Homebrewists of STW, brewing ‘owt at the moment?

@IHN, really? I could barely move from a page without seeing warnings about DMS and lids… Mind you, it does mean that my extractor gets a good cleaning from the condensation.

Four days in and my fermenter is looking like it has slowed down. I’m really wishing that I had gone for a tilt or iSpindel or something so I knew what was happening in there. I know that last lot of Mangrove Jack I used went off quickly and finished after less than a week, but it still seems strange given that most fermentations are supposed to be about two weeks.

Would over pitching cause this? I added a complete pack to a 10L batch of wort, but the packs are for 15-25L…

And just collected another coupe of hundred gams of hops and some yeast. Hopefully this will stave off boredom and give me something to look forward to.

Now, if only I could find a decent recipe for mosaic hops and kveik yeast…

My white ale is ready to keg this evening. First time conditioning a beer in my Dark Farm keg. Once that is kegged, I’ll probably do a small batch of an American Pale Ale. This will be my second all grain brew, the first wasn’t an amazing success. But it is all a learning process I suppose.

but it still seems strange given that most fermentations are supposed to be about two weeks.

Would over pitching cause this? I added a complete pack to a 10L batch of wort, but the packs are for 15-25L…

The yeast multiplies very quickly as it eats it’s way through the dissolved oxygen, double the amount doesn’t halve the time, it’s probably more like a few hours. Over pitching takes a lot of yeast.

Depends on too many factors to say “most take 2 weeks”. I’ve fermented, bottled, conditioned and drunk heffeweizen in 2 weeks! A lager on the other hand is only just getting going after the first week.

You could probably get away with half a packet if you wanted to save it, but it won’t make a significant difference to the fermentation.

Well I know that now. Genuinely though, none of the guides I’d read beforehand mentioned it. Ah well, live and learn.

It may well be cobblers though. Read this http://brulosophy.com/2016/10/31/the-boil-lid-on-vs-lid-off-exbeeriment-results/

I boil with the lid on (cracked slightly at one side to prevent boilover) and plenty of steam still escapes. I’ve never detected DMS in my brews.

That brulosophy site is interesting.

If I were to add a tap to the bottom of my Big Boiling Pan, would this sort of thing do the trick do you think?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beverage-Homebrew-Working-Pressure-Sanitary/dp/B083HC6VRQ/ref=pd_rhf_schuc_p_img_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZDFEHQEQ7HARX0BSTFFZ

^ I have the tap and filter in this link https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/33-litre-stainless-boiler/

Works very well. I’d be concerned that your link isn’t designed for heat.

Works very well. I’d be concerned that your link isn’t designed for heat.

Assuming the washers are silicone it should be fine?

My old boiler was a 40l polypropylene bucket with kettle elements and pipe fittings from screwfix

Or you could go mad with a step drill and some silver solder and then just use PTFE tape to secure the tap.

Assuming the washers are silicone it should be fine?

My old boiler was a 40l polypropylene bucket with kettle elements and pipe fittings from screwfix

My pan is used on a gas burner… so the tap gets a lot hotter than 100 degrees.

I should say that we’ve just had an induction hob fitted, so I will need a new pan as my existing one isn’t magnetic. Does anyone have a recommendation?

I have a stainless steel boiler pan. I have a Peco digital boiler, think it cost me £120 a few years back. 25L bucket, kettle element, digital controller, plus a lid. The plastic one is suitable for use anywhere I can find a mains socket. The steel one is only suitable for on hob use.

I haven’t brewed for a couple of years now but I’m starting to think that the time is right to start again.
I have grain.
I have Cascade & Citra hops.
I have some US05 yeast.
What am I waiting for?

Just brew it!

I find it really satisfying to have something that I made that is nice to drink. It’s like baking, but liquid. Maybe not then. Anyway, just get on a do it. Two weeks time, just as you are going made with self isolation, you’ll have beer.

Right then, was just in the hardware shop and they had some Geordie Yorkshire Bitter kits going cheap, so I thought sod it and bought one.

So, at my disposal I have the kit, about 500g of DME left over from a previous brew, about the same of brewing sugar, various brown/dark sugars/syrup/treacle in the pantry, and about 50g each of Fuggles and Cascade hops in the freezer.

Ideas please for combining some of the above to make something a bit more interesting than the boggo kit.

Ooh, actually, I’ve got some crystal malt too.

What do the brewing minds think to something like steeping 250g of the malt for an hour in a couple of litres of water and adding that to the kit along with 500g DME, 250g brewing sugar and 250g demerara? Maybe dry hop with the Cascade once the primary has finished?

First glass of my Leap Beer. Mainly Maris Otter, about 7% crushed crystal. 50/50 Fuggles and Goldings.

Tasty.

Seeing a lot of chat on some professional distilling groups about them making hand sanitiser with high strength alcohol, but it’s expensive as the duty paid to HMRC is massive.

