Munich Helles - first extract brew

[Danny(00833827)]

So hoping to get my first extract brew on tomoro a Munich Helles from HBC. Have preped a few bits tonight to give me a headstart tomoro-

• New brew pot filled with water and 1 crushed campden added
• Starter made during the week and at rest in the fridge
• Fridge in shed with STC1000 set to 14 degrees

Could have got stuff soaking in sanitizer but think will just do that in morning  while water is getting up to temp.

Anybody think of anything else i need to consider or can get organised now?

[Danny(00833827)]

So this never happened 

First off my STC1000 died on me - have to see what the craic is with that - then just general stuff getting in the way prevented me from getting it done. Ah well, theres always next weekend.

[oconn]

what were the hop additions that came with the kit ? i made the hbc american discovery ale and its good but could do with a dry hop addition.

[Danny(00833827)]

think its Hallertau Mittlefrau one addition at 60 mins

[oconn]

wow 1 addition.. i know the style but would have thought there was a bit more than 1 addition...let us know how it turns out ...

[Danny(00833827)]

Think so. Gonna try again this weekend, hopefully in the morning so will let you know what i do with hop additions - just gonna go with the provided instructions.

Fixed my STC1000 - fuse in its plug blew. So what happened was, it was a 3 amp fuse, but when the fridge kicked in, it would be drawing more than that - makes perfect sense i suppose. So i have a 13 amp in now.

[Danny(00833827)]

had a window of opportunity last night so got this on - went well enough, I had an 18 liter pot so topped up after the boil. No wort chiller so set up an ice bath, that lasted about ten mins before the water was about 60 degrees 

so had to just leave over night with the lid on outside back door, not ideal but there you go, wort chiller top of the list for next brew.

pot wasn't brimmed but left a bit of boil space, got about 13 liters from it, so topped up with ten.

Pitched the starter this morning and its in the fermentation chamber at 14 degrees.

[Donnacha]

Hopefully you're grand and no nasties got in. Having a good starter would help in this regard too.

Re the ice bath. First few times i did this in a sink but found there wasn't enough space. I use one of those plastic storage boxes you get in any homeware section -half filled with water and about two bags of ice from the offie/tescos .works for me - usually hold a third bag in reserve.

[Danny(00833827)]

yeah not ideal but left with lid on from boiling  over night was kinda all i could do. Will def have wort chiller next time. Activity in there now, dropped the temp to 12, thats the lower end of the range on the yeast pack (12-15)

had my starter made alright - hope it was good enough.

I have seen Diacetyl Rest mentioned a few times in relation to lagers - must research this

[Danny(00833827)]

ok two weeks in primary first two days at 15, dropped to 12 degrees when fermentation kicked off - just raised to 15.5 now, will leave for 24-48hrs at this temp for a Diacetyl Rest - then will rack to secondary and gradually drop to 2 degrees over the course of a week, a degree or two a day and will give it a month.

Should really be doing another brew in the mean time but fridge will now be in use so will not be able to control temps, but might give a pale ale a lash, maybe 3 gallons just in case i make a mess of it.

[Danny(00833827)]

into secondary now - fridge back at 12 - gonna drop it 1 degree per day for ten days and will have it lagering for 4 weeks - wonder should that be 4 weeks from today or 4 weeks from the time it gets to 2 degrees?

[Eoin]

I'd drop it straight to 2, no steps, and then 4 weeks.

Sent using a complex system of semaphore and ninjas.

[Danny(00833827)]

did that - the old fridge is down to about 4 right now, hope she still goes that low 

[Richie71]

I tried this one last year and managed to produce a very decent brew without any temperature control.  Admittedly it was fairly nippy outside at the end of November.  According to my sketchy notes I pitched the yeast and kept it for 2 weeks @ 15 degrees.  3 days at 20 with the help of a duvet before sticking it in the shed for another 2 weeks where it fluctuated between 0 and 3 degrees. I bottled it and left it back in the shed for 3 weeks or so.

Still haven't got a fridge for fermenting but it wouldn't put me off trying this again once the temperatures drop.  I'll probably extend the time out in the shed to 4 weeks next time. 

[Danny(00833827)]

Fridge down to 2 now. Can keep a few bottles in there too;-) so roll on 4 weeks for the bottling. Had a sip when I was racking to secondary. Very encouraged !