Well lads, shall we sort out a suitable night for the April meet? I def can't do the 8/9 weekend.
What about everyone else?
Sorry I meant the 5/6 weekend - was looking a the wrong month...
I've been up all night modifying the agenda template based on feedback:
1. Meet and greet
2. Homebrew samples & House beer (as much as possible a modest amount of both)
3. LOOK AT AGENDA. Maybe one or two of us bring a printout and a pen.
4. Any specific topic you would like help with or would like to share with the group? (post your thoughts or ideas and we'll cover as many as we can at the meet)
5. Agree on a date/venue/theme for next meet(s) (brew build/equipment build, etc - this will determine if they'll be on a Friday or a Saturday).
6. AOB e.g. anything we could do different regarding club/meets, etc
e.g. suggestions for future meets such as an away day/brewery tour, etc
I'm still not sure if steps 2 and 3 should be swapped around given that we can't seem to make it past step 2. Maybe the revised quantity in step 2 will help.
-Barry
Well the issue is everyone standing around waiting for a drink, but if everyone gets a commercial at the start of the night, we can go through the agenda and then start drinking.
I find questions come up as we drink the brews and discuss them, so those two points kind of merge.
But yes, perhaps we should make more of an effort to instil a bit of order! Should we appoint a chair for each meet do you think? Everyone takes it in turns?
The 19th might be difficult being Easter and the meltiness that is licensing laws. I can never remember what the craic is.
Are we getting a birthday cake?! ;)
No idea what I was thinking of when I put that poll up. They're all Saturday and then the third is the "2th". Frig knows what that's about. Must've been in a rush...
Quote from: iain_todd on March 25, 2014, 09:01:14 AM
No idea what I was thinking of when I put that poll up. They're all Saturday and then the third is the "2th". Frig knows what that's about. Must've been in a rush...
Completely unacceptable! :P
Hey All,
Apologies for being a spanner in the works and turning our nice voting democracy into some sort of oligarchic dictatorship but, based on factors such as venue availability, shortage of preparation time, etc, the 26th looks like the only realistic date for the brewday.
Thanks to Chris (Sub82) for squaring it with the following venue:
http://warzonecollective.com/
Like I say, I know this is a bit of a finger up the nose of the majority who voted for the 12th, but arranging a brewday is a huge (and sometimes frustrating) undertaking, both logistically and otherwise. It doesn't just happen. As an example - for the last brewday, in October, I didn't get full go-ahead from the Hudson until around 10pm the night before the event! Believe me, that was not due to lack of pestering them every day. Some factors are just beyond our control.
There's no reason, however, why the 12th couldn't still be used for a normal club meet. What does anyone think?
Anyway, thanks for your understanding and all comments and opinions are welcomed.
Please note: going forward, all NHC members are directed to have the same haircut as me, or face the consequences.
Cheers,
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86457308/kju.jpg) -Barry
P.s. You can blame all the above on improper use of the now legendary 'Agenda', if you like :)
Will try to get down to this one. Any fixed plans for the day?
Hey, Ciaran,
Based on past brewdays we'd be gathering early afternoon (in fact, as near to noon as we can), carrying out a full all-grain brew and disappearing at the end of the day with a handful of full fermenters. The results will be sampled in future meets.
Recipe, who can bring what equipment, who can bring what ingredients, etc will be discussed and agreed in the lead-up but on the day anyone who wants to is welcome to muck in and get as involved as they like. Hopefully we can get one or two of our nice affiliates involved as well :)
The amount of equipment and planning needed for an all-grain brew can be a little off-putting to the un-initiated, so we're hoping to carry out a kit brew in parallel to show just how simple it is to get started homebrewing.
I need to check with Chris and the Centre, but we should hopefully all be able to supply (and drink) samples of previously-finished products as a reward for all that hard effort :)
Cheers,
-Barry
Thanks Barry! ;D
Quote from: Bazza on April 08, 2014, 11:50:58 AM
I need to check with Chris and the Centre, but we should hopefully all be able to supply (and drink) samples of previously-finished products as a reward for all that hard effort :)
Yes I asked them this when we met and they're more than happy if we bring samples. Can anyone think of anything else I need to ask them?
I've already covered:
Water supply
Electricity
Drainage for waste water
An outdoor area for the boil (if needed)
Jeez Barry -- is that what you look like after 3 months in rehab?
Sorry guys, I have my MSc dissertation to hand in on the 21st so cant make it.
Cheers
Andy
This is on the 26th Andy. You'll be celebrating at that stage.
-Barry
Yeah man - what a way to celebrate!
Belfast Homebrewers Brewday (http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/ai1ec_event/belfast-homebrew-demo-3/?instance_id=721)
So, do we want to start by getting a list of who's going?
1. Barry
-Barry (#1 in the above list)
Yo!
1. Barry
2. Chris
As it stands I'm in.....subject to change....Kids and Saturdays and all that malarkey.
We are happy to support these events as it helps folk learn how to brew successfully so we will supply the ingredients for an all grain batch, what do you guys fancy brewing?
Have a look and let us know what you fancy brewing, I would recommend a white lab yeast vial too; http://www.geterbrewed.com/all-grain-brewing/ Hoping i'll get a few bottles out of this batch....
For the kit brewers we are happy to supply a beer starter kit; http://www.geterbrewed.com/complete-brewing-kits/ the best selling beer kit for beginners at the minute is Coopers; http://www.geterbrewed.com/coopers-beer-kits/ so I was thinking one of the Coopers Beer Kits with a can of light LME as an enhancer; http://www.geterbrewed.com/get-er-brewed-liquid-malt-extract.html
It would be awesome if some one could video it for future new comers.
