Smithwicks Homebrew Challenge

[armedcor]

Got my hops as well today. Seem in much better condition than some of the early send outs. I just wish I knew the AA%

[molc]

Always time to make competition beer making a base nut Brown ale with the admiral with ekg for bittering and will make a spice tea in 2 weeks to add to the bottles.

[Jonnycheech]

If you didn't use the hops that were originally outlined I'd call that cheating.

The only hop I've added so far is EKG, which is allowed according to their requirements, so I am technically still brewing to the rules if I dry-hop with Admiral.

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Well then that ain't cheating 

[DEMPSEY]

If used for bittering then who's to know you used admiral  and not some other hop. Stands to reason that they want some late hopping for this beer to show up in the final beer.

[Pheeel]

My hops finally turned up this morning. However I'm under the weather and likely won't be in a position to brew until Saturday 

[Shanna]

Got my hops as well today. Seem in much better condition than some of the early send outs. I just wish I knew the AA%

Yes me too, unfortunately it was a day too late cause I got sick of waiting for them to be arrived and did a mercy dash to the Homebrew company in Mount Mellick yesterday on my way back from "de ploughin"

Have not seen them yet as I got them delivered to home, will be interested to see if they are in one piece.

Shanna

[armedcor]

Got my hops as well today. Seem in much better condition than some of the early send outs. I just wish I knew the AA%

Yes me too, unfortunately it was a day too late cause I got sick of waiting for them to be arrived and did a mercy dash to the Homebrew company in Mount Mellick yesterday on my way back from "de ploughin"

Have not seen them yet as I got them delivered to home, will be interested to see if they are in one piece.

Shanna

What AA were the hops you bought yesterday? I'd imagine they would be around the same.

[Bubbles]

The deadline is far too tight.

I was reading recently that beer can ferment in a much faster timeframe if fermented under pressure, which the majority of homebrewers wouldn't do. Also the sophisticated temperature control, filtering and force carbonation employed by large breweries probably gives them the expectation that good beer can be produced in a couple of weeks. If I was brewing a big beer for the nationals (certainly a winter warmer), I'd want minimum 10 weeks to get it to where I want it. But ideally:

Grow up yeast: 1 week
Ferment: 3-4 weeks
Carbonate/Bottle condition: 2 weeks
Age: 8-12 weeks

Thats extreme to us!

Take 12g notty dry yeast from fridge 10 seconds
rehydrate as per instructions 15 minutes
ferment a 1.045 beer (4%ish) in 5 days
condition phases 1 week for ale

transfer and force carb 1 hour

if bottling, bottle condition 3-days to 1 week

age??...whats that....drink while fresh and tasty after it has been conditioned in line with good brewing processes

Thats about 3 weeks. Stronger ales 5-6% maybe an extra week

I think Diagio are generous with the timeline

Fair enough, bren. But I'm from the zen school of homebrewing. Slowly, slowly.. 

[DEMPSEY]

@Armedcor is your hops 2013 then the AA is 14.3. You then need to put that into beersmith and it will adjust them.

[armedcor]

Grand! Thanks Dempsey

[imark]

I'd dry hop with Admiral and call it admiralo. Guaranteed success!

[Leann ull]

There is no rule on how much admiral or when u add it!
u can add admiral, onions, cinnamon, treacle, beetroot, parsley, corn or apples in your beer...none of anyones business...no rheinheitsgebot in Ireland...go for it and enter...its free and u get a few hops.... nothing to lose

Ok who squealed and gave BM my recipe

[Tom]

Uh... pellets?  First time for everything, I suppose, including clogged filters.

[brenmurph]

@ch. Did u use aldi beetroot of fresh from de garden like me :-)