Bass 30th Dec 09 (Extract)

[Horatio]

This is based on Graham Wheeler's BYOBRA Draught Bass recipe. It would have been as per the book but I couldn't get the correct LME. I used medium instead of light so it will be a bit darker. This is also the first extraxct beer I have ever made (I always brewed AG before; and not very well! ).

3.6kg (two cans) Muntons Medium LME
250g Crystal Malt
40g Challenger (60 mins)
10g Challenger (10 mins)

I steeped the crystal in a grain bag at 70c for 30 minutes before stirring in the LME. I then boiled a total of 28 litres for 60 minutes; first hops added at start of boil, second hops added with 10 minutes to go. Once the 60 minutes was up I was left with a shade under 24 litres in the boiler. I then cooled it using my IC (put in boiler to sanatize 20 minutes before end of boil). Temp' down to 28c in twenty minutes. Transered to FV and added rehydrated Muntons Gold starter at 26c.

I got a corrected OG of 1.044 and 19 litres of wort in the FV.

I upped the hop amount as they were loose and didn't look like the best hops.

I only realised as I was typing this that I forgot to add the irsh moss! Do you think it matter?

[Invalid Stout]

I only realised as I was typing this that I forgot to add the irsh moss! Do you think it matter?

No, it'll just take a bit longer for the trub to settle out. I never use Irish moss and my beer clears eventually, but I don't really mind if it's not crystal clear anyway, as long as it isn't soupy.

[Jymbo]

Sounds like a nice recipe, Horatio. I notice GW has dropped the 10 min hops from his latest edition but they do feature in the earlier edition. Hope it turns out well.

[Horatio]

Checked it first thing this morning and it has a nice, thick head of yeast on it and a nice aroma coming up with the CO2. I'm keeping it at a steady 20c so hoping it will continue to ferment well.

[Philipek]

Ooh, why'd you switch from AG to extract?

[Horatio]

Ooh, why'd you switch from AG to extract?

I put all my brewing kit into storage about 4 years ago due to family commitments (kids etc). I started to get the itch to brew again about 6 months ago and when I went to retrieve my nice, shiny 150 litre SS vessels I found that they had already been liberated by someone else! As a result I hace had to buy a complete set up and start from scratch; which has been fun but I can't afford the type of stuff I had before!

So by the time I got everthing I needed to brew AG again I couldn't get any grain so deicded to brew a Kit (and now an extract) just to 'have a go' again. My LHBS opens tomorrow and I shall be visiting and crossing his hand with finest plastic and leaving with an array of grains and hops!

[Horatio]

I have had a complete disaster! First I discovered that there was not a bit of pressure in the barrel as it has a leak somewhere I tried a new seal, new cap and a new valve but the fecker will not hold pressure! So I thought I'd bottle it and see if it turned out alright. After three bottles my twin lever capper brooke and took the neck off of the fourth bottle with it So I was left with about ten bottles filled with beer and no way of capping them Nothing to do but try one and see what it is like... well b*gger me if it don't taste rather nice! Me and the missus are currently on our 4th pint each Can't belive it tastes so good after only three weeks and as many feck ups! Porblem is I now have over half a barrel left, with no way of keeping any pressure on it and nowhere else to put it (I need more barrels and a new capper!). I have filled three two litre pet bottles but have now run out of them.
How long do you think it will remain drinkable with that much air in the barrel

[OldSpeckledBadger]

Fate seems to be conspiring against you but at least it left your beer alone Perhaps it's Nature's way of telling you to invest in a bench capper Based on how long cask ales last in pubs, it should be OK for several days. Perhaps even a week.

[Horatio]

Cheers OSB, that's what I was hoping. The bench capper has indeed been ordered and my local is putting aside all the empty magners bottles for me too.