Well, I reckon the WLP023 was pooped, it'd worked it's way down to 1050 by the time I bottled Penfold (@ 4 weeks) so I got my recovery strategy going. I created a lemongrass brew with the yeast cake from Penfold and, when
that got dropped I chucked some perky US05 at Dangermouse. They loves it!
So, a reasonably expected running out of steam from a yeast that's graded as 'medium' attenuation and tolerance - dropping 65 points would normally be good enough for me!
Now, here's a question for anyone who's runoff the mash tun into two seperate boils & brews - do you reckon the distribution of sugar types is even? More complex sugars first? I can theorise that the later runnings had had more time to be mashed, especially as I don't sparge very hot ( i.e. I may not have arrested the mash enzymes), but it was a decent 90 min mash. I ask because Penfold was at 1005 when I bottled - that was
all grain, remember, no household sugar in the weaker brew.
We'll see how Dangermouse goes, but I'll bring Penfold to the next Cambridge meet. The dryness is a bit unusual but it does suit. The bitterness is pretty good, lots of flavour with a well-rounded kick, rather than just a bland slap in the face! Very pale and bubbly now, but definetly not a girly lager
Hopefully the others will add a decent summary of this 'free' beer after we meet.
If anyone is reading this with the intention of picking up a tip, here's one; after the hops have been boiled once they'll sit themselves at the bottom of the boiler, wedged under the element if at all possible. Poke them out of the way until the boil's rolling or you'll be standing there like a lemon wondering why the boil isn't quite rolling like normal...
Cheers all,
ML.