Sounds great! A vial of White Labs would be excellent!
What does everyone think? Possibly a pale ale and showcase some rinsey hops?
The coopers beer kit and LME sounds good to me.
Should we be flyering places (Vineyard/Lighthouse Wines/QUB) to get as much interest as possible?
Can maybe get this on the go again?
NHC Flyer (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nje9piv8n6x8for/f-p0OUuNnc)
@geterbrewed - many thanks for the offer of ingredients and kit. Very generous.
I agree pale ale for the AG batch. (Chris, what are 'rinsey' hops? Are they new-world hops developed by Apple's auto correct, perchance? :) )
Coopers Kit with LME sounds good to me. How about dry-hopping it with a few Goldings or Northern Brewer?
Flyers is a great idea, Chris. Between us we could get them round a few of the usual places. Maybe I'll drop a bunch through the front door of UTV on the way into work some morning :) 'Now on the Brew-TV - Brew-llian Simmons!'
My bro is a professional videographer so I'll see what he can do for us, though he may be too busy planning for his wedding for next month. Failing that, I can bring along our camcorder and tripod. Should do the job.
Let's try and think of a recipe over the weekend. Something summery with Armarillo, Citra or Galaxy springs to mind. Light, fruity, and around 5%?
Cheers,
-Barry
Sorry - should've clarified! Rinsey hops are a general umbrella term I picked up from my brother-in-law for any new world tropical/grapefruit/um bongo hops! :P
Good idea about dry hopping the kit! We could split it and try different dry hops? I've bobek pellets I could use.
I'll try and get some text onto that template over the weekend. There's a place in Lisburn that can print them.
Armarillo, Citra or Galaxy sounds great - a single hop beer or a combination of two or more? Should we use the grain bill from last summer's brewday or shake it up a bit?
Add me to the list as well
I have kit that I could bring, possibly do a really large brew day - a couple batches.
Also happy to ferment some of the brewday wort, got us-05 yeast to go with that lovely new world hops
Cheers
Andy
Apologies I can't make tonight lads; down in Tyrone and I haven't anything new brewed anyway so.
What a waste of that £3 for a Barry haircut!
Have a good one,
Wee Andy.
Quote from: Duffman on April 12, 2014, 12:32:59 PM
down in Tyrone and I haven't anything new brewed anyway so.
You don't wanna be going there, man; it's overrated.
Actually, had my first experience of a Tyrone brewery last night. The Big House were doing bottles of Poker Tree Ruby; apparently brewed in Carrickmore, of all places. I'd recommend it. Was very impressed.
Quote from: Duffman on April 12, 2014, 12:32:59 PM
What a waste of that £3 for a Barry haircut!
It's the future, Andy. Embrace it.
Good to see you can make it other Andy (BrewBilly).
So that makes:
1. Barry (Bazza)
2. Chris (Sub82)
3. Rory (Roo)
4. Andy (BrewBilly)
5. Jonathan (geterbrewed)
(am I spoiling the mystique here by revealing everyone's true identities?)
Any more takers? BTW, don't be afraid to tell your friends, family, workmates, etc.
Cheers,
-Barry
i've been waiting on one of these brew days coming up, this is fantastic !thanks for organising and thanks to Geterbrewed also, count me in ill try and get a few friends to tag along too
Quote from: Duffman on April 12, 2014, 12:32:59 PM
Apologies I can't make tonight lads; down in Tyrone and I haven't anything new brewed anyway so.
What a waste of that £3 for a Barry haircut!
Have a good one,
Wee Andy.
Hi Andy - the meet has been rescheduled to a brewday on the 26th.
Belfast Homebrewers Brewday (http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/ai1ec_event/belfast-homebrew-demo-3/?instance_id=721)
Hopefully you can make it?
Might be an idea to remove the voting widget and change the subject header to include the date and the words 'Brew Day'. Have you rights to do this, Iain, as the thread owner or se we going to have to ask a mod?
-Barry
I emailed Iain asking this but it might be better if you can do it Shane.
Maybe "Brewday - 26th April"?
If you guys email me a flyer for this i'll place it in all orders going out in NI.
Regards J
Cheers, Shane.
Hopefully that'll clear up any confusion.
-Barry
Thanks Shane - that's great!
@Jonathan - I'll send a copy ASAP!
The link to the calendar entry seems to be broken???
That was quick,
Just checked the home page, can see the events and the link to the calendar worked (or am I missing something?)
So, any more takers? So far we have:
1. Barry (Bazza)
2. Chris (Sub82)
3. Rory (Roo)
4. Andy (BrewBilly)
5. Jonathan (geterbrewed)
6. Iain Todd
-Barry
Hope to call in at some point in the afternoon!
Andy
Well Chaps
What is the format for the 26th?
Do we have a recipe decided or will be winging it on the day?
I have equipment we can use - mash tun, boiler, FV.
Cheers
Andy
Hi Andy,
So far it'll be meeting around 12ish and then take it from there.
Recipe wise it'll be paley aley, probably something like:
4.5kg MO
0.5kg Pale crystal
0.25kg Flaked Barley
for 20-25L (might scale it all up to a bigger batch)
and plenty of flavour/aroma additions for the hops
Good stuff on the equipment - we'll have to get a list together to make sure we've everything that's needed.
