Mirror Pond clone on Friday. Using Wyeast 1968, which I made a 1L starter for last weekend.
I need something quick and drinkable for Christmas when our student comes home - he's 24, and drinks like a fish, but don't want him to get through my octoberfest too quickly (as it took 3 months to make).
Octoberfest from Brewing Classic Styles.
Going to pitch cold (follow the process in BCS) and have a nice big 2-step starter of wyeast Oktoberfest yeast raring to go.
Lager for 2 months and serve at my office Christmas party. Last year the keg was kicked in 30 minutes.
Kicked a keg of German pilsner last night. Got better as the keg got lighter and the last few pints were amazing.
I brew about 50/50 ales and lagers, brewing a pale ale Monday just to keep something in the pipeline, and an Oktoberfest in 2 weeks. Try to lager for at least 2 months at 2C, then...
Kegged - sample tastes amazing even flat and warm. Nice balance of flavours. On the gas for 2 weeks. FG was 1.012 which is slightly higher than expected.
Edit: Couldn't wait and tapped the keg after a week. Lovely taste, not too dominated by one or the other. Sorry about the out of style glass
First (and currently only) comp entry scored 15 average.
I brewed a really great IPA that tasted amazing in the keg, and semi-pro brewers I gave it to thought it was great. I bottled a six pack and sent 3 in. 2 months later I get the score sheets. All commented about massive diacetyl taste and...
Wow, that went nuts! 2.5 gal of head space in the bucket and a blow off tube, and foam all over the bottom of my fermentation chamber! There's a nice amount of yeast in the blow off container, and if I thought about it, I would have sanitized it to trap the yeast for the next brew.
Brewed this for the first time yesterday. OG 1.050, but due to kettle losses (I leave quite a bit behind in the kettle when transferring to fermenter), ended up with 4.5gal in the fermenter. Pitched yeast from 1l starter of 3068, and it's in my fermentation chamber at 62F ambient (68F liquid...
My parents are visiting from England. They bought a copy of Brew your own Real Ale at home, so I'm going to brew Courage Directors with my dad this weekend.
I'd already selected the beer to brew, and when I told him, he mentioned he had a summer job at Courage in the 60's brewing that beer...
Pilsner SMASH. Last one I made was last summer and not very good - had lots of practice since then and got my process down good, so hoping for greatness.
5 ball-lock corny kegs, CO2 regulator, 6 quick disconnects (3 gas, 3 liqud) - $80. The guy said the phone rang a lot. He was switching back to bottling from kegging.
Last four were 58%, 57%, 59%, 52%. (Brewhouse efficiency)
In looking at my process, I think I'm fly sparging too quickly. Today's brew was 30 minutes to sparge (13lb of grain in a 10 gal cooler with false bottom).
Will slow it down and see what that does to my efficiency.