chromosphere

Ages since I actually posted here - and time for a bit of a catch up on brewing activities.

First off was AG brew 4 on 23rd April. Following Dave Line’s BBLTYB recipe for “Harvey’s Sussex Best”.

3.8kg Maris Otter
300g flaked maize

Mashed for 90min at 66C

Goldings 50g (4.1%) 90min
Northern Brewer 20g (7%) 90min
250g light soft brown sugar

Treated water (30L) with 30ml CRS, 1 1/2tsp Gypsum and 1/2 tsp Epsom salts

OG - 1041 (23L)
Yeast: Safale-04

Went off like the clappers but then halted suddenly at about 1022 (think it got a bit cold), so warmed, roused and finally and repitched - finally finished at 1012. Bottled up 44 bottles with 3/4 tsp brewing sugar in each to prime. It’s a bit yeasty at present from the first few samples (probably from the re-pitch), but if it lasts long enough to mature properly, it’s going to be a good pint!

Second up was a bank holiday brew in preparation for a Badger BBQ in July. Following the recipe for Townes IPA:

4.45kg Maris Otter
180g Wheat Malt

Treated water (30L) with 30ml CRS, 1 1/2tsp Gypsum and 1/2 tsp Epsom salts.
Mashed for 1 3/4 hr at 65C and fly sparged.

64g Cascade (5.4%) - 90min
19g Cascade - 15min
Irish Moss 15min

Yeast: US-05

Landed up with 21L @ 1044 according to the refractometer. Cool - smells gorgeous in the FV.

Pitched at 21C - first time with this yeast and it fermented way past where I was expecting. It finished up at 1004 giving me somewhere about 5.3%ABV. I had to get out the hydrometer to check this - it seemed way too low! Racked this to keg with finings (very cloudy) and 55g table sugar. The US-05 is notoriously hard to clear and it looked a lot cloudy. A lot had settled out in the FV but there’s a fair bit more to go, so hoping the two part kiesesol/gelatine finings (Kwik Clear) will do their job - they’ve got 6-7 weeks to do it, and with any luck it’ll clear in time left to it’s own devices…