Babbs Wild Brew Project

[clarkey7]

I entered the recipe into Beersmith last night and it hit all the specs for a 20L batch size BUT the way my system works is that batch size figure is my post-boil volume. I know from experience I lose around 3L in cooling shrinkage, trub and chiller/tubing. So I will only get ~17L into the fermenter and then following further evaporation and yeast cake losses would likely get ~16L into the keg. For my own recipes I would counter this by going to a 23 or 24L batch size but given the kit's we'll be given are a fixed size I can't do that without dropping the OG. How are others planning to handle this??

Lonte,
In the equipment setup in beersmith, once you know what your losses on your system are, you can edit the Mash tun and Boil kettle losses etc and it will be taken into account for you as Ben suggested.....The 1L or so you lose in the fermentor - well that's goooone :unsure: , but probably the reason Beersom made it a 20L batch...(19L fits in the keg).

I also reckon some of us might struggle to get 75% with all that grain in a system designed for single batches...plus sometimes things don't always go to plan.

I normally get around 70% efficiency in my cylindrical 36L MT when I have more than 7-8kg of grain in there.
Just to make things difficult, I'm still running in a new system (only brewed on it twice) so I'm not exactly sure what efficiency I'll get on the day......exciting isn't it.

We could all get a kg or so of LDME (if we don't have it already) and use it if we don't quite hit the numbers on the day.

That's what I was planning to do anyway - I hope that strategy is OK.

Can't wait.

PB

 

[winkle]

Lonte,
In the equipment setup in beersmith, once you know what your losses on your system are, you can edit the Mash tun and Boil kettle losses etc and it will be taken into account for you as Ben suggested.....The 1L or so you lose in the fermentor - well that's goooone :unsure: , but probably the reason Beersom made it a 20L batch...(19L fits in the keg).

I also reckon some of us might struggle to get 75% with all that grain in a system designed for single batches...plus sometimes things don't always go to plan.

I normally get around 70% efficiency in my cylindrical 36L MT when I have more than 7-8kg of grain in there.
Just to make things difficult, I'm still running in a new system (only brewed on it twice) so I'm not exactly sure what efficiency I'll get on the day......exciting isn't it.

We could all get a kg or so of LDME (if we don't have it already) and use it if we don't quite hit the numbers on the day.

That's what I was planning to do anyway - I hope that strategy is OK.

Can't wait.

PB

Apparently if you brew with sea water you have no problems hitting efficiency targets (saw it on tele so must be true) h34r:
PB my similar brew rig gets similar results going over 8kg, so good point - I'll keep some extra sugar and DDME on hand come the day.

 

[beersom]

Although I haven't entered it in yet I planned on adjusting up with a little bit of base malt and sugar or down with water, depending on how far I was out. I expect there will be lots of variations so if it was close enough I wasn't going to bother.

Then again I have my batch size set to the post boil volume as well, so I was probably going to set it to 23/24 as you've said.

Obviously the recipe is set up for a beersmith or whatever that includes the losses already?

I don't know that it will be that important in the end, as everybody will get variations in efficiency etc.

Everyone's system is different, but I think for the best result for the overall brew it is probably best to use the ingredients listed and adjust batch size for your own system with the most important aim being to hit the targeted OG. If that means post ferment you only have 16 litres of beer .... so be it, we should still have enough beer to fill the cask. Keeping the ingredient list and gravity constant is very important for this project IMO. ..... especially the gravity, boil longer if needed.

 

[bconnery]

Everyone's system is different, but I think for the best result for the overall brew it is probably best to use the ingredients listed and adjust batch size for your own system with the most important aim being to hit the targeted OG. If that means post ferment you only have 16 litres of beer .... so be it, we should still have enough beer to fill the cask. Keeping the ingredient list and gravity constant is very important for this project IMO. ..... especially the gravity, boil longer if needed.

I'll outline this when the email goes out to those who've made the cut then. We actually decided to go over the numbers brewer wise a little, so this will be good to know so it doesn't matter if people are a little under litreage wise...

