Thanks for 6 months heres the result

[bandit]

I thought I would say thanks to you guys Daab, Andy, Vossy, PieOPah etc etc as I started with a Whery kit in October last year and converted to all grain straight away, having never made a single pint before.

I now brew on a regular basis and thought I would post some pictures of my most recent adventure with the 100% satisfaction which is now fermenting nicely on my desk, alongside 5 gallon of TC.


This is the mash tun with the burco boiler above. You can also see the chest freezer converted to a storage unit for 5 cornies. I have made my own dispenser but Ebay has real dispensers coming soon and a beer engine which I won tonight.

This is the sparge going into the 100 litre boiler which is bottom drained to collect more wort

This is a view inside the boiler showing the false bottom of stainless steel mesh on a frame

This is the stainless steel strainer which now needs the legs cutting off as it takes 15 litres of liquor to cover the mesh which doesnt allow much room for the hops to infuse

This is the spinny spargy arm fitted through the lid of the mash tun. I now sparge like this with the sparge water at 85 deg C and my efficiency is amazing. I did a 19 litre version of the 100% satisfaction beer and had to water it down to get a correct OG of 1.040 and ended up with 21 litres

This is the boiler on the propane with the clever use of bee boxes to create the correct height for the revese flow chiller situated under the boiler

And finally the offering of the hops to the boiler of youth and happiness


All I can say is a very big thank you. I am now spending the rest of the year playing with recipies. Has anyone got any tips on how to win a competition?

[Scooby]

Great pics and a brewers tale that should inspire others to try all grain brews. Well done

[PieOPah]

You really don't do things by half do you AB It is looking great.

While I have never entered a competition, I would love to. As DaaB says, try some beers to see what is out there.

I think that the best way to move forward in winning competitions would be to just enter them. The judges should give you helpful hints on where you are going wrong with your beer and of course where you are going right.

I don't think you could get any better advice than people trained...

[steve_flack]

I'd like to enter competitions but I can't be arsed to bottle.

[PieOPah]

Only competitions I have seen are too far for me to be bothered with.

[bitter_dave]

I'd like to enter competitions but I can't be arsed to bottle.

You can enter the CBA competitions with Corni kegs

[iowalad]

Nice set up. Good luck with the competitions. Joining a club may help you in your competitive drive as well - you would get more regular feedback than just entering competitions.

Good luck with the competitions!

[steve_flack]

You can enter the CBA competitions with Corni kegs

My understanding is that the vast majority of people enter bottles and that at least one person I've spoken can't recall a kegged beer winning anything.

Besides.... 19 LITRES!!!!

[SteveD]

You can enter the CBA competitions with Corni kegs

My understanding is that the vast majority of people enter bottles and that at least one person I've spoken can't recall a kegged beer winning anything.

Besides.... 19 LITRES!!!!

...it doesn't have to be full.....

[Jim]

Nice set up, Bandit!

Edit: ed out a silly question.

[bluesboy]

Competition hints

Make sure you stick to the guidelines for the class of beer you are entering (Judges will not accept a wonderful stout in a bitter class). The National Guild of Wine and Beer Judges have guidelines of the classes of beer)

Marks are awarded on the following (usually) if a NGWBJ is judging:
2 Presentation
4 Clarity & Sediment
4 Colour
10 Head & Condition
10 Bouquet
30 Taste
Total 60

Judges are often looking for a perfect example of that class eg "the perfect IPA", so your beer has not only to be very good beer but also a particularly good specimen of that class.

Most of the marks come from the taste (logically) but smell plays a huge part in the taste sensation, and is vital thing to consider, judges spend as much time sniffing as swilling the beer.

Balance between hop bitterness and malt sweetness is an important factor with neither dominating (except IPA usually).

The beer should be free from any infections TCP, acetic, acidic, staleness etc

An all grain beer will nearly always win over a kit, and stronger beers will usually win over weaker examples.

To practice do blind tastings with other (good) beer brewers and see what they say about yours and how they rank it as an example of that class based on guidlines or a good commercial examples eg Guinness for Dry Stout, Pilsener Urquell for Lager etc

Find a local club and offer to steward for a beer at a competition (they are always needed, odd though it may seem)

Competitions are great fun and well worth the effort if you want to improve your craft.

I am a national beer judge so if you want any more tips just ask.

Good luck!

[Vossy1]

Glad to see your enjoying the Ag Bandit and that your doing so well, going straight for the jugular so to speak

As you've found out AG isn't that hard and the results are well worth the punt

100% satisfaction...I'm getting thirsty again

Who made your false bottom, how thick is the sieve material and what size are the peforations

[Frothy]

Great setup bee, did you make the false bottom yourself?

Really interesting stuff on the competitions bluesboy.... it would be really interesting to take on a few of the local microbrewerys

Frothy

[bandit]

My old man made the false bottom ring. Its made from a 20mm stainless strip bent round into a circle and two long handles welded on. The mesh id from a guy I met at a Bee show last week. He sent me 1000mm x 1200mm. its 12#/0.560 APT 1.56. I have some left what size do you want I will cut you soem and post it to you

[Vossy1]

Thanks for the offer Bandit

You just might have a pm