Mark K’s Brewdays

[Benfleet Brewery]

My (every so slight) reduction in beer consumption has meant I’m brewing quicker than I’m drinking so my Ghostly ship is still in the FV after 16 days waiting for a keg to become free. The keg with my English IPA in was feeling a bit light towards the end of last week so I dry hopped the Ghostly ship on Thursday. The temperature was then dropped to 12 degrees on Sunday, gelatine added yesterday and temperature dropped to 1 degree for cold crash. I need to keep an eye on this and try not to freeze it like I did with my Kveik beer. I may also need think about just having one brew fridge going at a time else upgrading the heating in the second one if I’m to continue to use it in this weather. It only has a 7w reptile heat mat which was working fine but over the past few weeks or so with outside temperatures around or below freezing, it has struggled to maintain the set temperature of 19 degrees and only really managed to keep at around 17.5-18 degrees. After writing this I now find myself with a 60w tube heater and a reconditioned Corny keg in online shopping baskets!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Well I finally got around to kegging my Ghostly ship. I also managed to resist buying a new tube heater but was far less successful in resisting a new corny. So much so that I ended up buying two new cornys.
My Pilsner is still cold crashing. It’s been sitting at 1 degree for four days after I added gelatine so I need to get that done soon. It’s so bloody cold out there though!
Also, I cracked open the keg of Kettle Kveik. It’s still very hazy but I assume it wont clear because of the grist I used. Loads of Orange aroma and flavour from the Yeast fermented in the upper 30’s. Nice.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

6th February 2021

Today I brewed what I hope to be a Ruby Ale. I’ll be particularly pleased if it is even remotely like a Hobgobin so I’m optimistically calling it Hobgoblish.
I treated myself to a bit of a lay in after being busy working on my kitchen all day yesterday so mash water didn’t go on until 9.30am. I was all done and cleaned up by a little after 3.00pm. Yeast pitched and in the brew fridge set at 19 degrees.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: #35 Hobgoblish

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Burton Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 litres (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 28.68 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.045
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (alternate): 5.16%
IBU (tinseth): 40.31
SRM (morey): 15.52
Mash pH: 5.39

FERMENTABLES:
4.5 kg - Clear Choice Malt (85.7%)
350 g - Crystal Dark - 77L (6.7%)
100 g - Chocolate Malt (1.9%)
300 g - Torrified Wheat (5.7%)

HOPS:
15 g - East Kent Goldings (5 AA), Type: Pellet, AA: 5.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 9.52
15 g - Fuggles (4.5 AA), Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 7.79
20 g - Cascade (7 AA), Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 8.02
80 g - Styrian Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.6, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 14.99

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temp: 68 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 25 L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
3.1 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
6.1 g - Gypsum, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
4.9 ml - CRS/AMS (6.3% HCl, 8.6% H2SO4), Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 g - Campden Tablets, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.5 g - Protafloc, Time: 10 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
2.1 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
4.4 g - Gypsum, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
4.9 ml - CRS/AMS (6.3% HCl, 8.6% H2SO4), Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.25 g - Campden Tablets, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - BEòIR
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 74%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 15 - 22.22 C
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)


TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Ca2: 120
Mg2: 5
Na: 10
Cl: 75
SO4: 200
CaCO3: 20

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

My Czech Pilsner had been cold crashing for a week and I didn’t want to leave it on the yeast any longer so went out to keg it this evening. Minus two degrees and Pi**Ing with snow so it wasn’t the best experience ever. My hands were absolutely freezing and by the time I’d finished you could have grated cheese on my scrotum! Anyway, all done but I’m going to have to wait until my outdoor tap and hose defrosts before I can clean the FV.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Still scarred slightly from my experience of kegging a lager during sub-zero temperatures a few days ago I’m not too disappointed to be having a brew holiday this weekend. The decision is also influenced by the fact that my outdoor tap is frozen solid making it impossible for me to connect my RO filter to it. Seems odd that I brewed for a couple of years without RO until very recently but I don’t want to go back now. The forecast is for warmer temperatures by Monday so I’ll either get something on during the week or, if not, wait until next weekend.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Well, my appointment is booked for my first COVID jab on Saturday afternoon and because of my pathetic needle phobia I will need something to keep me and my brain occupied beforehand. What better way than getting a brew on I thought. Yes, I thought back!

