Miss me? I mean, did you miss me?
Don’t worry if you didn’t. I’ve been off of brewing for so long now it’s embarrassing, so I don’t expect any teary welcome backs or anything.
So. It’s nearly summer, and what could be nicer than a lovely refreshing summer ale – something that’ll glide across the taste buds, slake a parched throat or re-hydrate a tried work-worn body? Yeah, that’d be really nice…if only I wasn’t such an efficient brewer.
5.2% – that’s what Beer Engine reckoned it’d be; 1052 OG or thereabouts for my 5 and a bit kilos of grain.
Well, I got 1061 and if that US ale yeast does it’s job and wrestles the lot down to 1009, we’ll be looking at 6.7% or so ABV.
I planned on dry-hopping with some more Styrians (Bobek) but it might end up getting a dose of centennial as well, plus the rind of two or more pink grapefruit. Anyone for another (hastily invented) beer style? IVPA – India Very Pale Ale?
Yeah, suck it up craft breweries, I can make those moves too…
Notice the deceptively simple grain bill? That’s because I needed to ease myself back in gently and that little bit of wheat malt is only to work up a bit of head protein and interest in the mouthfeel.
The mash was simplicity itself:
- Dough-in 38C,
- Sacch Rest: 67C for 80 Minutes
- Mash Out: 76C for 10 Minutes
I sparged with 2 litres of hand hot water – mainly because I’d already mashed out and to be honest sparging a Braumeister malt tube with 82C (or whatever) water? Life’s too short…
Heaven only knows how this one will shape-up, especially as it’s fermenting in the shed in my new fridge-based-fermentation chamber. We’re currently at a reasonably steady 17-18c so I have hopes that it’ll be as clean as a whistle.
…and of course, when I want to clear the finished beer, I’ll drop the temperature down to 5 or so degrees. That’s how we roll in these temperature-controlling times.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Next up: probably a rendition of Ommegang Hennepin Saison – especially now I’m able to ramp up a temps to 25c… Cha-ching.
That deathly silence had me worried . . . don’t know about the others but I was beginning to think you’d taken up another hobby and yeastismybitch was no more! Great that you’re back on radar and brewing again Jon, you were missed 😉
Ha ha! Nice one, Simon. Cheers for tuning back in again… :o)
Thank the Lord ! YIMB is back… please don’t go MIA like that, it’s not good for my feng shui !
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