+1 to what Chris said.
During the week we can work out who brings what. No harm in having spares with us too. We'll need a few extra bits and pieces for the kit brew too. I was going to bring my hose and tap attachments and wort cooler to speed things up. We need to sort out how or if we split the brews. In one way splitting makes sense otherwise someone's charged with the scary task of transporting a heavy fv full to the brim with precious wort.
I have the flyers. Was planning on dropping a load off at Vineyard and such the like today. If anyone can think of other decent places to drop them let me know. Ideas welcomed.
Chris, I know I was supposed to deliver the flyers yesterday after the park but an incident involving a 5-year-old child, a grazed knee and a load of hysterical screaming put paid to such plans :-\
Cheers,
-Barry
Quote from: Bazza on April 19, 2014, 11:54:39 AM
Chris, I know I was supposed to deliver the flyers yesterday after the park but an incident involving a 5-year-old child, a grazed knee and a load of hysterical screaming put paid to such plans :-\
Haha - no worries man hope it was nothing serious!
Okay, so I managed to grab the car and shoot down the Ormeau Road on the wife's lunch break there. Dropped about 30 in the Vineyard (and in the process relieved them of some excess ales ;) ), and a handful in the Big House, Errigle, Grafitti, Soulfood, the butcher and greengrocer. Reckon that's Ormeau pretty saturated.
Iain, do you (or anyone else) want a bunch? I'm off down home tomorrow but back up Monday. I can drop some into 'Spoons on Tuesday and anywhere else we can think of around the city centre (places like the Nutmeg, perhaps?).
Cheers,
-Barry
Barry
I can pick up some fliers and drop them off at the Lighthouse here in Whiteabbey.
Chris, the recipe so far looks good, I would suggest scale it up an split the brew with different yeasties as per the last brew day which turned out two very different beers.
I am happy to say that I hand in the MSc on Monday and cant wait to get brewing again - go the fever back big time
Cheers
Andy
Chaps
Just a thought: Has anyone sent an invite to the Ballycastle lads to join us for the brewday? Just a thought?
Cheers
Andy
Barry that's great! Hopefully we'll get more interest.
Sounds good Andy - yeah that'd be good to get another yeast expt. on the go!
I said to the Ballycastle ones on Facebook but there didn't seem to be much interest.
Oh and good luck for the hand in!!!
Hey Andy,
Re: scaling the recipe up, what size boiler do you have?
Cheers,
-Barry
Barry
My boiler is made from a 33l bucket so i recon it could easily do about 26l.
Cheers
Andy
3 DAYS TO GO!!!
I've made a provisional list of things we'll need. I've also added who's bringing what, but this can change as needed. In fact, it would be good to have a few spares.
Andy, If you think we can do a 26L brew with your boiler then let's do that. I'm fine with us figuring the recipe on the day. I can bring Beersmith on the ould tablet, or we can just wing it based on a loose design.
Starsan Sol - Barry
Boiler + power (gas or leccy) - Andy
Extension lead - Barry
Thermometer - Barry
Camden tablets - Barry
Mash Tun (+ sparge arm???) - Andy/ Barry
Grains - Geterbrewed (amounts TBD)
HLT - Barry
Hydrometer & trial jar - Barry/Andy/Chris
Hop filter - Andy
Hops - Geterbrewed (amounts and type TBD, but were initially thinking a mixture of Galaxy and Cascade)
Scales - Barry
Paddle - Barry
Protafloc - Barry
Wort cooler - Barry
Hose + connections - Barry
FVs (for kit & AG brews) - Andy/Chris/Iain/Barry
Coopers Kit - Geterbrewed
Finished brew samples Everyone
I might not be there at exactly 12 but should be there very soon after.
Whoever makes down there in first should get the strive water heating up, even if it's just boiling a couple of kettles.
-Barry
I'm planning on going down on Saturday, really looking forward to it. I'm a complete novice so I'm looking forward to picking up a few tips! I'm happy to help out in anyway I can, for example transporting anything around South Belfast. If you need anything let me know.
See everyone down there!
Great stuff Finnbarr - should be a good day!
Nice one Barry! Just copied and pasted your list to add what I can contribute. Also I'm driving and will probably collect Iain if you need a lift in?
Starsan Sol - Barry/Chris
Boiler + power (gas or leccy) - Andy
Extension lead - Barry
Thermometer - Barry
Camden tablets - Barry
Mash Tun (+ sparge arm???) - Andy/ Barry
Grains - Geterbrewed (amounts TBD)
HLT - Barry
Hydrometer & trial jar - Barry/Andy/Chris
Hop filter - Andy/Chris(Straining Bag)
Hops - Geterbrewed (amounts and type TBD, but were initially thinking a mixture of Galaxy and Cascade)
Scales - Barry/Chris
Paddle - Barry/Chris
Protafloc - Barry/Chris(Irish Moss)
Wort cooler - Barry
Hose + connections - Barry
FVs (for kit & AG brews) - Andy/Chris/Iain/Barry
Coopers Kit - Geterbrewed
Finished brew samples Everyone
I might not be there at exactly 12 but should be there very soon after.
Whoever makes down there in first should get the strive water heating up, even if it's just boiling a couple of kettles. I will make sure that they have kettles!
Is there anything else we need to ask our hosts before Saturday?
Ah Shane - pity you can't make it! Surely you and Iain are due a politics debate soon!
Quote from: Tube on April 23, 2014, 09:39:36 PM
Is Skinny Matt going?
