Recent content by jonw

Free fridge in Lane Cove, Sydney. Not very pretty, but it works. I haven't used this for a couple of years, as I haven't been brewing. ;-( I put a new seal on it when I got it probably 7 years ago. It's a Kelvinator and measures roughly 61cm wide by 64cm deep by 140cm high. Fits a 60L...

It is :-)

Oh dear, that doesn't sound good. Those flavours certainly weren't supposed to be there. I have a nasty feeling I have a house infection in my kegs which may be something like Brett. Might be time for new seals all round. I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if its not quite as intended! Anybody...

I'd have thought 18 degrees was rather warm for a lager. Should be more like 12 degrees. Having said that, I've never made a decent lager.

3. grantw Theakston Old Peculier 5.8% bottled 28/06/13 leave till August 11. Very dark brown with a thin off white head. Compared to the commercial example I had, yours is slightly darker with a darker head. I didn't get any hop aroma from the commercial example -...

That's funny. Orval's my favorite beer. It gets even better when you let it warm up, which you obviously did.

I've got a TOP in the fridge, so I'll do a side by side this weekend. The commercial example's been lovingly cared for by Dan Murphy's, so I'm expecting a few differences.

Hmmm, OK. The beer's in primary at the moment, and I need the ferment fridge space, so I'll rack it to secondary this weekend. I guess there's no need to pitch the bugs straight away. You reckon I should taste the starter in another week and see if it's any "better"?

I tested my starter this evening - it's at 1.034, so probably only dropped a few points if any, and tastes really medicinal. I think I might ditch this one and see if I can get a fresh pitch locally.

Manticle, thanks. I normally don't make a starter for Brett. However, given this pack had had some rough treatment and was fairly old, I though I'd better try to revive it. I'll check the gravity and taste it later on.

I made starter (180g DME, 1.8L water) and pitched a Wyeast Brett Brux, manufactured in November, and has been sitting in my fridge for a few months. Unfortunately the Brett had an extended and hot ride from Craftbrewer at the hands of Fastway. I pitched on Tuesday, and I'm not seeing any...

21. Littlejohn Oak smoked Porter 4.7% - Bottled 02 Jun - good to go I had this in front of a roaring log fire last night. Just the thing. Very dark red - almost black. I didn't get smoke in the aroma, but I did get the big chocolatey/malty aroma. The smoke is subtle in the...

Picking a couple of these out to have while watching the game tonight... 1. Cortez the Killer 100% Heavily Peated Distilling Malt Strong Ale ~7% - Ready 2. matho AIPA 8.5% wyeast 1272 bottled 25/3/2013 3. grantw Theakston...

1. Cortez the Killer 100% Heavily Peated Distilling Malt Strong Ale ~7% - Ready 2. matho AIPA 8.5% wyeast 1272 bottled 25/3/2013 3. grantw Theakston Old Peculier 5.8% bottled 28/06/13 leave till August 11. 4. black_labb 5...

It's not blocked. If I open the valve right up, I get a stream of bubbles from the stone. I just get a whole lot more from the stone/thread junction. I haven't boiled it - it just gets a rinse in Starsan before and after use. I wasn't able to remove the thread from the stone - should I be able...