Little Creatures Bright Ale

[Neill]

sorry to drag up an old thread but tony, if you read this - is it a good idea to add some crystal to this recipe? i'm making your extract version ^^^^ and have got some crystal to steep, wondering if it's going to improve the beer at all? i plan on following your hop schedule to the letter, have some nice fresh B-saaz and cascade in the fridge.

cheers!

 

[Bomber1975]

I have been eyeing off this brew for near on a year now. I am now just waiting for the B-Saaz to get into my local brew shop (should be here this week) I am only new to the game so how much difference will it make to the beer if I put in 500g of dextrose as opposed to the 300g Tony has put in? This is just me being lazy as I have a 500g bag will the beer taste much different or will it just up the alcohol volume??

 

[argon]

If it were meni'd only use the 300g... Cause the balanced seems right. Just keep the extra 200 for next time. If you did add the while 500g you'd be upping the abv and the beer would appear dryer on the palate. Not too bad a thing for the style. But again just use te left overs for next time.

 

[Neill]

Just as a heads-up, this needs a lot more hops to resemble LCBA. I made versions of this recipe about 5 times before i got it right. If you like it full of flavour, use this schedule:

10g of each at 45 min
20g of each at 15 min
20g of each at 10 min
20g of each at 5 min
dry hop the other 10g of each

as you can see it's based around 2x80g packs of hops. adjust your first addition a bit (depending on your boil size) to achieve roughly 30-35 IBU.

 

[Bomber1975]

Cheers Argon and Neil I shouldn't be so lazy. I am heading off for four weeks but as soon as I get back I am going to have a crack and let you know how it all goes. I will up the hops as I do like my beers hoppy

 

[bignath]

Any of the variations for Tony's recipe seem good. I am drinking one right now actually. I think it's based on his original recipe. It is pretty much my "house ale" around here at the moment. Just been experimenting with no chill, but apart from that, pretty stock standard.

A fantastic brew indeed (as the recipe database ratings suggest).

Brew it man, you won't be disappointed!

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

I asked my LHBS if they had a recipe and this is what they gave me out of their little black book. It's nothing like Tony's and I'm sure it doesn't taste anywhere near as good but this has done the job for me. The second batch I bottled a few weeks ago had the hops upped to ~20g of each.

Ingredients
1x Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsener kit.
1kg Half nʼ Half Plus: 45% Dextrose, 45% Light Malt, 10% Corn Syrup.
15grams Cascade Hops.
15grams Saaz Hops.
150grams Wheat malt.
150grams Vienna malt.
150grams Cara malt

Method
1. Crackallyourgrains.
2. Bring 3-4litres of water to a rolling boil.
3. Add all of your cracked grain and 15grams of Cascade hops.
4. Maintain rolling boil for 50minutes.
5. After 50 minutes add 15grams of Saaz hops.
6. Maintain rolling boil for another 10minutes.
7. Add 10litres of cold water to fermenter.
8. Strain your boiled mix into the 10litres of cold water.
9. Add tin of Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsener.
10. Add bag off Half nʼ Half Plus.
11.Stir until everything is dissolved.
12.Fill to 23 litres with cold water.
13. Add yeast when temperature is 24degrees.

If anyone has an opinion on this or some suggestions on how it can be improved I'd gladly take them on board.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[keifer33]

If im reading what I think im reading is that the grains should be boiled for 1hr...this is a big no no and detrimental.

Bring around 2-3 litres to around 60-70C. Then add the grain and maintain the temp for around 60 minutes. This can be done by wrapping the pot in a few towels to insulate it. You can do it for a shorter time but some of the grains need to be mashed to extract the sugars which is 60+ minutes. If you do it for less it wont affect it but will extract a small amount of flavor and not any fermentable sugars, this wont matter as you are adding fermentables.

Once that's all over strain the grain out and bring the remaining liquid to the boil and continue with the instructions as above. Only other thing I could suggest is placing the pot into a sink of water to cool it rather than add it all to the fermenter to cool.

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

If im reading what I think im reading is that the grains should be boiled for 1hr...this is a big no no and detrimental.

That's what I thought when given the recipe and it goes against everything I have read on here and in books. Since I don't really know enough to do anything different I gave it a shot and it turned out pretty good for basically a kit beer.

Thanks for the tip I'll give that a go next time!

 

[bignath]

Just a couple of things,

Also wouldn't boil the grains. I would also use 60-70 degree water.

