Get er brewed - Proper English IPA

[buddsy]

Yesterday made my first batch with my new Bewzilla.

I bought this all grain kit from get er brewed to get started.

Proper English IPA

All seemed to go ok for a first use of my new machine.

I done basic water adjustments reducing the alkalinity from 228 to approx 20ppm

I did make at least one stupid mistake!

The kit comes with nice pre measured bags of the hops additions.

For some stupid reason I added my fist hop addition at the mash stage! Oh well too late once its in there was not much to be done.

Seemed to go ok after that point.

Got the wort cooled and into the fermenter and into my brew fridge.

SG 1.060

buddsy

 

[buddsy]

Well seems to be quite happy bubbling away in my fermentation fridge.

This is mine I made as per many other people have done.

I made the support from some plastic but wish I had a little more space at the top. I can only use this style of bucket with this style of bubbler.

That said when I made my last batch of Merlot I read these buckets are better then the necked type for removing CO2. Certainly cleared quickly one the additions had been made.

buddsy

 

[Arrakus]

If you want more space at the top you could remove the plastic support and replace the airlock with a length of plastic tube that runs from the fv top hole down to a beaker of sanitiser, just ensure it stays submerged throughout the ferment.

 

[buddsy]

I wondered about that but the support is level with the step at the back so the bucket sits across both.

If I made the support lower I think id need a thinner FV... Really I need a slightly larger fridge!

Still just went and checked the gravity which is reading 1.015.

Entered the data into brewfather and it says thats done! Apprentice attenuation 76%

Tastes pretty strong circa 6.4%

It still bubbling gently. Im thinking of leaving it for a few more days then cold crash.

How many days should I leave it?

Cheers friends

buddsy

 

[buddsy]

I checked the SG tonight and it was 1.012 which is circa 6.8%

At the moment it tastes pretty full. Maybe a bit old Peculiar maybe a bit Special Brew!

To be honest its a bit stronger,fuller than I was expecting from an IPA.

Is it possible to reduce a beer by watering down?

I will probably leave this one to do its thing but am just curious. I am going to have to pay more attention at the planning stage as to what it is I would like to drink.

buddsy

 

[foxy]

You can water it down to what suits you, for space above the fermenter you could just use cling film. I always promise myself I won't make strong beer but I do. Let it go this time, and see how you go, you will drink less so it will last longer.

 

[buddsy]

Cheers. I guess a good strong beer might be good for xmas.

buddsy

 

[buddsy]

Today I measured the SG 1.010 so its still fermenting.

I make it 7.1%

Tastes not too bad but obviously strong like a pint I once had at Norwich beer Festival called "Head Cracker"

buddsy

 

[buddsy]

Im over halfway through this bad boy. It not too bad at all.

Mine is slightly sweet but maybe due to the fact I added the first hop addition at the mash stage?

Still nice to drink but 7.0% makes me do odd things and talk ***** on forums...

buddsy

 

[Clint]

Adding the hops to the mash may not have been such a bad thing...I've been looking into first wort hops for an upcoming brew. These are added to the kettle as you start your sparge...maybe it had sort of the same effect.

 

[buddsy]

Since finishing off the last of the 40 bottles Ive gone back to drinking my usual Adnams Ghost ship. Im not sure if theyve changed the recipe in the last month or so but its sure tastes so thin to me now! I used to love it but it now tastes like their low alcohol version! Im guessing its just me after drinking to much of a much fuller beer?

Still my old man who doesnt like home brew or even ale wanted a bottle to try. A hiding for nothing I thought but he tried it and really liked it! Hes a larger man at heart (Kestrel of all things was his fav) so I was amazed!

buddsy

 

[foxy]

Im over halfway through this bad boy. It not too bad at all.

Mine is slightly sweet but maybe due to the fact I added the first hop addition at the mash stage?

Still nice to drink but 7.0% makes me do odd things and talk ***** on forums...

buddsy

FWH is supposed to add more bitterness, calculated at around 10% extra IBU's, could be your temperature was higher than you thought during the mash for the sweetness.
I do like the beers I have made using FWH, just pop them in at 80 C as the temperature is ramping up to boil. Some say they can't tell the difference but having done the same English Bitter one with FWH the other added to the boil I can definitely taste a difference.

 

[buddsy]

The sweetness I mention was not over powering. It was similar to how I find many of the stronger beers. Although my temps could be a bit over during mash. I havent checked with a thermometer just gone with what the Brewzilla was reading on the panel. As this was my very first brew with it I had many other things on my mind. Perhaps I will check my temps next brew.

Thanks as always.

buddsy

 

[foxy]

The sweetness I mention was not over powering. It was similar to how I find many of the stronger beers. Although my temps could be a bit over during mash. I havent checked with a thermometer just gone with what the Brewzilla was reading on the panel. As this was my very first brew with it I had many other things on my mind. Perhaps I will check my temps next brew.

Thanks as always.

buddsy

I have been caught out by the temperature while making a historical bitter, whereas the beer should have been far more bitter than it wast there was a sweetness which didn't belong in that particular beer. I checked my temperature probe and it was out. My remedy is before each brew to check the readout against a thermometer and calibrate if needed.
I always carry out a final purge of the vessel before the next days brew to rout out any cockroaches or earwigs from the return pipe, so its easy to calibrate if needed.

 

[buddsy]

Good plan. I semi fill with water and bring to the boil as a final clean before I start a brew so would be a good idea to check my temp then.

buddsy