{"id":1345,"date":"2019-02-01T18:27:39","date_gmt":"2019-02-01T08:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/petaguy.info\/blog\/?p=1345"},"modified":"2019-04-07T11:02:15","modified_gmt":"2019-04-07T01:02:15","slug":"summary-of-brews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/petaguy.info\/blog\/trivial\/brewing\/summary-of-brews","title":{"rendered":"Summary of Brews"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Brews<\/h2>
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Up to Brew 8, this was kept in a notebook. After that brew, I used Brewfather <\/a>to track recipes, inventory, batches and tasting notes. <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

More detail on Brews 1-4 are in the post Documenting a Journey<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batches 6-8 were small batch experiments with the resulting batch discarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batches 9-13 are discussed in more detail in Journey Pt 2<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batches 14 to 18 are described in Journey Pt 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I plan to add to the batch list here up to the point where I do the full brew of the home grown hop and barley Grandfather Strong Ale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These summaries are intended to give an overview of the viewing but the things I think are more interesting are contained in the Journey articles. There you will see the detail of my experiments and learning. The brews\/batches are the outcome of the steps on the journey … however the journey is the interesting bit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batch 1. First Try<\/h2>
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My objective was to learn to ferment and use the basic equipment. I expected to better understand how far I needed to go to properly brew beer. Expectation was that I would need 3 months of trial and error to work this out.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n

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Overall:<\/span> this was a good learning experience and I enjoyed it<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Learning: <\/span>The main aim of this exercise was to learn to ferment. I had plenty of experience preparing yeast for bread making but this is very different.
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Taste:<\/span> Not applicable<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Process:<\/span> Basic process with instant opportunities for improvement<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Details<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first batch was simply a test to practice the process. Equipment was a barrel fermenter and using a kit bundled in with the fermenter, bottles etc. I discovered that you really need good sized equipment, especially for the boil. The supplied yeast produced a very weak ferment after two days. A second packet (probably fresh). This brew went down the sink. It was never going to be drunk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Batch 2. Aiming to drink this<\/h2>
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My objective was to build on my experience of the first fermentation trial and learn more about what I might need for equipment and experience.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n

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Overall:<\/span> I was able to improve the fermentation process and learned to bottle beer.<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Learning: <\/span>Reading online articles and a book from the library. I started to understand the full scope of what I was aiming to do
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Taste:<\/span> Nobody died drinking this. First up it was not so great. After conditioning it was better.<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Process:<\/span> I was able to follow a better process and understood the benefits of different yeasts.<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Details<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The second brew was an extract brew again with the same ingredients plus what was needed for bottling. I used a larger pot to boil the wort and the barrel fermenter. I was more careful with sanitising and cleaning. The bottling exercise was messy for the first try and better after that. The result tasted rather yeasty and not that great out of the fermenter. I bottled via the tube supplied and found that there was a lot of sediment going through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I used a fresh packet of Safale 04 yeast that worked better than the “kit yeast” in the previous batch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After\n three weeks of conditioning and with 5g of dextrose per bottle the \nresult was fairly drinkable. I took a bottle to the Canberra Brewers \nmeeting and nobody died. I did get a wealth of useful tips for \nimprovement.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Batch 3. Improving ingredients and equipment<\/h2>
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My objective was to improve ingredients and equipment. This was a big step up in the process and my learning. I knew enough to understand the need for consistency and the need to avoid contact with air after fermentation. Again nobody died..<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n

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Overall:<\/span> A better process and improved equipment produced an acceptable result. I was happy more because I had refined a process and learned a lot<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Learning: <\/span>Reading online articles and a book from the library. I started to understand the full scope of what I was aiming to do
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Taste:<\/span> Still too yeasty to be any good. I bottled some but decided to throw most of it away. I took this to Canberra Brewers and got polite compliments that I was learning. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Process:<\/span> New equipment made the process easier to follow and especially the fermenter. The Fermentasaurus allowed me to see what was happening in the ferment and to better understand the temperature changes. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This brew used new equipment for the boil. A larger pot and some measuring equipment. I changed the fermenter to a Fermentasaurus with the pressure kit. This offered the prospect of a more controlled fermentation and better protection from air\/oxygen into the fermenter. It also allowed me to monitor internal temperature a bit better with an IR thermomemter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I bought more \nbottles. Grolsch type this time. I used two tins of dark liquid malt \nextract that is a reasonably close match to what I am aiming to make – a\n Porter style. I chose dry malt extract with “extra body” ie \nunfermentable malt sugars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result was better and I used a \nDanstar Nottingham yeast that I properly hydrated and “started” with \nsome wort added before pitching. The ferment started overnight and \ncompleted in 5 days. This was in late April and the temperature was \nstable and nearly ideal for fermentation. All I had to do to keep the \ntemperature within 3 degrees between day and night was shut the laundry \ndoor and window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Batch 4. Serious about the chemistry<\/h2>
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My objective was to apply my knowledge of chemistry to the art of brewing. This was a brew where I was mainly aiming to learn and get the chemistry right. The result was surprisingly good. Not only did nobody die but some people liked the ale enough to have a second taste. <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n