What yeast does that tin come with? I was under the impression that it's a true lager yeast?????

If so, i wouldn't be fermenting it at 24 that's for sure. Half of that and your closer to correct temp. Most people will ferment lagers at anything from 10 to 14 degrees. Low and slow.....
Having said that, if it's not a lager yeast supplied, then try 18 to 20 degrees. Either way, keep the temperature as constant as possible.

happy to be corrected on this but i would have thought that cascade would be out of place in a pilsner. The saaz is spot on, it's the classic choice for pilsner beers (czech pilsner in particular).
Cascade is right at home in a nice hoppy ale, but i don't think i would like it in a subtle pilsner type beer.

If you are not brewing to style then go for it. It will make beer, and probably quite nice beer, but if you are going to style i would try some of the tips that keiffer and i have recommended.

Cheers,

Nath

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

Just a couple of things,

Also wouldn't boil the grains. I would also use 60-70 degree water.

What yeast does that tin come with? I was under the impression that it's a true lager yeast?????

If so, i wouldn't be fermenting it at 24 that's for sure. Half of that and your closer to correct temp. Most people will ferment lagers at anything from 10 to 14 degrees. Low and slow.....
Having said that, if it's not a lager yeast supplied, then try 18 to 20 degrees. Either way, keep the temperature as constant as possible.

happy to be corrected on this but i would have thought that cascade would be out of place in a pilsner. The saaz is spot on, it's the classic choice for pilsner beers (czech pilsner in particular).
Cascade is right at home in a nice hoppy ale, but i don't think i would like it in a subtle pilsner type beer.

If you are not brewing to style then go for it. It will make beer, and probably quite nice beer, but if you are going to style i would try some of the tips that keiffer and i have recommended.

Cheers,

Nath

Yep pretty sure it comes with a true lager yeast. I pitch it when its at 24degrees then I let it go down to about 14-16 (average temp in my kitchen) Some days it does creep up to 18.

I have just bottled a batch using saflager S-23 so hopefully that will help it do something?

Anyway it looks like I have plenty of room to tweak and refine this recipe and get the method all dialed.

Appreciate the input and advice.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[kelbygreen]

s-23 is real lager yeast pitch at around 18c and bring temps down to 10-12c and ferment for 2-3 weeks, crush chill at close to 0c as you can get for 4 weeks then bottle. you will have the clearest cleanest beer you ever seen from home brewing. Its alot of time but lager is ment to be lagered (stored at near freezing for long periods)

EDIT: the recipe you got is actually a partial and the grains need to be mashed which is like 65c for 60 mins. would def not recommend to boil the grains as anything over 70c releases unwanted tannins

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

s-23 is real lager yeast pitch at around 18c and bring temps down to 10-12c and ferment for 2-3 weeks, crush chill at close to 0c as you can get for 4 weeks then bottle. you will have the clearest cleanest beer you ever seen from home brewing. Its alot of time but lager is ment to be lagered (stored at near freezing for long periods)

EDIT: the recipe you got is actually a partial and the grains need to be mashed which is like 65c for 60 mins. would def not recommend to boil the grains as anything over 70c releases unwanted tannins

Looks like my LHBS isn't an overly valuable source of information hah!

I didn't mean to hijack this thread, I just wanted to add the LCBA recipe I was given as it seemed rather simple. But one question what is crush chill?

Thanks again,

Paul

 

[hirns]

Looks like my LHBS isn't an overly valuable source of information hah!

I didn't mean to hijack this thread, I just wanted to add the LCBA recipe I was given as it seemed rather simple. But one question what is crush chill?

Thanks again,

Paul

A typo! Kelbygreen meant crash chill, which is the quick chilling of the beer down to near freezing to help drop yeast and sediment and lager the beer.

Cheers


Hirns

 

[keifer33]

The saaz hops might be the 'b' aka motueka which is the bright ale hop and my fav hop around atm.

 

[Bubba]

Hey all, just wondering if anyone out there has a decent k&k recipe for a little creatures bright ale? Tried a few ideas with cascade and saaz hops, along with a bit of wheat malt and LDME, so far no good, any help would be awesome.
Cheers,

Hazz

I havent tried this one but is on my recipe list and I know guys that have and they say it is very nice.

