Home Brew Forum

Hello
Still not functioning highly enough for photos, but I want to record the experiment so I thought I'd share my brew day.
It's my first brew since DaveyT Jnr came along three months ago and SWMBO was superb in letting me squeeze this in on a Sunday night. So pleased to get it done I couldn't be @rsed with OGs; I'm trusting Beer Alchemy for that.
Had some imput on splitting batches some time ago and acted on forumees' adivce. Thanks all for that. Where would I be without you? Brewing badly and drinking shop-bought, I expect!

14 litres
Est OG 1.035
Bas Brew:
DME 800g
WME 200g
CaraPils 160g

N Sauvin hops: 25g for 15 min boil

Split into three FVs each holding 4.65l:
1. US-05 yeast and 100g honey on Wednesday
2. T-58 yeast and 100g honey on Wedneit'sday
3. Windsor yeast and 130g crystal malt added with yeast

The idea is to try and see the difference between US-05 and Belgian yeast, and also to have a ruby ale, hence the crystal in the 3rd FV. I'm doing 15 min boils and only adding 15min hops ATM as a series of experiments.
If the ruby ale isn't ruby (doesn't look promising!) than I'll try adding something during the week. I've been trying this ruby thing for a few brews so my fridge has enough brown, hoppy beers already.
Had lots of fun, late finish but awesome to be brewing again. Really psyched about it!

Cheers
David

Right, the honey went in on Friday night. Both yeasts reacted quickly. The krausen on the US 05 is only just falling away which is interesting.
The ruby ale looks very dark and I thought, knackers to it, and put in some Mexican chilles in as I've been itching to try these for ages. I soaked a Chipotle Meco Chilli and an Anchoa Chilli for 24 hrs then heated them in their liquor, cooled them and added them to the FV. 24 hrs later it smelled of Mexican sauce (mole) which I hadn't wanted, but now it smells of beer again which is better.
The Chipotle chilli is a smoked habanero and makes me think of barbeques, while the Anchoa is less hot and has a rich chocolate flavour. I tried the liqour and it took the top of my head off! I removed the seeds and veins as I'm hoping the flavour will be less acidic. I tried a chilli stout and the acidity was a sickly sensation that took weeks to condition out.
I had made a mixture of the same chillies plus coriander and molasses but this was even more like chocolate-chilli sauce which was a bit too much for such a small beer (OG 1.035 don't forget). I thought it needed a more robust beer and froze it for later; a Oaxaca stout or porter, maybe.
Looking promising. Bottle it next weekend and see how it's getting on then.

Cheers.

Right, the honey went in on Friday night. Both yeasts reacted quickly. The krausen on the US 05 is only just falling away which is interesting.
The ruby ale looks very dark and I thought, knackers to it, and put in some Mexican chilles in as I've been itching to try these for ages. I soaked a Chipotle Meco Chilli and an Anchoa Chilli for 24 hrs then heated them in their liquor, cooled them and added them to the FV. 24 hrs later it smelled of Mexican sauce (mole) which I hadn't wanted, but now it smells of beer again which is better.
The Chipotle chilli is a smoked habanero and makes me think of barbeques, while the Anchoa is less hot and has a rich chocolate flavour. I tried the liqour and it took the top of my head off! I removed the seeds and veins as I'm hoping the flavour will be less acidic. I tried a chilli stout and the acidity was a sickly sensation that took weeks to condition out.
I had made a mixture of the same chillies plus coriander and molasses but this was even more like chocolate-chilli sauce which was a bit too much for such a small beer (OG 1.035 don't forget). I thought it needed a more robust beer and froze it for later; a Oaxaca stout or porter, maybe.
Looking promising. Bottle it next weekend and see how it's getting on then.

Cheers.

Managed to bottle up on Tuesday. The first two look like two nice session beers. We'll see if they become better than nice in a few weeks.
The chillie one is another matter....
I wanted a ruby ale, and it may not be far from one, actually. The flavour, however, is mental. I've never done cooked with a chipotle before, but I decided to use a whole one anyway, and it's like the business end of a madras. I'm glad I put so much crystal in it cos it needs something sweet and cloying to bring it in line. There is a very definite pepper flavour which might be from the ancho and seemed to fit into the scheme of things. Then the heat wave came and the hairs stood on end in paces where I didn't know I had hairs. The cold sweat made me think it might just work as a summer chiller, which is promising.
The main problem is I don't think I'll ever fancy a beer that will turn a certain part of my anatomy into a catherine wheel. Ever. Thankfully, I only made 4.5l.
Having said that, there's time for things to get better. And as far as chilli goes this is a very good chilli flavour; rich, full and nicely peppery. Plus the earthy, smokey notes of the chipotle.
Could probably do with a bigger beer. And less chili; a quarter for 4.5l and maybe in the last ten min of the boil. Not in the secondary for 10 days! I needed to do this, though; chillies and beer a both very close to my heart.
Update in two months, if I survive!

Had four weeks in the UK away to let these beers condition.
The US-05 beer has such a big honey hit I'm not sure I like it. I used 20% honey as I'd used up to 15% before and not been too pleased with the results. This is interesting as I got exactly what I wanted which was a very strong honey flavour. Perhaps this could be a braggot, but it's not quite what I like in a beer.
The T-58 beer is nice but seems to lack something, maybe more alcohol. It's nice but seems a bit wishy-washy. Let's see if it gets better.
The chillie beer is something I'm a bit disappointed with. I think it needed 10% what I put in. To be fair, it smells of hops which the other two don't and the after-taste after about two minutes is of hops. It would've worked with some chillie, but this is a bit OTT, like. I think I have found the perfect way for people to enjoy drinking their chillies. If swigging from spice bottles seems a bit uncouth, this is the ale for you! The flavour starts beery enough, with the chipotle flavour (wood, smoke, pepper) coming a bit too stronger than the malt for comfort. Then the heat just blows everything away. For ages. It's madras hot. If I'd made this 20 years ago I would have lined my mates up and channelled the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket to see how much they could take. Possibly even used politically-incorrect insults to encourage them along. Now I just feel a bit deflated. Tipped the pint away. Shame.
Anyway, ya live and learn.