Cali Common First BIAB in 4 years

[shaw26]

Hi All,

Today was my first BIAB in 4 years, I have done a few kits but I wanted to get back into it properly. It was raining but that didn't stop me.

Cali

Maris Otter Pale 2.7kg
UK Munich 1.8
28.3g Amarillo 60min pellets
51g Amarillo 30min pellets
28.3g Citra 30min pellets
Danstar American West Coast BRY-97

Mashed for 60min
Boil 75min

The Original gravity was expected at 1.052 but mine came out at 1.053 so i'm happy with that.

I had boil over as I wasn't quick enough cutting the heat but as it was outside I wasn't that fussed.

I have a 8 gallon Megapot and my only issue today was the pipe inside (elbow shaped one) clogged up so couldn't use ball valve and in the end I had to use auto siphon.

All in all I'm happy with how today went apart from blockage.

 

[MickDundee]

Looks like a mighty bitter brew. I would have left the 30min additions for flame out!

EDIT - hadn’t realised it’s an 8 gallon brew so I’m probably wrong, ignore me!

 

[Gunge]

Mebbe it's just me being pedantic, but shouldn't you have used all Northern Brewer hops just for authenticities sake?

 

[MickDundee]

Mebbe it's just me being pedantic, but shouldn't you have used all Northern Brewer hops just for authenticities sake?

Yes absolutely. It should also be amber in colour and fermented with either a specialist steam beer yeast or a lager yeast at ale temps.

The OP has made an APA rather than a Cali Common as it’s pale, uses an American Ale yeast and high quantities of new world hops.

 

[ghandi]

Long time lurker/reader who tried a Californian Common today for the first time; normally do pilsner/lager or kolsch.

Aiming for 23-25 litres into FV.

5kg pilsner malt
250g carapils malt
35g + 10g Northern Brewer
CML Californian common yeast
1/2 protafloc tab
5ml Lactic acid 80%

Mashed at 64°C for 100 minutes (normally go for step mashing but have been trying single step at 64° or 65° which so far has given me same OG for similar grain bill)
Mashed out 78°C for 10 mins

Boiled 90 minutes with 35g NB at 80 minutes, then 10g NB at 15 minutes.

Put 25.5 litres into FV at 1.049 OG.

Fermenting at 16°C.

Doesn't quite meet style with low colour EBC (in Beersmith2), but used average malt EBCs as they had quite a range e.g. (carapils was 2-6 EBC).

Used Pilsner malt, not pale malt, as that's what I use for my normal brews and Brulosophy experiment showed no noticeable taste difference (at least that's the way I read it) http://brulosophy.com/2017/08/28/gr...lt-2-row-vs-pilsner-malt-exbeeriment-results/

 

[AdeDunn]

Try switching at least 60% of your hops for whole hops. I had nothing but trouble with my bazooka clogging within 5 litres when trying to transfer to FV. Last brew I switched to 100% whole hopes, transferred the whole lot without any blockage at all, and a lot less trub in my FV. The hops formed a filter over the bazooka, keeping the trub away so it couldn't clog the bazooka, and keeping most of it in the boiler. I won't be looking back, that's for sure.:thumb:

 

[Clint]

...op said it was 8 gallon pot....

 

[BeerisGOD]

Would crystal malt be ok to add along with carapils or would this be pointless? Im using carapils for the firat time for an APA style beer and dont want to add both if they cancel out eachother.
Im only just realising less is more and dont want to cock this beer up like previous where ive over done the specialty grains.
Is 2-3 % about the correct amount?