I decided on an APA using only Columbus as Rob told me these were a great hop.
I also planned on doing something along the lines of a TTL clone but had a senior moment whilst weighing the hops and used the wrong ones. Still I hope it will turn out well.
I am lucky enough to have 2 MT and 2 Fv meaning that doing the double batch was not that much extra work. In all 5.5 hours from first doing in to sitting down with a beer after the clean up was done.
So to the beer.
First Northern lights APA
Fermentables.
21 litre brewlength.
4200 pale
400 munich
300 carapils
300 torrified wheat
The hops
10 g Columbus 16% FWH
13 g Columbus @ 10 minutes
13 g Columbus @ 5 minutes
20 g Columbus steep.
US 05 yeast
Due to me wanting to get a double brew in I decided to have a real attempt at batch sparging and set the recipe for 70% efficiency. I hit 75 on this one which was a lttle dissapointing really especially when it is compared to the secnd brew that was done using the smaller Mt.
I think the problem is that he manifold was not made by me and I do not like the design of it if the truth be known. I’ll be changing this at the first opportunity.
And so the pictures.
First the obligatory grain shot although this does not show much.
My strikewater was a little hot but due to the temperature in the malt I hit a mash temp of 65.2. taking into accould the likely deviation of the thermometer 8 it has not been calibrated9 I recon this is up towards 66 in real life.
The first runnings from the first sarge were nice and the ops had a great float around. The smell of the hot wort on the FWH was great too.
An so we come to the boil, cold break etc.
I rehydrated the packet of yeast and we fed it some coled wort about 20 minutes before pitching. It was highly active upon pitching and fermentation started within the hour. The weekend showed very very good fermentation and I expect this to be ready for bottling when I come out of hospital next week-
Beersmith told me I should have 21 litres at 1052 on 70 % efficiency.
I ended up with 21 litres at 1056 so was happy with it although seeing as there was so much pale malt and little else I was expecting slightly higher ( the recipe was based on the fact I have never batch sparged properly before though.
The second batch was doughed in whilst there were around 15 minutes of the first mash to go.
The fermentables.
4200 Pale
200 Wheat
100 Dark Crystal
Hops
26 g goldings for 60
26g styrian goldings for 60
24 g goldings at 10 ( should have been styrians but goldings are god too.
Safeale S04
The grain shot ( could be any really)
Again the doughing inn and mash temp was spot on at 65.7… give or take a few decimalpoints I didn’t see the need to even thik about changing this.
The boil, cold break etc
I should have had 22 litres at 1043 for this based on the 70% efficiency I had set the recipe for.
I ended up with 22litres at 1056 which was checked, double checked, then checked again by the assistant brewer. This gives me an efficiecy of over 80% so I am well pleased with this one.
The only thing that is different is the size of the Mt and the manifold configuration.
In all this was a great brew day, activity has slowed somewhat but I think it will be going for a short while yet. I have another brew planned for 4 weeks time with just Pale malt. I have not thought of the hops as yet. I would ideally like something around the 4.3% mark, a nice light easy drinking summer beer.
Thaks for reading and I welcome any commets good or bad.
Oh Happy new year by the way ( better late than never)
