Lawrence22 Brew day

[Lawrence22]

Today I will be brewing for the third time what I believe to be the best brew I have done to date. It is a watered down version Of Post Doc brewing Demon Star stout. I have brewed it the last 2 years for Xmas at the end of August. I have noticed though that this stout really comes into its' own after 6 months, so I am brewing it much earlier this year.
I treat my Mash water with a little bit of Bicarbonate of soda 1.5g and 6g of calcium Chloride.

23L in Fermenter
Mash 19.1L @ 66C for 60 mins, 10 Minute Mash out at 75C
Sparge 14L
O.G. 1.060
F.G. 1.014
IBU 46.4
ABV 6%

Crisp Maris Otter 4.7kg
Crisp low colour chocolate 0.1kg
Crisp Chocolate malt 0.2kg
Roasted Barley 0.2kg
Crisp Dark Crystal 0.4kg
Crisp light crystal 0.2kg

Topaz T90 Pellets a.a.17.1% 26g @60mins
Williamette T90 Pellets a.a. 5.7% 20g @10 mins
Whirfloc & Yeast nutrient @ 15mins.

Yeast lallemand Bry97 x2, 2 weeks @ 21C then cold crash transfer to keg Purge and leave for 6 months.

 

[Clint]

Did you put the Christmas tree up to put you in the mood...?

 

[Lawrence22]

Did you put the Christmas tree up to put you in the mood...?

I resisted the temptation, but if I'm stuck in the house for much longer you never know what could happen.

 

[Lawrence22]

Did you put the Christmas tree up to put you in the mood...?

Just realised why you posted this now. That pic is from the last time I brewed this beer, and as I said in original post it was brewed for Xmas.

 

[Lawrence22]

Managed 1.061 on this beer this time, has dropped to 1.014 in 6 days and I don't expect it to drop much more. Will stay in the fermentor for another 8 days. The sample I took for gravity tasted great even at this early stage.

 

[Lawrence22]

Kegged this today + 4 bottles. F.G. of 1.013 so 6.3% this time, so slightly stronger than the last two times I've brewed this. Going away for 6 months now, though I may sample the bottles a bit earlier to monitor its' progress.

 

[fury_tea]

How many kegs have you got Lawrence?
How do you store your keg for long periods? In the fridge or elsewhere?

 

[Lawrence22]

I

How many kegs have you got Lawrence?
How do you store your keg for long periods? In the fridge or elsewhere?

I have 4 kegs at the moment. I don't usually condition for this length of time though. After I have filled the keg I purge it with Co2, then leave it on at 15 psi for about 20 mins before removing it from the gas. I then just leave it in a corner of my garage. Every few weeks I will give it another short burst of Co2. A couple of weeks before serving I will move it to the kegerator.

 

[Lawrence22]

6 Months has eventually passed and I've now been able to sample the beer. Very pleased with the result, slightly more bitter than the last time I brewed and there is a slight coffee taste to it even though there is no coffee in this beer.