I made an awesome Black IPA/Cascadian Dark/whatever last year. 6% of dark, hoppy lovelyness 🙂
Got the hops in stock to brew it again soon.
Are there any Homebrew equivalents to Chain Reaction
Not really - the only ones that I've been aware of over the last few years haven't done so well, the most popular and reliable tend to be offshoots of LBSs - with the exception of Barley Bottom which is not a local brew shop, but it is a one man band type affair.
I don't think there is the scale in the UK market to support something like CRC - a quick look over the "big" websites and you will see it restricted to pretty much kit beers, rather than anything more substantial.
Homebrew is on the rise at the moment, as this thread shows, I suppose. More and more people I know are brewing full grain at home these days, mainly for cost reasons. So, there may well be a market for something like that, but the way that CRC really got going was by selling old stuff cheaply to start with. There's no real 'last year's model' marketing to be had in the brewing industry, is there?
There are loads of really good little independent brewshops out there, and many (if not all) of them do some sort of online stuff as well.
Cost of shipping must be an issue for online brew-shops. Involves a lot of low value, heavy and/or large items - not sure how you avoid piling on big transit costs to the buyer.
This looks like fun.
what do i need to get started and where do i get all the gear from??
what do i need to get started and where do i get all the gear from??
Another shameless plug here, but one I think that others would agree with. For a starter, full grain brew kit, http://www.massivebrewery.com/ is a really good place to kick off.
Everything you need to get started* brewing your own.
*Everything except sufficient empty bottles in to which you can put your beer. Of course, this means you'll have to find a way to get some empty beer bottles....First, take a full beer bottle......
Of course, this means you'll have to find a way to get some empty beer bottles....First, take a full beer bottle......
a dirty job but someone has to do it 😉
actually, just a thought... it's worth shelling out on a box of PET beer bottles, using one or two in each batch that you bottle. When you fill the bottle, it's soft & squeezable. When the beer has had enough time for carbonation, it's hard. oo-er missus
There's no real 'last year's model' marketing to be had in the brewing industry, is there?
That's very true - once you are set up with brewing kit, then it's just sundries, unless you want to upscale to bigger volumes, but that's rare really, most people are fine with 5 gallons, and it's not much more trouble to double brew, and you then get 2 different types of beer!
truncated cone BIAB bag template successfully carved out of paper this lunchtime, thanks to an empty floor space, some maths and a fibre patch cord and zip ties as a stringline 🙂
need to check it fits my brewpot now, procure the voile and hand over to our tame seamstress for finishing.
massive brewery have been sold out everytime I've tried today....
OCRider: thanks I'll take a peek.
massive brewery have been sold out everytime I've tried today....
It's only a one man band, so drop him a line and ask when his next batch will be ready. He's a top chap!
We pay 60p a Kilo for Crushed Maris Otter . Have to buy 1 ton to get that price though.
STM, would you do a cheeky reselling deal for STWbrewers? Smaller quantities, obviously!
Ditto hops....
Whereabouts are you, if collection is an option!
😉
Minimum order at Fawcetts malts in Castleford is 10 bags of mixed malts
cash on collection approx £18 for a 25 kg bag of Maris otter
and similar for other malts
[b]Massive Brewery - BeerSmith Equipment profile[/b]
I've spent a fair bit of time fine tuning my equipment profile on Beersmith the match the Massive Brewery kit.
To help anyone trying to scale recipes on Beersmith, I've uploaded it:
One thing you'll need to be aware of is that I now use one large bag rather than two smaller ones. My overall efficiency was dreadful trying to brew anything over 4-5% due to the bags getting too full. A bigger bag allows me to "rain in" the grain while stirring too. This change led to a jump from under 60% to 73% in efficiency. If you plan on using the two bags supplied with the kit, I'd suggest adjusting the efficiency figure in the profile back down to 60%.
By using this profile, you can download any recipe in beersmith format (or input ones you've found elsewhere) and then instantly scale it to work with the massive brewery kit.
As a failed brewer I am loving this thread! Must get my kit out the loft and extend the shed.
Thanks PF, that will prove really useful indeed.
+1 thanks peter
Where did you buy the new bag (or did you make it)? Reading around it seems stirring is useful for getting a good efficiency but that's not very easy with the Massive bags.
I picked up a mashing bag from my LHBS. It's much bigger than my pot but doesn't really matter.
It has a drawstring, so I can keep it tight round the pot, then "rain" the grain in whilst stirring. This avoids the grain clumping together.
When I do my dunk sparge, I dunk the bag in, open it up and give it a good stir for a minute, leave for a few minutes, then stir again etc. As I mentioned, my efficiency is MUCH better now, plus it's less faffing around with only one bag and less cleaning 🙂
Thanks all for your comments on the CRC equivalent in the homebrew world.