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Overall:<\/span> A very good learning experience and not a bad result overall. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Learning: <\/span>A major step forward with books from Canberra Brewers and much detailed advice.
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Taste:<\/span> My first acceptable ale. I trialled it with new friends at the Canberra Brewers and got detailed feedback. Still plenty of improvement to go but acceptable.<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Process:<\/span> New equipment made the process easier to follow and especially the fermenter. The Fermentasaurus allowed me to see what was happening in the ferment and to better understand the temperature changes. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Batch 4 was started straight after I attended my first Canberra Brewers meeting. I still used extract but also added steeped crystal malt and dark malt grains. I also used some Fuggles and Goldings hop pellets in sealed but not chilled packets. The Liquid extract I used was unhopped dark coloured and I used a dry malt extract with 20% unfermentable malts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I setup a home made spunding valve and temperature \nmonitoring for the Fermentasaurus because it was now getting colder and \nthe temperature fluctuations large. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did some research and found that the style I should be looking for was something similar to the Fullers ESB and towards a London Porter for the 1850s. I used the Safale 04 yeast again intending to standardise on it. The result was quite good and samples I took to Canberra Brewers were considered much better than previous. Again nobody died. Not even needing medical treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Batch 5. All Grain and science<\/h2>
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My objective was to further develop from Batch #4 and attempt to do an all grain mash. That is to do proper brewing rather than just fermenting well. I also wanted to do filtering to remove yeastiness. I learned a lot <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n

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Overall:<\/span> A total learning experience. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Learning: <\/span>A major step forward with books from Canberra Brewers and much detailed advice.
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Taste:<\/span> My first acceptable ale. I trialled it with new friends at the Canberra Brewers and got detailed feedback. Still plenty of improvement to go but acceptable.<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Process:<\/span> New equipment made the process easier to follow and especially the fermenter. The Fermentasaurus allowed me to see what was happening in the ferment and to better understand the temperature changes. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Batch 5 was started 2 weeks after Batch 4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I setup a home made spunding valve and temperature \nmonitoring for the Fermentasaurus because it was now getting colder and \nthe temperature fluctuations large. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did some research and found that the style I should be looking for was something similar to the Fullers ESB and towards a London Porter for the 1850s. I used the Safale 04 yeast again intending to standardise on it. The result was quite good and samples I took to Canberra Brewers were considered much better than previous. Again nobody died. Not even needing medical treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Batches 6 and 7. Experiments with yeast and measurements<\/h2>
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I used half sized batches to avoid wastage of ingredients to see the differences in yeast performance and practice with the temperature control on my new fermenter. Quality of the finished product was not the priority. The experiments are documented in the Journey Part 2<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Batch 8. First Kolsch<\/span><\/p>

The objective was to trial a new style so that I could learn more techniques and do so with a style sensitive to mistakes in the process. Therefore German Ale or Kolsch. <\/span><\/p>

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Summary<\/p>

I used a recipe obtained from the BYO website and substituted Nottingham yeast for the proper Koln yeast style. It was an experiment more than anything. I therefore used a Pilsner extract can and additional Munich malt. Hops were Hallertau and Perle. It did not taste like a proper Kolsch – lacking complex flavours – but was clean and worked ok. I did this as a half batch to not waste as much ingredient.<\/p>

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Batch 8. First Kolsch<\/span><\/p>

The objective was to trial a new style so that I could learn more techniques and do so with a style sensitive to mistakes in the process. Therefore German Ale or Kolsch. <\/span><\/p>

Overall
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Learning
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Taste
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Process
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Summary<\/p>

I used a recipe obtained from the BYO website and substituted Nottingham yeast for the proper Koln yeast style. It was an experiment more than anything. I therefore used a Pilsner extract can and additional Munich malt. Hops were Hallertau and Perle. It did not taste like a proper Kolsch – lacking complex flavours – but was clean and worked ok. I did this as a half batch to not waste as much ingredient.<\/p>4<\/span><\/div>