Brewday - 26th April

[Bazza]

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

[BrewBilly]

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

[sub82]

Interesting! How soon did you bottle after the brewday?

+1 on saving a bottle for sampling. Would like to taste it and see.

[BrewBilly]

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

[sub82]

Yep same as me - I'd 10 days fermenting and 5 days dry hop. Definitely strange!

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.

[finbarrmc]

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!

[sub82]

Great stuff Finbarr - glad it turned out well!

[Amac47]

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

[sub82]

Great to hear about your brews Alan!

Not sure about the haze - could be a chill haze?

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

[Bazza]

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

[Amac47]

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

[Bill_00]

I imagine 2 would do the job!

Getting through all the Dublin lad's brews would be some task

[sub82]

2 x 500ml is about right. If they're 330ml 3 might be needed but generally 2 bottles will be grand!

[Amac47]

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

[Bazza]

No worries Alan. We'll try and get something sorted for August.

You any new brews on the go?

-Barry