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Oneflewover

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Decided to start one of these brewday threads, might be useful.

Brewed a Kolsch (style!) today:

Mashed at 65 deg C for an hour:
4kg Pilsner malt
0.75kg Munich malt

75 minute boil:
13g Magnum at 60 mins
20g Saaz at 15 mins
30g Saaz at 5 mins

OG 1.050 or thereabouts, recipe gave 1.049 so happy with that

CML Kolsch yeast fermenting at 17 deg C

used the Barley-crusher for the first time today. My 12v cordless drill didn't like it, so I milled by hand. Nice little workout! I may have milled too fine, will have to trial and error.

Will probably lager for a while (need to look into that a bit more!)

Cheers, happy new year to all!

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Nice one. I seem to remember someone saying on here that setting the roller distance to the thickness of a credit card works well
 
Yeah, I've seen that thanks. I went to credit card thickness, then tightened down a bit further. Wanted to try to ensure good efficiency but may have gone too far as it was a very slow sparge and the pump got gummed up.
 
Good job. I'm just checking on my kolsch, also fermented with CML yeast. It's only been in the fermenter a couple of weeks but it tastes pretty promising. The only issue I have with the yeast is the attenuation is lower than I'd have liked, only 73% and that's with a stepped mash (55-63-70-77) so it's a little sweet in the finish, although the flavours are good. It'll be interesting to see how yours finishes with a single rest at 65.
 
Good job. I'm just checking on my kolsch, also fermented with CML yeast. It's only been in the fermenter a couple of weeks but it tastes pretty promising. The only issue I have with the yeast is the attenuation is lower than I'd have liked, only 73% and that's with a stepped mash (55-63-70-77) so it's a little sweet in the finish, although the flavours are good. It'll be interesting to see how yours finishes with a single rest at 65.

This is the second time I've used the yeast. Unfortunately I haven't been making notes, so not sure where it finished last time (I got a brew journal for chrimbo, so will take notes from now on!). I remember that there was a bit of fruit / sweetness, but I really enjoyed the beer. I did consider adding some dextrose to dry it out a bit but, but chickened out. Out of interest why did you step mash?

For some reason my beers generally tend to attenuate more than the recipe predicts / states. I wonder if my mash temps are on the low side? I'll perhaps double check with a calibrated thermometer next time.
 
The step mash is to improve clarity and enhance malt flavours while increasing fermentability. At least that was the plan anyway!
 
. . . used the Barley-crusher for the first time today. My 12v cordless drill didn't like it, so I milled by hand. Nice little workout! I may have milled too fine, will have to trial and error.

Hi!
I, too found that my drill didn't cope with turning the mill, but arm power worked really well! I've rigged up the mill to bolt onto my Workmate as it wanted to keep lifting up during the milling process.
I condition the grain, meaning a finer crush doesn't "clog" the filter bed.
 
Hi!
I, too found that my drill didn't cope with turning the mill, but arm power worked really well! I've rigged up the mill to bolt onto my Workmate as it wanted to keep lifting up during the milling process.
I condition the grain, meaning a finer crush doesn't "clog" the filter bed.

Cheers Bigcol. I have read somewhere else that you condition the grain by moistening it. I'll definitely look into that. Along with underletting I think that may solve my sparge and pump issues to some extent. I imagine that you get a lot less dust too!

I was thinking I'd look into trying to clamp the mill to an old fv, it certainly did like to keep lifting up!
 
This has now finished around 1.010, with an apparent attenuation of about 80%. I'll leave it in the fermentation fridge to chill for a while.

Gravity samples taste good, a nice light ale, but certainly not inspiring. I think that I'm starting to set my sights above 'good' beer.....which is a little concerning for both my wallet and time! :-?
 
Bottled tonight after being held at a couple of degrees for the last week. Tastes a bit more promising, crisp, malt dominant, very nice graininess, bit of fruit from the yeast (I think!)
 
Ok, so it hasn't yet been in the bottle a week yet, but I thought I'd try a 330 ml sample. Very pleased. Lively carbonation, malty and sweet at first, but surprisingly quite dry on the finish.


@strange-steve, how did your Kolsch turn out?
 
malty and sweet at first, but surprisingly quite dry on the finish.
That sounds like a perfect kolsch to me :thumbsup:
Mine is still in the fermenter :blush:
Just haven't had a chance to bottle it, but hopefully I'll have a couple of hours free tomorrow afternoon to get it done. Fancy a swap?
 
As it turns out I don't have enough empties to bottle this today :blush:
I've moved bottling to Sunday and scheduled some serious drinking for tonight to liberate some bottles from my back stock. A took a sample and it tasted promising enough though.
 
Impromptu brewday today. SWMBO gone to visit a friend for the weekend. Home alone with the kids. Shocking weather. What else is there to do!?

Three things of note:
1. Doughing in is a doddle with a gurt wooden paddle. Can't believe I persevered so long with the floppy plastic one.
2. The pumps that come with the bulldog brewer truly are papp. Gonna have to get a replacement.
3. Hops, whether pellet or leaf, are a PITA to deal with.

Galaxy and Chinook pale, 23L batch, today:
5kg MO
0.2kg light Munich
0.2kg flaked barley
Mashed at 66 deg C for 75 mins. 3.5l per kg (trying a thinner mash).

75 min boil
20g Chinook at 60
15g Chinook at 15
15g Chinook and 40g Galaxy at flameout.

Fermenting at 19 deg C with CML US pale. Plan to dry hop with 50g Galaxy for 4 days.

Got 1.055, despite having to pour a couple of litres away because I didn't want to put too much in the fv. Seem to be consistently getting 75% efficiency these days.

Happy Saturday everyone :beer6:
 

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D'oh! Just been out to the garage to have a little inspection and noticed that the Inkbird is reading 20.7deg c, despite being set at 19. Then realised I'd forgotten to plug the fridge back into the Inkbird.

Was quite surprised that the yeast (pitched at 18) appears to be generating enough heat to cause the liquid in the fv to rise in temperature like that. It is quite cold in the garage and it is an old fridge!
 
Down to 1.011 last night, and looked done. Galaxy dry hop added, will leave for 4 or 5 days more before chilling prior to bottling. Sample tasted good.

Galaxy certainly is a fragrant hop, and really sticky (leaf hop) - stickier than any other hop I've used before
 
Got around to bottling this tonight, chilled for longer than I usually do; for no good reason other than lack of opportunity to bottle earlier. Very happy with the sample(s) :gulp: I tried whilst bottling

A Saison up next when I get the chance for a brewday:thumb1:
 
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