Need Beer, Stat!

[LethalCorpse]

Howdy folks,
I've not brewed in a while as I'm trying to maintain the motivation for my AG assembly. But a mate has sprung a party on me at short notice, and I want to produce a keg to help him out if I can. I want to put down a double batch tomorrow and have it pouring and drinkable by the 20th of June. I normally have 7-10 days in primary, another 10-14 in secondary, then 14-28 days bottle conditioning, so this is a new experiment for me. I know that it's quite possible to get it on tap in that space of time, but I'm after recommendations for a recipe that will be good under the stating conditions - I want a good easy drinking session beer that doesn't make us feel like cradle snatchers.

So, I understand that wits are generally good green, what are my options in an ale? Nottingham by all reports is a demon, should I go for it, or something else? Nobody there is going to be a beer connoisseur, so I'd rather not expose them to to much malt flavour (read:need high attenuation) or hop character. I haven't got a huge amount of time tomorrow, and don't have mash temperature control yet, so don't want to do a partial, but I'd love to do a 6L boil - all extract, boil half extract in 5l with hop additions as per suggested schedule, strain into fermenter with rest of extract and top up. A fresh wort kit would be good, but I'm not certain I'll get contributions from the drinkers, I don't want to spend too much. I'l be fermenting in two separate fermenters, so will need double ingredients, and will probably need to boil twice as I don't think 3L is enough to boil the hops for both brews. For a fast yeast, can I get away with splitting it, (knowing I'll cop some lag), or should I get two packs? Lastly, where should I get it all that's within spitting distance of Parramtta and open on a Saturday? As I recall, country brewer's yeast range was pretty limited. I can afford to drive up to about half an hour away, which means Penrith to the city.

 

[LethalCorpse]

noone? The lhbs will all be shut soon

 

[0M39A]

Well a wheat is an obvious choice, but a bit hard unless you go AG.

I say go with just a basic apa.

you say youre doing a double batch, so i assume that means 50L?

go with:
6kg malt
400g-500g light crystal
bitter to 35ibu with your favorite bittering hop
60g cascade/amarillo/d-saaz/anything else american-ish
same again at whirlpool/flameout

ferment with s-05 nottingham

very simple, and is still good fresh.

not sure how it will go down for a mates party though, as some people might be scared off by the idea of beer with flavour...

still, thats what i'd go with, and i always like my apa's fresh, and if people dont like it, then all the more for those who do

 

[LethalCorpse]

ended up going for a wheat, 3kg LLME, 3kg LWME, 150g crystal, 150g wheat mallt, 60g hallertau full boil, 30g saaz 10min, 30g saaz @ flameout, 20g coriander seeds, peels of 2 oranges @ flameout, fermented with safwheat (all I could get).

 

[boingk]

Sounds mouthwatering-enough for me! Might have to have a crack at a reduced-size batch actually. I'm sure all the guests will be might pleased!

Cheers - boingk

 

[LethalCorpse]

Last question while the water's heating - Since I've only got an 8L pot, and 6L is pushing it for boil, should I try to boil the grain infusion and 1.5kg of extract with the full hop schedule, then split that and remaining fermentables between the two fermenters, or should I halve the hops and boil twice?

 

[0M39A]

Personally I'd halve the hops and boil twice, but thats just me.

 

[boingk]

Halve and boil twice. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing it that way.

 

[LethalCorpse]

well, it's done. 42L in two fermenters, 1040 in one, waiting for the other to cool down before I test OG and pitch. Probably too bitter from the hallertau, and too spicy from the coriander - probably going to regret leaving it in the fermenter, but we'll see.

 

[LethalCorpse]

Much happier today. Just carried the second fermenter downstairs and checked them both. First fermenter has got off to a cracking start, glad wrap is bulging and already down to 1035, and having had the benefit of a night to settle out, the bitterness is much more mellow - flavour last night was probably due to hops that got through the strainer and coriander still in suspension. I should add here that what I did was take off a little bit of the wort before first addition, water it down and then brought to the boil 5 min before the main boil was done, adding the coriander and orange peel for a 5min boil. I did this because I wanted to strain the hops (as much as possible) but leave the coriander and orange peel in the fermenter. I'm still not convinced this was the right idea, but we'll see how overpowering the spice and citrus is in a few weeks. The colour is a loverly shade of yellow, which makes a nice change from the deep amber I'm used to. Second fermenter tasted same as last night's due to just having been sloshed about down the stairs, but its gravity was 1052, so when I mix them into the keg the ABV should be about right.

Next question, since I've not kegged before, I'm after advice on how to carb it. I can crash chill here before transferring to the keg, but I don't think my mate's got a fridge he can chill it in while we carb it. He's expecting, I think, to use the miracle box on the night. Should I crash chill it, then take it to his place for force carbing, expecting it to stay cool enough while we do so, then use the miracle box while dispensing? Should I get him to bring the gas around here so we can force carb in the fridge, then just use the miracle box to keep it cool while dispensing?