Really not sure - haven't heard from him in a while.
Last I heard he was half man half brewbot. A sort of brewing Borg.
-Barry
Hey lads....touch and go if I can make it. The wonders of children. On the premise that I'll be in attendance what if anything can I bring....besides a wealth of inexperience.
Barry, I have seen the list - all go my side just checking plug connections tonight
Cheers
Andy
Nice one Andy. I can throw a few spare leads, etc into the car.
@Rory. I fully appreciate how the Saturday kiddie mayhem is; if you make it you make it. If it turns out you can, maybe bring along a few spares, such as thermometer, hydrometer, paddle; whatever's handy - oh and some samples :)
@Jonathan - So are you okay to bring along a kit + 5-6Kg pale malt, around 500g Crystal and a 100g of Galaxy hops? The rest of us can bring along a few Cascade/Chinook/Citra if we want to mix things up a little.
My brother can still hopefully make it on Saturday with video equipment. I'll confirm with him later. I told him that a few candid shots of the process and a little vox here and there would do the job.
@ Chris - the most important thing we need to know from the folk at the Center is that they've got a decent sized area that can safely accommodate a boiler and hlt going full tilt and (hopefully) throngs of people. Also, somewhere from where we can trail a hose for the cooler would be extremely useful.
Anything else anyone can think of?
We're getting there...
Cheers,
-Barry
Quote from: Bazza on April 25, 2014, 11:25:50 AM
@ Chris - the most important thing we need to know from the folk at the Center is that they've got a decent sized area that can safely accommodate a boiler and hlt going full tilt and (hopefully) throngs of people. Also, somewhere from where we can trail a hose for the cooler would be extremely useful.
Inside is basically an open space with hard flooring - probably a similar size to the top floor of the Hudson. If you think steam will be an issue there is a back door which opens onto stairs down to an outside area.
What sort of hose length do you need? There's a kitchen area and I can bring a tap adapter.
Quote from: sub82 on April 25, 2014, 11:34:53 AM
Inside is basically an open space with hard flooring - probably a similar size to the top floor of the Hudson.
Ah right, sounds fine then. I guess they need to know that the floor will inevitably get wet in places so if that's an issue we'll need mats or something.
Quote from: sub82 on April 25, 2014, 11:34:53 AM
What sort of hose length do you need? There's a kitchen area and I can bring a tap adapter.
Just enough to trail from the kitchen to where the boil is going on. I have a huge reel that splits in the middle to attach the wort cooler. I'll bring that along. It's very long so will suit most situations. *
insert smutty joke about one's epic length*
Cheers,
-Barry
Haha! ;D
Yeah they use the room for BYO punk gigs so it's well prepared for spillages. I'll mention it anyway and I'm sure as long as we clean up they'll be happy.
Hey Chaps
Good brew day today, the turn out was excellent - Thank you Jonathon @ Geterbrewed the kit, hops and grain was much appreciated.
Cheers
Andy
Barry - can you please post the recipe we sort of followed today.
Cheers
Andy
Well done guys!
Thought the pressure of being in front the camera would have taken its toll, but no fear - professionals till the end!
Looking forward to the viewing.
Andy B
+1Andy and Andy.
Brewday was a total success and went so smoothly. When you see a bunch of folk you haven't previously met paying so much attention to the process, and seemingly happy to endure all the enevitable waits, it makes you realise how worthwhile the brewdays are. Loved all the interaction and Q&A. Class.
Thanks to Chris and Andy for helping make this happen . Big thanks to Jonathan and Geterbrewed for the generosity and huge thanks to Shane and the guys at the Centre for hosting us messy feckers. Excellent venue.
Lastly, thanks to the wee bro, Darren and his soon to be (5 weeks yesterday to be precise) wife Kasia for taking so many shots and for your patience (and not least for the lift home) :)
Andy, will post the recipe tomorrow, hopefully, but it smells effing great :D
Cheers to everyone involved. Great day all round. Cant wait for the next club meet aka tasting session.
-Barry
What a day! :) Thanks to everyone who came down.
Jonathan & Deborah @ Geterbrewed - thank you for the excellent ingredients and samples.
Shane @ The Warzone centre - thank you for hosting us. Perfect venue for a brew demo.
Darren & Kasia - thank you for taking the time to come and film us!
Really looking forward to the next meeting - so far the brew smells amazing!
Just to say a big thank you to all involved in arranging the 'brew day'. This is from the old fart who asked too many questions! Anyway, just to say that your demo of a full grain brew has inspired me to take my brewing to a higher level. I have, in the past brewed using malt extracts and was wary of committing to the real thing,but after seeing it so aptly demonstrated on Saturday I have decided to give it a go. Again a big thanks to all involved and for a taste of some fine beers...banana and parsnip exempted!
Regards
Alan
I'd like to thank everyone involved in organising and answering our questions. It was a really interesting and informative day. It has given myself a bit more confidence to get stuck in and start brewing my own beer. Thanks again!
Rather gutted to have missed this :-( Broken leg and in one of those hellraiser cages for the next 3 months :-(
Sounds like it went really well though!
Alan and Finbarr - Thanks for all the positive comments. Glad to hear you got something out of the demo.
