Rav's brewdays

[rav]

Thought I'd get involved in this as currently in the middle of a brewday! Sadly I forgot to take photos earlier on in the day but heyho.
I've screenshot my brewsheet from brewfather instead of typing it out (cos I'm lazy) but let me know if it's unreadable and I'll type it out.

In essence this was a bit of an inventory clearer. I wanted to do a cheap brew that helped me run down some of my mostly empty bags of things. To that end all I bought for this was the 6kg of light malt and the LAX yeast, I'd thought I'd shoot for an American IPA...

In the recipe, the torrified maize is a rogue element but I'm excited to see if it adds anything (and I've emptied another bag so happy days). The carapils is left over from a Belgian I did, and I was really happy with the head it created so keen to see if it can do that for this IPA.

Hop-wise I went heavy citra as I then finished that bag, as well as it being an amazing hop (the smell in the kitchen when I unbagged it!).

Anyway, currently got the chiller coil in so will be racking imminently! Will let you all know how it goes...

 

[rav]

The cooling setup... Running hoses through the kitchen window

 

[Rodcx500z]

Some of my best brews have been user uppers

 

[rav]

Some of my best brews have been user uppers

Yeah I think it encourages some creativity for sure. I usually follow recipes I find in books but this frees you up a bit! The only other time I've made it up myself was with a Christmas ale I brewed in November. Was based on an Irish red ale but I tweaked it by changing the hop and adding Christmas spices and lactose for a more creamy feel... Turned out great!

 

[matt.]

Keg or bottles?

 

[rav]

Keg or bottles?

I always bottle at the mo, for cheapness. Also means I can give bottles to family/friends/work colleagues (who begrudgingly accept). I'd like to keg at some point but I think space will be an issue in my house, and my Mrs is already quite accommodating of me turning the kitchen into a brew house once a month so don't want to take the Mick!

 

[matt.]

I always bottle at the mo, for cheapness. Also means I can give bottles to family/friends/work colleagues (who begrudgingly accept). I'd like to keg at some point but I think space will be an issue in my house, and my Mrs is already quite accommodating of me turning the kitchen into a brew house once a month so don't want to take the Mick!

Snap. I bottle as well. But rarely give any away! New garage comes in handy.

 

[rav]

Snap. I bottle as well. But rarely give any away! New garage comes in handy.

Oh mate, a garage or cellar would be the dream. I'd 100% turn a corner into a full time brewery. We are intending to move in the next five years or so as we have another kid on the way and running out of space, so some sort of hobby space will be high up on the list when house hunting!

 

[Rodcx500z]

Something to look forward to

 

[rav]

Bottling the IPA today. Got a day off work and Mrs is at work, so going to back to back with a brew once the IPA is out. Will update in due course, but as a teaser, doing another Belgian / biere de garde...

 

[rav]

Bottling the IPA today. Got a day off work and Mrs is at work, so going to back to back with a brew once the IPA is out. Will update in due course, but as a teaser, doing another Belgian / biere de garde...

Looking forward to trying these, the citra smelled great on bottling

 

[rav]

Today's brewsheet.

This one has a story. My Mrs and I are imminently about to have a baby so I thought I'd have a go at brewing a beer to celebrate. I wanted to mix both of our favourite styles, to represent the mix of us that our boyo will be. Mrs Rav loves a wheat beer and I'm into my Belgians at the moment, so this is a wheat heavy Belgian and will hopefully be delicious!

 

[rav]

Ingredients ready..

 

[rav]

The mash. Love that smell...

 

[rav]

The boil. Circulating more than it looks in the pic!

 

[rav]

Cooling

 

[rav]

All tucked up in the fermenter. Another happy day of brewing!