Post
by norstar » Wed Apr 04, 2012 11:25 am
Hope I'm not boring anyone - but procedure is thus:
I have two modified Swan 20L boilers, both sparkling clean and descaled with a length of stainless steel brake hose in the bottom to filter, so for a single boiler brew which leaves me with about 14L at the end, I treat 28 litres of water with CRS as described, then heat it up, treating as described 30 mins before using. I sterilise my FV and all equip by soaking it overnight in VWP and/or household bleach diluted and for good measure, before I use the FV in anger, having rinsed it out three times or so, I chuck a kettle of boiling water in it to steam the little bacterial swine.
I mash in a coolbox (also sterilised as above perhaps pointlessly) which has a stainless steel hose as a filter, in this brew's case at 67-68 degrees for 1hr 15mins having checked and adjusted the temp with kettle boiled water if req'd and also having checked the pH. I run off (recirculate a few times first tho) through a short length of garden hose to avoid splashing into the boiler, and switch on. Grains start to look dry and I used to use a pierced garden hose to spray sparge liquor heated to 80deg max over them, keeping the grain bed afloat. I sparge down to no less than 1.010 but I usually collect what I need well before that is reached. I usually hit about 75% I think and hit the desired pre boil gravity, tho I was well short on the last one - perhaps due to the grain being older. The last brew saw me use a pierced lucozade bottle instead of the hose which sprayed like a beauty and removes the possibility of garden hose tainted flavour.
I then wait until the boil is gently rolling and take the scum off the top. I used to have one lid sitting across two boilers side by side to restrict evaporation as I lost so much, so half uncovered, but the last three brews I have brewed with the lid off completely.
I typically boil for 1hr 15mins adding 60mins hops and then whatever else is required. I have a stainless steel brake hose at the bottom leading into the swan boiler tap as a hop filter. When it's all done, I put the coil in about 10 mins before the end to sterilise, and cool rapidly down to about 25, or in the case of the last brew more like 20, and let it sit for 10 mins or so minimum for the hops etc to settle out. I'd already made a yeast starter, rehydrating as per the Danster instructions in a sterilised container.
I then run off slowly to keep the wort clear into my FV, bubbling it as much as poss to get O2 in. I pitch the yeast and then stick the FV (one of which has an airlock, one doesn't so I leave the lid not clipped down on one side slightly) into my modified fridge at 18-20 degrees.
The past three brews have seen the Danstar stuff go like a rocket.
I then leave it in the FV for about 10 days, then when I'm sure that the gravity is correct, I crash cool for about 3 days or so, and then transfer to a sterilised bucket (my coolbox as it happens, sterilised as above with VWP etc). I take about 100mls or so and heat it on a hob adding priming sugar, and I mix this into the wort from the FV before bottling into bottles I’ve sterilised in, you guessed it, VWP and/or bleach. I’ve also tried using the dishwasher on a hot cycle. No real difference between the bottles.
That’s it otherwise. Missus has gone to ASDA and reluctantly is picking up 28L of smart price water. My plan is to repeat last weeks brew using this stuff, untreated, and then pitch the wort onto the yeast cake from last week.
It's definitely a bitter astringent taste - the teabag analogy seems to sum it up for me. Infection? Not sure, but I don't think it gets worse with age. Better if anything.
After that, if it’s still the same, I’ll try new yeast.
After that, if anyone’s interested there’s two Swan boilers coming up for sale, two FV’s….!!!!!