As for asking questions, Alan, that's really the point of these sessions so make no apologies. It's all about taking away as much information and shared experience as you can. Anyway, hope you get on well with that list of pages from the Graham Wheeler book. Looking forward to some samples :)
As promised, and only a day late, here's the recipe we loosely followed on Saturday. I can't give exact IBU's or ABVs since the hops had no AAs written on them and I don't remember any of us noting the starting gravity :-[ . So the below is based on AAs that Beersmith had for the hops in question. Also, in the interests of time, we cut the 60 minute boil down to 45 mins:
5500 Pale
300 Crystal
300 Flaked barley
20g Galaxy (AA roughly 14.4%)- 60 min
20g Galaxy - 15 min
10g Cascade (AA roughly 5.5%) - 15 min
20g Galaxy - 5 min
10g Cascade - 5 min
10g Galaxy - 0 min Steep at 80 degrees
20g Cascade- 0 min Steep at 80 degrees
26L-ish Final volume split 3 ways
2 of the batches split a vial of WPL001
1 of the batches used 1 sachet Gervin Ale yeast
IBU = 44-ish
ABV = 5.7-ish
Colour (EBC) 19.7-ish
That wee sachet of Gervin really hit the ground running with my 1/3 of the batch. Haven't used Gervin before but if the internet can be believed it's just a cheaper Nottingham.
It'll be interesting to see how the different yeasts affect the outcome.
Chris or Andy - Are you intending doing any dry-hopping?
Andy - how's the kit coming along? Really interested in sampling this one. If you need a hand filling 40-something bottles from the kit let me know; it'll help ease the guilt in leaving you to get that back down the road.
Chris (Bill_00) - ah man, sorry to hear about your leg. Hope you get back on you feet and brewing again soon.
Cheers,
-Barry
Yeah well done to RSAndy, Chris and the Baz-Meister. ^-^
I was initially not going to head down as I woke up feeling horrible on Saturday, but forced my self and was really glad I did. I thought the inevitable waits might have been awkward, but the communal appreciation was such that it never felt so.
Also, I got some great pics on the Twitter account if you want to take a look. Shall I do a write up?
8)
Thanks Alan and Finbarr! As Barry said, there can never be too many questions. :)
Barry - thanks for posting the recipe! I might dry hop 1g/L citra for the craic.
Chris - sorry to hear about your leg hope it isn't too serious!
Shane at the Warzone Centre said they'd be happy to have us back again. They've been trying to get DIY/Skill sessions up and running and homebrewing fits the bill perfectly!
Gutted.....but glad it was a success lads. Hope to make the next one
Yes Bazza I will be dry hopping in a way, I was planning on trying a hop tea into the bottling bucket and extract the flavor/aroma that way - I am a bit nervous of infection and getting the muslin bag back out of the keg.
I was thinking of hop teaing with about 10-15g for the volume I have.
So far the kit is bubbling away like a steam train, Baz I also forgot the SG but it should be about 1045 if my calculation is correct. The smell coming through the airlock is very good, I will be leaving it in the FV for two weeks then bottle. Baz I should be ok to bottle I just need some preparation beforehand.
Thanks again everyone for an awesome day, great meeting new people. Any questions are welcomed, it always forces us to learn and refine our processes.
Cheers
Andy
Andy - I would be really interested to see how your hop tea method turns out.
Chris - so would I, I was reading about it on another forum. Apparently its more efficient than dry hopping and less risk of infecting the brew.
If it works out, Andy, a wee guide here would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
-Barry
+1 on a wee guide!
1) Drink loads of beer
2) Go to toilet/find wall on way home
3) Unzip trousers
4) Take out .. Hold on, don't you guys up North use funny words? ???
Haha ;D Dunkel!
Took a while but I got it in the end!
just a quick update on the brewday brew.
So the FV has been bubbling away for about 6 days at around 18C (probably a bit lower) its still going but i think thats to do with the temp. The smell coming through the airlock as it bubbles is really really good - cant wait for the finished brew.
The plan is to bottle next weekend after around 14 days in the FV - gives it time to clear and the yeasties to clear up after themselves. Instead of dry hopping now at 7 days I am going to make a hop tea when I bottle I plan to do a "How to" while I do it.
Cheers
Andy
Sorry chaps I forgot about the kit brew
As you all know it is the Coopers Brewmaster Selection IPA brewed (see pic) with 1.5kg liquid malt extract and made up to 23 litres, you could brew it short to about 20/21 litres his would give a higher abv but also give better flavour.
So far its been bubbling away light a steam train, it has slowed down now with only a bubble every now and then. I will wait till next weekend before racking it into bottles. I will set aside for the next meet we have.
Hope you all found the brewday informative, any question and advice about equipment are welcome.
Cheers
Andy
Just had a quick taste of the brew. Very nice hoppy bitterness and sweetness to the beer. Gonna dry hop 1g/L Citra and bottle on Thursday.
I have to admit to not checking mine in over 2 weeks. It's in an un-airlocked bucket with a standard lid and I'm paranoid about lifting the lid until I really need to. Hoping to bottle tomorrow night if it smells okay.
-Barry
Chaps, just finished bottling the brew day beer tonight, I had a wee taste and to be honest I am not sure if I frigged up at some point, I still bottled up everything but still had that problem taste I keep encountering with my AG brews. I didnt put it in the hot press this time but still in the bathroom. I am not sure if the temp fluctuated to much in there or not.
Still very confused to where I went wrong, or if my taste buds are just screwed???? :'(
What did it taste like? What sort of temperature fluctuations do you think there were?
+1 Chris
I don't recall if you brought any of your trouble AG's to any of the last meets but it really does help to have an independent palette try these.
