VIC-Xmas 2016 Case-Swap Recipe (Cocko's place)

[MartinOC]

OK, I've done some work on the past few, so it's time for someone else to take the helm & drive this one.

The way I see it, we can either do something intended for immediate summer fermentation & consumption (ie. Weizen etc), or something for long-term fermentation & maturation.

Let the games begin!

 

[technobabble66]

Furry Muff.

I'll start with the stye suggestions then!
Saison
Strong Golden/Dark Strong

The way i see it is i'd go with a belgian-style fast fermenter, to go well in higher temps.
If we do something like a fairly basic Saison recipe it could be used as is, or tricked up by recipients to make almost anything else such as Golden Strong, Dark Strong, or even just an APA/IPA (US or Belgian).
So what i'd propose is stick to mainly Pils/Ale malt, with some Biscuit &/or Aromatic, maybe some Munich. Maybe include some Wheat as per typical assumptions with saisons, but i'd vote against that - my tiny experience with saisons would suggest they really don't need it. Without it, the mash will be easier.

So essentially it'd be a bit similar to the brew a few weeks ago - nice and simple with both recipe & mash; and people can then throw either a little or a lot into their cubes, with the additional option of using sugars/syrups into the fermentation if they want it stronger. They ESB-type thing we just did was ~6.6% from 20L, or diluted out to ~25L for ~5%. So the Belgian thingy would be ~6.5% out of the cube and we can either strengthen or dilute from there. Subsequently the hops in the boil would be on the low side to keep options open for individuals.

so something like:

92% Pilsner malt (maybe including (10% Munich)
3% Aromatic
3% Biscuit
2% Acidulated (for mash efficiency)

Bittering in boil to ~15IBU for 20L (say FWH with anything we can get), & that gives lots of room to manoeuvre in the cube, or do an Argon Method hops addition at home.

Whatchy'all think?

Could always go straight for a Belgian Strong if everyone's keen, but i thought i'd suggest the above in case there's a few who aren't keen, or simply want to do something a bit different to the rest of us.

I know there's always a bit of desire to make something massive, but it makes it pretty tricky when we're doing it on a grand scale. That Pliny clone we did was only ~150-200L. We're now doing double that volume. The amount of hops required would be crazy!

 

[droid]

what about brewing the highest placing recipe/beer at Vicbrew 2016 from someone on the swap list? if no-one on the list places then countback to the previous Vicbrew.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Highest scoring Kolsch? I reckon it's time for a Kolsch :icon_drool2: :drinks: :beer:

 

[technobabble66]

Kolsch = saison with different yeast
[emoji185]

Edit: so yes, I'd go with that

 

[MartinOC]

'Don't mind/care about the style/recipe as long as SOMEONE ELSE takes charge & drives this to conclusion.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Kolsch = saison with different yeast
[emoji185]

Edit: so yes, I'd go with that

Uh, yeah I KNEW that!!! LOL.... I've never brewed a Kolsch.

Techno, wanna do a joint control of 'ze recipe'? That is as long as everyone's happy for us to do it. I'd feel more comfortable with techno's expert knowledge on board, I can help prevent an over-complicated grain bill and lift heavy stuff :lol:

 

[Mardoo]

Kolsch=2 ingredients. Techno could never allow it.

 

[technobabble66]

Yeah Deej, happy to give it a crack.
Maybe give it a day or 3 to allow others to throw in a few suggestions & see if there's a better option.
But currently I think the Kolsch/Saison idea is a winner.


Yep. There is NO way I'm gonna be going with 2 ingredients. Ain't happening.

.... However this cube malting thing seems to have worked well with the ESB. So maybe I could be consoled with cube malting the bejesus out of mine.



Edit: I suspect "expert knowledge" might be more just my ability to talk shit, by the way.
[emoji185][emoji1]

 

[MartinOC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOHxtS7G75M

Just in case you missed the lyrics of the first verse:

You tell me what you're never gonna be
And I'll show you what you just can't see
If you want good living gotta grab it with your hands
If you don't, then don't bother making no plans

Edit: Sorry, probably better a message for my partner than you guys.

 

[Mardoo]

Well that rocks...why have I never heard of these folks?

 

[Grainer]

To be honest Im over the whole 2-3 grains simple thing... for the sakes of creating a descent receipe...

 

[MartinOC]

Well that rocks...why have I never heard of these folks?

Ah, come on Mardoo.....Ever heard of Deep Purple??

Gillan, Whitesnake & Rainbow were all off-shoots.

'Saw Gillan live a couple of times in the early '80's. AWESOME!!

 

[MartinOC]

To be honest Im over the whole 2-3 grains simple thing... for the sakes of creating a descent receipe...

Nah, to be honest, in my experience, 2-3 grains often makes the BEST recipe's. KISS.

Anything more just gets muddy with complications.

 

[MartinOC]

Hey, Mardoo, you might like this one too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IimJVGDAEM0

 

[MartinOC]

PS. I know I'm HORRIBLY :icon_offtopic:

...but I'm quite terribly off-chops right now.

I apologise....

 

[Grainer]

Nah, to be honest, in my experience, 2-3 grains often makes the BEST recipe's. KISS.

Anything more just gets muddy with complications.

Meh.. I stick to what I do then.. don't like 2 -3 grain recipes unless the receipe really calls for it in which this case it doesn't..... so I guess I'm out again..if thats the case..

I still think the Piny MUST be rebrewed again! (the real recipe)

 

[MartinOC]

Meh.. I stick to what I do then.. don't like 2 -3 grain recipes unless the receipe really calls for it in which this case it doesn't..... so I guess I'm out again..if thats the case..

The choice is entirely yours.....There's beauty in simplicity....& the recipe this time is not yours...obviously....

Edit: John, complicated recipe's don't work well for case-swaps, so simple is best for these events.

 

[technobabble66]

To be honest Im over the whole 2-3 grains simple thing... for the sakes of creating a descent receipe...

Would you consider the option of cube malting? The Aromatic + Toffee combo I threw into our recent ESB seems to have worked a treat. I'll keep you updated as to how it goes!

Did you have an alternative suggestion of a recipe/style?

TBH I've found most "classic" styles seem to be best as simple recipes. The 2 obvious exceptions that spring to mind would be Stouts & Porters where a spread of malts seems to commonly work well. Otherwise I'd say there may be individual recipes out there that have lots of stuff in them and work well, but the KISS approach seems a bit more reliable if we're doing something a little untested.
You know my innate desire to throw many malts at a recipe, but as I said, I'm coming around to the idea that for many (though not all!) styles/recipes KISS works best. Like making a single malt scotch where distinct flavours emerge compared to a blended scotch with good, solid, but generic flavours.
I s'pose the other argument is that if we make a simple recipe people could add more to it if they want (hops/malts into cube, Argon method). But if we make a particular complex recipe then people can't take stuff out of it they don't want.

Were you keen to do a Stout or Porter?
I'd be open to either of them, though I have a recipe for neither.
Maybe a RIS? I'm sure we could get Jesse to take a cube [emoji185]
... Or rather, do a Stout that could be fermented as is or have unfermentables added to get closer to a RIS (or diluted to a Porter or dark ale).
Happy to consider this.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I really liked Martin's Caledonian Porter... would LOVE to give something like that a go. Plenty of time for all to ferment, age and bring tasters to the following Xmas in July swap?