Cambridge JBK member Bishop's Brew-off

[Maltloaf]

Well, my attempt is finally in the can.
I really wasn't intending this one to be the usual oddity, but so many things have gone pear shaped I'm thinking of calling it Betty Prosser!
Mash time; Had a visitor so it sat for four hours.
Mash temp; Was still 65 after four hours, I wasn't intending to mash hot!
Boil; I thought it was a good time to bottle Shane's Porter - fine if it wasn't thick as treacle and didn't want to syphon! Managed emergency brewing assistance to throw in final hops, which sat for 30 mins before I got the chiller on (it was supposed to be bitter as hell, right?).
Cooling; Turned it off and drained out before really thinking, wort at 26 degrees. Just how warm does 001 want it?
Left it in the fridge for an hour to 'settle' and chucked the yeast in at 24 degrees (it was damn frisky too after sitting in the warm for a few more hours than intended!), right before hitting the hay.
Ferment; Fine, got going properly but then: we're off to Kernow for six days, I chose to assume the yeast was done and wind the temperature down to 15 over two days rather than leave it at 22. (You can see it coming, can't you...)
Bottling; Back from Kernow, all ready to go, check the SG...
1021 Not much need for priming sugar on this one!

On the plus side the sweetness balances the hop bomb nicely and even in it's cloudy state it's drinkable!
See you soon for some toot talking and tasting,
ML.

[DrewBrews]

That's certainly eventful.

Mine too is bloody cloudy (looks like hoegaarden) but tastes and smells quite good.

I'm hoping it might clear a bit by the 20th.

As for gravity mine was down to somewhere around 1.002 when it went in the keg..... At least all the beers will be different.

Drew

[Maltloaf]

Mine too is bloody cloudy (looks like hoegaarden)

Mine's way darker than that - pretty orangey so far. Yellow beer + brown yeast = orange?
I guess there's a lot more yeast in suspension...

Maybe I'll bring something dark like Steve did last time!

ML.

[jubby]

Mines clearing nicely (with the help of some finings) but tastes like a cheap crappy lager with no taste or aroma . This is batch number 8 of Bishop's Farewell and it's the first time it's turned out crap. It's a bit of a mystery considering the hops that went in there

Anyway.............only two kegs and 20 bottles of it to get through

[raiderman]

tastes like a cheap crappy lager with no taste or aroma .

Inerstin. I 've brewed 2 batches for this in an effort to show that one man and his bucket can compete with you hi-tec micro brewers. Brew No 1. "The Rev Shane's Chastity Ale" named in honour of the man whose horror at my cruel and unusual sparging techniques inspired "Virgosparge" (tm)(c) (Incidentally my ad in the post office for virgins prepared to get down and dirty and indulge in hand sparging resulted in a raid by Social Services who have now taken the virgins into care and my case comes up next Thursday. If anyone feels up to acting as a character witness I'd be grateful). Back to the plot. I tasted the brews tonight. The Rev Shane is ok, but despite 50g of cascade in the last 15m no great hop aroma and a lagerish feel. Perhaps another week will bring it around, its got a definite cascade taste but no bitterness " Bastard Son" being brew 2 ( short for Bastard Son of the Rev Shane) which as I'd gone for 120g of cascade in the last 15m with most in the last couple seemed a great name BUT its quite mannered. You can really taste the cascade but its not huge as I'd thought it might be. I quite like it. I ought to rename it Bastard Son of someone who met the Rev Shane in a pub, briefly. But that isn't as catchy.
The other thing is that the brews have been bottled for nearly 3 and nearly 2 weeks, neither has much carbonation and whilst clear they are translucent - which probably means not quite clear! - but not cloudy
I have a problem with the 20th. How many of you know when your wedding anniversary is? Quite, so why should...anyway its the21 st and there ought to be some reward for putting up with me and so we sail for the Norfolk broads for a couple of nights away on Fri afternoon. Bad timing or what. If anyone lives near Shelford I could get my entry to you Thurs night or leave it Fri lunchtime.... If not I don't think I was going for gold anyway!

[Tequilla6]

News from Italy,

Don't be drinking all that Bishops brew off too soon as I may just have an input here.