Seems for good reasons that there isn't one major, but I'm interested instead then by the myriad smaller LHBS network.
What's the STW equivalent in HB? Beersmith?
I read most of the bigger forums. Jim's Beer Kit has some UK specific info, but focuses quite heavily on kits.
homebrewtalk.com is probably my favourite, but it's mostly US. Not that it really matters, but it's worth bearing in mind that you'll end up an expert in US craft brewing rather than UK! I really like the US craft brew scene, so it works for me. There's a mountain of information and it's a very active forum.
Jim's Beer Kit has some UK specific info, but focuses quite heavily on kits.
???
have you been into the forum on JBK? there are separate sections for All Grain, BIAB, kit brewing, extract brewing, recipes etc
That's the bit I was talking about John. I do like the forum and use it loads, but just noticed it seems to have more kits talk compared to the US forums. Out of a few hundred thousand posts on JBK, about 100,000 are directly related to kits, which will then filter into the more general forums.
Homebrewtalk has (literally) millions of posts, but also with 100,000 on extract/kits, so proportionally it's much more focussed on all grain.
Actually, I don't even know why i'm bothering trying to attach figures to it, it's just what I notice when I search for stuff in either forum, it wasn't designed as a negative comment 🙂
[url= http://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum.php ]Homebrew Talk main forum page[/url]
[url= http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/index.php ]Jim's Beer Kit forum page[/url]
perhaps there's not as big a kit side to the industry in the US as in the UK?
don't forget less than a century ago, alcohol & its production were [i]illegal[/i] in the USA.
you have to remember that many home brewers in the UK first come into the hobby when they're bought a beer kit for christmas; some brewers are perfectly happy with the results & never go beyond kits
oh aye, like I say, it wasn't meant as a negative thing. I just found that there's an incredible amount of info out there for new brewers, when you have a question you need to research, it makes it easier when you're comparing apples with apples. e.g. if I find a similar thread to my question on a forum, it helps me when it's about all grain/biab, since I know it will work for me. It's all quite overwhelming when you start out, so it's nice to focus on the threads that are following the same process as you.
There is also [url= http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/ ]The home brew forum [/url]
I've also used the brewuk forum (www.brewuk.co.uk), although its attached to a store its quite good as a resource.
It's all quite overwhelming when you start out, so it's nice to focus on the threads that are following the same process as you
you got that right 🙂
Its incredible the equipment, process and sometimes chemistry / art / alchemy thats employed in complex brewing. The good thing is its as complex as you want it to be and once you figure that out as a beginner, its great fun 🙂
Arrrggghhh, my first brewing "disaster" last night 🙁
Had an empty house so decided to brew a centennial blonde which I was going to keg for a mate's birthday.
Everything went well and after 30 mins of cooling I went to grab the pot and get it into the fermenter.
Unfortunately the cold water had caused the copper to shrink enough to allow water to squirt out of a space where it meets the plastic tubing. So when i went to collect my pot it was overflowing with tap water 🙁
That said, there was a clear separation between the wort and the 4 or 5 inches of tap water on top, so I tried to scoop it out as best as I could.
I took a gravity reading after it went into the FV and I only missed my target by a couple of points, so I must have got most of the tap water out. So provided it's not picked up anything that shouldn't be in there, it might work out after all.
Done that, I feel for you. You could've started the boil again...
@peterfile, I've been playing around with BeerSmith using your equipment profile. Thanks again for sharing it!
I was just wondering what mash profile you were using with it? I have done a bit of reading and if I understand correctly the Massive Brewery kit uses the Maxi-BIAB method (where the sparge water fills up the pot so by the end you've used more total water than the pot could originally hold). I found a few threads about how to program Beer Smith for Maxi-BIAB but I didn't really understand them to be honest!!
Sorry to hear about your brewing (near) disaster! Was that using the supplied Massive immersion chiller? Something to be wary of do you think?
You could've started the boil again...
Dammit...didn't even think of that!
I was just wondering what mash profile you were using with it? I have done a bit of reading and if I understand correctly the Massive Brewery kit uses the Maxi-BIAB method (where the sparge water fills up the pot so by the end you've used more total water than the pot could originally hold). I found a few threads about how to program Beer Smith for Maxi-BIAB but I didn't really understand them to be honest!!
Sorry, I should have mentioned, I just ignore the water volumes that beersmith produces (it doesn't have the ability to set up for Maxi BIAB).
