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Back on track..........sort of!

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:58 pm
by trucker5774
Well you may have noticed I haven't been on much for a while...............err O.K. never mind.

Today was an impulsive brew an will be using the last of some old ingredients which I would normally shudder at the thought of people using. I'm frightened to admit just how out of date the stuff is, but it's going to make beer and beer is something I'm very short of!

It is being fitted in around my seriously sick horse and other daily routines, so has been thrown together with estimated quantities,temperatures and very little thought. Probably how it was done centuries ago!

The basis is 4.5KG of pale malt 200g of Cara Munich and 300g of Wheat. EKG mid boil and Cascade at the end. About 40g of each.

It is in the boiler now but started of as kettles of hot water and an adjusted mash temp to about 65C and a sloppy mash at that! The runnungs have been boiled in two stages as I have collected the two batch sparges in between doing other things.

Of course, this will turn out to be the best beer I have ever made and I will never be able to replicate it................mmmm must look for some yeast ( I have some Young's multi purpose yeast for emergencies and regular Turbo Cider. I have had it for 4 years and it performs brilliantly in the TC.....super clear and very flocculant.)

If all else fails, my horse will eat the spent grains!

Re: Back on track..........sort of!

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:11 pm
by barney
Well done for cramming in a brew John, good luck with it.

Re: Back on track..........sort of!

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:06 pm
by stevetk189
Good to see you back, hope your horse gets better soon :)

I'm still using some 6 months out of date black malt and amber with no noticeable problems.

Re: Back on track..........sort of!

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:11 pm
by crafty john
I have used various malts which are a lot more out of date, some nearly 3 years and they worked fine, I believe it's all to do with how it is stored.

Re: Back on track..........sort of!

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:45 pm
by trucker5774
Thanks guys.
I found some SO4, rehydrated it and then went for my emergency Youngs yeast. The SO4 just didnt look or smell right. It was after all a repackaged one from the malt miller and err, ah hm, dated 2010 :shock:

The runnings from the boiler were as clear as some finished beer I have made. By far the clearest I have ever achieved and tasted pretty good too.

If I'm true to form, I will be drinking this in about 10 days :D