Barossa Brewers All Grain Day At Anthony's

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G'day all, on the weekend the Barossa Brewers were busy getting together tasting commercial beers for a good cause on Saturday night and brewing an all grain oatmeal stout on Sunday.
Firstly the local Make-A-Wish Foundation Chapter held their Bi-annual beer tasting competition on Saturday night at Peter Lehmann Winery, Tanunda. The Barossa Brewers had a couple of tables there, and a great time was had by all despite us not winning the commercial beer tasting comp. Tony Jones, Head Brewer from Lion Nathan was the beer compare, and despite giving us all huge hints on the beers the dishwater draughts caught us on the hop.
At the beer auction at the end of the night we picked up some tasty treats in six-packs & cartons. The two local breweries were involved, Barossa Valley Brewing company Beesting linkwith their Beesting honey wheat ale, and the Barossa Brewing Company's Greenock Creek dark ale Greenock Creek link had their beers in the tasting comp & for auction. The sore heads had barely enough time to recover for the All Grain brewing day at Anthony (An AHB Lurker) King's brewing shed next day.

 

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The next day started off foggy in Moculta in the Barossa Valley. But soon it was time to start the non-NASA burner and get the show on the road.

 

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What follows is a whole series of pics. Here Anthony is filling the strike tank with cold rainwater.

 

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This ain't no roller mill, but when you're only starting out the old flour mill works just fine. Just got to remember to change hands at 99 turns.

 

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10 kg later and I'd gone out sightseeing to visit the old (130yo) mausoleum just over the hill. What's behind the green door, find out in the next post! :blink: Cue in evil laugh h34r: The real dark side :beer:

 

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Due to some vandals or hoons the large steel plaque on one of the tombs had been prized open to reveal some of the ancestors. (the Grieves) Spooky stuff. As for some of the stories about the wild parties in the place and the things they get up to, I don't know if I can believe them.
But we'll give them a run for their money, next meeting of the BBC will be at midnight on the full moon (BYO sacrifices, dark ales, porters & stouts) right here.

 

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Back to the other dark side, the brewing of the Oatmeal stout. The kegs had been shuffled around and now it was time for underletting the strike water to the grist.
:chug:

 

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Here is the top of the mash right at the start. Notice the flaked oats on top.

 

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GMK turned up just in time for the food, a great BBQ cooked by Mark Mark's alter ego 'trev the truckie'.
The day was so cold, Ken even worn a Power beanie that was supplied, it is a Power brewery after all. And no Power failures that weekend either. :beerbang:

 

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With some help from Alan, Anthony puts the sparge tank in place, high in the rafters as Phil & Ken look on.

 

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The merits of gravity were discussed, Ken reckons gravity sucks, but Alan says it pulls and demonstrates it. :beer:

 

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Now here is my favourite pic for the day, checking to see if the sparge ring is working. Ken has already mentioned some mods for it to perform better, but it's simple and it works OK for now.

 

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Here is Phil helping Anthony refill the sparge tank. The OH&S guy was out the back having a leak when this was all happening.

 

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Next was the boil, and GMK, that's General Major Ken to you sonny, was directing the troops from the tabletop. Unfortunately he got a nosebleed and had to come down from such great heights. :beer: Looks like a court marshal for this trooper next meeting for insubordination. :lol:

 

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Having stopped his nosebleed, Ken was up the ladder next, checking the boil.

 

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Ken found the lid needed modifying, so out came the angle grinder to fix up the problem.

 

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In wine country a refractometer isn't far away. Mini-me (aka Ken) stands next to the master of the brewery to guide Captain King in his quest for a great beer.