My outdoor tap was frozen up last weekend so no brew for me but things have now thawed out nicely so I’m going to make a pale ale designed to continue to use up some existing ingredients. This looks a bit of a mish mash but hopefully it’ll turn out ok. And, to try to capture the fact it is looking to be at least 10 degrees warmer this weekend than last, I hope @Hazelwood Brewery doesn’t object to me optimistically calling this one Spring Breeze.


HOME BREW RECIPE:

Title: Spring Breeze Pale Ale

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.2 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.041
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:

Original Gravity: 1.047
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV (standard): 4.68%
IBU (tinseth): 32.88
SRM (morey): 7.29
Mash pH: 5.54

FERMENTABLES:

4.5 kg - Clear Choice Malt (90%)
0.3 kg - Torrified Wheat (6%)
200 g - Dark Crystal 80L (4%)

HOPS:

20 g - Chinook (13 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 21.74
5 g - Citra (11 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 3.64
5 g - Warrior, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 16, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 4.31
5 g - Citra (11 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.46
5 g - Warrior, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 16, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.73
10 g - Citra (11 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 13.5, Use: Aroma for 0 min
10 g - Cluster, Type: Pellet, AA: 6.5, Use: Aroma for 0 min
20 g - Citra (11 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 13.5, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
20 g - Simcoe (12.7 AA), Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

MASH GUIDELINES:

1) Temperature, Temp: 65 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 20 L
2) Fly Sparge, Temp: 75 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 15 L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

2.24 ml - Lactic acid, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
6.4 g - Gypsum, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.5 each - Protafloc, Time: 10 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1.8 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.83 ml - Lactic acid, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.7 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
2.6 g - Gypsum, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge

YEAST:

Crossmyloof Brew - Pia
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 74%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 15 - 22.22 C

PRIMING:

Method: co2
Amount: 0.96 bar
CO2 Level: 2.52 Volumes

TARGET WATER PROFILE:

Profile Name: Pale Ale
Ca2: 120
Mg2: 5
Na: 26
Cl: 75
SO4: 200
HCO3: 20

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I hope @Hazelwood Brewery doesn’t object to me optimistically calling this one Spring Breeze.

That has to be some form of copyright misdemeanour, I own all rights to all seasons and all weather descriptors. However, I’ll grant you rights in perpetuity to use those terms in exchange for a bottle of the beer.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

That has to be some form of copyright misdemeanour, I own all rights to all seasons and all weather descriptors. However, I’ll grant you rights in perpetuity to use those terms in exchange for a bottle of the beer.

Terms accepted

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Schoolboy error today whilst kegging my Hobgoblish. Looking to follow my usual process of filling the keg, purging the headspace by gassing and venting the keg half a dozen time, gas to 40 psi, rock the keg around for a couple of minutes then remove from gas and leave for a week or so before setting at serving pressure. Unfortunately, I was at the rocking the keg about for a few minutes stage when I realised I’d forgotten to purge the headspace. Just straight in at 40 psi and rocked away . If it isn’t ruined already I might have to drink this one quickly

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I now have two empty FVs so might get two brews on this weekend. Now the weather isn’t so cold the brew fridge with just a 7w reptile heat mat should be able to cope with the temperature demands. Im already looking to get a Spring Breeze going on Saturday but hope to squeeze in a Vanguard lager in on Sunday using the the 100g Vanguard hops I picked up from WHS for a pound.

