With Christmas now upon us a small update my latest brews and what the new year potentially will bring.
Since my last post in Oct (It's been awhile again!) I have done 2 brews ready for Christmas and silly season, both contrasting each other.
One is a Black IPA, very roasty and fully bodied, the kind you sit and slip in front of an open fire while you wonder if John McClane can save the day even if you've watched Die Hard 25+ times before.
This is [.....]
The Red Barron (American Red IPA) had mixed fortune, from the keg it was a great success. Took it to a friends house warming (but not party!!) and it all went within a few hours. No joke! all what I had left was some slurry at the bottom of the keg. No only it seems everyone finds it remarkably cool to see a keg on the kitchen top, people also like free beer.
From the bottle it was more of a traditional english ale as [.....]
I've been abit slow on my write up with the last brew day and the first go with the Ace Boiler.
It was a good bit of kit and worth while purchase to get off the stove that if you wanted a dedicated system but didn't want all the extra parts like a induction hob and kettle or fork out on a more expensive system like the Grainfather.
The boil/heating of especially my powerful 2500W model made the biggest initial impact [.....]
Its starting to become an exciting time in the BrannBrew Kitchen, my last two proper brews (not counting the Proper Job Extract Kit) were a great success, both of which were original recipes.
My next brew will be Red Baron - a Red IPA - hopped like a west coast American IPA but with a malty backbone that should balance the hoppyness well. I was going use Brewdogs DIY Dog and their Punk IPA recipe but there is something quite satisfying when your own recipe comes out [.....]
This weekend I tapped my keg, full of a new brew for me. A Saison (Saison of Love).
I have tried a few Saisons from a bottle in the past, but it is usually a style I wouldn't pick if given the choice.
However I thought I try to brew my own, based off what I read in a recent BYO Magazine article and also the idea of not worrying too much on fermentation control, as at the time, around brew day, we [.....]
A year has now past and have just celebrated my 1st Brewversary, over the last year I have developed my skills from a complete beginner, however I am still learning the ropes of all-grain after just brewing my first proper for a Fathers Day Brew (G.E.B Pale Ale).
Although that did turn out the most successful to date the brew day itself didn't quite go according to plan.
Reflecting and looking back on the past brews there will certainty be brews I would do again, like [.....]
So my latest brew, a Fathers Day brew- American Pale Ale using Galaxy, El Dorado and Bravo hops (that share the same initials as my Dad) turned out to be a great success, my best brew so far.
At the time on brew day I got myself all in a state as I had already wrote my own step instructions but 1/2 way through the mash some part of me decided to follow Brewers Friend session.
After a few other little hiccups/problems faced I thought it [.....]
Its being a while since my last blog post, so I thought Id write on a hot topic with homebrewers that is a long disputed and much asked question...to keg or bottle?
Some like to bottle so they can keep track on how much they have drunk and like to just chuck a bottle or two in the fridge. Its cost effective to bottle, the equipment you need is very minimal. You will only need a capper, caps and of course the bottles which many I expect you could have from empties [.....]
BrewDog have now released all 215 of their recipes online for free in one handy PDF.
Titled DIY Dog, the free download includes a manual on equipment and ingredients needed for each beer - and suggests food pairings for each one.
BrewDog have made all of their 215 recipes available for download on their website, via www.brewdog.com/diydog.
With each recipe being scaled down to home-brew volumes of five gallons or 20 litres.
This is amazing news, as a fan of their [.....]
If you are like me and have been struggling on what to do with all the spent grains after brew day?
It seemed to me wasteful to just throw them away, I don't have a dog and although my parents have a small allotment and compost bin, if I wasn't going to see them for a few weeks I didn't really want them laying around until that point. After some searching I found a recipe on Beer Drink Run. I believe they got the recipe from somewhere else originally.
You will be able [.....]
Do you listen to music while brewing? Do you have a dedicated playlist or create one based on mood prior to the big day?
Regardless if I've only brewed a kit or an extract on the cooker top I've always liked to have something on in the background. I write what I'm listening to in my beer journal to keep track of what I've been listening too, its a nice little remembrance thing like in a normal diary, a piece of history. Even though current musical tastes are lent towards the [.....]
Are you like me that have limited space & resources, unable to have variations of equipment for brewing?
Do you struggle to get through 40 odd pints of the same beer because you are unable to brew two batches in close succession, allowing them to condition over the same period of time? Or just find 40 pints of the same beer too much?
The last statement is quite generalised, I haven't had a problem with my 'Way to Amarillo' Pale Ale, its a very nice brew [.....]
When I started this new hobby some six or so months ago, I knew I would like the whole home brewing scene but if you told me that I'd get the chance to write for an established community I would both be hesitant with the idea and tell you that there are other more seasoned and experienced Home Brewers out there.
Over the last few weeks, I have been contacted by one of the Admins of TheHomeBrewForum asking if I would like to write some articles [.....]
With my current brew 'Way to Amarillo' bottled and having 12 or so bottles left my thought is now going to my next batch.
The weathers dark, dank and miserably....Spring has no sign of coming around soon (even in Home Brew terms), my idea of brewing a Spring ale has been put on hold until a few months time.
I then got thinking/a craving for Hobgoblin, one of my favourite beers. Its perfect for this time of year. After a few afternoons & quieter periods at [.....]
For Christmas I was lucky to receive a Strainer and Stand, from The Home Brew Shop.
Hop Strainer clipped on top of bucket I have a standard 25L fermenter bucket and also a 30L bottling bucket, both of which the stand clips on it very securly.
The bag has 4 slits that go through the top of the stands arms, was a bit fiddly to find if it was inside out or not, so I made sure the seam was on the inside, although some hop [.....]
I maybe still new to Home Brew in the grand scheme of things, but I find researching into certain aspects very interesting so probably my overall knowledge is quite high for someone who has only really brewed for 6 months. It helps with the all the established home brew forums out there.
The best one I repeatedly go back to is The Home Brew Forum, it has certainly been usefully diving into the forum & the established members are usually very swift and knowledgeable to help with any issues or the like.
As I [.....]
When I first started brewing I bought 2 boxes of swing top bottles from the The Range they were £9 for 12 500ml bottles, good value! Although they wont last forever they are a great style of bottle that allows the beer to carbonate very well. I love the sound they make when they open.
Over time I've boasted my individual bottles from either the odd supermarket bought bottle or from a BBQ or house party and helped with the 'recycling' by taking a few empties home [.....]
Brew Diaries/Journals//Notes I keep one, I expect you keep one but they are a great means to keep track of how the brew has gone and any unexpected outcomes during the course of the brew.
I have kept one since I first started brewing up kits, even the simplest form of brewing your can come up with noteworthy points, especially points on how well its conditioning over time and flavour development.
I also keep a track of the music I am listening to [.....]
Ever had any bottle bombs due to over carbonation?
Ever had a flat beer from under carbonation? Branching out on creating different styles in 2016?
I have recently come across a few Priming Sugar Calculators that will help, it certainly opened my eyes to the different beers styles and amount of sugar & CO2 that is recommended.
When I first starting brewing I came across a quick and fast rule of the sugar amount, which with the beers I was brewing probably made them off [.....]
In my other most recent post ( A gift that has kept on giving ) I mentioned that the recent beers I've brewed have been somewhere over ...