However, there are other ways to denature corona-viruses – soap is one (breaks down the fats which form the virus’ structure), or you can hit it with a low pH solution (sub 3.6).

Every brewery and distillery is likely sitting on a load of sanitiser such as 5 star, which works by…. having a low pH – 3.5! if made up to their mixing guidelines.

So, if you have starsan, you have a suitable sanitiser. I made up a bunch of spray bottles of it yesterday with a slightly higher ratio of sanitiser to water than they recommend.

In other news, vinegar has a pH of ~2.3. A 1:10 solution with water still has a low enough pH to denature pH.

Crazy that all these commercial gin distilleries are shutting down production and making duty paid sanitiser (£35k per 1000 litre) when there are much cheaper ways of doing it.

https://www.sarsons.co.uk/how-vinegar-is-made

Aye, but can you put sanitiser on chips???

Just had a mid-condition taste of my experimental IPA. It is clear, really clear so the flocking agent obviously works well. It’s already well carbonated and holds a decent head, but the hops aroma I was looking for with the Citra is not there, probably due to the mistake in adding the second hops at 15 minutes and not at 5. I also did not dry hop.

It is still drinkable, but could be so much better.

In other news, I popped by a local brewing shop and picked up some more yeasts and a kilo bag of wheat malt so that I can try something like a Weissen.

You could still dry it hop it now if you wanted?

Currently bringing my cornys and Grainfather out of dusty storage.

Washing everything down.

I have ordered some all grain kits off Worchester Hop Shop, nothing fancy, Landlord, London Pride and an ESB. Quick to ferment and give very drinkable results through the beer engine.

They won’t be here until next week, due to high demand.

@yourguitarhero

Sadly, it’s all bottled and halfway through conditioning. It’s already drinkable, but I see it as more of a learning experience.

The big question though… I have a load of Citra, Mosaic, Ekaunot, Chinook and Saaz. A 25kg sack of Viking Pale Ale malt, a kilo of wheat malt and about half a kilo of Cara Munich II. What should I do for the next brew?

I normally do a 10-11L batch from a 15-16L pre-boil, so suggestions for something of around that size welcome.

Sounds like a good mix for a white IPA?

Good suggestion!

Ok, will break out the Ekaunot, Citra and Mosaic and see what I can make. Have a recipe that looks good on paper and fits the style, not too hoppy, but having Mosaic and Ekaunot as the flavours should make it good. I might even add a touch of spice and fruit to see what that adds.

Just need to find more bottles over the next week or so now.

Good excuse to drink more beers first!

I have cornie kegs, so sometimes have about 100 litre of beer kicking about. Have to have a party to free some up for my next brews.

Ah, I remember parties

Kegs are a good idea. Sweden seems to like the “partyfat” system if you are a recreational brewer; 5L tins that you can put in your own little pump system. I (stupidly) passed on a load when I got some it off a friend and now I think they are gone. Would have been perfect for times like this.

Or bad. I mean, if you have beer on tap, you’ll drink it, right?

White IPA complete. Pale ale malt, wheat malt, a touch of Cara Unich II and three types of hops (as well as a touch of spice). Hopefully the yeast had enough life left to take off.

Disappointing numbers for pre-boil and original gravities. Off the predicted by a fair margin a and have no idea why. It might have been selecting the wrong malt in the builder.

Anyway, will see what happens overnight

Brew just done:

300g Crystal Malt, steeped at 65degC for half an hour in 3l of water
Chucked in 500g each of DME and brewing sugar and 125g demerara sugar.
Boiled it for 10 mins.
Chucked in 50g Cascade pellets
All in the bucket with the kit can of Geordie Yorkshire Bitter
Topped up to 21l, added (rehydrated) yeast from kit.

OG1042, in the brew fridge at 20degC, let’s see what happens.

Should have said, the Cascade hops were put in at flameout, and sieved out again when it went in the bucket, about 20mins later.

And it is in bottles!

Latest brew, “Isolation IPA”, is on the way to being conditioned. Managed to get just over 10L out of the batch and it looks and smells really quite nice already. Attenuated down to 1.012 from 1.049 or so, giving me a roughly 4.6% ABV ale with, hopefully, the fresh, fruity aroma of the Mosaic and Ekaunot hops coming through.

I still can’t understand why the OG was so far off the plan, but I think it turned out ok in the end. Just need to wait for two weeks before drinking it now!

Moosaic and Ekuanot are the nearest hops to skunky canabis imo. I think this is part of the appeal to some. I like both, but they are expensive and limited. Commercially unavailable in quantities this year, although that may have changed with people wriggling out of huge , expensive hop contracts
I converted around 150 x 9gallon casks to sedimented polypins and minipins for public sale , and sent 2000Ltr to be bottled to use up stock when BJ shut down the pubs.
Not brewing anymore as its not viable once you remove the wage bill as we can all be Furloughed , so its rent to pay ( or not ) and a few direct debits .
Selling to the public is great for cashflow , but carries the inherrant risk of exposure so another reason to stay home

Yeah, it was the first time I had seen Ekaunot in the fridge at PGW, so bought some on impulse. I think it was 89kr for 100g. The Mosaic was cheaper as it came from a place in Göteborg.

