Result!
Yes indeedie - and to make it better... it is my Birthday on Sunday! Told the wife it is my birthday pressie since she didn't know what to get me (we will just keep quiet about the copy of Photoshop CS3 Extended I bought yesterday as well shall we! But it would have been rude not to buy that as I am a student still, and so got it with about a £670 discount)
Just got to finish the Coopers quickly now and then we can get cracking on my inaugrial brew... which I plan to get on the go by next weekend if I can - though that will only give us a 3 week maturation before the house warming.... aaah well, fingers crossed and we shall hope for the best with it!
Just got to finish the Coopers quickly now and then we can get cracking on my inaugrial brew... which I plan to get on the go by next weekend if I can - though that will only give us a 3 week maturation before the house warming.... aaah well, fingers crossed and we shall hope for the best with it!
I know - first planned brew is the following:
Trossachs Steamer
5.50 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter
0.50 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt
45.00 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (60 min) Hops 30.5 IBU
19.00 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (20 min) Hops 7.8 IBU
19.00 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale
Keeping it nice and simple, but aiming for somewhere in the 1.060 SG range, and around 40 IBUs! Ideally - if I was going for a full on Steam Ale Clone I would go for the fancy Whitelabs yeasts, but thought I would keep that step for a later brew!
Off down the Lakes for a couple of days, hopefully the kit will be here on my return, then if the IPA hasn't improved by then it's days will be numbered!
Trossachs Steamer
5.50 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter
0.50 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt
45.00 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (60 min) Hops 30.5 IBU
19.00 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (20 min) Hops 7.8 IBU
19.00 gm Northern Brewer [7.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale
Keeping it nice and simple, but aiming for somewhere in the 1.060 SG range, and around 40 IBUs! Ideally - if I was going for a full on Steam Ale Clone I would go for the fancy Whitelabs yeasts, but thought I would keep that step for a later brew!
Off down the Lakes for a couple of days, hopefully the kit will be here on my return, then if the IPA hasn't improved by then it's days will be numbered!
Daab gave me some good advice when I was attempting to formulate a recipe for the first time that I think may be applicable here.
I was advised to keep the gravity and IBUs low so that the ale wouldn't take forever to mature as patience isn't my strong point
The rule of thumb dictates that a 1.060 beer needs to be matured for 6 weeks are you sure you'll be able to resist for that long 
I was advised to keep the gravity and IBUs low so that the ale wouldn't take forever to mature as patience isn't my strong point


I figure I should be okay as there is still a reasonable wodge of Coopers left, and 40 l of untouched Almondbury Old to go at too!
I do take your point though... I may reconsider a wee bit once I have looked into my bucket of goodies as it all arrived today, but was ordered that long ago I can't actually remember what there was in there! Should be enough ingredients for a couple of brews anyway!!!
I do take your point though... I may reconsider a wee bit once I have looked into my bucket of goodies as it all arrived today, but was ordered that long ago I can't actually remember what there was in there! Should be enough ingredients for a couple of brews anyway!!!
Hmm - problem is I only have my proper BIG camera available at the moment and taking brew pictures using a full frame DSLR with a 17mm lens may get a little risky! I should have an Olympus compact arriving soon (fingers crossed...) will see what I can do!
Seems I forgot to order the spinny arm sparging thingymajig - doh! Any suggestions of what I coud press into service instead? I was thinking a trip to B&Q and picking up a watering can rose to stick on a bit of tubing and attaching to the lid somehow may work well? I shall get a digital thermometer if they have any whilst I am at it - failing that it will be mercury based measurements for the first go! Other than that I think I am all set to go!!!! Brewday incoming!
Seems I forgot to order the spinny arm sparging thingymajig - doh! Any suggestions of what I coud press into service instead? I was thinking a trip to B&Q and picking up a watering can rose to stick on a bit of tubing and attaching to the lid somehow may work well? I shall get a digital thermometer if they have any whilst I am at it - failing that it will be mercury based measurements for the first go! Other than that I think I am all set to go!!!! Brewday incoming!