 

[user 18729]

Schoolboy error today whilst kegging my Hobgoblish. Looking to follow my usual process of filling the keg, purging the headspace by gassing and venting the keg half a dozen time, gas to 40 psi, rock the keg around for a couple of minutes then remove from gas and leave for a week or so before setting at serving pressure. Unfortunately, I was at the rocking the keg about for a few minutes stage when I realised I’d forgotten to purge the headspace. Just straight in at 40 psi and rocked away . If it isn’t ruined already I might have to drink this one quickly

I think I did this before and the beer was absolutely fine, although if you need an excuse to destroy a few pints then ignore me

 

[user 18729]

I now have two empty FVs so might get two brews on this weekend. Now the weather isn’t so cold the brew fridge with just a 7w reptile heat mat should be able to cope with the temperature demands. Im already looking to get a Spring Breeze going on Saturday but hope to squeeze in a Vanguard lager in on Sunday using the the 100g Vanguard hops I picked up from WHS for a pound.

I think you need to man-up and get two tube heaters in there...

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I think I did this before and the beer was absolutely fine, although if you need an excuse to destroy a few pints then ignore me

I dont need an excuse, trust me. The reason I have two empty FVs is not because of evaporation

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Spring Breeze was made today and is currently sitting in the FV at 20 degrees and chugging away nicely. I suppose it‘d be rude to leave the other brew fridge empty so I’ll stick the Vanguard Lager on tomorrow. Saves me putting everything away

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Vanguard Lager all done and in the brew fridge. Well, almost, still need to pitch the yeast. I‘m not sure if it’s something to do with the COVID jab I had yesterday but I started to get a bit of a cracking headache come on with about 20 minutes of the boil left. I wanted to just finish up pretty quickly so didn’t chill the wort right down to pitching temp. I stopped when it got to about 30 degrees and thought I’d stick it in the brew fridge set at 18 degrees and pop out an hour or so later to pitch the yeast. I clearly underestimated that timescale. It’s been in there 2 hours now and only down to 26 degrees. The fridge is cold now though so it should be down quite soon. I’ve set an alarm to remind me in another hour.

Here‘s the recipe used:

HOME BREW RECIPE:

Title: Vanguard Lager

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: German Pilsner (Pils)
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 litres (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.31 litres
Boil Gravity: 1.038
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)


STATS:

Original Gravity: 1.045
Final Gravity: 1.008
ABV (standard): 4.9%
IBU (tinseth): 28.43
SRM (morey): 3
Mash pH: 5.58


FERMENTABLES:

3 kg - Crisp Pilsner (71.4%)
200 g - Dextrine Malt (4.8%)
200 g - Munich Malt (4.8%)
300 g - Cane Sugar (7.1%)
500 g - Clear Choice Malt (11.9%)


HOPS:

30 g - Vanguard, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 16.79
20 g - Vanguard, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 5.55
30 g - Vanguard, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 6.09
20 g - Vanguard, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5, Use: Aroma for 0 min


MASH GUIDELINES:

1) Temperature, Temp: 64 C, Time: 75 min, Amount: 20 L
2) Fly Sparge, Temp: 75 C, Time: 20 min, Amount: 15 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 3 L/kg


OTHER INGREDIENTS:

0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.4 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1.09 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.1 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.3 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.55 ml - Lactic acid, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.5 each - Protafloc, Type: Fining, Use: Boil


YEAST:

Crossmyloof Brew - Kölsch
Starter: No
Attenuation (avg): 79%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 15 - 22 C
Fermentation Temp: 18 C


TARGET WATER PROFILE:

Profile Name: Lager
Ca2: 36
Mg2: 2.5
Na: 13
Cl: 30
SO4: 30
CaCO3: 10

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Been a busy couple of weeks for me. I’ve refitted my kitchen and laid new flooring in three rooms during evenings after work. I’ve realised that although I am still pretty good at DIY my body takes a bit longer to recover! The whole project side tracked me somewhat from my two brews in the FVs a bit. I did manage to remember to dry hop the Spring Breeze last Monday but I didnt remember to add the gelatine and cold crash them. It was brew day today (Sunday) so I need to free up the FVs but I didn’t drop the temperature of the brew fridges until yesterday morning. By to time it came to keg them the Vanguard Lager had only just got down to 1 degree but the Spring Breeze had only reached 4 degrees. It meant they were kegged quite cloudy but I added the gelatine to the kegs and went ahead so hopefully they will clear nicely by the time I tap them.

