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Homebrew Report #250970

HomeBrewerDude

HomeBrewerDude

Lifer
I brewed up a batch of Extra Special Bitter (with a little extra hoppy finish) last week.

10 gallons worth

15# Amber LME
2# Ligh LME
1# crystal
1# special roast

2 0z. target 75 min
2 0z. amarillo 45 min
2 0z. cascade 8 min
1 0z. haurtaur 1 min

Yeast: White Labs Dry London Ale Yeast

IBUs should be around 60 or so and ABV should be about 6%.
 
All we have in the house currently is Red Dog and Miller Lite.

The last of the High Life (good) and the Pabst (bad) was drank last night.
 
Originally posted by: DanJ
All we have in the house currently is Red Dog and Miller Lite.

The last of the High Life (good) and the Pabst (bad) was drank last night.
Click to expand...

nothing wrong with that kind of beer, its for drinking and its cheap (or supposed to be)!

I spent $52 on this current batch.... which will be about $12.50 a case and its 50% stronger than mass produced beer, and IMO tastes better!

😀:beer:
 
Originally posted by: DanJ
$12.50 a case ain't too shabby 🙂

Hell, Oberon is $9 or so a 6 pack.
Click to expand...

I like Oberon a lot, though I prefer Bell's 2 Hearted Ale (only available during the winter).

For comparison, I would give Oberon an 8.5, and this current batch will probably be an 8. (scale of 1-10)
 
Kind of OT, but what do you use for mashing and how do you keep the temperature constant during the time the grain infuses? I tried my first all-grain brew and I was having trouble keeping the temperature constant during the infusion.

Te end result is that my mash efficiency was a little lower than I would have liked 🙁
 
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Kind of OT, but what do you use for mashing and how do you keep the temperature constant during the time the grain infuses? I tried my first all-grain brew and I was having trouble keeping the temperature constant during the infusion.

Te end result is that my mash efficiency was a little lower than I would have liked 🙁
Click to expand...

This batch I mashed nothing. I simply steeped the grains until the boil got up to 160 or so. (actually I think I let the wort rest at 155 for about 30 minutes while I went and picked up my son). BUT anyways, I sometimes minimash (never all-grain) and can get my outside cooker to hold very close to 155 F. Then I flush the grain back with 170 F water a few times.

My neighbor does all-grain and he mashes in a 5 gallon picnic cooler with a false bottom. He told me his last mash had 80% efficiency (thats pretty damn good IMO).
 
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: DanJ
$12.50 a case ain't too shabby 🙂

Hell, Oberon is $9 or so a 6 pack.
Click to expand...

I like Oberon a lot, though I prefer Bell's 2 Hearted Ale (only available during the winter).

For comparison, I would give Oberon an 8.5, and this current batch will probably be an 8. (scale of 1-10)
Click to expand...
For whatever reason I've never had the 2-hearted Ale; I'll have to try it. Perhaps its the fish on the side of the 6-pack. Though I'm assuming it doesnt taste like fish 🙂

I'll have to pick it up sometime.
 
Originally posted by: DanJ
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: DanJ
$12.50 a case ain't too shabby 🙂

Hell, Oberon is $9 or so a 6 pack.
Click to expand...

I like Oberon a lot, though I prefer Bell's 2 Hearted Ale (only available during the winter).

For comparison, I would give Oberon an 8.5, and this current batch will probably be an 8. (scale of 1-10)
Click to expand...
For whatever reason I've never had the 2-hearted Ale; I'll have to try it. Perhaps its the fish on the side of the 6-pack. Though I'm assuming it doesnt taste like fish 🙂

I'll have to pick it up sometime.
Click to expand...

Try it, you'll like it. Also, I recently had Avery's Double IPA (Eleven) which is made with 11 different hops. Its worth a try too, though its price and big ass flavor would prohibit from ever being a good session beer.
 
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
This batch I mashed nothing. I simply steeped the grains until the boil got up to 160 or so. (actually I think I let the wort rest at 155 for about 30 minutes while I went and picked up my son). BUT anyways, I sometimes minimash (never all-grain) and can get my outside cooker to hold very close to 155 F. Then I flush the grain back with 170 F water a few times.

My neighbor does all-grain and he mashes in a 5 gallon picnic cooler with a false bottom. He told me his last mash had 80% efficiency (thats pretty damn good IMO).
Click to expand...
80% is excellent efficiency. We had calculated using ProMash at 75% and we grossly undershot our ABV target (we were aiming for 6-6.5% ABV and ended up with something like 4% or so). The problem is that this was supposed to be a high bitterness American Pale Ale (~60 IBUs), so I hope the bitterness doesn't overpower all other flavours due to less maltiness.


