Home Brew Forum

Hi all, I eventually got round to uploading the pics from my trusty mobile, so excuse the quality.

This was my second AG recipe -

The Complicated Dark Bitter from The Pistonbroke Brewery


Type: All Grain
Date: 15/03/2008
Batch Size: 23.50 L
Brewer: stevezx7r
Boil Size: 28.31 L Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Steves system
Taste Rating(out of 50): ? Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes: New to me, just devised it.

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4000.00 gm Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.0 EBC) Grain 88.69 %
230.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 EBC) Grain 5.10 %
200.00 gm Wheat, Torrified (3.3 EBC) Grain 4.43 %
80.00 gm Roasted Barley (1160.0 EBC) Grain 1.77 %
28.30 gm Cascade [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 13.2 IBU
28.30 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (60 min) Hops 19.3 IBU
5.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.30 %] (30 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
5.00 gm Cascade [4.80 %] (30 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
10.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.30 %] (10 min) Hops 1.9 IBU

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.045 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.32 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 34.4 IBU Calories: 90 cal/l
Est Color: 27.1 EBC Color: Color

This went fairly straight forward 'till THEY (wife 'n kids) came back then the tap on the boiler split 5 mins from the end of the boil so not all bad.

Anyway, here's the pics as I know I like looking at others brewdays pics.

Here's the new element being fitted to my sparge water tank. I forgot to do this on my first AG...



Here's the grain bill, handy having kids as they come with useful grain containers as standard.



And the hops.



Here's my three tier set up.



Grain being washed clean of all sugars, you can just see the fine spray.



First runnings. I was concerned at how black it looked 'till the last lot went in and diluted it down.



That's one full fermenter. I don't mind telling you I was bricking it in case I dropped it. Looking at getting a pump now.



Back into the boiler. This is easier to keep hold of due to the ridge around the top so lifting it back to the worktop was less of a hazard.



Just about to come to the boil.



Full steam ahead. I left two elements on here and got a much more vigorous boil going.



Oh my god! Tap O ring has split and it's starting to let go! Quick, get the fermenter!!!



All quite on the western front. Letting it all settle and cool in the FV.



A bit lighter than the first runnings. It's way less red than I was expecting but for my 2nd AG it'll do.



The result of pouring the cooled wort into a keg and back into the FV has given my a good head. Which is nice.




Other than the O ring going 5 mins before the boil end, oh, and forgetting to add finnings (which I'll add when I keg it) and going through 3 fuses it all went as planned!

So, that's it for now. I'm toying with the idea of dry hopping this and my first AG as at the moment both have hop bitterness and flavour but little hop aroma. Maybe they'll develop?

See Ya!

Looking good there, Steve. But -- sorry if I'm being stupid -- I don't get the figures in the 'beer profile' section. Are these right?

Great pics, if i used my mobile they'd be really bad. Why bother with finings in such a dark creation? i wouldn't bother. It is a nice looking recipe

Hogarth wrote:Looking good there, Steve. But -- sorry if I'm being stupid -- I don't get the figures in the 'beer profile' section. Are these right?

Which part do you mean? These figures are what Beersmith produces given the recipe I provided, so I don't really have much to do with them other than checking to make sure it's above 3% abv

It's the Measured Original Gravity of 1.010 SG, and the Measured Final Gravity of 1.005 SG, and the Actual Alcohol by Vol of 0.65 % that are worrying me.

Nice pics.

Great boil

Steve, I Like the pictures and the notes I use the same kiddie bowls for the same purpose

Hope it turns out well for you careful with the hot liquid lifting

As DaaB says, Beersmith is a bit off on it's figures. Saying that the SG of 1045 was bang on and the FG is getting close @1012.

I was wondering how much sugar to add to the keg to prime. I'm going to use dextrose as I don't want to alter the taste in anyway with T+L etc.

stevezx7r wrote: ... oh, and forgetting to add finnings (which I'll add when I keg it)

Don't bother adding kettle finings after the event as they won't do anything.

Hogarth wrote:It's the Measured Original Gravity of 1.010 SG, and the Measured Final Gravity of 1.005 SG, and the Actual Alcohol by Vol of 0.65 % that are worrying me.

The figures that Beersmith calculates from the recipe you enter are the 'Estimated' ones, the measured one's you have to put in yourself when you know what the OG and FG are, as default it has those figures.

Est Original Gravity: 1.045 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.32 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %

Great pics

I bet you were cacking it when that o-ring went

Vossy1 wrote:Great pics

I bet you were cacking it when that o-ring went

Oh yes, I was mortified when that went. It was the last thing I expected to go wrong too. Happy it's been saved though.

Thanks Wez. I was hoping it was something like that. Otherwise Steve would have a most depressing beer to look forward to.

I've never really questioned Beersmith's figures as it's what i've always used. I used to calculate for 65% efficiency, but after correcting my mash PH i'm now closer to 72% on Beersmith's figures.

Looks like a good beer, Steve

... great set of pics Steve, insprational stuff