RobboMC
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- 20/3/06
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I thought I'd share my method of getting 3 different abv levels out of one brew.
Sort of started when visitors that were driving asked to taste the home brew.
So I start with a simple technique, I brew a 24 litre batch of whatever takes my fancy at 7% abv.
Starting in fermenter - 24 litres @ 7% abv.
batch 1 - transfer 7.5 litres into bottling bucket - bulk prime, mix and bottle. usually around 50 g of dex. I often bottle this into
500 ml glass bottles.
batch 2 - transfer a 2nd load of 7.5 litres into bottling bucket, add 3 litres of boiled and cooled water, bulk prime, mix and bottle.
Since the bottling volume is now 10.5 litres the bulk priming is now around 70 g of dex. abv is a round 5.25%.
batch 3 - transfer remaining beer ( should be another 7.5 litres ) , add 8 litres of water, bulk prime, mix and bottle.
Since the bottling volume is now 15.5 litres the bulk priming is now around 100 g of dex. abv is around 3.5%
You can use boiled water if you have the capacity to, I don't. I know I'm introducing oxygen by using tap water, but hey, this is the
low abv swill to dish out to drivers. It's also handy after mowing the lawn or footy training.
Where did the missing 1.5 litres go, well that's the junk at the bottom known as the trub.
The 7% batch is kept specially to share with fellow brewers and when I feel like treating myself to a decent drink, the 5% stuff turns out a nice session beer while the 3.5% batch does what is intended, allows others and myself to enjoy a craft beer even when driving.
This method also means I get around 45 longnecks out of one fermenter without losing the chance to sample the truly great beer that comes with 7% abv ( assuming you use no sugar or dex which I don't )
Sort of started when visitors that were driving asked to taste the home brew.
So I start with a simple technique, I brew a 24 litre batch of whatever takes my fancy at 7% abv.
Starting in fermenter - 24 litres @ 7% abv.
batch 1 - transfer 7.5 litres into bottling bucket - bulk prime, mix and bottle. usually around 50 g of dex. I often bottle this into
500 ml glass bottles.
batch 2 - transfer a 2nd load of 7.5 litres into bottling bucket, add 3 litres of boiled and cooled water, bulk prime, mix and bottle.
Since the bottling volume is now 10.5 litres the bulk priming is now around 70 g of dex. abv is a round 5.25%.
batch 3 - transfer remaining beer ( should be another 7.5 litres ) , add 8 litres of water, bulk prime, mix and bottle.
Since the bottling volume is now 15.5 litres the bulk priming is now around 100 g of dex. abv is around 3.5%
You can use boiled water if you have the capacity to, I don't. I know I'm introducing oxygen by using tap water, but hey, this is the
low abv swill to dish out to drivers. It's also handy after mowing the lawn or footy training.
Where did the missing 1.5 litres go, well that's the junk at the bottom known as the trub.
The 7% batch is kept specially to share with fellow brewers and when I feel like treating myself to a decent drink, the 5% stuff turns out a nice session beer while the 3.5% batch does what is intended, allows others and myself to enjoy a craft beer even when driving.
This method also means I get around 45 longnecks out of one fermenter without losing the chance to sample the truly great beer that comes with 7% abv ( assuming you use no sugar or dex which I don't )