I really don't think temp fluctuations are the issue, not sure if they even were the issue before, unless they've been extreme. In the past I've put funny tastes down to problems with the yeast but this time you and Chris split the same vial and he's had no taste issues.
What about your FV? You been using the same one all along? How clean is it really? Any nicks or rough patches on the inside? Does it have a tap? I stopped using my SS FV a while back because of scratches on the inside that harboured bacteria. Unless the yeast went flying out of the blocks, getting a head start on the nasties, the beer wouldn't come out right at all. Was there a delay in your yeast getting going?
Just a few thoughts but as Chris says, a description of the taste would help.
-Barry
Quote from: Bazza on May 13, 2014, 09:15:13 AM
In the past I've put funny tastes down to problems with the yeast but this time you and Chris split the same vial and he's had no taste issues.
That's a really good point Barry - we'll be able to rule a lot of things out as we've both started with the same wort and yeast.
Finally got around to checking and bottling mine last night.
That Gervin yeast seems to be a great job. Nicely compacted down in the bottom of the FV and the beer was clear as a bell. Lovely amber colour.
If initial tastes are anything to go by, this could be a real winner. Nice fruity citrusy taste, but with a decent full body as well.
Looking forward to comparing the 3, and also looking forward to trying out the kit brew.
-Barry
Sounds good! I'm planning on bottling tomorrow so will keep you posted.
Quote from: Tube on April 23, 2014, 10:00:43 PM
He told me he got some Clark Kent glasses and a dicky bow recently. I suspect he's beating off the mares with a shitty stick ever since!
Hey! Just saw this!!
Skinnny??? Will take that...
Just bottled - great wee brew. :) Nice and clear, coppery beer. Great flavour too! Hoppy, piney, grapefruity amazingness.
Finished at 1.010 but I've no idea what it started at...
Glad to see it turned out well, Chris.
How much did you dry hop in the end?
Quote from: sub82 on May 15, 2014, 09:26:37 PM
Finished at 1.010 but I've no idea what it started at...
I didn't even take an FG reading. Now that's living on the edge.
How about yours, Andy? Any happier, or are you just leaving it to condition?
-Barry
Went for roughly 1.5g/L in the end, so should be interesting to see the differences!
Inspired by what I saw at the Brewday I have now completed my first all grain brew...25 litres of Burton Bridge Bitter as outlined in Graham Wheeler's book page 129. Started at 7pm and finished at 10:30 but finished with a big smile on my face as it all went so smoothly. I got a greater sense of achievement doing it this way than I did with the extract brews. OG 1040. Now bring on the Irish Dark Stout! Any suggestions for a yeast for the stout brew. One happy punter here...thanks to all of you.
Alan
Nice one Alan. You were pretty quick getting on the old ag horse.
Burton Bridge is a lovely drop; made that recipe a couple of times myself and always a winner. What yeast did you end up using for it?
Funny, I'm planning to do a stout this week too, probably from the Wheeler book, but with Magnum instead of Target. I have a sachet of Fermentis S-04 hanging about so I'll probably just bung that in. I'm sure Chris and some of the stout experts on here will have more interesting suggestions.
Anyway, good stuff; there's no going back for you now :)
-Barry
Used a Nottingham (Notty!)
Hi Alan - great to hear about your AG brew! You'll have to let us know how it turns out.
For stouts we've always used WLP001 or US05, however I've been reading that WLP004 is good so might try it out next time.
I'm definitely getting brew withdrawal.
Been months since I was able to brew :( Friend moved house and haven't been able to transfer our setup and now the leg.
We did our first brew at the weekend. Sitting in the fermenter as we speak. The experience of the brew day helped everything run as smoothly as possible. Now fingers crossed we did everything well and we don't run into any problems until its ready to drink!
Good to hear Finbarr.
So did you do an ag, extract or kit? What was the style? What's your favourite part of a roast chicken?
-Barry
Chris, do you know where I can pick up some WLP004...Get'erbrewed are out of stock with this one.
Hi Alan - it looks like The Homebrew Company (http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk) are the only ones that have it in stock!
WLP 004 (http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/white-labs-wlp004-irish-ale-yeast-p-1019.html)
Good stuff Finbarr! Let us know how it turns out!
It was an all grain BIAB. We followed a similar recipe to that of the brew day, except we used just maris otter and crystal malts. My favourite part of the chicken is of course the leg! But,
I am now thinking of putting a valve on the bottom of my pot to make it easier to drain. Any tips or youtube links to a good example?
Also, we sparged but it was a bit of a hassle with the bag, any ideas on how to make this process easier? A big sieve or something maybe?
Thanks Chris...looks as though I will have to put together an order of grains and hops etc to help balance out the delivery costs. The Brew Company have a fantastic range of products including PVC tubing and some spares for Corny Kegs.
Finbarr - for the valve I'm currently in the process of trying to fit one of these to our stockpot:
Weldless Spigot/Tap (http://greenethumb.com/article/1642/diy-add-a-weldless-spigot-to-your-brew-kettle/)
What sort of hassle did you find with the bag?
Alan - no problems glad to help!
That's the kind of tap I was looking at. Will you use the same method as shown in the link? Where do you get your parts? Would you think of fitting a bazooka screen or false bottom?
The hassle with the bag was just the weight of it holding it to drain/sparge, so I was looking for ideas instead of physically holding the bag while doing the sparge.
