Bri's All Grain Brewing Thread

[Manxnorton]

Hello All,
thought I'd keep all my AG brewing in one thread as lets face it if I brew each one the same with regards to procedures it's going to be a pain in the arse for us all reading every single AG brew
B4 anyone says anything I am Dog Toffee at doing them blog things so i'll try my best.
At present I have just completed my 3rd AG brew and to date have done:
23L SNPA
23L Milk Choc Stout
23L Caramel Cream Ale.

My Extract brews to get my hand back into Brewing after all these years have been 23L 0f:
BlackRock Nut Brown Ale
Wilki's Golden Pale Ale
Youngs Definitive Bitter.

I think most have seen my AG kit, but no harm in adding it again.

it has surprised me how efficient getting used to the kits limitations etc making each brew exact to the final volume of 23L.
my problem of course has been looking at different recipes and then having a info overload.
Prime example is the Caramel Cream Ale I brewed yesterday.
using Golden Promise.
Crystal 60 & 80
Fuggles
East kent Golden.
it states Honey Malt which I didn't use.
The majority was on the opinion that it woulkd be too Sweet.
Now I love a sweet beer, so I tried to stick to the recipe as best I could with only minor exceptions:
didn't have the full amount of golden Promise so had to utilise what I had, 1.5KG of Rye Malt.
Decreased the Hops & as I wasn't liking the bittering hops on my first AG brew I didn't bother with that.
At the 15min mark when adding the profloc tablet and wart chiller I used 300g of lactose.

views on using both Crystal 60 & 80 will I'm sure be mixed, but as I've not made it before it is worth a shot :unsure:
without changing my Malt amounts, lowering the Hops amounts and maybe increasing the Mash temp I just went for it.
wish I had ettempted boiling off a litre or so of the wort to get that extra caramel taste, but hey hoo! I can always do that in the future.

I really was surprised when I tasted it b4 pitching the yeast, not as sweet as I and many others over here expected.
Sweet,smooth and to be honest could of done with a small amount of bittering hops...Maybe!
OG 1054 and pitched with London Ale liquid Yeast.

one thing is for sure, the proof will be in a few weeks time, but things are looking good as it started bubbling away after just under 4 hrs
Decided not to brew another Milk Choc Stout until I bottle, age and then sample the latest one.
Learning having patients is hard.
Anyways guys n girls, i'll sign off for now and get back to doing imprtoant chores around the house.....cleaning the mancave to put my AG kit away properly before my daughter decides to investigate and break something.
ATB
Bri

PS as always criticism, tips & advice most welcome I can take it lol

 

[pcmfisher]

Ah, the old dual bucket'o'death setup. B)
You don't see that much anymore.

 

[Manxnorton]

Well been away working and just got back to reality.
Bottled the Milk Choc Stout last week and just couldn't resist a cheeky half when I sneaked off to my mancave.
Very smooth, lost a lot of its sweetness and the after of the choc is just right.
14-12-13
Bottled 4L of the Caramel cream ale and cornie kegged the remainder.
Not had a taste of it yet, but will after it's carbonated
Looking at another batch of Stout next week.
Forgot to mention sampled a few bottles of my Sierra Nevada Pale Ale couple nights ago and couldn't remember much after about 6 bottles ha ha...
ATB
Bri

 

[Manxnorton]

hello guys,
for the last few years I was ill due to multiple strokes.
I'm smashed physically....one side knackered.
brain doesn't work like used to...(mind it wasn't too strong anyways lol)

nuff of that...
part of my theropy (speech,reading writing etc.) I went over old hobbies and looked at homebrewing then the memories came back..slowly just me!!!
I get a new grainfather, grainfather sparge hot water boiler tomorrow.
and from my old recipes milk choc stout is first.
just re learning brew m8, brewers friend and now the grainfather calculators and all the jargon lol
itll take time to get into again....but slowly is my middle name.
ATB
Bri

 

[mckenry]

Good luck mate. Keep the brain active. I see youve been at it a few years. Haviing an interest in something that helps with rehab is so much better than just rehab. I know this from my ex neighbour. Loved his golf, had a stroke, rehab required so used putting greens as rehab. Walking, hand-eye etc.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Hope your rehab recovering brewing works for you. It's a good thing you have a hobby that helps and hope the fond memories come back.

 

[Stouter]

Good on ya bloke.
Sounds like a long road ahead, though steady steady and you might also enjoy it!

I take it that you're on some medications as part and parcel, and that you've had to taper off on the beers if not been advised to stop altogether. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy the process of brewing though. I find the process of bottle washing medatative, almost Tai Chi like once I get going B) .
Get your kit set up in a way that makes it easy for you safety wise if your still limited with movement and enjoy the ride.

 

[Manxnorton]

Bloody ‘ell lads n lasses how long ago since I put text n pics here.
Same on me.
Got a lil small excuse, 2015 multiple strokes got me M.I.A. For a long time.
But in the morn I’ll catch up what I’ve managed to do since then

 

[Manxnorton]

That’s a can kit (Mustons Lazy Days IPA)
The first kit since I started All grain in 2014.
Sampling a Tropical pineapple ipa atm, both sugar primed & kegged.
Still got my brewing YouTube channels lol plus other channels.
Not a lot of subs, they must think I’m a boring so n so!
Find Brian D. & Twisted Magpie Homebrewery on YouTube n biz me a shout.
I’m better on pc n on this iPad thingy lol.
Keep safe guys.
Nite nite
bri

 

[Manxnorton]

Remember the smell of an opened beer kit?

 

[Manxnorton]

Today i got my GF G30 bottom n top rolled plates.
i’ll have to faff on with the top plate with the Gf running as it was tight and one handed didn’t work.
the boot i’m was wasn’t flush, but better thst the top.
i use a custom bottom plate underneath the malt pipe anyways.
there’s talk of the top plate too heavy on the grsin bed, and got stuck sparge. i’ll find out.
TBC

 

[Manxnorton]

Tomorrow 23rd Sept. 22, 07:00Am (UK time) a part one on the rolled plates.

Twisted Magpie Homebrewery Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO8oljRz-p0zPDjiFZVMV4Q
Off to check the Muntons brew for dry hop.

 

[Manxnorton]

was an expensive buying online the other day.
Have to ever used items that weight down a hop sock whilst dry hopping?
Well this stupid old so n so not only done it once, but twice!
make things worse! there items for my GrainFather G30.
No word tbh!

 

[beergee]

I usually chuck a couple of stainless teaspoons in the sock to weigh it down.

 

[Manxnorton]

Wayne your a ledgend, never thought about that.