Central NJ - Learn how to All Grain

[janzik]

Yeah, I'll post the final recipe tonight when I get home. On the batch you took, remember we boiled down a bit more than we wanted to so you ended up with 5 gallons @ 1.056. Still within style. I'll change the boil/bittering times to reflect the new IBU. On the second batch, the one I took, we sparged a bit more and only boiled for 60 minutes down to 11.75 gallons. We had a higher efficiency on that batch too so I ended up with a 1.052 OG.

Did your ferment take off yet? Mine had a solid 1" of Krausen by midnight.

As of 7am it was dead as dead. I'll update when I get home tonight.

(edit) As of 4:30 it's got about half an inch. Some bubbling in the air lock.. woo!

 

[Soulive]

As of 7am it was dead as dead. I'll update when I get home tonight.

Just checked mine and the blowoff tube is burping, but the krausen is very very minimal. I'm calling it a 22 hour lagtime for the record. Not bad since we just sprinkled in

 

[sirsloop]

give it till morning... I didn't see anything happen that would have inhibited yeasties... and I don't think i've ever heard of a dead nottinghams dry pack. I bet those things would survive a nuclear winter...

 

[Bobby_M]

It'll all be fine. I must some fricken beer gnomes in my basement or something. Both carboys in the first batch got a full pack of Nottingham each. My stuff used S-04. Oh, and the fact that the first batch was 1.056 and second was 1.052 plays in a bit. Maybe temp was a little different too.

 

[Soulive]

Just came home to 1/4in of nice white uniform krausen. I'm at about 65F right now and I think I'll keep in there +/- one degree. Anyone think I should go lower?

 

[Bobby_M]

I noticed my batch creeping up a bit over 70F this morning since it was so mild last night so I moved them to a colder place. I think an ESB or any English for that matter can live with 70. Nothing wrong with 65 either. I'd have this in my fermentation freezer but I just racked that Vienna Lager to secondary (keg) and have no room in my kegerator. I don't think S-04 would like the 38F environment.

 

[Soulive]

I'm maintaining 65+/- and I expect it to be "done" by tomorrow some time. I wanna keep the yeast neutral with low esters...

 

[joejaz]

Bobby, when do you sweeten your apfelwiein and how much splenda did you use and when do you add it, right away or just before bottling with priming sugar? I,m going to make a 5 gallon batch on Saturday. Will prime and bottle after 4 weeks. Does this age in the botlle or is it drinkable right away?

 

[Bobby_M]

I've never aged it in the bottle since I've been kegging prior to discovery of the apfelwein. For both my previous batches, I've added the splenda at kegging time. I suppose if you're going to carb yours in the bottle, I'd mix it into the pot when you're dissolving your priming sugar.

I can tell you this stuff only gets smoother with age. My last keg lasted maybe 4 months and it was much better towards the end while still drinkable about 6 weeks after pitching the yeast in.

 

[njnear76]

Bobby, when do you sweeten your apfelwiein and how much splenda did you use and when do you add it, right away or just before bottling with priming sugar? I,m going to make a 5 gallon batch on Saturday. Will prime and bottle after 4 weeks. Does this age in the botlle or is it drinkable right away?

I think Bobby used one cup of splenda for a 5 gallon batch. I think JD used 2 cups. I'm thinking of using only a cup. I think too sweet would be a turnoff.

JoeJaz, you can fill the carboy all way to the neck. With Montrachet yeast, it will be a pretty calm ferment. I would bottle it with 3/4 cup of corn sugar (4 ounces). You can go as high as a cup if you like really fizzy. I would recommend waiting 5 weeks before bottling.

Mike

 

[njnear76]

My last keg lasted maybe 4 months and it was much better towards the end while still drinkable about 6 weeks after pitching the yeast in.

How old was that stuff we tasted last weekend? Two months after pitching yeast? It was quite yummy.

Mike

 

[njnear76]

My last keg lasted maybe 4 months and it was much better towards the end while still drinkable about 6 weeks after pitching the yeast in.

How old was that stuff we tasted last weekend? Two months after pitching yeast? It was pretty good.

Mike

 

[janzik]

Batch 1b from last week appears to have quieted down (actually it did when I got home from work yesterday). Room temp is ringing in at 67.1 and the carboy sticker is showing a solid 64. I'll probably check a gravity reading later today and will update my post...

(edit: 11/29 1pm - reading between 1.010 and 1.008 and tastes great so far)

 

[Soulive]

Batch 1b from last week appears to have quieted down (actually it did when I got home from work yesterday). Room temp is ringing in at 67.1 and the carboy sticker is showing a solid 64. I'll probably check a gravity reading later today and will update my post...

Same here Joe. I'm not checking gravity until tomorrow though

 

[Bobby_M]

Tuesday night batch #2 was down to 1.016. It tasted really really good already.

 

[Soulive]

Tuesday night batch #2 was down to 1.016. It tasted really really good already.

I have high hopes for mine since it never got above 66F. I'm hoping the grain bill will shine. Its still opaque though so I'll wait to pull the sample...

 

[Soulive]

I couldn't resist. I'm @ 1.015 and therefore just about done. It tasted very good with lots of malty goodness. It might be a touch bitter/strong so I may top up the keg, since I didn't top up the fermenter...

 

[Bobby_M]

I'd recommend boiling your topup water just to flush all the oxygen out. It'll probably mellow a bit in some time even without topping up and even your larger OG is within style. It's probably a bit more bitter due to the 10-15 minutes of extra boil time.