Black Rock East India Pale Ale Kit
Black Rock Light LME 1.5k
Wheat DME 150g
Crushed Carapils grain 250g
15g Saaz finishing hops tea bag
15g Amarillo hops
US-05

3l boil
Steep Carapils for 20mins and strain into pot with wheat DME 150g and boil for 20mins
1minute before flame out add Saaz bag and Amarillo
Flame out and rest for 15mins
Strain into fermenter with kit and LME, transfer Saaz finishing hops bag to fermenter as well.
Top to 21l
US-05
18degrees

Let me know what you think?

 

[scottc1178]

Hi guys,

I am very new to this, still learning all the lingo, so please excuse my asking stupid questions.

about 48 hrs ago I put down 2 x 23 litre batches of Tony's extract method (although used different brands of Malt Extract, and slightly different hops due to lack of availability at my local store) and I also increased the hops as per neill's suggestion.

used 2 x 15L stainless steel pots as they were the largest i could source ($15 each from Kmart... bargain!!)... so the volume of water in my initial boil was less than Tony suggests, but once it was in the fermenter I topped it up to the suggested 23L, I dont know if this will harm it.

my hydrometer readings were 1.049 and 1.052 when i put them into the fermenters. does this seem too high?

one of the fermenters was bubbling within the first 24hrs but the other still isnt (perhaps a leak, i guess i can tell whether it is fermenting by taking progressive hydrometer readings).

and given the initial readings, does anyone know roughly what the final gravity reading should be when it is ready to bottle?

I can't wait to drink this (if it works... fingers crossed)... LCBA is by far my favorite aussie beer at the moment.


cheers

 

[thegasherrulz]

Hydro readings are ok

Hi guys,

I am very new to this, still learning all the lingo, so please excuse my asking stupid questions.

about 48 hrs ago I put down 2 x 23 litre batches of Tony's extract method (although used different brands of Malt Extract, and slightly different hops due to lack of availability at my local store) and I also increased the hops as per neill's suggestion.

used 2 x 15L stainless steel pots as they were the largest i could source ($15 each from Kmart... bargain!!)... so the volume of water in my initial boil was less than Tony suggests, but once it was in the fermenter I topped it up to the suggested 23L, I dont know if this will harm it.

my hydrometer readings were 1.049 and 1.052 when i put them into the fermenters. does this seem too high?

one of the fermenters was bubbling within the first 24hrs but the other still isnt (perhaps a leak, i guess i can tell whether it is fermenting by taking progressive hydrometer readings).

and given the initial readings, does anyone know roughly what the final gravity reading should be when it is ready to bottle?

I can't wait to drink this (if it works... fingers crossed)... LCBA is by far my favorite aussie beer at the moment.


cheers

Hydro readings are ok, maybe a little low, but will be fine. I'd leave it 10-14 days before bottling. final reading, bit of a guess 1010ish

 

[going down a hill]

I am going to put down a Little Creatures Bright Ale clone sometime this long weekend and was wondering if anyone can see any major flaws with the recipe.

1 can of Coopers light malt extract
1kg of ldm
150g of amber grain
300g of dex
Nottingham yeast

The B Saaz is 8.6 AA and the Cascade is 6.8AA
B Saaz 10g 45 Mins
Cascade 10g 45 Mins
B Saaz 20g 15 Mins
Cascade 20g 15 Mins
B Saaz 20g 10 Mins
Cascade 20g 10 Mins
B Saaz 20g 5 Mins
Cascade 20g 5 Mins
B Saaz 10g 0 Mins
Cascade 10g 0 Mins

I am hoping to hit the 35IBU I have got the hops dialled into Ian's spreadsheet and I am taking into account the Hop Concentration Factor. Both 0mins will be at flame out and will let it steep for 10mins before taking out to crash cool into ice bath.

My two major issues that I have are that I only have Nottingham yeast instead of US05 and that I'm subbing 1 can of Coopers light malt extract for a kg of ldm.

Any thoughts are welcome.
Cheers

 

[bullfrog]

I've found that Nottingham can subdue hop flavours a touch, which may not be too bad if you're dialling the recipe up to 35ibu; perhaps a touch closer to the original.

I've done Tony's AG recipe a couple of times now without upping the hop quantities and I didn't think it needed more added. That all being said, you'll probably end up with a higher FG than I have, considering you're using extract, so a few more ibu's would help balance that out.

That all being said, it'll turn out a killer brew. Perhaps consider doing two batches of it at once, because believe me, you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll run out of this drop once you crack your first bottle. My first keg of it lasted about 9 days from it first being kegged (and that's only over two sessions with a mate.)