AG#067 - Briars Best II

[SiHoltye]

Hello,

Am going back to my Briars Best recipe, though this time using WLP005 (instead of S04), and tweaking the OG/IBU's to get it within style 'cos I want to now I know a bit more than I did back when I first brewed it. This is also the first outing of my #60 mesh Aleman style hop-stopper in the boiler with pellet hops, 'til now I've only used it with whole hops which it pissed I also found my mash ph low at 4.8ish when I measured it last so have knocked 40% off the recommended CRS addition to try and correct this closer to 5.3ish. Be interesting to see if this makes a difference to mash ph and then to efficiency, 'cos my eff has been rubbish with this last sack of grain (63%, previously 85%). Perhaps it's more acid than I've been used to, it's from a different maltster. Or perhaps my water alkalinity has changed, but while I've been brewing tasty beers I have suffered the innefficiency rather than making up another CRS solution to re-test my water; that'll be the next thing for me if when returning to the usual maltster efficiency doesn't improve.

Ingredients
23L@63% efficiency, 90min mash @ 67°C, 90min boil
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.00 kg Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 90.91 %
0.50 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 55L (120.0 EBC) Grain 9.09 %
35.00 gm Challenger [6.92 %] (90 min) Hops 28.7 IBU
20.00 gm Challenger [6.92 %] (10 min) Hops 5.6 IBU
10.00 gm Challenger [6.92 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs British Ale (White Labs #WLP005) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.047 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.67 %
Bitterness: 34.2 IBU
Est Color: 20.1 EBC

[Whorst]

Are you adding gypsum?? I'd like to know what the actual strength percentage of your CRS is. The lactic acid I use is 88%, and it's strong as &*^%$! It will burn your skin! I generally use between .5 - .8cc's. My mash efficiency is a consistent 60%, sometimes 63%. This may be down to the crush, or it might be down to my lauter tun. I don't know how guys are getting 85% - 90% mash efficiency.

[SiHoltye]

This is what I'm doing tomorrow...



CRS's concentration has been considered already by the calc compiler, I've aimed for a residual alkalinity of 40 rather than the usual 20, due to my reduced ph last time, in a hope to raise it a bit, and also 'cos the dark grains in this brew make it different to an all pale where I'd target 20 CaCO3 residual.

Prior to this I've been going by the book having tested my alkalinity to 67.5mg/l CaCO3.
Brews 059-062 were all base malt from H&G (forgive me I don't know their supplier), brew 063 was made up of part H&G supplied and part Tuckers, all Tuckers from there on. Water treatment remained appropriate to the style.



I want the eff prob to go away when I next order again from H&G (real soon) so I can blame the Tuckers malt. I can't do that yet as stupid things like my water supplier may have drawn from a different reservoir at the time of brew 063 onwards, not likely I think but time may tell.

[Barley Water]

Maybe I am just lazy but I use that 5.2 stuff in every brew I do. That way, I know the ph is correct and therefore I don't even bother to measure anymore. Since I went to batch sparging, I also add a little of the stuff when I pump more hot water into my mashtun, that way I don't have to worry as much about the ph rising during the sparge and extraction of tannins which also seems to be working very well. My water is medium hard and so is a little alkaline which of course is a little bit of a problem when making pale beers especially.

In terms of extraction efficiency, I just recently got a Barley Crusher mill and I have noticed I am now getting a couple more points per pound. I guess though, I would rather be consistent than get real high efficency and I really got the mill so I could crush just before brewing so the ingredients would be just a little fresher. By the way, I recomend these highly. The price was right, the workmenship is very good and you can crush enough malt for a 5 gallon batch in just a couple minutes using an electric drill. I guess if I wanted to save some money, I could start buying malt by the sack but I don't know how my bride would take to me having 50lb sacks of grain lying around the house.

[SiHoltye]

I used 5.2ph for a while and noticed efficiency go up, but I like trying to iron this back out because i had it right. Once I go back to my original supplier of pale malt (brew after next) I'll see what efficiency is like.
The brew went well and I achieved 1.047 and a mash of ~5.2 Just off to rouse this lazy little yeast.

[SiHoltye]

Forgot to mention the boiler hop-stopper using #60 mesh failed on the pellet front The surface area got gunked up, and after the first 5L the run-off was a painful dribble over the next hour or so! It absolutely monsters whole hops for me , but for pellets I'll try a bag a pellet bag.

[Whorst]

I've used 5.2 previously and haven't noticed any change. I now use gypsum, calcium chloride and lactic acid. Works beautifully.
Consistent 60% mash efficiency.

[simple one]

60% mash efficiency? Thats really low Whorst. Whats your total efficiency?

[escapizm]

[quote="SiHoltye"]Hello,

Am going back to my Briars Best recipe, though this time using WLP005 (instead of S04), and tweaking the OG/IBU's to get it within style 'cos I want to now I know a bit more than I did back when I first brewed it. This is also the first outing of my #60 mesh Aleman style hop-stopper in the boiler with pellet hops, 'til now I've only used it with whole hops which it pissed I also found my mash ph low at 4.8ish when I measured it last so have knocked 40% off the recommended CRS addition to try and correct this closer to 5.3ish. Be interesting to see if this makes a difference to mash ph and then to efficiency, 'cos my eff has been rubbish with this last sack of grain (63%, previously 85%). Perhaps it's more acid than I've been used to, it's from a different maltster. Or perhaps my water alkalinity has changed, but while I've been brewing tasty beers I have suffered the innefficiency rather than making up another CRS solution to re-test my water; that'll be the next thing for me if when returning to the usual maltster efficiency doesn't improve. [quote]

Can i ask what software you use of the water treatment please, ive just gpot mine back from the water company.

THanks

Graham

[simple one]

It looks like the calculator off here.

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/calculators.htm

[escapizm]

So it is thanks. This site never fails to deliver.

[SiHoltye]

One rouse carried out after 24hrs (rouse sounds a bit posh, I sanitized a paddle - gently lowered it in and stirred up the sediment gently without adding air at the surface and so I couldn't see it as an inch thick layer of white anymore).

[Hogarth]

Hope it turns out well SiHoltye. It's a great recipe of yours. As it happens I'm drinking a bottle of it at the moment, (made with WLP002, for what it's worth). It's a cracking brew, nice and rich, and all that crystal gives it a real kick.

[SiHoltye]

Kegged tonight after being at 1.012 for 3 days and pretty clear as WLP005 flocs so well. Diacetyl has diminished though I would perhaps have liked to leave it a tadge longer but the fermentation fridge is doubling as the meat fridge for our summer BBQ on Sat and after going to the Lewes beer fest tomorrow I'll be in no state to sensibly keg a beer (I hope!) so tonight was the night. Tasted right from the fermentor, can't wait for 4.75 weeks to pass 'til it's fully matured The original was brewed with S04 so am looking forward to trying the brew with this fruity liquid yeast (WLP005) but hoping the Challenger spiciness hasn't been diminished too much, it was great against the crystal last time . Brewing Hophead IV next but I'll return home (The Briars being the name of my house) next time using Wyeast 1318 London III (no idea about this yeast as have not used it but it's a Eng one so should suit style) and later most definiately with a WLP002 'cos that's prolly my current fave - always a drinkable pint with that one