Alastair70s brewdays

[Alastair70]

I’ve decided its time to pull all the brewdays into a single thread. Today was brew No.50 on the Grainfather.

Soundtrack: System of A Down and Dave Lee Roth.
Disasters: Discovered a mouse had got into one of the grain bins, fortunately none of todays grains were involved.

Brew: Munich Helles
Grain: 90% pilsner, 8% Munich II, 2% melanoidin
Hops: Mandarina Bavaria/Saaz
Yeast: W-34/70

21L in the conical at 1.044. Hope it looks as pretty at the other end.

 

[Alastair70]

Almost a week in and the Helles is already down to 1.010. Temp ramping 1C per day towards D-rest. Looks like this could be going into a keg as early as next weekend.

 

[Alastair70]

Finally got the Irish Red Ale on today. This will be going on to nitro once it's ready, the tap and regulator are sorted I just need to pick up a bottle of mixed gas next week.

Soundtrack: Jane's Addiction, Santana

Water: 23L batch. Malty profile, SO4:Cl 0.8
Fermentables: 4.5kg Maris Otter, 150g CaraMunich I, 150g Cara 50MD, 100g Chocolate Malt
Single infusion mash, 67C
Hops: 15g Magnum at 60m, 20g Fuggles at 10m
Yeast: 1 sachet Fermoale AY3

23L in the Brewbucket at 1.044, 2 points short of predicted OG. Tastes roasty and the colour is spot on.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Lovely clear wort!

 

[Agentgonzo]

I like that you record the soundtrack to brewing. I used to do that... Brings back memories of getting utterly hammered listening to Radiohead whilst brewing, then having absolutely no idea what I'd brewed or how strong it was!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

That‘s quite a big trial jar you have there sir - mine is barely bigger than the hydromere itself…. I‘m guessing you keep everything sterile and pour it back in?

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Fermentables: 4.5kg Maris Otter, 150g CaraMunich I, 150g Cara 50MD, 100g Chocolate Malt
Single infusion mash, 67C
Hops: 15g Magnum at 60m, 20g Fuggles at 10m
Yeast: 1 sachet Fermoale AY3

What’s Cara50MD please?

 

[Alastair70]

That‘s quite a big trial jar you have there sir - mine is barely bigger than the hydromere itself…. I‘m guessing you keep everything sterile and pour it back in?

I pour it into me, so sterility not an issue

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I pour it into me, so sterility not an issue

That’s what I do too!

 

[Alastair70]

What’s Cara50MD please?

Dingeman’s substitution for Weyermans CaraRed.

https://www.geterbrewed.com/dingemans-cara-50-md-ebc-40-60/

 

[Agentgonzo]

That’s what I do too!

For my FG measurement, I also pour it into the big waste chute in the middle of my face, but for OG samples, I've taken to doing a forced fermentation test and covering it with cling film. If nothing else than to see where it ends up and to play with science

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Colour looks perfect - nice work

 

[Alastair70]

I like that you record the soundtrack to brewing. I used to do that... Brings back memories of getting utterly hammered listening to Radiohead whilst brewing, then having absolutely no idea what I'd brewed or how strong it was!

I got the idea from Monday’s Times Crossword blogger, although my brew day is about 4 1/2 hours longer than his usual solve time,

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

For my FG measurement, I also pour it into the big waste chute in the middle of my face, but for OG samples, I've taken to doing a forced fermentation test and covering it with cling film. If nothing else than to see where it ends up and to play with science

I’m SO with you on that… my other guilty pleasure is licking the drops off the refractometer while I’m checking the runoff - I’ve actually got pretty good at judging the gravity just by the taste

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I got the idea from Monday’s Times Crossword blogger, although my brew day is about 4 1/2 hours longer than his usual solve time,

Absolutely - from ‘Times for the Times’

 

[Agentgonzo]

I’m SO with you on that… my other guilty pleasure is licking the drops off the refractometer while I’m checking the runoff - I’ve actually got pretty good at judging the gravity just by the taste

Yeah.... I can't say "I do that too" on the whole licking-the-refractometer thing. You're on your own with that one

 

[Alastair70]

Absolutely - from ‘Times for the Times’

Absolutely, and unfortunately I still need Mondays blog more often than not
Afghan and Areca eluded me this week.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Absolutely, and unfortunately I still need Mondays blog more often than not
Afghan and Areca eluded me this week.

IIRC we only did Weds‘ this week - we did finish it but it was a right toughie

 

[Alastair70]

Both the Helles and the Irish Red went into kegs today. Not sure what’s happening with my hydrometer, both samples reading a point or two over 1.000!

 

[Clint]

That would be adding SAISON! yeast when you're spangled.