Having just written all this it has occurred to me that I only really needed to free up one FV for brew day today so could have actually left one beer cold crashing a bit longer, Doh.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Brew day today and I followed (closely) a recipe for a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale I got off Brewfather.
One change to my brewing process. I don’t like the false bottom on the Brewzilla as the trub always collected on this after chilling and was then subsequently pulled through into the FV. So, what I had done for the past few brews was to remove the false bottom after chilling, let the wort sit with the lid on for half an hour or so allowing the trub to settle, then draw clear wort from above the trub into the FV from the tap. It occurred to me today that the false bottom probably wasn’t serving any purpose before I removed it anyway so I didn’t use it at all today. All seemed to go well. In fact, the temperature reading on the BZ almost exactly matched that on my inkbird probe when it can often be quite a lot out. I suppose the removal of the false bottom may have allowed water to circulate better and not be trapped under an extra plate so I probably will leave it out in future.
Anyway, recipe I followed is:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Sierra Nevada (ish) Pale Ale

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.2 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.048
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 5.51%
IBU (tinseth): 42.89
SRM (morey): 7.14
Mash pH: 5.55

FERMENTABLES:
4.8 kg - Pale Ale (90.6%)
0.2 kg - Munich - Light 10L (3.8%)
300 g - CaraRed (5.7%)

HOPS:
5 g - Magnum (12.8 AA), Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 12.8, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 6.55
60 g - Cascade (7 AA), Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 36.34
50 g - Cascade (7 AA), Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 0 min

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temp: 68 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 22L

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.5 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.6 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1.82 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.4 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.4 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
1.64 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
1 g - Yeast Nutrient, Type: Other, Use: Boil
0.5 each - Protafloc, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Five
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 17.22 - 27.78 C

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Ca2: 61
Mg2: 5
Na: 26
Cl: 49.6
SO4: 70.4
HCO3: 42.7

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

The Sierra Nevada has been in the brew fridge for 5 days now so I had a quick peek and found that it has been making a pretty good effort to escape. So much so that quite a bit of it has. The airlock was all bunged up and there was quite a bit of wort in the top of the lid. Its the first time I’ve had this happen for quite a while. I was thinking of taking the lid off and cleaning it all up but was worried about doing more harm than good so decided to just leave as is until I come to keg it.
Grains all measured out and ready to go for an English Golden Ale using Jester hops.

 

[user 18729]

The Sierra Nevada has been in the brew fridge for 5 days now so I had a quick peek and found that it has been making a pretty good effort to escape. So much so that quite a bit of it has. The airlock was all bunged up and there was quite a bit of wort in the top of the lid. Its the first time I’ve had this happen for quite a while. I was thinking of taking the lid off and cleaning it all up but was worried about doing more harm than good so decided to just leave as is until I come to keg it.
Grains all measured out and ready to go for an English Golden Ale using Jester hops.

I don’t think I’ve tried Jester hops- what are they like?

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I don’t think I’ve tried Jester hops- what are they like?

I have no idea .
A few months ago I was placing an order with Geterbrewed and noticed they had Jester on special offer. 100g for a pound. I googled them and they seemed quite interesting so I thought I ordered them and created my recipe in anticipation. Only to receive an email a few days later to say my order was shipped minus the Jester which were out of stock! Anyway, I had the recipe and was so looking forward to trying them I added them to a recent order from HBC (for a bit more than a pound). Hope they are worth it .