The next experiment!
Okay, so I’ve been thinking about ways in which to make my brewdays more doable without spending a solid afternoon or evening away from the monkey and missus…
Author: ElChemist
The 30/30 Experiment
So, I’m a scientist, as I constantly seem to be saying these days and I like to think I understand biochemical and chemical processes quite well. As such I have always wondered why the hell we as brewers do things for certain periods of time. Why do we mash for 60 minutes or even 90? Why do we boil for the same amount of time?
NZ Hopped Steam Lager
This is an experimental recipe I’ve done to see whether these hops work with this style. Its gonna end up being a kind of steam hybrid, as its a little bit hoppier than normal, but I’m hoping the relatively simple clean base will allow the hops to shine quite brightly.
ChemCast 4 – 30/30 or 60/60?
ChemCast 4 – A discussion of my impressions of doing a 30 minute mash and a 30 minute boil as opposed to the accepted norm of 60 and 60.
Stick comments below, and let me know what your ideas, impressions, opinions are in the comments below…
Worst brew day ever!
Hey, just thought I would share this with you guys, the story of the worst brew day I’ve ever had…
Its a Monday, first day of the Easter holidays and I’m feeling great, I stick on a podcast (Time to get jacked for the UFC Event this weekend, and to hear the build up for the bout between Michael “The Count” Bisping and Georges “Rush” Saint Pierre) and start my day the same way as always…
ChemCast 3 – An Update on the world of Chem.
Finally got around to doing another podcast after all the crap that’s been going off in my life recently. It’s more audio blog than discussion. Basically just treading water until the easter hols start and I can smash some brewing.
Old Man’s Ale
Yep, I have a commonality in my nomenclature for beers, normally its named after the person I brewed it for, or some stupid name which lets me know what it is… So this one was a beer I did for the old man last November and its a remarkably simple and good pint. Not too bitter, not too sweet and a nice hop aroma. Simple seems to work really well with the Bitters Dad likes…
Moose’ Brew
Well, what can I say. My brother in law is called Tom, but we call him Moose, and this was Moose’ Christmas present last year. A post went on BookFace saying that Weihenstephaner was his favourite beer and he loved it etc etc, so I thought, what do you buy an accountant who has everything? Nothing! You make him something! So I set about finding a decent clone recipe for that Weissbier and made it for him…
Outlaw Lager
No, not like that! This is a simple clean lager I produced for the Father In Law to account for his slightly uncultured beer palette. Its nothing special. If you want to placate a lager drinker who thinks Becks is an acceptable pint, and Stella is something you drink rather than leave on the shelves in the supermarket, try this. I remember it being one of the most unremarkable fermentations I’ve ever done, almost boring if I’m honest…
Title: FIL Lager
Author: Chem
Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: International Amber Lager
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 10 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 13 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.038
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)
STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.049
Final Gravity: 1.013
ABV (standard): 4.75%
IBU (tinseth): 21.5
SRM (morey): 7.03
FERMENTABLES:
1.45 kg – United Kingdom – Lager (69%)
0.15 kg – German – CaraMunich III (7.1%)
0.5 kg – United Kingdom – Pilsen (23.8%)
HOPS:
7 g – Perle, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 8.2, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 14.8
15 g – Saaz, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 4.91
10 g – Saaz, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.8
MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Sparge, Temp: 67 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 9 L, Sparge with 6L at 70 degrees
Starting Mash Thickness: 4.5 L/kg
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
5 g – Irish Moss, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
YEAST:
Wyeast – Munich Lager II 2352
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 73%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 11.11 – 16.67 C
Fermentation Temp: 14 C
Pitch Rate: 1.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)
Kick ’em in the Kolsch
A nice clean unobtrusive summer tipple, goes well with BBQs and mates. A super session beer, me and 3 old uni mates drank 25 bottles in one particularly raging session with 30 chicken wings and a full slab of beef ribs. Cant say I’ve tried it without food, but with food its spectacular. Temperature control is very important with this beer, according to a friend who brewed it, it loses its cleanliness if fermented above 14 degrees, but hey, maybe y’all like a little funk…
Title: ChemKolsch
Author: ElChem
Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Kölsch
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 28.5 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.037
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)
STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.010
ABV (standard): 4.67%
IBU (tinseth): 21.28
SRM (morey): 4.37
FERMENTABLES:
4 kg – United Kingdom – Pilsen (80%)
1 kg – United Kingdom – Munich (20%)
HOPS:
40 g – Saaz, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 17.34
25 g – Saaz, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.5, Use: Aroma for 10 min, IBU: 3.93
MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Sparge, Temp: 65 C, Time: 90 min, Amount: 17.5 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 3.5 L/kg
YEAST:
Wyeast – Kölsch 2565
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 75%
Flocculation: Low
Optimum Temp: 13.33 – 21.11 C
Fermentation Temp: 14 C