 

[Ross]

Also no problem guys ordering a little extra as a seperate order, keeping the ratios the same. should not cost more than a few dollars.

cheers Ross

 

[lonte]

Also no problem guys ordering a little extra as a seperate order, keeping the ratios the same. should not cost more than a few dollars.

cheers Ross

Always the salesman, eh Ross?

 

[bconnery]

Alright funky brewers the email has gone out with the details. I've used the emails that were on the Babbs announce list so if yours isn't up to date then email [email protected] so I can get the correct one on there!

Happy Brewing
Ben

 

[geoff_tewierik]

So, making the Wild Brew Today and noticed that the recipe doesn't say when to add the Brown Sugar.

Does it go in with the mash, in with the boil, at the end of the boil, or into the fermenter?

It might be Captain Obvious to some, but unfortunately not for this poor soul, so if anyone can clarify that for me it'd be great.

Cheers,

GT

 

[chappo1970]

So, making the Wild Brew Today and noticed that the recipe doesn't say when to add the Brown Sugar.

Does it go in with the mash, in with the boil, at the end of the boil, or into the fermenter?

It might be Captain Obvious to some, but unfortunately not for this poor soul, so if anyone can clarify that for me it'd be great.

Cheers,

GT

An educated guess would be 5-10mins left of the boil Geoff but that's not gospel. Call Ross if in urgent need.

Chap Chap

 

[geoff_tewierik]

An educated guess would be 5-10mins left of the boil Geoff but that's not gospel. Call Ross if in urgent need.

That's what I was thinking. And I tried the man, but his phone shoots straight to voice mail, hence asking on here.

 

[chappo1970]

That's what I was thinking. And I tried the man, but his phone shoots straight to voice mail, hence asking on here.

Well doing my attemp as well today Geoff so that's what I'll be doing unless told otherwise.

 

[Jye]

This is a big *** beer so to help the yeast out Im going to feed the sugar into the fermenter after about 48 hrs.

 

[Howlingdog]

This is a big *** beer so to help the yeast out Im going to feed the sugar into the fermenter after about 48 hrs.

That is my plan also.

 

[lonte]

I added mine right at the beginning of boil as I sensed that Ian was after plenty of kettle character (thus the two hour boil). I am 30 minutes away from flame out. Kind of weird knowing there are a number of people out there right now brewing the exact same beer as me!!

I only missed pre-boil gravity by 3 points - not bad since the recipe is designed at 75% effiency and I usually get closer to 70% (65% for bigger beers like this!).

Edit: I am going to pause at ten minutes and check gravity and volume - I have some late runnings from the MT I can add to bring up to 20L and hopefully gain a point or two - I've been boiling the hell out of this one!

 

[bconnery]

Just mashed in mine...
I was planning to add the sugar later as well.
I think the 2 hour boil + will give enough kettle character.
Then again if half are boiling and half aren't, or there abouts, then perhaps that best of both worlds?

 

[lonte]

The colour of out of the MT surprised me - quite lighter than I expected. I am using Dark Brown Sugar and that seemed to help darken it up in the boil a fair bit.

 

[geoff_tewierik]

Thanks for the replies guys, will add mine in with about 10 minutes to go (just to knock out any bugs that may be in the sugar) and see how it turns out.

FWIW lonte, I was expecting this to be a pale beer due to the lack of darker grains.

 

[lonte]

Thanks for the replies guys, will add mine in with about 10 minutes to go (just to knock out any bugs that may be in the sugar) and see how it turns out.

FWIW lonte, I was expecting this to be a pale beer due to the lack of darker grains.

Beersmith came up with 19.7 for me - thus my expectations. Beer running to fermenter now and has darkened up but not to 20. Preliminary readings indicate potential 20L @ 1.107 - woohoo, second time ever in the 1.100+ club

 

[lonte]

Final figures at pitch indicate 17.06L of wort in the fermenter at 24.7Brix (~1.102)

 

[geoff_tewierik]

I ended up with about 19L of ~ 1.092 wort after a little longer than 2hr boil, tried to compensate for the open kettle tap and didn't quite get there.

Might have to add some sugaz to the ferment