I got ours and a QMax Metal Punch from Angel Homebrew (http://www.angelhomebrew.co.uk). Just have to drill a 10mm hole for the punch and it should be good to go! Might fit them at some stage but at the minute we use a sparging bag and boil our hops in a straining bag so shouldn't need a screen/false bottom.
For the bag we use a fermenter bucket with a tap to hold it and sparge through. Once we get a tap in our stock pot we'll be able to sparge through it instead.
That weather seemed the perfect time to sample the brewday beer.
(http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b628/sub82/Public/BF5C6992-2BCD-4D48-A90F-EA1285C2CD45_zpsjlj8gdnf.jpg) (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/sub82/media/Public/BF5C6992-2BCD-4D48-A90F-EA1285C2CD45_zpsjlj8gdnf.jpg.html)
Really good! Nice and hoppy with bit of malt sweetness.
Funny; I sampled my first bottle of this on Saturday too.
First impressions were pretty damn good; exactly as you described, Chris; nice tangy hoppiness balanced with the toffee-sweetness of the crystal malts. Granted this was sampled after a long line of other beers that day, so it hasn't been given the proper 'first beer on a Friday' test, but seems very promising indeed.
I guess we should arrange a June meet and get these babies sampled.
Andy: Any update on yours? Has it improved with time?
-Barry
Good point Barry! How's yours tasting Andy?
Oh yeah Barry - on Sunday I heard about a friend of a friend who was at a wedding BBQ where the groom's brother had brewed 3 amazing beers! Sound familiar?! ;)
Quote from: sub82 on June 03, 2014, 09:48:29 AM
Oh yeah Barry - on Sunday I heard about a friend of a friend who was at a wedding BBQ where the groom's brother had brewed 3 amazing beers! Sound familiar?! ;)
Haha! News travels fast (although it was only 2 beers: Galaxy PA and Anchor Steam clone). It wasn't until a conversation on Sunday, after the event, that I realised that you and James O. knew each other.
Aye, went very well; I brought the whole kit down, set up 2 taps with the CO2 and 2 cornies in the old silo (where there was shade and a cool breeze to keep the beer temp down), and spent till almost midnight pouring pints for folk , until both cornies gurgled dry. The silo fast became Ballygawley's newest night spot, to the point where, as the night went on, it was wired up with flood lights and an amplifier. I never thought there'd ever be fear of annoying the neighbours in such a supposedly remote farmhouse but it was very real by the end of the night :)
-Barry
Good stuff! Sounds great - how did you set up your taps? I only have the plastic picnic tap but was thinking of upgrading at some stage.
Quote from: Bazza on June 03, 2014, 08:51:34 AM
I guess we should arrange a June meet and get these babies sampled.
Just saw this! A June meet would be good - not sure if I can make it but will certainly get some bottles of my split of the brewday to you. Would this include the liffey judging or will that be a different session?
Quote from: sub82 on June 03, 2014, 04:22:49 PM
Good stuff! Sounds great - how did you set up your taps? I only have the plastic picnic tap but was thinking of upgrading at some stage.
Hi Chris,
Here's a couple of pics of my somewhat rudimentary setup:
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86457308/2014-06-05%2008.36.25.jpg)
2 chrome taps mounted in two bits of skirting board which are screwed together and held to the table or counter top by means of a small vice. It's amazing what you can do with things you find lying around your garage :)
As you can see, I had enough skirting board and an old door sill to make a simple drip-tray attachment too. Craftsmanship at its best. Took me a whole hour on Friday morning to fashion this baby, but it worked well and did the job.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86457308/2014-06-05%2008.36.40.jpg)
The taps are connected to 3/8 or 3/16 (depending on CO2 levels of the beer) lines and connected to 2 cornies via the usual black disconnects and JG fittings. I've various JG connectors: straight 3/8 to 3/8, 3/16 to 3/16 and 3/8 to 3/16. Lines are connected to the taps using jubilee clips or plain brute force..
Used my JG 3/8 splitter for the first time to have 2 separate gas lines from the one cylinder:
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86457308/2014-06-05%2008.38.01.jpg)
The bride took a few pictures of the whole setup in action on Saturday but she's in Wicklow at the minute so I'd best not disturb her.
You should deffo invest in a couple of the chrome taps, especially one with flow control. Well worth it. I've still some old skirting knocking about if you want it too; free of charge ;)
-Barry
Looks class man! Thanks for the offer of some old skirting board but think I might have part of an old shelf so should be ok! ;D
Quote from: sub82 on June 04, 2014, 04:00:09 PM
Quote from: Bazza on June 03, 2014, 08:51:34 AM
I guess we should arrange a June meet and get these babies sampled.
Just saw this! A June meet would be good - not sure if I can make it but will certainly get some bottles of my split of the brewday to you. Would this include the liffey judging or will that be a different session?
Hi Chris. Yeah we'll probably try and make the one meet do for both the brewday tasting and the comp judging. So sometime after 23rd June would have to be chosen, possibly even early July, although we don't want to get too deep into holiday time.
-Barry
Hi Chaps
Apologies for not posting sooner.
The brewday brew still has that taste - a DMS type flavour. I believe its from fermenting in the bathroom with big environmental temp fluctuations - I will be fermenting in a spare room in future which doesnt fluctuate very much. I plan on getting some galaxy and redoing the brewday here at home so at least I have something to offer. I really want to ace an AG brew and break the streak of bad luck I've had.
The Kit brew is fantastic, good flavour, head retention - bottles available.
Cheers
Andy
Ahh, forgot about the questions posted by others regarding the off tastes I keep experiencing.