Anyhow, our method was with a contraption we built using a fermenter that has a tap and another bucket in which we drilled holes. We set it up to ~170F and wrapped it with a winter sleeping bag for an hour (brewshop recommended this). We then flushed it for about 45 minutes using the water already in the mash and then finished with a little near-boiling water. I'm kinda wondering where it went awry, any ideas?

Oh, also another question. How much hops do you usually use for dry hopping when you do it? Kind of a broad question, but I'm not looking for a very specific answer
 
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
This batch I mashed nothing. I simply steeped the grains until the boil got up to 160 or so. (actually I think I let the wort rest at 155 for about 30 minutes while I went and picked up my son). BUT anyways, I sometimes minimash (never all-grain) and can get my outside cooker to hold very close to 155 F. Then I flush the grain back with 170 F water a few times.

My neighbor does all-grain and he mashes in a 5 gallon picnic cooler with a false bottom. He told me his last mash had 80% efficiency (thats pretty damn good IMO).
Click to expand...
80% is excellent efficiency. We had calculated using ProMash at 75% and we grossly undershot our ABV target (we were aiming for 6-6.5% ABV and ended up with something like 4% or so). The problem is that this was supposed to be a high bitterness American Pale Ale (~60 IBUs), so I hope the bitterness doesn't overpower all other flavours due to less maltiness.


Anyhow, our method was with a contraption we built using a fermenter that has a tap and another bucket in which we drilled holes. We set it up to ~170F and wrapped it with a winter sleeping bag for an hour (brewshop recommended this). We then flushed it for about 45 minutes using the water already in the mash and then finished with a little near-boiling water. I'm kinda wondering where it went awry, any ideas?

Oh, also another question. How much hops do you usually use for dry hopping when you do it? Kind of a broad question, but I'm not looking for a very specific answer
Click to expand...


I believe your mash temp should be no higher than 155. 170 is way too high. Your should sparge (rinse) with 170 F. Anything higher and you might get some tannins. Furthermore, as I understand all-grain, you need to sparge with fresh water, not the runnings from your mash, stop sparging when your runnings become clear (there is a rule for when to stop based on hydrometer readings). Over sparging will give you more tannins.

edit: dry hop with whole leaf hops because they are easier to filter out. An alternative is to brew a hop tea by boiling some water and turning off the heat, steep some hops for about 1 minute and then cool down to ambient temperatures and add the hop tea directly to the secondary, prior to bottling.
 
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
This batch I mashed nothing. I simply steeped the grains until the boil got up to 160 or so. (actually I think I let the wort rest at 155 for about 30 minutes while I went and picked up my son). BUT anyways, I sometimes minimash (never all-grain) and can get my outside cooker to hold very close to 155 F. Then I flush the grain back with 170 F water a few times.

My neighbor does all-grain and he mashes in a 5 gallon picnic cooler with a false bottom. He told me his last mash had 80% efficiency (thats pretty damn good IMO).
Click to expand...
80% is excellent efficiency. We had calculated using ProMash at 75% and we grossly undershot our ABV target (we were aiming for 6-6.5% ABV and ended up with something like 4% or so). The problem is that this was supposed to be a high bitterness American Pale Ale (~60 IBUs), so I hope the bitterness doesn't overpower all other flavours due to less maltiness.


Anyhow, our method was with a contraption we built using a fermenter that has a tap and another bucket in which we drilled holes. We set it up to ~170F and wrapped it with a winter sleeping bag for an hour (brewshop recommended this). We then flushed it for about 45 minutes using the water already in the mash and then finished with a little near-boiling water. I'm kinda wondering where it went awry, any ideas?

Oh, also another question. How much hops do you usually use for dry hopping when you do it? Kind of a broad question, but I'm not looking for a very specific answer
Click to expand...


I believe your mash temp should be no higher than 155. 170 is way too high. Your should sparge (rinse) with 170 F. Anything higher and you might get some tannins. Furthermore, as I understand all-grain, you need to sparge with fresh water, not the runnings from your mash, stop sparging when your runnings become clear (there is a rule for when to stop based on hydrometer readings). Over sparging will give you more tannins.

edit: dry hop with whole leaf hops because they are easier to filter out. An alternative is to brew a hop tea by boiling some water and turning off the heat, steep some hops for about 1 minute and then cool down to ambient temperatures and add the hop tea directly to the secondary, prior to bottling.
Click to expand...


In a one step mash the starches will convert most efficiently between 148 deg and 158 deg. I highly recommend buying the water cooler. I can mash overnight and maintain temps and get about 90% efficiency.

As for dry hopping...I have used 1 - 2 oz. per 5 gallons depending on the beer. A Hazed and Infused clone called for 2 oz. while the Sierra Nevada Celebration called for 1 oz. Just depends on how much you want. I usually use pellets and the finished product is just as clear as a non dry hopped beer. I have also used hop bags...just make sure you use the right kind for the type of hop (whole vs. pellet).
 
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