Seems we have found a home just south of Rome and a guy that wants to brew English beer. Currently parked in a Italian families driveway helping with the care of the Vegetable patches all 3 acres of it and the resident chickens and donkeys. Even had to vacuum the swimming pool today. So the initial purchase of the ingredients was done today, sorry couldn't get the WLP001 so had to go with S04, but everything else was in stock and we are now awaiting delivery. We have a 50L stainless steel HTL a 30L Cool box and a 150L stainless steel boiler. Wonders of the olive oil industry out here. Going to buy the plumbing bits this weekend and then we are in for a demo of how to brew proper beer with the locals. We have a wannabe brewer that is gluten intolerant and having trouble with his beer making, and one that has never brewed before (apart from a boots special at university) so I'm like a pig in shit at the moment. We are bottling the brew after fermentation so will hopefully be able to send a sample to one of you guys for a taste test, but may not be able to get it to you in time for your meet.

There will I'm sure be plenty of pictures as we carry out this momentous brew in Italy.

Catch you all later

Tequilla6

[OvenHiker]

Mines clearing nicely (with the help of some finings) but tastes like a cheap crappy lager with no taste or aroma . This is batch number 8 of Bishop's Farewell and it's the first time it's turned out crap. It's a bit of a mystery considering the hops that went in there

That's a bit if a bummer, jubby. Have you used the homegrown hops in previous batches of Bishops Farewell?

I'm pretty pleased with the results of my brew. WLP001 worked well even though I managed to lose half the vial on breaking the seal. Actually achieved over 80% attenuation before having to chill it to drop the yeast. Still pretty cloudy, but smells and tastes good.

If anyone lives near Shelford I could get my entry to you Thurs night or leave it Fri lunchtime....

I'm not far from Shelford.

We are bottling the brew after fermentation so will hopefully be able to send a sample to one of you guys for a taste test.

Nice one Steve. Will look forward to that.

[jubby]

Tequilla6 wrote:
There will I'm sure be plenty of pictures as we carry out this momentous brew in Italy.

You've fallen on you're feet there Steve! Pictures would be great Bishops Farewell brewed in Italy...................who'd uv thunk it. If you could manage to smuggle a decent bottle of Borolo back to the UK I would be very grateful and it would be worth a few bottles of decent beer!

OvenHiker wrote:
That's a bit if a bummer, jubby. Have you used the homegrown hops in previous batches of Bishops Farewell?

A bummer indeed Kevin, I only had 20g of my own hops from the first harvest, so it shouldn't have made too much difference. My shop bought Cascade hops were not that great as they were a bit old, which I think was the problem. In future I won't keep big stocks of flower hops. Pellet hops seem to last much longer and take up less space, so i will be using them in the future and use fresh flower hops when I can't get pellets. Lesson learned it's just unfortunate that I decided to brew a double batch

Duncan, you are welcome to leave a beer with me if i'm closer than Kevin. Bit of a shame you can't make it, but the broads sounds good, especially if you could moor up next to the Woodforde's brewery tap in Woodbastwick

[raiderman]

Thanks guys, being as I can find Nicks I'll drop the samples off there on Friday

Nick - bearing in mind that the last time you saw Tequilla he was drinking coconut beer I admire your faith in him as the next Oz Clarke! I might be able to find something french and red to keep you going.

Woodbastwick is certainly on the agenda. I used to sail the broads with my old firm - at easter! I've sailed in the bloody snow and we'd moor up there and trek up through the woods to the pub - great pints and then back to a little wooden boat!

[smp465]

Those Woodfordes boys are fine brewers. They were selling off bottle packs dirt cheap (£1/bottle) when i visited last, so you may be gleefully clanking your way back to that boat if you fall on some luck.

I cracked the seal on my BF last night. Bit too dry IMO (hit 1006), and not the best of cascade beers i have ever produced. I'm certainly looking forward to picking these over on Friday.

[raiderman]

Woodforde here I come!

[raiderman]

I'm having trouble with the technology here and just lost my last post
I'm sorry I can't make it tonight, I'm also sorry that I cant get my beers across to you via Nick. I havetwo 33ml bottles sterilising and the 2 brews chilling to aid decanting but despite being on holiday I've had clients calling and have just got off the phone after an hour to find its too late to get over and drop the bottes off, so its not for want of trying Sorry.

Its been fun doing the brewing and pioneering "Virgosparge" - although respect to Shane for coming up with the idea.

see you next time

d