I used a different FV this time so no indication of infection, the other FV I used in the past is also ok as I have fermented successfully using it as well. I think its still down to temp fluctuations
Hi Andy,
Was the kit brew fermented in the same bathroom? Maybe the yeasts with the kits you're successful with have a higher temp range tolerance. It's all I can really think of.
Don't ditch the ag. I'd be interested in sampling a bottle just to get a better idea of the taste you keep getting with ag.
-Barry
Lads
Been looking more into the off flavour problem I am having and found this:
Diacetyl
Diacetyl is most often described as a butter or butterscotch flavor. Smell an unpopped bag of butter flavor microwave popcorn for a good example. It is desired to a degree in many ales, but in some styles (mainly lagers) and circumstances it is unwanted and may even take on rancid overtones. Diacetyl can be the result of the normal fermentation process or the result of a bacterial infection. Diacetyl is produced early in the fermentation cycle by the yeast and is gradually reassimilated towards the end of the fermentation. A brew that experiences a long lag time due to weak yeast or insufficient aeration will produce a lot of diacetyl before the main fermentation begins. In this case there is often more diacetyl than the yeast can consume at the end of fermentation and it can dominate the flavor of the beer.
The description is quite accurate to thw flavour I am getting - I am just a bit confused that Chris got a good result with the same yeast. It could have been an aeration issue combined with the slow start from the yeast? Is it as easy as getting a good starter going and aerating the wort well?
Cheers
Andy
Interesting! How soon did you bottle after the brewday?
+1 on saving a bottle for sampling. Would like to taste it and see.
Chris
I left it in the fermenter for just over 2 weeks, maybe should have left it longer. just strange that we used the same yeast and got different results.
The kit brew started really quickly. I think in future I will be either rehydrating the yeast or making a starter before hand.
Cheers
Andy
Yep same as me - I'd 10 days fermenting and 5 days dry hop. Definitely strange!
Quote from: BrewBilly on June 08, 2014, 07:54:01 AM
The kit brew started really quickly. I think in future I will be either rehydrating the yeast or making a starter before hand.
Yeah that's a good plan - I'd always do a make a starter for liquid yeast or rehydrate the dried yeast.
We opened our first ever bottle yesterday and were very pleased with the result, so we would like to thank you all for the help and guidance. It turned out very drinkable which was the main thing!
We can't wait to get brewing another batch! So, no doubt we'll be back to ask for more advice very soon!
Cheers!
Great stuff Finbarr - glad it turned out well!
Bottled my two AG brews 2 weeks ago and they are, I would think, ready for sampling. Brews in question were:
Burton Bridge Bridge Bitter pg. 129 Graham Wheeler book OG 1.036 FG 1.01 40 bottles
Guinness Extra Stout pg. 197 same book OG 1.041 FG 1.014 37 bottles
Really pleased with the Guinness and actually tastes like Guinness! Think a few extra hops might help though. The Bridge bitter is OK and is just that, a bitter! Has a slight haze which I never got with my extract brews so I am putting that down to the AG method...I did add Irish moss towards the end of the boil. Think my tastes buds are beginning to favour IPAs.
Now need to get some bottles to you guys for an appraisal. I could drop them in at the Hudson a few days before your next meeting...are there details posted anywhere?
So going to have a go at another stout and may add some wheat malt to help the head.
Anyone got a good IPA recipe they would like to share?
Alan
Great to hear about your brews Alan!
Not sure about the haze - could be a chill haze?
Conquer Chill Haze (https://byo.com/stories/item/486-conquer-chill-haze)
The next meet is on the 4th July if you can make it? It's a bit of a judging session of beers by the Liffey Brewers so should be good craic!
This is a pretty good IPA recipe:
2-time gold winning American IPA (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/my-2-time-gold-winning-american-ipa-81478/)
Hi Alan,
I've just posted details on the Friday 4th meet here:
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php?topic=6964.0
Shooting for 7:30-8 in the Hudson's Heel Bar.
Sure, why not come along and help in the judging. Failing that, I could try and get samples off you prior to the meet.
Good to see you're getting there with the ag!
Cheers,
-Barry
Sorry but will not be able to make the 4th due to holiday commitments but I can get a few bottles to the Hudson for the Friday evening and leave them behind the bar. Three bottles of each OK.?
Alan
I imagine 2 would do the job!
Getting through all the Dublin lad's brews would be some task
2 x 500ml is about right. If they're 330ml 3 might be needed but generally 2 bottles will be grand!
Sorry, but will be unable to get some beer to you for sampling this time but have them in keeping for your next meeting. A few more weeks conditioning in the bottle should help then though. It does look as though you will be busy enough what with all those other beers to taste.
Will try and get along to the next meeting.
Regards
Alan
No worries Alan. We'll try and get something sorted for August.
You any new brews on the go?
-Barry
Timothy Taylor Landlord bubbling away at the moment. One of your recommendations from the Graham Wheeler book.
Quote from: Amac47 on July 07, 2014, 08:20:12 AM
Timothy Taylor Landlord bubbling away at the moment. One of your recommendations from the Graham Wheeler book.
Excellent. That' a great wee recipe.
What yeast did you use? I've done it with Wyeast 1968 (Fullers strain), S-04 and Mauri-ale yeast and the Mauri was the easy winner. Far better flavour, really brought out the roasted malt. Probably going to be my next brew, the TTL. Styrians are a brilliant hop.
-Barry