 

[Soulive]

Bobby I still need the recipe when you have the chance. I plugged what I think was the recipe into Beer Smith but I'd like to be sure. The Nottingham really flocced well for me. BTW guys, I just kegged it and I'll be force-carbing in another week

 

[janzik]

Bobby I still need the recipe when you have the chance. I plugged what I think was the recipe into Beer Smith but I'd like to be sure. The Nottingham really flocced well for me. BTW guys, I just kegged it and I'll be force-carbing in another week

I was about to say "Why no secondary", but are you clearing in your Corny? Are you just going to leave it as is in the keg before force-carbing? I would then assume you did a careful job of racking? I had a gravity reading last night of 1.009(maybe 8) and I racked it over to a secondary carboy.

 

[Soulive]

I was about to say "Why no secondary", but are you clearing in your Corny? Are you just going to leave it as is in the keg before force-carbing? I would then assume you did a careful job of racking? I had a gravity reading last night of 1.009(maybe 8) and I racked it over to a secondary carboy.

Yeah Joe, I'll clear in the keg. I might have to transfer it to another keg from there. I'm ok with losing a pint or two to the sediment. I'd rather that than risk oxidation by secondarying...

 

[Bobby_M]

The recipe is actually on www.suebob.com/brew/brewlog.htm

but:


[size=+2]CNJ AG Seminar ESB batch one[/size]
[size=+1]8-C Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)[/size]

Size: 10.04 gal
Efficiency: 86.89%
Attenuation: 74.6%
Calories: 185.86 per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.056 (1.048 - 1.060)
|==================#=============|
Terminal Gravity: 1.014 (1.010 - 1.016)
|===================#============|
Color: 14.4 (6.0 - 18.0)
|===================#============|
Alcohol: 5.46% (4.6% - 6.2%)
|================#===============|
Bitterness: 39.6 (30.0 - 50.0)
|===============#================|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
15.0 lbs Maris Otter Pale
2 lbs Vienna Malt
0.5 lbs Victory® Malt
0.25 lbs 2-Row Caramel Malt 80L
.25 lbs Chocolate Malt
0.25 lbs 2-Row Caramel Malt 40L
1 oz Northern Brewer (8.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1 oz Tettnanger (4.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1 oz Tettnanger (4.5%) - added during boil, boiled 40 min
1 oz Willamette (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 10 min

[size=+1]Schedule:[/size]
Ambient Air: 70.0 °F
Source Water: 60.0 °F
Elevation: 0.0 m

00:31:39 Mash In - Liquor: 5.5 gal; Strike: 172.5 °F; Target: 154 °F
01:31:39 Sac Rest - Rest: 60 min; Final: 152.6 °F
01:41:39 Batch Sparge - First Runnings: 0.0 gal sparge @ 151.7 °F, 3.17 gal collected, 0.0 min; Batch 1: 4.5 gal sparge @ 180 °F, 4.5 gal collected, 5 min; Batch 2: 4.5 gal sparge @ 180 °F, 4.5 gal collected, 5 min; Total Runoff: 12.47 gal

I just realized we talked about taking the Victory out and I did but forgot to save the file. I remember milling the Victory so it's in there.

Mike (njnearr76) and racked our batch two brew to secondary tonight and this batch is only down to 1.015 but the primaries were deader than dead. Could be mash temps or Nottingham vs. S-04. It didn't taste sweet in any case.

 

[njnear76]

Mike (njnearr76) and racked our batch two brew to secondary tonight and this batch is only down to 1.015 but the primaries were deader than dead. Could be mash temps or Nottingham vs. S-04. It didn't taste sweet in any case.

I got that 6 gallon glass carboy down my brother-in-law's stairs safely. Those things are darn heavy. It was quite an adventure. Luckily I had a beer to celebrate. Life is good.

Thanks again Bobby for everything.

Mike

 

[Soulive]

Where is everyone else at this point? Mine was kegged a few days ago, stored warm, and is now in the kegerator. I was able to fill my corny to the brim so I don't mind losing 1-2 pints to sediment. Can't wait to tap this one...

 

[Bobby_M]

I've got mine in secondary under the xmas tree (seriously). I wanted to give it just a couple more days warm and then I plan to cold crash it in my garage until Sunday. Then it goes in the keg. I have no room in the kegerator though.. Imagine that, 5 kegs with at least something in them. I think my pale ale is about to kick though, so the ESB will go in. If I have to leave it out for another week, I can still carb it cuz I have that extra tank and reg and it's like 40F in the garage now.

 

[Soulive]

Wish I could kick that keg for you...

 

[Bobby_M]

Haha, not a chance. It's my favorite of the 5 kegs. I'll probably start serving the Belgian Wit on that faucet right after and drink that or the amber. I really need to add the 5th faucet to the system.

 

[janzik]

Mine is in a secondary in the basement. I'll move it to bottles on the 16th, I think.

 

[Soulive]

Mine is in a secondary in the basement. I'll move it to bottles on the 16th, I think.

Joe you used Nottingham or s-04? If you used Notty, you can bottle this weekend. Of course, patience is probably the better option...

 

[Bobby_M]

yeah, it will clear nicely if you wait as long as you can but I know how hard it is. You'll also benefit from getting it nice and cold before you rack to your bottling bucket. We have the benefit of nice cold weather outside so crash cooling is no exageration. Put it out on the porch/deck for two hours or as long as you can before it freezes (covered with a box to stop it from getting light damaged) and then put it up on the counter and let it settle again for an hour before racking. Forget everything I said if your basement is already 50F or less.