Basically, I fill up my kettle with 9 litres of water, get it up to the strike temp and then mash in that. Then I fill up my FV with about 3-4 litres of hot water straight from my tap (I don't bother getting it to 80 degrees as suggested by massive brewery, it makes no difference to efficiency). Squeeze the bag from the kettle over the kettle, dunk it in the FV and stir it around for a bit. Squeeze it over the FV and then pour the FV into the kettle so that it's about an inch or two from the top. That's it. I'm consistently getting 73% brewhouse efficiency doing it that way.
Sorry to hear about your brewing (near) disaster! Was that using the supplied Massive immersion chiller? Something to be wary of do you think?
I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it in future, but I think it was a one off, just unfortunate. I suppose the key is to make sure the water pressure isn't too high, so no need to turn the tap on full!
I added a couple of extra jubilee clips to my immersion chiller. worked for a while but then it started leaking into the wort again.
so I got a counterflow plate chiller and now I use that instead.
Not cheap but there's NO chance of the tap water coming into contact with the wort, and as an added bonus, it uses a lot less water AND is done in the time it takes to empty the boiler.
Awesome, thanks!Basically, I fill up my kettle with 9 litres of water, get it up to the strike temp and then mash in that. Then I fill up my FV with about 3-4 litres of hot water straight from my tap (I don't bother getting it to 80 degrees as suggested by massive brewery, it makes no difference to efficiency). Squeeze the bag from the kettle over the kettle, dunk it in the FV and stir it around for a bit. Squeeze it over the FV and then pour the FV into the kettle so that it's about an inch or two from the top. That's it. I'm consistently getting 73% brewhouse efficiency doing it that way.
Basically, I fill up my kettle with 9 litres of water, get it up to the strike temp and then mash in that. Then I fill up my FV with about 3-4 litres of hot water straight from my tap (I don't bother getting it to 80 degrees as suggested by massive brewery, it makes no difference to efficiency). Squeeze the bag from the kettle over the kettle, dunk it in the FV and stir it around for a bit. Squeeze it over the FV and then pour the FV into the kettle so that it's about an inch or two from the top. That's it. I'm consistently getting 73% brewhouse efficiency doing it that way.
Same here. Never really needed to get it to 80. While mashing, I heat up a pan or two of water for the FV. This actually helps me, as using the hotter plate keeps the temperature of the Aga simmering plate a little cooler for the mash. It's working pretty well like that.
so I got a counterflow plate chiller and now I use that instead.
John, it's on my shopping list. Although i've already got some plans in action for when I move house...
Also, another idea.....
I'm not sure the logistics would work, but it would be good to set up an STW homebrewers beer swap?
Everyone could post up the beers they'd be willing to swap and then agree to exchange for one from another STWers list. Then give each other tasting notes! I'd happily give up 2 or 3 bottles from each batch in order to get some tasting notes and try some other people's recipes.
You could get 3 or 4 bottles sent for about a fiver via collect+ I think.
Right, STW - Pimp my brew
A quick audit shows that I have the following
Crystal, crushed crystal and chocolate
Target and Goldings hops
Various yeasts to cover pretty much anything from stout to a light 'farm beer'
What shall I go for this weekend? (MassiveBrewery stylee)
Well you'll need a base malt e.g. pale malt also.
Crystal and chocolate with target and goldings says traditional bitter to me - you could do anything from a mild through to a best or beyond depending on home much you put in.
Assuming you have some base malt then you are close to a Newcastle brown clone
By brother brewed this last week
Newkie Brown
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale) (8 C)Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 23.00 l
Boil Size: 25.81 l
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 23.92 l
Final Bottling Vol: 23.00 l
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Date: 19 Feb 2014
Brewer: Troutie
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: Trouts equipment
Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Taste Rating: 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5.11 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 1 96.6 %
0.07 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 2 1.4 %
0.07 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 3 1.4 %
0.04 kg Black (Patent) Malt (985.0 EBC) Grain 4 0.7 %
23.00 g Target [11.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 26.1 IBUs
14.00 g Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 3.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg Nottingham (Danstar #-) [23.66 ml] Yeast 7 -
Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.052 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.4 %
Bitterness: 29.7 IBUs
Est Color: 27.1 EBC Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Calories: 427.1 kcal/l
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Sparge Water: 17.31 l
Sparge Temperature: 75.6 C
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE
Total Grain Weight: 5.29 kg
Grain Temperature: 22.2 C
Tun Temperature: 22.2 C
Mash PH: 5.20 Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 13.80 l of water at 74.2 C 65.6 C 75 min
Sparge: Fly sparge with 17.31 l water at 75.6 C
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Bottle
Pressure/Weight: 135.29 g
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 21.1 C
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Carbonation Used: Bottle with 135.29 g Corn Sugar
Age for: 30.00 days
Storage Temperature: 18.3 C
Notes
Created with BeerSmith