Munich Helles - first extract brew

[Eoin]

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.

That was a lot of notes and perfect temps for 'no' temperature control ;-)

Sent using a complex system of semaphore and ninjas.

[Richie71]

That was a lot of notes and perfect temps for 'no' temperature control ;-)

TT

Well I wouldn't call relying on Irish weather 'temperature control' but it just goes to show, no matter how much we give out about it, our climate is conducive to brewing beer. I've seen the lengths our Aussie & American friends have to go to  where it seems everyone has to have fermenting fridges, brew belts etc, to keep temps up or down depending on the time of year.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be able to brew lagers and the like all year round but until I can, I'll take my chances with the shed in the depths of winter!!   

[Danny(00833827)]

this turned out fine - but i under did the carbonation a little - very malty.

[armedcor]

I just moved this brew to secondary last Tuesday.  Unfortunately I've no form of temperature control so I did the primary fermentation out in the shed where I had a constant 8 degrees. Did a d-rest at about 16 degrees for 2 days and now it's back in the shed. Sample did taste very malty!