Taking the Helm.

[Eric]

In July I did a brew made of a fairly wide range of malt and hops that was a bit of a conversation piece. So my son decided to do one and today he came by and took the helm with this recipe.

Pale Ale Malt 3700gr
Crystal Malt 200gr
Rolled Barley 50gr
Amber Malt 10gr
Chocolate Malt 15gr
Roast Barley 25gr
Black Malt 10gr

Hops.... gr mins
Amarillo 10 90
Fuggles 20 90
Amarillo 20 50
Fuggles 20 50
Magnum 10 10
Amarillo 10 10
Centennial 10 10

Half a Campden tablet in case of chlorine problems.
The water here come from ground deposits in magnesian limestone and is highly alkaline, always more than 200 mg/l CaCO3. This was reduced to 60 with CRS with the help of a water testing kit.

Alkaline

Nearly there

Test confirms 60 mg/l.


Mashing is done in a cheap unmodified cool box. 1O litres, strike temperature 72C, darker grains stirred in first.

Then the pale and gypsum, stirred and topped with a drop of hotter water to get the mash temperature.

Bit shaky here but a pH strip confirmed the water treatment.


With that, the coolbox was taken into the warmer house and wrapped in a water tank jacket and put to bed for 90 minutes.
More to come.

[Eric]

The mash temperature was checked after an hour and topped with a little hotter water.
After 90 minutes the grain was transferred to an FV with a stainless steel false bottom and recycled until less turbid when the sparge was started and the wort collected in the boiler.

The hops were weighed and readied.

A raw strong wind made the boiler struggle,

But it managed to do the job and in went the chiller

and the cold break appeared.

The OG was 1047 at 85% efficiency, but this picture isn't right for some reason.

Went for a bite to eat and returned to find the candyfloss,

but the cold break stayed put.


Just used SO4, complicated enough and it is now sat in the corner of the kitchen.

Apart from the weather, it was a lovely day.

[Kev888]

Looks good - you certainly got some air into the FV! (I guess the hydrometer photo may be out if it just drifted over and stuck to the edge whilst you fiddled around taking the photo - at least that happened to me so its a possibility).

Hope it turns out nicely anyway.

Cheers,
Kev

[boingy]

That recipe is about as mad as a one-all draw at White Hart Lane.....

[Eric]

That recipe is about as mad as a one-all draw at White Hart Lane.....

That could well be. It's all about taste and there's some there.

[bosium]

That recipe is about as mad as a one-all draw at White Hart Lane.....

Oh please don't mention that

[WishboneBrewery]

do you have a square chiller?

[Garth]

missed this on Tuesday.

good one Eric and lad, looking forward to a taster......

[Eric]

do you have a square chiller?

Yes, I did have a round one but it went for a walk one day, didn't notice until about to brew again and didn't fancy prices at the local B&Q. What you see is a quick lash up with odds and ends of salvaged 15mm offcuts which does a job, just. 15mm copper has the advantage of keeping its shape making it easier to move and store, but I do need a better one.

missed this on Tuesday.

good one Eric and lad, looking forward to a taster......

I'll be interested in your comments, it's meant to be interesting.
Any further thoughts for a NE get-together?