AG#3 Rick`s Best Bitter

[rickthebrew]

got to get your stocks up!!! There`s so many different brews i want to try...... oh yeah and i do love a beer or six :drunk:

 

[rickthebrew]

So four days into the ferment - kitchen at around 18 degrees c max
Both yeasts took off quickly and had good rocky heads the s-04 has died right back and just some froth and bubbles on top and without taking a hydro reading i`d say its probably done.
In the other FV the us-05 still looks pretty active with a good inch of foam still on top, so the s-04 has preformed quickly as expected, will leave both for ten days anyway :thumb:

Will update when i bottle

 

[rickthebrew]

Will be bottling these up tommorrow - both sitting at 1010 ( the us-05 is looking around 1009)
The s-04 is clearing nicely and there are just afew bubbles / small amount of froth on the top - a quick taste is really nice with a full bitter finish, as for the us-05 there seems to be a layer of yeast on the top (is this normal?) it has finished fermenting and the taste is more fresh? clean? then the s-04,the flavour seems to come through more and the finish is a lot less bitter. Not really sure if i prefer one over the other - will see after conditioning, if i get two different beers that are both great i`ll be well happy :

 

[Vossy1]

as for the us-05 there seems to be a layer of yeast on the top (is this normal?)

Lots of people including myself have had problems with US-05 clearing. I once skimmed that head off 3 times only for it to come back, in the end I had chill the beer to stop the yeast.
Is the beer still cloudy? I assume it is.

 

[rickthebrew]

I bottled up tonight and the us-05 was quite cloudy - especially compared to the s-04, the yeasty head on the us-05 had calmed down a little but the yeast cake was very loose compared to the s-04.

Anyhowi managed to get 56 pints - both had finished at 1010 so around 4.8% - happy with that!

all the bottles ready to go!!

s-04 in the red caps and us-05 in the gold :thumb:

clear bottles so boxed up ready for bed!!


will have to see if the us-05 clears? The s-04 has performed well as expected so will have to see if there is any taste difference - will have a taste in a week or so :whistle:

 

[Vossy1]

There's nothing better than seeing a group of freshly filled bottles I always get more satisfaction standing back and looking at bottles than I do a corny once filled.
You could get a little more beer in those bottles, leaving around 1" head space is about right.
If you rack with C02 the headspace isn't a problem though, and I don't know how you racked

 

[rickthebrew]

I primed the bottles with a scant half teaspoon of sugar - looking back at the pic they cold of done with atouch more - hopefully they`ll be OK :?

How do you rack with co2?

 

[llannige]

Still licking my lips after that shot of them bottles lined up.

Tidy. :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

How do you rack with co2?

Simply, you could purge the bottle with C02 from a cylinder before filling, alternatively you could use acounter pressure bottle filler :thumb:

 

[rickthebrew]

So my best bitter has had about 4weeks conditioning (few tasters along the way!!) :lol:

I fermented half with s-04 and half with us-05 so a quick report back,

S-04

Fairly clear but not up to a feck test (probably my brewing skills not the yeast ) pleasent hiss on opening and perfect level of carbonation for my tastes - good head that lasted till the end of the pint, this was probably the wheat malt. Good level of bitterness with the prominent taste being malt - very happy with this pint, very drinkable

US-05

Much the same as above but slightly sweeter/ smoother almost a cleaner taste - would also fail a feck taste at the moment but may well clear further (my first AG took 8weeks then was crystal!)


Really pleased with both and not a great deal of difference between both - might just be my palate though!!

I can`t choose between them - so will drink them all :party:

 

[rickthebrew]

meant to say the head was really creamy- never got anything like that from a kit :thumb:

 

[llannige]

Looking good rtb.

Nice one. :thumb:

 

[Wez]

Those both look great pints, and I like the tasting notes.

I agree with the cleaner taste of US-05 i'll be using it in pales this year.

 

[bones]

Nice one RTB :

Looks Good From Here :clap: