Brewing Tonight - 1st Aug 2006

[Bigster]

Slight amendment to recipe posted before

Courage Directors 25 litre 1046

Crushed marris Otter 3.2kg
Crushed Crystal malt 145g
Barley Syrup 500g
Fuggles 60g
Goldings 30 + 10 +10 g
Light Soft brown sugar 450g

Usual boil for 1.5hours

Using Windsor dried yeast this time

All going well - started mash at 5 pm got about 40mins left on the boil. The coolbox mash tun worked a treat again. :pink

Just about to fire up the fermentation chiller. 18 to 19c sound about right?

Will post a few pictures, not forgetting close up on thermostat connections vossy, once safely in fermenter. :beer

[Bigster]

Thanks for the link - will turn chiller down to 17c.

First time I have used windsor - Mr HBS forgot my order so recent ones have been using nottingham one.

[Bigster]

All done but I havent pitched the yeast yet - wort at 28c. Have put it in chiller at min temp and will see what it is like when it is time for bedfordshire.

Will try and post some pictures

[Frothy]

lol - up the wooden hills to bedfordshire

[Vossy1]

Bigster, Watch the chiller. I was maintaining 19-20 deg c and my 5, two litre bottles lasted 24 hours before defrosting. I did mess about a bit whilst lagging the cupboard but I expected them to last longer :blink:

[Bigster]

Cant keep my eyes open much longer so have pitched yeast at 26c - not ideal I know.

Chiller is on min temp setting so hopefully more sensible temp in the morning and then I can fine tune to 17c.

Bedfordshire can wait no more.........

[Bigster]

Thanks for the tip vossy - havent posted pics yet but the power connection on the thermostat is 4th and 5th in from left if looking at it with controller beneath

[Vossy1]

Hiya Bigster, Re thermostat, I connected it up to the power supply no probs. Turrning the controller lit the l.e.d to show that the output relay was activated but no matter what I did with the fan I couldn't get it to trigger...how have you connected yours?
I know the fan connects to the 1st 3 ports on the terminal starting at the left but how?
What have you used for coolant in your chiller?

Ps, I've dedicated my 1st cornie in your honour...The Bigster



I hope my beers have as fine a white head as your avatar

[jasonaustin]

QUOTE (Bigster @ Aug 1 2006, 10:12 PM)All done but I havent pitched the yeast yet - wort at 28c. Have put it in chiller at min temp and will see what it is like when it is time for bedfordshire.

Similar happenned to me when I brewed last month. Took about 3 hours in the chiller at minimum to get it down to about 22.
Pitching at 26 is going to be fine - I bet it's down to below 20 this morning.

[Bigster]

JA you were spot on. Wort at 20.1c this morning.

Have fined tuned the thermostat so chamber maintaining a cool 17.2c


Vossy - that is impressive . Have got the close up thermostat connections picture on my pc at home now - need to resize it and will post later but busy day work, golf and wine club. If I can still see straight will post late tonight other wise thursday

:beer

[Bigster]

Directors safely barrelled. As with other brews smells great.

Someone mentioned that using Windsor yeast their beer took ages to clear. Good news on this one is that looks as clear at this stage as previous ales using nottingham yeast. May have helped that fermented at 17c for 7 days.

Hopefully will be ready for drinking on my return from holiday next weekend. Will raise a glass to all my virtual HB buddies

[Bigster]

Back from holiday camping in sunny woolacombe where we had a visit from Keith Cheggers on thursday morning. Any one see me on GMTV ? Thought not

Anyway the courage directors had its first sampling tonight - had a side be side comparison at the local Wetherspoons with some hardened directors drinkers.
Colour - too pale by far
Taste - Pretty close but no cigar. However only 1 week maturation so I think will give it a bit longer before final analysis.
One thing I did notice was I could certainly taste the malt ( i usually crunch a bit when brewing ) which may be due to the marris otter I used for the first time or it could have been the barley syrup which I havent used before?

:beer

[Bigster]

daab this gravy browning lark obviously doesnt affect the flavour. I have some bisto granules which I am guessing I need to dissolve in a little hot water. How many teaspoons per gallon :huh:

Yours cautiously

[flything]

I'll admit I know sweet fa about brewing beer, but I do know that Bisto is not the same as Gravy Browning and will affect the taste!

Gravy Browning is just caramel (it might be made from malt extract I think).

[Bigster]

cheers flything - I know even less about cooking than sweet fa

Think I will leave as very pale