First AG 28/1/07

[Dunlambert]

I thought I would start with a nice mild for my first try at this

FESTIVAL MILD.

25 litre batch OG 1054 ABV 4.8% 140 units of colour 24EBU

MARIS OTTER PALE MALT 4854 gms
CRYSTAL MALT 165 gms
BLACK MALT 168 gms
TORIFFIED WHEAT 114 gms
SUGAR 280 gms added to boiler

HOPS boil time 90 minutes

FUGGLES 64 gms

Add 10 gms GOLDINGS last 15 minutes.

All went well up to the point of trying to take a hydrometer reading near the end of sparging to see how close I was to 1006. When I realised I had no trial jar to test my sample. Anways I got plenty of wort probably around 30L. So had plenty to top up the boiler during the boil and ended up with my 25L. I then cooled rapidly in about 25minutes and pitched my yeast. All in all it was a fun day, I started at around 2 Oclock and finshed at around 9 which is what I expected. Before pitching the yeast I got a reading of about 1040 is that ok. Still not up on all the readings yet will have to pay more attention next time when hopefully I will not be as anxious.

This evening coming home from work I found the I have a very active ferment so much so it has foamed out of the FV through the crack I left open on the lid. Is this good ?(The wife is not to pleased it went all over the quilt I had wrapped around it LOL)

It did get a little to warm in the room I have it in possibly went up to about 30c. I now have it down to about 26c.

Now thinking of what top brew next, I love Newcastle Brown anyone have a recipe for this. I have spotted one in the recipe section but that was combining two brews anyone have a more basic recipe ? Or an Old Peculier I have not searched for that one yet.

[Frothy]

1.040 is excellent DL
Sounds like you had a most sucessful first AG

nice one
Frothy

[SteveD]

Nice one One thing, try and get the fermentation temperature down to 20c if you can. 26c is too warm...30c is a definite no no. In a normal room there's no need for extra heating of the fermentation vessel. I start to berate the missus about having the house too warm if I see it creep past 20c!

[RabMaxwell]

Hello Dunlambert hear is wheelers Theakson's Old Peculier Haven't made for many years but remember it was very good.
pale malt 4.500g 72%
crystal .620g 10%
Black Malt .120g 2%

Maltose Syrup 500g 8%
Invert Sugar 500g 8%

Challenger Hops 30g (start)
Fuggles Hops 35g (start)
Fuggles 12g (last 15 min)

Mash 66oc 2hr
Boil 2hr
(SG) 1058 (FG) 1012
Bitterness 30 EBU
Final Volume 23 Litres
Alcohol 6.2%

[Dunlambert]

Thanks for everybodys replies, checked it again this morning and one good things is it smells like real beer

Steve I checked the Temp again this morning and it has come down to around 22c now. Living in Belfast it can get a little cold sometimes. I have usually in the past when making kits had to insulate the FV to keep the temp up but I understand what you are saying and will keep a very close eye on it.

DaaB the reading of 1040 was a bit rushed, to be honest for tis my first brew I was a bit all over the place but with my next one will try and pay closer attention to the readings and get a trial jar to make it easier to take readings.

Raab thanks for the recipe, I have most of the ingreidents left from the mild. Excuse my ignorace but what is maltose syrup and invert sugar ?

[oblivious]

Hi Dunlambert

What yeast did you use; Safale S-04 is a very nice one

[RabMaxwell]

Hello Dunlambert maltose syrup is maize sugar or you can use flaked maize instead that's what i do. Invert sugar is cane sugar that has been inverted to save the yeast work. You can substitute with plain old cane sugar

[Dunlambert]

Hello Oblivious yes I used Safale S-04 Beer Yeast and was very pleased with it. I re-hydrated it and it foamed up better than any I have done before. I guess that is why I had such an active ferment over the first night.

[oblivious]

I think tate and lyle golden syrup is inverted sugar

[tubby_shaw]

I think tate and lyle golden syrup is inverted sugar

Tate and lyle golden syrup is only partially inverted. As it states on the container.
IMO you would be just as well to substitute ordinary cane sugar for the invert sugar in any recipes.
I do not believe that using cane sugar in beer causes bad hangovers, I believe that drinking too much beer causes bad hangovers

[Doingatun]

Is it of any benefit to invert ordinary cane sugar before adding – gently boiling with water and a little citric acid for 10 – 20 mins (can’t remember the quantites or time), saving the yeast having to produce the conversion enzyme invertase, saving ferment time and avoiding the unwanted flavours etc the invertase enzyme causes?

[tubby_shaw]

Is it of any benefit to invert ordinary cane sugar before adding – gently boiling with water and a little citric acid for 10 – 20 mins (can’t remember the quantites or time), saving the yeast having to produce the conversion enzyme invertase, saving ferment time and avoiding the unwanted flavours etc the invertase enzyme causes?

For me personaly I cannot see the point of boiling sugar solution with citric acid to convert it, then having to neutralise the acid with a base to bring the solution back to a point where it wont have a much more detrimental effect on the flavour of the finished beer
I think that using invert sugar may reduce the ferment time by up to one hour, not as long as it would take to manufacture your own invert syrup
As for off flavours, I cannot detect any "off" flavours in any beers produced using sugar, that I could attribute to the sugar.
If sugar is used in a balanced recipe I do not see that there should be any problems
Please don't let my opinions stop you from experimenting though

[SteveD]

Old Peculier.... I think black treacle is used as a priming sugar to give it 'the taste'. I can't swear on it, but I think they do.

[Scooby]

Old Peculier.... I think black treacle is used as a priming sugar to give it 'the taste'. I can't swear on it, but I think they do.

DL's recipe uses black treacle to prime.

[SteveD]

Looks like they do then!

Best pint(s) of OP I've ever had was in Walker's Bar in York, 1981. It was a religious experience. Conversation hushed and we just savoured a great pint..followed by another three just the same