Fatal Extraction

[Jim]

Named due to the age of most of the ingredients.

I decided to use up a tin of Malt Extract I've had on the shelf for about 5 years, and thought I might as well also chuck in all my out of date hops (they've been in the freezer so shouldn't be too bad, but I've estimated a low value for IBU levels as a result). The Windsor yeast (first time for me!) was new.

GRIST:
Light LME 1.6 kg 79.2%
Caramalt 250g 12.4%
Light Brown Sugar 170g 8.4%
(At 90% efficiency = 1.040)

Water Treatment: ½ tspn Gypsum, ½ tspn Calcium Chloride, 1/16 tspn Epsom in 15 litres

HOPS:
Challenger 40g 6.5% 17 IBU? Start
Fuggle 40g 4% 24 IBU? Start
Fuggle 20g 4% 4 IBU? 10m from end
Fuggle 53g 4% 0 Flame out
Golding 40g 4.3% 0 Flame out

13 EBC 44 ish IBUs

Yeast: Danstart Windsor

OG was about right (40) but only collected about 14 litres in the end - probably all the rest was in the ridiculous amount of late hops.

Anyway, on to the pics!








I let the liquor get to about 50C before adding the malt and sugar to make it easier to dissolve.






I added the caramalt just after the sugar....


....and removed it just as the wort was coming to the boil (it was in for about 15 - 20 minutes in all).

[crafty john]

I like your style Jim, waste not want not

[Petrovitch]

Good stuff Be interested to hear how this turns out, I'm sure we all have some old malt and hops knocking about that really need using up. Are you expecting any off or unusual flavours from the extract?

[Jim]

Good stuff Be interested to hear how this turns out, I'm sure we all have some old malt and hops knocking about that really need using up. Are you expecting any off or unusual flavours from the extract?

Well, conventional wisdom says I'll get a HB tang off the old malt extract - let's see if it's true! I have no reservations about the hops though, I'm sure they'll be fine.

[6470zzy]

When you said a tin of 5 year old Malt extract I was hoping that it would be John Bull I haven't brewed one of those in years................ more than 5 Looks like a good brew session.

Cheers

[Jim]

So after a fortnight at 20C the Windsor has achieved FG of about 12. Better than I was expecting from the experiences of others.

However, beer tastes very dry and too many hops (I had a feeling I was overdoing it!). It was a very yeasty sample straight from the tap as well, so that won't have helped.



I've turned the fridge down to 16C - might lower it even more.

[simco999]

Hi Jim

Whats that cooling setup you have there? Counter flow chiller?

[Jim]

Hi Jim

Whats that cooling setup you have there? Counter flow chiller?

Yeah. It's a home-made garden hose and 10mm copper pipe one.

[Petrovitch]

Looking good so far. I recently bought a load of very cheap out-of-date beer kits and have just started the first one, a Black Rock Bock, will post the brewday when I get a chance.

Loving the scales Jim

[Jim]

It's slowly clearing, and tastes pretty good. Head is great and leaves a nice trail on the glass. Another week or 2 and it should be fully cleared.

[crookedeyeboy]

Excellent work there Jim! Has it calmed down a bit?

[Jocky]

Hi Jim

Whats that cooling setup you have there? Counter flow chiller?

Yeah. It's a home-made garden hose and 10mm copper pipe one.

How do you clean the copper pipe after use? And how do you sanitise it before hand?