Your best and worst beers of the year & what are you brewing

[Hengoedbrewer]

Hi Hengoed. Due to delays in items arriving, I haven't got my brew on yet. How much vanilla did you end up going for? I am thinking 2 bean in boil then an additional 2 in the brew!

Hiya mate

I kegged mine today...20l at fg of 1.016, so about 5.2 pre-priming sugar (which was 85g of molasses sugar). I went for one vanilla bean in the boil; which ended up in primary as well- plus 2 soaked in rum for a few weeks- I used most of that vanilla rum to add to primary after a week; and then added what was left of the rum plus one of the remaining beans to the keg. It smelt strongly of vanilla so I didn't want to over do it so I ditched the other bean. I got more chocolate aroma as I was working way down the fermenter during syphoning- its in the airing cupboard now for 2 weeks then I'm going to leave it alone till Xmas!

Good luck with it: I saw your peanut butter porter post; which wouldn't be to my taste; but there's a heretic chocolate hazelnut porter I have had (porter is my fave beer by far) which was amazing stuff!!

[Manngold]

Hey hengoed. How did yours turn out? I lofted the lid to check on mine today, there seams to be a white scum on the top, that sort of resembles mold! Will try to upload a pic. I guess the best thing to do is a taste test!

[Pinto]

Been an up and down year for me - went from kits to AG and then lost the time/will/opertunity to brew at all for a while. Guess my biggest disaster this year was my Galaxy ale - actually a nice pint in itself - but due to a forced and unfortuanate yeast choice, Its been left laden with a fine sediment that stirs into the brew the moment a bottle is opened I'v e found that if chilled, its drinkable but I have about 15 litres of it to go.....

As to new beers ? I've decided I might go back to basics and brew on my smaller 19l kit until I can improve my technique quite significantly. Next brew will likely be a simple bitter, although im hankering after a simple brown ale or porter at the moment. Time is premium at the moment tho with a new business.

On the bright side tho - I now have a full TIG setup and qualification in Stainless....and thats something that could benefit us all round here

[Hengoedbrewer]

Hey hengoed. How did yours turn out? I lofted the lid to check on mine today, there seams to be a white scum on the top, that sort of resembles mold! Will try to upload a pic. I guess the best thing to do is a taste test!

Hiya mate

Mine seems fine- as I kegged it for Xmas I haven't tried any bit it smelled great. I saw your other post and hope yours turns out drinkable after the white scummy stuff!

I just made up a Coopers Blushing blonde (recipe on their website except I added 1kg of black forest frozen fruit not the 500g stated. Should be a nice refreshing light fruity ale! )