Hi H are you putting a full 25kg sack in it 
Hazelwood Brewday
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Nearly!Hi H are you putting a full 25kg sack in it
It’s actually to allow the hops to move freely around in the wort to get the best out of them (I hope!). My smaller hop bag is a bit restrictive for bigger hop additions using leaf hops.
Well the new hop bag is a winner. Did exactly what I’d hoped and not a single hop leaf got through the net and into my pump/plate chiller. 
The small bag in the foreground was used to hold some pellet hops.
The small bag in the foreground was used to hold some pellet hops.
Today I brewed another batch of Summer
Breeze but this is version 2.1. V2.1 has 42IBUs rather than the usual 60IBUs to explore whether a lower level of bitterness works with this ale.
I also have a version 3.0 planned to be brewed in two weeks. V3.0 will have 25% more hops (why I need a bigger hop bag) and will use a different yeast “Juice”.
I’m also toying with a DIPA version but need to try V3.0 first before I decide if the DIPA is based on V2.0 or V3.0.
Busy Summer coming up!
Breeze but this is version 2.1. V2.1 has 42IBUs rather than the usual 60IBUs to explore whether a lower level of bitterness works with this ale.
I also have a version 3.0 planned to be brewed in two weeks. V3.0 will have 25% more hops (why I need a bigger hop bag) and will use a different yeast “Juice”.
I’m also toying with a DIPA version but need to try V3.0 first before I decide if the DIPA is based on V2.0 or V3.0.
Busy Summer coming up!
Wow, if it ain’t broke why fix it
Well version 2 is better than version 1 so maybe...
Brewnaldo
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Had my third go with your sparging technique (still minus the pump) and further to my past comments that it didnt actually do much for my efficiency, I think I maybe spoke too soon, becuase despite my gravity points remaining largely as I expected, my volumes have actually increased. Thats two brews in a row where mash + sparge has exceeded boiler capacity.
One would then assume that if I put less volume into the mash or sparge, the gravity would increase resulting in a more visible increase in efficiency.
I will have to make asjustments, since as it is I am wasting wort.
One would then assume that if I put less volume into the mash or sparge, the gravity would increase resulting in a more visible increase in efficiency.
I will have to make asjustments, since as it is I am wasting wort.
It’s good to hear you’re seeing improvements even without pumped recirc. Yes higher gravity is one option when you want it, another is to save some grain.
Brewnaldo
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The pump has been replaced in this instance by frantic stirring followed by some jug recirc for each litre added.
Undoubtedly greater grain/water contact in the sparge phase than lobbing the whole bag into a bucket of water then hauling it out again.
Next brew I will try mashing in 22 litres rather than 25 and see if I can still achieve the same boil volume.
Cheers again mucker.
Today will be a fairly busy brew-day. I have a batch of English Bitter in one fermenter that will be kegged today, I have a batch of Summer Breeze V2.1 that will be dry hopped (V2.1 is V2.0 but with 42IBUs instead of 60), and I’m brewing a batch of Summer Breeze V3.0.
V3.0 is quite different to V2. The water profile has changed to be chloride rich, the grain bill is bigger, the ratio of Pilsner malt to Vienna has increased, the mash temperature is a couple of degrees warmer, I’ve added another hop to the recipe, and I’m trying a different yeast. The intention is for this recipe to be even more juicy than V2.
V3.0 is quite different to V2. The water profile has changed to be chloride rich, the grain bill is bigger, the ratio of Pilsner malt to Vienna has increased, the mash temperature is a couple of degrees warmer, I’ve added another hop to the recipe, and I’m trying a different yeast. The intention is for this recipe to be even more juicy than V2.
Be very interesting to see how that one turns out, just might be the one that your totally happy with, but I doubt it
It will, and you’re probably right!
Before I ran out I managed to save a bottle of V2.0 for you. Will be in the post in the next day or two.
Tommo 2
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Thanks for that, can’t wait to try it and then I will get one on and see how it turns out, and maybe start tinkering myself
Brewday going as planned. Mash pH (at mash temperature) is 5.15 so I’m happy with that. Look like I will end up with an OG of 1052 or thereabouts.
I’m still using the Mk.1 production version of my sparge system. This is probably the closest I’m likely to get to fly-sparging.
Basket out and wort boiled with bittering hops. Now to chill the wort to 165F ready for the hopstand with the flavour hops...
Flavour hops, the heart of Summer Breeze. 100g Galaxy pellet hops in the fine mesh bag, 100g Citra and 80g Azzaca leaf hops in the coarse mesh bag.
Hop soup.
Hop soup.
Tommo 2
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Me thinks thats going to be one tasty brew and slightly hop forward, looks like you’ve got a good set up there too.
Well that’s it, all done and cleared away.
The English Bitter came out of the fermenter ready to drink so as soon as my current keg empties (not far off) this one can go on straight away. This is it, not the best glass but it was closest to hand.
Dry hopped Summer Breeze V2.1 and looking forward to that but it has another 5 days in the fermenter and <mumble> days conditioning before I can drink that.
Todays brew of Summer Breeze V3.0 is in the fermenter so I’ve done my bit now and handed over to the yeast.
The English Bitter came out of the fermenter ready to drink so as soon as my current keg empties (not far off) this one can go on straight away. This is it, not the best glass but it was closest to hand.
Dry hopped Summer Breeze V2.1 and looking forward to that but it has another 5 days in the fermenter and <mumble> days conditioning before I can drink that.
Todays brew of Summer Breeze V3.0 is in the fermenter so I’ve done my bit now and handed over to the yeast.