I think the most I have spent on hops in one hit was the Nelson Sauvin that I have in the freezer. I bought it specifically for a brew day that got cancelled, sorry, postponed. it’s not going anywhere, but it does keep reminding me that I need to make that summer IPA soon.

Still looking for some Aurora hops that I can use in a SMASH for my GF’s skydiving team.

Perhaps someone could give me a bit of advice?

I did a second brew of the Youngs IPA – and it tastes funny – yeasty and quite bitter

The first brew went well and was not just nice for homebrew, but actually really nice compared to other beers

Is there anything I can do to take away the yeasty taste (its been in the cask for about a month)
Or is it too late and I need to start again

Thanks in advance!

The better brewers might be able to help, but could cold crashing help? That should sink out the yeast and let you transfer it to another vessel.

Sometimes, the brews just don’t work out.
If you can, try to think about what you did differently to the time it went well.
Did you use different equipment or ingredients? Were things cleaned/sanitised (or not)? Did you measure the specific gravity at the beginning and end of fermentation? If so, did it differ from last time? Was the fermentation at a different temperature or for a different amount of time? Did you transfer to a secondary fermenter? Did you bottle/keg it differently?

@Yourguitarhero
There were a few differences, but mostly similarities:

All stuff cleansed in the same way
When the brew set off the first time it was reasonably gentle, continuing bubbling for over a week or so
The second time it was quite brisk and all over in a week.

Same brew kit, same brewing kit

Temperature as similar as I could make it (first time was a warmer ambient temp, the second time was helped by keeping it on a heated floor – I wonder if the second brew was warmer and that accounts for the difference?)

The only other difference was i put most of it in a pressure keg, rather than bottles (mainly as the first brew was incredibly fizzy – so much so that the fizz disturbed yeast from the bottle every time)

Would cold crashing help and how could I do it?

Thanks for your help
Alastair

Fermenting warmer can introduce off flavours from a stressed yeast, but I am not sure how warm that has to be and it’s going to depend on the yeast. Warmer will, as far as I know, make it ferment faster.

Any ideas on how warm it was? I keep mine in a spare room at about 19C and that seems to work, but I’ll start moving to the basement in a few weeks as it gets warmer.

The bottle fizz could be over-priming. I _think_ ales only need about 1.5 to 2 volumes of gas and that’s not a lot of sugar, probably about 40g of normal sugar for 10 litres of beer. More sugar means more gas during conditioning.

On a different note, which keg do you use? I’m thinking I might try one at some point.

I’m tempted to give some ginger beer a go – any tips / good recipes?

I’ve had success with cider before, although it was quite sharp and not to my wife’s liking – leaving me with gallons of the stuff to drink.

The floor is around 25 degrees but with minimal contact I would say that the brew was just over 20 degrees most of the time (probably higher than the first attempt though)

I used the priming sugar from the kit and dissolved it before adding to ensure uniform dosing.

In terms of keg – it’s one I was given a typical white plastic roundish with a tap at the bottom
– I can’t really rate it at the moment!

I might read up on cold shocking and try that !

25C is really quite warm, so it might be that that caused the off taste. Despite being off the floor it could be that the bucket was trapping a lot of heat underneath and raising the temperature. I really try to keep mine at about 18-19C as that seems to suit the yeasts I have used so far.

Let it condition and see what happens. If it is a bit gassy you could always purge it a bit I guess.

2.3 to 2.5 vols is a good starting point for ales. Less than 2.0 vols and it will be softer.. Less carbonic acid. But kinda dull more like caffreys Irish bitter
Temps wdre probably ok, imo you let it run too hot for too long eg 24c at 1009 and stressed the yeasts. For some reason home brewers likevto ferment for a week, comercial brewers 3 days, then cool abit, some hold at say 16c then cjill to 8c
Dunmo but stick at it even id this batch dorsnt work out

Today is tasting day for my “Isolation IPA”, so I will report back what a week of conditioning is like. I plan on leaving the rest alone for at least another week though before allowing it out to others.

But, this does bring another question into the daylight: What to brew next?

I am running low on the Belgian Ale side and have a plan for a slightly stronger, slightly dark dubbel-style ale with a hint of spice to back up the traditional esters and phenols. But the weather is improving now and I can see that being maybe a bit heavy for spring.

I would love to do a Gose, but that’s a complex process (for me) and I have a feeling I will get it wrong, so a lighter, fresher IPA might be an idea, maybe something with a hint of lemongrass to make it feel like spring. I’ll probably go for something a little more sessionable too, not the 8-9% of the Belgian.

Suggestions and comments welcome.